November 30, 2015

Rearviewmirror: Autumn recap

To paraphrase Papa Hemingway, I always expect to be slightly sad in the fall. Leaves drop from the trees and the brisk late afternoon air bites harder. Having swallowed my witches’ elixir of denial, though, the Rising Family rages against this cooler weather. That means I force them to prolong the warmth as long as possible. With that in mind, indulge me in visual recap of the fall’s activities.

September
We were determined to get just…one…more…camping trip in. Frequented a camping spot in Chiba prefecture for the second year, and again it was nearly deserted. Rained the first day which dampened our enthusiasm, but we caught some rays on the bookend Sunday as revenge. Here’s the Norman Rockwell family pose before the showers started.

October
Late October was Marina’s school sports day. I still enjoy watching the first-year kids wander around in amazement as generations of family members snap photos of it all. Marina and her second-year brethren are tranquil veterans of the sports day spectacles. Still fun to watch kindergarden kidz go through their paces.
Lady E. hung out with her old classmate. Too cool for me already, she does her best Sean Penn versus the paparazzi.
Capped off the month with the girls doing their own ad hoc “Hallowe’en dance,” which was followed by an in-house trick or treat.

November
Busy dads “MP” and I got a weekend away for some long-anticipated scuba diving in Kushimoto, Wakayama prefecture. Topside, the sea surface was cold and angry; at 50 feet under, warm and languid. It was essentially a 48-hour beer commercial.

This is just us goofing around at a Cocos restaurant stop. Fine dining! 

Next stop…Christmas
I caved in this year and consented to setting up the Christmas tree earlier than I ever have before. Here’s a teaser shot.


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