Meeting The In-Laws

#108 - I did pretty good all in all but upon making coffee for the three of us and not using sugar myself and not knowing my way around the cupboard, I put a spoon of salt instead of sugar into “Mom’s

Welcome to Before I Forget . .    

I’m glad you are here. Thank you for your time - and for subscribing! - It's free.  

                     Meeting The In-Laws 

It was two years after we married that they came to visit us - to meet me, the one who had wooed their daughter away.  

The time had come. The much-anticipated anxiety producing meeting of my In-Laws. They arrived late morning from Japan at SFO.  

That afternoon, Shino - short for Shinobu, my wife, had to work so it was for me to entertain “Mom” and “Dad” until Shino returned home that evening.  

I was hoping that they were tired and would want to sleep most of that time. They would have our bedroom and the mattress on the floor, while we would roll out the sleeping bags in the living room.  

Such was not the case; they weren’t tired at all. 

I didn’t know Japanese, and they didn’t know English but by gesturing and drawing pictures and consulting a Japanese/English dictionary, we got along fine. 

I did pretty good all in all but upon making coffee for the three of us and not using sugar myself and not knowing my way around the cupboard, I put a spoon of salt instead of sugar into “Mom’s” coffee which she quickly discovered. I was in shock. “Dad” looked out the window. She had a good sense of humor about it, though. Forewarned, I was glad I didn’t get to test “Dad’s” sense of humor.  

Then, Shino’s mother wanted to take a walk by herself to explore the neighborhood. I saw where Shino got her curiosity. I was hesitant about it, but "Mom” insisted. I would be left alone with “Dad,” a task I didn’t relish. We got along fine while she was gone. The TV helped fill the time. 

We were living in west-end Alameda at the time near the Naval Air Station, near the tunnel under the channel that separates Oakland and Alameda. It was the less refined, rougher end of Alameda Island.  

I had recently gotten into a fight with a Navy fellow. Comes with the territory, I guess. I lost before I knew I was in a fight. I got a broken nose.  

“Mom” was gone longer than she planned. My concern was growing but finally she buzzed us from the entry door downstairs.  

She had gotten lost, but she had our address with her. She found a Chinese grocery store on the main thoroughfare through the west-end and understanding the Chinese language just enough to ask questions, she got directions home.  

I was much relieved when Shino got home.

We had a busy week planned. I brought along camping gear hoping the opportunity would present itself. It would depend on how things went. 

We went to Los Angeles to visit relatives they hadn’t seen since they were in Japan. We traveled down Highway 1. It would be a long day.  

There was no way to avoid the early morning commute from our place to the coast. We made it to Half Moon Bay and then south along the beautiful coast making the requisite stops along the way. Though Shino and I were familiar with the sights it was a pleasure seeing them again through fresh eyes. 

We spent a couple nights visiting in L.A. On the TV, we saw “Mad Max” for the first time. I don’t remember if we went to Disneyland on that visit. I know we did when Shino’s nephew and friend came for a visit. At that time, we flew on to Acapulco, as I’ve written about here, meeting my family there for a get together. 

Leaving L.A., we picked up my brother Dale, who was in San Bernadino attending a conference and proceeded to Las Vegas. It was out of the way, but I wanted my brother, and Shino’s parents to see Death Valley. We went up the southwest side and took a shortcut toward Wildrose. It is a wildly secluded narrow valley that climbs to 4000’ offering cooler temperatures.  

After the turnoff to Wildrose, and before the elevation gain, we spotted wild burros. They came up to the car and were remarkably friendly.  

The car overheated on the climb necessitating a forced stop until it cooled down. 

Then, on the descent we went, meeting the main highway through blistering Death Valley and stopping at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek for something cold to drink. We had no more overheating, for which I was surprised and relieved.  

We moved on for Las Vegas, via Pahrump, the fitting high desert Nevada home of Art Bell’s famous late-night radio program of all things paranormal, “Coast to Coast.”   

My mother, sister Lynn, and brother Kent met us in Las Vegas. Enjoying this “once in our life” two family meetup, we spent a couple days and nights taking in the sights, sounds, and lights.

Leaving brother Dale with the rest of my family for their return home, we left early in the morning on our homestretch drive.  

Avoiding the heat of Death Valley a second time, we drove north and cut across to California on highways 266 and 168 through the White Mountains and the Bristlecone Pine National Forest at 9800’ high, over to Highway 395, which runs north/south along the steep eastern spine of the Sierra Mountains. 395 is just about my favorite drive, along with going over Tioga Pass through Yosemite. It is gorgeous.  

This was the best part of the trip, I think, for all of us. L.A. and Las Vegas were just “too much.” 

The In-Laws were duly impressed with the far horizon to horizon vistas and long straight stretches of desert highway. There are no such open roads or deserts in Japan. 

Turning north at Big Pine and up through Bishop and past Mammoth Lakes, we camped overnight somewhere on the June Lake Loop. There was a silence that went on forever, a well-made campfire and meal, a blanket of stars, and four happy campers. 

In the early morning on the last day of traveling, we passed Mono Craters and Mono Lake and turned west at Lee Vining for Yosemite. 

We climbed from Lee Vining on the high desert at 6800’, up through clearly defined micro-climates up to the forests at tree line and Tioga Pass at 9900’. It is about a 10-mile drive through the steep, stark, sharp, carved out mountain rock of Lee Vining Canyon and its Creek that tumbles down to Mono Lake.  

It was all downhill from there home. 

With one more must see visit to the overcrowded Yosemite Valley with El Capitan, Glacier Point, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls, we got home to Alameda late evening. 

After a day and night of rest we bid farewell to "Mom” and “Dad” at SFO. We would see them again in Japan. 

Thank you for reading Before I Forget . . !     

For my Subscribers new and old - A post from June 9, 2023. 

More posts are in my archive. Check them out.  

Image by DALL-E 3 

See you next time, my friends.  : )