Clues

We once stayed in a house while on deputation. It was an occupied house, but we didn't know the owners and never met them because they were on holidays. Actually this has happened twice, though the first time the owners came back before we'd left. Both times we crept around the houses seeking clues as to the owners of the house. We felt like interlopers crossed with detectives. 

The things that especially gave us clues were what books were on the shelves and what they had in their kitchen.

Last week I snooped around our house, wondering how much evidence lay around, after almost a year away from the country, of our strong connection to Japan. Without too much effort this is what I found lying around (and I didn't go into the boys' bedrooms):

Seaweed and flavoured seaweed sprinkles for rice sent to us
in a care package by my best Japanese friend.

Old New Year cards.

A Japanese sudoku book (with odd English).

Japanese bandaids (very convenient finger-sized ones at that).

Japanese bowls, that we eat Japanese noodles out of
They also make good soup and ice-cream bowls.
We brought these with us a few years ago.

Origami on top of my dresser. Remnant of one of our Japan-nights.

Japanese pimple cream (Clearasil).

My cheap Japanese coffee maker (AU$1.10) and our saucepan
strainer.

An banana-shaped eco bag.

Then we start to get into stuff we use for our deputation.
Authentic origami paper plus old Japanese kindy name tags.

A map of Japan in Japanese and the Gomi Game (a game
we made up for this year in Australia).

Authentic chopsticks in our drawer.

Prayer cards

And the pile of stuff we use during our meetings (books, pamphlets,
display items, etc.).