Oi, I wish I had had a notepad with me, because then oh! the amusing English quotes I would've had to tell. I went shopping today. Otousan needed some new pants, and Kenta needed new shoes, so I tagged along to the department store. Wow, was that place huge (which means I have now been to two of the really huge shopping centers in Japan - I don't know how many all told, but it's a rather small number, thus by being to two, I have in some intangible way become _Very_ special), and yet somehow Okaasan seemed to know just about everyone there. It seemed to be a _very_ big sale day, so that explained why there were so many people there and I guess running into people you knew would be inevitable. Still it seemed like almost every time she turned a corner, it was 'Ah! Nani-nani-san! How are you doing?"

So I got to follow around the department store, checking out prices on various items. Good shoes were darn expensive (makes me glad I got a new pair at Meijer's before I came). So was most other finely crafted stuff. There was a whole lot of cheap clothing too, and it looked fine from a distance, but up close it had an unmistakable air of… well… cheapness. So as in all places, it seems you get what you pay for, although perhaps at some point I'll be able to figure a cost formula for buying something good that lasts a while, or frequently replacing the not-so-good (in related news, I hear Canon is close to releasing a printer that is cheaper a new one than to buy refill ink cartridges… boggles the mind it does).

As another sign that I must be doing something right with this home stay, I got a shirt. At one point in my shopping adventure, I turned around to find Okaasan holding up a t-shirt. She wanted me to hold it up to see the size, which rather confusedly, I did. I also noticed that it was an XL, and wondered who it could possibly be for (yes, duh, in hindsight I realize). Otousan then cleared my confusion my telling me it was for me.

Once again, I gave my trademark flatfooted Doug routine (I think that they've gotten used to it by this point), because they were rather amused, especially after Otousan held up the L for comparison (it was tiny). I thanked them profusely, because it was a nice shirt (not nice as in fancy, but nice as in I liked it - maybe mom should take a page from Okasaan about figuring out how to buy clothes for the Doug, ne ;) )In fact, amazingly enough, it's a shirt that appeals to me despite the fact that it has 'Gorilla' in big white letters across the front. Let me track down someone with a digital camera and I'll take a picture.

Dinner was another barbecue, although much more limited in scope than last week's. I mingled with the Children this time, and taught them how to play 500, and hovered worriedly while they set off fireworks (no sticks of dynamite in this set, although there were some rather overpowered sparklers). I burned my thumbs a couple of times because I ended up in charge of the lighter, but those were the greatest injuries incurred that night, so I guess everything went well.

Amusing English quote of the day: Land your ear to the whispers of nature (seen on a hand towel with a heavy penguin motif).