If you ever run out of the stuff. . .let me know. . .Susan, my friend in Nara, sends me all kinds of that stuff. . .

We had roast pork with 5-pepper enchilada sauce, baked sweet potatoes and pineapple bread pudding with turbinado sugar caramelized on top. . .I was going to blog to the table, but I was busy playing with the pictures, doing laundry and domestic stuff so we can take in hazmat training this weekend.

Congratulations on home ownership. . .

As the DJ used to bellow into his microphone:

Who's in da house?

The answer tonight is "Mastandrea is in the house." Tonight's report from Cuyahoga County has it that a deed has been filed with the town making Cookie and Mojo co-stewards of a four-bedroom workshop on a tree-lined street in Berea.

Tonight I was doing some computer stuff, so eating was a secondary concern. As I loaded software to my erratic tablet computer, I tossed some rice into the cooker and when it was ready I got out the furikake and some ginger sauce and whatever else I could find in the fridge.

Ah, rice and furikake... Reminds me of college... Come to think of it, this jar may have been in my cabinet since college.

Played with Ellexa's picture. . .cropped it, fixed the red eye and gave the picture a soft cloud background

Did it over. . .like this one even better. . .

I too must say: wow. Bazzukajoe's latest photo attachment intrigues me. Didn't Frylock recently attend a costume party dressed as that thrill ride?

Come to think of it, I think Ree went to that same party, also dressed as a thrill ride.

Oh i forgot something....
Aunt phyllis do you know this ride?
It was at the fair.......

I was wondering why we didnt recreate this photo. We were all together.

WOW. Is an excellent word to describe a truly great week. I had quite a time eating, talking drinking and eating again. I have hours of driving cd's to keep road rage at bay on the drives home. Thanks Joe. It was great to finally get back in touch. My memory of the last times you were in new york were fuzzy at best. I now have memories that you have made clear. And I am very happy and impressed that Joe and Ellie made this journey. Thank you. I hope we have not damged you both beyond recovery. Especially Orlando. I was not too worried as i know Joe has an extensive background in disaster management. We missed alane and the men very much. John discussed the men extensively with Ellexa in closed door conferencing. It appeared to be successful. She has finally started laughing. Now its more fun when she acknowledges you are actting like an ass to get her attention. Well, Ellexa has been steadily increasing the amount of accesories she will utilize each day. Her purse contains her pacifier.

I am amazed and glad to finally see connecticut has made it to the blog. Thank you Aunt Phyllis for coming on a whim to check out the squirt. She has been quite fun. Like a new toy. She is a little tiring but i think i was too as i recall. You do remember babysitting me
and steve? well maybe just me.

Ill post some more pics soon...

Planting one's feet and being stubborn? Now where else have I seen that trait...?

Nope. Must be an Akita-only thing.

This picture is for Ree. . .my hair was long. . .I cut it really short for the trip.

Forgive me for not posting sooner, but I am still drop-dead exhausted. I do, however, want to add my heart-felt thanks to those of Joe's. It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget. I will cherish this family forever for their loving kindness. I will repeat what I said to Joe frequently, "How did I get to be a princess?" Thanks again for the royal treatment. I have never had family before this and now I know what I (we) have been missing.

Please convey my thanks, too, to the non-bloggers, Vinny and Marie, Jessica and Ellexa (she is a beautiful girl and I hope she grows up computer-savvy), Marlena and John, and to the "extended family": Phyllis & Ada, Bobby & family, Phyllis & Joe & Janine, & Steve and Nick, Kelly & Brianna, and Uncle Vinny. My apologies to anyone I have forgotten.

I want to thank you all for the pictures, too, especially Maria Rose for not only taking pictures but printing them out and sharing them. You are a very special lady, Ree, and I am honored to know you. Please feel free to send more pictures at anytime to our Yahoo accounts. We are thrilled to have them and plan on building a family album.

I will be happy to edit photos to the best of my ability anytime any of you request it.

Thank you, Alane, for sharing John with us. I sincerely hope that the next time we get together, we have the pleasure of your and the boys' company.

I am overwhelmed and I still get tears in my eyes when I think of the week. . .if I hadn't just experienced it, I wouldn't have believed it to be possible to cram that much fun, love and laughter into such a small period of time.

The pizza crust is on the blog and the dough for the four large pizzas was eight times the amount as posted. Also, I used barley malt extract instead of sugar since I now have a source for it at the organic grocery store that opened in Omaha. Thank you, too, Steve, for the sauce and meatballs that made the pizza . . .without your help, it would not have been the same!

And Tarka, of course, thanks Steve for the tender loving care. She doesn't, however, apologize for planting her feet and being stubborn. It's an Akita trait.