Wedding anniversary!

Our days go by normally though for some reason the last two weeks have seemed long...  A lot of rain.  Not getting out much...  life is quiet in our area.

In Japan however, the rain has caused flooding and landslides and the southern part of Japan is in a state of emergency.  And evacuation centers are trying to cope with Corona issues at the same time.  It sounds like a nightmare...

I went to the pool yesterday to swim but there was a lot of grumbling in the locker room before and after I went for my swim.  Of course we are required to wear masks when in the building.  Lockers are assigned and cleaned after every use.  But now there are no talking signs posted in the pool area and also signs reminding people of social distancing.  I tried to greet an acquaintance I hadn't seen for four months and she zipped her mouth and whispered, "if the life-guards catch us talking they'll caution us."  It was true, every time two or three people got too close to each other, the life-guards were waving at them to step apart.

Once in the locker room the ladies were complaining that it is like in a jail with guards standing over us all and monitoring interaction.

"I get stressed out just being in the pool area!  At least here we can talk without a lifeguard (all men today) stepping in and shushing me!  It isn't any fun at the pool anymore!"

On my way out of the pool facilities I also ran into one of the housekeepers who are always wiping things down and setting the locker room right.  I waved and asked her how she'd been during sheltering down and she whispered, "I'm sorry.  We're not allowed to talk to anyone while in the building."  I went on my way feeling like ignoring people was going to be the only way one can not get into trouble...

I stopped in at a fabric store on my way home and the store announcement had a continual warning going on over the loudspeaker.

"Keep distant from other customers and staff.  Please don't touch things unless absolutely necessary.  Please refrain from speaking to anyone as much as possible."

Yes, enjoyment has gone out of pool activities but maybe that is true of everywhere.  "Don't sing in church, just listen."  "No screaming or waving of hands at any theme parks.  Sit in a ride silently.  Don't talk when in a restaurant."

Well, it is the way of the world now just to keep as many people healthy as possible.

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Onto a happier theme!!!

Tetsu and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary!  Yeah!  That is a big one!  We went out for lunch...  I have requested a Pandora charm to commemorate the milestone (Tetsu can't buy things online without my help...)  And Leiya sent us t-shirts!

Here's what we looked like 40 years ago.  I sewed the wedding dress from a pattern and wide lace that my mother had sent me from the States.  The kimono was loaned to me from an English student whose father-in-law had been a famous painter who painted it for HER wedding apparel.

 And here we are 40 years later in Leiya's matching t-shirts!

I seem to have more fluffy hair than in my younger days and Tetsu has a lot less!