A Bit of History

I'm still learning about this city.  We've lived here for 14 years but I know very little of the history.

The other week David went to the local shopping mall, in the parking lot he found a memorial dedicated to unknown soldiers that died during the Sengoku Period, literally the warring states period in the 15th century.  According to a plaque at the memorial a factory was built in the area where the shopping mall is now.  When they opened the factory they neglected the memorial, no prayers were offered for the unknown soldiers.  For a few years the factory was plagued with many accidents.  The factory owners decided to hold a memorial service for the soldiers, after the service the accidents stopped.  Maybe coincidence!  Christopher said that it was more likely that they finally learned how to run the factory without accidents!!

This is the plaque explaining the history

David said it's a nice little oasis in the middle of the parking lot.  Once the weather has cooled down I might go and see it for myself!

Miserable Summer

 The past few years every summer has been rather miserable.  This year, however, seems to be harder.  I think it's a combination of things, my health, age and having sick kids have all contributed to me feeling rather out of things.

I know that it isn't as hot here as in other parts of the world, but for me this too hot. It's 8:30 in the morning and already 30 degrees.  I've done a few jobs that needed doing but as always there is more to be done.  David has taken over cooking lunch, for which I am very grateful, I know I couldn't cook everyday!  My health is not good, my knee hurts again, I'm obese and have diabetes.  I'm tired all the time and have very little stamina.  I have lost some weight and I really hoped that would help, maybe a little bit but not as much as I had hoped.  The other day I was helping Mikey put things in the car, I was outside for about 10 minutes and felt awful, nausea and the begining of a headache.  When I came in I drank a load of water and sat infront of the fan for a while, felt much better.  I was suprised at how quickly I felt bad.  I use to be able to stay out for half an hour.  Is this part of getting old, if it is then I'm not looking forward to the next few years.  I am trying to use this time to do a few things.  I've spent time trying to organize lesson plans for the next few weeks, finding interesting worksheets for Halloween and Christmas.  Trying to study Japanese.  Also planning what to do with the other house, figuring out what I can change, what I can afford and what can wait.  I'm really looking forward to autumn, getting things done.  Time to make a 'to do' list.  I love crossing things off a list!

The cats have the right attitude, just sleep when it's hot!!  They race around at night and sleep most of the day!!!

Of Course

 Christopher has Covid!!

Poor lad!!!  He isn't very sick but has an awful sore throat.  All he has eaten is tofu, boiled eggs, jelly and peaches.  I'll make a smoothie later for him.  His fever is high, 39C but the medicine he got from the doctor should help.  My worry at the moment is Hannah.  She has tests all this week and next.  Also, she is overtired from the heat and working so much.  I hope she doesn't catch it!  I think because she is out of the house a lot she should be okay. I didn't think Christopher caught it from Mikey but I just checked and from exposure to symptoms is from 2 days to 2 weeks!! I always thought it was a shorter period!  I guess we are all exposed!  Looks like getting the alcohol out and cleaning everything!!!

Today is very hot, 36C at the moment, feels like 43C.  I'm sitting with a fan on me, helps a bit!  Poor cats are suffering but they won't stay in the rooms with air conditioning.  Most have taken over the stairs.

3rd stair down, death trap!!

View from the entrance

I'm hoping to post some recipes soon.  Still need to watch sugar and carbs but that is what I'm craving. Especially ice cream!  But need to stay away and eat more healthy foods!!  I just wish fruit was as cheap as ice cream!!! 

Christopher

 Looks like some kind of summer cold is making the rounds.

The other week Mikey got Covid, very mild and he recovered in 3 days!

Today it's Christopher's turn.  He was complaining of a sore throat earlier but he had been in the air conditioning so I thought it was just that!  He went to work but came back a few hours later.  Sore throat and 38C fever.  He's taken some medicine but the doctors are closed until tomorrow.  I really hope it's just a cold.  In Japan, there's a saying that only idiots catch a cold in summer!!!  Just saying!!!

Christopher and David

I hope I don't get sick.  Although I've been feeling a bit under the weather recently!  Not really a cold but just feeling blah.  I put it down to the heat and humidity!!

