tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-205286012012-01-18T21:45:16.454-06:00Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.comBlogger2021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-22375248031027611862012-01-13T08:56:00.001-06:002012-01-13T08:59:04.317-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-45074257462333700722011-11-11T21:19:00.004-06:002011-11-11T21:22:35.314-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-12668217492310352472011-10-02T11:14:00.001-05:002011-10-02T11:16:10.707-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-21373268709031492262011-08-12T19:48:00.003-05:002011-08-12T19:56:07.289-05:00

As some of you may be aware, our family is headed overseas in a few months. With that in mind, I'll try to turn this back into a travel blog. Over the past few years, travel has been limited, and Sand and Tsunamis has morphed into a bit of a Dad Blog instead. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not quite what was intended. We're bound for Germany for a few years, and I will

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-31418099167073087582011-08-12T18:27:00.002-05:002011-08-12T19:43:35.577-05:00

Move...a video that captures the essence of travel better than any I've seen in a long time. Take a look. MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-8018428045160436022011-05-19T06:41:00.002-05:002011-05-19T06:43:39.714-05:00

Charlie and Rusty planning out their day

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-51331372665487733552011-02-05T08:38:00.001-06:002011-02-05T08:38:07.989-06:00

A content dog.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-16031757756298294872010-05-24T21:20:00.002-05:002010-05-24T21:47:19.386-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-33891798199120268852010-03-20T21:37:00.006-05:002010-03-20T21:50:28.133-05:00

This is the 200th post here at Sand and Tsunamis...and to celebrate, pictures of my children.Charlie chose to lay down partially in a filthy puddle, so he is on his way to a bath once this gets posted.He had fun, though he was bullying a girl bulldog a bit...probably just flirting. Bella had a good time too, and I let her out of the baby backpack to wander since there were a lot fewer dogs than

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-56277076325760524592010-03-11T19:59:00.003-06:002010-03-11T20:21:41.987-06:00

Charlie got back yesterday from boarding school, and now he is a much more well-mannered, refined young dog. Seriously, he's been much calmer, and a model citizen. I'm happy with the results, and we practice his learnings several times daily to make sure they stick. Sit, stay, down, shake, roll over, sit up, crawl, come...he's pretty consistent with all of them. Next, we work on "slippers" (

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-52757365248392520052010-03-07T20:54:00.002-06:002010-03-07T21:03:57.507-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-72665774152176983322010-03-03T21:28:00.008-06:002010-03-03T22:25:26.737-06:00

Well, we just got back from a trip to Seattle to see Melody. We had originally intended to spend this week there, but when she got a late notice of a guaranteed 48 hour pass, we moved our trip up by a week.We left last Thursday, and flew thru Denver to Seattle. The trip was pretty easy, and Isabella did great. She's really a very easy traveler. We stayed in a cabin on American Lake, just

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42356369474647809882010-02-14T21:56:00.010-06:002010-02-14T23:10:00.696-06:00

We spent the afternoon at the San Antonio Rodeo, the big thing going on in town right now. While we didn't hit the actual rodeo part, we had a fun time wandering the grounds and looking at all the animals. Part of it was a petting zoo with pigs, goats, sheep, a burro, a llama, and even a wallaby...Isabella loved it of course. She squealed with delight, as she went from one critter to another.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-6535762991826331402010-02-12T23:20:00.009-06:002010-02-13T00:06:42.548-06:00

Last weekend, Bella and I took a trip to Florida to see my Grandma and celebrate her 98th birthday. All of her 7 children were there, along with most of their spouses. My brother, Paul, and Isabella and I represented the 17 grandchildren and 21 (about to be 22) great-grandchildren. It was great getting a chance to catch up with our aunts and uncles, and a rare opportunity for them to see

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-90824492591380984352010-02-11T23:29:00.000-06:002010-02-13T00:00:54.114-06:00

As many of you may know, Melody is on her way to Afghanistan for about 6 months. She left about 3 weeks ago, headed for Portsmouth, VA to finish some Navy requirements before flying to Seattle, WA and Fort Lewis for Army Training (ala "Stripes").Isabella and I are thus on our own. So far, so good. Not to say that I haven't had help. Melody's cousin Mickie, and childhood friend Marilyn both

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-7937381425572535712010-01-21T23:16:00.001-06:002010-01-21T23:23:16.197-06:00

