Today’s the spring equinox, a national holiday in Japan and my favorite holiday of the year. It’s the only one I’ve managed to celebrate consistently for the last seven years. Every year—grilled mushroom and pepper sandwiches.
You might not think that’s such a big deal, but I’ve lived in three different countries in the course of the last seven springs. Few other holidays are consistent from nation to nation but the Sun is faithful. Every year we have a Spring Equinox and the other three solar holidays, too, and I never forget them.
To celebrate, I wanted some flowers for our table so Tod & I walked to the flower shop that’s recently opened up the street. They don’t seem to have a name, but they do have a great selection and the lady who runs it is really nice to me, unlike Hana Ban on the corner where they never make suggestions, offer the same three flowers (roses, orchids and mums) every week, and always seem like they’d rather not wait on me.
Tulips were what I craved and I found seven different kinds at the nameless flower shop. After a 30 second inner debate on the luxury of buying a lot of tulips, I picked up the entire display jug, sat it on the counter and said “Zembu de.”
“All of these pink ones?” she said, pointing at the four pure pink ones that were bundled together.
“Well, all of them!” I gestured a bit more broadly at the whole jug full.
“Arigatou gozaimasu!!” she beamed. She got a big sale and I got a discount. 17 tulips for the price of 15. I love that flower shop and the living room looks a lot more festive now.
Happy spring!
So ah *ahem* is that an organ?
Posted by: Laga on March 22, 2003 04:33 AMIt’s Tod piano. But if you turn the dial on the SC-88, it can sound like an organ. Or a viola, or a tympani or about 200 other instruments.
Posted by: kuri on March 22, 2003 10:01 AMBut the joke only works if it’s turned to organ…I’ll have to go twiddle the knobs a bit now. ;-)
Posted by: kuri on March 22, 2003 10:02 AM