Cold But Trying Think Ahead

 As I said yesterday, the winter here has been very mild, until yesterday!

Yesterdays high was 0 °C! Today it got up to 7°C. Still far too cold.

I really wanted to take a shower yesterday, I went to the bathroom, turned around and decided against it!

This morning, Mikey and then Christopher took showers. I asked them to leave the heater on so I could take a shower after! Even though the heater had been on for almost an hour, the changing area of the bathroom was still cold. There was ice on the inside of the window, even with the heater on!

I know I've said I prefer the cold weather, and I do, I also know that in a few months I will be moaning about the heat! But this year it's felt more difficult to deal with than before.

Last winter was a lot colder, but it didn't affect me so much.  I could get jobs done and do chores almost every day. I really don't know if it's being a year older, that my body has aged, and I can't deal with the cold, or more psychological, that I'm feeling colder because of this house and the state that it's in.

I really am trying to find good things here, even just Kevin outside makes me smile.

This is Kevin, in case you didn't read yesterdays post.

I'm trying to figure out what we can change, what we can afford. There is some help from the city. David said that it is mainly for elderly people to make the house safer. I know that I'm not that old yet, but surely making it safe now would be better than waiting until I have a fall or get heat shock because the changing room is freezing after the warm shower!

We have to make money. That is what I'm trying to think about. 

David wants to set up an English school here, and I think it's the best option for us. I can still teach, not little kids, I don't have the energy for that, but otherwise I'm alright!

David is going to start putting leaflets at the end of this month. The school year runs from April to March in Japan, so it's a good chance to get students. 

I keep telling myself we can do this. I'm trying to be positive about this, but as always, doubts creep in. All I know is that if we don't try, then nothing is going to change. At least we have to give it a good try!

Another thing I'm looking forward to is the spring vegetables that will be available soon. Japanese cuisine is very seasonal; each season has its own flavour. Winter is stews, one-pot dishes, ramen, foods that bring comfort and warmth. Yesterday, David made tonjiru, miso soup with pork over udon noodles, very warming and comforting!

Tonjiru soup with udon noodles

Spring foods are lighter somehow. There are a lot of popular sweet foods, like Sakura Mochi, a sweet rice cake wrapped in cherry leaves.

Also, spring cabbage becomes available, which is nice for quick stir-frys! Also, bamboo shoots, used in takenoko gohan, bamboo shoot rice, take a lot of preparation, but it's really nice.

I'm going to pull out some of my cookbooks and see what I can find!

Snow And A Cosy Afternoon

 According to the news, some areas of Japan have been hit by very heavy snow. The snow has been so bad that at least 30 people have lost their lives, hundreds have been injured, and thousands are without power in some prefectures.

When I look at the news, it's hard to believe it's the same country. The winter here has been very mild; temperatures in January broke records for the warmest January, some days it was up to 19C.

Of course, winter isn't over, but I didn't think it would get cold enough to snow! 

Snow has been forecast for the past week. Some days we would get a few flurries, one that lasted just a minute! So when I saw the forecast for last night, I didn't think it would be that bad, until I saw Mikey when he got home from his part-time job delivering newspapers.

Frozen Mikey

I looked out my window and saw this!

I think it snowed.

David sent me some photos from his trip home.

The roads were still clear, but you couldn't see the mountains! It feels very strange not to see the mountains. In Japan, even in the plains, you can see mountains; they are always there. When the weather is like this and the mountains are invisible, it is somehow surreal.

I stepped out to take a short video. I stayed on my front porch.

This afternoon I got comfortable on my bed. This house is awful to warm up. I had planned to do a few things, but freezing fingers put paid to that idea!

I have an electric blanket on my bed and another that fastens around my shoulders. I made myself a nice cup of tea, got my books and got comfortable! I want to do jobs, but I know that I'll just be miserable and in a bad mood if I try to do anything.  So, for today, it's hot tea, a few good books and maybe a movie, if I can find something good to watch!

I forgot to put a photo of Kevin. Kevin is a stone frog that is in the yard! He was covered in snow this morning!

Poor Kevin.

David found this when he clearing part of the garden.

Kevin on better days

I kind of like this!

Voting In Japan

 This weekend is a general election in Japan. The Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi announced this on January 19th, 2026.  Voting is set for February 8th, but you can vote before. David went yesterday because of his schedule.

The whole campaigning and voting system is a bit different here.

Campaiging is short, often just 12 days, because of this compressed timeline there is a burst of intense activity.

The first thing I notice are poster boards going up in various places. 

Board for candidates to put their posters

Each candidate is given a numbered square, only one poster per square is allowed. The boards are put up by the local election commission to make it fair.

Door to door campaiging is banned, the idea is that it would be to easy to influence voters by meeting them face to face. The candiates rely on the poster boards, public speeches and the one thing I hate, sound trucks!

photo by Hustvedt

This is a stock photo but these are the type of trucks that drive slowly around neigbourhoods. They call out the candidates name, saying something like "Please vote for Mr Tanaka" or "Thank you for your support". The noise is incredible. I always feel sorry for people working night shift who need to sleep during the day!

To be eligible to vote you must be a Japanese citizen for both national and local elections. I'm not allowed to vote, even though I have a permanet residence visa. You must be 18 years old to vote. The age was changed in 2015 from 20 to 18.

You have to register in the local registry which requires that you have registered address in that municipality.

Voting takes place in elementary or junior high schools, community centers and muncipal buildings.

