Lame blogger!

I've been a terrible blogging correspondent, alas. I will try to do better by setting up several posts in advance.

My mom is visiting - the fourth time in 2 years - and we're having a very relaxed time. The children have three days of vacation for Japan's "Golden Week," and we're keeping it pretty low-key. Last week, when Blaine was in D.C., my mom and I made French toast and pancakes on separate nights for dinner, and, wow, the kids loved it so much that they chattered away to Blaine about it when he returned yesterday.

On Saturday, we went swimming at the Tokyo American Club. On Sunday, we went shopping in Yebisu Garden Place for birthday gifts for Lucinda's friends. Today, we went to Kodomo no Shiro (The Children's Castle) so the kids could play in the jumpy-ball thing on the roof. Tomorrow we'll have a playdate at our house.

And when the kids were in school last week, my mom and I went on some walking tours of Tokyo: to Asakusa (a very old, traditional neighborhood) and Kappabashi (Kitchen Town); to Ginza, where we looked in art galleries and stationery stores; and this Thursday, when the kids are back in school, we'll go to Kamakura so I can show her the Great Buddha.