Well that's my holiday over. I started working again on Saturday but it wasn't too bad really.

On Saturday, Aya was attempting to pack her suitcase for going to the UK (and actually had it done) when she called me upstairs. She was in a quandary about whether she should or shouldn't go. She's been having doubts for a while now but was still going to go in a 'going on holiday' frame of mind but when the crunch came, she decided not to go at all. Obviously I'm happy about it and happy that she decided herself that she would rather stay here. She'll start looking for a job in Osaka and I don't know if she plans on living with us while working or finding a flat later on but at least she will be nearby whichever decision she makes.

On Sunday we all had to go to the baseball ground to mop up the rain - mop up is the right term since we used buckets and sponges!! When I arrived at 7.30 am and saw all the water, I thought it would take hours but with the amount of people there, we managed to get the ground cleared in just over 1.5 hrs. After that there was a tournament for the 2nd year team (4 matches) and nothing for the first year kids or mothers, so it was pretty boring. I was very tempted to go home but I knew that they were going to be handing out one set of uniforms plus the parents' t-shirts so had to stay. Keita's new number is 18 which he is happy about since it is the number for the Ace pitcher for professional baseballers! Another good piece of news is that the manufacturers that are making Keita's shoes have decided to make a second pair as a present to him so that at least cuts the price in half - whatever that price is going to be. When I got home, Setsuo had been the perfect housewife and had also cleared the roof verandah!

Since I thought I was going to be going to the airport this morning and didn't think I'd be back in time, I cancelled my adults 2pm class so I don't have lessons until 4.30 this afternoon.

This past week has been quite hectic but at the same time relaxing knowing that I didn't have classes. On both Saturday and Sunday there were two practice matches each day. Saturday's match was at the back of Kyoto which meant an early start, traffic jam, a mountain road and a lot of sick boys! One woman was unlucky in that her car was brand new and she had one of the car-sick kids in it! The two matches were with a very strong team and not surprisingly, Keita's team lost both matches. Sunday was better although another early start (6.30am) and they won the first match and drew the second which made it worthwhile. Since Keita's new shoes still haven't arrived (they are having to be made from scratch) he was allowed to play in his running shoes. At first I thought he wasn't going to be allowed to pitch (due to the lack of proper shoes) because he was in a different position for the first match but then he pitched in the second. Usually he is the starting pitcher but they kept him back because the second team they played against was the stronger team. Anyway it was 2 long days!!

On Monday the club had a BBQ for the new boys and parents which was quite good although the weather was pretty cold (and so was the food!) It seemed even colder since it had been red-hot the two previous days but it was nice not to have to get up early and also get home at a reasonable time. This coming Sunday is another early morning for both of us.

On Tuesday - my first day of not needing to do anything - I was bored!! I set out to go shopping but then met Keita's last coach who said the new 6th graders were about to have a match at the other end of Juso so I went and watched. I used to be frightened when the ball came towards me but after experiencing the new team, they were very tame in comparison!!

Yesterday I did the bank rounds and then took Aya to get her Int'l driving license. Because she (maybe) won't be here when it expires next February, they advised her to renew it at the same time. Good advice but they forgot to tell us that since she is a new driver, there would be a 2hr long video that she had to watch before getting it. It was a looong afternoon for me.

Now that the time for Aya to go to the UK is just around the corner, she is having doubts. I've said to just go thinking of it as a holiday and to decide once she gets there. I don't know for sure but I think there is a good chance that she'll be back. She has a lot of friends here and compared with the UK, there is so much more to do here. Job-wise, she could probably get a better job in the UK but life-wise, I think she would enjoy herself better here. Only she can decide though.

Today is a slow starting day since I don't start the nursery school classes until May 13th so I've finally been able to get some of the paperwork in my office sorted out. Not only that, when I was printing out next months calendar, I realised that I have the next two Tuesday off and since they are my late night days, it feels great! I'll be off on the 29th, back for 3 more days and then off for 'Golden Week' when I'll take another 7 days holiday. I am really looking forward to the break although I know there are going to be a few full days of baseball matches in there. Most Japanese travel around during golden week so the roads will be jam-packed but since we don't have any plans anyway I don't care. Maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to do something about moving, at least packing up some boxes ready to move.

I don't know what order the photos will appear but they are of the English Teachers' meeting yesterday - Kaj, Rikaco and Peter (the presenter), me and the other men, Michelle and Lisa (who I like to be sitting beside!), and the other women too. There is also one of Daisy with her 'wound', the plant we have at the entrance to the new house (it's one of the few we have brought with us) and then Keita and Co from the baseball entrance ceremony.

Yesterday was a great day. First off I finally found a pair of jeans that fit me (length wise) - yeah! and then when I was on my way to the meeting, I found a shop selling overseas clothes also in MY size and bought 2 t-shirts and hooded jacket for about 20 pounds. Don't know how they'll fare after a wash but it was nice to just find my size for a change. Because it was hot and I'd dressed in a woolen polo necked sweater, I decided to use a dept store's toilet to change into one of the tops. I tried biting off the plastic price tag but couldn't manage so had the bright idea of using my lighter only. I only lit it for a couple of seconds but still managed to set off the fire alarm!! Instead of ringing though, it was a loud voice telling me that there should be no smoking in the toilets etc - it seemed to go for long enough and I couldn't get out fast enough!