One distinctive feature is the ballot itself. Instead of ticking a box or filling in a bubble, Japanese voters have to write out the candidates name.

I often wondered why campaign posters have the names written very clearly. Most candidates use easy kanji and any kanji that might be difficult to read or write is replaced with hiragana.

I'll be glad when this election will be over! The sound trucks drive me crazy. 

Also, we use a community center to teach in so during elections we can't use it. This time was alright but last year there was a local election that was held on a Thursday, we couldn't use the center for three days!

A Bit Better Day

 Even if it started off rather weird.

I woke up at 5 a.m., or rather, I got up at 5 a.m. I'd been awake since 3 a.m.; my allergies have started for real! Two hours of sneezing and snivelling was not nice! 

I made obento and breakfast. I took my painkillers and allergy medicine, both of which make me sleepy, but having both was a double punch! I dozed for a while, but I was feeling very strange. I felt my bed was vibrating, at first I thought it was an earthquake or maybe some big machine in the field behind the house. After a while, I realised it wasn't the bed but my body that was vibrating, at that point I opened my mouth and perceived that I was snoring, and that was what was making me feel vibrations.  I was asleep but aware of things at the same time, very weird.

I did manage to wake up in time to do a few chores, which I'm very happy about. Not a lot, but I want to keep on top of things. I don't mind a few dirty dishes or a bit of dust, but when it builds up, I feel overwhelmed and just don't want to deal with things. Doing something every day really helps!

I made ginger pork for lunch. I got distracted while I waiting for David, yes, I will admit I was scrolling on my phone. David came in and asked why I had only cooked one piece of pork. I had done two, we found the culprit, Fluffy! 

She looks so innocent! I had extra pork, so it wasn't a problem. David washed the sauce off, so she got to eat everything!

After lunch, I had a little walk around the garden. It's still a mess, but buds are starting to come out.

Plum Blossoms, maybe!

I don't know what these are, but they smell nice.

The side of the house we need to get cleared.

These little flowers are blooming all over.

More of these flowers.

I took a little video at the back of the property, behind the storage shed. I was looking at the fields opposite, it all looks abandoned. 

This afternoon I went to a local store with Mikey. One lady approached me, asking "Jackie Sensei desu ka?" "Are you Jackie teacher" As I said yes I reconized her as the mother of one of my students from many years ago. I asked after her daugher, who was a high school student when I was teaching her, she is now 45 years old, with a son in university! It was really nice to meet her, be be reminded of my former student!

A Nothing Day

 Tuesday and Wednesday, I go to the other city with Mikey to teach. My schedule isn't hard; I have a couple of classes, a lot of my time is spent waiting around, which is when I get a chance to read. We get back between 9:30 and 10 pm. 

But, somehow, Thursdays see me exhausted. This week has been harder because of the pain in my neck and the new medicine I'm taking.

Today I rested. I know that sleeping during the day isn't good, but I was really exhausted. The problem is that I don't feel I do enough to be that exhausted to sleep deeply for 2 or 3 hours at a time. 

Until we moved here, I had lessons almost every day, at least 2 a day. Plus, I would go out more by myself, especially at this time of year, as the nearest supermarket was only 5 minutes walk away. I was active all day, waking up to make breakfasts, do laundry, do chores and then teach. I would cook two or three meals a day, depending on schedules.

Now I find myself constantly exhausted. I do the bare minimum, but there are always things that need to be done, but I tell myself, tomorrow!

I'm wondering if this tiredness is emotional, not liking this house, not being able to deal with the problems here, not having a reason to be out of bed except to fight this house and the constant cleaning that needs to be done.

Or is it something physical? I've never had great stamina, but I have always managed. The past year, however, I've seen a decrease in my stamina. I'm wondering if I should ask for more tests when I have blood drawn in March, maybe checking vitamin levels and any other markers for fatigue. During my last blood test, my A1C number was down to 5.9, which is very good. So that shouldn't be making me tired. I've noticed that my blood pressure is a lot lower than before; most nights it's 119/60, but some nights it goes down to 115/50, which might be too low. I'm still taking medicine for both diabetes and high blood pressure. Maybe I can stop these medicines!

Is it just ageing? But I'm only 63! In today's world, that isn't really old, is it? 

I know that I have to get my act together. I have to get over my negative thinking and really try to focus on a better future, building it one day at a time. But on days like today, when everything seems hard, it's so difficult to feel positive!

Just to give you a laugh, an awful selfie with David. I never know where to look when taking selfies!

At least I'm smiling!

Doctors.......Again

 I don't know if it's a sign of ageing or just bad health, but I seem to be going to the doctors a lot more than I used to!

The pain in my neck, shoulder and arm is from a herniated disc in my neck. It slips out and presses on the nerve. Most of the time, it's okay, but every now and then it flares up, causing pain and misery. I also get very frustrated as I can't do all the things that I want to do!

David took me to the doctors yesterday, we arrived to a full parking lot, so I thought I would be waiting for an hour or so. I was surprised to see that the waiting room was empty, just two other people waiting. I think most of the patients were there for the rehabilitation clinic.

I was called in after 10 minutes. David is supposed to translate, but the doctor tries to use English; the problem is that he knows the words but not how to make sentences. Makes things very interesting! David jumps in when he sees I'm totally lost. My Japanese isn't great, but I can usually follow what is being said. With medical terms, there are words that I just don't know!

