Christopher

 Today is Christopher's birthday! 27!

The past few months he has really stepped up to help me with the moving. Anytime I needed anything heavy moved or dirty cleaning he took care of it.

Since we have moved here he has cleaned out part of the back yard, I'm hoping to grow potatoes there.

Also he has become a very good cook. On the days that I'm too tired to cook Christopher will make something for us. I know I can buy instant food or obento but I really think that homemade meals are a lot better!

Being the youngest boy I think he got left out a lot. Mikey and David are only 2 years apart. There's 4 years between David and Christopher!  By the time Christopher came along Mikey and David were already playing together a lot, they had their own little world and it was difficult for Christopher to join in.  I remember when David started school, Christopher spent the first few days looking for him, not understanding that he would be back later!

I spent the morning sorting photos. I couldn't find any new born photos. Actually since we've moved there are a lot of things I can't find!  I was looking through the photos, telling stories to Christopher and Hannah.  Hannah looked at me and said "in 3 years time I'll be the only one who is not over 30!"  That freaked me out! I'll be the mother of older adults!!!

Here are some of the photos!

About 3 months old

With Dad

lunch time!

All in yellow

back in the UK, Christmas 1999, almost 2 years old

with Granddad at 2 years old

and at 19 years old

with his Dad, 5 years old

day out somewhere

UK 2003

I love this photo of the kids

wearing a wig, and Hannah's coat and glasses!!!

with Lucky

UK 2017

19th birthday

with Granddad and cousin Becky

our trip to Kyoto

starting college

moving, David put soot on him

finding interesting things as he helped pack up my room

at work

We didn't really celebrate today. But we had cake, sat around talking, reminiscing.  Thinking about the future. Christopher is looking for a job, as much as I enjoy having him in the house he does need to make money!!

Hannah is packing up, heading back to her apartment tonight, she has work form tomorrow!  She's been raiding my food cupboard! 

Hannah packing up her goods!!

Tomorrow I start teaching. I need to get the outside cleaned up a bit. Another busy week ahead!

What A Day

 Today turned out to be a lot more busy than I thought it would be.

Shopping, dentist, vets and more shopping!

I managed to get up early again this morning, about 7:30, David made breakfast as he didn't have work last night!

After breakfast David and Christopher went to the other land to see if they could start to clear some of the weeds and bushes. I think they did okay until David broke the handle on the chain saw! I think he can glue it back on! I hope so as these things get to be expensive!

While they were out I started lunch. Very simple, rice, miso soup, salad and chicken!

After that was done David, Hannah and I went shopping. 

Hannah wanted to check out some clothes shops! She got a cardigan and shoes, somehow David paid for them!

We then stopped into a second hand store, the same place that we bought the counter table from!

This time they had a selection of sofas that were reasonably priced!  Most second hand stores were selling sofas at the same price as new ones!  This store had some at less than 8000 yen (about 50 pounds). We looked around a bit, buy, not buy, what to do! Finally decided to get one. I would like something nicer but for now this is good!

New to us sofa

Of course the cats got on it first!  I'm going to put some throws on it later!

After lunch Christopher had a dental appointment. During the holiday he was eating some chews and pulled a filling out! The dentist he went was one we used when we lived there many years ago. They have built a new clinic, very nice and modern. Christopher said that there was a consultation room, also the treatment rooms are separated, very different to the usual set up in Japan! 

New dental clinic

Then we had to wait for vet to open to take Fluffy.  Fluffy has some kind of allergy, she over grooms and scratches until she bleed, also her eyes are really bad with this gunk running out.

While we were waiting Hannah and I had a little walk around. The vet is on the street where we used to live, he used to be our next door neighbor.

The area has completed changed. But still a nice trip down memory lane. Hannah was about 5 when we moved from there, she has a vague memory of the area. The house we lived in was taken down many years ago, there is a very nice house there now!

where we used to live

We also found a small vegetable stand that operates on a trust system. The vegetables or fruits are left there with a money box. You take what you want and put the money in the box. 

the sign says what's for sale and how much

fruits and small money box

I used to love these when I first moved here. Some days I didn't have enough money to buy things, so I would take something, usually onions or carrot, and go back the next day and put some money in the box! 

We finally got Fluffy into the vets!  She's okay, got some tablets and eye drops!

poor Fluffy at the vets!

Another good day. One big problem is that it has gone very cold. It didn't get over 10C today, this house is very cold when the weather was mild, I really don't know how we are to survive if it gets colder!!

 

Morning Walk

 After our little drive yesterday I was too tired to cook dinner. Christopher stepped up and made kashiwa meshi, it's a local dish of chicken, vegetables and rice cooked together. It's usually made into rice balls. He made that, some soup, potato salad (from potato's leftover from lunch) and some quick Japanese radish pickles he put together the day before.

Last nights dinner

Nice, warming and filling!

This morning I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30! That was hard, the room was so cold but Christopher had made breakfast, the dining area was nice and warm, plus a nice hot cup of tea was waiting! Made it a tiny bit better to get up.

