Hannah's Trip

 Hannah treated herself to a 3 day trip to Hiroshima. It's her graduation trip, usually the parents would pay but I have no money at all!

She decided on Hiroshima because Cats The Musical was playing, the next venue is up north, I think Hannah said in Sendai, but I'm not sure.

She arrived Wednesday morning. She was worried that she would have to cancel because of the weather, heavy snow was forecast for that day but the trains were running okay. She said it was sunny and snowing in Hiroshima. 

The first day she just walked around, visited a bank that survived the bomb. The inside was destroyed but the building withstood the blast.

The Hiroshima Branch of the Bank of Japan, about 380 meters from the hypocenter 

She also visited an elementary school that served as  relief station after the bomb. One wall was preserved as it has messages on it, people looking for family members and friends. 

Photos from the elementary school

She had a little walk around but went to her hotel early.

Shopping street

Maybe the hotel entrance

hotel room

Next day was the musical. She got tickets for the afternoon show, she didn't want to be out in a strange city in the evening.

In the morning she went to Hiroshima castle. The original castle was built between 1592 and 1599. It was reconstructed after it was destroyed by the bomb, being rebuilt in 1958. 

Hiroshima Castle

She then got a quick lunch, okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki

Then she got to the theater.

Before the start of the show you can take photos, so of course Hannah went a bit mad. I think most of the photos she took were at the theater!

Cats!!

She bought this little stuffed toy!

The Railway Cat

Today is her last day there. She went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum this morning!

Peace Memorial site

She is now waiting for her train back home!

I'm glad that she had this little trip. She's worked hard the past four years. Between university and working two or three part time jobs she hasn't had much chance to do anything for fun!  From next week she'll be busy with her new part time job. Her university has basically finished but she has to prepare for her graduate studies! 

She sent a lot more photos but I'm not sure what they are, she might visit on Sunday so I can ask her and do a follow up post!

Knitting

 I came across a news segment a few weeks ago about a knitting boom in Japan. From what I could understand knitting has become so popular among young people (late teens to early 30s) that a lot of 100 yen shops (like pound/dollar stores) have sold out of yarn. Even the 100 yen store I use was sold out of a lot of yarn.

These are usually full.

One young lady was saying that there are a lot of tutorials on the Internet so it's easy to learn how to knit!

This made me think of how I learnt to knit. 

When I was 12 years old my Mom was pregnant with my youngest brother. I remember that winter sitting around the heater with my best friend from school, knitting little jackets for the baby! We would knit and chat about things. It's such a lovely memory for me.

I'm okay at knitting, I know the basics but have a hard time with shaping things, decreasing or increasing stitches to shape the arm holes for a sweater gets me tied up in knots, literally sometimes! My Mom always came to rescue when I got confused doing that.

Mom loved to knit because it stopped her from smoking, you can't knit and do something else with your hands!  

When I had my kids she knitted a few things for them. I've kept these little jackets and bonnets, it's a nice reminder of my Mom and her love for her grandkids!

A few things Mom knitted for my kids

At the moment I'm teaching myself how to crotchet.  I have no idea what I'm doing, I watched a couple of tutorials, so I've learnt a basic stitch but have no idea how to shape things. I've been using up some left over yarn that I had hanging around.

My attempt at crochet

I don't know why it's gone a funny shape!  

I've been doing this while I'm waiting for Mikey to finish his classes. It's really soothing somehow!

I'm thinking of buying wool and needles to knit some throw blankets. I would love to learn how to crochet granny squares, throws made from them always look so lovely.

Cold

 I know that there are colder places but for me here is cold enough!

The outside temperature is about 3C but feels like -6C. It's been snowing on and off all day!  Fortunately it's not really sticking but I'm worried about tonight. The temperature will drop to -3C, cold enough for ice to form on the roads. Because it doesn't snow or get icy here very often people don't know how to drive on slippery roads. The last snow we had David counted at least 10 cars that had gone off the road! 

