Rigdon Review: Our Adventures Abroad

 We've spent the past several weeks getting settled into the house.  Finally, last week Thursday evening after the kids were in bed, and in between them getting up 73 times a piece for a drink, a snack, a bandaid and to discuss the upcoming election in order to avoid sleeping, I blurted out, "We are doing something this weekend.  We are going to go and see something." I then offered to plan it all, and didn't want to tell anyone what we were doing.   Last Saturday we awoke up (anticipated) rain.  No problem, my plans were solid "Ok in rain" plans (plus it was supposed to be clear by 11am).  We got up, got ready and were out the door by just after 9am.  The PLAN was to hop on a train, take it 20 minutes north, hop on a ferry and go visit the nearby island of Itsukushima, often called Miyajima island (Shrine island).   How the morning ACTUALLY panned out: I got us on the train. Headed in the wrong direction. We got off on the first stop. B...

 It's been a hot minute. Life's a whirlwind, not just for us.  We know that.  We aren't  immune though, that's for sure. As previously mentioned, we were in a hotel for a LONG time.  We stayed in a hotel for 10 days prior to flying here, and then we got the experience of 14 days in quarantine in a hotel.  Following that we had to stay in that hotel until we found a place to live.  Which...took awhile. Lots of hoops to jump through, guys.  Isn't that just how it is when you are dealing with the U.S. government?  "But wait!  I thought you were living off base in Japan?"  Ah yes...but because our contract is through the U.S. Gov, we have to take 12 extra steps to do everything.  As we have gone along, I am understanding more and more why these checks and balances are set up, buuuutttttttttt still....everything takes for.eh.ver. Example?  This story was big news all over Japan.  And it was a family that was supposed to be...