Took Okaasan out for a drive to a nearby hot spring and lunch, and all went off without a hitch. She didn't drown in the one-person ceramic bathing pots, and she didn't get lost in the swirling steam.
We went with a friend, which was nice, because I could escape for fellow-gaijin chats while keeping an eye on Okaasan as she tottered around the hot spring bath house with her towel.
WISH I had the photo of the 3 of us sitting with towels on our heads in the one person ceramic pots - like some steamy, human, hot-pot....well I do...but I'm not gonna post 'em here.....or am I?
Okaasan needed help with the locker room key, the running water vs. shower taps, what to do with the plastic bowl after washing, which clothes to wear for the restaurant and how to switch on the hairdryer...I managed to hover in a helpful, just happen-to-be-here when you need me kind of way.
But she is amazingly agile for 80s years old - she climbed in and out of the hip-high ceramic boiler pots without help.
Then lunch in the spring-house restaurant and a drive home thru the wind and snow flutters. Okaasan collapsed under her heated blanket and we took our friend home and did the weekly shop. Okaasan is now knocked out for the evening. She enjoyed it, and it wasn't too stressful for us either.
I love onsen.
* Christmas Night.....I managed to get a table in the window at famous Japanese food place Aburiya, over looking the lights in the park etc etc for December 25th night. Booked the gorgeous, Hokkaido-food set course dinner. Had about 3 hours imagining Yujiro and I toasting eachother and looking back on a Bad Year and forward with hope......
Before I got the email from him to say...yes...as feared...he will be working at Niseko ski resort 2 hours away from Sapporo - from December 23 to January 1st.......
I'm disappointed of course. But, trying to be all grown up and adult about it. He often works Christmas, because that of course is when the ski resorts are busy. But sometimes he's at a ski place just 45 mins away and can get home.
From Niseko he can't.
NO WAY am I going to sit down on Christmas Night with Okaasan and fried tofu. I'm not a nice Christian person and my atheist holiday goodwill doesn't stretch anywhere to that....so I've invited a girlfriend to come and get dressed up for a romantic dinner for two overlooking the Christmas lights.
It WILL be a good Christmas Night!
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| Human Hot-pot doing Come Hither... |
I like the "Nabe" image! That sounded like fun...I am sure that okaasan really enjoyed it too... the Japanese, dementia or no dementia, really enjoy their onsen.
ReplyDeleteGood to have your own plans for Christmas...we all can't be TOO Christian, now can we....??? LOL
Good on you, you deserve a nice christmas night out after the rotten year you have had! Great picture too by the way :)
ReplyDeleteyay for a steamy naked photo - still want to see the one of the three of you but :) Glad to hear you are inviting a girlfriend for nice Christmas dinner. And hurrah family outings that go off without a hitch. Granny K complains to no end at restaurants so I have stopped asking her. Hub takes her to the onset and out for lunch on her birthday - or mothers day - or perhaps both.
ReplyDeleteHere's to a good week across the country.