The Visit Pt 3

continued from before...

This being Japan and June the next day was extremely rainy.  I felt bad because the same thing had happened in March when my sister and dad had visited.  So like last time, instead of sending them to some tourist place like Kurashiki old town or Okayama Castle, I put them on the train to the mall.  It's a nice mall and it is a little different than US malls, but for the most part it is just a mall...

I did my day of work and then picked up the travelers around 5pm during which it was quite sunny.  In fact, I had only done a little bit of work because the kids had been sent home early due to Typhoon warnings.  Teachers of course stayed at school while the children battled the winds and water on their bikes.  Poor things.  I know it was in the name of safety, but like I said it was pretty clear by 5, the time when kids usually go home.  And oddly enough we never get out early or delayed for snow, and snow actually accumulates so it is better to beat the big storm as opposed to rain that passes by.  Oh well, the group I met had enjoyed the mall and the scenery on the train (if you live around here, they went via Nimi and Takahashi which goes through mountains and along a big river).

We rushed home to meet Motoaki and then met Motoaki's family at a local Italian restaurant.  We had wanted to do something more traditional, but the only places that had space for our group also only had floor seating, which I didn't think would work (my dad and Sheila have bad knees and David is a bigger guy).  But the Italian food was high end so I think everyone enjoyed.  We split it up so that Maggie and David were sitting by Motoaki's sister and that my dad and Sheila were by Motoaki's parents.  This meant that Maggie and the sister communicated in broken conversation and I translated for the parents.  I think Motoaki's family is a little surprised that my dad is engaged but they were very polite.

As usual we did the gift exchange.  Maggie giving Motoaki's family photo albums, soap, and deluxe Oreoes (mint) and Motoaki's family giving Sheila and my dad snacks, Maggie hand towels, and David socks (out of nowhere).  I think that they would like to get my dad something else but aren't sure on sizes.

Anyway, after dinner the in-laws headed home and we headed for karaoke.  If you think I am a mic hog you should see my sister.  Her and David both put in about a billion songs.  My dad sang the ones we put in for him, and Sheila joined in on one or two.  It was pretty low key as the older folks and myself were tired.  I think this was the first time ever that I requested to go home when we got the warning call from the front desk.  I felt bad because David and Maggie were having fun, but I was exhausted and we all had to be up early to get to the train station so that the tourists could go to Osaka/Kyoto.

Maggie gave me things that night and then stayed up playing with Finn for a little while.  He loves her and is pretty obedient when she is around.