I wanted to get some straw from the storage shed on the other land. I thought it would take about 10 minutes to walk up there but it was a lot closer than I remembered it being!  I was hoping to get 1000 steps each way but it was only 600 steps, still a good walk, especially since it's up hill a bit.

Frosty morning

The road up to the other land

I have no idea what plant this is but looks really nice

The reason I wanted the straw was to make a little box for our visitor. He's been sleeping in our storage room. I thought a box with straw would be warmer for him. I don't know if he's a stray or belongs to someone!

Steve checking out the visitor

Lunch was homemade chicken soup.

I went shopping with David, the weather went very cold late morning, the wind really picked up! The soup was just the thing to get us warmed up again!

lunch

This evening I went shopping again. The supermarket I usually go to was closed until 12 o'clock, so I couldn't get any meat! I went to a different place this evening but the meat was basically sold out. The place I went to this evening was in the opposite direction to where we usually go, more countryside.

very countryside

While we were shopping the sunset and the moon came out, just a crescent moon but very beautiful.

lovely moon tonight!

A Little Drive

 Today started rather late. I'm really having a hard time to get out of bed early. I like to be up about 7am but since we've moved here it's been closer to 10am. Not good! The house is just too cold and my bed is so warm and comfortable!

I managed to do a nice lunch. Roast pork chops, mashed potatoes, vegetables and Yorkshire Puds!

Roast dinner

Yorkshire Puds came up nicely

I usually do this kind of lunch when the weather cools down, but this year it was still too hot in October. November and December were busy with the move so this is the first chance I've had. I enjoyed it, kids did too!

After lunch Mikey said that he was free so we could go out somewhere. Christopher and Hannah wanted to go to Book Off,  recycle book store.  A quick search on Google Map showed a few stores about 30 minutes south of where we are living.

It was a nice drive through industrial areas and farm land. Took a few photos on the way.

Intersection, very quiet, maybe because of the holiday

An old ice cream shop!

Tea Farm

 

The tea farms were massive, maybe plantation is a better word for them!!

We didn't get anything from Book Off. 

Hannah and I went to a clothing store that Hannah loves. She bought herself a lovely dress and a couple of tops to go with it.

Hannah trying on her new dress and top

I almost had a disaster in a convivence store.

I was looking for some change to pay with when a 10,000 yen note flew out of my purse (about 50 pounds). It floated to the ground and slipped under the counter! My last bit of money until I start work again! The clerk managed to get for me. My poor heart!!! Christopher thought it was funny!!

Mikey was coming out with these crazy jokes. He asked "What does WHO stand for"  I answered "World Health Organization"  Mikey "No Wonka's Home for Oompa" 

Help! Three times a week I'll be trapped in the car with Mikey, going back to the other city to teach, about 40 minutes each way.  I'll be subjected to these kind of jokes each time!!!!

Happy New Year

 We didn't do much for New Years Eve, just hung out together. That was enough for me! Just having every one here for a few hours was nice!

In the afternoon Mikey and Christopher went to the old house for the last check. Christopher sent some photos, the subject line for the Gmail was "Thank you for 15 years".  When I thought about it I realized that as much as this move has been hard for me, I think for the kids it must be harder. They grew up in that house and that area.  They went from kids and teenagers to young adults under that roof!  Looking at these photos makes me sad. 

From the entrance, down the hallway

Stairs

Upstairs corridor

living dining area

The room we used for teaching

This is the same room, one year ago!

Hanging out playing a card game together

One thing I've realized is that this house doesn't have communal areas. In the old house there was the living/dining area, and the rooms we used for teaching. When we weren't teaching we could use those rooms to hang out in. Here there is the tatami room and the dining area. I guess this house was designed for two old ladies who weren't interested in being together.

Today we had a nice lunch!

Yaki niku lunch

Mikey was out with his friend. Last chance to meet up, his friend is moving to another area of Japan.  I think it was nice for Mikey to talk with his mate. They've been friends for many years, doing a lot of magic shows together!

I sent Mikey a photo of our lunch, so he could see what he's missing. I wanted to say " Lunch" but of course I messed up.

Looks like I'm asking if he's lunch!!

After lunch we decided to go out into the yard for a bit. The weather was nice, very mild, no wind so the sun feels good. I managed to sweep up a load of leaves, twigs and other bits and pieces that can be burnt!  It felt good to be outside, even just for 10 minutes!

Hannah wanted to learn to read a bike. She lives near her campus but for shopping and going to work a bike would help a lot. I told her to practice driving, save and buy a small car!!

Hannah and David, Christopher was trying to hide!

This evening I had to run out to the supermarket to pick up a few things for dinner! On the way back the sunset was very beautiful.

First sunset of the New Year!

The photo doesn't do it justice!

New year, lots of new challenges ahead. I haven't made resolutions or set any goals, maybe a bit later when things have settled down more. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful New Years holiday!!