Mike and Katy

It's pouring with rain and threatening floods but we went for a drive today anyway. First stop was Oita city, where we went to an art gallery. A New Zealander from New Plymouth who has been working for Keio Academy for a year had an exhibition there. He does pencil drawings, very skilled and imaginative. I thought it would be nice for Amy to see some work done by someone she knows. We bought a few postcards, and I have my eye on another picture that I might have to hint to Kanji about for my birthday...

Next, we went into town and visitied Starbucks, and the bookstore. I grabbed a couple of books and the kids got a magazine each - then I realized I had left my money in the car. Rain notwithstanding, I did not want to give up my books, so we trooped back to the car - down from the 6th floor, cross the road, go down the street, through the pachinko parlour and up to the third floor parking. Down again through the pachinko parlour and snap - my sandal broke. I tied it together, still not willing to give up and we rushed back to the bookstore in the rain, me limping and dragging my sandal, over the road, up the elevator and I got my books and was very happy.

Next we visited another Kiwi, living around the coast in Kunimi. Katy just had a baby boy, Shou, and he is a lovely plump and sweet-smelling baby. We were running late and couldn't stay late, but hopefully we'll see them again on a sunny summer day, when we head out to one of the peninsula beaches.

Amy and Lena at Starbucks: