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The Countess Maud
Happy New Years..hope this one is better than last year..seems
like I spent most of the last year at the hospital taking care of the Count..
Lots of parties to end the year starting with the annual
Thanksgiving party held by the Hylands (the American Consul) for the American sumo
wrestlers.. Who was there?? Everyone except Sale (Konishiki)..Chad (Akebono) came
, ate , and left to go on to another party. Went out to see Chad at his heya - he
gave me some of his goodies - no twinkies - this year..his stable master Jessie
(Azemazeki Oyakata) stayed longer and was gracious and kind and entertaining as usual..
What's new.. Well.. Chad's into computers now so the guru (my
editor) has someone else to take care of..also Jan Rowen, Chad's mother called from
Hawaii a few days ago and said she will be coming to the Osaka basho and on to Fukuoka
for a few days ..looking forward to seeing her and showing her a good time as she
really took care of me last year when I was in Hawaii for New Year..I was suppose
to go to Hawaii from Dec 18th for a month but the Count's doctors stopped that..but
looking forward to the next time I go..lots of good friends there..
Another part y was held by the Grand Hyatt to thank all of
the people who took part in doing table settings and flower arrangement at the bridal
salon prior to opening..lots of us there..good time had by all and it was even
made better by knowing that the Hyatt had just been chosen the no.1 hotel in Fukuoka
and no.5 in all Japan (no.1 in all Japan being the Park Hyatt in Tokyo)..no.2 in
Fukuoka was the bird over at the bay and no.3 the Niko down from no. 1 last year..good
work from those boys at the Hyatt and really good for a hotel not even open a year..but
look for some changes over there in staff..hope it doesn't change things to much.
 Another really good party was the farewell party
held for Ruth Yamasaki at her best friend Katerinas house (apt. at the Hyatt)..
Ruth was hanging it up after 12 years here..she is planning on going to France to
study French (she already has a no.1 level in Japanese).. Who was there ??? Everyone!!!!
Diane Miura, my Ed. about 20 of us in all ..Ruthe will be missed ..mostly by me..she
had been a dear friend for years.
Scroptimist ladies had their annual christmas party at the
Nishitetsu Grand..the Mayor was there looking fit and stayed till the end..it's
the first time I have seen him out and about since his cancer operation..entertainment
was the Duke Aces - an old group that brought back memories of years gone by..saw
my old friend Shunju Murayama whom I have known since he was a Jr.High student..now
he's a Dr..time does go by.
I was up to Tokyo for a party at the ANA hotel in Dec.. because
of time I had to fly up and back on the same day.. Now it is known to all how I
hate to fly and to go up and back within a few hours I almost had a heart attack..but
it was a smooth flight and I realized what I was missing ..I hadn't flown (always
taking the shinkansen) in so many years that I didn't know that there was a new terminal
at Haneda.. Felt like inaka mono!
I had my yearly Christmas party on the afternoon of the 22nd
instead of Christmas eve this year..about 50 people came including Mrs.Yamasaki
our congressman's wife, Mrs Inoue who's husband use to be the head of the state legislature,
Mrs Sugiura who's deceased husband was the president of Otani Kyushu. and many, many
more. I decided this year to only do desserts,champagne and tea..the Hyatt supplied
everything..13 kinds of desserts (we went through 26 cakes in three hours) many,
many, bottles of the bubbly and Christmas tea made and served by Collins the delightful
Brit from Kobe who has the tea concession at the Hyatt..the ladies fell in love
with him and he has been the subject of many telephone conversations since.
Some local foreigners included Jimmy Bartlett, Bill Fish, My
ED., Marva Kuribayashi , Sherry Kaneda, Ailene Ohama, Katrina..many more were invited
but came down with the flu ( I had about 15 cancelations)..That morning I had a
fever of 39 but it would have been more difficult to cancel that go ahead so i just
kind of floated in and out of the room every so often..guess everyone had a good
time at least they looked like they did ..I was too out of it to tell or care..but
great way to have a party..just champagne and dessert!
Lots of other lunches..with my good friend John Dyson, Gudbir
Sing, Ms Shono the Pres of Baranoki Group..etc..not all together but one by one
..what a way to end a year..
What's coming up..Mr.Katayama flower arranger extraordinare
will be having his annual New Years party on the 12th.. big bash with 100's
attending
The Asc. Of Foreign Wives
 will be having their All Japan convention in Fukuoka at the View Hotel
on Jan31st to Feb2nd..this is the first time for Kyushu to host this event and everyone
is BUSY..Elaine Egashira is the convention chairman and Diane Miura is co. and national
president of the organization. People coming from far and wide..from the states,
Hawaii, and all over Japan..
U.N. party is this month ..unfortunately can't go
to that one ..I think it is the first time I have missed..
I have promised myself I was going to slow down this
year..so you may see more reminiscing about the old days than the party scene..I
mean it gets old after a while..
Best Christmas Party.. had to be Maud's dessert
party
Best Place to buy Christmas tree...(file this away for next year) Hisayama
yuekia mine was real , beautiful ,touched the ceiling and was only 15,000yen
Best new restaurant..Totoya.(Mediterranian)..near the Baskin Robbins at nagazumi
2 chome
Best Mexican food..Rositas in Nakasu..Across from Canal City.. been there for
over 40 years.. too bad Viva tacos closed down, did you know that the Viva taccos
owner was at Rossitas for over ten years before starting his own place.
Best shopping..the new FBC catalog..they are
accepting credit cards for everything..and they even have healthy choice frozen
dinners.
Best place to buy wine.. .Z-side..ask for their
French senior manager Nicola Sudre.
Best shopping for a present..Tiffany's..beautiful
necklaces for your girlfriend at 12.000 yen and ball pens at 10,000 yen ..its that
Tiffany name that counts..and girls their men's Cologne is yummy..in the Mitsukoshi
bldg. next to Dadda bldg. where Tony Romas is,
Best thing I received for christmas..big box of Godiva Chocolates..and
a few jewels from the count and the month off from my editor.
(The chocs were yummy! Ed.)
Issue 48
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