Japanese Holidays

 Yesterday was a national holiday. Culture Day, Bunka No Hi.

In Japan if a national holiday falls on a Sunday the next day is also a holiday. I planned to go to the City Hall today but it's closed!

Culture Day was inaugurated  in 1948 to commemorate the new constitution that was announced on November 3rd 1946.  The day was already a holiday from 1868 to 1912 to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor Meji. After his death it stopped being a holiday until 1927 when it was changed to Meji-Setsu.

The idea of a culture day is to celebrate arts and scholars, some areas have art exhibits, or culture festivals. A lot of schools have there culture festivals at this time.

I've never done anything on this day!  For me national holidays are a chance to not do anything! When the kids were in school it was a chance to sleep in, not stress about getting breakfast and making obento.  

I read somewhere that the reason that Japan has so many national holidays was to make workers take a holiday.  The law in Japan states that workers should have holidays in summer and winter but a lot of people don't take them.  

Today was another round of shopping, cleaning, packing and sneezing, lots of sneezing. We are all down with seasonal allergies and with moving out furniture we are stirring up a lot of dust!

Almost done! Somebody came to today to see about moving air conditioners and the fridge, the only things we can't move ourselves!  That's going to cost a lot, never mind it has to be done!

This morning I called Mikey from the room I was in, I needed help moving something. He answered and said he couldn't help! I got rather upset until I saw why!

The cats piled on Mikey!

Am I Just Making Excuses?

Yesterdays plan was for David, Christopher and me to go to the other house.

But we woke up to typhoon like weather.  It had been stormy all night, heavy rain, thunder and strong winds. We even had a tornado advisory for this area!  I was hoping that the storm would pass by morning but at 7am it was really bad. I thought about going but decided against it.

I could of pushed to go but I really didn't want to. Maybe I was using the weather as an excuse, I don't know. I know when the weather is like that I ask my kids not to go to work, I don't feel it's worth risking your life for 900 yen an hour (about 5 pounds). 

This week is the big push to get most things over to the other house. I think we take almost everything in David's car. The large items like the fridge, copy machines and one very large heavy chest of drawers will have to go in a hired truck. I hope that doesn't cost too much.  Also I need to find somebody to remove the bee hive from under the house. The bees are still active. Where they are going in and out of the hive needs to be cut down but it's rather dangerous. I'm surprised that the bees are so active at this time of year!

This time next week Hannah will be in her apartment. I know it's good, it's the right thing for her but I'll miss her a lot. She's my baby! 

I'll still have the cats!  They are sensing something is going on, they aren't settled at all. Usually they have breakfast, spend time grooming, then sleep. But the past week I've noticed that they aren't sleeping in the morning but wondering around the house, especially where we have taken things away.  Getting them to the other house is going to be interesting!

Why?

They have so many places to sleep but both of these cats wanted the same place!!!

The Begining Of The End

 In the middle of October Hannah and I went to see about getting her apartment.  She quickly decided on the one she wants and started the process of getting it, lots of forms to fill out, lots of phone calls, and lots of decisions to be made. At that time Hannah said that she would do what she had to do but most of it she wanted to wait until after her teacher training at a special needs school.  I agreed to that as the training is very intense and exhausting, also it felt a long way away, the last thing to do before getting ready for Hannah to move out and us to move to the other house.

Today is the last day of her training! 

Last night I was looking at the calendar and trying to figure out schedules, when we can take things to Hannah's apartment and when we can move stuff to the other house.  I realized that in a week's time Hannah will get her key, then she can start to move in.

I just sat and cried. It really is the end of an era.

In about 10 days we will be out of this house. 

And I still don't want to move. It just feels wrong on so many levels!

Yesterday a friend stopped by the other house to pick up some books for her kids.  I gave her a house tour.  She said that she really liked the house, that it was so Japanese and had all the things in the house that she would like! I tried to see the house through her eyes and felt that the house is okay and has potential and could be very nice with a lot of money invested in it!  I then realized that one of the reasons I don't want to move there is to do with the awful memories of that place.  

