Goodbye 2021

 It's the last day of 2021 and I'm glad that it is finished.  I really hoped that after 2020 that this year would be better, that the pandemic would finish and life could get to normal.  I hoped that my business would recover enough so I could make enough money to start saving, that I could travel a bit and that the kids could have a better year.  But of course non of that has happened.  Even though the restrictions in Japan weren't that strict people were a lot more cautious, especially since the vaccines were rolled out very slowly.  This translated in not getting new students, I think parents were cautious as to where they would send their kids.  Also some people suffered economically so I didn't get many adult students, people are willing to pay for their kids education or if they need English for work but not for hobbies.  I hope that the Omincron variant is the last one, but I'm not holding my breath!

But it wasn't all doom and gloom.  Hannah graduated high school and started university.  She is enjoying her course so far, except for the math!  She also go a part time job and is saving to take driving lessons.  Mikey has been able to do some events, especially this past week or so.  He is hoping that he can start working as a magician soon, that was supposed to happen in 2020, but has been put off.  Both David and Christopher has settled in their jobs, they are still looking for something else but at least they can make some money.

So sending best wishes for 2022.  Lets make it a great year!

Happy New Year from us all!

That Time of the Year

 I always find the week between Christmas and New Year to be very strange.  Kind of a nothing time, the excitement of Christmas is over and it's to early to really prepare for New Years.  Unlike Christmas I don't really have set meals for New Years. In Japan soba noodles are eaten on New Years Eve, for a long life, even though I buy them we usually don't eat them. On New Years Day Osechi is eaten.  The different food items represent prosperity, good fortune and health.  But I've found them to be very expensive and not really good value for money.  Also this year I have to consider everybody's schedules as Mikey, David and Christopher will work over the New Year as they had Christmas off.

This week is also the time to do the big cleaning in Japan.  But it is too cold to do the areas that really need doing, no central heating!  One area is like a corridor running behind the two tatami rooms.  I've never understood the purpose of this area, it's kind of a dead space and we use it to dump things that we aren't using or haven't had chance to throw away, for example all the boxes that we have!  The best way to clean it out is to go outside, open the sliding windows and move stuff out that way but it's so cold outside that I really don't want to do it!  Maybe I'll get brave and do it tomorrow, I'll  let you know!

Other than cleaning I've been binge watching TV, not good but sometimes I just want to not think or do anything.  Now I feel like I couldn't watch another thing, kind of over did it!

 Hannah is happy that her part time job has finished for a few days.  She worked 10am to 10pm Monday and Tuesday.  Today she has been dozing on and off all day! But she still takes care of the cats!

Stand off!

Christmas

 Christmas was nice.  Few presents and good food.  But for me the best part was hanging out together.  Most days we eat one meal together, which I like, but because of schedules it is rushed and there is no time to just be together.  Christmas Day was nice because we could sit around talking, laughing and watching a movie, A Muppets Christmas Carol.  We laughed at the movie, made comments on it and even after it finished we were still talking.  More than the presents and food that for me was the best part.

I didn't buy much this year.  With everybody having their own jobs they buy what they need so I was having a hard time to think what to get.  I got some nice tops for the boys, a nice light but warm jacket for David, he rides his bike to work and it has gone very cold, so he needed a good jacket.  Hannah got a couple of books by Carrie Hope Fletcher and a lap blanket for when we go to see a musical next month.

David spoilt everybody.  He got a model for Christopher, a set of books for Mikey, a lovely set of skin care products and cosmetics for Hannah and a Google nest  for me!

Food was good.  I over did it!  Christmas Eve we had party food, nice ham, fired chicken, pizza, salad and some other things but I don't remember what.  Christmas Day brunch I did a full English breakfast, sausages, bacon, black pudding, beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and eggs!

Dinner was roast pork, roast chicken with stuffing, yorkshire puds, roast and mashed potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and brussel sprouts!  

Christmas Dinner

Trifle for dessert.

So Christmas was good.  Today it's very quiet.  Mikey has hid cotton candy work.  Hannah is working at the juku (after school cram school), she is working 10am to 10pm today and tomorrow!  David is in bed, he has night shift and Christopher just went to the shop!

Next is New Years and I have to figure out everybody's schedule as I think all the boys are working.

