10 August 08

As it was Tracy's birthday, and they'd just moved house, James invited us to a BBQ at their house on the embassy compound. It was a very convivial affair, and they'd gone to an enormous effort with the food, though I was disappointed at the noticeable absence of Ferrero Rocher!. Bet they've heard that one before. There were about 25 people there, including Sharon, Bettina and Phillipa (with husbands and babies).


Unfortunately we could only stay for two hours, as Nick had an invite to a firework party in Shinagawa (we were all included but it was past Emily's bedtime), and I needed to get Emily home to avoid a repeat of the smaller-scale fireworks of the previous evening when we stayed out too long and she was overtired. It was lovely to feel real grass between my toes and sip a cheeky glass of cold white wine, but with a baby you can never truly relax.

After I'd got a tearful Emily off to bed, I heard the bangs as the display started over on Tokyo Bay, and went out onto the landing outside our front door to investigate. It turned out that we had a very good view, being up on the 11th floor. I didn't bargain for it lasting and hour and twenty minutes though, or I'd have taken a chair out there. It was an awesome event, and must have cost a huge amount. Emily slumbered through some extremely loud bangs that shook the windows.