About 15 years ago we lived there with my mother-in-law. Just one year, the kids called it the year from hell. I think I cried every single day. She became more verbally and emotionally abusive. If it was just toward me or Hisao I think I could have dealt with that but she had a go at my kids as well.  She spent time putting us down. One of the worst incidents was when Christopher, who was 10 at the time, was being bullied at school. We decided to keep him home for a few days until we could talk with the school and get things sorted out. Hisao explained this to my mother-in-law, her response was to tell Christopher that he was being bullied because he was stupid.  Not just once but every time she saw him!  That broke my heart. Christopher was a very sensitive child and didn't deserve that kind of treatment!  

When we go to the other house I'm constantly reminded of the heartache I suffered there. It's also the place where Hisao's health took a turn for the worse. He had high blood pressure and I feel the constant nagging and whining from his mother made it higher.  He ended up in hospital for a month with kidney failure and fluid around his heart.

When we moved out I vowed that I would never live there again, I was finished with that place.

I know in my mind that the house is just a building.  That the house didn't hurt me, that a person, who has since passed away was the cause of all the pain I experienced there.  But it is still so hard. Life here has been comfortable, there have been a few bumps, some very rocky times, especially Hisao's death and dealing with the grief and the time I had cancer but overall I've enjoyed being here.  I've enjoyed being with my kids and watching them grow to young adults.

This move is the end of an era.  Two of my kids will be moving out, Hannah first, then next year Mikey. I have no real vision of what life will be like for the next few years.

I'm sad about this move, I know I will cry a lot the next few weeks. I know I have no choice.  

Today it is very cool. The cats are snuggling up together. That is always a sign of how cool it is!

Just a photo of the cats snuggled up this morning!

Snuggled on the sofa!

October

 Another month done and dusted!

The other house is almost ready. I did more in the bathroom, need to get a long brush to reach the top of the walls and the ceiling (or ask David). I started on the toilets, totally disgusting! The dust was so thick it was more like soil than dust. I need a few toilet brushes to do the bowls, there are two toilets and I still don't understand why!

The upstairs storage has been done, a couple of boxes of old clothes to be burnt, downstairs is almost done as well. 

That leaves moving stuff from here. David is pushing himself to go almost every day to drop off stuff, I'm really worried about him. He has lost weight again, he looks gaunt!  He has very low blood pressure, so after we move he has to go to the doctor to get a check up.  Christopher and I have the opposite problem!!

As this house get emptier the sadder I feel! I really don't want to move! I know no choice but I wish we had one.  I know that not paying rent will save money but not having a way to make money doesn't help. I can't teach from the other house, it's too small and remote. I don't drive so even if we could get students at a nearby community center it would be impossible for me to go there. I'm looking at sites that connect teachers to students online but the sites either have too many English teachers or they ask for a university degree, which I don't have.

I'm looking to make a web page to get students online and maybe make some materials to sell. I'm not looking to get rich but just to be able to pay bills, travel a bit and help my family when I can!  Surely I can do that!

We will be out before the end of November.  Not happy but I'll deal with it somehow!

I was saying to Christopher how unhappy I am, his answer was that Costco is opening in November, just 20 minutes drive from the other house. I guess that is something to look forward to!!

One thing we need to do is take down some of the trees in the yard!  A lot have died and are a bit dangerous!  Christopher managed to cut one down and take out the stump!

An old tree stump

completely dried out

what was left after it was taken out

The weather is finally a bit cooler, todays high will be 22C.  I'm the only one who is happy!

I know it's getting cool when the cats start to cuddle up together!

Toast and Steve snuggle buddies

Mom's Birthday

 Mom would have been 85 today!

Maybe because it's her birthday or because I'm getting older but she has been on my mind a lot recently.

I was talking to one of my students who has two young children, I was asking how they are entertained when the parents are busy. He told me about a cartoon that his oldest son loves watch.  I told him how my Mom entertained me when she was cooking and it was raining and I couldn't play outside. 

