Downtown Yokosuka

Liz is seated on the left and the teacher is at the head of the table.

Yesterday Rachel dropped me off at one of the base gates and I walked a block or so to the downtown district of Yokosuka. I have been there each time I have visited Japan, so I know my way around a little bit. My first stop was the knitting store which I have come to love. Just inside is a table with little stools around it and women are gathered there for knitting. One of them is the teacher. I indicated wanting to purchase some yarn and sit with them to knit for a little while. I feel God was watching out for me because one of the women, Liz, spoke perfect English. She told me they were just going to leave for lunch at a Chinese restaurant and would I like to join them. I told her I had just eaten so would look in a few other stores and return at 1 o'clock. [Looking back, it would have been an excellent opportunity for me. But knowing I am a very fussy eater, I didn't want to embarrass myself with turning down the foods on the menu.]

In the meantime, I went to a couple of 100 Yen stores (think Dollar Store) and bought a pair of size 8 knitting needles, plus a few other items. Going past one small shop, I noticed a woman sporting a beautiful kimono. I peeked in the door and she and the clerk invited me in. I asked the woman if I could take her photo and she delightfully agreed – front, back, and her feet. She smiled so pretty. It is these experiences that I love.

Next to that shop was the knitting store. As I entered, Liz, the kind woman who spoke perfect English, asked me to follow her outside and around the corner to a little store that had many mobiles that she wanted me to see. She explained why we had been seeing dolls (a man and woman) in little settings in many of the stores we had visited. It is a build up to Girls' Day which is March 3. On that day hundreds of dolls are placed on the steps to the shrines as a celebration.

Returning to the yarn shop, Liz got me a stool so I could join them and the shop keeper brought a plastic tub for me to put my purse and coat, plus shopping bags. After some deliberation, I chose a yarn and pattern and was going to use the size 8 knitting needles I had purchased at the 100 Yen store. I was nicely informed they were much too large. The kind teacher offered to give me her pair of size 5 needles, but the shop keeper brought me a new set from the store. I offered to pay for them, but Liz told me they were a gift to me! Such kindness.

This is a model of the scarf I am knitting.

The sweetness and kindness of these ladies was overwhelming. Three of them gave me packages of hard candy and Liz translated many of their comments. One of the ladies tried a hat she had knitted on my head. She said the color went well with my hair.  I was having so much fun that I called Rachel (using Josiah's phone) and asked to stay longer. Before I had to leave, Liz wrote her email address down for me and told me to contact her if I had any problems with finishing my scarf. They won't be meeting again until next Tuesday, so I cannot go back today to join them.

I love how God watches out for me and brings special people and events into my life. I feel blessed.