New Years Japanese food

photos of C making tradional O-sechi food for New Year

C had to make the tradional new years food for his homework.  I usually don't bother with the Japanese new year tradions as I am wiped out by Christmas.  But it was homework so we made an effort. C made "Red and White Salad".....red is carrot and white is radish.  White is the color of sacredness and red the color ot ward off evil spirits, therefore colors for celebrations.

We also made "Sweet Chestnut Puree" which was extremely sweet!

Happy New Year. Again I am planning on writing more this year....we will see!

Sports Days

Autumn is the time for sport festivals in Japan. Fortualy both of my kids have finished with their sports festivals.
C's was nice and easy for me. Junior High School kids don't expect their parents to show up. We stopped by just before lunch, basically to take more drinks. C was okay, he really doesn't enjoy the sports festivals but he tried!
The next Sunday was H's. That was a tough day. The school is big, over 800 students. So to find space to sit means placing a ground sheet the day before. I sent the older boys to get a place. On the morning of the event it was cloudy, with a few showers but the show must go on!
I got there with H at 7:45. I sat at my place and waited. Because there are so many children each child only takes part in about 5 events. So when it was H's turn I would go and have a look, then sit and wait for the next event. Of course the biggest thing was the picnic lunch. The "obentos" are the pride of the mothers and grandmothers. There seems to be some kind of competition between families to see who has the best obento. I go for the practical. H doesn't like rice balls so I made pasta salad and chicken, which she ate. The day was over at 3:30. very long day. But H was happy. Her team lost but she doesn't care so much about winning or loosing, just having fun.

Crazy Week

Last week was rather hard.
Took the car in for an oil change. That went fine until we started driving again. The engine was over heating. So we went back. The radiator was completely dry!! When the mechanic checked it turned out that there was a crack in it. So we ended up paying for that along with the vehicle inspection that is ordered by the government. Altogether over 1300pounds (sorry no pound sign on this computer).
The nest day D came back with his pinkie finger bandaged, he had broken it playing basketball. This kid drives me crazy, he is always getting hurt. At 17 he has broken both arms, torn a ligament in his leg, smashed his face which left a scar for a few years and now broken his finger. What's next?
The next day C came home with his middle finger swollen, he bites and pick his nails. So he now has an infection under his nail.
Then H came home with a fever. The schools in this area are doing their field day practice. But it is still very hot, up to 35C most days. The kids are outside for up to two hours, with no shade.
The tradition of field day at this time of the year goes back at long way. Until a few years ago this was okay but the past few years the summers have been getting hotter and longer. It is autumn by the calendar but the weather is still summer. But the schools insist that the kids stand out in the heat. They just can't change the thinking.
So all in all a rather challenging week.

Typhoon 12

I know that I haven't written for ages.....but I have a good excuse. I forgot my password and everytime I tried to get it I was redirected to a Japanese page. Anyway got that sorted!

There is a massive, slow moving typhoon off the coast of Japan. We are in the storming warning area, but the weather is actually nice. Well for me, it is cool, rainy with a few gusts of wind. So much nicer than the heat and humidity of the past few weeks!!!

Summer holidays were nice, nothing great. Kids had loads homework to do. We didn't go anywhere, D was working. He has a part time job at a local convenience store. He does 3 half days a week, but during the holiday he was working almost everyday!! The end of July M and H had a piano recital. I am very proud of them. Especially H as she is extremely shy and has a hard time with getting up in front of people. But she did well. She enjoyed dressing up in the fancy skirt and top, having her hair done. She really is a girly girl!

I will write more often, I keep saying that......I have to try.

New Year

Kids on Christmas Eve 2010

Summer trip to Saga Castle 2010

Last March I was determinded to keep this blog up to date. But that never happened. I am either too tired or to busy to write!

So a new year, new decade even. So what am I looking forward this year?

Well one thing I know I will be doing is a lot of cooking. I now have 3 teenage boys,13, 16 and 19.

And they can eat!! I'm glad that they are healthy and need good food but how to keep up?

Also I have to get healthy. I'm not getting any younger and the thought of an old age with aches and pains does not inspire me. I got sick over Christmas last month. Just a stomach bug but ended up at the local clinic. Not a big problem, needed a drip and some strong medicine. But I got so depressed seeing all these old folks, they looked so miserable. I don't want to be like that!! So I have to take action now, exercise and healthy eating!!!! But it is so cold in the morning and getting the will power to get out of bed is so hard. Still I have to try!!!

long time no post .....again

I think about writing but never seem to have time. The past few months have been spent trying to build up my English school. I've got a few new sudents, and am trying some new ideas in teaching. Hard work but fun. I love it when the kids get something and you see the "light bulb" go on! That makes all the hard work worth while!
On a more personal note I am so happy to be finished with the kids old school. The last elementary school thought that 'discipline' was a four letter word. Kids in my daughters 1st grade class could get away with back talking to the teacher, even beating the teachers face bought a hug from the assistant teacher not a reprimand!! The class looked liked a zoo a feeding time. From what I saw, on more than one occasion, in a 45minute lesson, maybe 10 minutes of actual teaching, explaining could take place, the rest of the time was used to get kids to sit down, stop talking, stop hitting each other. Class breakdown is an understatement! Of course my daughter is the daughter of the Crown Prince, so her plight and that of thousands of kids in Japanese schools is ignored. Poor Princess Aiko had a hard time in her school and refused to go. It is sad that any kid hates school and is afraid of their peers. But honestly does she even need an education? No matter whether she graduates from school or not the Princess is set for life. Not so the thousands of kids who are really suffering here. There is no home schooling allowed and very few alternative schools. These kids just fall through the cracks of this rigid society.

of tests and things

It is testing time for D, he has mid term tests next week and he is so miserable.
I am really wondering if it is worth the effort to send him to school any more but also we
don't have any choice, homeschooling is not recognized in Japan and I wouldn't be able to teach what he needs. I feel so sad and hopeless. He is a smart boy who in a more relaxed situation could do very well.
On a brighter note M has got a little part time job. He was so nervous about calling for the interview but managed okay. He goes tomorrow to talk to the manager then he will start two weeks of training. It is the early hours at a local store.
Other than that nothing really new to report!!