Another photo used (with permission) on the web...Follow title link...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-87408813006079344702010-01-21T22:50:00.003-06:002010-01-21T22:55:23.861-06:00

I guess I should be honored, as one of my photos, "love that unibrow" was chosen as part of a feature on the aforementioned subject of the unibrow.Be sure to head on over to AwesomeOff.com and check it out.Link there from the blog post title...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-37916457257958551962009-12-24T11:06:00.005-06:002009-12-24T11:19:12.965-06:00

Guess it's been a while since the last post. Life just seems to happen, and when it does, some things have to take a back seat. The past year has been a great one, filled with many blessings, and a few sad times as well. We covered the main one back in June, when Oji died. We've still got our moments when he comes to mind, but were sufficiently through our grieving enough by mid July that we

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-10188151060363895462009-06-29T22:11:00.017-05:002009-06-30T00:40:21.857-05:00

Well, I hate to finally have to write this, but Rest in Peace, Oji. As many of you know, back in March, Oji was diagnosed with lymphoma. We were stunned. I mean, here we had the best dog ever, and he gets cancer? What's up with that? One morning, while scratching him under his chin, I noticed that his lymph nodes were swollen. I scheduled an appointment with the vet, figuring that it was

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-80851895728777448652009-03-07T06:24:00.002-06:002009-03-07T06:31:54.423-06:00

Check out this clever video done by a westerner in Japan. She puts her camera on the belt of a kaitensushi (sushi-go-round) and takes a video as it goes around the entire restaurant. As it goes back into the kitchen, one of the ladies inquires of one of the sushi chefs whose camera it is, and he says, "Gaijin-san desu," or "it's the Gaijin's." Check it out here.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-20150396966398060062009-01-24T06:34:00.006-06:002009-01-24T08:04:42.771-06:00

A couple of days ago, I got an email from one of the advertising representatives at the Adventure Center.  As regular readers know, I've taken three trips that I set up through them.  The first was to Morocco back in 1999.  The second was with Melody and our friend Lori to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in 2006.  About six months later, I used the company again to set up a trip to China with my

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-7545262237399133222009-01-04T15:18:00.001-06:002009-01-04T15:19:56.348-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-70083497942805515722009-01-03T12:44:00.004-06:002009-01-03T12:49:13.114-06:00

A few snaps in front of our Muppet Christmas Tree (so named because it's fake, and reminds me of severed Muppet limbs...).

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-69787139237298141072009-01-03T12:16:00.006-06:002009-01-03T12:44:26.688-06:00

Finally, a more willing subject for my photographic pursuits than our willful dog, Oji. He's quite photogenic, but is somewhat reluctant to sit for pictures. He either wants to come sniff the camera, or he realizes I'm trying to get a shot, and runs off.Our dear friends in Japan, Ginny and David of "Day at the Sumo Tournament" fame, sent Bella a really sweet gift. Ginny is a talented knitter,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-69119413634093037702008-12-29T20:53:00.016-06:002008-12-29T21:31:22.411-06:00

Scolded again by my old friend LT, I am prompted to put up a few more pictures of Baby Bella.The Happy FamilyDaddy and BellaSweet...Poppy and BellaGood lungs...Chubby Cheeked Cutie

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-39243124942973311602008-12-25T09:56:00.000-06:002008-12-28T09:59:25.946-06:00

"Why do you do this to me? I'm going to bite you now."

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-312176285334294892008-12-10T21:30:00.003-06:002008-12-10T21:33:06.928-06:00

Please welcome to the world little Isabella Rose. She arrived as a bit of a surprise Sunday, 7 December at 6:05 AM. We're glad to have her, as she's been expected for about 9 months now. Isn't she cute?We'll be bringing her home soon...will update more later; we've been kind of busy of late!

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-22364351851473334382008-11-09T22:39:00.002-06:002008-11-09T22:41:27.718-06:00

I think this picture says it all...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-70299838187726573162008-11-03T22:20:00.010-06:002008-11-03T22:29:21.121-06:00

Oji makes his choice. Of course, as a Republican, ACORN wouldn't let him register. So, he expresses his opinion of their discrimination.If he could vote, tomorrow he'd pull the lever for McCain. But, we're not in Chicago, he's not a Democrat, and once again...he has no thumbs...Zannen, desu-yo?Oji is sad because he can't vote for McCain...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-36399194924601766582008-11-03T22:06:00.008-06:002008-11-03T22:20:10.096-06:00

