(written 22:12 Friday 04 October 2019 CDT)

Ma and I chatted while waiting for Nico to arrive and clear customs. Fun chatting with her and nearly finished solving the latest NYT crossword puzzle. I can see how it would be a good way to keep the ol' left brain sharp.

I chatted with the nice driver of the shuttle bus as she drove us to the IAH parking lot a couple miles away from the airport. I asked if she could drive us to Sugarland (an hour away), and she said, “just let me get some gas first..” I love that quick wit!

Ma drove us to Sugarland via Google Maps and then drove us to the grocery store 600 meters away before heading on her weekend adventure.

Nico and I bought food at the grocery and went through the self checkout lanes and chatted with the clerk there who had no other customers. “Are you busy??” I jokingly asked her. I asked her for the codes on various produce I had bought, but all the items were to be scanned! I was like, “you kids have it so easy! When I was a boy we had to memorize all the codes…”

At the end, I was like, “where’s the discount button?” and she said there wasn’t one, but if I had a Kroger card, I would get a discount. Sweet! Aw man I should have used my card with Nico’s checkout as well; I don’t think he got one.

On the way out of the parking lot, I said HI to a woman locking up a nail salon shop. I ran up to her, “oh please just one more customer??” and she laughed saying she had just come back to get her back pack.

I love that I can banter with clerks here so easily. Cannot often do it in Tokyo.

Walked back to the house and now in my own room, with own adjacent bath!