Goodbye boar, hello rat

2019 flew by.  It seems like just a couple days ago we were eating boar pastries in celebration of the new year.  The year of the boar represents wealth.  While we didn't win the lottery in 2019, we did find ourselves finding an abundance of adventures and new experiences over the course of the year.  Since the year was forecast to be full of joy, friendship, and love, we felt the year lived up to the horoscope.  Our entire family feels very fortunate to have the life we do, which makes us rich beyond anything else.

We are entering the year of the small rodent.  Some call 2020 the year of the rat, while others claim it is the year of the mouse and even hedgehog!  Regardless of what you label it, the next year represents the beginning of a new day, as it is the first of all zodiac animals.  It is expected to be a year of new experiences, finding love, and earning more money.  The year of the rat is also a sign of strong vitality.  I'm looking forward to all the new opportunities, as I'm sure they are ripe for the picking as we seek to live our best life.

Photo credit: skymart21.com

As this year ends and another begins, my family likes to take the time to reflect on our life over the past year.  We review the highs and lows for each of us.  I think it helps us to appreciate all that we've been through.  It is a fun little tradition we enjoy doing each year.  It is a great way to wrap us the previous year and preparing to welcome the new one.

Soft kitty, warm kitty

I love seeing super random products that make it to store shelves.  Here in Japan, many of the most random (to me) products typically have to do with pets.  Not only do I constantly see dog strollers and cat backpacks being used in the park (where most people would expect to see animals on leashes, not be carted around), I see all kinds of merchandise in the stores.

Maybe this one isn't unique to Japan, but it humored me at any rate.  A blanket with a special pocket for your furry baby.  My cats and dogs have always been perfectly fine snuggling up on top of the blanket or under it.  I didn't need a special pouch for them.  But to each their own!

Enjoy your pets any way you can have them.  Whether or not they require special modes of transportation or prefer special cuddle blankets, pets are an awesome part of your family!

Not going to work

My husband isn't going to work tomorrow.  In fact, many people across Japan won't go to the office.  Businesses give their employees time off before the biggest holiday of the year - New Years Day - as well as a few days off afterwards.

Many people use this gift of time to travel to be with relatives over the holiday.  Since our relatives are in the US, we will be spending the holiday with our nuclear family at our home in Tokyo.

To kick off the week without having to go to work, my husband and son have been cooking up a storm.  Tonight they decided to cook ebi fry for dinner, also known as fried shrimp.  Working together they dipped each shrimp into flour, egg, and then panko breadcrumbs.  Then they plopped them into hot oil for a quick bit.  Not just limiting the dinnerplate to shrimp, they also cooked onion, mushrooms, quail eggs, and oysters.

My husband whipped up some homemade tarter sauce that features egg, onion, carrot, and celery to round out the flavor.

After years of practice, they worked seamlessly together in the kitchen.  It was a lot of fun watching them help each other as they prepared dinner for our family.

I look forward to all the holiday treats they will prepare in the next week!

Taking time with friends

As we continue the big clean (osouji) of our house, we are keeping busy with lots scrubbing and dusting and even a little bit of purging.  I love how places that are often forgotten are getting a good cleansing.  It makes me so happy that my family and I Konmari'd our home earlier this year.  Although we are not minimalists by any stretch of the imagination, I appreciate knowing that we keep what we need and release the things that no longer bring joy to our lives.  It also makes the annual osouji go much, much smoother.

But we don't spend all our time cleaning.  We took the time today to invite our neighbors over for a gyoza (potsticker) folding and eating party.  My husband made the filling, with the help of our son.  Then the five of us sat around the table talking, enjoying music, laughing, and folding.  While it takes a bit of practice to make "pretty" gyoza, they all taste the same.  The only real requirement is that they are properly sealed.

We are so lucky to have such wonderful neighbors that we enjoy spending time with.  We really lucked out in that department.  In fact, at this time of celebration and reflection, we find ourselves to be so grateful for all the friends we have near and far.  It can make a person pretty weepy just thinking about all the love in their life.  (Sniff, sniff)

After our delightful dinner, we headed over to our neighbor's house for dessert and tea.  It was a wonderful way to end the day.  She made black sesame pudding that was amazing!

I assume we will wrap up the cleaning tomorrow.  Of course, we might get distracted with some other fun thing to do and leave it for another day.

Exchange it all

Just when I think I've seen everything in a vending machine, I see money!  Well, a money exchange machine to be exact!  You really can get anything out of a machine in Japan, specifically Higashi-Ginza Station.

