Beautiful Moon Rise

 Hannah came back from her part-time job last night saying that the moon was very beautiful. She said that it was low, big and very bright.  I love seeing the moon (and the stars) so I asked "Where's the moon".  David's answer was "In the sky?"  What I wanted to know was what direction to look in, as sometimes it's difficult to see because of the buildings.  Christopher and Hannah understood what I meant. Anyway, Christopher, Hannah and I went out, we took some photos, not the best but you can get an idea of how beautiful it was.

From the store where Hannah works

outside our house

When we went back in David was still laughing.  I know asking where the moon is might be mildly funny but not that funny.  I asked what had him laughing so much, he said that me asking where the moon was reminded him of a conversation I had with Hannah the other morning about the dustpan.

The conversation went something like this:

Hannah: " Does anybody know where the dustpan is?"

Me:  "Yes, I do"

Hannah, tapping her foot at my not-helpful answer: " Where is it?"

Me, now I know I saw the dustpan and I can visualize where it is but can't explain: "It's there"

Hannah, now getting frustrated: "MOM"

I sat and thought for a bit, then answered: "It's in the bag of fresh cat litter"

Hannah goes to the next room, muttering about me teaching English.

Just another normal day here!

The House, Cats And A New Gadget

 Went to the other house today. Haven't been for a while so I thought I should check on things.  I thought that new houses were being built behind us but it looks like they have just cleared the old house and overgrown yard.  At least it looks a lot better.  In my mind, I thought that most had been done but looking today I can see that there is still a lot to be done. I've decided to not even try to get anything done there for the next month, it's just too cold.  I'll focus on cleaning and packing here, then from March do as much as possible before the extreme heat starts.  I'm really no good at weather extremes.

The cats are driving me crazy. Yes, they are cute and yes I really love them but the constant fighting is too much.  Almost every day two or three will start with the yowling and hissing.  If somebody doesn't separate them at that point there is fur flying and blood splatters on the floor and wall!! The other morning I came down and the corridor looked like something from CSI.  What really gets me is that they fight, then curl up together to sleep. I really don't understand cats!!

All curled up together

And my new gadget is a blood pressure monitor.  The last few times at the doctor my blood pressure has been a bit high so the doctor suggested buying one to use at home.  Tried it yesterday and my reading was a bit high but not as bad as at the doctors.  I hope that by losing more weight, and getting my diabetes under control that this will sort itself out!!

blood pressure monitor

Hospital

 On Wednesday, I had my hospital appointment, a blood check for diabetes and an echo check for my heart.  My appointment was at 10:50 but I got there early to do the checks, the hospital has its own laboratory, so everything is done on-site.  Somehow on Wednesday, the hospital was very busy so I didn't get to see the doctor until 12:00.  Never mind, everything was okay.  My numbers for diabetes were slightly higher but the doctor said that was normal after Christmas and New Year.  My weight is back to pre-Christmas weight.  So now I have to work to drop a few more (a lot more!!!) kilos and start some exercise.  I can do this, I have to do this!  

The weather is still very cold.  It snowed most of Tuesday and Wednesday.  I was shocked at how heavy it was coming down Wednesday morning.

I took this video while waiting to get my medicine, the building is the hospital.

Hannah had a bit of excitement coming home yesterday.  She is usually back by 7 o'clock on Thursdays, but last night she missed her train and had to wait for the next one.  No problem, she just got the next train, but three stations before here somebody pulled the emergency brake.  The staff asked over the PA system if there was a doctor or nurse on the train.  An ambulance came and somebody was taken off the train.  Hannah said that the paramedics didn't try to do anything on the train, which could mean either the person wasn't very bad and didn't need help right there or the other extreme, that the person had died.  Hannah was a bit shaken up by this but my thoughts were very different.  Of course, I felt sorry for whoever collapsed and for their family but at the same time I felt grateful to live in a country that has a system where getting medical help is relatively easy.   We've had to call the ambulance a number of times and I'm always impressed by the professionalism shown by the paramedics.  My only gripe is that they never know which hospital to take you to.  Now I know this area and which hospitals are good and which have good diagnostic machines I can ask which one to go to!!  

Tomorrow is busy teaching.  Sunday I hope to start cleaning out things here.  I've decided not to try and go to the other house until March.  It's just too cold there.  So I want to concentrate on cleaning, packing and throwing out stuff here.  My goal is to move in October and I know time will go fast!!  Wish me luck!

Snow

 We have snow!!

Not a lot but this area almost never gets snow that sticks.  We get a few flurries but not the ground-covering kind.  The ground is usually too warm for the snow to stick.  I'm actually very surprised by the amount of snow we have and more is forecasted for tomorrow!

the yard at 5pm!!

