I haven't really been in the mood for blogging for the past few days. No real reason - well probably lack of news but that's about it.

Right up until New Year's Eve, I was still shopping but managed to get everything bought, cooked and prepared okay. These days, I don't go overboard with the New Year food since it was really only Setsuo's parents that were eating it. I used to always order the whole lot but nowadays I just buy what I know everyone (that is Setsuo and his father) like and arrange it all on my big round platter from Shiga. There is always the basic foods and I also cook some of the special things too but just don't buy so much since it was always S's parents who struggled through to the end so it didn't go to waste.

On New Year's Eve, Aya and Lisa (yes even with broken leg!) were out so it was just Kana, Keita, Setsuo and I watching the crappy New Year's Eve programs (well actually I was on the computer most of the time) and then even Keita managed to stay up until midnight to join us in the ritual of eating soba to bring in the New Year. Just after midnight all but Kana went off to bed, me to read for a bit but Keita and Setsuo to fall asleep almost immediately. (Aya and Lisa had both gone to different temples with their respective friends and both came home around 2 am).

Next day I was up at 7.30 which was late believe it or not. Setsuo's father doesn't wake up that early these days so I had a bit of leeway. In the end, both Lisa and Kana couldn't wake up and Aya wasn't feeling well so it was just the four of us eating the new year breakfast. Setsuo's father asked where they were but didn't seem that bothered since Keita is his favourite at the moment! After that, we all had a bath - how exciting - and then Setsuo's sister and husband came at around lunch time. We had thought his brother was coming too (I'd phoned his wife a few days earlier and she had said that he'd said he was going to come) but after staying at home for 3 days 'just in case', he hasn't shown so I doubt he will now. Hope he doesn't plan on coming tomorrow because after putting it off for the 3 days 'just in case', we have to go to the cemetary tomorrow or we won't manange it at all. I just wish everyone would phone first to let us know one way or the other because if we do the asking, it's like we are saying to them that we expect them to come which isn't the case, it's just we are stuck at home 'just in case'.

Anyway, today at 6pm, after dinner, we went to a nearby shopping mall which was our first time to leave the house! We went to try to get some bits for Kana but in the end we only got her 6 pairs of pants(!), a pair of jeans, a pair of pajamas plus an extra pair of sweat pants and 3 pairs of socks - not exactly a lot but we still have time. We also took the opportunity to get Keita 2 pairs of shoes. Now he's into size 29cm there isn't a lot of shops that stock that size plus he very rarely agrees to go shopping. I also bought a jacket at last so I can finally get out of the fleeces that I've been wearing for I don't know how many years and also a book. Actually, Kana bought me the book since I used her book token for it! I was also really wanting to buy jeans but couldn't find any long enough even in the men's dept! If I wear the 2 pairs I have any longer they are going to be paper-thin but until I can get ones to fit, I have no choice. Lisa bought a pair of socks and poor Setsuo got nothing.

Tomorrow we'll hopefully be out by 8 am to go off to the cemetery. Setsuo's father has said he's going to stay at home, wise man!

On another note, I finally took Bingo to the vets the other day only to be told that the only ailment he has is senility! We have reverted to buying him a cage - albeit a big enough one that he can walk around in - because he just bumps into things or walks into a corner then can't work out how to get out of it. If Setsuo's father goes to the toilet and leaves the door open then he goes to the stairs and has fallen right down to the bottom numerous times so it's probably better that he is in an enclosed space. At the moment he is in Keita's room and we are probably going to have to leave him in there or else S's father will probably let him out. Woe is us!