Merry Christmas

 It's Christmas Eve morning here.  I've spent the last couple of days shopping, trying to find something nice for Christmas dinner.  I did think about going to Costco but realized that going on the 23rd (the only day that somebody could drive me) would leave me too tired to cook after.  Also with this new covid virus going around I didn't want to risk it,  I know numbers a low in Japan but I think that is to do with the fact that there is not so much testing done.

Anyway Mikey took me to the next city, about half an hours drive.  One supermarket there always has good deals on meat.  I planned on getting some nice steaks, roast meats are not common here as a lot of people don't have ovens and the ones that are available are very small.  Had a look round and found a nice block of pork (about 2kgs) so got that.  Then I saw some whole chickens, very small but whole ones.  Just 1kg!

Tiny chicken

So I got two of those and figured that would be enough.  Then went to another supermarket, this supermarket has a better selection of fruits and vegetables. Picked up a few things, went to the meat section and sitting there was a lovely whole chicken! Just over 2kgs, so I got that one as well.  So now I have 3 chickens!

Good size chicken

Big and small.

So dinner is sorted but it is going to take a lot of work to get it done.  My kitchen is small, so is my oven.  Gets to be a balancing act! 

I hope everybody has a great Christmas!  Let's hope it's the last one with restrictions!

Nine Years

 Yesterday was nine years since Hisao passed away.

In some ways a long time, in others very short.  I still miss him everyday, as do the kids.  He is talked about all the time.  The other day Hannah was saying that one time she had set up her Sylvania family toys, houses, school and a kindergarten.  She was playing happily when Hisao said that he would play with her.  Hannah was so happy until he said "I can be Godzilla"  This was another story I hadn't known about!

Every year we celebrate the life he lived. But I also wonder what life he would of lived! Thinking on that I'm trying to live the life he would have had, being more proactive and not just reacting to things!  Making plans and following through with them.  Hisao was able to step back emotionally from situations and problems to think things through in a calm manner, I'm the opposite, I react and most of the time over react.  So I've been trying to step back, not easy but takes a lot less energy than screaming, ranting and crying.  This is one way I can honor my husbands life.

Managed to find photos with each one of the kids!

Christmas Parties

 We've been doing Christmas parties this week.  Keeping it simple because I just don't have the energy to do a lot.  No cookies baked this time, it was getting to much for me to deal with.  So we play games, Mikey does some magic and the kids make Christmas cards for their parents. There's a lot of giggles and being silly and so far the kids have enjoyed themselves.  I also got a couple of things for my Christmas table so it looks a bit better.

I bought a cloth to hang and a lovely snowman.

Mikey doing his magic.

Just today and Monday then winter holiday, I'm really looking forward to it!

Disappointed

 On a couple of my Facebooks groups people have been posting about these lovely Christmas treats they have been buying from an coffee/import shop that has branches throughout Japan.  Things like mincemeat, mince pies, Christmas pudding and lovely chocolates.  Yesterday David and I drove 30 minutes to a shopping mall that has this store and nothing!  A few chocolates in Christmas wrapping but nothing special!  I was really disappointed.  I've noticed this year that isn't much Christmas stuff being displayed at all.  David said that it's loosing popularity as it was always marketed towards couples, a romantic holiday not a family holiday and as the idea of being in a couple or getting married is no longer popular the holiday as gone down!

I also messed up an Amazon order!  Christopher found a shop that sells black pudding, so we ordered some.  Rather expensive, for two small sticks it cost almost 20 pounds! On the same shop I saw a Christmas pudding, something I haven't had many years!  Again about  20 pounds.  On the photo it looked like a family size one, when it arrived it was just a single serving!

The black pudding.

Look how small that is!

No Christmas Tree

 So the great Christmas tree hunt has finished in failure.  

This all started last Christmas, the tree I'd had for many years was missing part of it's stand.  I tried to make one from a tin, using modeling clay to hold it up but that didn't work, so I bought a new one.  Therefore I'm all set for this year.....of course not!   I went to get the Christmas decorations from one of the back cupboards, a place that is only opened once or twice a year, but no decorations.  Puzzled I asked the kids if they knew where the tree and decorations were.  Mikey reminded me that they were at mother in laws house (it's now a dumping place for all my unwanted things, until I want them again).  So last week Mikey, Christopher and I went to look for the tree. Found the box of decorations and a tree, so we took those home.  Went to put up the tree and found that it was the one without the stand, not my nice new one.  So yesterday I went to a few shops to see if I could find one but nothing. I know Christmas is not a real holiday here but there still a couple of weeks to go but all the stores have new years goods out, that is the big holiday here!