The meeting itself went great with around 23 people coming and then afterwards 16 of us went to an Indian restaurant for dinner. After that 7 of us went on to a Starbucks for coffee and chat so all in all, I had a good day.

Daisy had her operation done last Friday and although they have sent off the 'lump' for tests, the vet thinks it's nothing to worry about. Her bandage is already starting to come off and I doubt it'll last until we have to take her back on Friday, I'll have to play nurse again.

Keita's enjoying his new baseball club but we're getting about 5 emails a day from them informing us of this that and the next thing. Hopefully it's just because we're all new to the team because it takes me forever to read my way through them all. Half the time I revert to phoning my friend to ask her to tell me the important things.

I did catch the cold.

Even though I was going through a box of tissues a day, I struggled through the classes (I just hope nobody caught it from me) and didn't end up with the extra stress of re-scheduling/cancelling classes. I'm more or less over it now but still feel as if I'm running on 'empty' but hopefully things will improve a bit over the weekend.

On Sunday we have another English Teacher's meeting and it looks like this one will be better attended than the last. This time around it's going to be held at the British Council which is much more accessible than my classroom. We'll probably meet up for lunch before the presentation to have our meeting and then after the presentation I'm sure there will be a few of us going out for dinner too. I'm looking forward to it.

Keita had his baseball entrance ceremony - there were about 17 others and a few are still coming to have a look before deciding. A lot of the boys have been pitcher for their last team so it looks like Keita will have some competition! Last Saturday, after the ceremony, they had two practice matches and won both - all the kids are good players. Our biggest problem at the moment is his baseball shoes. This team has their own special ones which only go up to a size 29cm and Keita is a 30 so the coach is having to contact the manufacturers to see if they can get them in his size - I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't have to be specially made and cost the earth.

Aya has booked her ticket to the UK for May 12th and will stay with Carol (my sister) until she finds a flat/job in Manchester. She said she will take anything at the beginning and then take her time finding a 'proper' job. I'll miss her once she has gone although since she's been back from Tokyo we've been seeing very little of her, she's been working in the Osaka office most days and is almost always out with friends at night (and then complains that she's tired!)

The last week or two I've been getting quite a few new students and also phone calls for trial lessons. I'm especially happy that the majority have been 9 or 10 year olds (and mostly girls) who I enjoy teaching the most. I've started three new classes (although one takes the place of kids who went into the Junior High school class) so don't really want to start any more for now.

Also, I've been looking at prices for going to New Zealand later on in the year. Looks like the best time to go price-wise is between Aug 23rd and Sept 11th so that is no doubt when I'll go. No doubt Lisa will be wanting to go too!

Saturday and Sunday were both lovely days and so I got the futons aired and all the washing done (and there was a load since Aya showers and changes in the new house but never brings her washing home until there is a huge pile).

On Saturday I went and ordered Keita's new baseball uniform. Both Riku's mum and I thought we didn't have to pay until next week but the woman in charge asked if we could bring it by the next day. Luckily I had the money I'd collected so far from English lessons so didn't have to go the next day too. It was a bit embarrassing though since it was mostly in 1000 or 5000 notes and the total was just over 100,000 yen!

On Sunday I was up with Keita just before 7am and once he left I started on the washing and cleaning up of the house but by about 11 am, I'd done the 3rd and 4th floors (even washing the floors) and Setsuo helped me with his fathers place. After lunch, Setsuo had to go to a customers so I went off to Costco then prepared today's (Monday) dinner - curry - and so by about 3pm I was bored. I should really have started on a bit more packing but didn't feel like it!

Keita is enjoying his new bb team but comes home shattered. It takes at least 40 minutes for them to get there by bicycle and then they have about 8 hrs 'training' and then the 40 minutes ride home. On Saturday he fell asleep 30 minutes after arriving home and only woke up for 30 minutes to eat before sleeping straight through till 6.30am on the Sunday morning. Last night he came home, went straight into the bath (we've decided that's the only way he'll stay awake long enough to get one!), ate dinner and then was asleep within 15 minutes again. He's going to be very fit or totally exhausted!!

No other news apart from I think I'm getting a cold......

I've not been doing a lot of blogging lately because I've had a. no time and b. no news. Every time I read over what I have posted I cringe at the fact that nothing exciting ever happens in my life and my blogs aren't anywhere near as interesting as some of the ones I read. Still, that's life (at least mine).

Today was Keita's entrance ceremony at the junior high school. There are a couple of his friends in the same class but I think he would have preferred to be in the one next door. All in all there are six classes and at least his class and his preferred class will join each other for sports. It was nice to see all the kids and mothers from his nursery days - some of them I've met now and again, but others I haven't seen for 6 years.

So, he'll start school on Tuesday so only another few days until the dreaded packed lunches have to be made. I can't really complain as I've had about 4 months of not needing to make any.

The top photo is his baseball friends, the middle one is his friends from Nursery (the two boys with him at the back are standing on a flower bed and Keita is still taller than them!) and the last one is me, Keita, Riku and his Mum.