sankoen

Mama's back from Kyoto, etc. Had a great time.
Jenn and Pete in from the states, having a great time.
Spent the morning shopping @ National Azabu and then I took off for Zazen.
When I came back I helped Mama make some meatballs and bake a poppyseed cake, and then there was only one thing left to do: yakiniku for dinner!
Ah, meatfest II.

outback

So your basic mad, mad Friday. On the one hand I certainly appreciate that I've finally convinced everyone at work that
  1. I know what I'm doing and,
  2. I can help.
So I like that I get asked to do various things, solve various problems. However, when everything comes to a head on Friday afternoon, it gets a wee tight. Then again as I was telling folks at work: I spend huge quantities of time and effort convincing everyone that I know everything, when in fact I really only know at most 10% of what I claim to know. The key is: what 10%?
But I digress. Managed to tear myself out of the office and met Todd for dinner and bonus-time chit chat. We checked out the German Sausage bar but it was packed with work people; no room to sit and even if we could, no room to gossip.
We also couldn't get into Gyukaku so we headed over to Outback for a proper meatfest. Themes of discussion: money. promotions. this industry kills people.
The usual stuff.

winning numbers

Attention everyone who got a new year's card from me. You didn't already trash it did you? On the bottom right there is a six-digit number.
Check that number against this list. Numbers must match in order, from right to left.
So for example if the last two digits are 37 or 64, you win some stamps!
Any winners? Send the card back to me if it's something good we can split it.
Prizes this year include:
  • 37" Aquos HD flat panel TV
  • Mac Book Classic + iPod
  • Japan Post Special Edition DS-lite
  • Some stamps
  • A Bike-to-work set (?)
  • Cans of Soup from Imperial Hotel

sankaiki

Got up early and took the expressway bus up to Ibaraki for grandpa's sankaiki (3rd funeral anniversary.)
We went to the Buddhist temple down the street in the village next to the cemetery, burned some incense and listened to some chanting by the elementary school teach - slash - priest, then did some more of the same at the gravestones in the cemetery.
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Headed back to the house to rest and watch some Osaka Marathon on TV, then went out for lunch.
Tonchan ate a whole crab-shell gratin and had great fun stumbling all over the place, and Masa was downed by the stomach flu that's going around.
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We headed home, Tonchan took a little nursing and napping break, and then about 3 we headed out to get the train home.
Finally got back to the apartment about 6; quick dinner and a bath and the ladies went to bed.
Long, long day!