Last week was rather mild, with a high of about 14C.  I'm glad that I don't have to go out!  I do have a hospital appointment tomorrow, diabetes check, but the hospital is just a few minutes down the road.  Other than that I'm going to snuggle down with hot tea, cats and a good book. 

Yesterday was Dad's birthday.

I'm amazed at the things I remember.  Whenever Dad was going out I would always ask 'Where are you going?', the answer was either 'Going to see Old Nick the Bottlewasher' or 'To see a man about a dog'.  I don't know how many years I waited for a dog!!  And I always worried about Old Nick, I just couldn't imagine somebody who washed bottles!

Photos of Dad.

with Mom, Hisao and me

very young Dad and Mom

with Christopher

and Mikey

Hannah

baby Mikey

Dad and Mom's wedding

with David

Another Outing For Hannah

 Last week Hannah had another outing with her university.  This time to a small museum about a man who stopped the city flooding.  This was in the Edo period, Hannah thinks in the 1700s. The city is on a flat plain and every year it would flood.  By changing the course of a river the floods stopped.  He was considered a hero by the local people. But people who were living in the next prefecture really hated him as diverting the river caused their area to flood!

I tried to find more information but couldn't find anything in English.  I'll ask my student next week, she is studying Japanese history at university and has a wealth of knowledge.

Hannah took a load of photos.  Again, it looks like a nice place to visit.  I'm making a list of all these places I want to go to!!

Models showing the course of the river

the river and an explanation

some memorial

a place to rest 

no cats this time, ducks

Hannah doesn't have any outings this week which is good as the forecast is for snow!!!

Eye Doctor

 Today's little adventure was a walk to the eye doctor.  Since Sunday when I had the most awful allergies, my left eye has been feeling strange.  Not really painful but like it was bruised.  I've already had both eyes operated on because of cataracts so anything to do with my eyes makes me a bit nervous.  I was going to go this morning but it was rainy, which is alright, I don't mind walking in the rain but the wind was very strong and I didn't feel like fighting with an umbrella.  Got to the doctor just as they were opening after lunch, few minutes wait, quick check, got a prescription for two types of eye drops and some cream, went to the pharmacy opposite, back home about 45 minutes later.  Not bad!  

One reason I like living here is that it is so convenient.  Supermarket, drug store, doctors, dentist and the city hall are all within 15 minutes walk.  I know I haven't been walking to places as much as I used to because of knee problems but the fact that I have that option is good.  I don't feel trapped in the house, except for the extreme heat in summer!!  The other house is the complete opposite, there is nothing in that area and unless you have a car you can't get anywhere.  That worries me!  I can't drive and don't want to learn now, I can't ride a bike so my only transport is if Mikey or David are around to take me but they have their schedules and I can't expect them to drop everything just for me!  So yet again I'm feeling rather down about this move.  I know there is no choice, I can't get money to buy anywhere and renting with 9 cats is impossible!!  So just suck it up!!  I thought I was okay with moving but the closer it getting to actually moving the more problems I see!!!  Get ready for a load of moaning posts!

Mikey's new tie

Mikey had been looking for a yellow necktie.  He got this one, somehow it suits him!!  He wanted it for his magic outfit but I think he should wear it when teaching at the nurseries!

Feeling Bleh

 Saturday was really busy for me.  Every other Saturday Mikey does volunteer lessons at a few of the community centers near here. That is okay but that means that I have to do Mikey's classes and my own.  Physically it's not hard work but teaching kids can get exhausting, it's a case of keeping the class pace going so that the kids don't get distracted.  Also, I have to use more Japanese to communicate which is very tiring!  I wasn't too worried as Sunday is my day off, my plan was to do some housework, make lunch and then have an easy afternoon/evening. But I woke up at 4am Sunday morning with a wet face and pillow, very bad allergies kicked in.  I have no idea what I'm allergic to but this was awful.  I spent over an hour just sneezing!  I took some medicine in the hope that after a couple more hours of sleep, I could get up and get things done.  Not to be!  I woke up again at about 8am and still as bad. I was tempted to take more medicine, the dose is two capsules twice a day.  In the past when it's been this bad I've taken an extra one but found out the hard way that one of the active ingredients causes heart palpitations.  So I decided to just endure and not do anything.  The kids did the housework and David made lunch.  I spent the whole day lying around, reading or watching TV.  

