2018

Every year a kanji (the Chinese characters that are used in Japanese writing) is chosen to
represent the year.  This year the chosen kanji was the kanji for disaster. Japan was hit by so many natural disasters.   From a volcano that erupted near a ski resort, to earthquakes, typhoons and
rain that caused flood and landslides.  Plus the heat wave that saw some cities with a temperature of 41C.  It was a hard year.
Also on a personal level 2018 has been hard.  Started out okay, Christopher graduated from college, but is still looking for a job!  Hannah got into the high school she tried for.  But after that it was
all down hill.  MIL's sister died.  A few weeks later our neighbor died.  Mikey found her outside of her house and called the ambulance.   Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Spent a week in hospital.  My recovery was during the heat wave of summer, I always
have a hard time in summer but this year was the worst!  Then MIL was rushed into hospital in September, where she still is!  The doctors have no idea what's wrong with her.  I have no way getting her pension so all the bills are coming to me!
So I hope that 2019 is better,  I need to make money, pay bills.  Sort out MIL's situation.  Hope that
Christopher can get a job soon and that Hannah keeps up her study at school.
Here's wishing my readers a happy 2019.

Christmas 2018

I managed to pull myself out of my funk and get Christmas done for my kids.
We had great food. watched movies and had presents.  Not as much as before but everybody got
what they wanted or needed!
Christmas Eve we did party food.  David made pizza from scratch, I did a quiche. we had
sandwiches and sushi!  Lots of desserts as well, trifle. chocolate cake and mince pies!

Christmas Eve food

We took some rather strange photos!

With the kids

Turtle Cat

Mikey was out most of the day, came back and ate cake!

Christmas morning was nice and quiet.  So different to the years of kids shouting and getting
all excited about the presents!  I got up late, well about 8am, Hannah and Christopher were
already down stairs, eating trifle for breakfast!  I gave them their presents, I didn't want to leave
things out because the cats would attack!  Hannah got some DVDs that she asked for and a CD, also some lovely PJs!  The boys got clothes that they needed.  I got a Nintendo switch for everybody to
play on!  David bought books for everybody.  I'm enjoying mine but it feels strange to read a real
book as I usually read on my kindle!
Dinner was nice. Roast chicken and all the trimmings.  I have lamb but miscalculated the cooking
time in the slow cooker, we will have it today!

Hannah with her DVDs and CD

Christopher figuring out the Nintendo Switch

I had to go to the hospital to take my MIL her clean laundry and pick up her dirty stuff.  This is a
weekly thing now!  It depresses me so much going there, these old people are in pain and being kept alive by so much medicine and procedures, but they aren't really living, just lying around in a
hospital.  When I think about the kind of life my MIL had, always on the go, always working.  My husband said that some seasons she would work for 24 hours with out sleep.  To go from that to being confined to bed must be hard and sad.  The hard part is that her mind is still clear, just her body
is not good! I think she misses being at home, she told Mikey she just wants to go home, that made
me cry!
Still Christmas was good and I had a nice time. I realized that it isn't about presents and Christmas trees, those are nice, but having a laugh with my kids, watching a movie together, just having time
to relax together without worrying about work or school, that is Christmas.
I hope all my readers have had wonderful holidays however you celebrated!

No Christmas Spirit

I have always done Christmas.  Even though it isn't a holiday here, I always managed to do
the trees, decorate the rooms, get presents and food.  I would be happy and excited for
my kids, Christmas carols would be played and I would find nice movies to watch!
This year however I just don't feel like doing anything.
 I haven't put the tree up in the living room, no space without moving most of the
furniture, plus I think the cats would destroy it.  Only Hannah asked for presents. she
wants musical DVDs.  The boys aren't interested in getting anything.  Of course I got them
a little something.  I've bought some nice meat for Christmas Day but have no idea what
to do for Christmas Eve.  It all seems like a chore which is not how I want to feel!
I guess the kids have grown up, but I don't want to face that!
Anyway will try to pull myself out of my flunk and have a good time with the kids!
One thing that is making it hard this year is my MIL's situation.  She is still in
hospital, with no end in sight. The doctors still don't know what is wrong with her, she
has a build of fluid in the stomach, it got so bad that she couldn't eat for a few days.
She seemed a bit better the last time we went to visit but until they figure out what is wrong
they can't treat her.  One option is to transfer her to another hospital has stomach specialists.
It's a case of wait and see.  One big problem is the money this is taking, we can't get her
pension so I have to pay everything, which is stressing me out no end!

