No work and all play

The last 24 hours have been about family.
After I saw Binzee yesterday, I met up with my brother in Shinjuku for a shabu shabu dinner, which of course I neglected to photograph. I always THINK about it, and manage to take photos BEFORE the meal... I'm sorry I'm such a bad food blogger, but in my own defense, my camera is crappy for close-up shots, AND I am really such an avid food eater that it is very hard for me to control my appetite long enough to document the meal...
I spent the night at my brother's house, because my niece Lynn had been asking for me all week long, with a special request for me to spend the night and also come see her kindergarten. We hung out all evening, and then in the morning. Yuu was also warming up to me. The little guy is such a funny character. He loves his big sister. It's so amazing to watch them interact together.
Lynn had been up very late, but she got up super early, I think because I was there. I woke up at... 5AM. :P
I did take Lynn to her kindergarten by bike -- it was a very cute school. I forgot to take my camera, but it had a large playground, and about 50 kids for 3 grades of kindergarten. SO cute.

Later in the morning I met with Masako Yamamoto, one of the managers of Pappa Tarahumara for whom I had done a bunch of translation work. Got paid! yeah!

Today is really really hot. Like walk a block and be drench in sweat kind of heat. Irwin is arriving in about an hour!!! And we're going out to sushi dinner with Kayoko's college friend Yoko Kumano (with whom I've avidly chatted but never met). Very excited!!! Here's a photo of a corner of Shinjuku station at 7pm on a Friday night.