Happy Place, Happy Space
We had made plans to virtually travel to Japan with my parents when tightened restrictions required us to postpone our visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum to enjoy the Russell Wong in Kyoto|Life in Edo side-by-side exhibition.
I had previously enjoyed this exhibition with Loving Husband, and then with the children, and so wanted very much to share this with my Intrepid Traveller Parents, who miss exploring the world very much. This week, we were able to do so.
The first stop was in the interactive space created to accompany the artwork. This selfie area features backdrops of Russell Wong’s photographs in colour (in the exhibition, his work is in Black & White). Aren’t my parents so adorable?
The selection of woodblock prints in Life in Edo has been completely refreshed since my last visit. An extremely helpful Gallery Assistant told us that these prints are light-sensitive and can only be exhibited for a particular length of time, which is how I was treated to a different set of artwork for this portion of the exhibition. After reporting this to Loving Husband, he wants to come again. Another visit to look forward to!
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Reading your Joyful Posts brings me to my happy place. I hope having them in one place makes it easier for you to find when you need a bit of happy therapy, too.
If you would like to join in, ping back to this post and I will include you next week.
- Antoinette Truglio Martin‘s Beach Week Coffee Share: spends 2 glorious weeks in a beach cottage
- Breezes At Dawn‘s A Monday meander: Holding my place: looks forward to a week with family
- Carol Ann Siciliano‘s Delights: reflects on kindness, nature and other deep thoughts
- Deb’s World’s When Plan A doesn’t work, switch to Plan B: looks forward to Plan B
- Laurie Grave‘s A Feast for Fools: gathers for an indoor picnic
- Little Pieces of Me’s Grateful Fridays: returns safely from an amazing trip
- Maria at Green Dream‘s Weekend Coffee Share: out of the ordinary: harvests an abundance of tomatoes
- Natalie the Explorer‘s Laneway Art & Recent Reads: showcases a laneway of murals painted on garage doors
- The Sandy Chronicles’s What’s On Your Plate: Eggs: relishes different egg preparations
- Thistles and Kiwis’This Week’s Small Pleasures: basks in the beginnings of spring
- Trent’s World‘s The Weekly Smile: walks, swims & kayaks with his niece & nephew
- Xenia at Whippet Wisdom’s A Beautiful Day: gives us a glimpse of her beautiful day
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This post is my contribution to
- Weekend Coffee Share hosted by NatalieTheExplorer
- Life in Colour: Red hosted by Jude at TravelWords
Touring My Backyard 
They look so happy! I love it. Have a great weekend.
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I think they were so thrilled to have an outing! Apart from grocery shopping and meals out with selected friends, they try not to venture out too often. And they really do miss travelling, so they really enjoyed the Japanese themed exhibition.
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Restrictions are such a huge shift, it really does make you realize what we took for granted prior to Covid.
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I know right? But like we tell ourselves these days, gotta have the tough days to appreciate the good ones!
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Hi Ju-Lyn. I’m late (again. . .) this week.
Work has been challenging. But I love that you and your husband had such a great visit and, yes, your parents are adorable. It would be such a pleasure to be able to meet them in person. I miss getting to meet people from very different parts of the world than my own.
I do have a story to share this week. Last week one of my wife’s friends was in one hospital with an illness while her 22 year old daughter was in another suffering from covid. This poor mom, in her suffering had to endure the news that her daughter lost her battle with covid and passed away. My kids knew this gal from their history in the same speech and debate club.
It was another sobering piece of news that saddened me.
A while back I wrote up a story of something similar to recall, and honor a gal I dated many, many years ago. Looking back now, I think it is both a sad and an encouraging piece. I offer it to see if you agree that, like many of us, I accidentally got to play a part in life well-lived and these moments merit being recalled, reconsidered and reaffirmed.
Blessings
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Oh my goodness, Gary! what tragic news for your wife’s friend – these are sorrowful times indeed. It is heart-breaking to think about losing a child, regardless of their age; but to be stuck in a hospital bed and not be able to be with them in their last hours is just too much to bear.
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Yes, it was heart breaking to hear about and leaves us with no words to comfort such a situation. I hate it, but sometimes the only thing you can do is grieve with someone because there are no words that will comfort them, at least not as long as we’re human
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I hear you, Gary. I find it very uncomfortable to be stuck for words of comfort. Being there for them (physically or virtually) is often the best, though.