The doctor recommended a neck brace so I can rest my chin on it and take the pressure off my neck. As the nurse was fitting it, David said, "Now you know how Fluffy feels" She has to wear a collar a lot to stop her from over-grooming! I couldn't stop laughing at that!

With my neck brace on

Fluffy with her collar on.

I was prescribed three types of medicine. One is a strong painkiller, which has helped; another is to relax the muscles and to help with stiffness. The third, however, scares me, and I don't think I'm going to take it.

It's called Tarlige. It's for neuropathic pain and contains the active ingredient mirogablin. I was given a pamphlet just for this medicine with a long list of side effects. The side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, and blurred vision. It can also interfere with blood sugar control, potentially leading to a higher A1C number.

I'm supposed to take two tablets a day, so I took one last night, and I was alright. I took another one at 6am; the side effects were awful and scary. I felt sleepy, so I decided to doze for a bit after making breakfast. I fell asleep but couldn't wake up. My alarm went off, and I couldn't figure out what the noise was. David called me, but again I had no idea what was making the noise! I finally got out of bed to use the toilet, but had to hold onto the wall to get there. 

David made lunch, as I had no confidence that I could actually stand up or use the stove! Even as I was eating, I was falling asleep. It actually felt similar to when I had my operation and waking up after the anaesthetic. 

I want to get better, but I think those tablets will only make me feel worse. I'm going to try some simple exercises to see if that helps, and find a rehabilitation clinic near here! I'm wondering if a chiropractor or acupuncture might help!

I really need to be finished with all these health problems. I have much to do, and being sick isn't helping at all.

Risshun: When The First Breath Of Spring Arrives

 Last year, I wrote about the Setsubun festival that takes place every February 3rd. https://jackiesjapanjournal.blogspot.com/2025/02/setsubun.html

The day after Setsubun is Risshun. If Setsubun is the dramatic clearing-out of demons and bad energy, Risshun is the soft inhale that follows, when the world feels newly washed and ready for what comes next.

Risshun has long been seen as a kind of spiritual reset button. In the old calendar, this wasn't just a seasonal marker; it was the beginning of the year's energetic cycle. It's a time when farmers look for signs of warmth in the soil, housewives take the chance to refresh their spaces. Even if the temperatures haven't quite caught up, there is a sense that winter is losing its grip. 

I've noticed that the sunrise is a little earlier and the sunset is a little later, marking the promise of longer days to come. Also, the ume blossoms are beginning to bud; they are very resilient, defying the cold!

I've noticed these thick sushi rolls in the supermarkets; you are supposed to eat one, facing the year's lucky direction. This year, the direction is east and southeast.

I haven't made these, so I had to get a photo from the internet!

We live in a world that is always on the go, moving fast to the next thing, the next new trend. I like the idea of these older traditions, a way to slow down for a day, to reflect and notice how nature is changing. A quiet visit to a shrine, a walk outside to notice the very first buds, the chance to quietly renew our spirits and our surroundings. A gentle pause, a chance to breathe and redetermine ourselves for the rest of the year!

Pain

 Another post about my aches and pain!

I thought I was doing a lot better; the seasonal allergies aren't as bad as usual. I'm taking over-the-counter medicine, but only in the morning. I usually have to take them twice a day. 

I'm eating a lot better and have recovered from the Christmas and New Year's binges! I've added interval walking to my exercise regimen, along with chair exercises. I should be feeling great!

But yesterday morning I woke up in pain! The left side of my neck, left shoulder, and arm are really painful. I have a herniated disc in my neck, and sometimes it presses on the nerve, causing pain on the left side. Looks like going to the doctor tomorrow morning! 

I will still try to do some exercise this afternoon, maybe modify it a bit.  No stretches using the left arm, just something very gentle! 

Having this pain made me wonder about people who have lost a limb. I'm right-handed, so not using my left arm isn't a big deal, or so I thought until I was making lunch! I couldn't lift anything or even hold the vegetables properly to cut them. How do people who have had an arm amputated manage? I can still use my arm, but it's painful; not being able to use it at all would be awful.  

 This realisation has me thinking more about how I should be grateful for my situation. I'm in pain, but I know that I can get help for that. I live in a country that has good medical services. I don't have to wait for months to get an appointment; I can just walk in and see a doctor after a few minutes' wait. I can get painkillers without too much bother. 

Even though I feel miserable because of the pain I'm in, I'm also very grateful that I have a way to deal with it!

I guess this is part of ageing! Or rather, not really taking care of myself when I was younger. I keep telling my kids to take care of their health now, as things only get worse as one ages! 

Tomorrow off to the doctors! I really want to deal with this pain now. I have a few plans for February, some places to visit. I want to have the energy to do things I have planned, not sit around moaning all the time!

The full moon was very beautiful the other morning. My phone camera doesn't do it justice, but you can get an idea of what it was like.

This was very early in the morning, about 4:30 am!

Shrines vs Temples: Understanding Japan's Sacred Spaces

 Recently, I've visited a few different shrines and temples. Tera Machi in Kurume, where there are 17 different temples representing six different schools of Buddhism, Kora Shrine and Ukiha Inari Shrine. All beautiful sacred spaces, but what is the difference between a shrine and a temple?

Japan's spiritual landscape is shaped by two major traditions, Shinto and Buddhism. Both have a long history in Japan.

