Hiromi Usagi!

It has been warmer and the temperature gap in between Chicago and Tokyo is getting less.  In fact, it was 1 ℃ higher here (I use metric system…still)  Interestingly, it has been snowing but warmer than when I arrived here.  Yesterday, I hang out with Nana and Sayaka who did the same things as I did–married and live in Chicago—.  We went to Blind Faith Cafe in Evanston.  We always go there for lunch whenever I came to Chicago, because we, especially me,  like the restaurant and it is easier for Nana who lives in suburb to come.  It was fun to talk to them and we stayed there for a while.  It was so cute that all of us bought some cup cakes for our husbands.  They are doing well and talking to them gave me a lot of good energy.
I started writing my resume and looking for a job.  I have to admit that finding a job is not easy, but I am excited to work in Chicago now.  It is a good opportunity to rethink what I have done and what type of work is suitable for me.  I hope I can find a nice job, and I decided not to rush myself.

It has been a lot of fun living in a new apartment with Harper.  I cook almost everyday and enjoy making food and eating with Harper.  I try to stay with macrobiotics, but I think I have eaten too much sweet.  It is much easier to get vegan sweets here, and Harper gave me a nice vegan sweets cook book for my birthday (he also gave me a Blonde Redhead CD.  we like them a lot…)  I baked peanut butter cookies again which I baked last month in Japan.  Caffeine is another weak point of mine, but I found a yummy grain coffee.  I had carrot cake from Blind Faith with the coffee today.  It was great!

Thank you, those who sent me a nice message on my b-day!  Harper took me to Chicago Dinner and I had a great time with him.

Finally, I moved to Chicago and started living with Harper!  I am so happy to be here, and the immigration process at O’hare wasn’t so difficult, but when I signed the form with my name in Japanese (I signed in Japanese on my passport, so I thought it would be good to sign it in the same way to avoid a trouble), an immigration woman said, “so you don’t know how to write English yet, huh?”

I decided not to care about this kind of comment.  it would be waste of my time, right?  Anyhow, I was so happy to see Harper, Dylan and Sarah at the airport after that.  I felt welcomed for real.  It was crazy cold during the first week of my stay, and now it is sort of normal winter weather.  The temperature gap between here and Japan was 30 degree.  unbelievable.  We moved during the coldest time of the year.  we felt bad for our movers though.  Since I got here, all of us were packing, cleaning, and going to IKEA to prepare for the moving day, which was a day before Super bowl sunday.

Everything was fine, except a sofa we bought didn’t go through the staircase and we returned it and got a different sofa which came with smaller parts.

For the first few days right after I got here, all of us stayed at Hard rock hotel in downtown, which was great!! with Harper’s parents’ champagne surprise and Harper’s friend’s hookup.  I wish we could have been able to hang out with Dylan and Sarah more doing fun things.  They were big help for us, thanks guys!!

It had been so cold and tiring, I got sick..ahhh..I could not go out pretty much for a whole week.  I started feeling better today and decided to update my blog. While I was in japan spending time with my parents, I was busy sorting things out after I moved from tokyo to my parents.  I tried to get rid of as much stuff as possible and sent 5 boxes to the us by ship.  It will take a few months.  I brought 2 suite-cases with me.  that was it.

so I have been moving a lot these days.  Finally, when it is done, i got sick..sad.. well..I just needed to take a rest.  Harper suggested me watching “Lost” since he has the 1st and 2nd seasons DVD sets.  it is becoming too long..  it is pretty good though.

Harper has been taking good care of me since I got sick.  He made me this yummy tuna sandwich last night.  I kept him awake on Sat night because I was sick and couldn’t sleep.  At least he went out for a party and bars.  I am glad i didn’t ruin all of his sat night.

I can’t wait to get fully recovered and go exploring Chicago.  Until then, I just keep enjoying staying warm…