Back to Work

 We took a weeks holiday, which was nice but we are now back to work.  I like my work, which is just as well as I don't see retirement in the future!  Teaching can be fun but it is tiring, especially teaching kids.

Also parts of Japan are in a state of emergency.  Unlike the lockdown in England there are no laws to impose the lockdown and no fines.  People are asked to stay home unless it is necessary.  Things that are considered necessary are food shopping, hospital visits and work, but working from home is encouraged.  Schools are open but universities have gone back on line.  The prefecture we live in is still okay.  It's not a main area and for the most part is countryside.  But Hannah's university has moved to fully online because the neighboring prefecture is in lockdown and a lot of students come from there!  It would help if the vaccines were being rolled out a bit faster.  But it seems to be taking a long time, plus a lot of people are refusing the vaccine.  This seems to be a thing in Japan.   I remember when David was a baby the government with drew the MMR vaccine and replaced it with 3 different shots.  The Japanese people didn't like the idea of a foreign vaccine.  I think the same thing is happening again, they want a Japanese developed vaccine, which could take ages! 

We have been visited a few times by a few cats, I have no idea if they are strays, they seem cared for.  Of course Hannah puts food out for them.  I think she would take them all in if I let her but I don't have money for the vets and bringing in other cats I would want them checked for diseases!

Visitors!

And this happened.

David dropped his watch on his dinner!

Golden Week

 The beginning of May has 3 consecutive national holidays, together they are called Golden Week. Before coronavirus hit this would of been one of the busiest holiday times.  Most people don't take holidays even if it is in their contract.  To help out the tourist industry the government has made a lot of national holidays.  Almost every month will have at least one day holiday.  So banks, post offices, city halls, etc are closed, most offices close and of course schools are closed.  Because of the sudden increase in coronavirus cases in Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo most people will have opted to stay home this year.  I've never gone anywhere on Golden Week as the lines for everything are just crazy.  I have thought of going back to the UK but the prices are almost 3 times more than usual!

So Golden Week this year started with Hannah's birthday.  19 years old. She got spoilt, as always.  I gave her a necklace and ordered a printer for her.  The boys got her games and books.  And of course we had a lovely dinner courtesy of David, three kinds of fired chicken and sashimi!

The rest of the holiday is being dedicated to cleaning.  I need to do as much as possible this month because I know that after June and the rainy season it will be too hot and humid to do more than the basics.  I really don't like summer here!

Hannah's cake, tasted better than it looks

David's creation, ginger pork on a bed of lettuce with tomato and 

avocado!

Fluffy sulking

Lion King?

April

 April happened but I didn't take time to write!  Some days go by in blur.  I get up, blink and it's time for bed.

Most of the past month has been about helping Hannah settle into university life.  She had her entrance ceremony at the beginning of the month.  These ceremonies are usually long affairs with families attending to congratulate the new students.  But this year because of covid 19 it was totally scaled back.  No families allowed, just the new students and staff. The whole thing took just half an hour, before they would go on for two or three hours.

Hannah in her suit for entrance ceremony

The banner saying the university name

The theater where the ceremony was held

The next day classes started.  First was orientation, greeting the teachers and other students.  Then down to work.  At the moment she only has face to face classes twice a week.  One is music and piano, the other is Japanese.  All other classes are done online.  I think this is better for Hannah, she has to get use to using the train and a long walk to the campus.  

On the way to the campus she passes this cute park!

Hannah has also started a little part time job at a local cram school.  At the moment it is just two evenings a week.  As she gets use to it she can get more hours.

I really don't know how parents coped before cell phones.  I ask Hannah to call me when she gets to campus, until she does I'm unfocused and worried.  

Besides trying to do spring cleaning, which is never finished I haven't really done anything this month.  We are stilling cleaning out my mother in laws house.  There is just so much stuff.  A lot of things like the electronics we don't know what to do with them.  I'm hoping it can get finished soon as it is driving me crazy!

