Party at Morita-san's house!

Tonight, I had a wonderful time at a party for Maria at Morita-san's house. Maria, sitting to my right in the picture below, has been in Japan for the last two months or so visiting her sister, Delia (over Morita-san's left shoulder in the picture). She'll be leaving next week, so Morita-san was kind enough to throw a little going away party. Even Morita-san't grandson came. He was such a gentleman! He helped serve us all food and drinks and talked with all of us old ladies without the least bit of awkwardness. He even said he wants to go to the U.S. to visit Maria (and me too, I hope!) next summer with his grandmother. What a keeper!

Left to right: Morita-san's grandson, Morita-san, Delia, Kamiya-san, Hattori Keiko-san, Maria, Yours Truly, and Otake Noriko-san. photographer (i.e., not pictured): Komura Kazuko-san

Here's the feast! It was delicious. And one of the ladies made a delicious castella sponge cake for dessert. I had a wonderful time. Maria won't want to go back after such wonderful treatment. We'll miss her!

P.S. Thank you for sending me the photos, Kazuko-san! (My camera battery died, just as I was about to take pictures.)

(postdated 9/16/2008)