My long-awaited trip to the U.S. is finally underway. Here are sketches from the first few days.
It seemed a quiet lull aboard the Tokyo-Detroit flight was the perfect time to sketch the man across the aisle and a row in front who'd crossed his arms and nodded off to sleep for a little bit. With most of the cabin lights off, it was dark but light enough to sketch and of course perfect to do it without not being noticed.
Altho' domestic flights do not give all passengers blankets, every seat on that long sky voyage received a fuzzy wrap, and I could see that man was lost in Slumberland. I just hoped he wouldn't lose his glasses.
The first place we stayed at was in Raleigh, NC, in the home of Stacy Asato, born and raised in Hawaii, instrumental in the two girls from Okinawa coming to the U.S. this year and fellowshipping in American churches; visiting Christian schools; seeing the Creation Museum. He has visited the Gushikawa Baptist Church before and encouraged one of the young ladies with a gift of an expensive ukulele; I caught them one afternoon at the living room keyboard: Stacey was teaching her how to play some more chords on the baritone ukulele.
I will be here for a few days, go to my sister Janice's about a week and see a friend from college days; then go up to Detroit and catch up with my other sister who is taking the girls with her to her supporting churches and the ark museum. After another week with her, the young ladies will head back to Japan, and Joyce and I will go up to Canada and Hawaii. My return to Japan will be July 15.