Six Years

Yesterday was six years since my husband passed away.
I am trying to figure out how six years can feel both long and short at the same time!
Just after he died I wanted time to move forward, to move away from that
awful time, thinking that things would get easier!  Well they haven't!  If anything
things are harder and  I miss my husband so much!  I miss his wisdom, his ability to
cope with things, the way he would step back from a problem and think things
through. I'm the opposite, I tend to react and then realize that my reaction was
wrong!
Also I am trying to envision what he would look like now.  He would be 57 if he had
lived.  I guess he will always be 51!

Trying to Move More

I'm still reading the book on moving more.  I never thought about how much
I don't move but when I looked carefully at my day I spend 80% of my time sitting.
Some is unavoidable, eating for instance and of course sleeping (lying down but still
not moving),  But I spend a lot of time watching TV, reading or on the computer.
Last week when I took Christopher and Hannah to the city I walked a lot. We arrived to early
so spent about 2 hours walking around, plus walking to and from the station.  The next
couple of days I really paid for it, I couldn't walk, my legs were so painful.  Kids told
me I need more exercise, which I know is true!  Also I went to Costco, another lot of walking.
But those are unusual things, not daily life.  One thing I am trying to do is not to ask the
kids to get things for me.  If I need something from upstairs or another room I usually
ask one of the kids to get it for me. But the past week I have been trying to get things myself.
Also the cats make me move more, they get into things that they shouldn't and having to move
them means I move more.  I really do need to be careful, yesterday I was watching a movie
and noticed that I was getting pains in my thigh because of sitting for so long.  I managed
to walk it off but it was worrying!
So here is to more active life, I have to try!

Christmas Parties, A Musical and Christmas Market

The past couple of weeks have been really busy!
The last week of teaching we do Christmas parties for the kids!
Lots of fun but also a lot of work.  I baked over 200 cookies, plus I
made cakes and pies for us to enjoy!  Mikey did his cotton candy art for
a couple of kids1  I think everybody had a good time, there was a lot
of laughter!

Decorating the tree

Good job!

Mikey making cotton candy

heart shape cotton candy

 The week after Christopher, Hannah and I went to the city.  Hannah and I to watch a musical.
Christopher watched a movie.  We had a good time.  The musical was the 65th anniversary of the
musical company that produces most of the top musicals.  Two hours of song and dance, very impressive!
After the musical we walked back to the station and had a look around the Christmas market. Nice but very cold, so we got hot chocolate to drink.  All in all a nice day out!

Dancing water

The musical we watched

Some of the Christmas lights and the Christmas Market

Lovely hot chocolate

What a month

I know it is only the fifth but I have had enough of this month already!
Saturday Hannah and I went to get our hair done.  I have a color put on mine, kind of no choice,
too grey otherwise.  The hairdresser combs the color through my hair.  Everything is going fine
until she drops some of the color stuff on my face and eye lid, that stuff burns!

Then on Sunday David noticed that the kitchen sink was emptying to slowly.  So he decided to
take the waste pipe out.  He has done this before without any problems but this time the
pipe split.  He went to the local home center and bought a new pipe but this house
is a bit old and the newer pipes are slightly smaller, so he bought some tape as well.
I am hoping that it holds as I don't want to call the estate agent as we shouldn't have the cats!

Plus just to really add stress to my life my MIL's situation is getting worse.  She has been in hospital
for 3 months now and they have no idea what is wrong with her.  She has a build up of fluid in
her stomach and the doctor doesn't know the cause.  They have ruled out cancer and infection but
until they know why it is impossible to treat.  Then I was given her bill for October, almost 500 pounds for one month, plus I have to spend about 60 to 80 pounds on things that she needs, adult nappies, tooth paste and other bits and pieces.  I have no idea how we can pay this.  I have my own
medical bills to deal with!

