Just a really great day!

On Wednesday morning, I headed into Tokyo, going to the U.S. Embassy to give some training to a group of 12 people.  Nothing lifts my spirits like a trip to T-town.  I love everything about that place. I love driving through the crowded streets, I could sit in traffic for hours, just soaking up all the big city vibes.  I can, and have, wander aimlessly for hours, and never run out of things interesting things to see.

This was my first trip to the Embassy, and I got a really nice tour of the whole place before the class started.  The training went off without a hitch, I even used candy to keep everyone's attention.  I'd ask questions about the material I had covered, and the first correct answer got a piece of candy. There's nothing funnier than grown men, in suits and ties, competing for a mini Snickers bar!

After class, we all walked through Roppongi to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch.  The weather was absolutely perfect, a beautiful, crisp, clear autumn day.  At HRC I had the greasiest, cheesiest, most delicious burger I've had in a long, long time.  We took the scenic route back to the Embassy, to walk off the burger brick now lodged in my belly.

After the Embassy, I headed for the New Sanno, my home away from home, for a mani/pedi.  The foot massage that came w/ the pedi was heavenly after all the walking we'd done!

When I finished in the salon, I popped into the little liquor store at the NS to stock up on my favorite wine coolers, Fuzzy Navel flavor, which I can no longer get here at home.  

Then is was time to head to Okachimachi to meet the ever lovely Cecelia.  I'd been to Okachimachi a few times, but it was great to see some of C's favorite stores.  We parked ourselves at Starbucks and chatted   the evening away over caramel fraps and hot tea.  It was so great to see Cecelia, I can talk to her about absolutely anything with no fear of judgement.  A visit with her never fails to soothe my frazzled emotions, calm my fears that I'm complete nut-job and encourage me to just keep on keepin' on.  I'm so lucky to have met her and to be able to count her as a friend (Thanks Lil!).

All too soon, it was time to head for home.  I hopped on the subway back to Hiro-o, got my car from the NS (free parking, in the middle of Tokyo!!!), and made excellent time back to the base, not a spot of traffic!  

When I got home, the girls had rustled up dinner for themselves and E (Gabi picks him up from daycare most days), and had him bathed, in his jammies, and settled in front of  an episode of Pink Panther, all with no prompting from me. (yes, I paid them handsomely).

I was in bed by 9:30p, even though the next day was a holiday!  It was the perfect end to a perfect day!  (And somehow, I slept until nearly 11:00a the next morning!  That never, EVER happens!)