"Dude, what ARE you?!?""I am Rohan, a valiant Knight of the Rohirrim.""Oh no...Please don't make me wear this..." Waiting for the Trick or Treatsters.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-44605129316010722772008-10-26T22:34:00.007-05:002008-11-03T21:49:14.413-06:00

Melody and I came home this evening to find that the Relocator had sneaked into our house and done his mischief. We spent much of the day away, with Mass this morning followed by brunch followed by some grocery shopping. A brief stop at the house, and we were off again to Home Depot where we're working on some kitchen remodeling plans. By the time we grabbed a quick bite of supper it was

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-45499023384011142792008-10-25T23:11:00.007-05:002008-11-03T22:06:49.884-06:00

Nothing to worry about...we just got used to Oji being so obedient to the command, "Stay" that we got a bit complacent.About two weeks ago, on our usual Wednesday night with the Cousins, the doorbell rang. It was Lisa from across the street, coming to let us know that Micki's car alarm was going off. While I was distracted, Oji darted out into the night. I swear, I'm going to get a blinking

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-85816659277644284242008-09-26T11:06:00.003-05:002008-10-25T23:06:13.738-05:00

My Personal Quest: The perfect backpackFor years now, I've been searching for the perfect backpack. If there are any vices that Melody and I share, it would have to be bags. We have far too many backpacks, carry-on bags, suitcases, drag bags...you name it. Part of it is our job...the military means that you travel a lot. And, you tend to have specialized luggage such as duffel bags,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-45789333252462759522008-09-25T23:14:00.006-05:002008-09-25T23:31:25.849-05:00

Melody is pregnant, but won't let me take any good pictures of her. So, here is one I took in Singapore at one of the Hindu temples in town. Imagine my surprise when I saw my very own wife portrayed as a goddess (I think). It looks just like her, though.I keep asking her to put on a sari and carry some bananas on her head, and her only reply is to look at me like I have a lobster growing out

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-10333953353206391702008-09-25T22:41:00.006-05:002008-09-25T23:14:22.902-05:00

We spent another weekend at our adopted getaway spot, the Decker Creek Bed and Breakfast and Biscuits. This was our second visit, and we took a couple of days of leave to enjoy it at a more leisurely pace this time.It's just outside Austin, and about an hour and a half away. The proprietors, Pat and Byron Rathbun, have two cabins on over 50 acres of rolling Texas bottom land, complete with

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-37355318620209478342008-09-15T07:28:00.003-05:002008-09-15T07:48:01.885-05:00

"If your grandfather didn't wear it, you wouldn't exist."How true...My Dad had some that I think he got from his Dad.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-54150608119739232432008-09-14T22:58:00.004-05:002008-09-14T23:01:59.390-05:00

I got an email from my old friend LT, one of our regulars, calling for more stories about Oji. So, in an attempt to indulge her, here we go.Oji Goes to the Country. We decided to take a weekend for ourselves about a month ago, and headed up the road toward Austin. Melody had Googled around for a while to find a dog-friendly getaway, so we were going to spend the weekend at the Decker Creek Bed

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-17522392211221136092008-09-14T17:52:00.002-05:002008-09-14T17:56:04.996-05:00

I forgot to mention that, while I was waiting to board my flight from Rapid City to Denver when heading home, I watched some poor guy getting the "special" TSA treatment with the full bag search and body wand. He looked vaguely familiar, and must have had quite a lot of metal in various places on his body, as it took a long time for him to get finished. He was sort of scruffy looking, and I

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-3555953940103032742008-09-14T16:30:00.000-05:002008-09-14T16:29:41.942-05:00

More than just a place to perch your toilet kit while fishing for your razor, the toilet seat has been elevated to an art form right here in San Antonio, TX.I put up an article on the Everywhere site...check it out here.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-51797571380573154902008-09-14T14:24:00.013-05:002008-09-14T16:24:46.911-05:00

Last month, we had the unfortunate need to travel for a funeral. My paternal Grandfather died at age 95. He was an accomplished PhD Biochemist and a pretty incredible guy. While the occasion was sad, it was a good chance to catch up with some family I'd not seen in a long, long time.My Father and Sister and I all made our way to Rapid City, South Dakota on the 5th of August. While in Chicago,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-90817814883582963832008-08-17T19:48:00.003-05:002008-08-17T20:20:00.964-05:00