The past few days I have been baking.  It's the students Christmas parties this week.  Made about 200 cookies so far but still need a load more.  My life seems to  be about extremes. I am either doing nothing, just watching TV or reading or running around without a break!  Need to find balance.

Sitting Disease

I'm reading an interesting book called Move More by Amanda Sterczyk.
In it she is talking about how are lives have become sedentary.
According to medical experts we should get 150 minuets of exercise a week.
But according to this author we should be moving more in our daily lives.  Most of
us spend hours a day sitting, our modern world has taken away the need to move.
Office work, sitting cars during our commute, and our free time is dedicated to screens.
As I was reading this I realized how much more sedentary my life is compared to my Moms.
She worked two or three part time jobs, she worked in a small shop where she had to
stand all the time, she also worked as a cleaner, which was very hard physical work.
At home she cleaned, running the vacuum cleaner everyday, hanging laundry out,
picking up the flutters etc. Also she didn't drive, once a week she would go
to the supermarket in her friend's car but for daily things she would walk to the shop
or use the bus.  Her life was active and she never worried about weight or related
problems! I am the complete opposite, I can actually go a whole day and not move
from my sofa.  The summers are the worse as the heat makes me so sick that even the
daily activities don't get done!  But I spend far to much time watching TV, reading or on the
computer.  Even my work is sitting down.  I don't cook everyday,  David takes care of that!
I ask the kids to clean and hang laundry so my physical activity is very limited!
From the first few chapters of this book I can really see that I need to change my
lifestyle.  In the book she talks about how our bodies get stiff if we don't move and that is
so true.  Sometimes when I get up I feel more like an 80 year old.  So I have to
find a way to move more during the day.  But I need to be careful, I tend to over do
things then hurt myself or get too tired.  So baby steps to a fuller life filled with movement!

A Nuisance of Cats

That is not my idea, the collective nouns for cats is a nuisance!
I like looking at the collective nouns for animals as they are very descriptive.
For example; an intrusion of cockroaches,  a tower of giraffes, a plague of rats!

Our cats are a real nuisance though.  They have this mad hour or so two or three times a day where
they race around, attack anything that moves, and things that don't move!  The black cat loves to go near the window where the dog is,  She just sits there and the poor dog works herself up
into a real state, We keep moving the cat away but she keeps going back!
But they are cute and Hannah loves to play with them.  Hannah is stressed because of
tests but spending time with the cats seems to help her calm down!  I think all of the photos
that Hannah took are of the cats.

black one is Alan

Brown cat is Mama, grey one is Fred

white one is Steve

November

I love this time of year in Japan.  The weather has cooled down a lot, days can still be warm but the
nights are nice and cool, makes sleeping a lot easier!  Also my seasonal allergies have
calmed down a lot, which helps!  So having a bit of energy I have been trying to clean up and
get rid of things.
Last week the living room got a good clean because Hannah lost her glasses. She needs them for distance so doesn't wear them at home, unless watching TV.  She always puts them on the
book shelf near the door.  So last Wednesday she followed her usual routine, put her glasses
on the books shelf, had a shower, did homework, had dinner,  played on her phone and went
to bed. The next morning she went to get her glasses on the way out and they weren't there.
We had a quick look but couldn't find them.  So while she was out we took the living to pieces, moved the book shelf and sofa, moved the kotasu table out.  Looked through the draws, even in
the fridge!  No glasses!  After 3 days of searching I gave up, she needed new glasses, but I
was hoping to wait until next spring!  I really don't know how she managed that, glasses are
rather big.
The other thing I have been doing is letting go of more books!  I gave some away to people
on an online group. Have more to do.  But I am slowly making room for things that are
important in my life. Not this clutter!  One thing I keep putting off is going to my Mil's place
to sort out the stuff there!  It needs to go!

A Funny Song

Hannah found this song the other week.  It's in Japanese but has English subtitles.