The house that we lived in had large french windows, looking out over the back garden. In front of the windows was concrete, when it rained 3 puddles would form. As the rain fell it would make ripples in the puddles, Mom told me that the ripples were fairies dancing and if I was quiet and looked hard enough I would be able to see them. I can remember sitting there for ages, Mom asking every now and then if I could see them yet!  I was about 4 years old at that time but I still remember the rain and the quiet time looking for fairies! Maybe that is why I still like the rain.

Another memory from that time was when my Dad hurt his back!  I remember Mom rubbing this ointment in Dad's back. I can still see Dad hanging onto the kitchen sink, Mom rubbing this smelly stuff in, and Dad making a lot of noise. I couldn't figure out why Dad was shouting so much as there was no cut. As a child I equated pain with cuts and scratches!

I don't have any photos from that time. I don't know if any exist! I have one photo of Mom when she was very young.

Young Mom

The ones I like are from the last visit, a year before she died. She had chance to spend time with her grandkids, I hope she felt some joy from that!

Mom and Hannah

Mom watching the boys play

with Christopher

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Change Of Plans

 We were going to go to the other house this morning. David was supposed to have last night off, so we were going to go early and try to get a few things finished. But he got called into work at the last minute. He's the night shift manager so he gets the call if someone is absent. It's ok but David is exhausted and needs some down time!

He gets home at about 9:30 am so by the time we load the car and get going it's almost 10 am, then a 40 to 50 minutes drive it's too late to do anything. 

So this morning I decided that we would stay here and do some jobs around the house. I asked Hannah and Christopher to clean the living room and kitchen while David and I went shopping. Mikey had morning classes so escaped the cleaning.

I'm glad that we spent time to clean here, this house has been a bit neglected as all our time and energy has gone into the other house. Having a morning of cleaning has made the house feel a bit fresher and it's nice to come into the living room and not have it look like a disaster.  Also having the kitchen clean meant that I could cook a nice lunch!

One thing I'm learning from this moving adventure is being flexible is very important. It's so easy to make plans but seeing them through can be very hard. I really wanted to go this morning, I thought I could focus on cleaning the rest of the tiles in the kitchen and the last two cupboards that way the kitchen would be done, except for the stove top that needs replacing!  

At one point I would have felt frustrated and a bit angry that my plans had fallen through but now I realize that making use of my time in other ways, getting other jobs done is just as important. Being angry at something that I can't change is just a waste of energy.

I think most people would have figured this out when they are young, I guess I'm a bit late to the party!

The weather is still weird, it's still to warm for the end of October!  It's been raining on and off today, I like rainy days!  A nice cup of tea, a good book or drama on TV and a cat to keep me company is my idea of a good afternoon!

Just some cat photos!

Alan

Mama and the skull

Toast and Steve curled up together

Another Day Of Work

Today Mikey, David, Christopher and I went to the other house. Hannah still has her teacher training so she got excused from the hard work!!

I managed to fill 4 large trash bags from the office. I can't believe the things I've been keeping, CDs. floppy disks and loads of bits of paper!! There is still more to do but stooping down to pick up things hurts my knee and back.

I went outside to see what the other three were up to. They were moving this old hand ploughing machine that had been rusting outside for about 20 years.

This thing!

It's hard to see but it has large blades on it.  Once when my mother-in-law was using it, she got to close to the blades and cut her leg open, from the knee down to the ankle!  After that she didn't use it, just left it outside. I'm glad it's gone. Mikey took it to the scrap metal place and got 2000 yen for it.

Short video trying to get the machine in the car.

I tried to clean the tiles in the kitchen and the floor where the the fridge will go, I think I need to do it again, just so much dust built up!

Still a lot to do but we are getting there!

I still hope to move in by next month! I don't want to pay rent here in December.

Can we do it?

Mikey started Halloween parties today. The girls class came in costumes and spent the time laughing, playing games and eating snacks. It was a nice change from the intense study of the past few weeks!

Girls having fun

Tomorrow is back to the other house. More to do, as always!!