truck adventure

Monday was interesting...so was Tuesday...so was today.
Monday I weeded in the morning...I had to crawl inside a tunnel of eggplants and peppers to get to the weeds between them. But in the afternoon I'd started weeding when Muto-san came over and asked if I wanted to go to the mountains. He never really says what we are going to be doing, but I've learned it is best to say yes because whatever it is- it is always better than weeding.

So I grabbed my camera (because I've learned to always bring my camera wherever we go, just in case) and we got in this tiny green truck. I hadn't seen it before, but it must been in one of the barns, just waiting for this moment! There wasn't an actual passenger seat and I was a little surprised when I opened the door to see an upside down crate with a cushion. But I got in and got comfortable. Next I was surprised because the truck didn't go very fast...I don't know the first thing about trucks and cars, but to me it was more like a tractor because of how slow it was and how he had to shift and what not. It also had no shocks (at least it felt like it) because I was bouncing up a down on the little bumpy mountain road. We slowly crept up a mountain road until I saw Hitomi's truck on the side of the road ahead of us. We parked right behind it. They were cutting down trees and bringing the logs and setting them in the back of the truck. They used a piece of bamboo measure the logs so they were all the same length. Later I learned they were to be used to grow shitake, so they were a specific tree called "suugi" I think.

They were enormous, maybe a foot in diameter at the base, and that would be the very biggest one...maybe more like 10 inches... but they don't grow any branches until the top, so the fall very gracefully. Slender and smooth trees... one time though the tree fell across the road, and though it wasn't a busy road, it seemed suddenly that there was a lot of traffic. But they cut it and we moved it to the side of the road.

The logs that had little nubs on them we had to cut off using an ax. At first I wasn't doing it, but soon Hiro held out an ax to me, "try?" I managed to keep all my fingers intact. After we cleaned off any nubs or branches we had to carry them to the truck. I could only carry one at a time and even at that I could feel my arms getting pretty sore after a while. Hiro and Katsu could pick up two large ones at a time and carry them...sometimes I wish I was a boy and I could incredible upper arm strength! I'm still sore in my arms so that means...I'm getting stronger! At least that's the bright side...
After we had filled both trucks we drove even further into the mountains. The other truck was a lot faster than this little green truck so they were out of sight as we crawled along the road. Then road became a dirt road. Then that dirt road became what I'd consider to be a totally overgrown trail...but I guess in Japan what often looks like a footpath is actually a road. The poor little truck whined and screamed and grumbled as we went up and down little bumps and over some rocks and logs...the tree branches, grasses and bushes brushed against the windows and we joked that this was a slow roller coaster with all the ups and downs and bumping and jumping happening! Soon it flattened out into a clearing. The ground was brown with fallen leaves and dead grasses and dirt. There were a few trees, just enough to make it look mystical, and the many rows of logs for growing shitake. They run a wire between two trees and then lean the logs against the wire, making a long tunnel. It was very quiet...almost too quiet for my taste. But we made noise while we unloaded the logs onto the ground and then collected mushrooms. I was picking them off the logs and adding them to Hitomi's basket. Muto-san had an apron that he used to collect the mushrooms. Katsu had a basket and Hiro and taken off his jacket and tied it around his waist as a pouch to collect mushrooms but I don't think it was going too well because I think he was saying how he should bring something to collect them in next time and I heard Hitomi say the Doraimon's pocket would be the best. Doraimon is a character from a kids tv show, he is a "robot cat from the future" and he has many incredible inventions, all that he keeps in his front pocket on his belly. It made me laugh when she said that...for it truly would be the most convenient!

After that we went home. Muto-san said his friends were having a party down the road and invited me to come so I went. It was a BBQ so the table was filled with raw foods and there was a grill on each end of the table. I sat at first with Muto-san and another man (in his 30s I think) who had gone to America for a year, so he knew some English. There was pork that Muto-san was grilling on the pan and he told me that this was hashibuta, meat from his own farm. How sad that must be! I tried a piece. It was incredible. And as I've heard many people say on tv, UMAI!!! It was incredibly tender and flavorful... Soon Muto-san went away to talk to other people and I was left with the "younger" guys. It was fun talking to them, we mostly just discussed cultural differences and a little about our pasts. Another man came and he had also gone to America. He had gone on a road trip with his friend some time ago. Then another guy came and I swore he looked familiar. Later I realized he was a delivery man and he had come the week before to deliver something while I was washing eggs, aHA!
Towards the end I was basically forced to leave because all the men were drunk and I realized that really, I should have left a while ago... next time I will try to scoot out at a more reasonable time. The delivery guy walked me back to the house, I was glad because otherwise I would have run crying home since I'm a little scared of the dark and I couldn't see a thing it was so black. Actually...I probably wouldn't have run crying "home" but into some bushes and gotten lost, yes, it was the dark.

