Moving Week

 The goal is to get out of here by the end of the week!

The reality is that it might take a bit longer!

I've spent the morning cleaning the fridge and emptying one food cupboard. I'm making progress but it feels slow. Plus I keep going dizzy, not sure if it's because of my diabetes, high blood pressure or the allergy medicine I'm taking!  

Mikey is doing his room and taking stuff over. David and Christopher are also going to take more stuff. After I've finished the kitchen a bit I need to sort things in my room. There is still a lot of Hannah's stuff there, she'll come on Tuesday to pick up more, but there are things that she wants to keep but not at her apartment!

She sent some photos of her room last night.

She says she needs more bookshelves

Her futon, she'll get a bed later

kotatsu table to keep warm

A little something before bed

She says it's too quiet! She is used to being around people and cats so it must seem strange to be alone. She watched some videos and went to bed early.

She called this morning and said she was going to put together her kitchen cabinet, that should be interesting!

Back to work, more cleaning and packing to do!!

Goodbye Hannah

 Hannah moved to her apartment this afternoon.

She's had the keys for a couple of weeks but to get utilities turned on and the basic things that she needs has taken more time than expected.

This afternoon we loaded up David's car, just because it has more space than Mikey's.  I couldn't believe how much stuff she has, basically clothes and books, plus her computer, printer and some bits of furniture she had bought.

packed car

Goodbye

Arrived at the apartment

I wanted to go with her but there was no space at all in the car.

I cried. Not sure why, she's coming here on Tuesday, she has work in the morning  then she'll have lunch with us, then pick up more of her stuff.

I think part of it is that this is really happening. Things are changing and I don't handle change very well!

I was talking to Christopher, he mentioned that he has lived in this city since he was 11 years old. His junior high school, high school and college were all here. Plus the one job that he had for a few years was here.  A lot of memories for him.  More so for Hannah, she was 7 when we moved here.  

This week is going to be very busy. I think that someone is coming to take the fridge and air conditioner on Thursday (I might be wrong on the date).  From that time we will be basically staying at the other house and coming here to clean and close up this house. 

Also Costco is opening on Thursday. I would love to go but I don't think I could deal with opening day crowds.  Something to look forward to!

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

 That is how this move feels.

When we got rid of some of the big furniture on Tuesday I felt as if we had made some real progress but today I feel as if there is still too much to be done.

The room Hannah and I share is a disaster. 

Hannah is still sorting what to take now, what to come back for later and what she doesn't need but wants to keep in storage. 

There are piles of clean laundry all over the place. We moved out the big chest from my room, so my clothes are in piles. The other clothes are the kids things but they don't have storage in their own rooms as well. Plus I'm trying to wash all the blankets that are lying around.

Then there are more books. Everybody has books. It's good, I'm glad that my family likes to read but storing them is so hard. Christopher has already taken over 10 boxes of books but still has book shelves full of books. He said some he can throw out or take to the recycle shop. 

I really want to be out before the end of this month but I really don't have confidence that we can make it.

Christopher has taken to cooking. It helps that everybody can cook so I don't have to worry if I'm too tired or busy!

Yesterday he made fried rice and soup. He took time to use fresh vegetables in the fried rice!! Very nice. I was happy to finish teaching and go and have a nice dinner.

Christopher's fried rice and soup

Saying Goodbye

 To furniture!

We hired a company to dispose of some furniture that was broken, too old or too big for the other house!

The things we got rid of were the old electric piano that no longer worked! We bought that piano when Mikey was in the second grade, both he and Hannah used it. A few years ago Mikey's friend gave him another one, that is a lot better and still works!  

Both Christopher's and Hannah's beds went.  Both were falling to pieces so it was good to let them go.

Hannah's bed

I remember buying this bed, I agonized about which one to buy, I had a limited budget and wanted to get something that was comfortable, practical and would last a while. I'm not sure how long we've had but at least 8 years.  Not too bad!

