Iori is at school today, so we are on our own to wake up,
stretch, and go next door. ( I think I’ve mixed up yesterday’s breakfast.
Today is the really thick toast; yesterday
was Angel Pies, very like a moon pie!)
It’s a slow morning, much to everyone’s delight.
After a while the six of us pile into the van
and go to a different grocery store.
It
is more like a Super Target with groceries on one side and the other side
devoted to household goods, appliances, electronics, etc.
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| Modern fridges with drawers |
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| And cute little dorm/beer fridges |
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| Look at the darling little pink one! |
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| They have full-sized dishwashers, too, but how clever are this counter top one?! |
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| Look how huge! |
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| So many different varieties of mushrooms! |
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| Crispy treats! Many are fish. |
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| Prepackaged delights |
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| Protein on a Stick! |
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| Halloween! Even though kids here don't go trick-or-treating! |
The next stop is a liquor store where we pick up some saki
for this evening’s enjoyment and learn about a drink called shochu, made from
barley or rice or sweet potatoes. It’s
quite a bit stronger than saki and Andy says he can’t drink it!
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| This neighborhood is preparing for a harvest party. |
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| Sleeping angel |
We came home and had real Japanese ramen!
It looks like Cup o’Noodles and you add hot
water to it;
but it tastes so much
better!!
We need to clean up everything
because Andy has a class here at 3:30.
It is for four of the neighborhood kids, who are also his preschool
classmates or their siblings and we get to stay and watch!
Before class Andy and Ginger plan for her to
do “Mat Man” with the kids.
It’s an
activity that she has used with her kids in Georgia. (Sorry there are no photos, because the kids are just too adorable!)
The kids and their moms all arrive at about the same time
and the moms settle on the couch. It’s
obvious that they and Tae are all good friends, as are the kids, and Andy is
really great with them. He has just the
right mixture of authority and fun and keeps the class moving from activity to
activity. Ginger’s “Mat Man” activity is
a big hit, too! After the structured
part of the class, the kids have play time and everyone plays well together and
there is none of the bickering you often see with this age group, especially
since there are a couple of two-year olds in the mixture!
After everyone leaves Andy and Tae are both exhausted. Dinner is a group effort with Andy helping
Tae a lot. Soon dishes appear with
noodles and a light meat sauce that is reminiscent of spaghetti sauce but much
lighter but just as flavorful and satisfying.
For a change I’m actually allowed to do the dishes!! Finally I get to feel useful!!
Everything is cleaned up and put away before Andy’s adult
student arrives at eight o’clock. He’s a
charming and funny man and is very brave about using his English in front of
strangers. We learn that he is a runner
and plays golf. He used to play rugby in
high school!! He and his wife are avid Minecraft players and Tae has just started playing, too!
After he leaves, it’s time to open up the saki and the
cashew treats Ginger bought in Thailand.
The cashews in the first package have a really spicy coating! Time to
try another package! Oh! The ones with sesame coating taste like
halvah from my childhood! Ginger goes to
take her shower and Andy and I discover that the spicy ones can be
addicting! Water is not the preferred
beverage with them, however! You really
need saki! This saki is Andy’s favorite
and he has good taste!
Everyone makes the hot bath after the shower sound so
enticing that I decide not to wait for morning.
Good plan! So relaxing and
wonderful. No one can stay up any
longer, not even Andy and Tae, so we say our good-nights and bid them
adieu. Andy works tomorrow; but he doesn’t leave until around one, so we’ll
still be able to see him.
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