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Agreed and well said Ju-Lyn. Often we men find comfort in “fixing” things, especially when we can’t find the words to just talk or even listen to someone else talk about loss. The problem of course is that there is no way to fix some losses and thus we are stuck with no words and no actions we can take to try and help. Sometimes, I envy others ability to just grieve.
Blessings
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I don’t think it’s a challenge restricted to men – all goal-oriented personalities would tend to struggle with this.
I hear you. The ability & permission to grieve is something not all of us can afford for all sorts of reasons.
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This is delightful and yes your parents are adorable. This definitely made me smile!
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So glad to hear that this post brought a smile. The outing certainly gave me lots to smile about – and yet again, as I pore over the images.
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What wonderful photos of your parents — their personalities shine through!
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They certainly are sporting – we had fun imagining we were in Japan.
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So fun. What great pictures! At first, when I saw the top pic, I thought, “They’re not wearing coats! How are they not cold?” Split second thought, okay!! Then I got it! 🙂
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Hee hee! They didn’t look cold enough!!!!
Thanks for having fun along with us, Betsy!
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My pleasure! Thanks for bringing us along for the ride, Ju-Lyn!
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Your parents are adorable and when you revisit the exhibition with your husband, take photos of you two in the same spots for fun. Kyoto is a beautiful city. Thank you for the mention and for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare.
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We will definitely take more “vacation shots’!
Funny thing is that my parents have been to Kyoto and I haven’t. Another place to go on the wishlist.
Thank you for hosting us on the Coffee Share!
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Thank you for sharing this exhibition with us! The photos of your parents are delightful. I’m particularly moved by the photo where they stand on the threshold of a series of doorways. Your dad has his arm around your mom and is looking onward; your mom, meanwhile, sneaks a peek at you, enjoying it all! You inspire me to visit a museum this week too! ** Thanks also for the mention!
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Thank you for delighting in the photographs with me! I had fun taking them! I love that particular image as well.
You are most welcome in this space!
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Awww. You’re parents are adorable. It’s interesting about the prints being so light sensitive.
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I guess because the prints are so old and so, are rather delicate. It’s a good idea to rotate them, though. I was flummoxed that all 150 plus prints (70 + prints are displayed at a time) are owned by one person! (Gallery Attendant told us this)
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Wow. That is surprising that one person owns them all!
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I know, right? I was astounded too.
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Your parents look so happy together Ju-Lyn and what a wonderful exhibition to share with them! Thank you so much for linking to our beautiful day too 💜🙏 xxx
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It was good fun visiting this exhibition with them!
And you are most welcome in this space, Xenia!
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Your parents are adorable, Ju-Lyn. At first I thought you had photoshopped them into the image. So nice that you were able to have an outing with them.
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These backdrops are so much fun! They were so sporting to pose for me – all the while imagining they were actually in Japan!
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Thanks for linking to me Ju-Lyn. Such lovely photos.
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Thanks for sharing in my delight, Jude. And you are most welcome here in this space.
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How special and yes your parents are adorable!!
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They are adorable and a while lot of fun! We had a good museum visit.
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What an interesting museum visit and thanks for the mention.
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It was a good visit – we will have to come back.
As always, most welcome in this space.
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how wonderful to be able to “see” your parents this way, and enjoy a beautiful exhibit. I know that many well-known museums around the world gives virtual tours nowadays. My daughter have paid some of them a visit with her class. I think its excellent to make the most of this special situation we all are in together.
Thank you so much for the pingback! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I am enjoying my Sunday morning coffee as I write this, thank you for sharing the moment with me.
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Glad to share a Sunday morning with you – some quiet before the week ahead!
Agreed that out of this strange time comes innovations which allow us access to things we wouldn’t have other wise. The silver linings.
Wishing you a good week ahead with your new students!
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Thank you! Let’s keep looking for those silver linings 🙂
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Absolutely! Looking forward to hearing all about it at the next Coffee Share.
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So nice to see your parents enjoy your virtual travels. Thanks for the tour.
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Most happy to have you along, Antoinette!
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Your parents are indeed adorable! And how I would love to see that exhibit.
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You would love it, Laurie!
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