Good things come in small packages...

(To put this in perspective...Coree is 5'2")


Having Tomikosan in our home every two weeks is one of my favorite parts of living on Okinawa. I can't explain it entirely...it just feels so wonderful to have her there...and not just because she irons like none other. She speaks very little English...I speak even less Japanese...but we manage to communicate somehow. We don't need to say much. Mostly we share a little small talk (very small) over lunch. I know she loves salmon or tuna sushi, tuna or turkey sandwiches on wheat bread, any kind of vegetables (especially salad)...and she can't eat noodles. I won't forget this again. Serving her soup with noodles for the SECOND time cemented that one in my mind. (I hate serving people stuff they don't like or can't eat. Almost as much as I hate forgetting things.)

I am so intimidated to speak to people in Japanese. I manage with the stuff we have to use every day (good morning, thank you, excuse me, I'm sorry) but past that...I'm a total chicken. Maybe it's because we all hear the horror stories of Japanese words with such subtle differences that how long you hold the "o" or the "i" completely changes the meaning in embarrassing ways. One slip and you are telling someone their baby is scary when you meant cute.

Being able to learn more about Tomikosan's life would be a huge motivator to put myself out there, though. And she just might be able to provide the practice I'm needing. By the way, she is in her 70s. Can you feature that? At first I was uncomfortable with the situation...how lazy am I to be making a 70 year old woman clean my bathrooms?! But to keep it in perspective, she's like my age in Okinawan years...and I have to remember...she found me, and she needs the work. At the same time, I do make sure we get everything picked up so she's not having to bend over too much. Anyone else out there clean before their housekeeper comes?