And check out the green payphone snuggled up next to the money exchange machine.  I still see people using these periodically.  They aren't super common anymore, but they are still around.

Whistle while you work

Today we cleaned house.  Not just a pick up toys kind of clean, but a wipe down the baseboard molding and take everything out of the drawers kind of cleaning.  I wasn't alone, as many Japanese people take time to do a deep cleaning of their house at the end of the calendar year.  It is known as "osouji" (oh-sew-gee), literally translated as "big cleaning."  People clean and purify their house in order to welcome "Toshigami" the Shinto deity of the New Year.

It is also a way to start the year with a clean slate.  By having your house extremely-important-guest ready, you are able to welcome the deity, as well as the good fortune that they bring.

The custom of osouji dates back to the Heian period (from 794 to 1192)!  It is pretty interesting to ponder this fact while scrubbing the top of the fridge.  I felt like I was scrubbing 1,200 years worth of dust off the top of mine today!

People don't just deep clean their home.  Schools and businesses also participate in the tradition by marking a specific date on the calendar and everyone participates.  I helped at my son's school on Monday where all the kids and staff were busy scrubbing shelves and other items that tend to be overlooked in the routine cleaning sessions.  Of course I wasn't required to participate, but I don't mind lending a helping hand and it really makes a difference in the appearance of the school.  I even noticed the principal pitching in.  No one is exempt from this important tradition.

When I told my son this morning that we would be focusing on cleaning today, his eyes lit up.  He asked if we could make cards for each chore and then blindly choose which chore we were going to do.  I thought it was a fabulous suggestion, so we sat down and made the cards.  He drew pictures of the room and I wrote a list of what we would do in that room.

It might sound strange to some that my son gets really excited about cleaning, but it is the norm in our household.  Since he was very young, I have encouraged him to help around the house.  We often discuss the importance of teamwork (mommy is too tired to do fun things if she is responsible for all the cooking and cleaning, working together means there is energy left for playing).  I've also made it a point to swallow my pride and let him do things by himself.  He might not do as good of a job at sweeping (or whatever chore he is trying) as I do, but he has fun doing it and he improves every time he takes on the task.

In the kitchen I had the tasks of wiping off the top of the fridge and top shelf; wiping out the bottom of the drawers; organizing the shelf under the oven; removing everything from the counters and wiping it down; and mopping the floor.  I was able to hand my son things from high up instead of going up and down off the chair I was using as a ladder.  He helped remove everything from drawers and lay them out in the same order so it was easy to put everything back quickly.  He organized the shelf under the oven all by himself while I worked on the top of the fridge.  He helped me moved everything from the counters and then begged me to let him mop.

My time in the kitchen could have easily doubled without his assistance.  Since he's been helping me for so long, I know how I can easily give him part of my job that will both teach him skills and make the burden of work less on me.

We got through about one third of the cards today.  We will do some more tomorrow.  Just like today, we'll put on music with a good beat and help each other with the task at hand.  And we will have fun doing it together.

Sing out to spread Christmas cheer

Weeks before our trip to the US, some of the moms from my son's school asked me to join the parent choir.  They were going to sing "When You Wish Upon a Star" and wanted my help to make sure their pronunciation was on key.

Since I was free on the day of their practice, I was happy to join.  Although I can often be found singing and humming, I am not a talented singer.  I simply have fun with it.  I forewarned the mom that invited me to the choir that I was not exactly in-tune all the time.  She didn't mind at all.  She assured me it wasn't a professional choir and they were all just in it for fun.

When I attended the first practice I learned we would also be singing "Winter Wonderland" in Japanese.  I was up for the challenge.

Over the next couple months, we practiced and learned the songs.  It was fun having our weekly gatherings and comradery.

Today, Christmas day, was the big performance.  We lined up in front of all the students in the school and sang out loud.  The kids were super attentive and showed appreciation with very courteous applause.  The kids were on super good behavior because we were part of the big assembly that ended with Santa appearing and giving all the students a small gift (the older students received a card game, while the younger students received a board game).

I was not completely surprised by the agenda of the day, including the teachers creating "sled" marks in the schoolyard and tossing quite a bit of ice around.  The school did the same thing last year.  But what did intrigue me was that schools in the US would never attempt this.  It is just too "religious".

