Pingu and Pinga

It was a double bento day for Kazuko. Valerie had a special Saturday morning school for parents to visit, followed by bento lunch and then club activities. Arthur ran a relay race in a sports contest for all Year 4, 5 and 6 children in schools the roughly forty schools across Nishinomya. Arthur's team didn't do very well and were eliminated in the first round but he and Kazuko wanted to stay and cheer on the other teams. However, because it was so sandy at the stadium, Arthur didn't eat his bento until he came home at 1400.

After Arthur's race was over at 0930, I went home and then watched Valerie take a History lesson at school. She threw me a "what are you doing here" look when she saw me. It turned out she didn't like the pink pedometer I always wear clipped to my trousers. How's that for gratitude; especially after I changed out of my jeans and Batman T-shirt and into my work clothes in order to look good in front of her school friends. After saying goodbye I began walking down the corridor and then she called me back; she was standing with two of her friends and doing a "Live long and prosper" gesture. I was touched. I think that was her unique way of saying thank you and apologising for being overly critical. It's OK, I understand; parents can't do anything right in front of the friends of children who are "that age."