Japanica! And Musings

 
Can you see where we were today? 
Japanica! 
Lily and Jessie wanted to get together for lunch before Jessie and her band of merry travelers head up to North Carolina and sent out an invitation to us all. I was the one to suggest Japanica because it was in the right part of town to make it convenient and we hadn't been there in forever. 

And so we went and it was very, very good. When the server asked if we needed any to-go containers I said, "No. We are all little piggies and ate everything."
Which we mostly did. 
Levon wasn't there because he's in a little day camp at his old school, and Hank and May weren't there because they were working, but Mr. Moon was there and Rachel too. It was a fun feast. Maggie was in attendance too but was in the restroom when I took that picture so here's another picture with her in it. 

Yes. Mr. Moon got home last night around nine and I was so glad to see him. He and Chip both seemed to be in good moods and I think they got a lot done. 

Glen went to Verizon before lunch to see about getting a new phone and of course that is going to end up being a nightmare. Credit from our insurance will apply to the purchase of a new one but the new one has to arrive before that credit can be applied and so until that happens, he can't get the new phone. Of course after he does get it, he'll have to figure out his passwords to get his information from the cloud. He's already talked to Apple who have incredible tech support, unlike, uh...everyone else he's had to deal with today. I would be tempted to ask why life has to be so difficult these days but I suppose iPhone difficulties are less than nothing compared to the Bubonic Plague or World War I or II or even just dying from a small cut that gets infected which is how Glen's grandfather died. And didn't some king or prince die from infected blisters on his feet? 
I think so. All praise Neosporin! 

So. Yes. We have stupid problems but that does not take away the fact that they are annoying as hell. Still, good to keep things in perspective. 

Maurice does not seem to be holding a grudge against her beloved daddy after this trip away. She cuddled up on his lap this morning as she usually does. He says that when he needs to get up for another cup of coffee he will say, "I'm sorry girl, but it's time for more coffee," and she growls at him and then moves to the arm of the chair. 
She is not lacking in intelligence. Just manners. And a basic sense of civility. 

In technological problems of my own today, I went to self-check out the two books I'd chosen at the library, and the first one checked out nicely and when I tried to scan and check out the second one, it would not show up on the screen. I tried several times and nada. So I ended that and tried starting from scratch by scanning my card again and then scanning the book and I got a message that something like, "There's a problem. Either try to scan again or go to the desk for assistance."

I went to the desk where the guy (who now seems to do nothing) scanned my card and told me that indeed, I had checked the book out and that I'd just not done something. But if that was true, why did it ask me to try again to check out the book? And then to top it all off, when I went through the security portals, they lit up and beeped. I looked back at the guy who said, "It's checked out!" and waved me on. 

Whatever. 

Even Publix is adopting self-check-out and I talked to one of the managers who was bagging my groceries today about that. I told her that a lot of people, me included, really enjoy that personal contact with another human being. And Publix employees always seem to be so polite and warm. There are folks for whom that short exchange of greetings and words is a main source of human interaction for them. The manager agreed. Beautiful Brenda has told me that there are people who go to Costco every day because that is their social life. 

I get it! When I was a young stay-at-home mother, those interactions with cashiers was a very important part of my wellbeing. That may sound sad but it's the damn truth. 

I think about all of this and sigh and then I think about how earth-shaking it was when gas stations went from having attendants who pumped your gas and washed your windshield and would even (do you remember this?) check under your hood? to self-service. 

And we lived. 

Costco has both self and employee check-out and I often use the self-check-out because generally, I don't have that many items. When I was there last week and going through the self-check-out, an employee came up with his scanner gun and said, "I can scan your items for you," and I said, "Well, thank you." And then I said, "How many people a day say, 'Okay, and you can pay for them too?'" 

He looked at me with such an expression on his face. 

"About fifty." 
"And it's funny every time, right?" I asked him. 
He did not bother to reply and I entered my debit card, paid, got my receipt and went on my way and you know why I asked him that? Because I wanted that tiny sliver of connection that says, "I see you, do you see me?"

Life is different these days and I guess we just have to adapt and get on with it. But we don't always have to like it. 

I'm going to go boil some crab legs and slice some tomatoes and avocado. Two feasts in one day. 
What a lucky girl I am. 

Love...Ms. Moon