November

 I really hoped that by the end of November we would be completely moved to the other house!

But we aren't and having an extra month here does help even though it's going to be hard paying the rent here and buying what we need for the other house.

Hannah managed to move out and is settled in her own apartment.  She seems to be settling into her schedule and figuring things out, when to shop, do laundry and clean the room. These might seem like natural things but until now they have been done for her, she has to learn time management and how to make the best use of her time and energy.  She finds shopping stressful because everything has gone very expensive. She called yesterday to say that she went shopping for a few basic things and it cost over 1000 yen!  I think she understands why I don't like to shop. 

She is learning to cook, she has some basic skills, she's cooked a few times for us but cooking for one person is very different to cooking for a family. She usually cooks enough for two or three days. It's just easier that way. Her work and university schedule is very uneven, some days she will be out from 5am to about 6pm other days she has nothing scheduled. I've encouraged her to shop, cook and clean on the free days.  I think it helps to have something prepared in the fridge on the very busy days.

She sends me photos of her meals. They look very nice.

Some of Hannah's meals. The ones with the plastic box are the days that she is reheating stuff from the day before. She tries to eat some vegetables every day, which is good.

We are still moving stuff over to the other house. Tomorrow we will take my bed and I will stay there. David bought a heater for the dining/kitchen so I'll be able to stay there without freezing!  I want to take time to set up the kitchen and organize my bedroom. I thought I would have a lot of room but putting things in have made the house seem smaller. Never mind, I will work things out, somehow!  

I need to be more mindful of my health. My blood pressure is high, even with meds! Part of that might be the sudden cold.  Also my eating has been out of control the past few days, I picking at things, not because I'm hungry but more to calm myself and deal with the stress. I know it's a bad habit and one I need to break but seems so hard. Grabbing some kind of snack is so easy to do. I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday, cancer check and diabetes/blood pressured check.  

I really hope that this month can be productive, get things sorted at the other house and find a way to make money!

Also, once I have a working kitchen I want to go to Costco and buy some nice roasting meat!!  I'm looking forward to a nice roast dinner!!

WHY????

 Yesterday I spent the whole day and most of the night convincing myself that having access to this house, even if we are basically living in the other house, is good. Financially hard but somehow we will be okay.

There are a lot of small bits and pieces to take to the other house, plus cleaning and tidying the yard will take more than two days. My energy is low, the lads are doing a lot but they are working as well (except for Christopher who has been given most of the jobs).  I still need to finish cleaning the kitchen and do the windows.  The room we use for teaching still has one bookshelf and the tables and chairs we are using.

So being here is good, we can take care of things a bit better.

That's good but of course things aren't that simple!

Mikey's car broke down!! Of course!!  Something to do with the electrical systems. It's fixable but will cost money and also means that we will be back to one car for a few days!!

Just when we need both cars!!

Typical!!

Never mind. We will get through this, somehow.

This morning I went to the other house with David. It is really starting to look like a place we can live in. It doesn't feel like my mother-in-law's house anymore.  There is a lot to organize, especially the kitchen/dining area.  There is very little storage and we seem to have a lot of things.  I guess moving from a house that has 6 rooms plus a large open plan kitchen/dining/living area to a house with 3 rooms and just a kitchen/dining room is going to take a lot of work and thought!

On the way we saw some lovely trees with autumn leaves. The autumn leaves are very late this year, the peak for this area is supposed to be in December!

These trees were in the grounds of a high school.

Autumn colors

I asked David to take the photo, so of course he had to take a daft selfie!

David shouldn't have a phone!!!

The weather has gone cold and rather wet.  I like the cold weather but would like more if we were settled and I could relax with a nice cup of and a good book.

Rainbow

On the way back we saw a rainbow. It doesn't look that bright but it was!!

Oh (Enter Favorite Swear Word)!!!!!

 Messed up again!

The plan was to have everything moved out by Friday, then come here Saturday and Sunday to finish cleaning! 

But of course that hasn't worked out!

Yesterday Mikey called the real estate agent who said that we have to give a months notice, so we have to pay for another month here!

I'm upset by that as I wanted to use the money from the rent to buy some heaters and to go to Costco!

