Graduation Part II

Joy graduated for real! We are so proud of her, our little chu-chu.

Melodie wisely chose the first activities for the weekend to be eating Japanese ramen followed by a Japanese supermarket marathon.

Japanese Ramen place:
Mom: Hah? We are eating ramen? Don't you buy that for 10 cents?
Melodie: No, it's different.
Mom: Whatever, those Japanese.
Mom: Alexa! I saved you the chocolate truffle I got at church for Mother's Day!
Me: Oh, thank you.
*I give Mom a kiss* You know, I didn't give Melodie one of those.
Mom: No, I didn't give Melodie the chocolate.

Outside the Japanese Ramen place:
Mom: Let's take a picture! Look how green this tree is! Get in the car and I'll take a picture of you two in the car and the green tree!
Me: Okay!
Mom: No, lean out more this way. Yeah, like that. Now, Melodie, I can't see you. Lean out farther.
Melodie: Is this good?
Mom: No, farther.
Melodie leans out farther.
Mom: Why don't you just get out of the car. What am I taking a picture of? I can't even see it. Ha ha.

Japanese Store #1:
Mom: LOOK AT THIS GRATER! Do you want it?
Me: No.
Mom: WHAT WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT IT? LOOK what it DOES!
Me: Yes, I want it.

Japanese Store #4:
Melodie: Hey Mom, there's fish over here if you want to eat that later tonight.
Mom: HEY LOOK at this fish! I am going to get this to eat later tonight.
Melodie: Yep.
Mom: Oh get THIS one it is the biggest! Hah! And they priced them all the same! $3.50! I am going to get the biggest one!
A few minutes later:
Mom: LOOK AT THIS GRATER! Do you want it?
Me: No.
Mom: WHAT WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT IT? LOOK what it DOES!
Me: Yes, I want it.

Later in the hotel:
Mom: This fish head is all bones! It's all bones! And I got the biggest one...I feel cheated.
Melodie: It cost $3.50!!



We went to Joy's graduation. The graduating class was so tiny, but those Folklorians talk so much. Mommy and Uncle Thomas counted Asian people.

Mom: Q-i-n-g! I think that one's Chinese.
Uncle Thomas: Cantonese?
Mom: Possibly. Look at this name; I think it's Korean.



Since eating is the only activity we really do as a family, we also visited the Ferry Building. It is the place of wonders. It is the Disneyworld of foods.

Mom: I am going to get these cucumbers. They are Persian cucumbers. Look how good and crunchy they are. Cucumbers are good for you. They clean your system. I am going to get these cucumbers. It comes in a big pack so we can all have some.

On the walk back to the car:
Mom: Does anyone want a cucumber? They are Persian cucumbers.
Collectively: No, thanks.

In the car:
Mom: Does anyone want a cucumber? They are Persian cucumbers.
Collectively: No, thanks.
Mom: I am going to eat a cucumber.

At the Japanese garden:
Mom: Does anyone want a cucumber? They are Persian cucumbers.
Collectively: No, thanks.

In the car again:
Mom: Does anyone want a cucumber? They are Persian cucumbers.
Collectively: No, thanks.
Mom: I am TIRED of carrying these cucumbers!!
Me: Give me a cucumber.



Eventually, we had to say goodbye to Oakland's Chinatown, which Mom has deemed to be the future destination for all family vacations (once she got over the fear of being shot there) because of its high-flying Taiwan flags and small eateries. Because of these discoveries, we pretty much ate nonstop from the moment we landed in California up until the moment we left.

The last night, we went to the grocery store to buy Joy some food for the week. By this time, Oakland Chinatown would soon shut down and our flight was early in the morning.

Mom: Wait, we're not going to get breakfast in the morning?
Melodie: We're about to go to the store. You can get something there.
Mom: But what am I going to eat in the morning? GOOD GRIEF!