I've always said that I prefer the cold weather to the hot weather, and I do! But I realized today that in the old house I could get the main rooms to be rather comfortable! The corridors and bathroom would be cold but not like this house!  This morning I was making lunch, I had the heater on, cooking soup and running hot water to wash a few dishes, even with all those sources of heat I could still see my breathe!! 

I know that this house was built with summer in mind but surely some kind of insulation could have been put in place. I'm amazed at how quickly the temperature drops once the heater goes off. Within 10 minutes it's cold again. In the old house the rooms would be warm for over an hour after the heater went off!  I'm going to have to pay a lot to get this house comfortable in all seasons. I don't think it will be very cool in the summer, either. The house was designed when the highest temperatures were about 32C. Last summer we had over a month where the temperatures were 38C or more!  I guess a few good air conditioners are going to be needed!  

I'm going to do some more baking. I made oatmeal muffins.

Oatmeal Muffins

 I found a recipe for sweet potatoes biscuits,  American style biscuits.

I like to have some sort of snacks on hand in bad weather!  My excuse is that they help with stress!

Setsubun

 Setsubun is a festival that is held in Japan at the beginning of February.  According to the old lunar calendar the day after Setsubun is the start of spring, Setsubun literally means seasonal division. Although not a national holiday it is still observed by a lot of people. The idea is to drive away evil spirits and invite good fortune at the beginning of spring.

One custom was to burn dried sardine heads, it was thought that the smell of the burning fish and the sound of drums would chase away the evil spirits. Although not so popular any more, some people still put sardine heads and holly branches on their front doors.

Today throwing beans at a person in a demon mask is done through out Japan. As the beans are thrown you shout "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!" "Demons out, good fortune in". 

I remember teaching in kindergartens when they would do this. The poor kids would be traumatised by the guy in the demon mask but with the encouragement of the teachers the kids would throw the beans and chase the demon out. I never knew who to feel more sorry for, the kids or the poor guy being pelted with beans! 

"Demon out, good fortune in!".

The longer I'm in Japan the more I can appreciate these festivals. When the kids were little we would try to participate but I never understood the history or the reason for things such as Setsubun.  Now I have time to read about it, to learn it's origins. Also having adult kids who love history helps, they are mine of information on these things!

A Little Visit

 Today I went to visit my friend. She lives just  over an hour away but because we both have busy schedules it's difficult to get chance to meet. We talk a lot on the phone but meeting face to face sometimes is nice.

Mikey drove me! He decided to go through the mountains. I was hanging on to my seat most of the way. The road was very narrow, just enough room for one car, many times we had to pull over or reverse because cars coming in the opposite direction.

Even though it was stressful I enjoyed the scenery. Took some photos but as always they aren't that good. Getting good photos from a moving car is rather difficult.

Nice part of the road before it got narrow

Few houses nestled in the mountains

We went past a landslide. Mikey said that it happened last rainy season.

Landslide

Mikey said that the debris came up to road but didn't cover it!

Then there was this interesting house.

The "cow house"

We were wondering why they have this pattern on the house. I noticed that one of the trucks has the same pattern. Are they dairy famers? But there is no room to keep cows! 

After that we came into city. I'm always amazed at how quickly the scenery can change, from countryside plains, to industrial areas, to the mountains and back again to a sprawling city scape. All within an hours drive!

First glimpse of the city

Getting closer

Going to my friends house use to be an adventure as we always got lost or turned around. This time with google map and Mikey knowing parts of the city it was a lot easier. 

I had a good chat with my friend. Poor Mikey had to sit and listen to two old ladies chat, but he didn't mind, too much! He got some food and a load of coffee. 

We spent a couple of hours, I could of stayed longer but I was worried about the traffic on the way back. I didn't want to risk the mountains so we went through the city. It wasn't too bad, near the big shopping malls there was a bit of a delay, otherwise very smooth ride.

Tomorrow is back to work, just one lesson. Also the lesson is here, which helps. I hope I can get some things done around the house more. Plus I need to clean the yard a bit. There might be snow this week! I want to make sure things are safe outside, especially our water pipes!

