Goodbye 2021

 It's the last day of 2021 and I'm glad that it is finished.  I really hoped that after 2020 that this year would be better, that the pandemic would finish and life could get to normal.  I hoped that my business would recover enough so I could make enough money to start saving, that I could travel a bit and that the kids could have a better year.  But of course non of that has happened.  Even though the restrictions in Japan weren't that strict people were a lot more cautious, especially since the vaccines were rolled out very slowly.  This translated in not getting new students, I think parents were cautious as to where they would send their kids.  Also some people suffered economically so I didn't get many adult students, people are willing to pay for their kids education or if they need English for work but not for hobbies.  I hope that the Omincron variant is the last one, but I'm not holding my breath!

But it wasn't all doom and gloom.  Hannah graduated high school and started university.  She is enjoying her course so far, except for the math!  She also go a part time job and is saving to take driving lessons.  Mikey has been able to do some events, especially this past week or so.  He is hoping that he can start working as a magician soon, that was supposed to happen in 2020, but has been put off.  Both David and Christopher has settled in their jobs, they are still looking for something else but at least they can make some money.

So sending best wishes for 2022.  Lets make it a great year!

Happy New Year from us all!

That Time of the Year

 I always find the week between Christmas and New Year to be very strange.  Kind of a nothing time, the excitement of Christmas is over and it's to early to really prepare for New Years.  Unlike Christmas I don't really have set meals for New Years. In Japan soba noodles are eaten on New Years Eve, for a long life, even though I buy them we usually don't eat them. On New Years Day Osechi is eaten.  The different food items represent prosperity, good fortune and health.  But I've found them to be very expensive and not really good value for money.  Also this year I have to consider everybody's schedules as Mikey, David and Christopher will work over the New Year as they had Christmas off.

This week is also the time to do the big cleaning in Japan.  But it is too cold to do the areas that really need doing, no central heating!  One area is like a corridor running behind the two tatami rooms.  I've never understood the purpose of this area, it's kind of a dead space and we use it to dump things that we aren't using or haven't had chance to throw away, for example all the boxes that we have!  The best way to clean it out is to go outside, open the sliding windows and move stuff out that way but it's so cold outside that I really don't want to do it!  Maybe I'll get brave and do it tomorrow, I'll  let you know!

Other than cleaning I've been binge watching TV, not good but sometimes I just want to not think or do anything.  Now I feel like I couldn't watch another thing, kind of over did it!

 Hannah is happy that her part time job has finished for a few days.  She worked 10am to 10pm Monday and Tuesday.  Today she has been dozing on and off all day! But she still takes care of the cats!

Stand off!

Christmas

 Christmas was nice.  Few presents and good food.  But for me the best part was hanging out together.  Most days we eat one meal together, which I like, but because of schedules it is rushed and there is no time to just be together.  Christmas Day was nice because we could sit around talking, laughing and watching a movie, A Muppets Christmas Carol.  We laughed at the movie, made comments on it and even after it finished we were still talking.  More than the presents and food that for me was the best part.

I didn't buy much this year.  With everybody having their own jobs they buy what they need so I was having a hard time to think what to get.  I got some nice tops for the boys, a nice light but warm jacket for David, he rides his bike to work and it has gone very cold, so he needed a good jacket.  Hannah got a couple of books by Carrie Hope Fletcher and a lap blanket for when we go to see a musical next month.

David spoilt everybody.  He got a model for Christopher, a set of books for Mikey, a lovely set of skin care products and cosmetics for Hannah and a Google nest  for me!

Food was good.  I over did it!  Christmas Eve we had party food, nice ham, fired chicken, pizza, salad and some other things but I don't remember what.  Christmas Day brunch I did a full English breakfast, sausages, bacon, black pudding, beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and eggs!

Dinner was roast pork, roast chicken with stuffing, yorkshire puds, roast and mashed potatoes, cauliflower, carrots and brussel sprouts!  

Christmas Dinner

Trifle for dessert.

So Christmas was good.  Today it's very quiet.  Mikey has hid cotton candy work.  Hannah is working at the juku (after school cram school), she is working 10am to 10pm today and tomorrow!  David is in bed, he has night shift and Christopher just went to the shop!

Next is New Years and I have to figure out everybody's schedule as I think all the boys are working.

Merry Christmas

 It's Christmas Eve morning here.  I've spent the last couple of days shopping, trying to find something nice for Christmas dinner.  I did think about going to Costco but realized that going on the 23rd (the only day that somebody could drive me) would leave me too tired to cook after.  Also with this new covid virus going around I didn't want to risk it,  I know numbers a low in Japan but I think that is to do with the fact that there is not so much testing done.