Shinto is the indigenous belief system of Japan, it's rooted in ancient nature worship. There is evidence that Shinto practices go back to the Neolithic period. Over centuries, shrines were formalised as places to honour kami, spirits associated with natural features, ancestors and local deities. The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Shinto Religion. The enthronement ceremony is based on Shintoism. 

A Shinto shrine has tori gates. Most tori gates are red; a few are a natural colour.

Tori gates at Ukiha Inari Shrine

Before you enter the gate, you should bow. Also, when leaving, you offer a bow. There is a place to wash your hands before offering prayers. The two main structures in a shrine are offering halls (haiden) and main sanctuaries (honden).

Seasonal festivals are held at shrines. Also, there are purification rituals and community celebrations.

Some of the most famous shrines are the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, which is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess and Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, which is famous for its thousands of tori gates.

Part of the Fushimi Inari Taisha that I visited a few years ago.

Buddhism entered Japan in the 6th century from China and Korea, it bought new philosophies, rituals and artistic traditions. Temples became centres of learning, mediation and political influence.

The entrance to a temple is through sanmon gate. There is a main hall (kondo), pagodas, statues of Buddha and gardens.

One of the most famous temples is Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo.

Senso Ji Temple

I would like to visit there, but every time I look at photos or videos of the area, the crowds seem overwhelming! 

One thing that puzzled me when I first came was seeing what looked like the Nazi swastika on maps indicating where a temple was. The original symbol is called the manji (卍), which is a sacred emblem representing good fortune, eternity and the footprints of the Buddha. The Nazis took this symbol and reversed it, making it a symbol of hatred and violence.

I've been to a few temples and shrines near here, but there are so many more to explore. 

I hope that, as the weather improves, before it gets too hot to go out, I can visit a few of these places!

January

 The month, the year actually started off very dramatically with ambulance trips to the emergency room and trips to the emergency dentist!

David is doing a lot better. One thing I found interesting was the assumption of the paramedics; the first thing they asked was if David had been drinking! I guess because it was just after the New Year, and most people would be drinking to celebrate. David never drinks; he doesn't like the taste of alcohol. If he had passed out because of drinking, I wouldn't have bothered with an ambulance and hospital. I called the ambulance because I didn't know why he had collapsed, and I wasn't sure if he had hit his head, giving himself a concussion.

David took about 10 days off from work, which has helped him a lot! He looks a lot better. Even before he caught a cold and a slight fever, he was looking very pale and exhausted! I wish he could find a job more locally, a daytime job, working nights is really hard long-term! He is planning on putting out leaflets to restart our English school here soon. I really hope we can get some good students.

I got my tooth fixed, but I have to think about getting some kind of dentures. I have no back teeth at all, so I'm using my front teeth to bite food with, not what they are designed for. I just need to screw up the courage to go and get it done! The local dentist is making a lot of money from our family, both David and Christopher are having treatment there!

I'm glad I got the chance to visit Tera Machi, Temple Town. I would like to go again when I have a bit more time. I think the cherry blossom season would be nice there!

I love all the details on the buildings!

The cherry blossom season will start about March 21st here! Looks like making plans.

In the first half of January, the weather was nice, more like spring than winter. The last couple of weeks, however, have been very cold. Daytime highs haven't been over 10C, most days, 5C was the warmest! That has put a damper on a lot of my plans. This house is just too cold to move in. I tried layering clothes so I could get more chores done, but then it's difficult to move! My January to-do list didn't get finished; of the six things on there, only 3 got done. The rest will have to be moved to February!

My health is about the same. My weight didn't change; it hasn't gone up, but hasn't gone down. I'm still not exercising as much as I should. Again just too cold to move. Also, I'm still sleeping too much during the day. Again, I'm blaming the cold!

I did manage to study Japanese a bit, not as much as I should, but I got my books out 3 times this past month. Also, I'm watching YouTube videos in Japanese, which helps with my listening. A friend sends me little messages in Japanese, which also helps. I need more speaking practice. I tried talking to the cats, but they don't really help!

January went by very quickly. In my mind, we are still in the holiday season! But from tomorrow, the 2nd month starts! I'm wondering what to do in February. I need to sit down and make a plan, make a realistic plan! 

I hope everyone had a good month!

 

Frugal Tips

 I'm always on the lookout for ideas on how to save money! 

I'm especially interested in reading or watching people in Japan who have money-saving ideas. A lot of tips from the UK or the USA don't work in Japan. I saw a video where the lady said she saved a lot of money by simply turning down the thermostat on her heating system. We don't even have a heating system here!

I came across a Japanese housewife who said that January helped her to save money.

She talked about how in January, she didn't like to drive too much, because she's living in snow country. She said that she would use whatever she had in the house to make meals instead of buying extra groceries to make what she had planned. I do that as well, no stores nearby, so if I'm missing an ingredient or two, I either change the menu or use a substitute.

Another thing she talked about was changing from using the heating system on the air conditioners to kerosene heaters. I use kerosene heaters here as well. When I'm sitting in bed, reading or watching TV, I don't even run my heater; I just have my hot blankets on, I sit on one and have another wrapped around my shoulders.

The next thing this lady talked about was not going out to meet friends for coffee or lunch so often in the winter. This is something I never do! She stated that because of this, she doesn't buy so many clothes or makeup at this time of year. That made me pause for a while!

Do people buy clothes every month or so? Is it normal to buy new things just for the sake of buying them? 