As the choir was finalizing the last details before the performance some of the choir thought it would be fun if all the parents that spoke another language could say "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" to the kids.  This sounded like an easy request to fulfil.  But then someone from the school mentioned that the choir would not be able to say "Merry Christmas" in Japanese (which is just "Merry Christmas" with a thick accent) as it was "too religious."  I couldn't believe my ears!  Where exactly was this line between what was okay and what pushed things too far?  Why could we say it in English, Korean, French, and Chinese, but not Japanese?  I may never know.  But before today, I didn't know there even was such a thing as "too religious" in Japan.  Learn something new everyday.

Oh, and the final review of our performance?  My son reported we could "use one more practice!"  It made me laugh.  Such a critic!

Raw meat for dessert

As if gyoza shaped dessert wasn't enough, my husband decided we also needed to try the meat from Sweets Paradise.  They make some very authentic looking food-inspired desserts and the tray of meat (traditionally wrapped in a thin sheet of bamboo) fit right into the theme.

My husband teased our son telling him we were eating raw meat for dessert.  He fell for it for a short while asking if he could eat ice cream if he ate three bites of the raw meat.  But as soon as we cut into the meat and he realized it was actually crepes, he excitedly dug in with vigor.

Each crepe had a different flavor - plain, berry, and chocolate.  There was a little white marshmallow representing the little hunk of fat that comes on a tray of meat in Japan.

The crepes were super tasty, much better than the gyoza.  We decided it would make a good hostess gift if we were ever invited to a sukiyaki (meat and vegetables simmered in a sweet and savory broth) dinner party.

Is it gyoza or is it dessert?

My husband heard about a new (to us) cake shop - Sweets Paradise.  It is well known for it's realistic looking cakes.  Of course, he couldn't wait to check it out.

He came home today with a surprise and a bit of excited energy.  He excitedly showed me his bounty of gyoza (pot stickers).  While I was a bit confused, he told me that he couldn't wait.  They looked exactly like the delicious savory food we enjoy every time we are feeling under the weather.

After a quick sushi dinner from Fresh Hikari, it was time for our gyoza dessert.  Touted as apple pie, I was curious if the little costumed treats would fulfill his desires.

They gave us heating instructions, but my husband didn't want to take the time to heat it up.  Instead we dug right in.  It tasted... fine.  I think it would have tasted so much better warmed up.  I was expecting a fruit filled pastry crust.  Instead it was much more like fruitcake, which I am a huge fan of.

No matter if it fulfilled expectations or not, it was a fun dessert for our family to enjoy.

Gliding gracefully

I woke up with a sore throat.  I've had one for several days now.  It is nothing alarming, just annoying.  When my husband suggested we go out, I kindly passed.  I didn't want to push it and make things worse.  Instead, I wanted to just relax and try to get better.

So, the boys headed out.  They really wanted to go check out Toshimaen's temporary ice skating rink.  When the day was over, they came home with a positive report - not just of the facilities, but also of my son's quick learning.  For never having skated before, he really adapted quickly and got around the ice.  The rink was big and wasn't too crowded, which is impressive on a Sunday afternoon.

Instead of going with the boys, I stayed home.  I finished up addressing my New Years cards while watching cheesy Christmas themed movies.  I also made another batch of persimmon butter and well as celery tsukemono (pickles).  Before all was said and done, I whipped up a batch of broccoli soup (featuring onion, broccoli, and mushrooms).  There is nothing better than a nice warm bowl of soup after spending the day outside on ice.

Even on my days to take it easy, I putter around my kitchen and get stuff done.  A sore throat isn't going to hold me back.

Up next, I'm going to go enjoy a yuzu bath to celebrate the solstice.  Since many people think it helps to ward off illness in the upcoming year, I think now is a very good time for me to enjoy this special tradition.

Traveling at the speed of light

After a morning spent FaceTiming with family and friends, my husband, son, and I headed out for another day exploring Tokyo.

Our first stop was Santa.  Roppongi Hills has a very nice looking Santa that my son is convinced is real.  While having lunch my son explained to me that there are actually 400 real Santas that work together to get all their work done.  I found his arguments to be well thought out and very logical.

It was a good visit with the man in red.  When my son made his big request, Santa glanced at us looking for a headshake before agreeing to bring my son's desired toy.  Since this is only our second visit to Santa, I don't know if that is standard practice.  But, it is a relief to know that the one gift he gets from Santa is the one he asked for (kids in Japan only get one gift from Santa).

After his big meeting, we toured around town visiting various places.  One stop was the Old Shimbashi Station Railway History Exhibition Hall.  This little museum is in a beautiful modern building that houses both a restaurant and artifacts linked to the Shiodome area and old Shimbashi Station.

