Good thing...

my heart is warm today because my toes sure aren't...let me share some of today's temperatures (we have had snow the entire week, yay!):
-3C (37.4F) in our kitchen this morning (the kettle creates the coolest foglike layer of steam on the ceiling)
-oC (30F) the roadside thermometer on my drive to school
-8.0C (46.4F) in the school hallway when i came in this morning
-11C (51.8F) the school hallway at lunchtime
-12C (53.6F) the average classroom today
-3C (37.4F) the roadside thermometer on my drive home
-5C (41F) the living room when i arrive home

now, those of you who have not had the joy of a japanese winter you may be thinking- awh, no problem, you just didn't turn on the heat yet. those of you who have had this experience, we all laugh at you naive folk, HA! may i ask you to re-read the above temperatures for the school hallway and classrooms? i am typing this at home wearing four layers on top (including my outdoor jacket), three on the bottom and two pairs of socks. my fingers are still cold enough that i make a typo every few words. the snow on my boots was still frozen there when i went home after work. we lived in much colder outdoor temps in CO but none of this indoor 'frozen olive oil' madness! i have lived here almost five years now but in the middle of winter I still cannot withhold my dismay.

Japan, you have got to be kidding me! There has got to be a better way!

on the up side, the snow is beautiful. i love how quiet it gets when it is falling. my kids bring me "presents" of sheets of ice scavenged from the parking lot ("ice please! here you are."). we can no longer see our garden (so much for that spinach!). and i get paid to spend days on the mountain, skiing. maybe i should shut my mouth...

my "スキーが上手にできる" group (minus me)! the kids had such nice gear! japan and that image thing...
A snowy day with the advanced group.
Mmm...curry rice!
Different day, different school. I spent a cold day with the beginners. A morning of basic skills (walking, how to put on skis, stationary turning, etc.) and an afternoon of once up the lift, once down the bunny hill...yes, 1 full day, 1 run. a long day but very rewarding to see some kids really improve (see previous post).
Rocking the "ha"! well, not really but he should be...
Again, my group minus me (i had the only camera that didn't fog up)...
A recent harvest before the snowfall set in (japanese radish, broccoli, cabbage and spinach)! YUM!
Some almost spring sunshine...