Day 87 – Yukuhashi City

This morning we met up with my old work pal Steve, from Hawaii, his wife Nao-chan and their two lovely little girls, Katie and Emily.

Steve and I used to work together at the local Board of Education and shared the English teaching at 6 local junior high schools. He now works for a private school, and has to commute to Fukuoka City every day, which seems like quite hard work in itself. Steve and Nao’s first daughter, Katie was only about 6 months old when I left Japan, but is now a fully conversational 3 and a half year old. Although Steve and Nao are trying hard to raise the kids to be bilingual, since katie has started nursery she seems to prefer speaking Japanese, as that’s what her friends use!! I think Steve might have a job on his hands there (^^)> Little Emily on the other hand, likes to paint, throw strawberries and pour water on the floor – she generally likes to keep her mummy and daddy very busy!! Steve and Nao are currently planning their annual Christmas visit to Hawaii to see Steve’s family, so it was nice to catch them just in time before they jetted off!

In the afternoon, I met up with another 2 of my good friends, Akane and Shigeyo. The three of us have been friends for a long time – we used to be drinking buddies in Yukuhashi, but since we first met, we have all gotten married, settled down, stopped drinking and smoking, moved away from Yukuhashi and Shige-chan has had two children! It was nice to have a good old catch -up on what had been going on over the last three years. Nothing much had changed, but it was good to get together again (^^)v

In the evening, Seio’s relatives came over to the house for some dinner and a chat. Seio’s cousin’s daughter, Ai-chan, is studying English at school now and is saving up to come to England for a visit some day!

It was nice to see everyone, and Taeko cooked me some more of my favorite Japanese fried chicken and potato salad again….I think she might be trying to bribe me into staying!!

８６日目 Munakata / Yukuhashi

１２月１８日（金）雪

昼前に宗像に住む伯父さんの家を訪ねる。車での道中雪が吹雪いて前が見えにくい。

伯父さんは難病を患っていたが最近は調子がよいらしく元気そう。なによりだ。伯母さんは元気で変わりない様子。お昼頃、従兄の嫁のしほさんと子供の太一くんがやってくる。幼稚園でお遊戯会があるため来れないと聞いていたが思いの外早く終わったらしい。太一は大きくなっている。しほさんは１０日前に第２子の女の子を産んだばかりだがとても元気そう。子供を預けているとのことですぐに去っていく。太一は残って一緒に遊ぶ。伯母さんは午後から仕事に出かけるが、伯父さんとは色々と話ができ、太一はAliとオセロやポケモンカードのゲームに興じ楽しんでいた。

帰りに従兄の祥ちゃんに会うため職場に寄っていく。先日生まれた女の子に会うのは次回のお楽しみに。

宗像から家に帰り、夕方は以前の職場のテニスクラブの忘年会に参加。皆さん変わりない様子。自分と同じ年に早期退職した小林さんも参加しており、焼き肉を食べながら３年ぶりの会話を楽しむ。

駅近くのスナツクに移動して２次会にも参加。大音量のカラオケのため、のどが痛くなるほど大声で話をしないと聞こえない。お開きで分かれた後に駅で迎えを待っていると、今年の春に定年退職された村上さんにたまたま出くわす。飲み会の帰りらしく、向こうは気がついていない。Aliが声をかけると目をパチクリさせながら「あれれ？なんで？どうして？幽霊かと思った」と驚いていた。

外は風雪が激しく身震いするほど寒い。

Day 86 – Munakata City / Yukuhashi City

We got up early this morning, and Sakiko drove us to Seio’s Uncle’s house in Munakata City. Fortunately the snow hadn’t really settled and although the mountains were still covered, the roads were all clear. It took us about 2 hours to reach our destination, but Uncle Yuki and Aunt Toshiko were very pleased to see us. Seio’s cousin’s wife has just had a baby girl, so the family is quite busy now, but his other son Taichi (aged 6) came over for the afternoon and we played some games together. Toshiko had to go to work in the afternoon, but Yuki-san entertained us and tried to help me beat Taichi at Othello!! I did win one game, but then the rules started to change…….

We left Uncle Yuki’s house about 3 o’clock and popped in to the Toyota showroom to see Seio’s cousin for a chat.

Once we got back to Yukuhashi, it was a quick turnaround for me and Seio as we had arranged to meet up with the City Hall tennis club for their Xmas party.

We went to have some Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ restaurant) and enjoyed meeting up with some familiar faces again.