Mikey told them that we don't have money and asked them not to take the money form my bank until the middle of the month. I'm thinking of going and offering half of the rent, explaining that we had to buy new heaters for the other house. Probably won't work but worth a try.  I guess going to Costco will have to wait!

Since we have another month here I'm not going to make myself sick trying to clean everything in a couple of days! I have to come here a few times a week to teach, so on those days I'll come and clean and tidy the yard. 

As much as I don't want to move I do want it finished with.  To be in one house. At the moment most of our things are in the other house but we are still here!! It's kind of hard. I can't cook so we are living on obento's and cup noodles, not nice at all!  

Also it's gone very cold!  I have city gas heaters for this house but I don't want to use them as they are very expensive to run. I'm keeping warm by trying to move round and get cleaning done. My bed is nice and warm but it's hard to get out of it in the morning!  I like the cold weather but I like to have heating available, to get comfortable with a nice hot drink and a cat or two!

Get a bit more cleaned up. I'm waiting for Christopher and David to get back. They took more stuff over plus somebody is coming to hook up the gas. At least we can get hot water!!

Just a photo of the cats sulking!!

They have no where to lie down, so not very happy!!!

Empty Rooms

 Almost everything has gone to the other house!

Yesterday a moving company took the fridge and air conditioner.  David took the washing machine.

Toady David and Christopher took the TV, oven, rice cooker, toaster and another table.

Empty living room

The kitchen is reduced to two very small counters, I feel that I'm not cooking but doing a balancing act.

This move is a lot harder emotionally than I thought it would be. We've been here for 15 years. I have so many memories of this house and area.  

This morning I didn't want to get out of bed, it's cold and raining, all I could think was that if this was a normal Wednesday I would get up to clean a bit, figure out lunch and prepare a couple of classes.  Now I'm having to deep clean every where, pack up the last few bits and pieces, deal with stressed cats, cook in a cramped kitchen.  It all seemed too much this morning. I think I'm over tired.  Plus my allergies are very bad!

By the end of this week we will be living in the other house.  

Still not that happy about that!

Still no gas, no stove top and no Wi-Fi!

The other house is clean but the yard needs to be done. We have dumped a load of stuff in the car port and garage which needs to be cleaned away so the cars can be parked there!

Plus I want to take down a lot of the trees and bushes that have taken over the yard.  I guess I'll be getting a lot of exercise!!

Moving In

 I spent most of the day at the other house.

We have moved a lot of stuff already and the place is starting to feel more like our house and not my mother-in-laws house. That's good and I hope that as we find a place for everything that it will have more that kind of feeling.

This is part of the kitchen.

Need to figure out where stuff goes

The empty shelf was the Kami Dana, the God Shelf, it's coming down!

I need some kind of closed kitchen cabinets because of the cats. The cabinets above the kitchen unit are too high, even David has a hard time reaching them!  The cabinets and drawers below never feel really clean, I don't want to put food there.  Need to think what to do. I guess as we live there I will figure out where the best place to keep things is.

Then there is the why question.

pack of ginger

This pack of ginger was on a bookshelf that's in the room Christopher will be using. Why and how it go there is a mystery.

The other thing that keeps moving around is the toy lizard, it keeps turning up in different places.

Toy lizard

Today it was in the tatami room above the door, I wonder where I'll find it tomorrow.

Also David and I went to the other land just to have a look. The weeds are taller than David!

I like this land and want to use it for something but I don't know if I have the energy to cultivate it properly. I asked David if he was interested in growing things to sell but I didn't get an answer.

Monster weeds

I like this view

Tomorrow the fridge and air conditioner are going.  

We took the sofa today and a lot of other bits a pieces. Mikey went back and forth three times today.  Looks like doing the same tomorrow as well.

I'll be glad when this is finished!!

This Is Definitely Moving Week

 We got our dates mixed up last week!

This week is definitely moving week, but there is so much to do and I'm really not coping!

I'm trying to break things down into smaller, more manageable blocks of work but even doing that things are taking a lot longer than I thought they would. 