Cherry Blossoms

 Yesterday Hannah and I walked to the little park on the next block.  The cherry blossoms were in full bloom but with rain and high winds forecast I thought it best to go and see them.  This year is very early.  My image of cherry blossoms is to do with the entrance ceremonies that start at the beginning of April.  From kindergarten up to university there are ceremonies to welcome the new students.   It's a chance to dress up and the cherry blossoms make a nice back drop for photos.

Managed to get a few photos of the park.  It's a nice little space, we use to run Lucky over there.

Very little park but always clean

David keeps putting ties on the cats.  They hate it but it's fun!

Frodo

Steve

Spring

 I'm amazed at how quickly things change. Last week was dull, cloudy and rather cold. No flowers out, the ground was bare, no color anywhere.  The past couple of days things have bloomed,  cherry blossoms are out, 10 days earlier than last year.  There is a calendar that shows the best time to see the cherry blossoms in each area of Japan. Traditionally people would have picnic under the cherry blossoms, in the famous parks and riversides people put down picnic sheets to reserve a spot.  But because of covid 19 these picnics have been banned again.  I don't really enjoy the picnics, it is still rather chilly, especially when the wind picks up.  Also seems to be an excuse for people to get drunk.  

A few photos 

Today I made a massive bowl of pasta salad.  Nice for a change!

As much as I'm enjoying spring I'm also suffering from hay fever.  This year seems to be really bad.  I'm drugged up with meds, they make me sleepy and give me headaches.  

BUSY

 Who knew that getting a kid ready for university would be this crazy?

I don't remember being this busy getting Christopher ready for college.  I think Hannah just likes shopping.  We went to a couple of malls to buy clothes, she basically lived in her uniform or pajamas for 6 years so she needed a whole new wardrobe. I usually enjoy shopping but at the moment it is hard.  My knee is very painful so walking far is hard, also I get over heated because of having to wear a mask.  She also decided to buy make up. Schools in Japan are very strict about make up, hair styles and uniforms.  Graduating from high school is a mark of freedom, a chance to change hair styles, to dye hair, wear make up and even get ears pierced.  So Hannah went mad and bought a load of make up.  She then had a make up session when she got home.

First experiment with make up

With me, looking totally wiped out!

Hannah has managed to find a little part time job at a local cram school.  Cram schools are a big part of Japanese schooling.  Especially in junior high school kids go to school after school to get a jump on entrance tests for high school.  Some cram schools focus on different stages of the Japanese school system.  The place Hannah is working at s for the last couple of years of elementary school and junior high school.  She starts tomorrow with  two hours of training.  She is nervous but I think she'll be okay.  She has been teaching here for the past year or so.  

Two weeks ago was the 10th year since the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant disaster.  It's hard to believe that so much time has passed.  Last night the same area was hit by yet another large earthquake.  Seems that these are after shocks from 10 years ago.  Must be rather scary to live there!  I know I would want to move out!!

Congratulations Hannah

 Hannah has graduated from High School.  There was a shortened ceremony because of coronavirus worries, but it was nice somehow.  I usually don't enjoy these days but this is the last one for public school, just Hannah's university to go.

One thing I don't understand is the choice of music.  As the graduates enter Land of Hope and Glory was played.  This year using a sound track, other times the schools brass band would play, corona worries again.  The graduating students sang a Japanese version of Auld Lang Syne.  When I asked Hannah about this she said it was a Japanese song about saying goodbye.  I think Robert Burns was turning in his grave!

I'm happy to be finished with school.  No more worries about tests, uniforms or hair length.  One problem is that Hannah doesn't have many clothes to start university, she lived in uniforms or pajamas for the past 6 years.  Hopefully we can go shopping soon and get her sorted!

Few photos from the day.  Hannah put filter on hers!

Hannah with her homeroom teacher

with other teachers

Early morning