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.