Report: Yanks Just Trying to Drive Up Price For Kuroda

From Wallace Matthews:

It has been reported in several places that the Yankees and Red Sox are actively pursuing free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, but the baseball sources I have spoken with over the past week say it is unlikely the Yankees will make a bid on the 37-year-old former Dodger.

The reason? Once again, the luxury tax.

Kuroda is known to want in the neighborhood of $12 million or $13 million for a one- or two-year deal, which may not seem like much when you consider the Yankees are paying A.J. Burnett $16.5 million a year for each of the remaining two years on his contract.

But when you add in the 40 percent luxury tax surcharge, that pushes Kuroda's price to around $17 million a season, which may be a bit much to gamble on an aging pitcher with a 41-46 career record (3.45 ERA) who has never pitched in the American League.

Why is it that the Yankees are treating this offseason like they're the damn Pittsburgh Pirates?

A Christmas Package from Japan

Just before Christmas, I received a package from my mom in Japan. Among many goodies for the whole family, there were two wrapped gifts just for me... do you want to guess what they were?

Ta-da!(followed by a scream of joy)



If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I have a thing for fabrics from Liberty of London. There is a fabric store in the area I used to live and they sell fabrics by "Liberty Japan". There are original designs from Liberty of London, but printed in Japan. Oh how I LOVED going to that store... While my friends spent their money on clothing or for clubbing, I spend mine on sewing books and fabrics after payday. I was one of their loyal customers. :)

Here are some of my favorites...



Most of them are 50 cm long. Right now I am just in the looking and touching stage and haven't decided what I am going to do with them. They are such precious pieces of fabrics, I have to be sure before I cut them. I had this greedy thought that I wish I had more yardage for the ones that I absolutely LOVE, so I could make some dresses or tops for this summer. (bad Sachiko, bad)

I am going to have another procedure on the 29th, so while I am recovering I will have plenty of time to think of what to do with those fabrics. When I called my mom to thank her for the package, she started crying and apologizing for not being here to help me after the procedures. I have to say it was totally her fault that I started crying too, I guess it is contagious even over the phone...

I am so grateful that she is my mother, and it is such a nice feeling to know that I have someone that loves me and cares about me even though we are thousands of miles apart from each other.

Thanks mom for the Christmas packages and so much more.

Giani Granite Review part 2 & Winner!

In case you  missed it…my review of the Giani Granite counter top refinishing kit is here. 

As I mentioned, I was NOT enjoying the whole wait-14-days-for-the-polyurethane-to-cure aspect! 

Well, guess what…

…I didn’t have to.

I e-mailed the link to my review to the Giani representative I had been working with, and she assured me that I really COULD start using my counter tops!  Sure, it takes 14 days to fully cure, but I could start putting my small items back on.

I was so delighted…and relieved!

So although I ended up waiting about a week before I used  my counters, by last Wednesday night we were pretty much back in business, as follows:

• Wednesday I spread a tablecloth on the peninsula, but then we used it for a pot-luck dinner for eleven friends. 
• Thursday I baked 25 loaves of bread for neighbor gifts, and assembled about 15 bags of almond roca, pecan crunch, and white chocolate macadamia popcorn.
• Saturday I made two pans of Potatoes Benson, Christmas Jell-o (my kids love it), Hawaiian haystacks, two pumpkin pies, one cherry pie, and one raspberry brownie torte.
• Sunday I made bacon, eggs, Bubble bread, hot spinach-artichoke dip, ham, rolls, and spinach salad.

So I would say the counters have gotten quite the work-out in the past week!  And guess what?  No chips, no scratches! 

I’m hoping they will continue to hold up as well after they are fully cured!

So without further ado, the winner of the Giani Granite giveaway is:

Anne from Creative Southern Home, who said:

Congratulations, Anne!  I will be e-mailing you.