I just don't buy clothes! In the past two years, I've bought a pair of shoes, a bra and some socks! The sweater I'm wearing is about 25 years old. I was looking through my clothes the other day, thinking that my room wear is new, but then realised that it's about 5 years old. I bought it when I had Covid, back in 2021. The newest thing I have is a top Hannah bought for me last summer!

Wearing the top Hannah bought me.

Not buying clothes is not about saving money; it has more to do with the fact that I can't shop at local stores. Most of my clothes are from a catalogue shop!

Even then, I have a problem with sizes.  I usually buy the biggest size, sometimes that's alright, but other times the item is too big and drowns me! I've tried to get the next size down, but that is sometimes tight and uncomfortable. I need a size in between.

I've seen stores online from America and the UK that do overseas delivery. Again, it's the problem of sizing. Most companies allow you to send back items that don't fit, but just the bother of sending things back makes me pause!

I will need a few things for the spring and summer, so I'm on the lookout for a good bargain!

I'm still looking for more frugal tips! Every yen I can save helps! I don't want to be miserly, but I do need to save now so that I have money to do what I need to do in the future!

Any tips, anyone?

Also, any ideas for plus-size clothes for the mature lady?

Sad

 Because of food!

I love food, not just eating, but baking and cooking. 

I love to find new recipes, I love experimenting with ingredients just to see how flavours and textures go together.

I can spend hours in the kitchen trying out new things. 

Baking used to be my go-to thing to do when stress got too much.

Of course, I love to eat. I understand that food is fuel for my body, but I also like that food can be a source of fun, that we can celebrate the good things in life with lovely and sometimes special food.

The reason I feel sad about food is that as I get older, there are certain foods that no longer suit me.

In my 40s, I had to stop drinking coffee.  I used to drink two or three cups a day, but I found that after drinking it, I would get stomachache. I cut down to one cup a day, but that didn't really help. I stopped drinking it altogether. I still have tea, which I love, so it wasn't that hard to give up. I now drink a cup of coffee every few months. When I do have a cup, I really enjoy it and savour every mouthful.

Then, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with diabetes. That meant a complete change in my eating habits. I could no longer casually eat what I wanted, when I wanted. I had to think about every mouthful, will this spike my blood sugar, will this keep me full longer than something else? Am I feeling dizzy because I haven't eaten for a while, or is it something else?  Eating should never be that stressful!

Having diabetes has meant giving up a lot of foods that I love. I know it's my own fault for not taking care of what I ate when I was younger, and I have no one else to blame but myself, but it is still hard. 

Giving up sweet treats was hard at the beginning. I remember going to a cafe with Hannah, she ordered this lovely cake and some tea, but I just had a cup of tea! I felt miserable! Now I allow myself the occasional sweet treat, maybe once a month, sometimes not even that! I prefer to bake something if I want cakes or cookies, that way I can control how much sugar is in them, and I use sugar, not corn syrup, which is very bad for the body!

The hardest thing to give up was bread! I love bread, any kind of bread. A piece of toast is comfort food for me! Now I try not to eat bread in the mornings. No toast with my breakfast! Also, most evenings I don't have any carbs such as bread, rice, pasta or potatoes! That is hard!

The reason I'm feeling really sad today about food is that there is another group of foods that I might have to give up or at least limit, that's fired foods.

I've never been a big fan of fried foods. I don't like the feeling of grease in my mouth, but sometimes fried foods just hit the spot.

This past week, I made karaage, Japanese fried chicken, one day, the next day I made hamburgers and chips! Later that day, I felt so ill, nauseated, and my stomach felt rather heavy! I realised that my system just wasn't handling all the grease!

It looks like fried foods will have to go the way of sugar and carbs, very little and not very often!

That is sad. When I was in my 20s, I went on a very restrictive diet because I thought I was so fat. I was less than 60kgs then, about 9 stones (130lbs), but I thought I was so overweight! I lived on juice and soups, plus some fruit. Not healthy at all. I did lose weight, but made myself really ill in the process. Once I started eating normally again, I gained all the weight back, plus some. I told myself I would never restrict my food again, that I would enjoy food and try to exercise more to strike a balance. Now I wish I had that choice!

So I'm feeling a bit sad at how I have to restrict my diet. But there are still a lot of good foods out there! I'm adding a lot more vegetables to my diet. Most days I make a big pot of vegetable soup, a lot of salads and just steamed veggies. Fruit is a luxury here, as it is so expensive, but I try to have some on hand for when I feel the need for something sweet!

I will get over this, no choice. My body knows that these foods aren't healthy for me and aren't really helping me. I just need to accept this and move on!

Has anybody else had to give up a favourite food?

breakfast the other day

I rolled out some bread until it was thin, put some cheese on it, rolled it up, dipped it in egg and wrapped bacon around it. Baked in the oven for about 25 minutes. Nice breakfast! A bit of salad, fried up the leftover potatoes and a couple of sausages. Simple but filling breakfast!

My Bucket List

 Since I asked what others have on their bucket lists, I thought I would share mine!

One thing that I want to do, but I don't know if it's really a bucket list thing, is to reform or rebuild this house. 

The longer I live here, the more I realise that this house just isn't really livable!

It's too cold in the winter. I went into the kitchen/dining area to make lunch, about 11am, and I could see my breath. I can understand it being that cold first thing in the morning, but not that late! In the summer, it's too hot, there is little ventilation, and even though there is a lot of vegetation around, it is still uncomfortable.

The bathroom is hell to keep clean; mould grows so quickly. Even in the winter!

