It has been a bit… It was a busy summer - I think for all of us? I dropped about three blogs during the summer months if you missed them! Take a look if you have time - some great photos! Shout out to Miranda for making me get off my butt and write something! Thanks for reading!
As the title says… in a month we will be handing in CANADA!! The countdown is definitely on! We will be home for a month! Our trip will include 9 flights, one quilt retreat, visits in Winnipeg, Montreal, Edmonton, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Calgary as well as my nephew’s wedding in Mexico!! Phew!
Those of you who know me will not be surprised to hear that I have a calendar with the dates of the trip in my day-timer - lunches, suppers, flights, coffee dates, dentist appointments, eye appointments, X-rays and nail appointments are all there!!
SIGH… This last month has been up and down for sure!
It has been a challenge for me to be less busy - I know… but it is true!
Although Kamikawa High School is not my favourite place, it was really great to get back so some regularity a couple of weeks back… routine is a huge deal for me! My English Journey program (extra classes for elementary and junior high kiddos) is also happening and we are back at kindergarten!
I finished my English Paper Piecing Baby Quilt and have started knitting so I do not get bored in my free time! I am so grateful to my friend, Kerry, for getting me hooked on EPP! It is such a great thing for me to do when I don’t have my sewing machine and my regular personal crafting items! Not sure which quilt will be next!
I have been making muffins and I will try my hand at the Ted Lasso biscuit recipe for my TV TIME class! Fingers crossed…
Still trying to walk every day at least a kilometre but my sciatica (back and hip)is excruciating! I also bought a set of toning weights and am waiting on my exercise mat as we speak! No promises…
One of the biggest reasons I am feeling more chipper these days is not one but TWO of our favourite couples are coming to Japan for a visit in the spring!! Yay Chrissy and Fred Heap and a shout out to Collette and Joel (in Manitoba)!
It is SO much easier for me when I can break up our time here with things to look forward to! I don’t want you to get the wrong idea, I am not completely miserable, but as I have said before - this adventure is not without hardship!
I am soooooo social and am really missing outings with friends - it is not the same here and if you think RMH is small - NOPE - come and live in Kamikawa! Good thing I like my hubby so much!
Familiarity? Totally missing it! My fav meal on Mark’s menu plan is literally meatloaf because it tastes like home! And did I mention that we have been out of KD for some time now? :0(
Language barrier and culture shock - still a thing… and def some frustration over what I can and cannot do here… very difficult when I cannot see any good reason for the restrictions. I still have not set foot in the elementary school or the junior high school! Arghhhh!!
I rented a trumpet! And that is a story in itself - no company would rent to me because I didn’t have the right credit card - my friend, Miku’s friend, FINALLY found me one on a bidding site? So grateful! My friend Nicky and I play weekly and it is wonderful! Still does not take the place of my favourite instrument (junior high band)... (another sigh here)
Things to look forward to? Well at the end of August we took the train (the BEST way to travel in Japan) down to southern Hokkaido to finally visit Hakodate!
I LOVED it! Def my new fav place in Hokkaido!
It has the #3 night view in the world! Gorgeous! And amazon seafood to boot! We had drinks with Jun Matsui who has traveled 3 times to RMH! It is his hometown and he saw my Facebook post! Lucky us!
And, when we arrive back in Japan at the end of November - 4 weeks until our next adventure! There is actually school on December 25th here - it is a Monday! So - on December 26 we will travel to Tokyo for 4 nights… head to Cebu island in the Philippines for a week and then hit up Hong Kong for 4 nights!! Waa Hoo! When we are back - just about 3 months until we start to see our Canadian visitors!!
So - that’s what’s up here! October will be INSANE for me (just the way I like it) with Canadian Thanksgiving, Family Pumpkin Carving, and a Haunted House in addition to all my regular stuff!
Hope all you westerners are enjoying autumn - finally cooling off here! Cheers…
PS If you didn’t read my summer entries - YES - we are legally licensed to drive in Japan!
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