Being Busy + Problems= Chaos

Life is not easy.  It's defiantly not for sissy, especially the life of a foreigner in Japan, with limited Japanese!
I decided that it was time to really sort the house out.  I am holding onto Hisao's stuff in the stupid belief that he might come back.  Grief does things like that to you, makes you hope for the impossible!  But he isn't coming back and leaving his stuff around doesn't help either.  So with the coming (and going!) of spring I felt that the time was here, let's do this, get it over and done with!
The biggest problem is the books.  Hisao was selling books on Yahoo Auction, when he died he had over 3000 books in stock.   Can you imagine how much space 3000 books take?  So we gave a load to Bookoff, I know they say they buy books but at 70 yen for about 200 books it's more like giving them away!!   A load of books got put under my bed, the bed is old and the frame not so good so the books are supporting the bed!!  Good use for the books!   That cleared out the under stairs cupboard so I use it for the vacuum cleaner.  Moved all the books from the downstairs hallway as well!

These were some of the book in the hallway!
 

Moved the dinning table back so we can use it.  For over a year I couldn't eat at the table, too many memories.  But now we are back to using it, feels better!!
And of course all the spring cleaning that needs to get done.  I seem to spend far too much time just cleaning.  We also have to do the yard.  I tried to dig out some weeds the other day but it almost killed me.  I think the boys are going to have to pitch in!  Plus all the daily stuff, cleaning, cooking, laundry and work, never ending. So very busy the past few weeks.

Being busy is good, it helps me to focus on the here and now, not to get lost in "if only" land!  But problems make me freeze up.  One problem I can deal with but that never seems to be the case.  They all come at  once.  It all started with a letter from our rental agent.  The old lady next door was complaining about the smell from the dog.  And I am the first to admit that the dog does stink.  We are trying to clean up but she is a big dog that eats a lot.  And what goes in must come out.  As much as I was upset that the old lady was complaining, I was more upset by the fact that she knows which rental agency we are using.  There are at least 6 in the area and up to 20 in the city. How did she  know which one to contact?  Not a nice feeling that my private information is known to all!
But because she complained and I know that we need to do something about the yard, we went  and bought a dog house.  At the moment the dog is under the balcony which near to the neighbours yard.  So I thought that by having a dog house we could move the dog!  Great plan! Reality, the dog is scared of the dog house.  She spent the first night just crying at it, the next day it poured down with rain and the stupid dog stood outside the house, howling (she also hates water).  She is back under the balcony!  Need plan B.
The next problem is more serious!  Last December we changed our Internet and telephone carrier. The only thing I was worried about was our free dial number.  I was reassured that it would be no problem.  Last week somebody called and said that our free dial number wasn't working.  After poor David called the companies it turns out that we have lost our number!!  I am so mad about this, we have about 2000 leaflets with this number on.  We have to reprint them, which costs a small fortune, plus we will miss this season, which is one of the best times to get new students.  This has caused me so much stress!  Then just because misery loves company we lost Internet service.  Looks like one the Wifi machine isn't working, so out of 7 computers that have Internet access only one works!!! And of course it has to be the one that has Japanese OS so I am guessing at things if there is nobody around to help me!

But in good news. I AM HEALTHY.  I got my blood tests back.  My blood pressure is back to normal 116 over 70.  My cholesterol is normal, I don't have diabetes and there is no fat in my liver.  So I am a fit fatty.  Actually I got a pleasant surprise the other day.  I was walking up hill fast with Mikey.  By the time we got to the top I was out of breathe and my heart was beating like crazy!  But with in 2 minutes my breathing was okay and my heart rate back to normal!  So I am still okay but do need to loose weight!!!

A few photos to end with

David's graduation

We keep finding pictures of Christopher, the photo below is on top a soup stock, similar!

Before cleaning up, looks a lot better now

Hannah feel asleep on the sofa!