Being Tested

 First of all, we had an earthquake Wednesday night.  The epicenter was in the sea between Kyushu and Shikoku.  The center was M6.6.  Here it was about an M3.  I had just fallen asleep when the earthquake alarm went off on my phone.  This is a good system but it's rather scary to be woken up by the phone shouting, in Japanese, there's an earthquake, there's an earthquake.  I didn't feel so much but the light was swaying like crazy.  My biggest problem with earthquakes is there unpredictability.  We get typhoons, which can be scary but at least I know when it will come and when it will finish.  I can prepare and then just wait out the storm.  Earthquakes just happen and when it's a big one there will be after shocks.

I am really trying to be positive about moving, but every time I go to the other house I find another problem. 

Yesterday I found that there is a bee hive under the house in the crawl space.  The bees are using the air vents to get in and out.  I need to deal with this quickly.  Also found more cracks in the base of the house.  There was a small crack before but it has grown and branched out, maybe Wednesday night's earthquake.  Again something that needs to be seen to sooner rather than later.  

David went on Friday and got a lot done.  He managed to get the horrible carpet up from the dining area.  He also burnt most of the stuff.  I could actually see some progress.  We have bags to take to the city trash place, which will be after the Golden Week holiday.  April is the month when many people move house so the trash place is very busy!

dining area is cleaned out

having a break

banana peel?

We got there before 8am by 9:30 I was tired and desperate for the toilet.  David and I went to the local supermarket and got some cold drinks and something to eat.  We sat outside, it was so nice, just the right weather to enjoy the quiet and bird song.  I'm thinking of taking down some of the bigger trees in front of the windows and making space for a BBQ, Christopher wants to build a pizza oven.

More lovely flowers.  It's going to take a lot of time and effort to get the garden back but something else to work on!

Again I think I overdid it!!  I ache and feel very tired but at the same time, I feel that we did a lot of good!!