Christmas

 Christmas was very different this year.

Hannah couldn't join us. I think this is the first year that one of the kids wasn't at home. Even on the years that they had work on Christmas Day they could have dinner together.

Hannah planned to come for a couple of days but she was asked to work. The nursery she is working at has a lot of staff out sick, flu season! Hannah was happy to pick up some extra shifts as she needs the money. She treated herself to a nice dinner in the evening! Pizza, sushi, chips and a salad (at least she got something a bit healthy!)

Hannah's Christmas dinner

Of course she got herself a cake.

Cake and a musical to watch, happy Hannah!!

Our Christmas dinner was very unique! No turkey, not even a roast dinner. We had BBQ!  Yep, we sat outside eating BBQ.

This was all David's idea! When he went shopping last week he called and said "Mom I've bought a BBQ set, we can have BBQ for Christmas dinner!" This was while I was sick last week, so I actually just agreed with him without thinking it through at all!  

The fun started with putting the BBQ grill together.

David and Mikey putting the grill together

Then came the problem of getting the charcoal to light! David has bought charcoal and a special liquid to start the fire. Of course nobody read the instructions until we had been messing around for about half an hour.

Trying to get the BBQ hot

3 wise men?????

Still waiting to start cooking!

The lads finally got things figured out and we could start cooking! Mikey actually did the cooking!

Mikey burning the sausages!

David having a go!

Even though it wasn't a traditional Christmas dinner it was nice. I think this is the first time I haven't cooked!

We didn't really do presents. I bought a little something for everyone, I'll get Hannah something when she visits, maybe next week!

Few more photos from the day!

Beef, mushrooms, chicken skewers and sausages

Sweet potatoes cooked in the grill

Beautiful blue sky!

presents

Christopher

The next photo I wasn't going to use but this is me.

I've always been fat and ugly, now I can add old to that list!

I didn't  recognize myself!

In the afternoon we had to go to the other house!  Mikey had a few lessons, I had one make up lesson from last week.

There is still cleaning to be done and the last few things to be packed up.  I did a bit but started to feel awful after a while.  Usually a short rest helps me to be able to push through but yesterday I just couldn't get any energy. I decided to go to the local clinic, I need something to stop the cough that has been hanging on for a few weeks, and was made a lot worse by the cold I had last week. I've also had diarrhea for over a month! I'm unable to rest properly so my body isn't recovering!! The doctor thinks that because I've been under a lot of stress then I'm not recovering! Came away with 5 different types of medicine. I hope I feel better soon as there is still a lot to do!! I told Hannah that I had all this medicine, she said that it was my Christmas present!!!

Twelve Years

 Last Wednesday was 12 years since Hisao passed away.  I was too sick to do anything last week but we've been talking a lot about Hisao since we moved here.

Even though this isn't the house he grew up in, this house was built about 32 years ago, this is the land he grew up on. The land and storage a place hasn't really changed that much, I can imagine Hisao and his brother racing around outside, climbing in the storage place and causing havoc!  When I think of the machines and chemicals that were around I'm amazed that he (and his brother) survived to adulthood!

I think Hisao would be happy to be here, he would have loved having a house and not renting a place. He would of taken care of the land and pushed to get things done so we can grow vegetables. 

When I think about this place in that context then I can find peace in my heart. I'm not happy here, there is a lot to be done but I think I can make it a home. It'll take time and a lot of work but somehow!

Christopher found some photos on an old game machine and sent them to me.

Not sure when or why there are so many cakes!!

David starting Junior High School

She was really sleeping

piggy bank collection

Hisao

I really don't know when the first two were taken. Maybe Christmas one year! But there are two cakes and a trifle on the table! We probably ate everything!

I remember the one of Hannah sleeping, she was recovering from chicken pox!

The ones of Hisao I have no idea when they were taken either but it was nice to see some different photos of him. 

I'm Back....Again!

 The only place I've been is sick in bed for a week. Heavy cold or the flu!

Monday I was determined to get some more unpacking done!  I was feeling mentally refreshed after my day off but my body was protesting. I walked over 5000 steps on Sunday, from my waist down everything ached. I wanted to get the boxes and crates in my room empty so I could take them back and pack up more stuff.  With a lot of moaning and complaining I managed to get that done. I also spent about an hour looking for something that I might have thrown out!!  After lunch I took it easy as I had a busy week ahead of the usual round of teaching and cleaning, packing, unpacking and cleaning.

One thing I'm really struggling with is not having real communal space. We have the kitchen/dining room but no living room. When my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law lived here they used the kitchen/dining room for everything, the living room was a storage/dumping place. They had so much furniture in here that it felt dark and crowded.  They didn't get along therefore having a place to hang out together wasn't important for them!

One item of furniture that I thought about keeping was this kitchen cabinet.

kitchen cabinet

The problem is that it is dark and very tall, making the room feel smaller.  David said that the bottom part is the right height to fit under counter we bought!  Something to think about.

