Thursday, May 17, 2012

3 Days with Mom / お母さんとの三日間

My mother returned to Tokyo from Maizuru on Tuesday, the 17th.  I had the next three days off from work so I told Mom I would take her to wherever she wanted to go.  Her next travel plans was to spend time with my mother-in-law in Aomori.  She would be heading up north the following Sunday and would be spending at least four nights in Aomori (actually two nights in Aomori and two nights at a hot spring resort in Lake Towada).  My mother said she had a great time in Maizuru as its been over 50 years since all her siblings were home at the same time (my mother comes from a large family - 10 kids, 9 of who are still healthy and 3 who are in the 80s!).  What makes it difficult for my mother's siblings to all assemble at the same time is that some of them live quite far, my mother in Tacoma, one uncle lives in Manhattan and one aunt lives in Rome.  I still haven't taken my wife to my grandmother's house although she has met most of my relatives (at my sister's wedding which was held in Las Vegas, but that's another story).

お母さんが4月17日、火曜日、舞鶴から東京に戻りました。僕は18日から三連休なんで、お母さんが行きたい所全部連れてあげると言ってあげた。お母さんはまた次の日曜日青森行きで、僕の義理の母と一緒に温泉旅行に行く予定。十和田湖の温泉って義理の母が教えた。舞鶴の話もいっぱい聞いてあげた。今年はお婆ちゃんの13回忌でお母さんの兄弟全員が何年ぶりに同じ時期に帰国した。(母は大家族で10人兄弟、9人は今でも元気で健在です。3人は80代ですよ!) 多分50年ぶり以上お母さんの兄弟が集まったと母が言いました。みんな結構ばらばらなんで、一人のおじさんはニューヨークのマンハッタンに住んでて、一人のおばさんはイタリアのローマ。うちの母もアメリカなんで、本当同じ時期で集まるのは難しい。自分もまだ美香子を舞鶴に連れてないんですけど、僕の日本人の親戚は妹の結婚式で何人も会ったことがある、アメリカのラスベーガスで(それはまた別の話)。


And since my mother was planning on going to Aomori, she wanted to buy American gifts for my wife's family up north.  Which means another excursion to Yokota Air Base in Fussa.  However, this time I was prepared and was planning on having lunch at Popeye's in the food court while Mom goes shopping.  Of course I'm going to eat another Cinnabon cinnamon roll as well.

お母さんが青森に行くから、またアメリカのお土産が買いたいと言った。ってことはまた福生にある横田基地に行くことだ! そうなると思ったから覚悟してた。お母さんが買い物してる間、僕はフードコートにあるポッパイズのチキンを食べる予定だ。もちろんシナボンのシナモンロールも食べるよ!


Unbelievable!!  The food court which houses Popeye's, Taco Bell, Anthony's Pizza, and Charley's Steakery was closed on this day!!  No Popeye's, which means I still have never eaten there.  However, there was an A&W in the food court on the other side of the building.  I figured an A&W burger would make for a great lunch, but wait - there are no burgers on the menu at this small A&W outlet.  I settled for a foot long chili dog with an A&W root beer float.  Going to Fussa and back takes a lot of energy so that is all we did today.  Tomorrow is going to our big Tokyo tour day as my mother wants to go to these places - the Todoroki Valley, the Atago Shrine, Kanda Myojin, and Sengakuji.  It's going to be an early start tomorrow.  Lets hope the weather holds out.  And lets hope my mother holds out as well!

信じられない! ポッパイズ、タコベール、アンソニーピザ、チャーリーズステーキがあるフードコート本日定休日になってる!! あ~あ、ポッパイズのチキン凄い楽しみにしてたのに。店が閉まったんので、僕は今までポッパイズ一回も行った事ないんです。アメリカの友達と妹も全員おすすめしたのに。残念。もう一つのフードコートがあって、そこにSubwayやStarbucksと31もあるけどその三店は東京のあちこちにもあるから別に食べたいと思えなかった。でもA&Wもあった! おう、じゃA&Wのバーガーに決定だな。。。と思ったら、基地の中のA&W、メニューにバーガーはありません! 仕方ないから今日のランチはフットロングチリドッグとルートビアーフロート。 福生まで往復するのは疲れますよ。今日は横田基地に行って帰るだけの予定。でも明日の予定は凄いよ。明日は朝早くから等々力渓谷と等々力不動尊、出世の石段がある愛宕神社、神田明神と阿古義士が眠ってるお寺泉岳寺に行く予定! お母さん大丈夫かな?天気もどうかな?



A very American sign / 超アメリカ的




A&W is known for their root beer floats / A&Wの名物はやっぱりルートビアーフロート





Today's lunch - foot long chili dog and a root beer float

今日の昼食 ‐ フットロングチリドッグとルートビアーフロート




2 comments:

Rurousha said...

I don't know what A&W is, or a root beer, but I'm happy if you're happy. ^^ Still waiting patiently for an explanation of The Big Day.

Aomori Ern said...

I can understand not knowing A&W, it is a an American burger chain. Their menu is pretty cute too as it features a teen burger, a momma burger and a papa burger. It has a 50's diner style to it.

Root beer is not beer but is a cola made from sassafrass. Most of my Japanese friends think it takes like medicine. My dad and I love it but its difficult to find in Japan.

Next post - major Tokyo tour day!