Anyway Mikey took me to the next city, about half an hours drive.  One supermarket there always has good deals on meat.  I planned on getting some nice steaks, roast meats are not common here as a lot of people don't have ovens and the ones that are available are very small.  Had a look round and found a nice block of pork (about 2kgs) so got that.  Then I saw some whole chickens, very small but whole ones.  Just 1kg!

Tiny chicken

So I got two of those and figured that would be enough.  Then went to another supermarket, this supermarket has a better selection of fruits and vegetables. Picked up a few things, went to the meat section and sitting there was a lovely whole chicken! Just over 2kgs, so I got that one as well.  So now I have 3 chickens!

Good size chicken

Big and small.

So dinner is sorted but it is going to take a lot of work to get it done.  My kitchen is small, so is my oven.  Gets to be a balancing act! 

I hope everybody has a great Christmas!  Let's hope it's the last one with restrictions!

Nine Years

 Yesterday was nine years since Hisao passed away.

In some ways a long time, in others very short.  I still miss him everyday, as do the kids.  He is talked about all the time.  The other day Hannah was saying that one time she had set up her Sylvania family toys, houses, school and a kindergarten.  She was playing happily when Hisao said that he would play with her.  Hannah was so happy until he said "I can be Godzilla"  This was another story I hadn't known about!

Every year we celebrate the life he lived. But I also wonder what life he would of lived! Thinking on that I'm trying to live the life he would have had, being more proactive and not just reacting to things!  Making plans and following through with them.  Hisao was able to step back emotionally from situations and problems to think things through in a calm manner, I'm the opposite, I react and most of the time over react.  So I've been trying to step back, not easy but takes a lot less energy than screaming, ranting and crying.  This is one way I can honor my husbands life.

Managed to find photos with each one of the kids!

Christmas Parties

 We've been doing Christmas parties this week.  Keeping it simple because I just don't have the energy to do a lot.  No cookies baked this time, it was getting to much for me to deal with.  So we play games, Mikey does some magic and the kids make Christmas cards for their parents. There's a lot of giggles and being silly and so far the kids have enjoyed themselves.  I also got a couple of things for my Christmas table so it looks a bit better.

I bought a cloth to hang and a lovely snowman.

Mikey doing his magic.

Just today and Monday then winter holiday, I'm really looking forward to it!

Disappointed

 On a couple of my Facebooks groups people have been posting about these lovely Christmas treats they have been buying from an coffee/import shop that has branches throughout Japan.  Things like mincemeat, mince pies, Christmas pudding and lovely chocolates.  Yesterday David and I drove 30 minutes to a shopping mall that has this store and nothing!  A few chocolates in Christmas wrapping but nothing special!  I was really disappointed.  I've noticed this year that isn't much Christmas stuff being displayed at all.  David said that it's loosing popularity as it was always marketed towards couples, a romantic holiday not a family holiday and as the idea of being in a couple or getting married is no longer popular the holiday as gone down!

I also messed up an Amazon order!  Christopher found a shop that sells black pudding, so we ordered some.  Rather expensive, for two small sticks it cost almost 20 pounds! On the same shop I saw a Christmas pudding, something I haven't had many years!  Again about  20 pounds.  On the photo it looked like a family size one, when it arrived it was just a single serving!

The black pudding.

Look how small that is!

No Christmas Tree

 So the great Christmas tree hunt has finished in failure.  

This all started last Christmas, the tree I'd had for many years was missing part of it's stand.  I tried to make one from a tin, using modeling clay to hold it up but that didn't work, so I bought a new one.  Therefore I'm all set for this year.....of course not!   I went to get the Christmas decorations from one of the back cupboards, a place that is only opened once or twice a year, but no decorations.  Puzzled I asked the kids if they knew where the tree and decorations were.  Mikey reminded me that they were at mother in laws house (it's now a dumping place for all my unwanted things, until I want them again).  So last week Mikey, Christopher and I went to look for the tree. Found the box of decorations and a tree, so we took those home.  Went to put up the tree and found that it was the one without the stand, not my nice new one.  So yesterday I went to a few shops to see if I could find one but nothing. I know Christmas is not a real holiday here but there still a couple of weeks to go but all the stores have new years goods out, that is the big holiday here!

So I got creative and made a 'Christmas Table'.  Just have to figure how to stop the kids touching it.

Old tree, great until I started to decorate it then it falls over!

