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.
I never thought I would ever say this, but G_d Bless Mrs.D 😁!!! For once, we were on the same side.
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| 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😲!!!
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).
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| 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 🙂👍).
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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
🤨??? 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
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| The bamboo ceiling in the Katsura Grill. |
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| 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.
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| 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:😍.
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| 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.
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| Pagoda. |
LUNCHTIME😋!!!
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| The ladies all chose the Teriyaki Chicken with rice and salad. |
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| Dad had the Chicken Cutlet Curry and California rolls. |
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| 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).
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
