Well Happy New Year World!!!!!
What will 2011 bring apart from a Royal Wedding?
Snow in the Sahara? Dallas brought back to our TV’s with Bobby Ewing returning from the dead AGAIN?
Me to carry on being positive….. Huh nope can’t really see any of it really.

So our New Year Eve was different, started when we went to the shrine at the end of our street.
People where queuing to buy a wish paper…well I think they were. On this paper they would write a wish and then burn the paper. Also they would pick a piece of paper which would tell them the type of lucky they will have for the next year. Now as I am new here this is only my understanding. Now when I am leaving in 3 years time I still won’t know anymore then than I do know.

I am guess pretty soon I will have to start my New Year resolutions. When do I actually need to start them, now?????.....REALLY?
Because before I start them I have a few jobs from last year that I need to do…like clean the car.
Sort the office out…..Yes still need to sort it out. Get rid of stuff…well I will when I know which bin to throw it in!

One thing I am looking forward to is taking the Christmas tree down….doing my head in!
Wish I was not so superstitious, but I am. So until Wednesday up they stay.
Looking at the tree now think…arrggghhhhh hope this won’t take long to take down and put away!
I mean Christmas is over in 2 minutes why can’t putting all the bits and bobs (a lot of bits and bob granted) be put away quickly?

I have decided I want to write a book (HAHAHA) .
When JH was staying with us a few years ago at New Year I mentioned it then and started and never finished. While in the office a few weeks ago I found what I started before.
JH was a character, with a twist…..I think I will have to start again but with some new people mixed in with my original characters.
Best seller I think…… (NOT!!!)

Well ANOTHER early start this morning. We decided that we were going to try very hard to find J ski clothes for his school skiing trip. As G nor I have ever skied this was another challenge of trying to find the right stuff for less than double of the cost of the ski trip.
I had heard of a outlet mall near Mt Fuji. JH had passed it while driving to Fuji and mentioned it. So I looked it up….This is what was written about it….
A huge outlet mall in Gotemba city, at the foot of Mt. Fuji
Hummm Well it looked like any good outlet in the USA, The shops looked good…but it stopped there!
I thought the idea of an outlet was it was cheaper than the official shops in a normal mall, last year’s clothes, seconds, overstock…Hummmmm NO! It was the normal shop, full priced in the outlet mall.
REALLY, it was. I mean has anyone explained the meaning of outlet…we even have one in Wales. REALLY we do...McArther Glen in Bridgend, advertising designer labels at 60% discount…REALLY
So somebody needs to poke somebody here and explain..While your outlets look lovely..you have no idea of what an outlet is!
Sooooo….We did actually mange to get J his skiing stuff. We managed to get the jacket, trousers and some kind of ski vests and leggings. All this for less than the cost of the jackets we had seen.
While it was cheaper, it was the only kids ski stuff we had found. Not on sale and only 3 in stock.
Next we need to get the goggles and stuff. Not worried about them, you can find them everywhere here.

So after feeling extremely pleased with ourselves we headed home…the long way round.
When we got home I decided I was going to make cinnamon rolls. While they tasted good, Cinnamon Bon Have nothing to worry about.

It is New Years Eve here right now. At the end of our street is a shrine, a shrine to what I have no idea. Outside as I type they are getting ready for tonight’s festivities. I have been told that outside our house will be very busy. There will be lots of people celebrating New Year. I am hoping they don’t make too much noise, I mean I might want to go to sleep and hearing a load of jabbering and chatting …that I can’t understand will do my head in!
So I have been thinking of New Year resolutions’ came up with one or two that I might try and do.
I have also thought of a few things I would like to do. One is make a cook book for myself but each recipe dedicated to somebody. Know whether I will actually get off my backside and do this is another thing.



Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year and a fantastic 2011….REALLY I do.

Six months already

So I have been here 6 months and I kinda still love it here.
Still no idea why, maybe because of the lack of spitting, no smell of
Arse*

So we have had birthdays, G traveling and Christmas and I
Still love it.... What can I say

Last week while watching G play in the over 35 football tournament
I looked up and seen Mount Fuji. Well for those who know me I am
NEVER at a loss for words. I was that morning, beautiful blue skies
Crisp cold morning with a perfect view of Fuji with the snow looking so
Perfect it looked painted on.
Know I am not a person who looks at something and things wow
Went to Nigara falls nice place but a lot of water. Walked over Sydney
Harbor bridge... Been there, all ok and no don't need a bloody t-shirt
I have no need to go to certain places, just look at other people pictures
Seen the pictures so no need to go... REALLY!!!