It had some interesting things, like station teapots, ticket punchers, and a scale model of old Shimbashi Station.  Unfortunately, we were not very interested in their special exhibit, which focused on Dr. Shoichi Sumita's research on ancient characters on roof tiles.

It was small and didn't take us much time at all to wander through.  I'm sure more serious train enthusiasts might get more out of it, but since we didn't connect to the special exhibit, it is hard to overwhelmingly recommend it.

Afterwards, we wandered around the building to find a fun light display featuring trains.  We knew we needed to swing back after dark to see exactly what it entailed.

We wandered a bit more, had dinner, and headed back to see what they might have put together for their illumination.  We were so surprised to experience a fun show that featured a steam train in lights that transitioned to a Shinkansen in time to music.

This was by far the best part of the museum for our son.  He loved the light show and so did we.

It was a fun, holiday-themed day.  From Santa to train lights, we definitely enjoyed a variety of festive entertainment.

Winter sakura

While walking to the coffee shop during my son's ballet lesson, I walked past a flowering tree.  Surprised, I stopped and gazed at the cheerful blooms.  I have heard of fuyuzakura (winter cherry blossoms), but I don't think I've ever seen them for myself.

I've heard that there are some beautiful places to go and see fuyuzakura.  I am thinking I need to go see one of those places very soon.

Lunchtime

It hit me the other day just how quickly time is passing.  In just 5 months, my son will transition to elementary school (called sho gakko in Japanese).  When this happens, I will no long make him a bento for lunch every day.  The school will provide lunch, not me.  This fact, strangely enough, makes me a bit sad.  I've enjoyed making him bentos.  It is like a little daily gift I make for him.

Here are a few bentos I've made for him recently.

Roasted chicken, broccoli, peppers and carrots in vinegar, egg monster, 

and rice (ume or pickled plum on top) with a tangerine on the side

Rice with ume on top, karrage (fried chicken), raw peppers, spinach, 

egg monster, and gyoza (pot sticker) with persimmons on the side

Inari (rice balls wrapped in sweet fried tofu), spinach, meat patty, 

celery and persimmon salad, and egg with a side of persimmons

Pumpkin correquette, karrage, hijiki (seaweed), peppers and carrots in vinegar, 

and sweet potato rice wrapped in seaweed with apples on the side.

I add a bit of lemon juice to the apples to prevent browning.

Rice with chopped veggies and sesame seeds, macaroni salad, 

Chinese noodles, and squid tempura with apples on the side

Celery tsukemono on rice, cherry tomatoes, curry sweet potatoes 

with spinach, tofu patty, and mixed vegetables with a fun orange

Pumpkin croquette, tofu patty, celery tsukemono, curry sweet potatoes 

with spinach, red carrots, and rice with oranges and blueberries on the side

When the kids have a field trip, all they take is rice balls (onigiri).  

I try to pack as much nutrition in them as I can.  

Left is mixed vegetables and ume.  Right is salmon flakes.

Rice, grilled fish, sausage, daikon salad, and 

potato salad topped with egg with a side of apples

At first it was a bit overwhelming to try to get enough diversity in his bentos.  But once I got a rhythm down in making them, it became quite fun.  Making sure I hit all the food groups has actually become a game I will remember fondly.  Of course, my husband doesn't want me to stop, since he wants the bentos for himself.

The sweet stuff

I like sweet potatoes.  I do not appreciate the infamous, doused in sugar and topped with marshmallows that American holiday gluttony is made of.  But I am a huge fan of the vegetable itself.  I am always looking for new ways to utilize the tuber.

When my son got to dig for sweet potatoes at a local farm, we made sweet potato rice.  It was a huge hit and we've made it several times since.  We also used his fresh sweet potatoes to make chips.  Freshly made chips are super, super tasty.

I asked other moms what they did with the potatoes that were brought home by the kids.  Many reported that they made sweet potato rice, just like us, but I also heard about soup and dried sweet potatoes.  Wait...  What?  Dried sweet potatoes?  I didn't get it.

Soon I was gifted with samples of dried sweet potatoes, called hoshi-imo.  They were soft and delicious.  I couldn't figure out how they were made.  Even when they told me first the potatoes are steams, then sliced, and finally dried; I couldn't wrap my mind around it.  I just had to try to make it myself.

I was able to buy some really nice sweet potatoes at Mart Shiroyama.  From there, my friend gave me a walk through in how to make the hoshi-imo.  I steamed the washed potatoes in my Instant Pot for 20 minutes and allowed it to release its pressure naturally.  I could have also steamed the potatoes on the stove or used my steam oven.