January

 I think the theme for January was getting used to things. Getting used to this house, getting used to getting up early, getting used to going to the other city to teach, getting used to the community centers that we use.  At lot of things to get used to!

It's been a lot harder to get used to this house than I thought it would. Until we moved here we referred to the house as Oba Chan's, grandma's, then it was the house in the town where we live. I asked the kids to stop calling it Oba Chan's. I have to push to say "home" as it doesn't feel like home! It still feels strange! When we go shopping I still think we will be going back to the old house, so when David or Mikey turn to come here I wonder why, then realize that we no longer live in the old house!  

This house has a lot of problems still. We need a lot of money to make it really liveable. If I had the money I would take it down and rebuild but that is a pipe dream. One of my biggest worries is if the house is still sturdy. In the past 32 years, since the house was built, there have been a few earthquakes and even more typhoons, have these had an impact on the house. After the earthquake we had in January I checked the outside walls and foundations, there are a few cracks from before, fortunately they haven't got any longer but I don't know if they are any deeper!  

Then there is all the cosmetic things I would love to do. Changing the kitchen to make it more functional, having a bathroom that can be warmed up, finding ice crystals in the shampoo is not fun!  Also the toilet needs to be changed.  Plus the windows need to be updated, there is so much condensation in all the rooms!  

Getting up early isn't that hard, it's not really early, about 6:30. Christopher has started a new job, I know I don't have to get up and make his breakfast but I like to! The job isn't difficult but he has to walk 40 minutes to get there. Most of the roads are country roads, so no street lights in the evenings. It's a bit of a worry as there are no pavements either. He has a reflector strip but I'm wondering if he needs something more!

Then there is the commute to work. I don't have to go everyday, 3 or 4 days a week. But I only have one lesson each time. I sit reading or studying. But I feel it such a waste of my time. I would love to get some more students, try to fill up my time! If I don't then I'll try to put everyone on the same day!

February has come in with an awful rain storm, plus heavy snow is forecast for next week!  We need to get some of the land ready for planting. I'm hoping by the end of the month to have vegetables in, also I'm looking a growing herbs!

Couple of cat photos to finish!

Fluffy sitting on my cookbook, I had to keep moving her to read the recipe

Sam being cute!

Weather

 We have been lucky so far this winter. Only one really cold snap that resulted in snow for a day.  

The week has been bitterly cold, snow was forecast and it looks like the mountains got a good dusting.

on the way to the other city, cloudy mountains

near the other city, snow on the mountains

One of my high students told that her school had online classes one day because of the snow forecast.

We didn't get snow but freezing rain. 

The thing that gets me is the wind. It's not strong, not a gale but it is really cold. Looking out of the window today the sun was shining and I thought it was a good chance to get out, but the wind made me change my mind. We are sheltered by the mountains, I don't know if that is good or not. The wind doesn't feel so strong here, but I know that the mountains can become like a wind tunnel.

I was surprised at how the strong the wind was the other day.

city incinerator, wind was blowing the smoke

To see the smoke being blown horizontal was a sight.  It usually isn't that visible and goes straight up. Maybe the heavy cloud made it more visible.

February is coldest month, at least I always feel it is colder than the other winter months. On my weather app the forecast for next week is for minus temperatures and snow.  I hope that is the last of the really cold weather.  I need to get some of the land ready to plant. 

I've been watching the weather news from the UK. I feel so sorry for everybody caught in those crazy storms. 

I was watching the forecast for Storm Eowyn. The predicted hectopascal was 938hPa. That means very strong winds. When we get typhoons I always check the hPa, the lower the number the stronger the typhoon. We are in land so by the time we get hit the hPa is higher, so the storm isn't that strong.  A reading of 938hPa was very shocking. Also I was happy to see that people stayed home. One of my pet peeves with Japan is that people go out in these storms. I always think that by going out you are potentially putting others at risk.  Emergency services have to respond if you are injured while out, putting the personal at risk!

Also it seems that one storm passes in the UK and another is on it's heels! Stay safe, everyone!