 

So a Christmas Table!

Sunday

 Recently Thursday, Friday and Saturday have been very busy for me.  New classes and changing schedules, it's good but leaves me with two problems.  Come Sunday the house is a mess and I'm exhausted.  I hate carrying the mess over to the next week so I usually spend most of Sunday cleaning, which means come Monday I'm even more tired and rather grumpy.  But yesterday I managed to get things done and rest.  I got Christopher and Hannah to help out.  I know I should ask for help from the kids more often but I always feel sorry for them.  Their schedules are rather crazy.  David works 5 nights a week, he helps out when he can but he gets so tired!  Mikey is teaching a lot, he is also working for his magic teachers business.  Yesterday Mikey left here at 5am and came back at 9pm.  He is selling cotton candy (candy floss) art.  It's good but means standing outside all day in the cold! Christopher works early morning, 4am to 12 lunch time.  And Hannah has a load of study for university, most days on line plus she is working part time a local after school cram school 3 to 5 nights a week. But I realized that I'm working as well, maybe not full time now but still almost every day I'm teaching and on the days I'm not or only have one class I clean and cook.  So yesterday I asked Christopher to clean the bathroom floor, the cats had knocked over the laundry powder, I cleaned up the main bit but it went into the corners and under the draws.  He also ran to the shop for me.  Hannah dusted and swept the living room. While they were doing that I cleaned the kitchen and baked a cake.  I know baking adds more work but it's one thing that I really enjoy and it helps me to relax.  I'm hoping to get back into it, I have loads of recipes to try and I always feel that home baked goods are a bit more healthy then bought stuff, no corn syrup or chemicals. 

Not the prettiest cake but tasted good.

Managed To Get Out

 No where really exciting just to my mother in laws house to pick up the Christmas tree and decorations, I'm really behind this year as I usually have the tree up by the end of November!  Never mind.

I was dismayed at how bad the yard and house are.  We are still cleaning out everything but we haven't really had time, between work and weather it's been hard to really do a lot!  I can understand why a lot of people hire a company to clear out houses.  Even though I wasn't that close to my mother in law it is still sad to see all her stuff just being dumped.  She kept a load of stuff, some we got rid of when we lived with her but there is still too much!  One day it will be done!

This owl is outside mother in laws house, I might bring it here!

No very clear but one of the trees, the colors were a lot brighter.

After mother in laws I went shopping.  Where I live meat is very expensive, the next city over is a lot cheaper, so when I get chance I try to shop there! 

Feel a bit better, but very tired, might be the cold.  All I want to do is curl up with a nice cup of tea and a good book but I have to start teaching soon!

Feeling Rather Blah

 Not sure why I feel so tired and kind of run down.  Maybe after the stress of the real estate agent coming and recovering from this cold/allergies that I've had for a few weeks.  Maybe because my knee is hurting more even though I've lost 7kgs (taken 2 years) and now my lower back hurts as well!  Maybe just getting old, my body but my thinking is still like a 30 year old, I try to do all these jobs, the yard, deep cleaning the house but after a bit I realize that I can't do it and the kids, who are young adults should do more!  Maybe because I ran out of the supplements I've been taking and keep forgetting to buy!  Who knows but all I want to do is stay in bed!  Of course I can't, cooking, cleaning and teaching keep me busy.  Also reading a lot recently and of course TV for entertainment.  I need to get out more I think, except for shopping I don't leave the house but maybe a walk round the block might help, or to the little park near here! I'll try and see if that helps.

Thinking abut Christmas isn't helping.  Money is going to be tight after paying for the decorators.   Also in Japan it's hard to buy things that make Christmas Christmas.  Before the pandemic I would go to Costco and buy some  nice meat and decent cheese, plus stock up on chocolates and baking goods.  Last year I didn't go but planned to go this year but finding a day that either David or Mikey are free on a day that I'm not busy has been impossible.  I can order a few things on line but not meat.  I've looked at other places but meat seems to be very expensive.  So what to do for Christmas dinner.  Roast cuts or whole chickens aren't sold in Japan at local supermarkets or butchers.  I've bought a little present for everybody but not much, I might be able to buy something else but what?

Finished

 The real estate agent came, changed over the smoke alarms and left.  Took less than 10 minutes!  All the work and money for a guy being in the house for 10 minutes.

