April

 April happened but I didn't take time to write!  Some days go by in blur.  I get up, blink and it's time for bed.

Most of the past month has been about helping Hannah settle into university life.  She had her entrance ceremony at the beginning of the month.  These ceremonies are usually long affairs with families attending to congratulate the new students.  But this year because of covid 19 it was totally scaled back.  No families allowed, just the new students and staff. The whole thing took just half an hour, before they would go on for two or three hours.

Hannah in her suit for entrance ceremony

The banner saying the university name

The theater where the ceremony was held

The next day classes started.  First was orientation, greeting the teachers and other students.  Then down to work.  At the moment she only has face to face classes twice a week.  One is music and piano, the other is Japanese.  All other classes are done online.  I think this is better for Hannah, she has to get use to using the train and a long walk to the campus.  

On the way to the campus she passes this cute park!

Hannah has also started a little part time job at a local cram school.  At the moment it is just two evenings a week.  As she gets use to it she can get more hours.

I really don't know how parents coped before cell phones.  I ask Hannah to call me when she gets to campus, until she does I'm unfocused and worried.  

Besides trying to do spring cleaning, which is never finished I haven't really done anything this month.  We are stilling cleaning out my mother in laws house.  There is just so much stuff.  A lot of things like the electronics we don't know what to do with them.  I'm hoping it can get finished soon as it is driving me crazy!

Cherry Blossoms

 Yesterday Hannah and I walked to the little park on the next block.  The cherry blossoms were in full bloom but with rain and high winds forecast I thought it best to go and see them.  This year is very early.  My image of cherry blossoms is to do with the entrance ceremonies that start at the beginning of April.  From kindergarten up to university there are ceremonies to welcome the new students.   It's a chance to dress up and the cherry blossoms make a nice back drop for photos.

Managed to get a few photos of the park.  It's a nice little space, we use to run Lucky over there.

Very little park but always clean

David keeps putting ties on the cats.  They hate it but it's fun!

Frodo

Steve

Spring

 I'm amazed at how quickly things change. Last week was dull, cloudy and rather cold. No flowers out, the ground was bare, no color anywhere.  The past couple of days things have bloomed,  cherry blossoms are out, 10 days earlier than last year.  There is a calendar that shows the best time to see the cherry blossoms in each area of Japan. Traditionally people would have picnic under the cherry blossoms, in the famous parks and riversides people put down picnic sheets to reserve a spot.  But because of covid 19 these picnics have been banned again.  I don't really enjoy the picnics, it is still rather chilly, especially when the wind picks up.  Also seems to be an excuse for people to get drunk.  

A few photos 

Today I made a massive bowl of pasta salad.  Nice for a change!

As much as I'm enjoying spring I'm also suffering from hay fever.  This year seems to be really bad.  I'm drugged up with meds, they make me sleepy and give me headaches.  

BUSY

 Who knew that getting a kid ready for university would be this crazy?

I don't remember being this busy getting Christopher ready for college.  I think Hannah just likes shopping.  We went to a couple of malls to buy clothes, she basically lived in her uniform or pajamas for 6 years so she needed a whole new wardrobe. I usually enjoy shopping but at the moment it is hard.  My knee is very painful so walking far is hard, also I get over heated because of having to wear a mask.  She also decided to buy make up. Schools in Japan are very strict about make up, hair styles and uniforms.  Graduating from high school is a mark of freedom, a chance to change hair styles, to dye hair, wear make up and even get ears pierced.  So Hannah went mad and bought a load of make up.  She then had a make up session when she got home.

First experiment with make up

With me, looking totally wiped out!

Hannah has managed to find a little part time job at a local cram school.  Cram schools are a big part of Japanese schooling.  Especially in junior high school kids go to school after school to get a jump on entrance tests for high school.  Some cram schools focus on different stages of the Japanese school system.  The place Hannah is working at s for the last couple of years of elementary school and junior high school.  She starts tomorrow with  two hours of training.  She is nervous but I think she'll be okay.  She has been teaching here for the past year or so.  

Two weeks ago was the 10th year since the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant disaster.  It's hard to believe that so much time has passed.  Last night the same area was hit by yet another large earthquake.  Seems that these are after shocks from 10 years ago.  Must be rather scary to live there!  I know I would want to move out!!

