2017 YEAR IN REVIEW
2017 is the year we have had marked on our calendar for the last five years. Because this is the year where we spend the summer with our Family in Japan. We had a year of adventures and RV brake downs. It was also the year that hit us the hardest with the passing of my father-in-law.
2017 started the same as every year since we started full timing, in Arizona for Cleveland Indians spring training. coming off a disappointing seven game World Series lost to the Cubs, Indians Fans came out in larger crowds then past years.
I got plenty of autographs, BP balls and broken bats to add to my ever going collection. Also, the defending Nippon Baseball Champions Nippon-Ham Fighter held the first half of their spring training in Arizona where I visited a few practices and games before the MLB players had to report for the official start of season.
I was also able to get more pictures with fellow Kent State alumni who are Major (Minor) League players. Not to mention my favorite player Milwaukee Brewers third base man Travis Shaw. I have followed his career since 2010 (Sophomore season). 2017 turned out to be his best as a Major Leaguer (so far) hitting 31 home runs and 101 runs batted in while taking Brewers team honors as the Most Valuable Player.
Full 2017 spring training post is located HERE
We moved our RV to Las Vegas and stayed at Nellis AFB for a few months before flying to Japan for the summer to spend time with our family. We had a great time with family, trips to Kyoto, Mt Fuji and few weeks in Tokyo before our summer was over.
To help replenish our funds we set out on our annual winter job of working at a Amazon warehouse. This year we decided not to travel across country to Tennessee to work for CamperForce, but to stay in our snow bird home of Arizona and work at the Phoenix location.
Full review can be read HERE.
Even though we spend fewer days on the road (because of our trip to Japan) we still managed to have a few break downs. Not one, but two blown tiers. One major, outer driver side tire blew out and broke off the wheel cover. Lucky for us a service truck drives up and down this highway looking to help vehicles that breakdown. Small damage, but still a pain to fix (still have not fixed yet).
The second, not as bad. this one was the rear inter passenger tire. It blew out just before we got on the on ramp and was in a small town where we got it fixed at a local tire store. I guess we got lucky once again, because there was nothing for the 40 miles and no cell coverage in the higher elevations. Sorry, I looked and had no picture, just videos.
The last of all our day-night shades have broke and we replaced them all with curtains. Our generator has stopped working. It happen while boondocking in Sedona, AZ. We had no power for four days, but managed to survive without it. This is kind of good, Hiromi and I were talking about plans to install solar panels and use the generator space for the batteries. We also want to do some remodeling of removing all the carpeting and replacing the tile floor.
2016 was year one on YouTube and I had goals to work to make it better in 2017. I started off year two good getting new content out. But, when we got to Japan and got really busy seeing and doing stuff every day I never got around to editing all the videos. Now I have 6+ months of videos to put together. I have released only one video since our summer in Japan. If I want my YouTube channel to get off the ground I have to stop being lazy and get those videos edited.
To see all our (completed) YouTube videos click HERE. Don't forget to like and subscribe to my channel.
Goals for 2018
Remodel the RV floor and install solar panels. Continue to mark places and adventures off our bucket list. Get off my lazy but and get videos loaded to my YouTube channel. Sign up for Amazon CamperForce in Murfreesboro, TN. Get more autographs, bats and baseball at 2018 spring training. Taking two trips to Japan put a dent in our travel budget. I will have to look for a spring job while in Arizona as Hiromi will be going back to Japan in May (three trips to Japan in 12 months) for the spreading of your father's ashes.
SAD NEWS
On November 24th, we got a phone call from Hiromi's brother. He never calls us and I knew something was wrong. We got the news that my Father-in-law had passed away. Hiromi was strong and I was the one that took the news the hardest. Hiroshi was only in my life for a short time (25 years), but the relationship we had was one that does not occur often when a foreigner marries a Japanese only daughter. I am grateful he allowed me to marry Hiromi and honored to call him Oto-san (Dad).
As 2017 comes to a close, we are still in Japan supporting my mother-in-law Yoshiko and morning the lose of my Father-in-law Hiroshi Suzuki. Needless to say this BLOG and my YouTube channel sits idle at this time while we take care of family issues. After our return back to the US both sites will be active with new content.
