Family Gathering

Hi, June has come already!
I said keeping this blog became my custom, but why didn't I do that for a few weeks?
(I always start with an excuse when I have an interval between articles!!)

I've been very busy with preparing the big party of the Toastmasters (still I'm doing that for this upcoming Saturday night,) I had more classes than usual as a substitute, and, the biggest event was...my parents were visiting us!!


They stayed at our place for three days. It was their first time to visit our new condo, and my hubby and I showed them around Tokyo. Surprisingly, my brother showed up from Shizuoka and joined us for one day.
I had a great time, and I found some interesting things about my family.


My dad;
He is retired. He had worked for 40 years as a public librarian. He is very organized, very serious guy... But I found his uniqueness during his visit.
...He is always drinking when he has a meal! Of course, he doesn't drink during breakfast.
However, when we had lunch & dinner, he always tries to find "Sake" corner on the menus in a restaurant. At home, I had bought a bottle of sake, and I believed it was enough for him (out of my family, just he drinks sake, neither of my mom, brother, nor me and my hubby!) for two nights.
...However, at the first night, he almost drank up the 720-milliliter bottle. I had another bottle coincidentally, so it was OK...but I was wondering why he drinks so much during traveling (he is usually moderate in drinking!) and how capable he is. None of us has inherited his "big-drinker" constitution. Even he drinks much (to me,) he doesn't change! He blushes a little, and starts to drift off at night...But he is still quiet as usual. What a mysterious guy!


My mom;
To me and most people, she is a "person who is aloof from the world."
Because her voice is very small & talks very slowly when she speaks on public, rumor has it when I was a kid. My friends said, "Keiko has a maid at her house!"
When they called my house, they believed my mom was a servant because of her very very small voice & polite way of saying.
However, (I don't know why!) when she speaks to family members, she talks with a big voice as if nobody is around us. Also, even though she is a quiet & refined lady, sometimes she talked about people around us as if they don't listen to us, but they are close enough to be able to listen to what she says!
For example, when I go out with her, sometimes I am surprised by she says, "Keiko, look at the girl! (to a young girl with clingy fashion)Is she a slut or something? Why does she reveal her cleavage so much?" or, "How poor the young guy is!! (to a young boy with the baggy clothing) Is he homeless? Why is he wearing a very worn-out clothes?"
...Because she looks a quiet & elegant lady, those young people seem like, "Did she said just slut? homeless? Maybe I misheard! She must not say such a slung!"
...So far, she hasn't been in a trouble about her slips of the tongue.
During her visit, when we were waiting in a line at a restroom of Jindaiji, a temple near my condo, she just said, "Wow! This is a popular place for OLD people!!"
...I'm sure ladies around us heard that, but they just ignored what she said.


My brother;
Basically, he is a very boyish boy. He loves cars, motorbikes, and races. I've been a girlish girl, so we don't share interests, but I knew he is very nice guy. But he might be...too nice?
When he appeared at our home, it was almost noon on Saturday. He had been driving more than three hours from Shizuoka, alone. He said he woke up at 6:00 to walk his dog, do the laundry, and cook breakfast for himself...and his wife. While he is touring my condo, his interests were mostly "kitchen." Looking our new kitchen facilities, like an automatic fish grill, a disposer, he was making comments like a housewife. "...Wasn't he a boyish boy??" I wondered, but I got to know.
His wife became a college student again from last spring, and has studied agriculture very hard.
So, he does many household chores for her even though he is a full-time worker.
I know it's good for her, but I also know it didn't happen recently...even when she didn't study or work, my brother has done many household jobs & even held her belongings whey they go out!!
Don't misunderstand! I don't offend her, but I just felt it's interesting!
What made him such a feminist? Or, is he a so-called "herbivorous guy??"

Family is too close to be discovered their uniqueness.
But since we live apart, I found their customs are not every one's! Maybe mines, too...