Nikki

My Greek-Cypriot neighbour Nikki has a double K in her name. I try not to pronounce it doubly as in Italian.

Still trying to keep my day simple in the afternoon of the 26th of February of 2022, I headed to the pizzeria, and on the way were my Greek Cypriot neighbours Nikki the mother and George the son, who just recently took up smoking. I said that he could have taken up some other "habits." Then the conversation switched to the topic of Mexican cuisine and its hidden variety. I had pizza and diet black soda at the pizzeria, where there were some South Asians, as clients and vendor, as well as a Cockney-accented white man. Heading home, I saw Michael, who was from Francophone New Brunswick, as he smoked and promenaded on the sidewalk. He bowed to me, as I approached. I then showed him the Thai bowing greeting with pressed palms and said in Thai, "Sawatdee khrap!" Michael repeated it. He then said, "There are all sorts of cultures in the planet, eh?" Just then, two Sikhs walked by, one in black turban, the other in pink.

Nikki is my Greek-Cypriot neighbour on Lulu Island. Her son George and his Japanese wife Chika with their hybrid daughters Chloe and Anna, who know some Japanese, share a house together. George and Nikki know Greek. They know that I have Greek ancestry.

The Gossamer Years, an English title for the Japanese classical work of literature Kagerō Nikki.

In the sunny blue-sky morning of the 13th of April of 2023, I was sitting in the teahouse drinking my iced black tea. Lizbeth the Mexican came through the door, and we greeted each other, she still teaching Dance Fitness and Zumba at several schools here on Lulu Island. I suppose some people at the teahouse miss the noisy patois of Taglish of Greg and me. I was just reading my Japanese-language fantasy book Tabi no Nakama, or The Fellowship of the Ring, of the famous J.R.R. Tolkien. Walking back to my house, I saw Nikki the Cypriot Greek and her Korean neighbour, as they continued their six rounds around the neighbourhood block.

I went walking to Tim Hortons café, twice this sunny morning of the 24th of May of 2025: Firstly, I drank an Iced Classic Lemonade. Secondly, I enjoyed a Sausage English Muffin and an Earl Grey Tea with oat milk. Then, 'twas a lunch of Sinospheric dishes at home, thanks to my cousin Eve who brought them from Yaohan Centre: gai lan, brown rice, fried fish, fried shrimps, and fried squid. At that centre, there was once a big Japanese bookstore on the second level, where I sometimes browsed Japanese books. After lunch with cousin and Mama, around 13:00, I decided on this blue-sky day to venture to the Roman Catholic church on St. Albans Road. It's Saturday today, so I wasn't expecting anything, but lo and behold, there was a wonderful prelude to a Filipino wedding! There were people in their finest attire. As I stepped out, I saw in the sunshine the bride in full white-gown glory. Another young lady was helping her lay out the fancy dress. 'Twas good that it wasn't raining! The scene reminded me of the "maiko-san" or geisha apprentice in Kyōto, when I was there. Then, I spent a few minutes in the Adoration Temple. It might be my 17th trip to that church this spring. The big Empress Tree near Bowcock Road still has a few purple flowers, but most of them have fallen off already. I saw my Greek Cypriot neighbour Nikki doing her daily routine of walking around the block several times. I waved at the religious Filipino family at the street corner.

In 2006, 18-year-old Nikki Catsouras was killed in a car wreck in Lake Forest.

Former United Nations ambassador and current GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley slammed fellow Republicans former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Monday in a campaign letter highlighting Haley’s first quarter accomplishments.