An Adventure, Sickness and Heat

A couple of weeks ago my friend invited me to visit.  I had to take the train to get to where were meeting.  No being a big fan of trains I took David with me. I thought he had some idea about  which train to get on and where to change.  But he didn't! Every train we took he would go and ask somebody if this was the train we needed.  The last part of the trip was on the Shinkansen!  My first time. The ride lasted all of five minutes!  But it was an experience!

Once we got to the right train station my plan was to take a taxi to the meeting point. But we exited the station on the wrong side.  So we had a little walk round and found our way to the meeting point.  By this time I was hot and my face felt burnt!  I told my friend that I couldn't see an taxis at the train station. David said "But Mom there were loads"  I could of killed him, why didn't he say something!

The following week I had a few days off from teaching.  I had great plans and then got sick.  I found a lump in my arm pit!  I was so worried but it turned out to be an infection.  I couldn't believe how awful I felt. No energy at all. Even watching TV took more energy than I had.  I am now on my 2nd course of antibiotics,  seems to be working.  I hope so because I do not want to go to the big hospital!
Poor Christopher also got sick. Painful neck and throat, high fever 38.5C.  He went to the doctors but within 24 hours he was okay.  To be young again.

And of course it is HOT.  Every day,all day.  According to the forecast this could be until next week.  I am house bound and not enjoying it at all.   When the weather is good I walk to the local shops and I have found that I am missing that.  Mikey takes me in the car but there is something nice about being able to walk. 

Weather

I can't believe the weather this year.  It is so wet!  We have had so many rainy days recently and only a few really hot days.  One problem is once the rain stops, everything warms up and it becomes so humid. 
On Sunday we had an incredible thunder storm.  I do not like thunder storms.  I've had too many close calls.  As soon as I hear thunder I pull the TV antenna and the electric plug!  This past Sunday the storm was right over head.  I am sure something near by got hit!  There was an enormous explosion!   Our poor dog hates thunder as well.  She was in the bathroom but started crying so I let her into the living room.  She was sniffing around where there was a loud boom. Poor thing jumped straight up, all four paws came off the floor!  Rather funny but at that point I was so scared that I sat in the corridor with Hannah until the storm passed!  I hope we don't have many more like that!
This weekend there is a typhoon forecast.  The eye will pass just south of Kyushu but the storm is massive and is getting stronger everyday.  I hope that we have a few hours over the next couple of days to tidy the yard.  Looks like a jungle out there, all this rain has done wonders for the weeds not so good for the grass!!!

Not Ready

Schools are finished for the summer holidays and I am so not ready.
I try to make some plans for the summer holidays, especially trying to get my kids
English improved.  But this year I just haven't thought at all about what to do!
One problem is that both Hannah and Christopher have to go to school!  Yes it is the summer holidays but the kids still have to attend certain things.  Christopher I can understand, this is
his last year at high school and a lot of the things he has to do is to prepare for entering college next year.  Hannah should attend her club activity at least four mornings a week.  I feel it too much.  Either give the kids a holiday or have them attend all year!  Plus they both have homework. I haven't seen Christopher's but Hannah has a small mountain of prints, plus science experiment, two posters to make and a book report to write out!  I wonder if the teachers know that a lot of the mothers end up doing part of the homework because it is too much for the kids! 

The weather is not being typical at all.  We have had a few very hot days but all in all rather cool this year.  A massive typhoon passed over Japan last night, we were very lucky here in that we only caught the edge of it.  It was windy and rainy last night but not too bad!

David is making pizza for dinner, from scratch.  Smells really nice!  Can't wait for dinner, I think I should go and help!

The "can't think of a catchy title" post

The past few weeks have been busy and productive.  I have been cleaning and decluttering as much as possible.  The one room that really needed doing was the room we use as an office and second teaching room.  We still have to many books.  Last Sunday I decided that I needed to sort and clean out that room.  What I thought would take 2 hours took 5 hours!  There are still somethings that need to be done but it is a lot better.
The weather has been rather nice...for me at least!  Until this week it has been cool and rainy.  The rain is not so nice but the cool weather has been wonderful.  Instead of feeling exhausted, sick and out of sorts I have been able to get things done!  If course the heat came, with a vengeance. From high 20's to 36C overnight!  Thursday and Friday were awful.  Both Christopher and Hannah came back from school with bad headaches on Thursday!  I also felt sick and had to use the air conditioner!  I don't mind being hot but the humidity is killing.  I sweat very easily and I hate the way the  sweat just stays on me.  I feel like I am drowning!  
The rain has done wonders for the garden, looks like a jungle.  The grass we laid has really taken but the weeds are aggressive.  If the rain stops tomorrow I will be brave and try and do a bit!  It seems very futile though, I pull weeds, a couple of weeks later they are back!
No photos this time.  I have a hard time uploading them and I've asked David but he hasn't had a chance!