I got an unfortunate email the other day...Everywhere Magazine, the contributer supported travel magazine, is no longer printing after their next issue (No. 4). That's too bad, as I had been uploading some pictures and stories about Vietnam, and some Weird Travels that I hoped would get picked up. Oh well. I'll post them here, and see if I can get them up over at Bootsn'all or some other

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-59447453846955311952008-08-15T20:14:00.006-05:002008-08-17T20:18:29.730-05:00

I arrived home as I usually do, and came inside to greet my loyal, wag-tailed beast. Oji was excited to see me, and there's nothing like seeing the unconditional love in your dog's eyes..."You came back! I knew you wouldn't leave forever!! Pet me! Pet me! Pet me!!" I can only imagine what it will be like when I'm a parent...just a few more months for that part...but I digress.So, after some

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42821422697400212662008-08-01T17:07:00.004-05:002008-08-01T17:13:50.405-05:00

A conversation I had a couple of weeks ago at the Burger King drive-thru...BK: Welcome to Burger King. May I take your order? Me: Yes...I'd like a Number Seven please. BK: What kind of drink? Me: I'd like a large, Iced Black Coffee. BK: I'm sorry...we don't have that. Me: I see you have the "BK Joe" which is iced coffee with milk and sugar...can you just make it black? BK: I'm sorry

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-7581974797755100412008-07-26T10:11:00.004-05:002008-07-26T10:42:23.623-05:00

One of my oldest friends was in town last night, so we got together for some supper and a long overdue reunion. It's been about 3 years since we last got together, and ironically, that meeting was also here in San Antonio. Andre just got back from Saudi Arabia, and we had a good time comparing notes about our respective times there. Melody had had a long, hot day at a unit barbeque, and was a

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-69987114790203947202008-07-22T22:27:00.004-05:002008-07-22T22:49:38.830-05:00

...but to echo the sentiments of my friend who sent it to me..."And they say that we here in Alabama are Redneck!" Couple Marries at Waffle HouseEnsure that you check out the slide show at the bottom. It's priceless. The Blushing Bride...The Groomed Groom...The Proud Papa...The Fat Bridesmaid with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth...Ahh, love. Reminds me of when I lived in Leesville,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-427730922715231022008-07-19T15:06:00.008-05:002008-07-19T17:45:17.393-05:00

So today, we decided to take Oji to the dog park up by the airport. It was pretty exciting, and we were a bit nervous at how he would do...I don't think he's ever been around a bunch dogs before.Well, it was mostly a success. He seemed to have a good time, and if the old adage that a tired dog is a happy dog, then he was pretty happy when we left.It was funny, though, that the very first thing

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-89811062243543176652008-07-18T07:02:00.007-05:002008-07-18T07:22:09.734-05:00

For the past few weeks I've been trying to pin down who exactly Oji reminds me of. After mulling over several options, it's either a muppet (Lips, from the Electric Mayhem), or Ted Kaczynski. Fortunately, only Oji's appearance is Unabomber-like. The gray in his beard, the tousled hair...You be the judge.(images attributed to http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Unabomber.jpg and http://

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-38166414323623011532008-07-13T09:12:00.003-05:002008-07-19T17:48:47.158-05:00

Oji has started to chase his tail...we're very proud.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-44305810375352240372008-07-12T22:34:00.006-05:002008-07-12T22:54:42.565-05:00

Is that a good looking dog, or what?!?Oji continues to be the dream dog. He's now pretty consistently ringing the little bell we put at the back door to alert us that he wants to go out, and has transferred the same behavior to his leash when he wants to go for a walk. He picked that up on his own...we hang it on a hook on the front door, and he'll go over and bump it with his nose. Smart dog

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42961379065411877272008-07-12T22:23:00.003-05:002008-07-12T22:39:59.291-05:00

I was recently contacted by a website, NowPublic.com, requesting to use some of my photos from last year's Sumo tournament in an article they were doing on Kotooshu, the Bulgarian rikishi. Somewhat flattering, and of course, I agreed.Follow the link in the Title to go to the article...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-85431596747079170602008-06-29T16:25:00.008-05:002008-06-29T16:56:44.493-05:00

Well, I just learned one of the hazards associated with having a dog around the house. No, it's not the one you're probably thinking of, either. You know...walking barefoot in the back yard, like you used to do. Something not quite so bad, but bad nonetheless.As a guy, we're used to eating things off of the floor. You may have heard of the so-called "five-second rule." Any food that drops on the