The shower area is freezing, and there are ice crystals in the shampoo! 

I want to make this place livable; this is where I'm going to grow old. I want a place that is easy to take care of so I can live as independently as possible! 

Another thing is to travel.

I would love to go back to the UK one more time, but the reality is that unless I come into a lot of money, that won't be possible. Flights are really expensive. The cheap ones are too long for me to endure. I was looking the other day. One flight that I could just about afford would take 36 hours! I don't think I could do that now!

There are many places in Japan that I would like to visit. Hokkaido in the summer, and Okinawa in the winter. I know that is the opposite way, but I don't think I could deal with the extreme weather in each place. Also, I heard that Hokkaido in the summer is nice because the humidity is low. Okinawa in the summer would be too hot for me; I have a hard time here!

I would like to visit the big cities, Tokyo and Osaka. I'm not sure that I can deal with crowds, though. There are lots of places that aren't that crowded or touristy that I want to go to as well. Hannah finds a lot of interesting places to visit; she has her list as well!

Then I have a list of things I want to study. Of course, Japanese is at the top of the list! I need it to communicate, but I'm also hoping that by constantly studying, I can stave off dementia and other related brain problems that seem to accompany ageing! I really don't want to be the old lady who sits and drools all day with no idea of what is happening around her; that really scares me! When Hannah was in junior high school, the students did a week of work experience. She went to a care home. On the last day, she came home in tears. She said that the residents were making a poster for some event, but most of them didn't know how to hold a pencil or use scissors. I don't want to be like that!

Another thing I want to study is Japanese history, especially in this local area. There isn't a lot in English, so I'll need some help with that. My kids like history and are willing to help me with that. Also, I want to understand what makes the Japanese Japanese, what is so unique to these people, and where that comes from. 

There are other things that I want to study, but those are still ideas swirling around my brain at the moment!

The last thing on this list is to develop some kind of crafting skills. I can knit, but only very basic things; anything that involves shaping is beyond me. I can read a pattern, but I always mess up. I think it's just a case of practice. I like to knit as it stops me from snacking, it's hard to eat when your hands are busy!

Another crafty, arty thing I would like to develop is to be able to draw! Just to be able to put something on paper that looks like something and not just a mess of lines would be great!

That's my bucket list! I'm sure I'll add to it or change things. 

The only one that is really a priority is the house.

On a totally different note, I made an interesting breakfast this morning! I'm always looking for healthy meals without breaking the bank. This morning I made oatmeal and topped it with a poached egg, a couple of small sauasages and spinach with a sesame/soy dressing! I didn't think I would enjoy it as I usually have oatmeal with honey and a banana. But this was actually very nice. I paired it with a soy smoothie, tofu, yoghurt, frozen strawberries, and I added a banana as the strawberries are a bit sour. Very nice and filling!

Breakfast

An Apology And An Explanation

 One problem with the written word is that sometimes what I want to express and what comes across is different!

Yesterday, I mentioned a YouTuber who had 12 books on her TBR list. I stated that it made me laugh, I wasn't laughing at her, I was laughing at the ridiculous situation I'm in with thousands of books that I haven't read! In today's world, where most young people spend hours doomscrolling, seeing a young lady excited about her TBR list is really refreshing! 

One person commented that having 12 books to read is a challenge if one's life is busy and you have responsibilities. I agree with that. The young lady I saw was maybe in her 20s or early 30s. I'm guessing she works, and outside of that, she might have household chores to take care of, maybe social or family commitments to see to. I don't know this young lady. I just saw her video, and it reminded me of all the books I have to read! And as I stated above, seeing a young person who is passionate about reading is refreshing for me.

A friend of mine contacted me privately and told me off, in a nice way. She asked why I was buying so many books and planning trips when, in the same breath, I'm complaining about not having any money. 

First, the books. Most of the books on my bookshelves are from when we would visit the UK. This was when the kids were little. We tried to go back every other year; sometimes it would be 3 or 4 years between trips. After my Mom died, we didn't go back for 13 years. 

When we were in the UK, I would shop a lot. Clothes for me, some I still have! Toys, games and books for the kids, things that we couldn't get in Japan. My Mom loved Car Boot Sales, the one year we went to one, and I got enough T-shirts for the boys to last 2 or 3 years!

Of course, I would go to all the bookstores I could find, I loved finding recyle bookstores. This was back in the 1990s and early 2000s, before Amazon made shopping for international goods so easy!

One year we went to Hay-On-Wye! I bought so many books! When we got home Mom asked how I was going to get them back to Japan! I had enjoyed the cheap recycle bookstores that I hadn't thought about getting the books back to Japan. My Mom was sending packages every month for over a year! 

I remember trying to read the books when I got them but my schedule was so crazy back then, most days I would be on the go from at 5:30 until I finished teaching at 9 or 10 o'clock at night. I would pick up a book at night, read a page and be asleep. So the books got put aside for later!

The books on my Kindle are free downloads. There are a lot of sites that link to free books on Amazon. Some days there are a lot of books that interest me, other days none at all! Out of the 7000 books I have on my Kindle, I think I've only paid for about a dozen or so! The only books I pay for are the ones I save on Everand, then I'm paying for the app, not the books!

The reason I want to travel is that with every year I see more years behind me than ahead! I'll be 64 this summer. Not really old but definitely not young. I feel that all the things I want to do, the places I want to see, the experiences I want to have, I should be making plans now. 

