Perfect Day

Saturday was a perfect day. I went to Ginza with my husband on the Green Car which means we had a seat the whole way there and back. We had lunch at the Mariage Freres tea shop. We shopped for kitchen gear in Kappabashi the kitchen district in Tokyo. Meanwhile, our children were home with the babysitter. We had no time rush, no extra bathroom trips, nor twenty questions about the state of being done yet. It was marvelous. We might have to try that again.

Arriving at home, I showered and headed out to meet some girl friends at a yakitori shop. Yakitori is charcoal grilled meat or vegetables or a mixture- read awesome beer food in tasty quantities which means no absurd American portions. My favorite was the bacon wrapped mini-tomatoes. It was coincidence that date day and girl's night happened on the same day, but it made for a pretty good mama break. My friends and I sat outside, drank beer, ate yakitori, and chatted. There were two stories of tears on honeymoons, a future plot for getting together, and general chatting about stuff that when I drink three beers I kind of forget exactly.

On the walk home, my friend told me that she had recently turned forty. When I turned forty I asked everyone to go out to lunch with me. At first I was a little concerned that I didn't know it was her birthday, but then I realized she was thinking about what she wanted for her birthday. This is what she wants for her fortieth birthday. She said, "I don't need diamonds or pearls. I don't want jewelry. I want a custom kendo protector set." God, I love that woman. She wants her husband to buy her specialized kendo gear that is customized to fit her so she can whack at folks in the budo or dōjō hall with a wooden sword. "Men! Doh!"

It was an only in Japan kind of day.

Saturday was a perfect day. I went to Ginza with my husband on the Green Car which means we had a seat the whole way there and back. We had lunch at the Mariage Freres tea shop. We shopped for kitchen gear in Kappabashi the kitchen district in Tokyo. Meanwhile, our children were home with the babysitter. We had no time rush, no extra bathroom trips, nor twenty questions about the state of being done yet. It was marvelous. We might have to try that again.

Arriving at home, I showered and headed out to meet some girl friends at a yakitori shop. Yakitori is charcoal grilled meat or vegetables or a mixture- read awesome beer food in tasty quantities which means no absurd American portions. My favorite was the bacon wrapped mini-tomatoes. It was coincidence that date day and girl's night happened on the same day, but it made for a pretty good mama break. My friends and I sat outside, drank beer, ate yakitori, and chatted. There were two stories of tears on honeymoons, a future plot for getting together, and general chatting about stuff that when I drink three beers I kind of forget exactly.

On the walk home, my friend told me that she had recently turned forty. When I turned forty I asked everyone to go out to lunch with me. At first I was a little concerned that I didn't know it was her birthday, but then I realized she was thinking about what she wanted for her birthday. This is what she wants for her fortieth birthday. She said, "I don't need diamonds or pearls. I don't want jewelry. I want a custom kendo protector set." God, I love that woman. She wants her husband to buy her specialized kendo gear that is customized to fit her so she can whack at folks in the budo or dōjō hall with a wooden sword. "Men! Doh!"

It was an only in Japan kind of day.