The past few days.....

have been interesting.
Tuesday was a rather awful day.  I had no energy at all.  All I wanted to do was sleep and in the past that is what I would of done.  But I decided that even if I couldn't do anything I could at least read or watch TV.  We had borrowed a DVD that had to go back, "The Butler", so the older boys and I sat and watched that!  Of course that turned into a heated debate on the situation of African Americans today and the problem of racism in different parts of the world.  I am always amazed at how well read David is, he can really debate things that he feels strongly about!
Wednesday was a lot better for me.  Managed to do a few jobs that I have been putting off.  I seem to leave things until it is too late.  Cleaning rooms is okay, not favorite activity but no choice, but places that aren't seen, cupboards, drawers etc aren't really cleaned.  I have a few drawers that I have no idea what is in them!  So I am cleaning out and throwing out, feels good!
Thursday was another bad day.  It rained ALL day, the house felt damp and I had the most terrible headache!  Sleep most of the afternoon, no choice, I just felt so bad!  As I have gotten older I have found that heavy rain can really pull me down.  I like rain but the pressure sometimes feels so heavy.
Today was great.  Mikey and David wanted to go to the library so I went along. The library is in the next city and the supermarkets are a little cheaper there, meat is a real bargain!   While the boys were in the library I had a walk around the park.  It was hot, but there was a slight breeze.  I couldn't stay out for long but it felt good!

From my walk around the park!
 

The past few days have been good.  The weather has helped, it is getting hot but so far not to bad.  I think what has changed in me is I am not going to be a victim any more!  I HATE summers here, the heat and humidity make me sick.  But what can I do?  I can either deal with it, find ways to be productive everyday and ways to be happy.  Or I can sit around and moan.  I am choosing to do the first!
Does that make sense?

Husband's birthday!

Yesterday would of been Hisao's 54th birthday!
It's hard to believe that he passed away two and half years ago.  Seems like the other day, seems like eternity!
One thing that I have realised is that I have let things go over the past couple of years.  Grief is exhausting on so many levels.  And coping alone doesn't help.  I have good friends who listen to me moan and cry but no professional grief councilors around!  Sometimes it has been hard, sitting on the kitchen floor crying my eyes out hard.  But I realise that I have a life, I didn't die with my husband, only part of my heart.  So I need to live, need to get my health better so I can all the things that we dreamed of.  I don't know how but I want to travel, at least see more of Japan!
My goal for the month of June is to do  something everyday!  May not sound like a lot but I hate the rainy season and the summers here.  When it gets hot and humid I just want to sit with the air conditioner on and not move at all.  So this year I am going to challenge that!  So far it isn't too hot, actually last Friday was only16C. I was so happy!
I will let you know how this challenge goes.  Today was good, did half an hour on my exercise bike and cleaned behind the stove!  Tomorrow........?

This is how I remember my husband. playing peek a boo in a restaurant!!!

May....What happened?

So May came and went and I didn't write!
Bad, I know!  But I have a good excuse!
The best time for me to write is in the evening.  But I have been trying to avoid late night computer sessions.  I start out with good intentions.  Just going to update my blog.  But then facebook calls, checking a new recipe, read a couple of newspapers before I know it's 2am and I'm exhausted, and the blog still isn't updated!

So May saw a lot of dentist visits.  Both Mikey and Christopher are suffering.  Mikey got toothache, went to the dentist and found that his teeth are crowded.  His jaw is too small and teeth are over lapping. So far he has lost 3 teeth. One tooth that was taken out had a strange root, instead of the usual two roots it had 3!  Even the dentist had never seen such a tooth!  A week later Christopher started to complain about toothache.  Turns out he has two bad teeth!  He is getting fillings, maybe a couple more visits and finished!

Recently the local supermarket has been selling whole chicken.  I got one a couple of weeks ago. Made a lovely roast dinner, but this is the wrong time of year for roasts.  I bought another one for tomorrow (Hubby's birthday) but I'll cook it tonight and do a load of salads to go with it!

Christopher saying hello to the chicken

Finished product!

I am sure more things happened in May but I can't think now!
I will try to do better in June!