This morning I thought it would take half an hour to finish cleaning out the walk in closet in my room, took over an hour! I never thought of myself as a hoarder but after seeing how big this space is I need to rethink that!  At one point you couldn't walk in here at all.

Bigger than I remember

Christopher scrubbed under the stove. I've never used that cupboard as the oil seems to drip from the stove. Cleaning it is a real pain and one thing that I couldn't do.

I've also started on the pantry, I'll try and finish it tonight!  I have two big cooler boxes to put food in until Tuesday when the fridge goes.

I really hope we can get everything done this week. I just don't have money to stay here any longer.  Most of our students are staying with us but some have quit, kind of no choice.  

I need a different income. I've looked at sites for teaching on line in Japan but most ask for a degree or a TEFL qualification, which I don't have. The ones that don't ask for qualifications seem a bit ify!!

Hannah seems settled into her apartment. One week today! She calls everyday, usually asking about cooking.  She is cooking for herself but cooking for one is hard, she ends up with too much and has to eat the same thing for two or three days. I'm glad that she is trying to cook and not living on ready made meals. That would be so easy as there is a convivence store very close to her apartment.

Some of her meals from this week.

Yesterdays dinner

pasta lunch

one of her first meals

just a little something before bed.

I have no idea when I'll have chance to write again, I hope in a couple of days but who knows?

One problem is the Wi-Fi. We will finish with the company here the end of the month but won't have it set up until December 5th or 6th. Help!! How to survive without Wi-Fi!?

I Want To Scream

 Last Sunday David said that a moving company was coming today, November 21st, to take the fridge and air conditioner.  Those are the only things we can't move ourselves.

I spent most of Sunday and Monday cleaning out the fridge. It isn't that big but the top shelf is difficult for me to reach, especially when things get pushed to the back. I threw out a load of half used sauce bottles and some things that I have no idea what they were!

This morning I was up early as I wasn't sure what time the moving company was coming and I wanted to empty the few things that were left in the fridge to take to the other house. 

The plan was for David to go to the other house and wait for the people to come, Christopher and I were going to stay here and give the company directions.

David came back from work just after 9 o'clock, I told him that the fridge was cleared out and that a crate was full of food from the fridge.

He then checked his calendar and said that he got the dates mixed up, the moving company is coming next week!!

So I had to unpack the food and put everything back in the fridge.  

I could scream, I didn't have to get up early this morning. I had a bad night because my allergies have been playing up, I could of slept a couple more hours!

Never mind. The fridge is nice and clean. 

I'm really trying not to get stressed out. If I can find humor in something I am, otherwise I'll go crazy!

My blood pressure is too high, even though I'm taking medicine. I know that the cold weather makes blood pressure a bit higher but it's really not that cold, it's 14C at the moment, which is okay for me!

Still a lot to do. I'm pushing the lads to do as much as possible. I figured we should do what we can. I know that I can't lift anything heavy but the lads can, I can cook and kept things tidy here, do the cleaning that needs to be done before we move out, so that is what I'm doing.

It will get done, we will be out before December. That's my mantra at the moment!

The cats are freaking out, they seem confused and maybe picking up on the stress.

I'm not sure what Alan got up to the other day, he came out of the kitchen looking like this.

Alan's disguise!

It was either pancake mix or flour!

Better go and do some more cleaning! It really feels never ending!!

Moving Week

 The goal is to get out of here by the end of the week!

The reality is that it might take a bit longer!

I've spent the morning cleaning the fridge and emptying one food cupboard. I'm making progress but it feels slow. Plus I keep going dizzy, not sure if it's because of my diabetes, high blood pressure or the allergy medicine I'm taking!  

Mikey is doing his room and taking stuff over. David and Christopher are also going to take more stuff. After I've finished the kitchen a bit I need to sort things in my room. There is still a lot of Hannah's stuff there, she'll come on Tuesday to pick up more, but there are things that she wants to keep but not at her apartment!

She sent some photos of her room last night.

She says she needs more bookshelves

Her futon, she'll get a bed later

kotatsu table to keep warm

A little something before bed

She says it's too quiet! She is used to being around people and cats so it must seem strange to be alone. She watched some videos and went to bed early.

She called this morning and said she was going to put together her kitchen cabinet, that should be interesting!

