10.07.2007

I'm so full!

Our nephew and his son and daughter picked up his parents, sister and niece at Haneda in a rental car and drove them over here early this afternoon for a late lunch. The kids were excited about the visit because they had such a good time last year when we all went to a hot spring/spa in downtown Tokyo for a day the last time they were in Tokyo. I chose simple make at the table type food so I could sit down and enjoy the visit. The make-it-yourself sushi rolls and cook at the table takoyaki went over well. We topped the meal off with a plate full of persimmons, Asian pears and big purple seedless grapes around 5:00 p.m. and nobody was particularly hungry for dinner. A few slices of apple were all that some could manage.

N, however, in her usual bottomless pit style, is munching away at a unique roll of sushi she's made with leftover salmon, salmon roe, tuna, squid, cucumber, edamame (boiled green soy beans), chrysanthemum petals, wasabi, soy sauce and sushi rice in nori. She even took pictures with my cell phone as she created so she could have her sushi and eat it too. She inadvertantly achieved a dreamlike quality to her photos by rubbing her slightly greasy fingertips over the camera lens (now the phone smells like day old fish). I love it that she absolutely has to try everything, but hope that she doesn't want to share her sushi with me just now. I'm avoiding making eye contact with her by posting on the blog.

J and M were very glad to spend time with our grand-niece R from Kyushu. They've met her a few times when we visited Kyushu and when SIL and she and came to stay for a few days a few years ago. She's in the same grade as M, but is almost a year older. She and her mom brought pretty blue topaz necklaces for me and the girls as gifts.

S seemed to enjoy the meal with his brother. It was great to relax with everyone here at home instead of going out somewhere and worrying about keeping all the kids entertained and under control. Out nephew's son and L are the same age and his daughter turned 6 yesterday. N had fun playing older sister and even took all the "younger" kids to the park for a while.

Our niece (R's mom) and SIL were very helpful and all the dishes were washed and the kitchen was sparkling before they all drove off to our nephew's place to spend the night. I enjoyed the time we spent together as they are very pleasant and encouraging people.

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