Tomorrow afternoon we'll be on our way to Narita airport. Hard to believe the ride is over, and what a ride it's been. As I've said before the time has come to move on to hopefully bigger and better things. In the six year and two months in Japan I've; I’m sure we'll be back in Tokyo some day, but this time on a lucrative ex-pat deal, sitting in the big office with a comfortable leather chair that provides full lumbar support. That’s a joke, but not the part about lumbar support –- that’s important in this age of computer-related repetitive stress injuries. As you can understand I've got to get packing, and if I'm not back online in a week, just wait longer.

Frankie turns the big 2 today. I can't believe only two years ago she couldn't hold her head up on her own, and now she's correcting my Japanese. Happy Birthday Frankie!

Not to steal the limelight from the birthday girl, but I might as well toss in one more announcement I've been holding off on. Masako is 13 weeks pregnant with our second child, and due in early January. We couldn't be happier.