So I have decided to change my life. I am going to actually go to a gym
I will actually do more than walk on the slowest setting of the tread mill
and watch Dr. Phill on the gym's TV's
I have spoken with a trainer, booked an appointment mid January. That should be interesting
I am sure I will have lots to say about all that when the time comes.

So this Christmas among other gifts I received a Kindle... And yes I love it!!!
Listen to me be positive... Really it is me typing this!!!!
Been down loading to my hearts content... Have to somehow fit in
Reading the 20 boxes of books I shipped here!!!

I am current sat here people watching, going to carry on watching
Hope I don't laugh to loudly

So I am having another good day, REALLY I am!!!
I am sure that to anyone who knows me that this may come as a surprise.
Well I am the person who can make mountains out of moles hills.

So this morning off we toddle to pick up my new phone. I have been on the waiting list for the 4G phone. I was number 320 in one particular store.
Set the GPS to take us to Yokohama station. (Which we registered while there last week) So I say to G I feel like we are going in the totally wrong direction…this coming from me is also laughable.. as I find my way by looking for strange landmarks..Such as the bendy tree pointing to the left…So you’re getting my drift here right.
So off we go and I am convinced we are heading for Costco. GPS takes us on the highway (which I feel is highway robbery the cost of the tolls) The GPS then announces we have arrived at our destination..Well the original Yokohama station from the 1400’s might have been there (if they had stations in the 1400;s) but I am sure it has not moved since last Saturday/
We want to get to down town ASAP because in Softbank (Phone store)because you take a number and you can wait an ages to be served and then a life time to complete what you need to do.. . So we got my phone, was given a discount ticket for parking. So that made me happy!!!



Then D,L & L came around. I once again had some of my daily allowance in the form of juice..This time orange juice and some other liquid. I then made a Mule but should have looked up the correct amounts. …but in the mule I actually had fresh lime..So that should be a bonus, right?
Then off we toddled to Red Lobster…I really think I should be holding off on the fruit juice…
I came home set the alarm off. ‘INTRUDER ALERT, INTRUDER ALERT’ was all I could hear, did I rush to sort this out..hummmm no…I will tell you why, I had English being spoken in my house…I was wondering if the alarm might want to be my new friend. Perfect English…well I would not except a broken English from a computer!!! He did seem a bit harsh as he was shouting INTERUDER ALERT so maybe I should look elsewhere for a new friend.

I mentioned to D about water aerobics, this did seem like a good idea at the time.
Then this morning when I lifted my 2 ton head of the pillow…I knew I was not going to make it to Coach Quick’s Exercise class. What can I say…I think I am going to have to get checked if my body can take juice.

Today I am having another massage at the pool…don’t think all nice relaxing massage think more like..The guy has had issues with people all week and he is taking it out on me.
The reason I went there in the beginning was because I hurt my backside….no idea why…no fruit juice or magic juice had been consumed. To stand or sit was a night mare, or to even put on my right sock on was just as bad. So Coach recommends this guy…at first he says I am in too much pain for a massage…
’REALLY Sherlock!!!’
Then he shocked or burned my toe…and it hurt like #@$%^&*!@#$%
I then went back last week for my second session. During my massage he climbs on the table and pushes and pulls my hips…I am going as red as Santa’s suit… I have J running up to me telling me he can now dive backwards from the top diving board…this makes my heart go into my mouth ( I tense up at this)
…Thank goodness I cannot see this. I am allowed to turn back on my belly thank goodness…Oh man all I can say the relief I get from the pain in my back and shoulder is worth it….So I will take it in my stride and wear a red shirt and blame the highlighted coloured cheeks on the reflection of my shirt!

Well……. I have found a way to have 2 of my 5 recommended fruit and veggies….A sea breeze or two!
Cranberry and Grapefruit juice with a splash of the magic juice!
So I am figuring that if I drink enough of these I am going to be super healthy!!!!
Also the fact that they are on the Happy hour menu is even better…So for ¥500, so I am getting a bargain and being good!!!!

Know as I type this I have to say I have had a few of these Sea breezes. I think I might need to cut back on the fruit juice…the fruit juice seems to be making be a little giddy!!!
Oh yeah I had a China blue as well..well that Lychee magic juice in it..so I have had 3 of the daily 5…man how good am I?????

