Finally meeting some Japanese people!

I just met a lovely couple in a cafe here. They have an interesting set-up. They got together three years ago, tried living together, but it didn't work out. So now they live apart, are not in a relationship I don't think, but have a one year old daughter so were meeting up in the cafe to spend some time as a 'family'. Of course muggins didn't know that, but she did ask if they wanted to chat or would prefer to spend the time together, but the lady in particular seemed very eager to chat. She was loving it, and we had a lovely time. She has travelled quite a bit of the world, and used to be a stage-actress. He is training to be an acupuncturist. They were both a bit new age in thier dress style - very individual - and I liked them. The lady asked for my email and wants to meet up again, which is great.

I had just said goodbye to my friend Yuki who I met in there before they sat down. Yuki brought me some chocolate from Sweden, where she has just returned from a short work trip. Her parents have invited me to thier business Christmas party on 14 December, free to me, in a posh hotel. I said I'd like to go, with Yuki too of course, though am not sure what I shall wear! Yuki and I talked about marriage and stuff too, which was good. I now feel like I know more of where she is coming from, and I sympathise with/for her. I thought that it was just in the church that single women outnumber single men. Well Yuki has done her research into statistics in Japan (she is a researcher after all!) and told me that until age 50 there are actually more single MEN in Japan. However where they all are is a different matter. She said they work long hours for companies, and in thier free time choose leisure pursuits that confine them to their house - like TV, computer games. So she rarely meets many who are single. But she is trying, and it is nice to see someone who is close to 40 and quite an individual wanting to be married and still, saying, 'well I hope I shall be'!