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!!

One Week

 We've been in this house for one week now!

I'm still not that happy but not crying all the time. It is what it is! I don't have the money or the energy to change things, if I did I would take down this house and build something that is livable.  But that is a pipe dream and we are stuck here!  

David and I have been scouring second hand stores for furniture that would work. I really want a nice sofa. We've seen a few but they were just as expensive as a new one. So I think it might be better to wait, save a little bit and then buy something new that we really like. I did manage to buy a counter/table for the kitchen. One problem with Japanese kitchens is lack of counter space. I like to spread out when I cook, plus I want a place to be able to bake.  This counter table has a small flaw but it's fixable, plus the height is adjustable. At the moment it's a good height for me but as I age and get shorter I can lower the table a bit!

New to us counter table

The plastic drawers underneath are temporary. In the old house I had a pantry and a over head cupboard that I could reach. Here there is very little useful storage. 

The kitchen from last week

The overhead storage is too high. I have a ladder to get things from it but I don't want to put anything heavy in there, I worry about earthquakes and everything falling down. The bottom cupboards and drawers smell funny. Like a plastic smell.  I don't remember this smell from before and have no idea what it is. Also even thought it has been cleaned and scrubbed it still feels dirty and I don't like the idea of storing food there. The bowls and utensils that are stored there are rinsed in hot water before I use them.  So another thing I'm looking for is kitchen storage units to go under the table counter.

We are still teaching in the other city, so Mikey and I are going back and forth between the two houses. I've been able to clean a bit but we need to do a lot. Tomorrow we are all going. Mikey has classes all day but David, Christopher and I can get a lot done.  I have a couple of classes but can spend time cleaning, I really want to be finished with that house, it breaks my heart to go there!!

It's getting cold, there is a gale advisory in place for our area, I hope it isn't going to be bad!!

 

I'm Back

 I haven't been anywhere, just no Wi-Fi for a few days!

On Friday, December 6th, David, Christopher and I moved. We bought 6 of the cats that evening, the other 3 the next day.

This is what moving the cats sounded like. It's about 40 minutes between houses, for 40 minutes we had this chorus!

  The cats have settled very well. So far they haven't been fighting or marking the areas too much!  They have found the only warm place in the house, the engawa.  I went shopping the other day and came back to this.

Waiting for me to get home!

The cats are okay but I am totally miserable!

This house is cold, dark and uncomfortable.

There's almost no natural light in the house. I understand that the design was to make the house cooler in the summer but I would prefer to have some sunlight in the main rooms and put up curtains or screens in the summer. In the old house I didn't need any heating until late afternoon because the sun would warm up the living room enough! In summer I kept the curtains closed to keep the room cool. Since moving here I've only been warm in bed, getting up is so hard because it's so cold. The weather isn't that cold at the moment either, todays high will be about 12C. The really cold time is January and February when it doesn't get over 10C, I honestly don't know how I'm going to deal with that.

Because there's almost no natural light it is very dark inside. We have changed the main lights but need to buy a few more. The lights have to be on all day unless we go out!  

There's no living room either. There are only two bedrooms so the living room is now Christopher's bedroom. Mikey is sleeping the tatami room as it's just temporary. I miss having some where comfortable to sit. I have my reading nook which is nice but too cold to use now. I want a space where we can hang out together, watch a daft movie some time or just to chill!!

I've actually cried I've felt that miserable.

The house is mine and I have a lot of ideas on how to make it a bit better but we have no money at all. We had to get a new stove top, which is nice but there's no money to change out the kitchen, bathroom and toilets, which need doing! 

I would love to extend the dining/kitchen area so we could have a living room but that would cost too much.  Also I'm a bit worried about the wiring, I don't think it has been checked since the house was built, about 31 years ago!

New stove top

I've cried so much since we moved here! I just don't feel comfortable. I feel as if it is all too much for me to deal with.

The bright point last week was Hannah coming to visit. Some forms came for her graduate course that she needed to fill out, so she came to pick them up, and visit with the cats!

Station entrance

Hannah thought this train was cute!

I didn't get any photos of Hannah but she sent these to me.  She enjoys exploring the different trains and buses and has become very adept at using public transportation!

