Thursday, 22nd November

I'm just back from my 'hot date' with the dentist and my purse is 131,250 yen lighter for the pleasure. I now have a new ceramic tooth (I do still have a bit of my real one left but the majority is ceramic) and also a gold filling. If I ever pop off, get to my mouth first because that's where all the money will be! So that is the bottom right hand side of my mouth finished and he will start on the left side next week, probably the bottom. At least he's said that the major part of the work is now finished but there will be about 30,000 yens worth of ceramic going in the bottom. Thank goodness the kids got Setsuo's genes when it came to teeth or we'd be bankrupt!!

On Tuesday I managed to get out an buy K some long trousers, long-sleeved t-shirts and sweatshirts. He can still wear boy's trousers as long as they are 170 cm but he is in the L size of adults tops. He looked rather handsome all kitted out in his new gear on Wednesday. Luckily he still doesn't have set ideas of what he will/won't wear so it's not that hard to buy for him. On the other hand he is becoming more aware of himself and I often catch him looking in mirrors! He is very aware of his belly these days and quite happy that it's fast disappearing, in fact he is getting rather slim.

Ka came back from school/club last night freezing. The weather has really cooled down and she is still only wearing her sweater (although she wore that during the hot summer too) and her thin cotton blazer. When I said she should wear her school coat she said that they are only allowed to start wearing it from December - strange rule, although it's her club's rule and not the school one. Right now I'm sitting in my office with my heater on and am dreading having to go back home and out into the cold. I'm hoping that Setsuo will agree to going out for lunch since I haven't made any rice and there isn't any frozen pilaf either. There is some udon noodles but I was intending making them for tonight along with Oden. Now that it is so cold, we're going into hot stew type dishes. (I've just phoned S and he's agreed to go out - the noodles are safe!)

L said she'll be coming back either tomorrow or Saturday. Tomorrow is a public holiday but K and I have a baseball do at night. She has been invited to one of her friends weddings - it seems young to be getting married but I think they have been a couple for a while.

Tonight we will be meeting the baseball coach for our 'talk' so will post about it once it's over, either tonight or tomorrow.