Mogi-san

At the end of my morning walk I was walking down the steps from the main road to our street and I ran into Mogi-san and his wife. They're long-time residents of this neighborhood. I need to make time to ask them how they've seen it change over the years. Even in our short five years since moving here we've seen some curious changes. For the better, luckily. Mostly just old and vacant houses being torn down and brand new houses replacing them, with more and more younger families with kids breathing new life into each street.

Mogi-san is always very friendly. He's a quiet retired guy, but busy. He loves wrenching in his garage. This morning he and his wife greeted me warmly as always and then he told me he's worried about something. 

I was thinking, "Oh boy, what could this be?"

He said he knows I'm the vice-chairperson and in charge of the neighborhood care division and told me it can be hard. I said I'm learning about all the duties little by little and even though it's busy I love doing things with the good people of our neighborhood. 

He must've been thinking, "Man how is this guy middle-aged still an optimistic dumbbell?"

He looked at me very seriously and offered his support if I ever need help with neighborhood association activities. I told him I really appreciate that, which I do. Even though I think I'll be fine, I appreciate that Mogi-san took the time to even say that to me.

Osamu was already hopping on me before six in the morning. Kenzo came down soon after and mama, who was already dressed, was having a serious conversation with Kenzo and called for me to hurry and get up and join the discussion.

It’s about Kenzo and his fibbing.

He’s been using a magic marker to color on his pencil box and erasers and other things that shouldn't be marked up with permanent black ink. When Eri asked him about it, he said somebody else did it. This was a continuation of an issue that's been brewing for the last couple of days, but this morning Eri got down to brass tacks with Kenzo.

Then she handed it over to me. I told him that if he does something bad or if he makes a mistake the best thing to do is to say you did it and own it. Everyone goofs it, especially little boys. I also told him mama and papa are not going to get angry about his mistakes or even his naughty behavior, but that lying about it is way worse and that will land him in hot water.

He gets it. But he's gonna fib again. I can kinda feel it.

We finally got the pro photos from Kenzo's elementary school entrance ceremony.

Osamu loves writing letters. He writes letters to different people almost every day. The other day he wrote a letter to Rinka-chan, the 6th grade girl next door. This morning she gave him a letter she wrote in return.

She even drew original pictures of bugs that she knows Osamu likes.