Goodbye David

David left to start his career in the Japanese Army on Sunday.  His basic training camp is in the
next prefecture, about an hour on the train.  I managed to keep it together until he left then cried my eyes out! I knew I would be upset but I cried more than I thought I would.  Part of it is that he is the first one to leave.  He seems to be alright.  He called on Monday because he had a fever, 37.5C, so not too high but they decided to isolate him for the evening.  Haven't heard from him since then.
My whole life has changed with David leaving, I have to start cooking again.  I didn't realize how much David did, he cooked, shopped, helped with cleaning and took care of the cats.  Hannah has taken over the cats, she has also baked some cup cakes and made hamburgers for dinner.  Christopher has helped with cleaning and Mikey is now my personal taxi driver!
One good thing is that Hannah can now have her own room.  Yesterday we finished packing up David's stuff, cleaned out the books shelves and desk, today move in Hannah's stuff.

Goodbye party for David

Getting ready to leave

Things Are Changing

The biggest change for us is David. He is joining the Japanese Army.  He will leave on March 29th. He will do basic training for 3 months, then receive training in some area, hopefully something that can be used in civilian life.  He will stay for at least 4 years then decide if he wants to continue or leave.
I have very mixed feelings about this. Happy/sad.  He is the first to leave home which makes it rather sad.  But I'm glad that he has found something that he wants to do.  The past few years he has been rather aimless!  One big thing is that I have to start cooking again, I have relied on David to take of things the past two or three years!

To enter the army you have to take a test and do an interview.  For that David had to buy a suit.  Top picture was practicing tying his tie, bottom two are on the morning of the test.

I don't know about anybody else but I am rather tired of this coronavirus.  I'm a little worried about the disease it self, more worried about Hannah. She was born premature, before her lungs had developed which means that her lungs are rather weak, even flu can be dangerous for her!  We are washing hands and wiping down surfaces with a bleach solution.  I haven't stopped teaching as it is my only source of income but will if the virus is reported in my town.  I'm more worried about the economic side, I feel that it will take years to recover.  My business has been hit bad, this is the best time to recruit new students.  Most years we will get about 10 new students from the end of February and March.  This year only 2!!   It's going to be hard!

And just because I need to finish with something cute, here are the new fur babies.

Their eyes are open and they are trying to move more!

Corona Virus Equals No Toilet Paper

Last week the government recommended that all elementary, junior high and high schools close for at least 2 weeks to stop the spread of this virus.  At the same time a lot of places where people gather have also closed, Disneyland and Disney Sea , Universal Studios Japan and live theater.  There has been panic buying, when I went to the local store there was no face masks, no tissues and no toilet paper.  I was really shocked by this, I had seen on the news but thought it hadn't reached where I live. Yesterday there was an incident on a train in Tokyo, a man coughed without a mask on and was yelled at by another man.  It didn't come to blows but could have.  Near here an elderly woman was walking, for exercise, again without a mask and somebody hit her!  I really wish people would get the correct information and not over react.  It's bad but so is the flu or measles!
I had to go to the doctors yesterday because of my knee!  It has become so painful.  It looks like the cushion between the bones has worn away! I have 2 weeks worth of pain killers!  Hope they help because even trying to sleep had been hard!

And because my life is already chaotic Mama cat has had more kittens, 4 at the moment but she is bleeding again so I'm wondering if there is another one!