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-23766310095201052162008-06-29T13:01:00.007-05:002008-06-29T13:48:02.915-05:00

Oji, our new dog, continues to be a wonderful addition to our family. He's just the perfect dog for us.Over the past two weeks that we've had him, his personality has emerged as a laid back pup, with occasional outbursts of exuberance. We're still not encouraging those, as he's still working through the heartworm treatment. One more dose, and he's all done, though. We'll give him a couple of

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-13037790125119457792008-06-14T13:38:00.006-05:002008-06-21T11:19:43.895-05:00

Paul, one of our good friends directed me to a recently launched new travel magazine. It's called Everywhere, and it relies on content that is submitted to its website from regular folks. Contributions are submitted, voted on in a peer review process, reviewed by the staff, and, if selected, grace the pages of the print magazine. It's a pretty novel idea, frankly.I signed up and have submitted

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-65334093037299052492008-06-13T06:36:00.006-05:002008-06-13T08:46:18.036-05:00

Well, the day we've been waiting for for many years finally arrived. We bravely entered the world of the dog owner. And not just an iDog like we had in Japan.Say hello to Oji...His origins are not exactly known, but the theory is that he is some sort of Terrier mix. We saw a picture of a Skye Terrier / Schnauzer mix that he resembles quite a bit, so that's what we're currently assuming for his

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42510843004601896812008-06-10T10:33:00.005-05:002008-06-10T11:16:59.661-05:00

Tim Ferris has two posts on how to travel in Tokyo for reasonable rates. Of all the things we did love about living in Japan, the cost of living was not one of them. We had it pretty easy, since we're DINKs (Dual Income, No Kids) and had the benefit of the cost of living allowance (COLA) that we got through the military. Still, everything was more expensive there in Japan.Gas was upwards of $5

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-81113074957264530832008-06-09T01:13:00.003-05:002008-06-09T01:28:58.742-05:00

Living overseas usually makes you appreciate all the uniquely American things that you take for granted or miss...usually, for us, that was Taco Cabana. Now that we're back in the US, we miss all the things that made life easy in Japan. Not a day went by when we didn't see something that made us say, "Hmm. Why didn't I think of that?"While wasting some time surfing around one of my favorite

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-44824175094383367362008-05-22T08:20:00.005-05:002008-05-22T08:48:54.951-05:00

We've been in the US now for over a month, and are getting used to being back. We still miss Japan, and reminisce on the good times we had there often, but life moves on, and so are we.We got our last shipment from Japan on Monday, about 243 assorted boxes, crates, and pieces of furniture. Since we never really consolidated our two homes before we went overseas, we find ourselves doing so now.A

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-19734869021735821062008-05-16T18:25:00.003-05:002008-05-16T18:27:57.435-05:00

Don't know how I missed this commercial (maybe because we've been out of the country for four years...). Hilarious!

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-83906733749103715092008-05-08T10:02:00.003-05:002008-05-13T21:59:47.237-05:00

So the other day, while I was unpacking some boxes, I got our first telemarketer call. When I answered the phone, there was the telltale hesitation and faint sounds of other phone jockeys in the background. Thinking quickly, I said, "Moshi moshi."Telemarketer Lady: "Hello?"Me: "Hai...Moshi moshi!"Telemarketer Lady: "Hello?"Me: "Hai! Konnichiwa!"Telemarketer Lady: "Hello?"Me: "Gomenasai..

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-12771128558596009272008-04-27T19:36:00.002-05:002008-04-27T19:40:59.669-05:00

Being back in the US has been a bit of an adjustment. We spend a lot of time reminiscing on all the good things about Japan that we miss. Now it’s time to get it out of our system by telling you what we miss most now that we’re home. In no particular order, here they are. And check back again, as I will probably add to this list the longer we're here. 1. Public Transportation. It goes

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-5619502449407780782008-04-27T18:45:00.004-05:002008-06-14T13:26:06.331-05:00

Well, despite our best efforts to stay in Japan, we are now here in San Antonio. I do say that jokingly, as we are enjoying ourselves so far. Mostly, that revolves around hitting all the restaurants that we've missed over the past few years.We're getting settled in to the new house, slowly but surely. We still have no furniture other than a puff up bed and a couple of trunks that we can sit on

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42848994927696603322008-04-14T19:33:00.000-05:002008-04-27T19:33:53.835-05:00