A lot of this has to do with Hisao dying so young; he was only 51 when he passed away. There were places he wanted to go in Japan. He always dreamed of visiting Shikoku, one place he never got to visit. I would like to go there for him.

Another thing he wanted to do was to get back into art. When he was in high school, he joined the art club. He loved to draw and paint. One year, one of his paintings was displayed in the local art museum. 

Young Hisao with his painting

He talked about building a little artist hut on the land we own in the mountains, a place he could go to when he wanted to paint. This was something he wanted to do when the kids had grown up. He never got to do that. To this day, the idea that he couldn't fulfil one small dream makes me sad!

To that end, I've decided that I want to visit places, I want to have experiences with my kids, with friends and really live my life to the fullest now!

We have no guarantee of tomorrow. I know we have no money, but I can still dream and plan. I can try to get new students to make money. I can budget, save to improve this house and save for fun things as well.

I'm sorry if my comment on laughing about the young lady with 12 books on her TBR list upset anybody; that wasn't my intent!

As I write this, I wonder if anyone else has a bucket list? 

Places to visit, things to experience, things to learn about. Drop a comment and let me know!

To Be Read Lists

 I came across a YouTuber talking about how she had 12 books on her TBR list. This made me laugh, just twelve books?

I don't have a TBR list; I have bookcases of books that I keep saying I will read, one day!

These are just four of the bookcases I have. The bottom photo shows several cookbooks on the right-hand bookcase. There are five more bookcases in the storage room as well. 

Then there are the books I have on Kindle, about 7,000, most of them free downloads. Plus, I use the Everand app, I think I have another 600 saved on there!

So many books, so little time. 

I decided that I should start to read through some of these books. This is what I'm reading at the moment.

This book accompanies the BBC documentary that I watched just before I came to Japan. I've read part of it before, but never finished it.

This is another book I started but never finished! It's about how the people of Okinawa live long, healthy lives.  I skipped reading the book and just used some of the recipes at the back. I'm reading the book now, I'm especially interested in the section on dealing with stress, as this is something that Hannah needs to learn. I know she is looking for answers herself, but any help she can get is good!

On Everand, I just started Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities".  Another slow read, but interesting!

Also on Everand, I'm just over halfway through "My Next Breath" by Jermey Renner, the story of how he recovered from a devastating accident!

On Kindle, I've just started "The Judas Tree" by George DeFrehn III. It's an apocalyptic thriller. I've only read a few chapters, but it's holding my interest!

I need a lot of rainy, cold afternoons to cosy up with a cup of tea and maybe a cat to get through these books!

One good thing about having a Kindle is that it's portable. On days that I go to the other city to I usually have free time while I'm waiting for Mikey, I've found that I can read a lot. The community center is quiet and comfortable, just what I need to be able to focus on reading. Also, when I have hospital appointments I take my Kindle, while I'm waiting I can usually get through a few chapters of whatever book I'm reading!

Does anybody else have a TBR list, if so, how many books do you have?

Feeling Better

 I really wanted to get a good night's sleep last night, but of course, plans and reality were different!

I don't know about interval walking; I was doing interval sleeping!

I went to bed about 10 o'clock and slept well until midnight when the cats decided it was party time. I don't know which ones or how many, but they were racing up and down the corridor for about half an hour. Even though that woke me up, I don't mind that noise; they need exercise, and it's strangely comforting to hear them. Just as I was drifting off, the singing started. At first, it was just Steve, he picks up toys and walks around the house with them in his mouth, crying! That went on for a few minutes, but then the sound changed to yowling. I got out of bed to separate Fred and Steve. The problem is that the house is very cold, so getting out of bed means getting cold. Once I had sorted them out, I got back into bed, took ages to get warm, but I was finally drifting off to sleep when the yowling started again. Got out of bed, got cold, sorted the cats, this time Fred and Frodo, got back into bed, got warm, started to drift off to sleep when the yowling started again. I repeated that cycle about 7 or 8 times.

By now it's 3 o'clock in the morning. I gave up and fed them, finally, silence!

After the adventures and fighting of last night, this is how I found three of the cats this morning!

They were fighting just a couple of hours before!

At least I didn't have to get up early today, I slept until 7 o'clock!

I don't feel 100% better, but a lot better than yesterday. My head has been aching a lot, but my throat is no longer on fire! I've been drinking a lot of ginger tea, which is really warming! Also, I made nabe for lunch. Nabe is basically a one-pot dish. I cooked up chicken drumsticks. I used kombu for flavour, with some dashi, and just dumped a load of vegetables in. I also made takikomi gohan, flavoured rice with bamboo shoot! I usually add more things to the rice, but this was the first time making it without a rice cooker.

Hannah and I exchange photos of our meals most days!

This is the first photo I sent to Hannah.

She asked if it was my new diet.

This was my lunch after I served myself!

I managed to study Japanese for a bit and even did some exercise, not Japanese Walking, just some gentle stretches.

I really hope I feel 100% better tomorrow as I have a few chores to do! I need to see to the tatami room. David wants to start putting leaflets out for our school from next week. I want the place be ready, I don't want to panic if someone calls to see our school and nothing is ready!

I really hope we can get some good students. Send good vibes, please!

Sick

 I had great plans for today!

Get up at 5am, make breakfast and obento. Rest a bit more, prepare lunch, 11am meeting with a judicial scrivener to find out about changing the name on the land we have inherited.  Get back home, make lunch. Then spend the afternoon doing Japanese Walking exercise and studying Japanese. 

