Maneki Neko

This cat is a Maneki Neko, a lucky cat. He sits with his paw raised in greeting, inviting you into my website, and happiness and good fortune into your home.

The lucky cat is one of the favorite good luck symbols from Japan. Cats were expensive and treasured pets in Japan from the seventeenth century and wealthy ladies pampered their pet with a red collar and a bell to keep up with him. Sometimes they even put a little apron on their pet. The Maneki Neko figurines of today usually show the cat wearing a collar and a bell and sometimes show him with a piece of money to represent the wealth he may bring. The cats are made in all colors, but the calico is the most popular. These little cats come in all materials and in all sizes. Many people like to collect them, and there are even Maneki Neko clubs. Try looking them up on the web to see some examples. On my recent trip to Japan, I had fun trying to see how many different Maneki Neko cats I could see. To the right are three little ones I brought home with me.

My summer vacation was wonderful. First I went to Okinawa and Joanna, Austin and I had a great time visiting with her friends, and picking up seashells on the coral reefs. Austin picked up a seashell and got an unpleasant surprise – a bristle worm. Good thing he had on those heavy gloves – the worm only got a couple of spikes in him. Those critters are like a seagoing cactus (click on the images below to enlarge).

We ate at the Sushi – Go – Round. Here you sit while a conveyor belt passes by with all kinds of delicious sushi. You pick the one you want as it goes by. Of course you eat with chopsticks! After sampling several different kinds, the waitress comes by with a little gizmo and runs it up the stack of plates to find the total of your bill. Each plate has a small computer chip in it which shows how much the sushi on that plate costs. Many Americans have the mistaken idea that sushi is raw fish – not true! The raw fish would be sashimi. We sampled sushi with fried prawns, caviar, and eggplant. I got a rice mould and plan to invent some Texas-style sushi:

Did you know the Marines are saluting one of our Hometown Heroes by naming their base in Okinawa after him?

And Eric isn’t even a Marine – he’s in the Army ! Please don’t forget to keep on praying for our military who are currently deployed, and for the families they left behind.

Time flew and we did, too – to Tokyo. With my friend Father Campion as guide, we shopped in some unique areas of this huge city. We rode the subway, the monorail, and even a boat down Tokyo harbor. Joanna and Austin enjoyed Tokyo Disneyland, and Father and I visited two very unique churches where I was able to photograph and learn about two images of Blessed Mother I had never seen before. The research for my new book on Mary is so much fun! Our Lady is known and loved by people all over the world. Much too soon it was time for Austin and I to board the plane for the long flight back to Houston. Since we crossed the International Date Line, we actually got home before we left! 

I hope that each one of you has a wonderful summer this year, whether you enjoy your family at home or on a trip. 

Click on the picture of the Maneki Neko below to print him. Color him and maybe he will bring you good luck:

Oh, and by the way, the cute black cat on my Home page is Austin’s cat Lucky. He was looking to see when Austin was coming for a visit.

Happy Summer,
Ann