Updates

Totally forgot to post about the results of the local elections(as though you were all desperate to know..).But anyway,the present mayor won again so I am happy.And that is that!

And the chicken pox.Annie is doing better.Her fever is down to normal(and many thanks to the lovely offers of fever-reducing medicine that I had) and is as hyper as ever.Counted her spots last night and she had the grand total of 121(and I only counted because she has to have a bit of cream on each spot...I am not that anal,honest!) but more spots to come from the look of it.Sounds bad but she isn't covered from head to toe at all.Her arms,legs and face only have a few,thank goodness.The itching hasn't started as yet.She isn't eating much apart from her beloved yogurt,so is down to just 11kg again.

And what is rather ironic is her choice of bedtime reading matter...I let her decide what story she wants every evening and since she has come down with chicken pox,all she wants is "Spot".Go figure.

20 spots and counting

Annie has chicken pox.It has been going around her daycare centre for the last few weeks and we were expecting it.But still,not nice when it actually happens.The spots are starting to appear and her temperature is still very high and she has been delirious a couple of times today already.And,grief,this sounds awful,but it is kind of nice when she gets delirious as she speaks English.Recentley,she has been talking so much in Japanese and her English is on the side-lines and I have to pull it out of her which makes me feel like a teacher rather than a parent.But give this kid a fever and hey presto,the English flows..."Mummy,look in sky.Airplane and moon.Miffy hello.Noodles and rice.Come here.No no no.Potty.I love you.Pick it up,please". Works for me.

Fashion Week in Reihoku

Yes,I think we shall have to start a fashion week here.Annie has started deciding what she wants to wear.And it is very..... "original".The following photographs say it all.


Starting with the half-naked look and the loo-seat hat.Very fetching especially ,we think ,is the mode of transport.




Next we have the "Domestic" look...nothing like doing the cleaning in a traditional happi coat with matching hat and scarf."Chic" is the word that comes to mind.




Next we have the "Swimsuit" look.And beautifully modelled here by Annie.The optional hat adds to the whole "Sunny yet Bloody Freezing Out" collection.



And finally,the classic "Swim Suit yet again and I love it so to hell with you all" pose.



I am sure that you will be delighted to know that each and every one of the above has been worn out and about.Splendid stuff.

Election Time

I dread this event.We have local elections every 4 years(which,I suppose is a blessing) but OMG,it is horrible.One word to describe it(and anyone who has either lived in Japan or been in Japan during a general or local election will know this)....NOISY!

Japan is a noisy noisy country at the best of times with BGM playing everywhere possible,town announcements boomed out over a tanoy a few times every day,tanyoned chimes 4 times a day(here in the countryside they boom out at 5am,midday,5pm and 9pm for those unfortunates who don't have any way of telling the time and need to know when to get up,have lunch,finish work and go to bed...Hmmm),people in trucks driving around playing music and making announcements about what they have to sell(from ramen noodles to sun-shades to old motorbikes) etc etc etc.

But at election time we have 6 days of hell as everyone up for election drives round the town in vans and trucks with a little possy of supporters following,blaring out messages and "Vote for X,Blah blah blah".They use women to screech out the words to get that message across and woe betide you if you are caught outside or nearby when they pass.....the screecing will go up another decible of two as they "thank you" for your support.Yeah,right.The frenzy when someone actually waves back or acknowledges the passing convoy is just too painful to either hear or see.And all those in the election convoy wear matching jackets,(pink,bright green and yellow being this years favourites from what I have seen so far)bandanas around their heads and they all wear white gloves,all the better to wave with.

The election is this Sunday and today is the first day of the convoys as thank goodness,there is a certain date when they are allowed to shatter our peace.This year not only do we have the council seats up for grabs but also the town mayor for 16 years is being contested by a dreadful little man who is using money and bribery to get support.We have also been approached and told that we will be given a lovely piece of land to build a house,free of charge,if the contender wins the mayoral seat.They can keep it.I was also given some lovely home-made pickles by one of the present mayors supporters.But I kept them;-)

So,until the elctions are finished we will not be going anywhere on foot in case we get accosted by one of the 18 separate convoys and sorry,dog,you will only be walked when it is pitch black out.When driving around,eyes on the road because even eye-contact will produce a volley of screams and yells of gratitude from the candidates.Self-imposed house arrest.Sounds good.

And the irony of it all for me is that I can't vote in either the local or general elctions.But there is no doubt about who I would vote for.That would be the quietest of all the candidates.Someone,please pass me the paracetemol.


WARNING: Viewer discretion advised;-)

Make an online slide show at onetruemedia.com

Woah..

I am shell-shocked.What a very "Two -Cultured" time we have had.All very lovely but doing Christmas and going on to do the Japanese New Year without a break has been pretty exhausting.Christmas cards and presents,New years cards,Christmas decorations and New Years decorations,then all the food to be prepared...turkey plus trimmings,German food and then the local cuisine....Woah.Lots of fun but I am ready to drop.The house has been full of happy chaos,cooking smells,cleaning fanatics(Kenichi and myself),friends,hyper-active children and close family.Our futons have been well used and it seems very quiet now that we are back to "normal".Annie got the best of both worlds with presents plus otoshi-dama.Back to work and normality on Tuesday.Holidays are fun but so is,quote me on this later,work;-)

And anyway,happy Year of the Boar .Oink.