☁️ The shifting skies and Okinawa’s early summer arrival, “Urizun”

🕊️ For afternoon plans and peaceful rest

Today’s cherry blossom update

Morning scene: Chai at Starbucks Coffee

Good morning. This morning in Okinawa began with a moist, overcast sky.

Traces of early morning rain left the ground damp, but it has settled for now. Current temperature is 21°C. The forecast predicts a high of **24°C**, but today looks set for an unsettled mix of rain showers throughout the day.

However, this rain seems to be peaking today. From tomorrow, sunny spells will spread, and by the weekend, umbrellas should be unnecessary.

Glancing outside, I see the cherry blossoms in the garden have passed their peak, with vibrant green leaves beginning to mix among the branches. I sense the end of spring and the approach of **“urizun”**, Okinawa’s most pleasant season. In the humid breeze, I feel the season preparing to pass the baton to early summer.

🧺 A hectic morning, wrestling with the washing machine

This morning, the moment I woke up, a mountain of “things to do” awaited me. The first task I tackled was the mountain of laundry. I’ve already run the washing machine twice this morning alone, and it still feels like it’s not enough.

That’s because last night, I was holding my father’s first anniversary memorial service, so I couldn’t get to the housework. The relief of having the memorial service go smoothly came at the cost of waking up to a mountain of practical chores piled up the next morning… This too is just part of everyday life.

Outside, the sky was overcast, and worst of all, the humidity was incredibly high. Judging that “it won’t dry outside like this,” I decided early on to enlist the help of the coin laundry.

🛏️ After the Memorial Service: Mom’s Rest and the Daily Routine

While the washing machine was running, I went to wake my mother as usual. Sure enough, the response I got was

“I’m still sleeping~” in a whiny voice.

After a bit of back-and-forth, I finally managed to get her out to the living room. “You can go back to sleep after taking your medicine, but first, please eat some bread,” I urged, and somehow got her to finish breakfast and take her pills. After that, true to her word, she returned to bed as if drawn back in.

Yesterday was the first anniversary of her passing, so relatives gathered for the first time in a while and enjoyed lively conversation. For my elderly mother, even that enjoyable time must have been physically draining. Today, I hope she can rest slowly, both physically and mentally, spending the day sleeping and waking up in bed.

☕ A Moment Pretending to Be an “IT Professional” at Starbucks

I abruptly changed my original plans. As soon as the laundry finished, I stuffed a huge amount of clothes into a plastic bag and dashed out of the house. Luckily, my brother was off work today and home, so I left the house in his care and headed straight to the coin laundry at San-A Keizuka.

Upon arrival, sure enough, it was packed with housewives who had the same idea. Of the eight dryers available, six were already in use when I arrived. The remaining two were quickly claimed by me and a “veteran housewife” who arrived right after me. It was a close call—the place was full. On humid days, the coin laundry is truly a race against time.

To kill time while waiting for the dryer, I escaped to the adjacent Starbucks Coffee.

Normally, I’d just sit there sipping coffee absentmindedly, but today I tried something a little different.

I ordered a chai with its pleasant spicy aroma. And now, I’m here, tapping away at my laptop (or smartphone), working on a blog draft. While projecting an “I’m seriously focused on something” vibe, I’m secretly enjoying **pretending to be an IT professional**. It’s a little playful touch found amidst the busy daily grind.

🕊️ For afternoon plans and a peaceful break

After this, I plan to collect the dried laundry and head home. As for Mom’s afternoon plans… honestly, I have no idea. Last night she was all fired up about “going shopping!”, but judging by her current state, I suspect she’ll just lounge around all day. If she does go out, it’ll probably just be the usual routine at the nearby San-A. +1

She also mentioned my aunt might drop by in the evening, but that’s still up in the air for now.

Just one day after yesterday, I seem to have accumulated fatigue without even realizing it. Once I’ve conquered the big mountain of housework, I plan to spend the afternoon relaxing with my mother.

Nothing special, just getting things done, then picking up my pen with my favorite drink in hand.

Grateful for the start of such a peaceful day.

I hope you all have a calm and peaceful day too.

Here’s how the cherry blossoms look today.

They seem past their peak, but they’re still in full bloom with a deep pink color. Here and there on the trees, young green leaves are starting to appear.