Back to work, more cleaning and packing to do!!

Goodbye Hannah

 Hannah moved to her apartment this afternoon.

She's had the keys for a couple of weeks but to get utilities turned on and the basic things that she needs has taken more time than expected.

This afternoon we loaded up David's car, just because it has more space than Mikey's.  I couldn't believe how much stuff she has, basically clothes and books, plus her computer, printer and some bits of furniture she had bought.

packed car

Goodbye

Arrived at the apartment

I wanted to go with her but there was no space at all in the car.

I cried. Not sure why, she's coming here on Tuesday, she has work in the morning  then she'll have lunch with us, then pick up more of her stuff.

I think part of it is that this is really happening. Things are changing and I don't handle change very well!

I was talking to Christopher, he mentioned that he has lived in this city since he was 11 years old. His junior high school, high school and college were all here. Plus the one job that he had for a few years was here.  A lot of memories for him.  More so for Hannah, she was 7 when we moved here.  

This week is going to be very busy. I think that someone is coming to take the fridge and air conditioner on Thursday (I might be wrong on the date).  From that time we will be basically staying at the other house and coming here to clean and close up this house. 

Also Costco is opening on Thursday. I would love to go but I don't think I could deal with opening day crowds.  Something to look forward to!

Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back

 That is how this move feels.

When we got rid of some of the big furniture on Tuesday I felt as if we had made some real progress but today I feel as if there is still too much to be done.

The room Hannah and I share is a disaster. 

Hannah is still sorting what to take now, what to come back for later and what she doesn't need but wants to keep in storage. 

There are piles of clean laundry all over the place. We moved out the big chest from my room, so my clothes are in piles. The other clothes are the kids things but they don't have storage in their own rooms as well. Plus I'm trying to wash all the blankets that are lying around.

Then there are more books. Everybody has books. It's good, I'm glad that my family likes to read but storing them is so hard. Christopher has already taken over 10 boxes of books but still has book shelves full of books. He said some he can throw out or take to the recycle shop. 

I really want to be out before the end of this month but I really don't have confidence that we can make it.

Christopher has taken to cooking. It helps that everybody can cook so I don't have to worry if I'm too tired or busy!

Yesterday he made fried rice and soup. He took time to use fresh vegetables in the fried rice!! Very nice. I was happy to finish teaching and go and have a nice dinner.

Christopher's fried rice and soup

Saying Goodbye

 To furniture!

We hired a company to dispose of some furniture that was broken, too old or too big for the other house!

The things we got rid of were the old electric piano that no longer worked! We bought that piano when Mikey was in the second grade, both he and Hannah used it. A few years ago Mikey's friend gave him another one, that is a lot better and still works!  

Both Christopher's and Hannah's beds went.  Both were falling to pieces so it was good to let them go.

Hannah's bed

I remember buying this bed, I agonized about which one to buy, I had a limited budget and wanted to get something that was comfortable, practical and would last a while. I'm not sure how long we've had but at least 8 years.  Not too bad!

The large chest of drawers also went. I was happy to get rid of that, it was so heavy and big that there was no space in the other house for it.

The hardest thing to let go off was the big table in the dining room. 

Big dining table

We had this table over 20 years.

We got it from a recycle shop.  Hisao bargained with the shop owner and we got a good discount.

I have so many memories of sitting round this table.  Not only eating there, but talking to the kids, having a laugh with Hisao.

When we moved here Hisao bought a single gas burner so we could do "nabi" in the winter. Basically cooking in one pot at the table.

Enjoying nabi at the table

That photo was taken exactly one year before Hisao died!

After Hisao died we stopped using the table. It was too painful for me to sit there with 6 chairs but only having five occupied!

Letting go of this table was hard but the right thing to do!

No table

Yesterday was emotionally draining. Our cats freaked out at the noise and having things moved around. They went into hiding, we thought they had escaped, which upset Hannah!  Only Mama got out and she comes back for dinner! The others were hiding in cupboards, in the bathroom and between the sofa!  

Frodo between the sofa seats!

Having all these things taken out makes the move more real!

I'm still struggling but am resigned to it!  There really is no choice!

