Cost of Living Crisis......Japan Style

 Let me start with something positive before I get into my moaning session!   The face gel I bought works!  I went shopping this morning, of course had to wear a mask, which usually means I have rivers of sweat dripping down my face.  Today almost nothing!  By the fourth shop I started to feel a little damp on my forehead but nothing like before.  I'm so happy about that, one problem solved!

Before I left to go shopping this morning I found the postman had delivered my electric bill.  I was shocked to see that it was for 15000 yen ( about 94 pounds). This time of year it's usually half that!  That amount is normal in the summer because I run air conditioners!

Then at the shops I noticed that a lot of things have gone up.  I buy these lovely thick pork chops, two weeks ago they were 50 yen for 100 grams today 120 yen for 100 grams!  Most things that I buy have gone up by at least 20 yen.  Things that I want to buy fruits, vegetables, meat and fish are all a lot more expensive, snacks, crisps, snack bread haven't gone up that much.  

To make things worse we haven't had any new students this year!  April starts  the new school year and we normally get 3 to 5 students each month until the summer holidays then another lot in the fall.  This year nothing, no calls, non of Mikey's students from his volunteer teaching or kindergartens!  I'm trying not to panic but when our income only just covers the basics it's hard.  There is little help in Japan. Welfare is based on the family, if you need money then your extended family should help you. Problem is we have no family here, it's just us!  Before anybody asks the kids are helping out but it is still tight and they have their own bills to pay!

I know my situation is not that bad, I've been watching the news and seeing how bad things are in the UK makes me very sad!  I just wonder how much longer until the full force of this cost of living crisis hit Japan!

Thinking

 I came across an old note book in which I had written a list of goals, learn Japanese, loose 3kgs,  clean bedrooms.  The date was July 2013.  Problem is I could write the same thing today.  Still need to learn Japanese, still need to loose weight, the bedrooms got done then undone.  

The notebook

So I've been thinking on how to move forward, get things done.  One thing I have to stop is sleeping in the afternoon.  This is a habit from when I was teaching in the evenings, somedays from 4 o'clock until 9 or 10 o'clock and I knew I wouldn't have energy to keep going if I didn't nap.  At the moment I don't have that many classes, tonight I'm free so I don't need to nap but just want to!  But if I keep doing what I've always done I'll keep getting what I've always got!  So I'm going to try and change things up a bit, not easy but have to try.

Yesterday was a lovely sunset, first time in ages to see such colors.  I took a photo with my phone so not very good but still beautiful.

From my front door

Still trying to figure out my cat blog!

Fluffy finds the most interesting places to sleep.  On the bread one day, then on my medicine box the next day.

Fluffy on the bread

On my medicine box

Plastic

 I saw on the news that many households in UK had volunteered to weigh how much plastic they use.  It is hoped that by showing how much one use plastic is used supermarkets and government will be pushed to do something.  According to an article I read the UK is the 2nd largest user of plastic after the USA.

This got me thinking about my own use of plastic.  Just today for lunch I threw away plastic from lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, tofu, chicken and some meat.  That was for just one meal.  Add to the bread packet that was finished this morning, the snack breads we ate for breakfast and the bottled tea that Christopher drinks that is a lot of plastic.  Also in some supermarkets near here they will put things in a small plastic bag even though the product is already in a plastic bag.  I try to use my own shopping bags when I go shopping but the plastic bags are useful for the dirty cat litter, with  nine cats that's a lot of litter!  So I'm going to try and be careful and find alternatives to plastic.  I remember growing up that in grocery stores produce was open and put in a paper bag, drinks came in glass bottles and the only time my Mom needed a plastic carrier bag was at Christmas when she bought enough to feed an army!  If anybody has any ideas how to reduce plastic use drop me a comment!

Coins to Coupons

 One local supermarket has a new campaign.  They have installed a machine that will accept your coins, you know the ones sitting around in jars through out the house (or maybe that's just me).  This is just one of the jars I have.

Basically one yen coins

The machine then gives you coupons to use in the store.  I don't go to this supermarket very often but a chance to use up all these coins I have can't be passed up. I use to put the coins into the bank ATM and use them to pay for my Netflix and Hulu subscriptions but the banks started to charge for that and it just wasn't worth it.  I'm glad that there is a way to use these coins!

Melting

 That's how I feel when the weather warms up.  I sweat a lot, especially on my face.  The past couple of years it's been worse because of wearing masks when shopping.  I have to stop and wipe my face every few minutes, once I'm in the car I take off my mask and blast the air conditioning.  This has made shopping even more miserable.  I have knee pain that makes walking hard but add to that this sweating I honestly don't want to go out when it's hot!  I did some research and found an antiperspirant for the face.  Great if it works.  I ordered some from Amazon, it arrived on Monday.  Not sure about it at the moment, only tried it in the house.  The first thing I noticed was the strong smell, it doesn't last, which is good.  Also it feels sticky when first applied but I found sitting in front of a fan until it dries stops the sticky feeling.  It's not 100% but I could cook without sweat dripping into my eyes.  Next test is using it when I go shopping, see how it holds up when wearing a mask!

This is the antiperspirant

If anybody knows of a different product drop me a comment!

Overwhelmed

 I've just finished a weeks holiday and I feel more tired than I did before.

I spent most of my holiday cleaning and doing the garden, but it's never ending.  The kids help but they are busy with work and university.  Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to empty the ocean with a teaspoon! But I'll keep on.   I tell myself that one day it will be finished, at least I hope so!

Hannah has decided that I should study Japanese, which is true.  I understand a bit, especially daily conversations but I can't read or write.  Japanese has 3 different writing systems.  Hiragana, katakana and kanji ( the Chinese characters).  I still struggle to read, I can figure out things but not smooth reading.  Hannah has been making me prints to practice.  

Katakana and hiragana prints

I thought this would be a one time thing but she keeps sending me them.  Her train ride is an hour so she spends time on her phone making these and then sends them to me!  It helps.

The cats are driving me crazy.  They are indoor cats but they do escape sometimes.  Problem is we have stray cats coming around and I worry about the cats fighting. The one stray we took back to it's owner but a few days later he came back!

Fluffy

The picture of Fluffy is typical of her.  She sleeps on the edge of things and tends to fall off.  She doesn't get hurt but it gives me a fright!

Hannah's Birthday

 This week was Hannah's 20th birthday! 

Every birthday I let out a big sigh.  I've always worried about Hannah's health.  She was born extremely premature, I was just 26 weeks pregnant and she weighed 900grams (1.8lbs).  She only had a 30% chance of living! Now she is 20 years old, enjoying university and working part time.  She got lots of presents, we had a yakiniku and sushi party!  We sat, ate, talked and laughed for a long time.  Next day Hannah went into the city with her friend to watch a movie. So she's had a nice week!

Looked through photos, found some of Hannah, enjoy! They are not in any order, sorry!

On her birthday!

Yaki niku

All grown up!

about 9 months old

with Dad, 1 years old

with Grandma

and Granddad

Outing, forget where.

Playing Cinderella

6th birthday

rocking out

7 years old

Trying to get a family photo, took 2 hours!

In England, waiting to see Phantom of the Opers

messing around

couple of years ago at a beach

Playing with filters on the phone