Grandma to Grandma

Sometimes I forget my about my age and being a grandma.  Then I look in a mirror and say, “Oh yeah,  I’m a grandma”.  We have two mirrors in our Kagoshima home, but neither is in a useful location, so we don’t look very often.  Sometimes, I see a recent photo or my window reflection and think I don’t look too bad.  Other times I say (as Grandpa Rowe said) “who is that old guy?”  When I’m walking through town or sitting in the train station it is so interesting that the grandmas look at me, a lot, more than other people.  I smile and say “konichiwa” (hello).  They are pretty quick to return the smile and greeting.  I guess you could say that there is a connection of “One grandma to another”.  Usually when I greet them, “ohayo gozaimasu,” they answer back.  Sometimes they start speaking Japanese.  I can only pick out a few words.  I usually tell them that my Japanese is very small, “watashi no Nihongo sukoshi desu”.  It is really fun to smile at these people and make friends.  Oh, how I wish I could carry on a conversation with them, and learn more about them. I have to be content with my limited “baby talk”.  They are so cute, kind, and patient.  I love them, “aishite imasu”. 

 

While out inspecting missionary apartments we took a few minutes to visit the Castle in Miyakonojo, on the same day a group of school children also visited.

 

It was so cute to see all of their backpacks and shoes neatly outside the castle entrance.

 

 

This was a cute farmer's wife and grandma.  I fell in love with her.  We were looking for an address in this city, about 45 minutes away from us.  We went back another time to give them some strawberries.  We felt like old friends.

 

 

This was a cute mother and daughter we met in the bus station, on transfer day, while waiting for missionaries to arrive.  They are so beautiful, and were so nice.  The train station is across the street.  There is a tunnel under the street, where we go back and forth helping missionaries.

 

This is a cute grandma that I met at the Miyakonojo Castle.  Glenn helped translate, when she said she had never met foreigners.  You can't help but love these people.

 

Another view of our awesome volcano, with a beautiful sunrise.