🏮GREETINGS FROM JAPAN 🏮

           

IF JAPAN WAS IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA !
 Sorry, but I couldn't resist.😁

Last month, when Tess and I told our families that we were moving to Florida, they were thrilled. Like Tess' mother, my parents live in a retirement community there (not the same one that she lives in) and they love it and hoped that we would move there someday. 

When we told them we were  finally going to Japan, they were happy for us, but when the news of the trouble in China reached them, my phone started ringing off the hook  !(Disclaimer: Smartphones do not have hooks). First, Mrs.D., then my parents, then my sister and finally Miss Belle. All of them wanted us to cancel.

 I never thought I would ever say this, but G_d Bless Mrs.D 😁!!!  For once, we were on the same side.

I wonder if it's for sale😉.

MRS.D'S ARGUMENTS
1) It was too far for two unaccompanied ladies to travel alone (She had traveled with a group of 20 from her senior community and they had a tour guide).
2) Tess could become ill in the middle of the ocean. Was there a ship's doctor on board ? (NO😱!!!)
3) There could be pirates😲!!!

I showed her this guy and she said "Saints preserve us !" 😄


4) Had we been watching the news ? (Tess never does. It makes her do this😭).
Her mother proceeded to inform her of what was happening including the part about a Seattle man being the first reported case (I hadn't known this and the ship was sailing from Seattle). 

Care for a swim ?

5) Why were we going in the winter ? There wouldn't be any cherry blossoms, the gardens would be buried under mounds of snow, the koi would be indoors, Tess would get her kimonos wet, she would catch cold, the list went on and on 🙂👍).

Koi.

I agreed with all of it (well, Johnny Depp stealing My Tess from me is pretty unlikely. She likes some of his movies : Finding Neverland, Edward Scissorhands, Sweeny Todd ( this one surprised me because she's pretty squeamish, but she loves the Victorian Era and she liked his singing voice) BUT, she absolutely despises tattoos 🤢, so he's out of luck. 

A lone duck.

After I heard everyone out, I called Tess. We talked for a long time and then she asked what I wanted to do. I said I didn't want us to be separated for ten days, I didn't want to take the chance of her getting sick and I wanted to postpone the trip until spring. She didn't argue, she didn't cry (much) she only nodded. I was relieved.

We've made some big decisions in the last few months to simplify our life and improve it and we're gambling a bit, but you don't gamble with your health. I'm more than willing to relocate (we've both had enough of New York winters),I can find new (more cooperative) clients,but I can't find a new Tess. It took me too long to find her and I know from experience that she's one of a kind💕.

A Samurai and his steed.

She asked if I would still be arriving on Monday and I promised. I'd been finishing up my work on the East coast, packing, and getting ready to leave. I  rented a truck to bring all of the boxes and except for my 

there wasn't any furniture so the move would be pretty easy. We'll be moving into our new place in a month or so and until then we'll be staying with Tess' mother. 
 🤨??? I know, but I owe her one. Tess told me on the phone that her mother had said that when we talked that I had reminded her of Tess' father. Tess said that was the highest compliment I would ever receive from her and then she smiled and patted my cheek and said that it was one of the reasons she had fallen in love with me. 🙂Since I'm not old enough to be her father, I'll take that as a compliment.

When I arrived, I received a warm welcome from all 3 ladies 🙂! Of course, My Tess' was the warmest and sweetest 🤗😘.
I unloaded the truck into her mother's

garage, dropped the truck off and Tess had arranged for a neighbor to meet me there and bring me back to the house🤗. By that time, Tess had unpacked for me, made dinner and was drawing me a bath. Then, she put my clothes in the washer and while she was scrubbing my back, I asked if she was o.k. about us cancelling the trip.

The bamboo ceiling in the Katsura Grill.

She said she was. I told her what my mom had suggested. "How would you like to go to Japan ?"

The ladies found a perfect spot
for lunch.

She looked at me like I'd been out in the sun too long.
 Me: Epcot! And my parents want to meet us there. They suggested that you ask your mother and Lily too.
Tess:But it's so expensive !
Me: Not as expensive as going for real. Besides, they have an Annual Pass. They go to all of the food and wine events.

Imminent showers.

Tess: The travel agent called and she says that I will receive a fifty percent refund on the ship fare.
Me: That's good.
Tess: Yes,I was surprised.
Me: So, do you want to go ?
Tess: Yes🙂.
Me: Good ! We'll rent a car and....
Tess: Nonsense, we'll borrow my mother's. She will not need it until her hairdressers appointment on Friday.
Me:😍.

Tori.

Two days later, we all drove to Orlando to meet my parents. They met Tess 3 years ago and fell in love with her too. They hadn't approved of my first wife and it caused a rift between us, but Tess is nothing like her.

Pagoda.

They had only met Mrs.D once before, but everyone got along really well.

LUNCHTIME😋!!!

The ladies all chose the Teriyaki
Chicken with rice and salad.

Dad had the Chicken Cutlet Curry and California rolls.

I had the Teriyaki Shrimp and Chicken
with Nigiri and California roll.

After lunch, it started to rain, so we ducked into the Mitsukoshi Department Store for a couple of hours. The original in Japan has been there since 1673 😯 !!!

It's stocked with everything Japanese you could think of (although nothing from Milk and Mocha, much to Tess' dismay) , from cartoon characters to Anime, clothes, snacks, toys, tabi socks, books, beauty products, incense, etc. There is a Ayoka Pearl area where you can pick an oyster.  They open it for you and you can buy a setting for it in the adjacent store. I asked Tess if she wanted one.

Tess: I have pearls, Honey.

Me: Kimono 👘?

Tess: I have two, Honey.

Me: Fan ?

Tess: I have......

Me: I know.....three ?

Tess: Seven.

Me: Kit Kat's ?

Tess: No, Honey. We can buy those at Walmart.......Good Lord, is that the price or the bar code number !

Me :(and several people standing nearby) 😆!!!

We wound up each agreeing to buy a pair of chopsticks to commemorate the day, but even that took a while because they had quite a selection.

After shopping, we stopped at the Kabuki Cafe and everyone chose a kakigori (shaved ice with fruit syrup).

Tangerine or melon,

Cherry, strawberry, or blue raspberry.

Tess couldn't decide, so she chose rainbow.

Although the atmosphere is beautiful and the food is good, there wasn't much to do besides eat and shop. A Taiko Drum show happens several times a day, but we all agreed that entertainment is sorely lacking. The senior ladies would have liked a show with Geisha-esque women dancing , singing and playing instruments, Dad thinks a Judo or Sumo Wrestling demonstration might work and Tess thought a small deer Park would be nice. She thought we would be able to feed the Koi, but no. She was disappointed.

Her mother has a small pond in her garden, but no fish. Hmmm🤔.

We had a great day (despite some rain, but we'll have to get used to that). Even though it wasn't really Japan🏯, it made My Tess happy and that's all that matters to

me. We'll get there someday, but even if we don't, we'll always have Epcot and my parent's Annual Pass😉👍.