Also, there are a lot of summer festivals.  The past few years there haven't been so many or really scaled back because of the pandemic.  Last weekend was the festival here, Mikey got a place to sell cotton candy.  And there were fireworks.  Hannah took some photos, not great but you can see the fireworks.

There was a crow watching, can you see it?

Guilt

 Because of the heat I have to get up early, between 5 and 6am, to do housework.  Yesterday I managed to do all the floors, this morning I cleaned the kitchen.  Each day I try to get as much done before 9am.  That means that most days unless I have classes I can spend time reading, studying Japanese or watching TV.  Sounds great but I always feel guilty because I'm not doing anything productive.  My garden is a disaster but there is no way I can go out when the tempreture is 38C.  The bedrooms need cleaning, the bathroom as well but it's seems impossible to do anything.  And after this week it looks like even going shopping is out of the question.  Maybe one store but not like on Monday going to 3 different places and getting so sick.   

I don't like summer.  I don't like that I can't do everything I need to do.  I get so frustrated with myself and end up taking it out on the kids.  I would love to have a lovely cool summer, be able to go out and enjoy myself but it's not to be.  This Sunday is the summer festival here, I would love to go but I know that just walking to the area would end up with me getting heatstroke it heat exhaustion.  Mikey is doing cotton candy.  One good thing is that he will be working with somebody else so they can take turns to sell and then rest in the air conditioning!!

The cats are miserable as well.  They are just lying around, but at night when it is a bit cooler they start to fight!  

Hot cat

Random Thoughts

 Mikey recovered quickly from his bout with Covid.  He was down for three days but bounced back quickly.  The rest of us are okay, we didn't get sick!!

I've been watching the news about the heat waves in Europe and the USA.  How do people live in such extreme temperatures?   Some cities are reaching over 40C,  Phoenix, Arizona is up to 43C.  Is it possible to go outside in that temperature?  Here it's in the mid-30Cs. I got sick yesterday just shopping!!  I was alright until the last shop, the air conditioning wasn't very strong and I started to feel hot!! Came home, and felt really ill until I could get in front of the air conditioning!  I feel sorry for Hannah, she has to walk about half an hour from her campus to the train station.  Going is alright as it isn't that hot but finishing in the afternoon she has to walk at the hottest time of the day.  I suggested that she should get a parasol, it might help a bit.  I really do wonder about people who have to work outside.  Yesterday I saw an elderly gentleman directing traffic near a construction site,  I wondered how long he would have to stand outside!! I know I couldn't do that.   I feel really sorry for the kids, summer holidays have just started but the kids can't really play outside.  One good thing in Japan is that the school pools are open to allow the kids to go and play there, there is some supervision which helps.  Otherwise the kids are inside all the time!!!

The cats are all spread out,  I know it's hot when the cats lie on their backs!!  Poor things!  They don't like the air conditioning but sleep next to the door so they get a cool breeze from the room!!!

blocking my door!!

Mikey

 This morning Mikey called me from his bedroom.  He asked for aspirin and a drink.  I took it up for him, he tells me he has a 39.9C fever! Other than that he felt okay, tired of course but no coughing, sore throat, nothing at all.  So we assumed that he was probably suffering from heat stroke, he's been working outside with the cotton candy business and driving Hannah to the city a few times a week (2 hours drive each day). He canceled our volunteer class and the classes he had this afternoon and just slept.  At 4 o'clock he decided to go to the doctor. He has Covid, but very mild.  He has to rest for 3 days then check again.  This also means we have to cancel classes.  I know it's not as bad as when the pandemic was full force but I would hate to be responsible for others getting sick.  Not sure what David, Christopher and Hannah are going to do about their jobs.  This is our second round with Covid. The first time David, Hannah and I got very sick, Mikey tested positive but very mild symptoms and Christopher tested negative.

I hope that this is finished soon.  Being sick with a fever is never nice but when it's so hot outside it makes cooling down a lot harder.

The cats have decided to sleep near my door.  I have an air conditioner running most of the day, there is a little bit of a cool breeze under the door so they sleep there.  The problem is my door opens outwards,  Sometimes it's difficult to open the door.

outside my door