Oh Dear

 I was looking for inspiration for today's post. I decided to look back at last May. I came across this post, Jackie's Japan Journal: Breaking Habits

Not good! One year and I'm still doing the same thing, still getting up too early, then going back to bed and sleeping most of the day away.

I have three questions that only I can answer. The first one is why do I sleep better in the day? I've always been a night owl; I've never been fond of early mornings or any mornings, actually. I know I'm able to get up and keep going all day. I did it when I travelled with Hannah earlier this year, also when I've had days out. So I don't think it's a physical problem, more an emotional one.

Another question is, do I want to be awake, to get things done or is escaping into sleep the only way I can cope with stress? My stress levels are high, but so are every ones elses! I'm not unique in this day and age. I worry constantly about my kids, and yes, I know they are adults, but the worry is still there. I worry about Hannah and her health, David's job and all the driving he has to do. Is Christopher alright in his job? Can he deal with all the walking once it gets hot (the nearest bus stop is a 40-minute walk from here; he's okay now, and it's good for him, but once the heat and humidity start, will he be alright? Heatstroke is a big problem in Japan)? Also, money always seems to be a big worry for me. We never seem to have enough, so I spend hours at night looking through YouTube trying to find a simple side hustle. The problem is that nothing is really simple.

The last question is, can I break this cycle? I've tried sleeping tablets to help me sleep at night, but they didn't really work. I need to find a good rhythm for my life. I know my health isn't that good, but sleeping constantly isn't helping. Looking back over my planning book for the past couple of weeks, sleep is always marked as bad! All the other areas are either ok or good. 

As much as I don't want to, I think I'll have to make a schedule, what time to get up, what time to rest, what time to go to bed. I feel like I'm going backwards with my life! Five days a week, I get up at 5am to make breakfast and obento. I know I don't have to, that Christopher can make his own obento, and anyone else who wants breakfast can help themselves. But I feel it's the least I can do! I then stay awake until 7am to call Hannah. She has to take her epilepsy medicine between 7 and 7:30. Most days, she can get up by herself, but sometimes she doesn't have confidence that she'll hear her alarm. I send her cat photos, so her phone is pinging a lot. After that, I doze with the idea to get up at 9am to start my day, but some days I don't wake up until 10 or 11 am! That's bad, my whole morning has gone! I definitely need a schedule!!

Another thing that has me worried is that it's been a year since we started advertising our English school here, and there have been no calls at all. I don't know what to do.

I was hoping that we could get some students so David could teach; it's better than the job he has now, which is making him ill. He's lost so much weight he looks gaunt!

David, he doesn't look good!

But still fools around, he was driving when Hannah took this selfie!

I asked why he doesn't get a full-time job at a company. He said that it's hell working full-time, the income is about the same, and you are expected to work overtime and go drinking after work. The Japanese have a word for death caused by overwork, karoshi, which shows how often that happens. People are literally worked to death.

I'm going to suggest he tries to get students online, even a few would help. I need to teach more as well. I'm wondering if the time of just advertising and getting lots of students has passed.

Sorry, I'm just rambling here!

Goodbye Hannah

 Hannah had to go back to her apartment today, because she has classes from tomorrow morning.

It was nice having her here for a few days, but it's always kind of sad when she goes back. I know her life is there now; she has classes and starts two weeks of teacher training soon. But the house feels quiet and empty, even though the other kids are here. Is there another word for adult children? It always feels weird to say kids when they are adults, but my kids!

The weather was really nice today, so I decided to go along with Mikey. Part of the journey is along the river.

I like this part of the river; it always looks clean.  It's the last day of the Golden Week holiday, so a lot of people were out. There are a few golf courses, or maybe just practice areas, along the river.

We did a bit of shopping. Hannah needed a few things from Daiso, the 100-yen shop, and some bits and pieces from the supermarket. I thought about going to a few other places, but we were both tired.

Of course, we got lost! But I actually enjoyed that, got to see some other parts of the city!

Lovely temple gate

Even in the middle of the city, there are so many green spaces.

As we came back to Kurume, we saw the tail end of the shinkansen.

You can just see the Shinkansen as it pulls into the station.

The building on the left, with the cranes, has gone up very quickly. It was started just over a year ago! Mikey and I were wondering what the appeal of living at the top of these kinds of buildings was. Not for me, I don't like heights, and I would worry about earthquakes.