I let them cool enough that I could handle them without getting burned.  I cut them skin and all into thick slices.  I guess most people remove the skin, but it helps to keep their shape and it provides extra nutrients.  My son then helped to lay the slices out in a single layer inside a special net we bought for sun drying fruit outside.  It helps to keep bugs and birds away from the fruit.

We then hung the net outside.  It has to be cold and sunny to properly preserve the potatoes.  If it is too warm, the potatoes will mold (according to my friend).  Luckily, we've been having cold weather all week.

It only took 3 days for our potatoes to dry to the right consistency.  If they were bigger, they would probably require more drying time.  Now it is time to enjoy them!  They are gently sweet, a bit sticky, and very unique.  I want to eat them again and again.  And so does my son!

Even though I originally thought it was a bit strange, the dried sweet potatoes have won me over.  I am officially a fan.

************************
Hoshi-imo (dried sweet potatoes)

- sweet potatoes, however many you want

1. Wash the potatoes.
2. Steam them using a pressure cooker (20 minutes with natural release), on the stove, or in a steam oven until very tender.
3. Let cool to warm.
4. Peel, if desired.
5. Slice into 1/4 inch slices.
6. Lay out on rack or net so none of the potatoes are touching.
7. Set outside in the sunshine.  The temperature outside should be cold enough to require a jacket.
8. When dry, but still a bit sticky, bring inside and store in a container.

Arabian Nights

When a friend told me about a light display featuring the music from Disney's Aladdin, I knew I had to check it out.

The film has always held a special place in my heart as a beloved childhood movie.  I remember when my mom brought home the VHS tape as a special gift.  My siblings and I quickly settled in to watch it.  We were entranced by the story, music, and animation.  My mom was not as entranced.  As a very hard working single mom, she rarely took the time to relax with a movie.  After getting comfortable on the floor, she was lulled to sleep by the warm, dark room.  Part way through the movie, mom suddenly woke up and started shrieking in horror.  It wasn't the movie or a bad dream that woke her from her comfy nap.  Instead it was my hamster.  It had escaped its cage earlier in the day.  I didn't report the missing rodent in the excitement of getting to watch the movie (and because she told me that she was going to give the hamster away if it kept escaping).  She learned about the little guy's escape when it ran down her arm.

While the thought of watching anything Aladdin related might not appeal to my mom as much as it does me (it took her a really long time before she could watch the movie without shuttering), I thought a light show featuring the music would be super fun.

Just a 1 minute walk from Shiodome Station, the plaza outside the Caretta Shiodome Mall is completely decked out in lights.  A crowd had gathered and we joined everyone appreciating the scene.

Unbeknownst to me, we arrived just in time for one of their shows.  While the lights are gorgeous by themselves, the show made them come to life with twinkling and changing colors to the music.  After letting some of the bystanders into the center of the lights, the music came on and the lights danced along with it.  We were there for a special show that also had a couple Lion King songs in addition to the music from Aladdin.  Since my son is still obsessed with Lion King after seeing the Broadway version back in October, it was a welcome addition.

I'm sure the people in the center of the lights had a better view of the details, like the genie lamp, but we were more than happy to stand on the perimeter.  Since there are light towers and lights strung overhead, everyone can see the show.

For the next 15 minutes, we were entertained and entranced, much like I was by the original movie.  I want to watch it again and again.

Kicking up the heat

Whenever my husband suggests we go to Indian food for dinner, my son and I stare at him in disbelief.  We are the huge curry fans (specifically saag), not my husband.  But my husband is a sucker for a historic restaurant.  If it has been around forever and a day, he wants to go and find out why.

It turns out that right around the corner from the Kabuki theater in Ginza is the oldest Indian restaurant in Japan.  Since 1949, Nair's Restaurant has been serving Indian food to Japanese people.

As soon as my husband suggested it, my son and I jumped for joy.  We wanted Indian food for dinner!

In true Japanese form, we entered the restaurant and were told to head to the dining room on the second floor.  We traversed the narrow stairs and found a room filled with tables.  We sat in the only empty table and reviewed the menu.  It was simple and to the point.  There were two columns of food and drinks.  No photos, not descriptions, nothing.  We took a gamble and ordered famous murgi lunch, as well as the lesser known kheema curry, and kabab.  The restaurant does not serve naan or saag or tikka masala or any of the other typical Indian dishes that we expect to find at Indian restaurants.

