Where are the Pocky Sticks?

We placed an order on a Sunday, and the food arrived from California on a Thursday. The reason we placed the order on a Sunday? The site is so intriguing that it took me days to decide exactly *what* I want to order! They have several kinds of Pocky that I'd never had, even while living in Japan! The site is quite extensive, including household items, all sorts of rice and noodles, sauces, snacks galore, miso, origami paper, and a large variety of other items.

So, back to the order. I lived in Japan for a year, working for an international exchange company, while I was in my 20s. Years before, I'd spent a summer there, visiting the friend we'd hosted as an exchange student the year before. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Japanese food. My eyes glaze over, when I am in a Japanese food store. My main problem? We live in a very rural area, and our nearest Japanese store is over an hour away (and really small). When we visit my brother in Seattle, of course I can load up at Uwajimaya. But for every day? Not so great.

We placed the order, and waited anxiously for it to come. I'd ordered some fresh breads, including a red bean paste bread, and a chocolate filled bun. I remember these fondly from living in Japan. AsianFoodGrocer ships them frozen, and so they arrive thawed out and really fresh-tasting. But I get ahead of myself...

The FedEx guy came, hauling this huge box (Shipping? Only $11!). We dove in. And came up quite happy - black black gum, pocky, all sorts of snacks, Calpis, okonomiyaki sauce, mugicha, shaved ice syrup, organic somen, origami paper, the Japanese gum that my daughter loves so, panko, ume - treasure after treasure emerged from the boxes. YES! We were happily snacking for days (that ran out the fastest) and now we're down to the kitchen basics that I use every day. And where are the Pocky sticks? They didn't even make it to the picture. Yep. All gone...