Ice pops

This last week of June here in Tokyo has really started to heat up. I don't even want to imagine what the middle of August is going to be like. Ugghh. At least the ice pops are bringing the girls some temporary relief.

Blonde Monkeys

Hanging around at the local park.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and papas we know out there.

Spent a fantastic day with my girls, had lunch at a Mexican restaurant, rode the trains, played and laughed. The fact that we were all in the same country again was the best thing I could (and did) wish for (many times).

iPhone photos

Just playing around with the camera feature and some photo editing apps.

Run Sami, run

Trying to prolong their jet-lag before dinner. The rain stopped, albeit briefly, for a quick play outside.

Weee'reee baaaack!

My girls and lady returned to our life in Tokyo after 3 months of being apart. All is well in the world again...

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the grandparents for taking good care of these loved ones.

How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

That was the mantra I kept repeating over and over again in my head last Sunday during my first-ever century ride. 105km. total in about 6 hours.

A colleague and I had been planning this for about a month and I was "training" for it, well, at least until rainy season here in Tokyo decided to arrive 3 weeks early. As the appointed day approached, and I was losing precious afternoons to get my legs and lungs ready due to downpours, I began to have a few doubts. However, rainy days are very good for reading. So I picked up a story (true) about a middle-aged father who decides to hike all 54 of the Colorado mountains over 14,000 feet. On one hike the author's hiking partner is a man from South Africa, where, according to the story, the above mentioned riddle about an elephant is a popular proverb often quoted when confronted with a challenge.

So, last Sunday, as I began the dreaded, long, 10km. uphill grunt, the pachyderm proverb popped into my head.

And I did it. Very good ride, traffic a bit annoying in places, but otherwise something I would happily consider doing again.

Thank you, Brad and Yamamoto-san, otsukaresamadeshita!