12.07.2004

Lunch Out

Well, I've had a rather busy week. On my birthday, a friend met me near our house and treated me to lunch, bringing flowers, fruit, herb tea and other treats to celebrate my release from the hospital and my birthday. It was a very pleasant way to celebrate. Then, after school, the kids wanted cake, so I baked a small carrot cake to have our own little party. Another friend stopped by with a souvenir tee shirt from Hawaii. She had returned the day before and wanted to see if there was anything she could help out with. She also brought some NIKU JAGA (previously described meat and potato dish, Japanese home cooking) which was good in the kids' lunch boxes the next day.

I had a check-up at the hospital on Nov. 30, and was a little disappointed that my lab test results weren't back yet. The doctor promised that they would be for my next visit, on Dec. 14th. It will be good to know what to expect.

Last Friday the doorbell rang and it was the postman with a package which was too big for our box downstairs. I accepted it, racking my brains to remember if I'd ordered anything from Amazaon-dotcom. Inside was a shipping notice with Elizabeth's name and a very informative book about breast cancer. I have to get her phone number from Mom and Dad to call and thank her personally. It was very reassuring to read and learn that my interpretations of the doctor's explanations were accurate and comforting to have so much information at my disposal anytime now.

I saw a few friends yesterday at a Christmas cookie exchange. Not having time to bake anything, I brought a large bag of chocolates and was forgiven. Was it Roosevelt who said "Speak softly and carry a big bag of chocolate."?

Today, two friends who had wanted to invite me out for my 40th arranged to meet me near our station and we went to a nice Italian pizza restaraunt between the station and our apartment. The woman who runs the restaraunt came out to speak with one of my friends, telling her that there were 18 adults and almost as many children. My friend looked a little flustered as I thought "Huh?!"

"Surprise!" Actually 17 of my friends, most from the English playgroup, and the parents of one of them who happened to be here from the States treated me to lunch, flowers and Maxim De Paris cookies. The tiny restaraunt was wall to wall friends, (well-behaved) preschoolers and babies. What a nice gushy warm feeling to have so many friends, some from quite far away now, get together to ease me into my forties!

Tonight the kids and I are going to see the new Studio Ghibli (Japanese animated) movie with friends who happened to have eight free tickets. The mom and two girls will come here for curry rice after the movie so I should probably get some rice rinsed and cooked and hide the mess.

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