I haven't been to the monthly Machida shrine sale since October when Weather Explorer and I introduced newcomers Daffy and Sunshine to flea markets, truck stops, and the finer points of choosing the correct lane when approaching a bank of toll booths. Today we made it to and from Machida without straying onto the wrong highway ramp or causing a major international incident at the toll booths. This was rather surprising since I was once again behind the wheel.
Daffy couldn't join us this time because she "evacuated" to Florida two weeks ago. To help her feel less sad about missing out on our adventure, we decided to make the trip in her BMW which I am safeguarding - chuckle, chuckle - in her absence. Sunshine and Weather invited their new neighbor, Takako, to join us. Takako, a Yokosuka native, was a shrine sale virgin. Introducing Japanese ladies to the pleasures of their own country is becoming something of an avocation.
Here are a few examples of my shrine sale finds:
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| A black leather case . . . |
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| . . . with an Olympia typewriter inside! |
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| A ribboned case . . . |
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| . . . filled with Peko-chan charms! (Weather spotted this.) |
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| Peko-chan necklaces (gifts from Weather that I do intend to wear) |
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| Peko-chan and Poko-chan spoons that refuse to rotate a quarter turn |
After exiting the shrine sale and hitting the five-story 100 Yen Store, we executed a nifty U-turn on Route 16 (nice car, Daffy) and pulled into the parking lot of the antique furniture store I've been wanting to check out for almost four years. Whoa! In all our time in Japan I have never once been tempted to invest in one of those step tansus the Ancient Mariner lusts after but there were two in this store I wanted to buy on the spot. And there were some old glass cases that would house my burgeoning Peko-chan collection quite nicely. When is that ship coming back to port? We have some serious shopping to do.
Daffy pointed us to a nearby recycle (thrift) shop where Weather bought me yet another gift.
At this rate, I think we're going to need to buy two of those glass cases.
You shoulda just bought the tonsu and the case. I would have.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Which is why I could not.
ReplyDeletePeev please explain the meaning of your much desired figurines, being a newcomer to your escapades there is much for me to learn,thank you so much. I've always thought of you as quite the story teller, so I'm more than glad you haven't changed.
ReplyDeleteH's & K's
Cousin Bill