Tuesday was back to the old house. I went early to start on Mikey's room. I told him I was just going to put things into boxes and crates and he could sort out thing when he gets time. Christopher and I spent a good couple of hours doing that but we ran out of boxes and I started to cough a lot, I thought it was because of all the dust.  I went to my bank to close the account and get the bit of money out. I thought it would be a simple thing but took over an hour!

Back to the old house for a quick lunch, just instant noodles! By this time my coughing was worse and I was really feeling awful!  I tried to lie on tatami floor but it wasn't comfortable at all. I did my one lesson and got back to here about 9pm. I went straight to bed!

Wednesday I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck. Still coughing, headache, body ache and then I started to throw up. I decided that my bed was the best place to be!

Hannah called in the afternoon, she had a fever as well. She wanted to come here for a few days. She was worried about the fever triggering another seizure, she felt it would be safer to stay with us for a few days. Mikey went and picked her up after teaching that day.

Thursday Hannah and I stayed in my room, we thought about going to the doctor but I have no idea which doctor to go to near here, I guess that is something else I need to figure out! Also it felt like too much effort to get dressed and go!

Friday I managed to get out of bed and went to the kitchen/dining room. David and Christopher had been very busy while I was in bed!

They took out that big kitchen cabinet, the bottom part went under the counter, they also took out the tatty green table that was there. They moved the unit from the corridor and put it next to the fridge, no choice as we need a place for food storage.

just fits and matches!

moved this in, must be a better solution but for now this is okay

empty wall, I might paint it later, just to refresh it a bit

Saturday Hannah went back to her apartment, she said that this house is too cold.  She recovered very quickly this time, which is good.

I'm still not 100%, still coughing, still sniffling! The only place that I feel warm is in bed but I have to get my act together or we will never be settled in here!

We've had a neighbor come and greet us!

Welcoming committee

He sat staring in for almost three hours. He went over to where the cats were but came back, maybe the humans are better entertainment!

A Day Off

The past few months have been very busy.  Packing, cleaning and moving, unpacking, cleaning, organizing, reorganizing, then repeat on what feels like an endless cycle!

So I decided to take a day off today, just go out and see something different, plus Hannah asked me to come and look at the Hakama she had chosen for her graduation.

Mikey, Christopher and I drove to where Hannah is living. 

These are some photos on the way.

One of the main shopping areas near where we live

Between where Hannah lives and us, lots of mountains

The drive is about an hour, maybe a bit longer if the traffic is heavy.  The road goes through the countryside, with small towns and villages dotted around.  

As we came into the city there was a road that had lovely trees, the leaves have changed, some had fallen but still very pretty.

coming into the city

The first place we wanted to visit was the art museum. There's a special exhibition of a golden Tea Room constructed in the late 16th century for Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was a samurai lord who managed to take over many of the Japanese clans, he was eventually made regent. 

The art museum is near to the castle and has very beautiful grounds to explore. 

Part of the grounds, the building is the local TV station

Nice statue but no idea who it is!

The wall is part of the castle grounds

Most of the exhibition photography wasn't allowed.  There were letters dating back to the 16 century written by farmers to the local lord, saying that the crops weren't growing properly and asking for help. I was surprised that they were literate back then.  Very different to England where only the upper class or clergy could read and write.

The last part we could take photos.

screen depicting some battle

one of these is the god of thunder the other  the god of wind

It's difficult to see on the photos but the details of the battle are incredible, each face is unique, it shows the different weapons that were used and even some people fleeing the scene.

The main exhibit was the Golden Tea Room.

Even the outside and back were gold

Got a photo of Christopher

So he got one of me

I wanted to get more photos but there were too many people!

Mikey and Hannah decided not to come in, so after we finished we went to find them in a massive car park. I asked Hannah to send a photo to help figure out where they were.

Not very helpful

After doing a full circle of the car park we found them!

We went to Lotteria for lunch. It's a Korean fast food place. Hannah told me that they had a roast beef burger, so that's what I got.

Roast beef burger

Then it was off to the kimono shop for Hannah and me. Christopher walked to a recycle book store, Mikey slept in the car.

Hannah had already decided which one she wanted but wanted me to give her my opinion.  I think the one she chose is very nice.  

This is the kimono top, longer than I thought it would be

with the Hakama skirt

She isn't wearing the skirt, it's just clipped to the obi belt.

We decided on a different color obi belt, the yellow seemed a bit to strong on the red background.

The final set up

She has a gold colored obi belt and a light purple strip on the neckline, it's difficult to see but looks very nice.

While were there Christopher went for a walk, he found some interesting things on the way.

There are a lot of these birds in the small canals

A gate from the Edo Period (1603 to 1868)

another bird

I had a lovely day. Bit too much walking. I'm going to make some dinner soon, get an early night and start again with unpacking, organizing and reorganizing. Also I really want to bake, I've missed baking because of the moving, so really want to to do some this week!!