Most of the Japanese members can speak English quite well, but only a few feel comfortable doing so during board meetings so business is conducted in Japanese with Junko providing a simultaneous translation for the four Americans. Sometimes the cacophony makes me feel like I've landed in the middle of a UN session. Sadly, this unleashes my inner Nikita Kruschev and not my inner Eleanor Roosevelt.
To thank these kind and gentle women for putting up with the likes of me and to motivate myself to get the holiday decorations up before Matt's plane touches down at Narita Airport next week, I hosted a luncheon for the Ikebana ladies after our December meeting. They seemed to like my Anpanman tree, and cell phone charm tree, and the Peko-chan Christmas plate collection but it's hard to be sure when you're dealing with such a polite crowd.
The Ancient Mariner made an appearance but declined to don a Santa suit. We are not complaining since he took care of glazing the ham and putting the potato casserole in the oven. I almost feel guilty about wolfing down the last piece of cheesecake while his back was turned. Almost.
You should have seen what the cheesecake looked like before your "last" piece....
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