The large chest of drawers also went. I was happy to get rid of that, it was so heavy and big that there was no space in the other house for it.

The hardest thing to let go off was the big table in the dining room. 

Big dining table

We had this table over 20 years.

We got it from a recycle shop.  Hisao bargained with the shop owner and we got a good discount.

I have so many memories of sitting round this table.  Not only eating there, but talking to the kids, having a laugh with Hisao.

When we moved here Hisao bought a single gas burner so we could do "nabi" in the winter. Basically cooking in one pot at the table.

Enjoying nabi at the table

That photo was taken exactly one year before Hisao died!

After Hisao died we stopped using the table. It was too painful for me to sit there with 6 chairs but only having five occupied!

Letting go of this table was hard but the right thing to do!

No table

Yesterday was emotionally draining. Our cats freaked out at the noise and having things moved around. They went into hiding, we thought they had escaped, which upset Hannah!  Only Mama got out and she comes back for dinner! The others were hiding in cupboards, in the bathroom and between the sofa!  

Frodo between the sofa seats!

Having all these things taken out makes the move more real!

I'm still struggling but am resigned to it!  There really is no choice!

Feeling A Bit Better

 My allergy symptoms have calmed down a lot! But I'm totally exhausted after two very busy days!

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew!  Moving house, trying to make the other house habitable, cleaning the yard there as it looks like a jungle, throwing out years of stuff that has accumulated, packing up here, again throwing out stuff and cleaning years worth of dust from behind and under furniture. At the same time I'm helping Hannah move to her apartment!  My head is spinning as I'm trying to remember schedules, who has free time to help, who is working when!  

Friday David, Christopher and I went to the other house. I spent the morning scrubbing toilet bowls and tackling the dust that had built up. Then I unpacked another 3 big boxes of books.  We have too many books!!  David and Christopher cleaned up outside. When we started taking things out of the house we dumped most of it in the car port area, but David wants to park his car there when we move.  

I found these lovely flowers, I have no idea what they are but they caught my eye. A nice bit of color among all the green.

Lovely flowers

I'm hoping to plant vegetables, as the prices are crazy and maybe I can grow a bit to help out.  I didn't consider growing flowers but after seeing these and feeling so happy at the splash of color I might try to grow something colorful as well.  This is going to be a learning process, I'll let you know how it goes!

Hannah had a crazy day on Friday!  She went to pick up her key, while she was in the city she went to the city hall to register her new address, and to the police station to change her address on her drivers license.  She went to her apartment to turn on the power but had problems reaching the fuse box!  After a nice lunch she spent time checking out stores for things that she needs to buy, basically everything!!

She said it was more than she thought when she ordered it!

In her apartment

She was looking for a small washing machine and saw these.

Twin Tubs

Apparently they are still a popular choice!

She had an appointment to choose a special kimono for her graduation. It's called a hakama. She tried on a few different ones and sent me photos. We are planning to go again to make the final choice. These are the ones we like so far.

At the moment I'm leaning toward the pink or light blue one.

She had a bit of free time before her appointment at the kimono shop so she had a look round the city. She found a nice park and junior high school. I think the junior high school is affiliated with the university, it might be where Hannah will do her teacher training. She sent me a load of photos.

Nice park

junior high school grounds

A statute of a cat!

Yesterday Mikey drove Hannah and I back to her apartment to take some of her stuff!  We stopped off at a 100 yen shop to pick up a few things, especially a measure as I forgot ours and she wanted to check the windows for curtains.  We then went to a few other stores looking for things she needs. We got to the apartment and unloaded her stuff. I managed to carry up one small box but I realized I felt very unsafe on the stairs carrying things! 

Her apartment is nice, just a kitchen, toilet, bathroom and one large room. Small but for one person it's enough. There's a massive walk in closet and even a small pantry in the kitchen!

wash basin, room for a washing machine

shower and bath tub

control panel for heating the shower area, she can hang laundry there as there is a special drier for that!