Then I chilled out and went to sleep.

Tuesday morning we went to harvest the last rice, this last field was mochi rice. And I think it is that after it is dried, it is white rather than brown. I got to cut a little bit by hand, which I was happy about because...well, I had hoped to be able to. When Muto-san showed me, he used the sickle in one stroke and cut through the bunch of rice (if you don't know already the rice grows in bunches). But when I used the sickle it wasn't as easy! But towards my 10th time or so I got the hang of it. Then Muto-san road the combine and finished the field off. When the bags were full, he lifted them onto Hitomi's shoulder and she walked them about 100feet to the truck. I was really impressed, she must have an incredibly strong back, because she even took her hand away and let it sit there on her shoulder while she held her hip to balance out the weight. After she had done two and there was another bag, I knew I should do at least one...luckily I didn't have to go the 100 ft because I wouldn't have made it. I carried mine with my arms in front of me and I was feeling pretty weak after the thirty feet to the truck. Katsu had told me earlier that the bags are 30 kg which is 62 lbs. For a weakling like me...that's pretty heavy.

Then the truck adventure really began! We brought the ramp for the combine so it could get into the back of the truck but for some reason it wouldn't go up the ramp. So after a bit of fussing, Muto-san got down from the combine, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, the combine started crawling up the ramp all on its own and Muto-san jumped back on. It was kind of funny, but thank god it didn't go crazy or anything.

Then once we had it loaded we were driving up this very steep hill when suddenly the truck said,"hey, I can't do this." and it shut down and we rolled backwards for a half second. Hitomi was in another truck behind us and I looked back to see if she was okay but she had been smart and stayed far back. The truck kept dying out and Muto-san asked me to get out and to "lock" something on the wheels, and luckily, after that the truck decided it could make it up this hill. I definitely got nervous though, what happens when you can't make it go? Next time maybe...

Today I weeded in the morning and then in the afternoon we went into the city. First they delivered some goods to a place where it will get picked up and taken to Fukuoka. Then we went to an electronics store, they had everything! Except...for an external hard drive which I looked for. But there were about 200 TVS on at the same time and all kinds of speakers, but that was the second floor. On the first floor they had everything from hair curlers to microwaves and even massage chairs and takoyaki irons- wow! I like Japanese fridges, they have sometimes as many as 5 compartments. They very in temperature so you have more control AND you can save energy by opening different compartments to get specific things rather than standing with door open while looking for one thing. They bought a carpet and a heater for the table...I can't remember what it is called but since they don't have central heating in the winter they use a low table that has a heater under it and a blanket squished between two layers of the table so that people can stick their legs underneath and stay warm without letting the heat out.

Then we went to a second hand shop, but wow, it was really nice! For some reason though I still can't find any t-shirts...I don't know what it is wrong with a normal t-shirt that they don't like them here:( After that we went to dinner at conveyor belt sushi. Muto-san was picking the sushi so I got to try all kinds of sushi I had never tried before...like, clam, baby eel, hamburger, sea urchin and corn. The only one I really didn't like was the baby eel...it was a little bitter and I could see the eyes of the eels and it was clear and I could see that they were, well, cute and I so I felt bad eating it... it's weird how I can feel so guilty eating something that has eyes, or something like horse...
The sushi was yummy and it is always fun to see the sushi going around and around. There were little kids on the other side of the conveyor belt, so we could watch them too. There is a slot at the end of the table that you slide the plates into, and it counts the plates so that they know how much to charge you. After every five plates or so, though, there is a game that comes up on the little touchscreen at the end of the table (the touchscreen is a seperate menu for if you want to order specific things). I actually happened to win one of the games and a little toy rolled out  for me. How lucky am I?
After dinner we went to the super market and they did shopping and I went off and did some shopping too. It me probably 10 minutes to find the body wash, I was getting pretty irritated. I stocked up on chocolate and bought more bananas for us. I also bought honey for breakfast toast...honey on fresh toast...ah.

I got a package from Mom, Michael and Keiko today. Mom and Michael sent me the guidebook I let them use, an Atlas they are letting me borrow, different pamphlets to the places they went so I can check it out, Michael's pocket knife he bought here since he can't take it to Hawaii, stickers and more! They even sent me a UNIQLO sweater...I laughed a little, in a good way:) It is very cute and I'm glad I have another sweater  because it is getting colder, thank you Mom and Michael! They went to Hawaii yesterday and soon they will be home in America too. Mom even said she would join facebook so she could see my photos easily, I couldn't believe it! Awesome:)

I'm tired now... wonder what will happen tomorrow!

I wonder what will happen tomorrow!