i had a lovely time in kanto.  first, i got to meet the next AFWJ membership secretary, whom i had never met  before, and we had lunch with an older member who lives in a beautiful old house in zushi.  after lunch M and i were driven to her house by C, and then the two of us got working, training her on how to be the next MemSec.  it took more than four hours, with a very short break, and i still forgot to tell her a couple of things!  no worries, and i am still on the board, and still very very available to answer questions, and i have complete confidence that she will be an awesome MemSec.

after we finished up, M and her son walked me to the station so i could meet up with some bloggy friends.  she also, very kindly, printed me some train schedules to help me on my way.  there are so many train lines in kanto!  (DUH)  rather confusing, and i find that i have to face the fact that i am a country mouse.  *sigh*  anyway, i made my way to bryn's for a bloggy-friends-in-japan get-together.

i got there rather late, it was almost ten when i walked in the door!  i had a slice of apple pie, which i bought just before meeting up with M, and then it was on to the drinks!  i also made it a point to have my picture taken with everyone, but i think the best photo was the group photo taken before some members of the group had to go home.

[photo removed by request of one of those included.  i have no problem with whatever anyone thinks of me or my appearance, this is my blog.  but that's what it is, my blog, not any of the other wonderful and beautiful women in the picture.  sorry that i can no longer show this image of love and beauty to you, my dear readers.]


yes, that's me, big and pink in the front.  *sigh*  that's what i get for leaning back, trying to fit in the picture!  didn't realize i was already in it.  oh well, motivation for fummy tummy!

so, who is here?  (in no particular order, and sorry no linking unless requested, i'm still worn out from my weekend!) nooh, shinshu life, lily, bryn, lulu, alex, cecelia, gaijin wife, chrysanthemum mum and brenda (brenda, do you have a blog??  you do, why can i not remember it??  cue fifteen helpful people reminding me in the comments....)  anyway, i had never met 6 of these wonderful women before, so i was so happy to finally meet them!  and meet up with my good friends whom i have met on several occasions.  hopefully we'll meet up again soon!

after i made an effort to catch up, ladies disappeared to bed (or comforting kidlets) until only two of us were left, and it was definitely time for me to go to bed!  sunday morning was a slow, lazy day (of which i am extremely grateful to bryn!) and after everyone else had left (my flight was for 8 pm, so i had time to hang at bryn's house, which i didn't get to do on saturday) we had a lazy day in front of the tv (the weather wasn't so nice on sunday, sadly, otherwise i may have made more of an effort to do sight-seeing!)  eventually, though, it was time for me to go.  bryn helped me figure out a route back to the airport, but sadly i got on a wrong train along the way!  luckily, it was going in the right direction *phew!* so i did manage to get to the airport in time to catch my plane!

all in all, a fun and productive weekend.  and now i no longer have the responsibility of MemSec, but am now the secretary!  wish me luck in my new venture!