Home Alone December 1, 2010

Today is the husband's first day at work and thus my first day alone (with G of course).  hmmm, what to do?  I am so thankful for my time in London prior to this overseas assignment.  I no longer fear wandering around a new city, asking for directions, getting lost, not knowing the currency, where to find the post office, the grocery store and how to utilize the subway system etc.  These things paralysed me for a few weeks in London in 2007.

G and I decide to venture to Don Quijote - "THE" place for home electronics and I need a hairdryer, dammit!  Our US appliances work here in Tokyo, same plug/different voltage. However, since I have not lived in the US since 2006, am no longer in possession of a great number of US appliances.  First - train is not pushchair (read stroller my US friends) friendly.  I drag pushchair down 2 flights of stairs, purchase train ticket (don't get me started, thank god for station attendant) all whilst holding firmly to the squirmy 2 year old screeching "Train coming! Train coming!".  We make it to Don Quijote - 6 levels of hell.  I kid, kind of.  In reality 6 levels of an overabundance of merchandise displayed in a very tight space.  Accompanied by music at a decibel level I cannot describe.  And flashing lights drawing you to the "blue light specials".  Found a hairdryer (1 of 25 models) and a toaster oven- bonus!  Lose G for 1 minute and start panicking.  Find him pushing buttons on model portable DVD players trying to locate Barney.  Drag him out with a promise to go to a park.

We are fortunate enough to live close to Arisugawa Memorial Park-green, lush, pond for fishing and most importantly a sizeable playground with swings, slides and sand pit.  After a Starbucks stop off, where I see a number of western women but no children, we proceed to the park where we meet quite a few kids  G's age.  They are all accompanied by their Filipina nannies/housekeepers/cooks thus explaining the lack of children in Starbucks.  Note to self: look into childcare.  Maybe someone could live in that maid's room afterall....