So I got creative and made a 'Christmas Table'.  Just have to figure how to stop the kids touching it.

Old tree, great until I started to decorate it then it falls over!

 

So a Christmas Table!

Sunday

 Recently Thursday, Friday and Saturday have been very busy for me.  New classes and changing schedules, it's good but leaves me with two problems.  Come Sunday the house is a mess and I'm exhausted.  I hate carrying the mess over to the next week so I usually spend most of Sunday cleaning, which means come Monday I'm even more tired and rather grumpy.  But yesterday I managed to get things done and rest.  I got Christopher and Hannah to help out.  I know I should ask for help from the kids more often but I always feel sorry for them.  Their schedules are rather crazy.  David works 5 nights a week, he helps out when he can but he gets so tired!  Mikey is teaching a lot, he is also working for his magic teachers business.  Yesterday Mikey left here at 5am and came back at 9pm.  He is selling cotton candy (candy floss) art.  It's good but means standing outside all day in the cold! Christopher works early morning, 4am to 12 lunch time.  And Hannah has a load of study for university, most days on line plus she is working part time a local after school cram school 3 to 5 nights a week. But I realized that I'm working as well, maybe not full time now but still almost every day I'm teaching and on the days I'm not or only have one class I clean and cook.  So yesterday I asked Christopher to clean the bathroom floor, the cats had knocked over the laundry powder, I cleaned up the main bit but it went into the corners and under the draws.  He also ran to the shop for me.  Hannah dusted and swept the living room. While they were doing that I cleaned the kitchen and baked a cake.  I know baking adds more work but it's one thing that I really enjoy and it helps me to relax.  I'm hoping to get back into it, I have loads of recipes to try and I always feel that home baked goods are a bit more healthy then bought stuff, no corn syrup or chemicals. 

Not the prettiest cake but tasted good.

Managed To Get Out

 No where really exciting just to my mother in laws house to pick up the Christmas tree and decorations, I'm really behind this year as I usually have the tree up by the end of November!  Never mind.

I was dismayed at how bad the yard and house are.  We are still cleaning out everything but we haven't really had time, between work and weather it's been hard to really do a lot!  I can understand why a lot of people hire a company to clear out houses.  Even though I wasn't that close to my mother in law it is still sad to see all her stuff just being dumped.  She kept a load of stuff, some we got rid of when we lived with her but there is still too much!  One day it will be done!

This owl is outside mother in laws house, I might bring it here!

No very clear but one of the trees, the colors were a lot brighter.

After mother in laws I went shopping.  Where I live meat is very expensive, the next city over is a lot cheaper, so when I get chance I try to shop there! 

Feel a bit better, but very tired, might be the cold.  All I want to do is curl up with a nice cup of tea and a good book but I have to start teaching soon!

Feeling Rather Blah

 Not sure why I feel so tired and kind of run down.  Maybe after the stress of the real estate agent coming and recovering from this cold/allergies that I've had for a few weeks.  Maybe because my knee is hurting more even though I've lost 7kgs (taken 2 years) and now my lower back hurts as well!  Maybe just getting old, my body but my thinking is still like a 30 year old, I try to do all these jobs, the yard, deep cleaning the house but after a bit I realize that I can't do it and the kids, who are young adults should do more!  Maybe because I ran out of the supplements I've been taking and keep forgetting to buy!  Who knows but all I want to do is stay in bed!  Of course I can't, cooking, cleaning and teaching keep me busy.  Also reading a lot recently and of course TV for entertainment.  I need to get out more I think, except for shopping I don't leave the house but maybe a walk round the block might help, or to the little park near here! I'll try and see if that helps.

Thinking abut Christmas isn't helping.  Money is going to be tight after paying for the decorators.   Also in Japan it's hard to buy things that make Christmas Christmas.  Before the pandemic I would go to Costco and buy some  nice meat and decent cheese, plus stock up on chocolates and baking goods.  Last year I didn't go but planned to go this year but finding a day that either David or Mikey are free on a day that I'm not busy has been impossible.  I can order a few things on line but not meat.  I've looked at other places but meat seems to be very expensive.  So what to do for Christmas dinner.  Roast cuts or whole chickens aren't sold in Japan at local supermarkets or butchers.  I've bought a little present for everybody but not much, I might be able to buy something else but what?