last days in Japan

Over the last month, our family has been anxious and excited to return to the States, but now feeling very sentimental about leaving beautiful Japan.
My camera, unfortunately, is out of commission: someone in this house who shall remain nameless, a female, packed the charger out with the rest of the express shipment....
But here is what we have been up to, for the record:

Jose has been on leave, and up with the sun every morning, in a hurry to get on a train to Tokyo, which he has been exploring on foot.

I had a goodbye lunch at the Japanese buffet in the New Yokosuka Hotel, with the gals from the thrift shop: all you can eat of everything you can imagine...

Jose had a goodbye party at a Thai place in Yokosuka, hosted by his Japanese interns at the hospital, including all you can possible stuff yourself of delicious Thai food, complete with armploads of flowers and one fabulous model ship, the Mikasa, the parts of which will not be lying around my living room later in San Diego...

We had a wonderful dinner at Appu Ghar, the Indian place overlooking the beach in Kamakura, with Emily and Josh - complete with takeout naan and mutton curry for the chaps, and of course brilliant conversation...

One last field trip in which I chaperoned the short one, took a ferry across Tokyo bay, a walk through an old fishing town, a gondola ride up a mountain, a picnic, and more brilliant conversation with fifth grade boys...

One afternoon at the 7 or 8 building craft place in Kamata, complete with the most awesome Korean food (bee been ba ???) for lunch, with Jose, carrying home on the train one bag of yarn I don't need, yet do need...

One trip with the kids and Jose to the Enoshima aquarium, to see the unearthly beautiful Jellyfish Hall, dip our hands in a pool and have them nibbled by "doctor fish", a walk and shopping around Enoshima Island...

Taking off the shoes I wore to Enoshima Island and without remorse, throwing them in a bag to donate to the thrift shop, then reaching for a band aid...

one trip to Koppabashi street in Tokyo with hubby, to drool over shelves of pretend food, purchase one life size fake cappuccino with heart-shaped foam which makes me smile every time I see it...

finding a Japanese company, Nittsu Transport, who will bring out Pekingese to the States during the warm month of June, via Japan Air, for the small sum of about $1500 USD, or should I say our Pekinge$e dog...

one magical night with our dear Japanese friend, who served us sukiyaki at her house, which a groaning tableful of fresh vegetables, meat, whole grain rice, homemade pickles, two kinds of soup, smoked salmon and pickled garlic eggplant and huge breaded prawn and homemade garlic mayo appetizer, followed by custard, ice cream, homemade plum shochu...
then when the sun went down, a hike in the warm breezy evening up the mountain, across creeks, up the winding woods, to a place where the fireflies were blinking...

and one more week to say goodbye to this amazing place, to prepare to return to our country, where mom can read a map, ask for directions, start on a diet, and the new shoes will fit...