From the kitchen, the main room

From the window

Kitchen

her new stove top

small pantry

We had lunch, then went shopping. Mikey is great to shop with for electrical things. The stores can do discounts if you ask and Mikey knows how to get the best discounts.  Yesterday Hannah bought the gas stove top, a washing machine and light fittings for about 49000 yen, about 250 pounds!  In other stores just the washing machine was that much.  

The gas people came to set up her gas and to make sure that the water heater was working okay.  

After that I was finished, I could hardly walk, my knee was painful and my back was playing up. 

I didn't have to go with Hannah but I really want to support her as she starts this new adventure. I found it fascinating to watch her make decisions, as she tried to figure out the best things to buy, what she really needs now and what she can buy later.  

My emotions are raw. I know that things will work out, somehow, but it seems so hard to move from this house, that I've come to love to a place that I don't really like and at the same time watch my daughter, my baby, grow up and take the first steps to being totally independent.  

This week is going to be busy as well. Tuesday someone is coming to dispose of furniture that we don't need.  I feel sad that some things have to be thrown away but we've had them for ages and there really is no room in the other house for so much stuff!!

Wednesday Mikey and I have a lesson at the community center. And Hannah wants me to go to the kimono store with her!

I told David that I should clone myself so everything can get done, but then realized that cloning David might be better!!!!

Allergies

 I suffer from seasonal allergies!  Actually I suffer all year round but spring and autumn are particularly bad.

I thought this year wasn't so bad as the worst time is late September/ early October. I was snuffling a little bit not too bad.  That was until last night!  

I woke up at 3am with my nose running and my eyes itching. I started to sneeze and didn't stop until after 5am!  Then all the other symptoms started, itchy eyes, dry mouth, sore throat and an awful headache. 

I canceled my morning class as I had no energy to do anything!  I did managed to put together a couple more boxes of stuff to take to the other house. That was a mistake as I stirred up a lot of dust, which had me sneezing again.

Mikey was going to take the boxes but he is sick with allergies as well!! He suffers from the same thing as I do. At the moment Christopher seems okay, he is another sufferer. Hannah has mild symptoms. The only one who doesn't get this is David!!

I really don't have time to be sick. There is so much to do to get  out of this house. One problem is that as I'm taking furniture out I'm finding lots of things that need to be cleaned!

Yesterday we took the large table from one of the rooms that we use for teaching. The flooring is tatami but I had it covered with a carpet. I took the carpet up and found a lot of bits that had gotten underneath. I'm guessing that will be the same for the other carpets!

The cats are still playing up, even now one is crying in the corridor!  Yesterday evening some of them managed to get into my room!  The door was closed and my small exercise bike was in front of it so they can't open it but somehow they managed! They looked very comfortable on Hannah's bed!

Alfie and Toast on Hannah's bed!!!!

Needy Cats

 Even though we have nine cats they aren't that vocal!

The only time they make a lot of noise is when they are fighting or when they think it is feeding time!

The past couple of weeks how ever they have be meowing almost all the time, especially if there is nobody with them!

Fred seems to be the worst. If he can't see one of us he will cry until one of us goes to him!!! He loves to be petted, usually this quietens him down, for a bit!

Fred yesterday shouting at something!

The other one who has become very noisy is Alan. His noisy time is bedtime. The cats get a last feed just before we go to bed, between 10 and 11pm. We then have to separate the cats, putting Alan. Steve and Frodo it the corridor, the other cats are in the living room, it's the only way to stop them fighting! Most of the other cats settle after that but Alan sits outside my door and meows. I don't let the cats in because they have a bad habit of peeing where they shouldn't. Most nights I have to go and sit in the corridor to keep Alan quiet. 

Alan

I asked about this on a Facebook group for cats, I was told that the cats might be picking up on the stress in the household. I'm really stressed, totally stressed. I'm feeling overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. I'm trying to figure out schedules, who is free to take things to the other house, who can help with cleaning and packing up here.  Also the mixed emotions I have about all the changes!

I'm at the point now where I just want this finished!