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