I snuck out when amplified music dance party > tug-of-war portion of event started and, finding 2 totem poles, couldn’t resist a bit of spoken word ukulele storytime with usual meandering topics: postal strikes and stamps, travelers & communities, homes & parents + great brains
Sneaking out from a preschool sports day activity, i perched between two totem poles in the autumnal mountain splendor of Kurashiki and meander about:
lost shortbread, support of small bookshops (namecheck for Western Sky), new new year cards (perfection is overrated, after all), the very bad kind of visitors to Japan (yes, deserves to be deported)
and a hat-tip to my buddy Neal who’s doing another big creative project & Benton Homestead – who, along with being an adorable couple, are doing a lot of things right about building a life in Japan, an example to emulate
plus *ephemera* both in micro terms of items like tickets stubs, receipts and cards, and the macro ephemeral nature of life and how all things left behind and at the end, our life might be a bit of a garage sale Saturday as i paraphrase and fumble some songing from “The Weakerthans”
{will circle back to add some snaps and links – maybe – then remove this note, possibly}
Bonus, not really related but needs a place to happen:
Staying at a newly built YMCA camp lodge dorm for preschool overnight sports day etc. in the mountains outside of Kurashiki Times for bath were either 6-7 (before dinner) or 8–10… i took the 'late shift' and just finishing up a 2 hour solo soak in a majestically huge ofuro
{also had a wonderful time talking with the spectacular mamas while the kids whirled around But it's all quite overwhelming for my delicate noggin But just thought someone might understand how satisfying this moment right now is}
Now I'm heading back to my cute bunkbed wearing my flannel pajamas Due to my *special circumstances*, our trio family has a room with six bunkbeds to ourselves I've also brought hot water kettle, French press, fresh ground coffee, and all my various Chinese medicine teas
Apparently, breakfast is at 7:30, I chuckled when they told me… *Nothing* happens for me at 7:30 AM Anyhow, good night, I'm proud of you all for putting goodness into the world Sweet dreams to some of you and lovely day ahead for others