It was okay.  We are always willing to try new things.  My husband had heard about the murgi lunch - a hearty plate featuring rice, mashed potatoes, boiled cabbage, a chicken leg (with the tenderest chicken even made), all topped with a curry sauce.  It is what really put this restaurant on the map.  As we looked around at the other tables, everyone was eating this particular dish.

Our dishes arrived and I looked at them with surprise.  I was expecting the kabab to be skewered meat, but instead it was more like falafel.  Luckily, my son loved it.  So, it was fine.

Both of the curries were quite hot.  Our family typically orders food with zero or 1 stars.  My husband and son don't like heat.  But the restaurant staff didn't ask us how hot we wanted.  Our son quickly decided (after trying everything) that he was going to eat the kabab.  So, my husband and I dug into the murgi lunch and kheema.

The flavors were really amazing.  But it was really hot for our delicate palates.  I looked over at my husband and he was actually sweating.  I asked him why he was still eating it if it was too hot for him and he replied "because it tastes so good!"

We finished our dinner and left the restaurant.  It wasn't the Indian food experience we were expecting, but it was delicious nonetheless.  And my husband got to tick off another landmark restaurant off his list of places to go.

Rooftop Star Garden

I love a good holiday light illumination.  We've definitely made the rounds to many of the local ones around Tokyo.  Each time we see another display, I get the holiday spirit like a young child.  Pure joy washes over me.

Tonight we wandered over to Ginza to check out a new illumination called Rooftop Star Garden.  This is the first year that the shopping mall Ginza Six held an illumination on their rooftop terrace.  Frankly, they knocked it out of the park.

We arrived shortly before dark and were witness to an amazing sunset.  I don't know how we managed to get so lucky, but it was the most gorgeous sunset I've seen in a while.  From on top of the building, there is an excellent view of Tokyo Tower.  With the sun setting behind it, it was a picturesque scene.

The light show was simple, with two areas featuring lights.  The forest area donned star-like lasers that delighted my son.  He raced through the area pretending to jump from star to star.  It was really beautiful and relaxed me even more than I was following the sunset.

The second area was the water fountain area that has been transformed into an LED "Shooting Star".  Timed to music, the fountain was mesmerizing.  I found a seat and watched the show.  It really drew me in.  It was great to sit there and enjoy the show while my son ran around and around the fountain.  I don't know why the place wasn't packed, but there were hardly any people there.

The lights of the season are truly magical.  I'm so thankful I am able to experience them with my family.

Impressive ride

My husband and I have been debating whether or not to get a coffee table for over 2 years now.  We don't really have room for a permanent one in our living room because I like clear floorspace.  However, I also like to have a space to do puzzles and play games.

In the winter, we spend a lot of time indoors.  In Japan, many families have kotatsu or a low table with a heating element tucked underneath.  We decided before our first winter here to not invest in a kotatsu, but instead go with a heated carpet.  It made sense since it meant it would be a permanent fixture.  But over the past two years, I have yearned for a short table again and again.

Today we were wandering around Nitori, a home store with furniture and decorations.  We were looking for Christmas lights for my Santa-obsessed son.  After locating the lights, we found ourselves back in the coffee table aisle rehashing the debate.  They had coffee tables with foldable legs, so we would be able to store the table when it wasn't in use.  Suddenly the table didn't seem like such an imposition.

After discussing what size table would best fit our needs, we decided on a table that was 90cm by 60cm and 35cm high (35.5"x23.5"x14").  The only issue left was how to get it home.  We had ridden our bikes to the store since it is a 30 minute walk from our house with some hills along the way.  I offered to come another day when I didn't have our son with us so I could perch the table upright in the child seat.  But my husband said he was willing to take it home tonight.

The store employees affixed a handle on the box and my husband carried it out to our bikes.  He would balance the box on the front of his bike and ride one handed, trying not to crash into anyone.

I rode behind my husband, our son sitting on the back of my bike in his child seat.  I was so impressed as he deftly weaved his way around pedestrians, other bikes, and other obstacles.

I laughed and gasped repeatedly as he made his way down the sidewalk.  It was so impressive for a number of reasons, least of all because I doubt I would have attempted the same.

He made it home safely with the table in one piece.  He didn't even start to drop it even when a man almost walked right into him.  Instead, my husband swerved and kept on going.

Tomorrow we will open it up and test it out with a game of Slamwich or Sushi Go, two new games I picked up on our recent trip to the US.  Tonight I shall go to bed with a smile on my face, thinking of my husband's impressive ride.