Entries this day: Bananna_Enoshima_picnic!!

Bananna Enoshima picnic!!

10:01pm JST Monday 19 April 2010 (day 14635)

Today, after sharing super deep secrets with Bananna, crying in her lap, and thanking her for listening, I was thinking, I bet it's too late to go to Enoshima, but I don't want her to say no if I ask, ummm, okay I'll ask... and she interrupted my thought with, "you still wanna go to Enoshima?"

Whoohooo! So happy and was like, "totally!!" so we sorted out some preparations: she made food; I hung a painting and continued work on the new electrical wiring for the shed, and we headed out. Stopped by Chigasaki station first so I could visit the bank to send cash to the US via Golloyds. We'll see how much 40万円 here ends up being there.

Leisurely happy ride along the coast toward Enoshima. At one point she wondered if 田中さん had a bicycle, so perhaps he could go with us! I had never seen him ride a bicycle, but even if he does have one, I wanted Bananna time all for myself. "Um, I don't know if he has one, but I've never seen him ride one around the beach."

That was that, and we turned left along the beach, chatting about whatevs under the luxurious sunlight and windblown bits of sand that occasionally got into my eyes. Such a glorious day as we turned onto the bridge to the island, slightly congested with people walking both ways, right up to the center line. Parked our bicycles and Bananna left her white jacket in the basket, saying, "I trust Japan," and began to walk away without locking the bicycle. I locked it for her, saying, "haha how *much* do you trust Japan?"

Up the hill slowly, over the top slowly, down the back slowly and then angelic singing the back of Enoshima appeared before us. Sweet! Down to the rocks and found a place to sit and watch the waves. Pulled out the sandwiches and yay!!! triangle cut peanut butter and banana sandwiches made by Bananna!!! I took a bite and then was holding it like this and looking for the tea and whoosh a big bird (hawk?) ganked my sandwich!!!

"That bird took my sandwich!" I reported with equal parts shock and sadness. Bananna was like, "what?" and I said, "see that white square in the bird's claws?" I asked, as the bird happened to turn at an angle with its landing gear / sandwich swipers pointing toward us, "that was my sandwich!"

"I hope you enjoy sticky peanut butter, silly bird!!" I shouted at it, and laughed. Not much else to be done, especially as I had had food swiped by birds near the beach before. "I guess I should have learned!!"

I got out the other half of the sandwich, and was eating it with my hands covering it like a harmonica, with watchful eyes watching for watchful eyes and claws. Bananna did the same, and fortunately finished the first half of her sandwich no worries. She ripped the second half of her sandwich into two pieces so I could have half, and Bananna was holding her quarter sandwich like this and looking into her bag like this, and whoosh a big bird (hawk?) almost ganked her sandwich!!

I'm glad she had a better grip than I had had.

After that, we watched even more carefully as we snuck bits of food from hidden corners into our mouths and then enjoyed a nice napish time, watching the waves, hawks, and backs of eyelids equally. As the suns rays were scattered by increasing quantities of gaseous scattering agents, our naptime turned into a shivertime, so we decided it was time to head back.

"But, let's just see if we can get back *around* the island instead of over the island..." suggested Bananna. I was totally game, so we navigated the rocky plain a few hundred meters, but then were blocked by our lack of jumping ability, or perhaps lack of pole vault poles. We needed to get over a 5 meter gap in the rocks, with 2+ meters of cold water filling the bottom. Hmmmmmm. "Let's go back."

Back to the bikes, over the island, and then back to Chigasaki where she headed to Yokohama and I headed home.

When she got back, it was fully dark, as I was finishing up the electrical installation I started a few days ago for the new light in the shed and new fountain in the garden.