Shall we dance???? Shall we???

Hold your breath.
We may, MAY have success on the day service ballroom dancing class!
Maybe.
Time will show.....I am sure Okaasan's negative thinking will get to work within a day or two and find fault in what seemed to be a good experience today.

Started shakily when I told her at 8.45 that "Today is ballroom dancing, they are coming at 9.30am!"...and she was round and round on the topic of: IS it ballroom? It's NOT hula is it? Ballroom? I quit hula, didn't I? What day is today? Is this ballroom? Where's Yujiro? Who says it is ballroom today?
But she seemed happy and excited about ballroom. In Japan it's called "social dance" - and the slow numbers are called "cheek dances" by leering old men.
I wondered if Okaasan would find her Richard Gere at day care.

By 9.30 am she was almost ready. In a skirt. Minus stockings and socks, and in a T-shirt and a cardigan. I managed to get her into socks for putting on her outdoor boots to walk to the center car.

And off she went.

I managed to be home at 4.30 when she came home.
Thought that was good for her to come home to someone and tea and chat.
She seemed happy, I think she told me it was "real" ballroom, with men, and different steps.
To be honest, I was too nervous to go into the subject with her too much...

I settled her into the TV watching-mode, left to do my evening class, and then came home to get the late dinner on the table.
She was chatty at dinner - told me about her father repairing an American army jeep after the war, and how as a small child she used to have a ride in father's truck delivering kimono drawers to Tokyo.

Neither of us mentioned the ballroom dancing.

But! The day service offered to write a Diary report about Okaasan's day and I have it :-) In Japan teachers for young kids do this every single day - send a note back to mum about what the kid did at school, if it bit a classmate, pooped etc....and day care does the same! (I think we pay for it).
Just wait while I get a friend to translate correctly...but I think I spy the words "enjoyed" in among the squiggles.
I'm hoping.

Meanwhile...in non-Okaasan life...I am making ice candles out of balloons and water and food coloring dye.
And getting wet in the process...and covering the kitchen counter in red coloring.

But LOOK! I think they might work!



Balloons out on the doorstep overnight

3 done...only another 20 to go...

STOP PRESS* Just been into the kitchen...HolyMoly.......Okaasan has done ALL the washing up after dinner! Long may this continue. Day Care is doing wonders for her!