Two Hibiscus

The lesson learned today was that being a host can be exhausting. But then it might have been less tiring had I slept more than four hours last night. Don’t want to imply that any of the day was less than enchanting, or that I didn’t relish every minute of the day and all the Japanese chatter. My sister has been here as well, though most of her time was willingly spent in the kitchen doing her thing with Eggs Benedict (breakfast), shrimp salad (lunch) and tenderloin steaks for dinner.

Because both friends were fascinated by the hugeness and variety of Publix supermarket, we spent an hour there browsing the aisles, with them picking up a thing or two and dropping them in the shopping cart. The ‘thing or two’ set off bells and whistles at checkout, the final clang burping out a $142.00 total. Of course, the fridge back at the condo was already groaning under the weight of crowded shelves.

Too hot on the beach between ten o’clock and four, and so we bided our time, waiting until about 4:30 when we set out chairs near the waterline, our legs and feet catching the last gasp of frothy surf tumbling onto the beach. It’s a fine way to pass the time, but none of us could hold back for long, and soon the four of us dove headfirst into the crashing blue green water.

Later, an hour on the patio with a big bowl of boiled shrimp Louisiana style and a mojito or two, before moving inside to steaks made even better by the sight of Kumiko’s deft arrangement of two hibiscus flowers clipped from the tree outside.

Ain’t life grand.

Any readers curious about the Sailor Susudake bamboo fountain pen in the photo, get the details here.