Monday I woke up feeling better but had an awful headache.  David made lunch but I couldn't eat, I felt sick.  I was upset as he had made pork donburi.  Slices of pork and onion cooked in soy sauce, sweet saki and saki with a bit of sugar.  Really nice Japanese comfort food with a salad.  I like this kind of dish, it's easy to make and filling.  But I just couldn't eat it, after a few bites, I was heaving and just wanted to go to bed!  I asked David to put it in the oven, I could warm it up and eat it later.  That never happened as David left the oven door open and Fluffy ate all the meat!!

I slept a bit more, had some ginger drink and felt a lot better by Monday evening!  I made a big pot of tomato vegetable soup for dinner. Today I'm doing okay but taking it easy still.  I have no idea what triggered my allergies.  The kids say that I'm allergic to work!!  Who knows?

Fluffy was in my bad books twice in the past few days. Eating the meat off my dinner but also nibbling at the bacon that I left out.  Saturday morning I cooked myself some bacon and forgot to put the pack away.  When David came back he found Fluffy nibbling on it!!  Sometimes I worry that Fluffy isn't eating much cat food, but I think she helps herself to whatever she can find!!

Fluffy looking so innocent

The evidence!!!

Japanese Tea Ceremony

 One aspect of Hannah's course is studying about Traditional Japanese Culture.  It's part of the social studies that she is doing.  In the 3rd grade, the kids study about their hometowns and what Japanese Culture is popular in the area.  The city where Hannah's university is has a Traditional Tea House. Last week Hannah and her classmates went to experience the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The students were given a talk about the Tea House and the history of the area, the Tea Ceremony itself and then they were served tea.  Hannah took a load of photos and one thing that I noticed was that even though it's the dead of winter the grounds are really beautiful,  I would love to visit in the spring when the garden is alive!

The Tea House and grounds

The gate to the Tea House

Small bridge over a pond.

One thing that I was surprised to see was the small entrance.  This was used during the Edo Period when Samurai carried swords.  To enter the Tea House the swords had to be left outside.  I had heard of this but had never seen it before.

Door to enter without swords

The same door outside

All Tea Houses have a similar layout.  The center of the tatami mats is a hearth, in the winter it would be lit,  and one must never stand on or put one's hands on that small tatami.

without the tatami cover

the same place with the cover

Each Tea House has a hanging scroll and flowers displayed.

The scroll

The tea is macha and is served with very sweet snacks to offset the bitter taste of the macha.

Tea and little snacks

Just some other photos of the place.

This is the man who had the Tea House built

Nice place to sit and have tea

And of course, Hannah found cats!!

Tea House cats!

 

Mikey

 Yesterday was Mikey's birthday!  Thirty-two!!!

As always birthdays bring up so many memories.  Do others find this?

I remember when he was first born, Hisao came to visit, he sat by Mikey's cot and kept saying that Mikey was super cute!!  

He was the hardest baby, not because of him but because I had no idea what I was doing.  I had read a lot of baby books to prepare.  What I realized was that I know what the baby should do but the baby doesn't know what to do, he hadn't read the book!!!  At that time we didn't have an international phone line in the apartment.  To talk to my Mom we had to go out (at midnight because of the time difference) to a park that had a public phone with an international line.  So I was freezing, trying to explain to my Mom what was happening with Mikey and getting her advice.  My mother-in-law didn't help, she thought that giving money was enough.  It helped but a kind word would have helped more!!

Some photos, not in order!!

About 12 years ago

with Granddad,  7 years ago

yellow hair!!!!!

New Years 2024

with Hannah, he was maybe 11 years old

graduating junior high school

starting nursery

first visit to the UK, with Grandma

Christopher

 Today was Christopher's birthday. 26!!!!

I made his favorite lunch, breaded pork cutlet, I did it on the grill instead of deep frying! Miso soup and two kinds of salad, and of course rice!

No presents, no money!  I hope to have some extra at the end of the month then I can take him shopping!

Today's lunch

With every birthday I always feel nostalgic.  Time really does fly by.  For me Christopher was an easy baby,  I guess being the third one and born healthy I didn't worry as much.  His biggest problem as a baby and toddler was all the middle ear infections he got and the barbaric way that the doctors took care of it.  Every time he got a middle ear infection the doctor would cut the eardrum to drain what was inside.  I changed doctors after an English doctor told me off.  We went to England when Christopher was a toddler and of course, the flight made his ears bad.  I took him to the local GP who was really upset at the scar tissue on the eardrum.  The doctor told me that this practice was done many years ago but now medicine is better and the cutting procedure is not necessary. 

I found some photos of a very young Christopher.

Baby Christopher

Maybe 10 here

six?

Long ago birthday

The question is how old do I look, answer 28!!!