Well, I’m sitting on Flight 176 right now somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. The in flight map has us approaching the Canadian coast, and another 5000 or so kilometers to get there. It has been an emotional week to say the least. Most of the time at work was spent getting all the last minute kinks out of the preparations to leave, but there was a considerable amount of time spent trying to

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-62433583436536647582008-04-10T17:53:00.002-05:002008-04-10T17:58:00.999-05:00

Well, it's come down to the wire...I'm almost out of here. I took Melody to the airport about 2 weeks ago, and have been living in the lodge since then. It's been much slower now, as work is done, most of the running around from place to place getting paperwork signed is complete, I sold my car (so I really have been running around on foot), and I've got just one weekend left before I leave.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-88965582057670121152008-04-09T06:12:00.003-05:002008-04-10T17:53:36.992-05:00

Went out for some more karaoke on Wednesday night with Dennis and his wife Hozumi, Ed, John and Ria. As it turns out, John and I actually met about 10 years ago when I was his observer / controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center and he came through with the fabled 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry, the "Go For Broke" battalion. This was one of the most decorated units of the Second

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-86411140664324845052008-04-05T08:10:00.001-05:002008-04-27T19:32:39.399-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-47552370395180962772008-04-05T07:13:00.000-05:002008-04-05T07:14:17.211-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-2505692838744313292008-04-05T02:53:00.001-05:002008-04-05T02:53:48.998-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-60364041391022818282008-04-04T21:20:00.000-05:002008-04-04T21:21:04.799-05:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42043298921414164272008-03-31T05:12:00.004-05:002008-03-31T06:08:33.112-05:00

Gary Li, our guide from the Silk Road Trip last May, was finally able to set up his company, Lonely Planet China Adventures (LPC China Adventures). The very first day of the trip, he mentioned that he was working on it as we were driving to Tienanmen Square to start our day's touring.So, if you're traveling to Beijing for the Olympics this year, and have a yearning to see more of China than just

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-37887338833299114262008-03-28T04:26:00.001-05:002008-03-31T05:34:36.272-05:00

Not sure what this means, but these socks did not taste like Vanilla. I checked.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-61326414347994673732008-03-26T22:31:00.002-05:002008-03-31T05:43:42.292-05:00

I think that I mentioned in an earlier post how much Melody has changed in her packing strategery, culminating in the moment when she, frustrated with trying to pack a suitcase, threw up her hands and called for her backpack. It brought tears to my eyes, I was so proud.Here she is packing the night before she left. Mind you, she's already had two weeks of packing, unpacking, repacking, culling,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-43408706696734243532008-03-24T06:28:00.003-05:002008-03-31T05:57:26.756-05:00

During these last few weeks in Japan, I have seen more local fauna than in the previous three years combined. Other than birds, of course.The crappy video below is a couple of tanuki who were fighting up and down and in the middle of the road a few nights ago. I was on the way to meet Melody for some Mexican food at El Bigote (The Mustache - not The Bigot). As I walked up the road, there was

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-64616684015648771562008-03-14T19:00:00.008-05:002008-03-15T08:32:44.426-05:00

Tim Ferriss writes an interesting article about flying without ID. Just before a flight, his wallet was stolen, but he was still able to make it on board through online check-in, putting as much as possible in checked bags, and submitting to a physical search of his person and carry-ons. He actually made it through quicker than if he had had to stand in line.This is good information to know as

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-68060117026462240802008-03-12T06:38:00.011-05:002008-03-15T08:34:43.316-05:00

We had supper last night at another one of our favorite restaurants in Kamakura, Arkadas (pronounced Ar ka dahsh... it's Turkish...). Saleh, the proprietor and cook, is originally from Istanbul, and married a Japanese woman a while back. He's been here for about 15 years or so, if I remember correctly, and has a thriving Turkish restaurant and sports bar just around the corner from Hase station

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-43560617110182019062008-03-11T16:15:00.001-05:002008-03-11T16:19:47.997-05:00

Along with such things as trying to cancel our broadband Internet service, I also won't miss the time I spend commuting. Daily, if I drive, I spend an hour or so on the way to work, and about an hour and a half on the way home for two and a half hours on the road. If I take the train, then it is an hour and a half each way to and from work, a three hour daily commute. Melody's is also bad, at

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-88980489839134459682008-03-11T03:17:00.002-05:002008-03-11T07:39:26.914-05:00

