Update

I tend to dislike posts where the poster starts by apologising for not posting, so I'm not going to do that. But I will try to sum up the past few weeks, if only for my own benefit, as memories seem to fade faster than cheap coloured paper in the sun.

- Trip to NZ from December 17th-January 7th -

- Christmas - great presents, great food
- My father's 60th birthday
- Cute cousins
- A new baby
- Good friends - morning teas, afternoon teas, BBQs
- The Dominion Post
- TV ONE with my mother
- Walks for Rai with my father
- Petone Rec ground, a soccer ball and icecream in cones
- Food - fish and chips, Vogel's bread, licorice, Wholly Bagel's
- "Working" at the coolest shop in Petone
- The beach - at Petone, at Eastbourne, at Oriental Bay
- An exchange rate that made everything cost only the equivalent of 2 cents
- Movies and a good boy on the plane going back to Japan
- Flowers and a clean toilet from my husband

ABSOLUTE BLISS

And now we are back in Japan

- chilly but beautiful clear days and amazing night skies with the brightest star I have ever seen (perhaps Sirius, or perhaps not a star at all, Mars?, I must check whether it twinkles or not)
- lovely students appreciative of candy cane souvenirs
- last classes at Soka University (will miss it, but am glad of the break)
- an excellent gig on Saturday - the star Michael Boustany, the audience 1/2/ Meisei half something else and my husband all included
- mochi and sushi, of course
- good gas heating
- deep baths
- our new Exercycle to make me feel virtuous
- witnessing a gorgeous butoh dance performance
- all the other things to discover over the next year

OTANOSHIMI NI