nijin no sato
by mikka
Despite appearances, we did not go to London this weekend.
Or the Pacific Northwest.
Above: a very blurry Yuka, Satoshi, and Iain in the rain.
Shuzenji's usually expensive botanic gardens were offering a lower rate for Numazu residents today, so, despite the pouring rain, and gaijin cards in hand, we went to check them out with Yuka and Satoshi.
The gardens were beautiful, even if the "British Village" was a bit unnerving (and the "Indian Fort" was just ... weird), but within ten minutes we were both SOAKED. Fortunately it wasn't too cold, but I stupidly screwed up my camera: my favorite lens won't focus now, so, I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll magically fix itself once it gets dry.
Above: Hey, Iain, how are you doing?*
Afterwards, Satoshi drove us to nearby Heda (through some spectacularly misty, almost tropical looking mountains that made both me and Iain stare speechlessly out the windows the whole time) and we all had seafood next to the Heda waterfront.
Mmm, fish tempura.
Tomorrow it's back to the work - Mondays have gotten longer now that I work overtime in the evenings, leaving Wednesday my only day where I'm free by 1 pm (or earlier). But a little extra money doesn't hurt, especially since - now that we're actually staying in one place for more than 3 months - I just ordered a bunch of acid dye online so I can hand paint my own yarn; I've never done this before, though I've wanted to for years. It's insane how much I missed making things while I was living in Vietnam: when I lived in Brooklyn, I was always sewing or knitting or making something, not to mention cooking up elaborate meals with Lenora every weekend. Now that we suddenly have a real apartment after two plus years spent living out of suitcases, I'm trying to reign in my not-always-particularly-practical impulses to start up massive crafty and food-y undertakings, but, it's not easy (see: the garden).
* "Plum Dandy," in case you can't read the nameplate in the photo. There, Iain, I did just like you said you should. So if you didn't like that joke, blame Iain; and if you did like it, you should lobby for him to write his own blog so we can all hear his report on the men's bathroom graffiti situation in Numazu (hint: it's not pretty).