Operation hide the cats went okay.  David and I bought 7 more carriers, we wanted 8 but the store only had 7.  But it worked out okay.  The appointment was a 1 o'clock so before that David got the cats into the carriers and drove off.  A few minutes later I could hear a cat crying, David had left one cat.  When he unloaded them later he left one in the car!  The cats are not happy because they aren't allowed out of the living area yet.  Our walls in the hallways and stairs look really nice and I want to keep them like that.  I ordered some clear plastic film but it only covers a small area, I've ordered more but it won't come until Saturday.  If somebody is with the cats to stop them scratching then they can run around in the halls!

So now I can relax and start thinking about Christmas!

This was the state of the walls before

Not the best of photos but this is the hallway now, a lot better!

The Decorators Are Here

 They came yesterday morning, about 8:30.  The first thing they did was to lay down sheets to catch the old wallpaper that they were taking off.  They've striped all the old wallpaper off, upstairs, downstairs and on the stairs.  They papered most of the downstairs and are finishing off the stairs and the upstairs today.  I was surprised they did so much as they had very long breaks, 30 minutes in the morning, hour and half for lunch, then they finished at 3:30!  As long as it gets finished I don't care!

The cats aren't very happy about all this, the noise and strange smells have them freaked out but it's their fault so they shouldn't complain!  They are locked in the living/dinning area and not happy about that either.  But until the real estate agent has been they will stay there.  I've ordered some clear plastic sheets to put on the wallpaper so I don't have this problem again, wish I had known about this stuff 3 years ago.

Sam's tail shows how freaked out he was

Poor David Part 2

 David managed to get to the dentist just before they closed. He had the filling pulled out and the tooth inside cleaned, he has to go back to finish it.  When he came home he looked awful with his face swollen and being so pale.  He managed to get a few hours sleep before he had to go to work.  Yesterday he was back to his normal self, being daft and chasing the cats!

Of course when bad things happen it is never just one thing!  The same day that David got toothache I noticed that Fred, our black and white cat was limping.  He could stand on his feet okay but not walk.  Tuesday was a national holiday and Wednesday the vets are closed.  I checked the leg and joint but couldn't see any swelling or cuts so I've let him rest as much as possible, he has taken up residence in my room.  He seems a lot better today, so I hope no visit to the vets!

Fred

Poor David

 It's a national holiday here, Labor Day, so everything except shops are closed. So of course David got toothache.  He is working nights, so this morning he did a couple of chores for me, then went to bed after lunch.  Came down half hour later for some water, went back up but kept coming down.  After about five trips I asked if he was okay because he was looking awful, very white.  I thought he had caught this cold that is going around but no it was toothache.  I sent Christopher to the local drug store to get some pain killer to tied him over until tomorrow but that didn't work.  I know that in Japan the doctors and dentists have a system set up where they open on holidays and Sundays, they take it in turns, so there is always somewhere to go in an emergency and for me toothache is an emergency!  So Mikey has just taken him, even if they can't do much but at least stop the pain so he can go to his regular dentist tomorrow!  Poor David, he is working hard at this job, it's long hours midnight to 9am and he is very tired but still tries to help out in the house.  He is usually very cheerful, drives me crazy with his antics and daft jokes so seeing him in pain and down is not nice at all! Hope things go okay at the dentist!

Fluffy balancing on David's knee

Noise

 There is a local election here on Sunday.  I think it's for the city council.  I know it's important for the candidates to get their name out there but the way it is done here drives me crazy.  They have these cars with loud speakers on them that drive around all day shouting out the candidates name over and over.  It drives me crazy.  I feel it is a very thoughtless way to advertise the candidates.  Do they consider that some people are working shifts, doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers all work nights and need to sleep.  What about people who are sick, or mothers trying to get their babies or toddlers to have a nap.  Sometimes I want to get the microphone and shove it where the sun doesn't shine.  Also they just say the candidates name, not what he or she is standing for or what they plan to do if voted in.  I asked Mikey why they don't go door to door speaking to people, he said that it was illegal here as it is too easy to bribe people.  So another two days of noise then back to the background noise of the construction work a few blocks away!

Guilt

To make the house look like there are no cats is going to be a big under taking! The cats have taken over almost every room!  The biggest problem is that they have scratched the walls, pulling off the wall paper.  We have to repaper the downstairs hallway, the stairs and upstairs hallway.  In some places they have made holes in the wall.  They have scratching boards but somehow prefer the walls.  We thought about doing it ourselves but parts of it are impossible to reach with out special ladders.  So we contacted a company.  They came this week and told us it would cost about 1800 pounds to fix.  If it wasn't for this real estate coming I would wait a few more months but no choice.  Problem is I don't have any money, I keep trying to save but my income is too low,  I can just manage to cover the bills and buy what we need, no savings, no fun money.  So Mikey paid the down payment and will probably pay the rest.  I feel so bad about that, he has been working an extra job to make some money for himself but he has to use it for the house.  I don't mind the kids helping out, they should help out but to ask him to use all his savings feels so wrong!  I will try to pay him back but it will take time!