2017 started the same as every year since we started full timing, in Arizona for Cleveland Indians spring training. coming off a disappointing seven game World Series lost to the Cubs, Indians Fans came out in larger crowds then past years.
I got plenty of autographs, BP balls and broken bats to add to my ever going collection. Also, the defending Nippon Baseball Champions Nippon-Ham Fighter held the first half of their spring training in Arizona where I visited a few practices and games before the MLB players had to report for the official start of season.
Shohei Ohtani
Hirotoshi Takanashi
2016 PL ROY
Brandon Laird
2016 Nippon Series MVP
I was also able to get more pictures with fellow Kent State alumni who are Major (Minor) League players. Not to mention my favorite player Milwaukee Brewers third base man Travis Shaw. I have followed his career since 2010 (Sophomore season). 2017 turned out to be his best as a Major Leaguer (so far) hitting 31 home runs and 101 runs batted in while taking Brewers team honors as the Most Valuable Player.
Travis Shaw
Taylor Williams
Eric Lauer
Spring Training Haul
#####Autos 186, Balls 50 (19 gave a-way), Bats 4, SGA 4 Bobblehead.#####
Full 2017 spring training post is located HERE
We moved our RV to Las Vegas and stayed at Nellis AFB for a few months before flying to Japan for the summer to spend time with our family. We had a great time with family, trips to Kyoto, Mt Fuji and few weeks in Tokyo before our summer was over.
Toro Ruins (Shizuoka)
Zen Garden (Kyoto)
Monkey Park (Kyoto)
Godzilla (Tokyo)
Samurai Museum (Tokyo)
Samurai Museum (Tokyo)
Full review can be read HERE.
Even though we spend fewer days on the road (because of our trip to Japan) we still managed to have a few break downs. Not one, but two blown tiers. One major, outer driver side tire blew out and broke off the wheel cover. Lucky for us a service truck drives up and down this highway looking to help vehicles that breakdown. Small damage, but still a pain to fix (still have not fixed yet).
The second, not as bad. this one was the rear inter passenger tire. It blew out just before we got on the on ramp and was in a small town where we got it fixed at a local tire store. I guess we got lucky once again, because there was nothing for the 40 miles and no cell coverage in the higher elevations. Sorry, I looked and had no picture, just videos.
The last of all our day-night shades have broke and we replaced them all with curtains. Our generator has stopped working. It happen while boondocking in Sedona, AZ. We had no power for four days, but managed to survive without it. This is kind of good, Hiromi and I were talking about plans to install solar panels and use the generator space for the batteries. We also want to do some remodeling of removing all the carpeting and replacing the tile floor.
2016 was year one on YouTube and I had goals to work to make it better in 2017. I started off year two good getting new content out. But, when we got to Japan and got really busy seeing and doing stuff every day I never got around to editing all the videos. Now I have 6+ months of videos to put together. I have released only one video since our summer in Japan. If I want my YouTube channel to get off the ground I have to stop being lazy and get those videos edited.
To see all our (completed) YouTube videos click HERE. Don't forget to like and subscribe to my channel.
Goals for 2018
Remodel the RV floor and install solar panels. Continue to mark places and adventures off our bucket list. Get off my lazy but and get videos loaded to my YouTube channel. Sign up for Amazon CamperForce in Murfreesboro, TN. Get more autographs, bats and baseball at 2018 spring training. Taking two trips to Japan put a dent in our travel budget. I will have to look for a spring job while in Arizona as Hiromi will be going back to Japan in May (three trips to Japan in 12 months) for the spreading of your father's ashes.
SAD NEWS
On November 24th, we got a phone call from Hiromi's brother. He never calls us and I knew something was wrong. We got the news that my Father-in-law had passed away. Hiromi was strong and I was the one that took the news the hardest. Hiroshi was only in my life for a short time (25 years), but the relationship we had was one that does not occur often when a foreigner marries a Japanese only daughter. I am grateful he allowed me to marry Hiromi and honored to call him Oto-san (Dad).
Our last picture taken together
(Tiger Twins)
Hiromi's last picture
