This'll Just Take a Minute

Kenzo and Osamu rode the kindergarten bus together for the last time this morning. They also bickered quite a bit on the way to the bus stop.  Last night when I checked on the boys after they fell asleep I took a few pictures.  Osamu made a robot out of recycled boxes during art time today and decided he loved it so much that they should be bunkmates. Kenzo loves his monkey. He tucks monkey in the same way I tuck him in, with a "Good night" and an "I love you" and a kiss or two.

Eri drove down to Watari by herself this morning to see her two-week-old nephew Kazuki for the first time.  Eri isn't the most confident driver but she is very capable. Driving an hour south of Sendai by herself is no small feat for her. However, she did it a couple of months ago at night when her sister got covid and needed a grocery delivery. While visiting family to see new babies is always more than enough of a reason to go for a drive, the other main reason for today's sudden trip was because Eri was texting with her sister the last couple of days and apparently there's tension in the house. Eri's mom is staying at her sister's house to help with the new baby and apparently there's a little tension in the air. I have to pretend to be concerned. It amuses me that family squabbles still happen in the year 2023. Over things that won't matter when you look back on your life and wish you had just knocked it off and enjoyed your life and family and practice...

Kenzo graduates from kindergarten on Thursday, which means this special year of him and Osamu going to kindergarten together is coming to an end on Wednesday. The next time they'll go to school together is two years from now when Osamu starts first grade and Kenzo starts third grade. For my part, I feel confident that when I look back on my life I won't regret not making the most of this last year. I have the physical exhaustion and emotional scars to prove it. It's been quite a ride, and it's onward and upward from here. I went with Eri and the boys to the bus stop this morning because I was tasked with taking commemorative photos. When the bus stop moms took off their masks I felt physical shock. I realized instantly that I have never seen their whole faces before and they looked nothing like what I imagined. Today happened to be the official day that the Japanese government loosened mask guidelines. There was never really a mandate, but in this society a guideline is...

Two things that have started happening this week: 1) putting Sriracha on everything and 2) brushing my teeth three times per day. The Sriracha is hopefully just a phase. I put it in a shrimp gratin last night as a midnight snack and dolloped it on a chicken sandwich today as the boys went upstairs for their nap. It's so delightful. But I am probably overdoing it.  The boys and I headed out early to the traffic park in Wakabayashi Ward, one of our favorite places. We invited our friends, too. The boys haven't seen them in a couple months since they were away for a while over the holidays visiting family in the Philippines.  Kenzo and Max are both graduating from kindergarten next week and they're super excited to start elementary school. I'm hoping Kenzo's excitement continues after he actually starts. It's gonna be pretty different than his kindergarten. He knows that, but he's also 6 years old and doesn't know a lot of things. After school three times a...

Eri bought a thing that unlocks the front door with your fingerprint. I wasn't into it at the beginning, as this photo seems to show. Though to be fair to the universe, that burned-out look is kinda my default these days. I like it now, though. It automatically locks the door after five seconds and you can lock and unlock the door on your phone as well. I'm still gonna keep my house key in my bag for a while. Soccer Saturday.  Kenzo's friend's dad was particularly chatty this morning as we watched the boys play. It turns out that a couple of weekends ago when Eri went out for dinner with that same friend's mom she said I commented about how I always try to chat up her husband but he seems to shy away. He is a quiet guy. This morning he was asking me about kindergarten graduation and seasonal allergies and all kinds of things. I loved it. Talking with people is one of my very favorite things. The boys had a 17:30 dentist appointment, but they weren't aware of th...

I think winter is done. The cherry blossom trees are waking up from their winter sleep. On my lunchtime walk through the Dounji Temple area I stopped to observe the status of the sakura.  I love wearing sweaters and warm wool caps and making eggnog at Christmas, but I love laying on a blanket under the cherry blossom trees and feeling the breeze and hearing the boys laugh as they play even more. I don't know if it's the anxiety meds or the fact that I just got things done today, but I had a great sense of calm as the late afternoon turned into evening and the work week came to a close.  After two years of being a manager I think I miiiiight be getting the hang of it. I put the finishing touches on the plans for fiscal 2023 and submitted a PowerPoint to my boss. That was at 9 p.m. He messaged me at 11 p.m. and said he skimmed it over and it looks wonderful and he'll get back to me with details by Monday. When the boys got home from kindergarten Kenzo came up to my office an...

Eri and I walked down the road to the Indian restaurant for lunch today. We should do this more often. Mutton curry, chicken butter masala curry, cheese naan, lassi. So good. We talked about plans for the rest of this year. Exciting plans. We also talked money. Plans need money, but we'll figure it out. Walking back up the hill I carried Eri's bag. She needs more exercise. She said walking makes her tired. Trying my best to not be a contrarian jerk I said walking gives you energy,