I'm going to go and make beef stew for lunch, nice and warming!

I have to go back to the old house this afternoon to teach a few classes. I'm still cleaning out the place, most rooms are empty.  I'm just sweeping and wiping down the walls.  

I'll try to update more often now we have Wi-Fi!

Cats, Allergies And Pain

 I love our cats but they are driving me crazy!

Before we started to move I never let the cats in my room. I shared a room with Hannah and she was worried that they might pee on her university text books.  We had a lock system from the inside of the door and a small exercise bike to push up against the door from the outside.

After Hannah moved out and we had moved almost everything from the room I became a bit more lenient about the cats coming in.  After we moved the sofa out the cats didn't have a place to curl up and sleep. The floor is rather cold, especially I don't turn on the heating. The cats have decided that my bed is the best place to sleep.  During the day I don't mind but at night, when I want to sleep it gets to be a bit much.

Fluffy stays down stairs, the other eight cats come up and get on my bed. The three large cats, Fred, Steve and Alan weigh about 8kgs each, the smaller cats up to 5 kgs.  That means if all eight cats are on my bed there is over 50kgs extra weight. They sleep on top of the covers, next to my legs.  All that weight on the covers makes it very difficult for me to get comfortable.  I put them off the bed, get comfortable, then they get back on. I put them out of the room, the inside lock is broken so I ask someone to put the bike in front of the door. The cats, however, are too clever for their own good. Not only can they open the door but they have figured out how to move the bike enough to get back in.

My bed!!

David works nights, he leaves his electric blanket on low so it's nice and warm but the cats aren't interested in sleeping there!

Last night they got on the bed and I couldn't pull the blankets up over my shoulders! I moved them, pulled the blankets up, the cats got back on!  I've woken up this morning with pain in my shoulders from the cold and my legs ache from the weight! 

I really hope that once we move that they find a better place to sleep. If it was just one or two cats I wouldn't mind so much!

That's the cat story and the reason I have so much pain.

My allergies are driving me crazy as well. This year is very late. I usually get sick with allergies late September through October. This year started in November and is still going on.  It's not everyday but at least twice a week I get hit very bad, even the medicine I take doesn't help. The worst part is it seems to flair up when I'm really busy, either teaching or doing work to move.  My kids say I'm allergic to work! Could be!!!

David is at the other house setting up the Wi-Fi. Also the company that hooked up the gas has contacted him about a stove top, so it looks like all the excuses I was making not to move are resolved and the move is going ahead!! 

Hospital Visit

 Today was my 3 month check up for cancer markers, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Good news is no sign of cancer and the blood test for diabetes showed a slight drop in the number for diabetes.  According to the information from the hospital normal A1C is between 4.5 and 6.1.  When I was diagnosed with diabetes my number was 7, very high. Today it was 6.  Down .1 from last test.  I was very surprised as my eating has been awful the past month! I'm still on meds, but if I can focus, clean up my eating a bit more then maybe I can get under 6 by my next check up in March!  Something to aim for!

Only problem now is my blood pressure, still high, upper number is between 130 and 160.  My meds have been doubled so I hope that helps. I explained to the doctor that we are moving, he just laughed and said that explains a lot! I think, I hope that once we are moved that my blood pressure will settle down. Part of my plan once we move there is to get more active, clean out the garden around the house and as my health and stamina improve I can walk up the road to the other fields and start cleaning them out. I can't so a lot to start with but I think if I do a bit everyday, even just 10 minutes to start I should see some positive changes in my health. Also I'm looking forward to having a functioning kitchen again. I miss being able to cook and bake!

Yesterday I made big pot of soup.  Loads of veggies, a bit of bacon and pasta to make it filling. I though there would be some left over for today but it was finished off very quickly!  

Yesterdays soup

One thing that I like about the cold weather is being able to cook up some nice soups and stews!  Great way to load up on vegetables!!

Tomorrow we should have Wi-Fi set up in the other house. After that it's a case of getting a stove top, moving the last few bits and pieces and the cats! I'm still trying to figure out the best way to move the cats!! Should be fun!!