I need to rest, I have a few busy days ahead, I really want to make the most of this good weather before it gets too hot and humid!

A New Recipe

 I have so many cookbooks, most of the time I just read through them, but I never get around to making anything! Kind of defeats the purpose of having the books, doesn't it?

Yesterday I was looking through a Japanese cookbook when I came across a recipe using bean sprouts, moyashi in Japanese. These are always cheap and rather filling, but I never know what to do with them. I asked Hannah to help me translate the recipe. I found that besides the bean sprouts, I had everything to hand to make it, so that was tonight's dinner.

Bean Sprouts and Cabbage in a Savoury Sauce with Fluffy Eggs

Ingredients

Bean Sprouts 2 bags

Cabbage, about the same amount as the bean sprouts, cut into strips

Mushrooms, just a few of any kind

For the sauce

Chinese Soup stock powder 4tsp

Sugar 3tbs (I used less, about 2 tbs as I thought it would be too sweet, good call as the taste was just right)

Ponzu 3tbsp (Mentsuyu can be used instead or citrus soy, 1tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of lemon juice)

Water 200 ml

Potatoe startch 1tbsp

For the Eggs

Eggs 4 large

Milk 1tbsp

Ingredients

I didn't use all the cabbage, it's massive!

Chop the cabbage and mushrooms, rinse the bean sprouts. Stir fry in a large frying pan. I used a wok.

Frying the vegetables

While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Once the vegetables are cooked, add the sauce. Stir the sauce well before adding, as the starch tends to collect at the bottom of the bowl.

Mix the sauce and vegetables thoroughly and cook until the sauce is thickened. 

With the sauce

Transfer the vegetables onto a serving plate, add oil to the pan and scramble the eggs until they are firm but not dry.

Fluffy eggs

Pour the eggs over the vegetables, and serve with rice.

The finished dish.

This was very quick to make and easy.

I always taste things as I go along. This didn't need anything added, but if you like a saltier taste, then a bit more ponzu would work.

I also next time I'll use more eggs!

If you make this, let me know!

Hannah bought me another cookbook, in Japanese, using the microwave to cook the dishes. I think in the summer that will be a lot better than standing over a hot stove. Once I've tried a few recipes, I'll post them on here!

Greenery Day

 Today is the second of four national holidays that make up Golden Week. Today is Greenery Day, a day to appreciate nature.

The origins of Greenery Day are closely tied to Emperor Showa (Hirohito), who had a lifelong passion for plants and biology.

Before his passing in 1989, April 29th was celebrated as the Emperor's Birthday. That day was renamed Greenery Day until 2007, when April 29th became Showa Day, and May 4th was renamed Greenery Day. This shift helped distinguish between honouring the Showa era and celebrating nature itself.

This time of year is lovely in Japan, usually! The weather is mild, the humidity is low, a great chance to get out of the cities and enjoy nature. People tend to hike or have picnics. There are also a lot of botanical gardens to explore throughout Japan.

I just like the idea of not having to work for a few days! I used to teach during Golden Week, but most of my students would have plans, so it's easier just to have a break before the intense heat of the summer starts, which keaves me drained!

I have enough greenery around here, I don't have to go anywhere to appreciate it!

I had a little walk around the garden, it feels so fresh after that awful storm yesterday.

Just a little video of the garden. I really have to get out and trim the trees and try and pull more weeds. It really is never ending!

Not very clear but there are plums growing on the tree.

I have no idea what these are but they are pretty.

The side of the house

This side I need to clear out as much as possible as both the electric meter and water meter are down there, somewhere! I feel sorry for the workers who have to fight through that jungle just to read the meters. 

Does anyone enjoy gardening? I like the idea of gardening, once everything is set up but having to cleaar out this garden is putting me off the idea!

A Slow Cosy Day

 That sounds a lot more positive than I'm totally wiped out from yesterday and haven't done anything at all today! I did make breakfast and obento, and have spent time reading!

I think I overdid it yesterday. I cleaned, made a big lunch, then spent an hour at Costco.  Most days, I would do just one of those things, but I'm trying to do more, be more proactive. That kind of backfired!

Also, today's weather isn't helping. It's been raining all day. This morning it was like a typhoon, strong winds and rain.

