TMI

Last weekend I went out with my favorite friends here who are my age and have two cutie pie kids. This pic is Yuki-chan, who fell asleep shortly after we arrived at the yakitori place. Whenever we all go out, my camera always gets passed and I end up with mystery pictures. This is pretty cute.

After we'd enjoyed some dinner (or not enjoyed in the case of the pickled octopus), it became a love-fest, as usual. Nob-san said, "Kimbe@ry-san is my family" and I told them that they are my family in Japan. Toshi, who speaks very little English, struggled to find words for a while and then finally said, "Kimbe@ry-san, Japanese toilet ok?" After a lo-ong time and a lo-ot of typing on the electronic dictionary, I realized that they had planned to take me to a different restaurant that night (for sukitori), but the place didn't have a western toilet, so they chose the place we were at instead. I couldn't believe it. (I'm sorry, can you imagine Americans even stopping for one second to think if a guest will be comfortable on a certain toilet?) I laughed so hard and finally just said tokidoki, which means "sometimes". It was easier to say that than, "I've used Japanese toilets in emergencies, but I always end up peeing on myself."

Here is way too much information. I do have Washlets, of course, in my home, and they both have sinks in the tops to wash your hands (see about half way down the page.) But the Japanese toilet that Toshi was referring to is this one. And trust me, you would pee on yourself, too.