I'm now a "published" travel writer. Check out our old blog home, Bootsnall, for an article I submitted. I don't get any money for it, but it was fun to reminisce and write about it. Spend some time with some of the other writing, travel blogs, and resources as well. It's a great site. Monks with Mad Skillz

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-53559751956741894212008-03-11T03:13:00.005-05:002008-03-11T07:23:44.660-05:00

As we come to the close of our years overseas, we've been doing a lot of reflection. All the different places we've been, the fantastic sights and experiences, the people we've met...we think on these things with moist eyes, because it actually hurts to think that we're leaving all this. Japan has been incredibly good to us, and we are really grateful to have had the chance to live here for so

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-3766886335315289492008-03-07T01:18:00.004-06:002008-03-07T20:41:45.904-06:00

This morning, as I was emerging from the house to get in the car, I saw a small, brown critter, about the size of a cat, but different. I thought at first, it was Tanuki, the Racoon Dog common to Japan (and caricatured in countless statues outside of izakayas). So, when I got to work, I Googled it, and turns out I was wrong. I asked around, and finally, my Boss' secretary suggested that it

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-3681487477113185802008-02-23T09:40:00.008-06:002008-02-24T04:41:47.253-06:00

Way cool! -5 degrees!We spent the weekend up in Tokyo again this weekend. We ate teppanyaki the first evening, and had Wellington's night with our friends David and Ginny, and Brendon and Aska. Being February, it was a Romance theme, with pink champagne, and an assortment of romantic choices. Melody had the quail, and I stuck with the filet of beef. It was all excellent, as usual. We

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-76269143918243040272008-02-17T23:19:00.000-06:002008-02-17T23:20:09.804-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-42152063783833925202008-02-16T22:51:00.001-06:002008-02-16T22:51:52.988-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-51674091310290609242008-02-14T22:31:00.020-06:002008-02-14T23:09:34.493-06:00

A few pictures from the stay in SATX....FelipeThe Alam0Memorial to Davey CrockettOld and NewFountain at Torres del AmericasTop of the TowerThe Riverwalk

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-56245302853470077602008-02-13T19:30:00.006-06:002008-02-13T20:19:14.754-06:00

I've been in San Antonio for about a week and a half now. I came to escort some Japanese to some military medical sites around the area, and stayed to do a little house hunting. I even squeezed in a weekend trip to Houston to see Melody's Mom and Dad. So far, it's been a good week, if a bit busy. The time with my Japanese counterparts went well. We had a chance to visit the new Center for the

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-51342541953409421942008-01-22T19:57:00.000-06:002008-01-22T19:58:04.303-06:00

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-72371391648742997252008-01-17T20:42:00.000-06:002008-01-17T21:17:19.409-06:00

We just bought our own domain name (www.sandandtsunamis.com), so our web address is changing over the next couple of days. Hopefully it will resolve well and without complication. The process was pretty straight forward, so we're optimistic. The site itself isn't changing much (at least not right now). It' still hosted by Blogger, and even if you type in the old name (http://

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-2218265536135380512008-01-11T21:16:00.000-06:002008-01-11T21:38:52.591-06:00

For a few weeks now, we dedicated followers of the hero of The Global Trip, Erik Trinidad, have been anxiously awaiting the resolution of a cryptic message in the comments saying that Erik had been shot in Columbia (the country, not the University). There was a flurry of concerned reaction from readers followed by assurances of his wellbeing by Steph, his traveling companion.It's all true. But

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-87024984775378628712008-01-05T03:39:00.000-06:002008-01-05T03:40:20.907-06:00

used clothing and stuff

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-24677159586073765642008-01-04T23:23:00.000-06:002008-01-04T23:35:57.126-06:00

I updated the Relatives and Baby Roulette post with some pictures of Baby Roulette. You can more clearly discern the rules and play it for yourself. Click on the title of this post to take you straight there.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-91639791671467516102007-12-31T22:53:00.000-06:002007-12-31T23:07:21.329-06:00

One of our favorite FOSTs (Friend of Sand and Tsunamis), Erik Trinidad, is back out there on what has been dubbed the "Central American Eviction Tour." The lease on his apartment expired, and the landlords have decided not to renew in order to transform it into some ultra-luxurious development. Not one to take life's curveballs without taking a swing, he decided to turn homelessness into an

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-10227386971375900212007-12-31T22:36:00.000-06:002007-12-31T22:52:55.652-06:00

One of the bouts we watched at the Sumo tournament last September. Not sure who it is, but it was pretty quick.