The reason it is so funny is that it is really true, especially where I live.  The houses here are
built for the summers which are long, hot and humid.  So no central heating, although some newer
houses have under floor heating, but I don't know how good it is!  Also no double glazing.  The most common form of heating is paraffin heaters. Although most air conditioners have an heating element and are very popular.  The house that I am in has city gas, but it is so expensive.  We use a kotasu table, a low table with a heater built in it and covered with a futon.  Gets nice and toasty but like the poor penguin it is difficult to get out.  Each room is heated independently, so moving from room to room is awful.  We are lucky that winter here is not too harsh and it only gets really cold in January and February!

Halloween and Magic Shows

This past week we have been doing Halloween parties for the kids classes.
I have been baking cookies almost everyday.  I got a new oven a few months back so
baking is easy!

My new oven

Mikey does most of the kids classes. He tells the kids they can invite one friend for the party. So it does get a bit crazy.
I have no idea what they are doing but there is a lot of laughter!

Mikey with his class

Mikey also had two magic shows near here this week.  The first one was at a community center near the house.  The mayor of the city turned up to Mikey's surprise.  The second show was at a local cafe, he was asked to do magic and teach some English!

Mikey doing his magic!

I've been suffering with allergies, I get them every year but this year is really bad!  I hope that it will pass soon!
The kittens have really grown!  They are still cute.  A few cute kitten photos to finish.

Good bye

One of our kittens founds its forever home today!
One of Christopher's friends wanted to have a kitten.  He came today and spent a couple of
hours playing with the kittens, decided to take the brown and white one.

Even though I know it's better for them to go, I have grown rather found of these little guys.
The question now is can I let the others go?

Here We Go Again

The Care Manager who is responsible for my MIL set her up with a security team.  If MIL had another fall or became ill she has a emergency button that alerts staff who can drive out to her place and check on her.  

Last Thursday night we got a call from the security company.  They were at MIL's waiting for an ambulance.  They called back at 2am saying that MIL had been taken to one of the large hospitals in the next city.  Mikey and I drove out there.  This was the hospital that Hannah was in when she was born, 16 years ago.  The hospital has changed so much, many new buildings and the car parks are all over the place.  We found a place to park but then had to walk to 10 minutes to the emergency building!  When we got there it was a case of waiting around for about an hour!  The doctor came and explained what was going on.  MIL was bleeding internally, maybe because of blood thinning medicine she was taking.  The blood had pooled around her thigh and hip where she had the operation last year.   This was causing extreme pain and she was unable to walk.  We had to wait another hour or so while they did more tests on her.  Then came all the forms we had sign for her, admission forms, permission for blood transfusions, permission for other meds.  We finally left at 6am.  We got back and Mikey headed for bed.

After dropping Hannah off at school, David and I drove back to the hospital.  This hospital didn't want to admit her because she was a patient at another hospital and they had all of the records for her. So we spent a few hours hanging around to get transport, which we have to pay for! MIL was in so much pain that I  had to ask the doctor for extra pain relief!  I understand that they couldn't give anything too strong but they didn't even offer her anything!  Finally we got her to right hospital, another load of forms to fill in!  We then drove to her house to pick up things that she needs.  I was shocked at how bad the house was again.  I was looking for somethings on her table when as massive cockroach ran out!  She had taken jam into the bedroom and left it there, the smell was awful!  We didn't stay long there.  Back to the hospital and finally met with the doctor. He wants to give medicine to thicken her blood a bit but it is dangerous.  Looks like she will be in hospital for a while! So again it looks like we will be spending a load of time back and forth to the hospital.  I am so mad because I wanted her in a home last year but she wouldn't agree and the other family members wouldn't support me.  The only other family MIL had was her sister but she passed away this April.  So everything falls to us!  It is going to be a long autumn and winter!

