Birthdays

 Last week was Christophers birthday!  He's now 25!  I wanted to make his birthday lunch but I wasn't feeling so good, maybe side effects from my new medicine.  I started but David had to finish, we had tonkatsu (bread pork chops, deep fried) miso soup, shrimp in a chilli sauce, salad and rice.  It was nice.  Christopher had to work in the afternoon so we had cake in the evening.  Christopher loves cheesecake and I had the stuff to make it but just couldn't so Mikey and David went and bought some, except for Hannah, she doesn't like cheese cake, doesn't like cheese!

Cakes for Chistopher

The baby is Christopher

With Hisao

Now

Monday is Mikey's birthday.  31!  That is hard to believe, except for the aches and pains I have I don't feel old enough to have a 31 year old son!   Planning to make sheperdas pie tomorrow.  Mikey loves his meat!

Fluffy using Mikey to look outside

As a baby

with David

I'm still figuring out what I can eat.  Also I need to start some exercise, I think about it but haven't got round to it!!

Diabetes

 My doctors appointment went better than I thought. Had blood and pee test, glucose is still high but not diabetes.  I have medicine to take for the next month, then check again.  I was expecting a long lecture on what to eat, on how bad I've been, how I should exercise etc but all he said was to not drink soda or fruit juice and drop at least 5kgs.  Bit worried about the medicine, one side effect is diarrhea.  The doctor said that might happen the first few days, problem is I start back to work on Friday, I hope I'm not running out the class every few minutes!  

So I really have to be serious about loosing weight.  I did great in November but December I got side tracked because of Christmas.  I started again after my doctors visit on December 28, stopped sugar and cut carbs a lot.  I still need to figure out what to eat as white rice is a staple here and we eat a lot of rice!  I checked out brown rice but it's very expensive.  2000 yen for 2kilos.  White rice is 1500yen for 5 kilos! Another problem is finding whole wheat bread.  I've found brown bread but that is basically colored white bread.  I guess I'll have to experiement!  Should be interesting!

Hannah took an interesting video this morning of the stray kitten.  His reaction when he sees Hannah is funny.  The video isn't the best quality but it's cute.

Some Photos

 I wanted to put more photos yesterday but I'm having a hard time with my new computer.  I couldn't find the photos that I wanted to use.  Turns out that some were on Hannahs phone and hadn't been uploaded to Google.  So here are a few more photos from the other day!

Our cities mascot

Where we had lunch there were little cards on the table saying the table had been disinfected. After finishing your meal you should lie the card down so the staff know that the table needs cleaning.

Disinfected card

On the plaza outside of the station was the Christmas tree.  Must look nice in the evening,

Beautiful Tree

subway sign

One good thing is that in most places signs are in English,  I still get lost but have no excuse!

Hannah bought this cute cat

And of course the toilet instructions, these signs always get me.

Station toilet sign

The toilets were very clean and well kept.  Plenty of toilet paper, soap and paper towels.

Last night I wan't feeling so good.  I think I over did on the first plus my allergies were really bad!  Hannah went to the store to get something for dinner, I asked for a tin of soup. I was sat at the table playing with the tab on the tin when this happened.

The cats looking at me, thinking I have food for them.

Did get bit scarey!

Happy New Year

 I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

New  Years Eve we had lunch together.  Yakiniku, which is meat grilled on a hot plate at the table and sushi.  We sat and talked, remembering past new years and wondering what 2023 would bring.

Lots of meat

Mikey likes to cook this!

New Years Day Hannah and I went to see Sister Act the Musical.  I'm always amazed at the quality of these productions.  The actress playing Mother Superior is in her 70's.  She was very good!

The poster for Sister Act

New Years decorations in the theater

Lunch

We had lunch at Mos Burger, fast food but there was some vegetables!  Most resturants were closed!

The day after tomorrow is my appointment with the diabetes doctor.  Not looking forward to that!

Bad News

 But first lets start with something good!

Christmas was nice, very simple and rather unusual this year!  Both Mikey and Hannah had to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Felt strange to have people out on those days but it's the 2nd time in 30 years so I really can't complain.  We exchanged gifts, had nice food and watched daft TV.  I could rest a bit, which is always nice!  

The bad news!  I had to go to the hospital today for a blood check, get them every few months since having cancer.  I asked the doctor to include a test for diabetes and today my numbers were far to high.  So looks like I have diabetes.  I'm hoping that it is just because I went mad a Christmas but don't know!  I have an appointment on January 4th with a diabetes specialist.  So back to no sugar and I have to look at cutting carbs.  I really struggle with that.  The Japanese diet is based on white rice, so most meals will have that.  I'm going to buy brown rice, even though it is a lot more expensive than white rice.  Bread I don't know what to do as the idea of whole wheat bread is unknown.  Not eating rice is okay but I love bread. I guess start looking for ideas online.  I'm sure I can find something!

Look out for lots of moaning!  This is not going to be easy!

Lovely pizza, guess I won't be eating this again!

Hannah got a game from David.  She had to make characters.  She decided to make Granddad!

Really looks like Dad!

Snow

 It's been snowing all night.  Looks lovely but very cold. We don't get snow very often.  If we do it is usually on the mountains and only stays for a day. According to the weather forecast this is going to be the next couple of days, maybe a white christmas! That would be something.  I think the the 30 years I've been here we have only had one white christmas.

Front of the house

We've taken in another stray cat while it's this cold.  He's in the cage, sleeping.  Must be happy to be warm!

Fluffy was not impressed by snow!

Fluffys first sniff of snow!

I'm hoping to bake this afternoon.  Do some cookies and cakes for the weekend.

It's going to be a strange Christmas as Mikey won't be here for most of it and Hannah has work all day on Christmas Eve. 

Lunch is almost done.  David has made a nice dhicken stew, very warming!

Ten Years

 Today is ten years since Hisao passed away.

In someways it's gone fast, in someways slow.

There have been good things that have happened but also a lot of struggles.

All of my kids have finished school.  I'm really happy that I don't have to deal with the schools anymore.  I must admit that Hannah's elementary school was very good with her.  She was only 10 when Hisao died and was having a hard time.  Her classroom teacher allowed her to leave the classroom at any time if she was feeling overwhelmed.  There was a room set up to help students that were struggling.  Hannah could go and sit there, the teacher would make her a drink, talk if Hannah needed to.  

All of my kids have jobs, not the best jobs but they are working.  David tried the army but his health was bad,  he ended up with stress fractures on his knees!  Mikey is still waiting to start his magic career full time, was supposed to be in 2020 but we all know what happened that year.  Christopher is working at the local supermarket, he has changed shifts, working the evenings instead of early morning.  And Hannah is still at university and working part time.

Going to England 5 years ago was great.  Nice to see family, meeting my niece for the first time. Spend time sighseeing.  We have a lot of good memories from that time.

We managed to go to places, local museums, parks, the next city a few times.  As Hannah got older she has become obsessed with musicals, so before the pandemic Hannah and I would go and watch musicals.

I'm sure I've missed out a lot of things!

The struggles were a lot as well.  Trying to rebuild our English school, finding our way with the tax office etc,

My mother in law passed away in 2020. Which means all of the land and house is now in my name and I have no idea what to do with it all.

Also Christopher's dog died the same year.  She was 12 years old.  She was such a lovely dog, very friendly.

Next ten years, who knows?  I know I never expected to live through a pandemic or another war.

I am trying to keep postive and look at the good things I have but sometimes it's hard.

Found some older photos, from when the kids were little.

with Hannah, she was 8

in England

Hannah's first Christmas

with Mikey

viewing the autumn leaves

hug from Christopher

and David

with Mom and Dad