Mom's Field Trip

"Three cheers for Mom's field trip!" I encouraged.

We were hot. Really hot.
It was crowded. Really crowded.
And the specialty food item---
"Sweet potato ice cream," I told my youngest son.
"Really?"
"Really."
"No corn on the cob dipped in soy sauce?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Really.

"Three cheers for Mom!" I said again in my most energetic way.

We were at the famous Samurai Archery Horseback Festival--on one of the hottest days of the summer.

"C'mon, boys," I said. "Samurai. Archery. Horseback. Think about it. It's going to be incredible. Let's just stay to see the targets."
"Mom?"
"Yes, Honey."
"Mom, we found a target. And, coincidentally, it's back at the train station."
"The train station?" I asked. "What do you mean? There's no target there."
"Yes, there is," my son answered. "Our target is air conditioning and cold ice cream at Baskin Robbins."

I had researched the festival, the train schedule and the route to the shrine. But I hadn't considered the extremely humid weather.

"I have a new idea," I said as we cooled off at 31 flavors. "From now on, I think Dad should plan all our field trips."

"Three cheers for Mom!"

Dad's Field Trip

Beautiful Japanese robes.
Exquisitely decorated mikoshi.
Awesome headbands.
Colorful paper lanterns.
"And," added our seven-year-old son, "don't forget: Delicious roasted corn on the cob dipped in soy sauce."

Oh yeah, our recent adventure (planned by Dad) to a local matsuri (Japanese festival) was a true...and delicous success.

The day started with a leisurely breakfast at home.
Then we took an easy train commute to the fun neighborhood of Shimo Kitazawa.
We found a great location to view the amazing parade of mikoshi. ("What do you think they are saying?" our son asked as we watched the men and women sway and chant as they carried the portable shrines. "I'm not sure," I whispered. "Maybe....this is heavy. This is heavy. This is heavy.")

We followed the parade through the narrow side streets without getting lost. (Hint: just follow the paper lanterns).
We found our way back home again. (Hint: just follow Dad's head).
"And," added our seven-year-old son repeated, "Don't forget the delicious roasted corn on the cob dipped in soy sauce."

And, our kids found a new favorite food.

"Three cheers for Dad's field trip!" I said. "What a great day in Tokyo!"

"Three cheers for Mom," my husband said. "She's planning the next adventure while I'm on a business trip."

Let's just say, I should have stuck with the corn.

Ohmygosh-imas

"What are you doing?" my husband asked me the other day.
"I'm practicing how to bow very low," I said from the floor.
"Oh," he said. "I thought you were trying to do a push up."

Tomorrow I have my Japanese class. My first lesson in three months. And, I am very nervous. Very, very, very nervous. I will have to admit to my sensei that I didn't study--at all--this summer. And now, now, I've got my -mas' all messed up. I can't keep my Japanese verbs straight. I don't remember if I'm coming or going, taking or drinking, eating or existing. Nomimas, norimas, mimas, kaimas, kaerimas, ikimas, tabemas, aimas--OH MY GOSH-IMAS!

"And, that's not all," I said to my husband who is a very diligent student, "I definitely, definitely have a particle problem."

I reviewed my old notes.

When saying "also," I need to use "mo."
For possessives, that's a "no."
For "and", that's "to".
Drinking, eating, watching, use "o."
Buying a peach, that's a momo.
Confusing mo, no, to, and o--now that's a no-no.

"Well," my friend said to me. "At least, you know the difference between kudamono and kodomo. The other day I went to the store for fruit and mistakenly asked to buy children. "

"Don't worry. It will be fine," my husband comforted me this morning. "Just think of it this way. If I can climb Mt. Fuji, you can figure out Japanese.....And if not, well, it looks like we'll be eating a lot of peaches."