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-65459596146708938052007-12-31T22:12:00.000-06:002008-01-03T02:56:30.155-06:00

Well, out with 07 and in with 08. Every year seems to get shorter and shorter, and it seems like barely 12 months ago that we began 2007.We had a relatively quiet evening last night, spending time with our friends Ginny and David, and Mark and Margie. We went to our favorite Indian Restaurant, T-Side, and then back to Mark and Margie's place for a few hours. We played Cranium, and were having

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-31819333028295652072007-12-30T04:51:00.000-06:002007-12-31T22:12:03.752-06:00

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't allow this on any airplanes.Security Screener: "What's this?"Passenger: "What does it look like? It's My Bombe!"It's basically propane for a table top burner (used for making yakiniku or shabushabu). Not having one of those, we didn't buy any. Posted from my mobile phone...

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-10745322887692631122007-12-29T21:28:00.000-06:002007-12-29T22:44:54.489-06:00

One of the things we do enjoy about Japan is the television. First of all, they are incredibly accurate when it comes to predicting the weather. If the weather report says that it will rain at 3 PM, bring your umbrella. One of the coolest game shows was a Ninja Warrior Challenge that was incredible to watch. Check it out on Youtube here. There's also a trend toward funny game shows, that

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-58210832686403390372007-12-28T21:28:00.001-06:002007-12-29T05:51:37.774-06:00

Merry belated Christmas to those of you who celebrated it. December has been a very busy month for us both, with business travel around Japan, strange schedules, and the usual year end festivities and stress.David took a short trip up to Sendai to participate in the annual Yama Sakura exercise going on there. We celebrated our anniversary in the first week of the month, spending the weekend up

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-57300096929365050432007-11-25T08:14:00.000-06:002007-11-25T08:52:05.102-06:00

Today, my alma mater, Auburn University, beat our arch rivals, University of Alabama for the 6th straight time. This one was at home in Auburn, and I'm sure that Toomer's Corner is draped in the white finery of victory: Toilet Paper. For those not acquainted with the tradition, following Auburn victories, the students go and "TP" Toomer's Corner, throwing thousands of rolls of paper into the

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-77314937105664323812007-11-16T22:48:00.000-06:002007-11-17T03:37:58.887-06:00

I like to think of myself as a fairly law abiding citizen. My last speeding ticket was when I was in college, nearly 20 years ago (and yes, I am knocking on the proverbial wood). That said, I had a brush with the law this week...We had a group of folks over from the US this week, working with us on a future exercise we're trying to get together. While here, we went out to the depot for a visit

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-71298826251413002472007-11-05T07:00:00.000-06:002007-11-05T08:13:41.605-06:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned a film called "A Map for Saturday." We ordered it from the website, and just got finished watching it. What a great movie. If you've never lived the backpacker life, or spent extended time on the road, this gives you some insight as to what it is like. It left us both with an appreciation for the places we've been, and a longing to get back on the road. In a way,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-64695100816884141152007-11-02T23:39:00.000-05:002008-01-04T23:22:46.927-06:00

We just wrapped up a short visit with my cousin Paul, who has been traveling Asia for the past 2 months. He spend 5 weeks in China on business, before heading to Vietnam to link up with his brother Mark, a tour organizer there. Now, on his way back to the US, he spent a couple of days in Tokyo, and we were able to link up with him last night.We met him in north Tokyo, where we had supper (soba

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-44945167994264602782007-10-30T06:57:00.000-05:002007-10-30T07:04:27.203-05:00

According to Jim Klima, on the "Travels with a Spousal Unit" site, there are some rules when traveling with your mate. For your edification, they are listed below... Ten Commandments of Travel (with a Mate) GOOD, BAD AND UGLY. The best experiences, the worst debacles and the most unforgettable moments happen serendipitously and cannot be planned,

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20528601.post-24721661503111587332007-10-27T05:34:00.001-05:002007-10-27T06:27:37.095-05:00

I am gradually getting to updating the posts made during May's trip to China with pictures that are now on the Flickr site. So far, Days 1-3 have been updated with some pictures.In the meantime, while surfing around our old blog home Boots N'All, I found a link to a documentary called "A Map for Saturday" about the phenomenon of RTW backpacking. If you've never had the experience of backpacking

Dave and Melodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05087591227757317086noreply@blogger.com0