2026.07.29 ⌇ The 29th of every month is BOOKOFF Day (Date)
Ever since our children were born, my husband and I haven't had any time just for the two of us.
In the last four years, we've only had a handful of times.
My mother is still working full-time and is very active, and it's quite hard to ask her, "Could you watch the two of them for a day... no, even just half a day? We want to go on a date!" especially when it's not just our eldest daughter (4), but also our youngest (2), who is in the middle of her "no!" phase and is very much a "do things my own way" kind of child.
Next spring, our youngest will finally start kindergarten.
We keep telling ourselves, "We just have to hold out until then!!" but honestly, how are we going to get through the next year?
I am a super-duper morning person, and my husband, who gets home late from work and is a super-duper night owl, simply doesn't have schedules that align.
First, I thought about my hobbies. As you may know (?), I love reading.
My husband loves games, figures, and anime.
And the place near our house where all of that comes together is...
It led to the conclusion of "BOOKOFF!!!"
so we decided to go to BOOKOFF on the 29th of every month, even if our youngest daughter comes along.
...That said, my husband can't read Japanese books and isn't a reader, so once we arrive at the store, I head straight to the bookshelves on the left, and my husband takes our youngest daughter straight to the hobby area on the right.
We spend about an hour looking for what we want, then meet up to head to the checkout.
Reading this far, you might think, "In the end, aren't you not doing anything together?"
But we, as a couple, are satisfied with this time where we are in the same place, at the same time, on the same day, each doing what we love.
And on the way home, we show each other what we bought, and I love the comfortable time we spend swaying on the train together, saying, "Thanks for today."
By the way, here are the books I bought today 📚
Since my husband can't go next month on the 29th because of work,
we left the store saying, "So the next BOOKOFF Day (Date) will be in September."
...However, after getting home, I realized I had received a discount coupon called "Prepon."
And it can be used multiple times... which means "900 yen OFF!?"
Even though we weren't planning on going next month, the expiration date is August 25th.
Once I've received such a great coupon, there's no option but to use it.
BOOKOFF, I love you, but that's sneaky.
Ron ⌇ MY! Bookshelf 🌛📖