The 555 construction chapter closed out with a housewarming party on Sunday.
Forty five people attended over the course of 6 hours. Our landowners, architect, contractor, several subcontractors and their families celebrated. And then there were neighbors and local friends who stopped by for a look and a chat. Tod’s Mom and her husband in the US joined us via Zoom. It was delightful chaos as we tried to keep up with giving tours, offering tea, and joining conversations.
One thing I failed to do was get photos! Oops. Just this one snapped on Tod’s phone while Sasaki-san was filming the proceedings for Facebook. Did anyone else get pictures? I don’t think so!
Many folks brought gifts – we received five bottles of alcohol, two bouquets of flowers and an orchid, homemade lemon drizzle cake, fig tart, and ohagi; fruit from guests’ orchards and beyond, locally grown rice, sausages, and many sweet and savory snacks – that I barely needed to provide any food for the party.
The warmth and happiness of the guests mingled with the magic of the house. We heard stories of days gone by, plans for future home renovations, and lots of catching up in general. I think it was a good experience for everyone and it reminded me how well-supported we are here.
If you couldn’t make it, know you are warmly welcome to visit for a tour when the timing is better.
Of course, my introverted self was completely wiped out by the end of the day, even with the help of Maria, Tod’s colleague who came for the weekend. She was invaluable in making sure there was always water boiling for tea, tidying up cups and plates, and generally managing the hostessing tasks that fell through the cracks of my distraction.
I should be ready to return to the real world in a couple of days…
For my own memory, here is a list of who came to the party: Sasaki-san; the tategu-san; the setsubiya-san; Araoka-san, Keiko, Ichigo, and Mutaro-kun; Teramoto-san, Yumi, and Kai-kun; the Kawasakis and their daughter; Aoyama-sensei, her husband, Ken-Ken, and Ko-kun; , Bernie, Hiromi & Yasuko; Mark & Vickie and their two guests; Liam; Shinji & Keiko; Linda and Takashi; Hirose-san; Miyashita-san; Toru and Miako; Megumi; Hamish & Elli; Bill and Yuki; Yasuda-san and her mother; Naomi & Fujii-san; Maria; Jeannie & Tim.