I was only outside for a minute, but got soaked through. I went to check whether the stuff hanging around outside had blown away. Mikey's rain gear had blown onto the garden, and a blue sheet had blown across the front of the house. Not a big problem. I was worried about David's car being hit by flying debris.

The wind has died down, but it's still raining. This is from my window. I'm a bit worried about how the water is collecting in the gully outside the house.

Today is the first day of Golden Week, which features four consecutive national holidays. For a lot of people, it's a chance to get away, but with the weather being so bad, I guess a lot of plans have been cancelled. Today's holiday is Constitutional Memorial Day. 

I should go and make some dinner, at least do something today!

Hannah's Birthday, Costco And Good Friends

 Today is Hannah's birthday, 24! Where have those years gone?

When I see Hannah today, a beautiful, confident, young lady, it's hard to believe that she started life as a premmie!

She was so small, just 900 grams, that the doctor gave her just 30% chance of surviving past a couple of weeks. She was born so early, just 26 weeks, that her lungs hadn't developed at all! There was a possibility that she could have serious brain damage, with a very low quality of life.

But she not only survived, she thrived!

I've been looking back at photos of Hannah over the years!

With Hisao, just a few months old.

With Granddad, about a year old.

Her 6th birthday.

Having a laugh!

We were trying to take a photo for our New Year's card. But everyone was fooling around, it took about 3 hours just to get one photo! 

Graduating from elementary school.

Starting high school.

Graduating from university.

A couple of months ago at Mojiko.

She has dealt with the setback of being diagnosed with epilepsy very well. It took her a few months to get used to the tablets that she has to take; they make her sleepy, but now that she is used to them, they don't bother her so much. She is very determined to graduate with her Master's Degree in Education and work as an English teacher in junior high school.

She came home this morning, we had a nice lunch together. It was nice having everyone around the table, just talking and laughing!

After lunch, we went to Costco. I know I keep saying that I don't have money, but we went to Costco before Christmas, paying almost 5,000 yen for membership. I think it's a waste just to go once a year. The Costco we went to is about 30 minutes drive from here. I've been saving my 500 yen coins since Christmas to go again. I spent more than I saved, but Christopher paid on his credit card, I'll have to pay him back bit by bit.

The weather was really nice, warm, sunny and not really humid.

Just a short video on the way to Costco. I love the Japanese countryside (except for the insects); it always feels so open and clean.

Costco was packed. It's a Saturday and the beginning of the Golden Week holiday. We spent an hour shopping. I wanted to buy so much, but I stuck to the basics that I buy from Costco, the most important being cheese, really cheese. I managed to get some baked beans! A pack of six cost 1600 yen. I got two packs. A couple of months ago, I bought a tin for 500 yen at an import shop. I was tempted to buy some lamb, but a small piece was over 6,000 yen, maybe for Christmas!

The cabbage I got is massive and only 129 yen; last year, cabbages were about 700 yen.

And, finally, a shout-out to my friend who sent me some rice! She doesn't know how much that means to me! Thank you so much!!!

I Caught A Cold

 Or my allergies are very bad!

Not sure which one, but I feel awful! 

I woke up this morning feeling like I hadn't slept. I had a headache, sore throat, runny nose and no energy whatsoever. I know that a couple of kids I was teaching on Tuesday said that they had colds, so maybe I picked up something from them.

This is typical of me. I have a week's holiday, tomorrow is Hannah's birthday. I have plans and ideas for things I want to do. Getting sick was not part of the plan. I'm sipping ginger tea and trying not to feel sorry for myself.

I always feel May is the last good month. The last month before the heat and humidity set in and make just everyday chores feel impossible.

Having only one working air conditioner doesn't help. I should get at least one more for the kitchen/dining area, but of course, no money.

I was thinking about our money situation yesterday and wondering why it's so hard. I realised that David's and Christopher's combined income is enough to support one person, but it has to support three people. That's crazy.

This is the reality of Japan. I know people in other countries are also struggling, but I only know that from the news.

I'm really wondering what to do. We haven't got any new students; I actually lost one, which really doesn't help. I guess looking into online teaching! Also, I keep seeing these videos about making things like print-on-demand or digital products. They make it look so easy: go to Canva, click here, drag this and voila, you have a product to sell. I keep trying, but end up getting so frustrated that I want to throw my laptop through the window!

I'm just rambling, sorry!

Hisao in May.

This collage just came up on my Google Photos.