So today was a good day. I dropped J off at school and went to Starbucks. I ordered a coffee…why I have no idea. I don’t like Coffee. This one was not too bad…But Still not a fan of coffee.

The other ladies there were LOVELY. I came home did some housework…yes I did say housework, well my version of housework.

Tried to sort out the office. I am soooo glad G was not here. I moved, stacked, threw, lifted and I might have even kicked something. (The kick was on purpose) it looks 95% better than 20 minutes after I started. Thinking I still have a lot to do...........Like at least 55% to finish it

Yesterday I stayed out for wayyyyyyyyyy to long. If J had have been out that long I would have lost it. And made him drink pints of water come home and shower apply after sun lotion etc…But no….no not me..I mean why would I need to do that???
Then for some STUPID reason I started twisting in the water…. I felt a bit like the way the Sea breeze fruit juice is making me feel right now….

Sooooo then I had a soft drink that I might be allergic to. My lips blew up like I had Botox injections.
My lips started going dowe and then I had another drink of the same stuff and my lips blew up again….Who knew???? So now the question is do I try the drink again? May be it was not that?
If it was that shall I just put up with it????…well I really like the drink.

I am also pondering another question….why in Japan do they not have an on/off button for the radio…well normal as in other countries…press a button and the radio is off press it again and it come on…Maybe I am missing something. But it seems I am not the one where to turn off the volume/radio/CD etc you have to turn it right down …Well will pass a safety test in The UK right…Hummm thinking NOT!!!!
Saying that I do love something called Music catcher. You play a CD and press record and it records the song on the CD and stores it and when you have no CD or radio is rubbish..like the news is on you press CM …love it!!!! Well that function is in the TANK!!!! Not my lovely red car that I don’t have any longer…(cause he stole it!!! Hubby that is)

Tomorrow I am off to pick up my new cell phone….4G here I come…Now thinking this might be a problem to use..I can’t use my PC or iPod touch. So I must remember not to put peoples number in who live in a different time zone..cause I might hit their number while trying to do something that I should not be doing…. Ohhhhhhhhh well

What can I say

So summer is over!!!!
My darling son is off to school tomorrow. I did think about a week ago that I would keep him home and home school.... That was until Babs reminded me about last year when all parents at the school had to home school their kids because of the H1N1 virus. I would rather pull my nails out than do that again!!! So that lovely day dream soon had a bucket thrown over it!!!!
Well still loving it here... But.....
Well Sushi... Californian rolls... That is sushi!!!! But can I find that here ???? NO I can't. May be I should contact somebody and explain that there is sushi and there is sushi!!!!

Well we have been here for 57 days, minus the days we went to Guam and the days I had to go back to Korea.

….And I’m still LOVING it here. Little bit different, about 0000.0001% English I spoken.

Have not been to the interesting restaurants that Gareth has been to where the menu states that the meat is not Pork and does not taste like chicken. Nor have I been to the restaurant that offers chicken rectum as a main course.

Having not been to a Japanese restaurant yet I can’t comment and what is available. I can tell you about the lovely selection of fresh fish..(Well we do live on a port ..Shame I am not a fish person!) or the lovely fresh looking herbs that I know what they are for In the local stores here.

Now while everything is not sweetness and light, I love it here!! REALLY I do.

I know I can’t find fault with anything and everything, but it is so lovely here.

(How Welsh is that, 'Lovely')

I am missing people. Yes REALLY I am .of course I still miss people from home, Germany, Dubai and now Korea.

The Japanese people are so lovely, smiling and soooo helpful.

During the time I have been here we/ I have met some interesting people..Some very interesting and some that can go sit in the corner and talk to the wall!

I have found out this week who will deliver and at what costs. I was told about Amazon delivering veggies…

I hate the way every 7th week I am responsible for the rubbish/garbage for the street. So I have to go outside nice and early and place a tarpaulin and netting and hold it down with large stones. Then people places they rubbish underneath to stop the birds…But find it cute that when the rubbish truck comes by it has a jingle tune playing…well it is cute for now.

The highlight of my week was Tesco’s this morning.

I found Tesco’s cereal, pasta, biscuits and salad cream..SOOOO happy!!
So today was not a day in the Jungle more a days in the woods.