february is here!

I spent most of last week at Gotsu High School’s English camp. We had a great time but I must say…I missed you Koren! This year there was quite an abundance of snacks…I don’t think I have eaten that many snacks in the last six months combined…for sure I can home with a few extra kilos of chocolate in me. Also, one student during flag rugby collided with my shin…I could hardly walk the next day. I really thought when he first hit me that he had broken my leg. I never bruise and this weekend my leg was a beautiful smattering of purple, yellow and green. Apparently, I was also on TV. A camera crew came and filmed but I didn't think I was in any of the shots...so i didn't bother watching when it was on (dinner was being served!). Then I saw some friends and first thing they said was- we saw you on TV!!! oh well...

here is our group photo

Over the weekend it was spring. We drove up to Matsue to visit with our old neighbors. Naoko had just had a baby boy and it was nice to meet him. He is just 5 weeks old and really tiny!! I think it is great how all babies around the world give off the same sweet, milky smell.

His older sister is still as cute as ever and Craig was happy to find that even though she speaks more like an adult now, she still wants to play! Playing with Yuuna (on the right, and her visiting friend)and talking with Naoko was one of the things that brought us happiness while we were living in Oda. It was nice to see them again!

Met with Yuko after our play day to do some translation work for Shimane's 2nd Annual Vagina Monologues performance. We are trying to put much more Japanese into the play this year to aid in understanding and interest in the project. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about please visit our show's blog at http://vdayshimane.blogspot.com/ or the main V site http://www.vday.org/main.html This year I am doing part of the Intro in English, and "When I was 12..." with Satoko (my part in J, hers in Eng). I love this photo, Craig snapped it as I was trying to explain one of the slang bits in the hilarious banter about womens' first menustration. I could not have come up with the counterpart Japanese slang on my own. THANK YOU YUKO!!!Sunday we could open our house and get some much needed fresh air inside!! It is hard to keep it shut up all the time. The sunlight through the paper screens just doesn’t make it bright enough. It was so dusty. When there are dark shadows in a room you don’t tend to notice the little bundles of dust in the corners…but as we opened everything we were surprised!! We did a little February ‘spring’ cleaning and relaxed in our house. It really is beautiful…and so silent! I love it.

But it makes all the snow at the ski resorts melt…we are still waiting to decide about whether or not we will have ski school this week. Sunny, warmer weather expected all week…I don’t think I could close a boot around my shin anyway.

I was so tired last Friday when I got home from flowers (and last week’s irises were just opening beautifully) so I didn’t bother doing the new arrangement and therefore have no picture. It consisted of pink sweet peas, pussy willow buds and green leaves. Soon I think am going to have to start cutting my own flowers rather than just copying what my teacher does…maybe I can…????

p.s. for those of you who appreciate katakana and how it takes over your life…was just typing a recipe with bacon and I spelled it- becon…twice! ahhh…I have to leave this place soon!