I got two this year.  Hisakawa Aya sent me one that was similar to last
year.  Same sort of outfit, but now with short hair.  And there are TWO
ducks in this picture, she's holding one, with one in front of them.  It
seems like she's placed artificial eyebrows on the duck she's holding, and
eyelashes on the one in front (I guess that's the female duck...)

She also wrote a message (in Japanese), saying, "I was very happy to get
your letter!  You've really gotten good at Japanese, haven't you!  Please
take care of yourself Joe, and have a great year!"  And she signed the
card "Aya" in cursive letters.  It also has a cartoon picture of a duck,
which looks like Aya's drawing (preprinted on the card)

Meanwhile, Toyoshima Machiko sent me another non-photo card.  It has lots
of cartoon flowers, and a small cartoon tiger flying through the air.  She
also wrote on my card, entirely in English!  Her message reads, "Thank you
for your gift (tropical flowers).  I like it.  Bye Bye. :)" (she drew a
smiley face)  She also translated "Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu" as
"A Happy New Year", and successfully labelled the animal as "tiger"
Actually, it looks like something my seven year old cousin would do (^_^;)
But it's still cute.

I was very disappointed not to get anything from Houko.  (;_;)

Joe Petrow--joepet@server.berkeley.edu--http://server.berkeley.edu/~joepet
/------------\   Kimi ni ageyou  oozora tobu tsubasa wo    /-------------\
|    chi     |    Mou kowakunai ashita he to tobitatou     |  Toyoshima  |
|  Ma   rin  |     Sou kokoro wo jiyuu ni tokihanatou      |   Machiko   |
\------------/Mou nakanaide hitori ja nai da kara nigenaide\-------------/