Happy Birthday to Mika & Junko

I went to a party. A birthday party. This party was for Mika, one of my former students and Junko, one of my current private students. My workday ended at 6:30. I check my phone email and it says that I should be ready at 7:10 for someone to pick me up and that my contribution to the party would be 1500 yen. I what? Oh, well luckily I got paid for some private lessons just moments before, because I was down to my last 10 yen (dime). So this email means I have to sprint back to the apartment, change clothes, do something with my hair and my face, and wrap a couple of presents. There will be no time to scarf any food down before I go, so I was hoping there would be a few tidbits I could nibble. When we arrive at Mika's apartment it turns out it is not so much a party as a dinner party. And I'm pretty sure Mika doesn't know I'm a veg. I spot enough things to make me happy so I say nothing. Junko looks at the food and realizes I can't eat any of the main dishes. She knows that I'm a vegetarian because I get her to read ingredients of things I buy at the supermarket in hopes they will be something I can eat. I've been lucky so far, only one thing turned out to have bonito flakes in it. She mentions to Miki the problems and that sets off much toing and froing from the kitchen to add non-meat dishes. I end up with way more than I can possible eat in one setting, but it was delicious. Here is a picture I took after I figured out how to use the timer on my camera of the whole group of us.



It was a wonderful evening, and we discussed everything including love, politics and religion. One guy had just come back from Malta and showed us all his pictures. Remember this is a Japanese guy so it was 3 albums full of pictures. So we finally come to the end of his slightly too long tale, and he pulls out another set of albums with pictures from his trip to England. Then he pulls out the set from his trip to Australia, with at least a hundred photos of wombats. I like wombats more than most folk, but even I got bored with looking at the feisty little fellas. Time gets to be after midnight and things start slowing down. Mika and Junko are absolutely pissed drunk. But there is no sign that anyone is making their way to leave. I finally say I have to go home because I have a busy day planned. Mika's husband drives me home in silence. He understands some English but Mika keeps insisting he doesn't. I go to give him my contribution, but he won't take it and thanks me for attending. Okay, I ain't insisting you take my money. And I do have a busy day planned. The Suzukis are taking me to an amusement/water park and maybe a hot spring if we have time. I know it sounds unlike me to go galavanting around this much, but my philosophy has been to turn down no invitations. Gotta enjoy the moment.