I'm still down with this cold/allergies, keep loosing my voice, which doesn't help when teaching!  Both Hannah and Christopher have started with it as well.  Lots of hot drinks and trying to rest as much as possible helps!

Collage of cats

Miserable

 Allergies started last week. Used two boxes of tissues in one day.  The sneezing has eased off but it looks like I now have a sinus infection and my chest is tight.  Sleeping is hard as I'm wheezing so loud that I wake myself up!  Hannah has the same as well, she ended up with a fever of 37.8C at one point.  Then Mikey started today. So all the plans to clean the house before the real estate agents comes have been put on hold.  I really don't see how we can manage to repair the damage that the cats have done in the next couple of weeks.  All I can say is "Oh bother"!

This month Mikey and I are teaching at a local community center.  It's an adult class that meets about 3 times a year.  It's basically volunteer work for us but a good way to connect to the local community.  It's two hours long so a bit hard but I enjoy it.  Of course the first lesson was when my allergies started so half way though I lost my voice!

Fluffy getting comfy on David's jacket.

Christopher

 Christopher made lunch for us today.  He doesn't get in the kitchen very often but he likes to try out different things. He really likes Japanese cuisine and spends time on google searching for recipes to try out.  Today he made kinko takikomi gohan, which is rice seasoned with mushrooms and other vegetables,  fried mackerel, salad and soup.  He cheated on the salad and soup as he bought premade salad and instant soup.  It was a nice filling lunch and the best part is that I didn't have to shop or cook!  Now if he washes the dishes that would be great, but I guess that is asking for too much!

Nice lunch, thanks Christopher.

Up the Creek

 We live in a rented house with a no pets contract.  But we have 9 cats.  I had hoped to keep this from the real estate company that we deal with and for the past 3 years we have managed to do that.  Last week we got a letter from them saying that they have to check the smoke detectors that were installed when we moved here.  I have no idea why they suddenly need to check them, they were installed 12 years ago and have never gone off.  I'm so worried about this, I can't focus on anything else, I can't plan anything or think about Christmas, just this real estate person coming.  We could put the cats at mother in laws house but that would take a lot of planning with work shifts for Mikey and David and getting the power turned on at the house.  I really don't want to loose this house, I like it here.  Also Christopher's work is just a few minutes walk from here, he has a chance to do really well there.  What a lousy situation to be in!  

Some photos of the trouble makers!  I never wanted cats, but I'm not kicking them out or having them put down, it would break my heart and the kids too.

An abundance of cuteness!

More Halloween Pictures

 Mikey has a class in the next town.  The parents there asked for a big party, putting all the kids together.  Because it would be over 2 hours long Mikey did a magic show for them!  From what I've heard he did very well.  He is hoping to turn professional soon, it should of happened last year but covid stopped that!

Mikey getting wrapped up as a Mummy

Floating table trick

Halloween mask!

Mom

 Today would of been Mom's 82nd birthday.  I have a hard time trying to imagine what she would be like now.

Some of my fondest memories of Mom are around Christmas time.  She always made it special for us, not just the holiday but the led up to it.  I remember writing letters to Father Christmas and leaving them on the mantle place, in the morning they would be gone.  Mom would then tell us to look round carefully, hidden somewhere would be a small chocolate.  Mom said that the elves had been and taken our letters leaving the chocolate, which meant that the elves were now watching us and we had to be good!

I remember the food shopping for Christmas, she always bought enough to feed an army but we managed to eat the lot. Lining up the milk bottles outside, it was cold enough.  Getting up at some ungodly hour to see if Father Christmas had been, Mom coming down with us and getting the turkey in the oven.  I never realized how much hard work went into Christmas until I had my kids.  For me it was even harder as Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas so finding things like wrapping paper was so hard!  Now Christmas is big, the store know how to get people to spend more money!

Mom was big on manners, always remember please and thank you.  She also had "the look" down to perfection.  When we were visiting friends, if I misbehaved Mom would just give me the look and I knew that I was in trouble.  

So Happy Birthday Mom.  I miss you so much!

In the kitchen

with Dad

She thought there was no film left

with Hannah

First meeting with Mikey

Very young Dad and Mom