Feeling A Bit Better

 My allergy symptoms have calmed down a lot! But I'm totally exhausted after two very busy days!

I think I've bitten off more than I can chew!  Moving house, trying to make the other house habitable, cleaning the yard there as it looks like a jungle, throwing out years of stuff that has accumulated, packing up here, again throwing out stuff and cleaning years worth of dust from behind and under furniture. At the same time I'm helping Hannah move to her apartment!  My head is spinning as I'm trying to remember schedules, who has free time to help, who is working when!  

Friday David, Christopher and I went to the other house. I spent the morning scrubbing toilet bowls and tackling the dust that had built up. Then I unpacked another 3 big boxes of books.  We have too many books!!  David and Christopher cleaned up outside. When we started taking things out of the house we dumped most of it in the car port area, but David wants to park his car there when we move.  

I found these lovely flowers, I have no idea what they are but they caught my eye. A nice bit of color among all the green.

Lovely flowers

I'm hoping to plant vegetables, as the prices are crazy and maybe I can grow a bit to help out.  I didn't consider growing flowers but after seeing these and feeling so happy at the splash of color I might try to grow something colorful as well.  This is going to be a learning process, I'll let you know how it goes!

Hannah had a crazy day on Friday!  She went to pick up her key, while she was in the city she went to the city hall to register her new address, and to the police station to change her address on her drivers license.  She went to her apartment to turn on the power but had problems reaching the fuse box!  After a nice lunch she spent time checking out stores for things that she needs to buy, basically everything!!

She said it was more than she thought when she ordered it!

In her apartment

She was looking for a small washing machine and saw these.

Twin Tubs

Apparently they are still a popular choice!

She had an appointment to choose a special kimono for her graduation. It's called a hakama. She tried on a few different ones and sent me photos. We are planning to go again to make the final choice. These are the ones we like so far.

At the moment I'm leaning toward the pink or light blue one.

She had a bit of free time before her appointment at the kimono shop so she had a look round the city. She found a nice park and junior high school. I think the junior high school is affiliated with the university, it might be where Hannah will do her teacher training. She sent me a load of photos.

Nice park

junior high school grounds

A statute of a cat!

Yesterday Mikey drove Hannah and I back to her apartment to take some of her stuff!  We stopped off at a 100 yen shop to pick up a few things, especially a measure as I forgot ours and she wanted to check the windows for curtains.  We then went to a few other stores looking for things she needs. We got to the apartment and unloaded her stuff. I managed to carry up one small box but I realized I felt very unsafe on the stairs carrying things! 

Her apartment is nice, just a kitchen, toilet, bathroom and one large room. Small but for one person it's enough. There's a massive walk in closet and even a small pantry in the kitchen!

wash basin, room for a washing machine

shower and bath tub

control panel for heating the shower area, she can hang laundry there as there is a special drier for that!

From the kitchen, the main room

From the window

Kitchen

her new stove top

small pantry

We had lunch, then went shopping. Mikey is great to shop with for electrical things. The stores can do discounts if you ask and Mikey knows how to get the best discounts.  Yesterday Hannah bought the gas stove top, a washing machine and light fittings for about 49000 yen, about 250 pounds!  In other stores just the washing machine was that much.  

The gas people came to set up her gas and to make sure that the water heater was working okay.  

After that I was finished, I could hardly walk, my knee was painful and my back was playing up. 

I didn't have to go with Hannah but I really want to support her as she starts this new adventure. I found it fascinating to watch her make decisions, as she tried to figure out the best things to buy, what she really needs now and what she can buy later.  

My emotions are raw. I know that things will work out, somehow, but it seems so hard to move from this house, that I've come to love to a place that I don't really like and at the same time watch my daughter, my baby, grow up and take the first steps to being totally independent.  

This week is going to be busy as well. Tuesday someone is coming to dispose of furniture that we don't need.  I feel sad that some things have to be thrown away but we've had them for ages and there really is no room in the other house for so much stuff!!

Wednesday Mikey and I have a lesson at the community center. And Hannah wants me to go to the kimono store with her!

I told David that I should clone myself so everything can get done, but then realized that cloning David might be better!!!!