Really Not Happy

The city I live in offers cheap health checks for people over 50.  Basic checkup, heart,
blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and liver function.  A couple of weeks ago I started to
have a burning, tingling feeling on the bottom of my left foot.  Checked Google and the only
thing that came up was nerve damage because of diabetes!  Turns out that the burning had nothing to do with diabetes, one of the kittens had peed in my shoe and even though I had washed it out I was
having an allergic reaction to the cat pee!  Anyway I decided to go and get the health check.
I got the results yesterday!  Blood pressure normal, good, liver function fine!  But my cholesterol
is a bit high!  The big shock was the number for diabetes. The doctor explained that over 6
means diabetes, my number was 5.7!  So I have to lose weight!  I know it's my own
fault, I've been comfort eating since having the operation and now it has caught up to me!
Somehow I can find determination because it is my health that is at risk, just for vanity I
can't find the same determination!  The doctor recommended that I lose 10kg!  That feels like
a lot! But it's a goal and I am giving myself plenty of time to do it.  I'll get the papers
for next years check up in April, so until then I will lose 10kg!
Wish me luck.
If anybody has interesting recipes I would be happy to see them!

Never Ending

There is a line in the song "Circle of Life" that says " There's more to do than can ever be
done" . That is certainly true in this house! I found a list of to do things marked September 2013,
all I have to do is change the year as the list is the same!  Clean bedrooms, deep clean kitchen (difficult to do in the intense heat of the summer), tidy up the  yard. The only item on my list that is
finished is the back corridor, half of that has been cleaned out, books, papers and things that had been
collecting there for years have gone! So last night I made plans.  The weather has gone cool so
I thought get up. get Hannah to school (school on Sunday, just one hour for some test), then start but
I woke up feeling awful. Headache, sore throat and a fever.  I think the dramatic change in temperature means I have a cold!  So I have slept, and taken some pain killer, lets hope I feel
better for tomorrow!
One thing I have to do is buy a new oven. My old one over heats after about 15 minutes, so
baking cakes or muffins is out of the question!  David and I had a look yesterday but as always
making a decision is difficult!  I hope to check out one more place tomorrow then decide, I really need one before Halloween, the students look forward to the cookies that I make for them!

typhoon 21 and an earthquake

Two days ago Japan was hit by a massive typhoon.  The international airport in
Osaka was flooded, stranding about 3000 people. My understanding is the airport
is built on reclaimed land and a bridge connects it to the main land. During the
typhoon a tanker ship smashed into the bridge, causing a lot of damage, closing the
bridge!  In other areas cars and trucks were thrown about like toys, houses lost
roofs, part of the roof in Kyoto station came down, and signs were blown down.
Here is a link to Japan Times
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/09/04/national/strong-typhoon-poised-make-landfall-shikoku-kii-peninsula-afternoon/#.W5BOAExuL5o

Hope that works, if not doing a search on typhoon 21 should bring up a load of
reports.
This morning Hannah put the news on, expecting more news on the typhoon or the
power harassment scandal that has dominated the news. Instead the news is about a
strong earthquake in Hokkaido!  It hit in the early morning, about 3am and registered
as an M6. That is strong, the news is showing houses that have collapsed and constant after quakes.
Very scary.  I know Hokkaido is the opposite end of Japan but these natural disasters
seem to be happening far too often!  With disasters likes typhoons or heavy rain even
if the damage is extensive and there is a loss of life I always feel that I can prepare and
keep my family safe. Earthquakes just happen, any time!  That to me is more scary!

September

I have a love/hate relationship with August. I love that I can have a holiday, I love that
Hannah didn't have school, just a load of homework. I love that I don't have to get
up early to make breakfast and lunch box (obento) for Hannah.  But I hate the weather.
Every year it is hot. Starts in June and just goes on and on. This year was really bad.
A couple of times the next city hit 39.5C, that is crazy hot! Too hot to do anything!
It does get rather depressing, there is only so much TV to watch and so many books to
read!  I want to go out, not just to the shops but somewhere interesting but with the heat
I just couldn't do it!
So September!  Hannah is back at school, but missed two days because of heat stroke. She
wasn't too sick but practicing outside in 35C heat for two days took its toll on her. she is
okay now, tired after her sports day, and tests today.
I am already thinking about Halloween. The 100 yen shop has Halloween goods out already!
Wondering what to do for the kiddies classes that is fun and educational.  Then comes Christmas!
But before that I have to buy an oven, mine doesn't really work!
The kittens are growing.  They are so cute but rather naughty!  My poor walls are all scratched up.
Still don't know what to do with them!  The cost of keeping them is huge, vet bills, food. cat litter
and damage that they do to the house!  We will see!

See, total cuteness