New Stove Top

 At last I got a new stove top.  The old was getting to be very dangerous!  I burnt my hands the other week as a pot of boiling water was sliding off and I caught it!  Not nice and very painful.  The new one is nice, easy to use, has timer and temperature settings, easy to clean and it talks.  Freaked me out last night.  I was frying an egg, when a voice suddenly announced that the flame was too high and it was turning it down (in Japanese of course), a few minutes later it said that it was turning up again. Hannah downloaded an app for me so I can see if it has been left on when we go.  Very useful as a few times I've had to go back to check that the gas is off.  The app also has recipes and will regulate time and temperature.  

The top, it's a bit bigger which is good.

Controls for temp and timer.

I'm happy I can start cooking without worrying about pots falling off or gas escaping.

Finally

 A chance to write! 

The past couple of weeks have been busy.  Most of our students have returned, a lot have changed the day or time they come.  Which is great, except I need to get use to the new schedule.  One high school girl came the other day, I had forgot she had changed her day and I asked her "Why are you here?".  Fortunately she has a good sense of humor and just laughed at me.

Also I've been getting out a bit more.  I do local shopping once a week but haven't been out of this area for ages.  Last week Hannah had to pick up her text books for the new school year.  She was worried that she would have to get a lot of books and they would be heavy to carry from the campus to the train station, a 30 minute walk. I wanted to shop so Mikey took us in the car.  It was a nice ride out and lovely to see somewhere different.

Hannah's university entrance.

Also we have finally ordered a new stove top.  The one I have was getting very dangerous.  The places that balance the pot above the flame are broken and the pots keep sliding around, a few times I managed to catch them before they go on the floor.  The other ring keeps going out and with it being gas can be rather dangerous.  So the gas company will come on Monday to fit the new gas stove, which means I have been scrubbing out the kitchen all week.  I knew it was bad but  didn't realize just how bad.  The kitchen is in constant use, we make 3 meals a day plus there is always somebody making snacks or baking!  Any way I'll be glad to get the new stove top.

For Christmas David gave me a google hub that has a photo gallery on it.  The photos are from my google photos and come up at random, sometimes two photos on one frame.  The one last night made me laugh.  The one of the cat was Hannah messing with some filter, the other one is just David.  Usually when it is two photos it's the same person or just the animals. Wonder why these came together?

Alfie the cat and David.

Christopher's Turn

 David was telling me a few days ago that when he was about 9 he watched a TV program saying that stress shortens a persons life.  He told me not to get too stressed.  The next day he broke his arm!  This seems to be a theme in my family, getting sick, breaking bones, job problems, the list goes on and on, all to make me stressed.

This time it's Christopher's  turn.  He has had glasses since he was in junior high school, too much computer, playing games and reading, he always has his nose in a book.  His glasses broke a while ago and he has been putting off getting new ones but he went today.  Apparently he has a problem with his right eye (he told me the term but I forgot what it is!).  He had to get a special lens for that side.  It's cost him over 200 pounds!  I hope this helps and he doesn't need anything else for his eyes.

Always seems to be something.

David is fine.  Spoiling the cats.  The past week he has bought a cat tower and water fountain for the cats!  I tell him to save his money but he seems to like buying things at the moment.

Cat fountain, took two days before they used it!

Cat tower

David..........Again!!!!

 David has been working nights for the past few months, midnight to 9am.  It's good money and not hard work. He is working at an Internet Cafe, so serving food and drinks, signing people in and out and cleaning after each customer.  David says there is just enough work not to get bored but not too much that one feels overwhelmed.  Friday night I said goodnight to David and went to bed at about 11pm.  I heard David leave at 11:30.  At 12:15 our house phone rang.  I answered it, somebody from David's work was on the other end.  They were trying to explain something to me but I couldn't figure out what they were saying, plus I was going into panic mode.  David came tot he phone and said "Mom, I fainted".   So Mikey and I went to pick him up.  I wanted to go to the hospital but David just wanted to come home.  When he got home I checked his heart rate with a thing clips onto your finger.  His heart rate was very low, just 50 beats a minute.  This is the second time he has collapsed.  The first was two years ago.  That time we went to the hospital, they gave him a good check up and said he has low blood pressure.  Maybe it's the same this time.  I think he needs a complete check up but he says he is okay.  

David being cheeky.

Haircut

 Hannah and I finally got to the hairdressers.  The hairdresser that I like and have been going to for over 20 years is in the next city so I have to wait until either David or Mikey can drive us.  I enjoy going, gives me a chance to practice my Japanese.  Also the lady that does my hair lived in the UK for a couple of years and still has a little English.  

Hannah with her cute bob

Hannah's new top

Excuse the mess in the 2nd picture, we are in the process of spring cleaning.

After the hairdressers we went shopping.  Hannah got herself a few new tops.  She spends ages on Instragram looking for fashion ideas, then spends ages walking around stores!  But she comes away with good things. She was looking for a spring coat but couldn't find one!

David and Hannah went to the local mall yesterday.  They were saying that the cherry blossoms are out.  But last night we had a very heavy rain storm so I'm wondering if there are any blossoms left.  Hannah managed to get a few nice photos.

Near the local mall, look nice.

The weather has gone back to winter.  Today was a bit warmer but the past week it has been cold.  Very strange as once it starts to warm up it doesn't go back!  But I'm enjoying it.  Much prefer cool weather to warm.

Spring

 The weather is lovely, it's warm outside with just the right breeze so it doesn't feel stuffy.  My camellia tree is blooming.  Both the house and the yard need a good cleaning.  But I feel like death warmed over!  Allergies are really bad this year.  I'm sitting here with my nose running, eyes burning and my throat feels like sand paper, and that is after taking medicine.   I really wanted to start spring cleaning before my spring holiday.  I always seem to spend my holidays either cleaning or being sick!  So this I thought I would start early but have been reduced to supervising!  David cleaned out our entrance, gave the floor a good scrub so it looks refreshed.  Christopher and Hannah helped with the dinning area, the floor needed a good wash.  There is still a lot to do but step by step.  My hope is to get things done before it gets too hot, there again I have that plan every year!

camellia tree

The yard, I want to grow something!

Lets hope that my health will improve soon!

February

 I'm so glad February has finished!  Started with corona ended with a broken tooth and in between was cold and miserable!

March started with trying to get to the dentist.  Problem was I lost my national insurance card.  The last time I had it was when I got corona.  I honestly don't remember much from the first few days of being sick.  I might have thrown out the card by mistake, who knows?  I went to the dentist and was told I would have to pay 100% for treatment, with national insurance I only pay 30%.  The dentist would pay me back later but I didn't have enough money on me.  David went and got me a new card so next week back to the dentist!

And I have finally joined the 21st century, I have a smart phone.  David got it for me. But at the moment I can only use it in the house where there is Wi Fi.  The end of the month David is changing the phone company and will add me to his contract.

Our little visitor was taken back home!  David found a post on social media with a photo of the cat.  It belonged to really old lady , maybe near 100 years old.  She was so happy to get her cat back. 

Our cats are driving me crazy!  Poor Hannah got buried under three cats last night, she said she couldn't move at all!

With faces like this I can't stay angry long!

Christopher has been cooking again.  He made chicken rice with omelet.  Very nice and gave me a rest from the kitchen.

frying the chicken and vegetables

Add rice

Make omelet to put on top. Nice.