Farm-time

Finally, a day of some work. It's not that I really am itching to sweat and get bitten by bugs but I was expecting to be put to work when I got here to sort of... prove myself and instead, there's been parties and high amounts of fun. However, today we packed the car/van and A-san, Ogawa and me (Sugi-chan is sick) and drove to the... garden again. I don't think it counts as a farm exactly, unless there is another one that I don't know of, but this is more of maybe 2 acres long and a hundred feet wide. By no means do I think 'Farm' but I guess I'm okay with this.

First A-san and I planted eggplants (nasubi, nasu for short) three at a time and then a marigold down an entire row until we ran out of nasu. This took a while. Then it was tea-time. Except this time the water jug was water instead of tea like yesterday. Then back to planting. Planting consisted of stabbing an X into the black plastic we laid down yesterday and inserting the little green life form. I tried to chat with A-san but my dictionary was in the car so I was limited, but she is patient with me so I get by. Then we finished with green peppers and something I didn't recognize. 

Lunch was good and Obaachan joined us again. I have to be really careful because it is Japanese custom to finish EVERYTHING in your bowl or plate or both and sometimes I take too much without knowing or get served more than I can eat. It's yummy but I need to pay more attention or my stomach will make sure I know better. Also, Obaachan said "I worry about you!" tonight when concerning my meals. I don't really follow, because my life is pretty low key so I just don't need to eat a bowl of rice and three fish-bacon-egg-pancake things like her 15 year old grandson does for dinner. I am just an efficient machine? Maybe more work will speed up the digesting. 

I told Ogawa that I wanted to go to the Kaiyukan (BIG Aquarium in Osaka) on Sunday and he said, "No, since it is the rainy season, we can have school there!" So if it rains (cross your fingers since the weather forecast says... rainy :)) we might be going there tomorrow. I am very excited at this prospect seeing as I am fish junkie. I totally spoiled my pet fish at school. I think it's the water part and that I was a swimmer for over 10 years, spent my summers at a Minnesota cabin, and love animals. Can't wait to see the whale shark, and get back into Osaka. When I landed it was beautiful like sparkling snowflakes against black in all sorts of colors. Like someone tossed Christmas lights into the ocean. Gorgeous. 

Finished shopping at SATYS now. I found two dresses (everything is so darn cute it's so easy to find clothes, not to mention, it's a store full of just my size) and then I wanted a sweater for one. I learned the hard way that just because the mall has clothes open all over the floor doesn't mean it's not different shops. Yeah.... I really felt like the foreigner there. Then I saw one more thing at another store that was a little 'spendy' (see Minnesotan dictionary--adj. expensive) but I thought trying it on wouldn't hurt right? Then I fell in love and it was all over.