Congratulations Hannah

 Hannah has graduated from High School.  There was a shortened ceremony because of coronavirus worries, but it was nice somehow.  I usually don't enjoy these days but this is the last one for public school, just Hannah's university to go.

One thing I don't understand is the choice of music.  As the graduates enter Land of Hope and Glory was played.  This year using a sound track, other times the schools brass band would play, corona worries again.  The graduating students sang a Japanese version of Auld Lang Syne.  When I asked Hannah about this she said it was a Japanese song about saying goodbye.  I think Robert Burns was turning in his grave!

I'm happy to be finished with school.  No more worries about tests, uniforms or hair length.  One problem is that Hannah doesn't have many clothes to start university, she lived in uniforms or pajamas for the past 6 years.  Hopefully we can go shopping soon and get her sorted!

Few photos from the day.  Hannah put filter on hers!

Hannah with her homeroom teacher

with other teachers

Early morning

February..so far

 This month has been rather busy.  Most of the business is to do with Hannah.  She graduates high school next month and is preparing for university.  To that end she has been sorting out stuff from school, so many prints!  The kids have textbooks and workbooks for each subject, about 11 in Hannah's case but the teachers still make prints.  I understand it as I teach as well and sometimes the textbook doesn't go into detail on some  things or I feel the kids need more practice on certain areas.  But the amount of prints Hannah has is crazy.  Also the amount of money this is costing, entrance fee for the university ( about 2000 pounds) a computer (about 700 pounds), I would of waited on that but she doesn't know yet if she will have classes or online classes. Then there is the suit for the entrance ceremony (about 350 pounds).  Good job I've been saving for the past few years.  Plus she will need new clothes, for the past 6 years she has had uniforms, hanging around the house is pyjamas, a couple of nice things to go out in but not much.  I guess a few shopping trips are in the future.

Unfortunately a lot of things in the house need replacing, air conditioners (two have stopped working and one is only works sometimes). The air conditioner work as heaters so have been running a lot this winter.  Also my stove top is broken, need to get that changed soon as it's gas and I worry about it leaking.  Could do with a new sofa, cats have ruined the one I have now.  Good job I like working!!

The weather here is going through extremes.  Sunday was like spring, up 23C, yesterday and today it's snowing, down to -2C last night.  The forecast is for it to warm up again but who knows!

I'll leave you with some photos of the cats!

Fred and Alfie

I wanted to make my bed but.....

Christopher stuck the cats toy on his head

This is the result!

Having a Laugh

 I've realized that I am totally stressed by this pandemic.  There again I guess most people are!  Until December the virus felt far away, I didn't know anyone who was sick and the cases being reported were always in another city.  Now there is a cluster in Hannah's school, too close for comfort.  One thing that helps me with stress is finding the funny things in life, things that make me laugh or at least smile.  Here are a few things that have happened over the past couple of weeks that have done that.

Even though I don't want to I still have to food shop, I try to be as fast as possible in the stores and only shop once or twice a week.  The other day I came back exhausted from doing a big shop, four different stores in two towns.  I have a hard time walking because of my knee plus it was freezing cold.  Got home and all nine of my cats were curled up on the sofa.  Of course I say hello to them but I came out with "Hello dogs!"  Hannah just looks at me and asks why I'm teaching English!

Then Christopher asked me to sew up his trousers.  He stooped down to pick up a box at work and his trousers split, he spent 3 hours with his arse hanging out!

Then there is David, who has the most incredible stories.  In Japan in all stores you are greeted with "Irashaimase" which basically means welcome, it's said in a loud, cheerful voice.  David works in a local convenience store, he said that he shouts out "irashaimase" hundreds of times a day when he is working!  When he is working a long shift I make him a big breakfast, but Friday was just 6am to 9am so something quick.  I made him a lovely cheese on toast.  He are half of it then said that he doesn't like cheese on toast, he likes cheese and he likes toast but not together.  He went off to work.  The first hour was kind of busy, but at about 7am things have slowed down.  All the other jobs that need doing like checking toilets are clean, emptying bins, checking shelves are full have all been done so David is just standing about waiting for customers.   He is feeling rather hungry by now and thinking about food.  Finally David hears the door open and he calls out, in English, in a lovely loud cheerful voice "I'M HUNGRY".  To say he wished the floor would open up and swallow him is an understatement!  

David!!