After the first party had finished, some of us went into town for a second party – more drinking and some karaoke!! I felt a little old again after I saw that 3 of my ex-students were now working behind the bar – all now aged 21!!

I hadn’t sung for a while, and so my rendition of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face, sounded a little the worse for wear – thanks to the beer goggles though I don’t think many people noticed (^^)v

After Seio was invited to sing Wham’s Last Christmas, we all decided to call it a night and go home…nothing to do with Seio’s singing of course!!!

８５日目 Yukuhashi

１２月１７日（木）雪

朝散歩に出かけるが雪が降って外は寒い。外出する時に寒いのでダウンを買いに出かける。Aliは知人と夕食へ。

Day 85 – Yukuhashi City

We had a fairly relaxing morning, before heading out to the shops to buy some warm winter clothes – It has started to snow in Fukuoka and we are feeling the cold!

My hectic celebrity lifestyle continued with another meal out on the town in the evening. Tonight I met up with some good friends, Tomiko, Terry, and Masako. We had a lovely 6 course meal, which left us all feeling quite full, but it also gave us a lot of time to catch up on each other’s news. Tomiko’s daughter, Ran, has married an American guy she met whilst studying out there. I used to teach English to Ran when she was a junior high school student (aged 13). She is now 23, I think, which makes me feel rather old!! Terry and Masako were also looking very well, and had apparently been quite busy rehearsing carols for Yukuhashi’s annual international Christmas concert.

８４日目 Yukuhashi

１２月１６日（水）

午後にAliの友達、あゆみさんに会いに行く。彼女の実家、Murayaへ。二人目の子供が産まれ、生まれてすぐ会いに行った上の子もかなり大きくなっている。ご両親も元気そうでなによりだ。友達のじゅんちゃんもやって来て立ち話。帰りはあゆみさんが家まで送ってくれる。

Aliは夕方も友達のあけみさんに会う予定が入っており、夕食に出かける。彼女は毎日忙しい。自分は家で毎日おなかいっぱい和食を食べているので多少太ったかも？

Day 84 – Yukuhashi City

We had a relaxing morning, before heading out in the early afternoon to meet up with my friend Ayumi and her parents. Ayumi had just had her first baby about a week before I left Japan in 2006. Now, her son Toki is 3 years old and she has also has a lovely little daughter called Sayu. It was nice to catch up with Ayumi’s mum and dad as well. They took good care of me and fed me lots when I was working at the City Hall Board of Education with Ayumi. Another friend, Junko, also came round to say hello. It was like old times!

Ayumi’s mum and dad run an off-license and they gave us a huge bottle of Sake to take back home for my dad!! Hope it fits in the suitcase (^^)> otherwise we might have to drink it here, sorry dad!!

In the evening, I went out into town to have dinner with a teacher friend from school, Akemi. Akemi also came to my wedding with her mum and aunt. We met up at a place called Hana-Tare and had some lovely food whilst catching up on all the gossip from school. It was good to see Akemi again and hear all her latest news.

８３日目 Yukuhashi

１２月１５日（火）

寒い日が続く。朝散歩。夜はAliが福岡から帰ってくる。

Day 83 – Fukuoka City

Once again Kazumitsu had an early start and was gone by the time we all got up! Kana, Ryota and I had breakfast and then set off to meet up with Kana’s mum, Kimiko, for lunch at a restaurant near Hakata station. We had a Japanese winter dish called Shabu-Shabu, which is very thinly sliced pork boiled in a special broth with more vegetables and tofu etc. It is very healthy and very tasty – the Shabu-Shabu we had here was done in a collagen soup ….apparently we will all wake up with beautiful skin tomorrow!!!

Unfortunately Kana’s dad, Kensuke, couldn’t  make it today due to a bad cold, but I chatted to him on the phone later in the evening so that was nice.

It was lovely to catch up with Kana and her family, and to meet little Ryota and get to know him. Hopefully our next visit will be sooner than 3 years!!

Seio’s sister, Sakiko, was working nearby today and was able to pick me up from Kana’s place and drive us back to Yukuhashi in the evening.

It took about 1 and a half hours to get home, and after a hot bath it was straight to bed.

８２日目 Yukuhashi

１２月１４日（月）

朝は散歩とジョギング。午後は習字の練習。夕方も散歩へ行く。川沿いは街灯が少ないので日が暮れると一気に暗くなってしまう。