My day started out alright, even if I did find it hard to get up at 5am. I thought it was hard because the rooms are so cold, and that once I started moving, I would be alright. The past few mornings have been like that!

I got up, put the heater on, and started to make breakfast. I decided to make a quick consommé soup, boiling the water to cook the vegetables helps to heat up the kitchen. After I made breakfast and obento, I realised I was still feeling rather heavy and just bleh, no energy at all. I crawled back into bed, planning to get up at about 9 o'clock, but when my alarm went off, I was feeling worse. 

I finally got up, didn't start lunch, but had to go to the judicial scrivener's office. Stopped by a drug store on the way, that's when I realised I wasn't just tired but starting to feel sick, maybe the beginning of a cold!

Got through the meeting. We want to try and sell as much of the land as we can, but to do that, we need to change the name on the deeds. I thought all the land was in my mother-in-law's name, but some is in my grandmother-in-law's name, and even in my mother-in-law's sister's name. It's going to cost us about 15,00000 yen, about £7000. I was hoping we could do it bit by bit, but we can't! Another thing that I have to save money for!

I gave up on making lunch, I bought obento instead. I went back to bed this afternoon. I'm at the age where I know I can push myself, but that just means being sick longer. If I need rest, then I'm going to take it! I would rather rest for one day than push myself and end up getting so bad that I need a week to recover!

It's now 5:30 in the evening. I started dinner, looks like doing it bit by bit! I'm sipping hot ginger tea and really hoping that an early night and good sleep will help!

I'm not sure if I've caught what Mikey has been battling the past few days, or if the sudden drop in temperature has caused me to feel bad! The weather went from lovely, spring-like days with highs of 19C to freezing winter with highs less than 5C, overnight! There's a forecast for snow tonight!

Just a photo of Sam and Mama!

Japanese Walking

 Japanese Walking is another name for interval walking. The idea is to walk for 3 minutes at a normal, strolling pace, then 3 minutes at a fast pace. You do this for 15 minutes. Sounds nice and simple, something that I could do!

I've been trying this on and off for a few months! If I'm honest, it's been more off than on! When I'm at the community centre on Wednesdays, I have over an hour between classes, so I've been doing the interval walking there! I'm in a big tatami room, with heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. I can do up to 10 minutes now without pain! 

Other days I think I should walk around the garden or area, but I have so many excuses, it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, and of course, my favourite one, I'll do it tomorrow, which never comes! The other day, I came across a video of a lady showing how to do Japanese Walking at home, just walking in place. Why didn't I think of that? I also realised that I have a tatami room here, not as big as the community center but big enough to walk around!

So I'm going to start doing this Japanese Walking consistently. For the next week, I want to try 15 minutes every other day! The 15 minutes five days a week. If I'm alright, no back pain or knee pain, I'll try to add a couple of minutes every week.

One reason I want to focus on walking is that Hannah and I have a trip planned for the end of March, just 8 weeks away. I want to be able to walk, without pain if possible, or at least less pain. I know that keeping up with Hannah is hard, but I think if I can do this exercise, then maybe it will be easier. I don't want to be the old lady complaining about aches and pains all the time!

The weather here has been rather weird. Last week it was like spring, with temperatures up to 19 °C. The past couple of days, it hasn't got over 5C. 

I took these photos on Tuesday when we were at the other city to teach. I was wondering if it would rain or snow!

Dark clouds one way,

opposite view was a real mix!

The next morning, I could see snow on the mountain! It tried to snow here, but only a few flurries for about 5 minutes!

Snow on the mountain!

I'll let you know how I get on with this walking!

My New Printer

 This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link.

Last week, I was trying to teach one of my students some vocabulary for a test she is taking on Sunday.

I have books for this test, but every year they change the test, adding new words or different questions. One way I've found that helps is to print the previous test and go through it with the student. The test is run a few times a year, so the previous test isn't too different from the upcoming one.

I asked David to print part of the test for me, but it looks like his printer is no longer working! The first page was alright, but the next few pages had half the words missing. The last page only had one word on it!

I went on Amazon to see how much a printer would cost. I was surprised that they were a lot cheaper than I thought. Of course, there are some that are really expensive, but I just need a simple one. 

Because I don't have a credit card, I couldn't order one. When I buy from Amazon, I usually go and buy a gift card to use. I was talking to Hannah about this problem, she very kindly offered to buy me one. I'll pay her back or take her shopping!

This is the one that I got.

https://amzn.to/4a21kws

It's nice and simple. I can choose colour copies or black and white, which saves on ink. Hannah also bought extra ink, so I don't have to worry about that for a while!

My printer, all set up.

Of course, now that I have a printer, I can't find what I want to print!

I have one elementary school boy that I wanted to do some prints with, but when I went to a site that I had bookmarked a few months ago, an advertising button came up, saying that to enter the site, I had to watch an advert first. I clicked on it but closed it immediately as it looked like some kind of virus. My computer is alright, but I think the site has been hacked!

There are lots of sites out there that have great material to print; it's just a case of finding them. I use textbooks, but having prints gives extra practice.

Another thing I like to print is recipes. I have folders full of recipes that I've collected over the years. I know I can save recipes or Pin them, but I like having them printed. That way, any substitutes I make, I can jot down!

Also, I can print out sheets to practice kanji! No more excuses!

I'll let you know what I find!