Woke up to Mr. Suzuki on the phone, wandered through breakfast of natto and miso soup (really growing fond of this, will be in a hard way when return to America and can no longer buy). In the car they gave me a Japanese birdwatching book. Was stoked. While we drove the forests rolling by the highway were dripping mist, deep and leafy and positively blanketed in lush green the likes of which I didn't really believe existed (except in princess mononoke). They lamented the weather and as usual I defended it, explaining that I love gray because beside it, other colors become brighter and deeper. The gray mist only made the green more vibrant and gave the plants something to drink. They taught me 引き立てる- to compliment or emphasize beauty. Comes from playing second string in an orchestra, I think, which suits me as a violist. It had been a few weeks since our last drive, but when I said I was awfully happy to be out with the Suzukis again they seemed pleased. The thought comes to mind that I want to make a scrapbook for them of pictures I've taken and some small drawings. Must figure out how to print photos.
At the bird sanctuary I walked around the lake with Mrs. Suzuki. We spotted one hawk that glided and floated on the wind, flapping only once in a span of minutes. She's so fun because she appreciates the same things I do in the same sort of way, so impressed with that bird's understanding of the wind. The forest in that area was tangled and beautiful, and I tried to picture Blank in the trees.
At the nature center there were charts of birds and endless books on ornithology. It would be a lovely place to visit for an entire day and just sit and read. I tried to make a paper crane up on the second floor but gave up before starting. Despite all those times I tried for the JSA I just couldn't remember.
At the small gift store they bought a large calendar with beautiful pictures I had considered getting. I picked up a magazine that showed how to identify hawks in flight (accompanied by some adorable little chibi illustrations- something about that intense eagle head being the same size as the whole body is just... asdflkj).
From there we went for curry ramen. I was able to eat cleanly. Mr. Suzuki sweated like he'd been doing sports, as Mrs. Suzuki said. From there we dropped by a place for him to collect his travel stamp and he saw a celebrity there. I didn't understand perfectly but seems to be an older lady. He was so excited there were cameras there and everything.
Morimoto was a treat- the smell was amazing just walking in the building. All the cakes looked mouthwatering. There was nothing in there I didn't want to eat. They let me buy us all ice cream and I just about melted eating it, it was so good. I bullied them into letting me buy small omiyage cakes, but it was pretty much just them playing along with my gesture. We'd split them that night and eat them together (except for mine, which like a dorkasaurus I took home, thinking they'd all eat their own rather than splitting each one four ways, which I knew they did but forgot).
Our final stop was a huge log cabin full of touristy goods and a self-playing baby grand piano outside the restrooms. The best part was easily not knowing whether or not to clap when the "performance" was over.
There was so much beautiful green on this trip that I was pushed beyond my normal limits. I drifted in and out of sleep in the car, listening to Mr. Suzuki's taste in music (similar to my dad's, but thankfully not as obnoxious), thinking of Blank living in the forest like a beast. He is starting to come back into my thoughts now that I am alone and surrounded by the woods again. I am glad.
Dinner was bread and stew and potato wrapped in ham sliced so thin it was nearly transparent (that was so damn yummy) and then we split aforementioned omiyage bread. I was sent home with a hearty amount of extra snacks. We went back walking since they broke out the wine. It seems they still have hopes for me to become a drinker. When Mr. Suzuki started talking about how it would be sad for me to get used to the taste of Japanese liquor and then go to America and not be able to drink it anymore, I nodded and said my はいs of agreement, but he made me laugh when he said, "Don't look at me so sadly!"
In reciprocation I made he and Tomoyo laugh when my leg was lazily draped on the table leg while researching zodiac signs on my phone, and made them laugh harder when I reacted to an unexpected entry with 何それ. They joked before I return to America I'll be dropping out of the meal halfway and going to nap on the salon chair in the corner.
I learn a lot with them.
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