This weekend Tetsu and I visited with the Yamadas and spent an enjoyable night playing Canasta and Labyrinth. It is so nice to discover that the Yamadas like games and we try to make it a regular activity these days (once a month or so?_ It reminds me of the days when our kids were all young and weekly the husbands and children would all go off to judo practice while Marlene and I cooked dinner together. After judo we all ate together and chatted while the kids played games or read comic books. Now it is just the seniors having a leisurely dinner and playing cards late into the night. It reminds me of a similar custom my parents had with family friends...
After dinner and cards and over coffee and dessert the four of us chatted and tried figuring out our various Smart Phone and iPad devices. This is a modern activity that takes quite a bit of brain power from all of us. The blind leading the blind... One of the apps that Tetsu and I have been enjoying has been the Bitmoji App that makes an avatar. I think Leiya showed it to me last year or so and I've enjoyed playing around with it. I forced Tetsu to make one, he who claimed he wasn't interested in cutsie things on his iPhone, and which, by the way, he LOVES now. He sends me stickers of himself in all his messages. It looks just like him!
Ha ha ha!
Makes me smile!
I was telling Marlene that she needs to download the OverDrive App for borrowing books from American libraries... and then of course she's going to need a county library card... The OverDrive App is one I use daily as it means I can download audiobooks from the library for two weeks free use. Since February I've "read"...
The Girls... so-so.
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity... This book was recommended to us by the Yamadas a few weeks back and was eye-opening. I've recommended it to Leiya and it is a must read for any of the younger generations... somewhat depressing for my generation as the choices open for us are already rather limited... Still, an important book.
A Man Called Ove... I enjoyed this easy reading book.
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer... This by the same author as the above book... A bit difficult to keep track of the story line.
Come Rain or Come Shine... The latest Jan Karon book in her Mitford series which I've always liked. Again, and easy read.
Saints for All Occasions... Pretty good fiction about a family with secrets.
The Other Einstein... Hmmm... I wonder how close this is to the true story?
Goodbye Vitamin... So-so.
The Light Between Oceans... Excellent. I just finished this yesterday and loved how the author pulled me into his world of sea and islands and hard questions to be answered.
The audiobooks get me out walking!
Those Tetsu-moji are a stitch.
ReplyDeleteso nice that you are able to get together with friends and enjoy games and apps. Liked your book recommendations also. I also loved "The Light Between Oceans" and "Saints for all Occasions".
ReplyDeleteI would recommend the the audio of gone girl , really good.
ReplyDeleteIf you like a man called ove you might also like the unlikely pilgrimage of harold fry
ReplyDeleteI am glad you have something to pull you out and walk. I only wish I could hear...
ReplyDeleteDon't ever think your blog is boring; it's a delight to read about you and Tetsu. Since you're both retired and have more time, may I request visits to my favorite Japanese things?: wasabi farms and jizo, wherever they are. I know, a little odd, but you love what you love. Thanks.
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