Gumboat Racing and Beautiful Japan

Crazy Sandwich shop in Morioka with a miriad of toppings. A host of wonderful flavors. A disturbing amount of margarine on each sandwich.

We went out for the day and had our crazy sandwiches by the beautiful river.

Then we headed to the beach for a paddle and I was stunned by the natural beauty. It was the first time I have been truly truly breathtaken in Japan by the natural beauty. It made me hungry to see more of Japan. Especially the North.

And the food...

Did I mention the food...

The food the food the food...

A treat for the binmen

Every morning Kei leaves the house and the last words he shouts are 'Don't forget the rubbish'.

Yes, I shout back. And then go back to sleep. Or play on the computer. What never happens is that I get up and take the rubbish down shortly after.

Then, without exepction, I'll be lying in bed/sitting using the PC and I'll hear the noise of a loud truck. Then I'll think 'that's loud and it stinks'. Then I'll pause for thought. Then I'll be like 'SHIT' and leap up or out and get the rubbish and if I'm lucky, hand the rubbish to the environmental hygienest just outside the flat. Now, if the hygienests are lucky, they will already have moved on down the street. That's when they get to witness me, a vision in Uniqlo, stretch hotpants and a spagetti strap vest. Bra-less, bounding down the street uttering 'sumimasen...'. If they are really lucky, like today, then I'll be hopalong Bill and not only will I be bounding, but I'll also be limping. Limpy bounding. Stretch hotpants. vest. No bra.

I sometimes go to the shops in my slippers as well.

OH MY GOD there's more

OK, even if you just go to the 3 minute mark - check this little lady out!

I could not resist

This

A solitary basil leaf

A solitary basil leaf
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

That came with our pizza order. In a tiny ziploc bag. I refused to eat it on principle. That principle being - what the hell was it for? And why waste a tiny ziploc. So strange. Isn't it?

Itai!

Well, the first part is over. Infact yesterday was the ligation only, the scleroptherapy will come mid-August.



This is how I looked yesterday:

And this is how it looks today, although it is starting to bruise up now and is pretty achey and sore:

This is the lower cut. The upper one is right in my groin. Noone wants to see that. Or this probably.

It was an interesting experience. I had just a local anaesthetic, which means that I could feel no pain. Well almost no pain, but i could feel everything. I could feel the surgeon digging into my leg. That was painful. Very strange sensation, just feeling the inside of my leg being dug into and a dull pain coming from within. Very very strange and horrible. The nurse was so nice and kept stroking me, giving me a sense of well being. I tried deep cleansing breaths and thank the lord that I have been recently watching 'Dharma and Greg' to remind me about deep cleansing breaths. When I believed in God and was an active Catholic, I used imagine Jesus Christ's suffering on the cross when I was in pain and difficulty and it would help me through. Being a catholic rocks so much, to have such effective pain relief on hand at any time and such a close relationship with pain and suffering is the best. Don't even get me started on the joy of guilt and shame. And the rituals. The standing up and sitting down, the holy water, the cracker that is the flesh, the wine that is the blood. I rue the day when I woke up and smelled the soy latte.

Anyway, it was all over in an hour and we hobbled home. I hardly slept last night because: a) it was about 100% humidity last night and b) There were only 2 positions that were comfortable with the wounds and 3) I was really snoring so I woke Kei and myself.

I had to be at the hospital again this morning for a dressing change and wound check. At 8.30. So I am really knackered now. I have many things I would like to be doing but, although I am allowed do everything besides serious sports, it does actually hurt a lot after wandering round for an hour or so and I think I shoud rest a little and let my body heal after a fitful night.

So I am avoiding all workish things today and am staying home and trying to stay of the painkillers. For the baby Jesus.

Slice me and Ligate me...

Today I am off to hospital to have my varicose veins done. That is a sentence that really shouldn't be coming out of the mouth of a healthy young philly such as myself, but after years of working in pubs bars and restaurants I have a big nasty vein on my left leg, which has become the bane of my life. I know the phrase 'bane of my life' because it is how my parents would often refer to me. When I was good.

So today I am getting high ligation and sclerotherapy on my left leg. I imagine that for a few weeks my leg is going to look a bit Tobe Hooper. I should be mobile within a few days, but let's see. I am relieved to actually be getting something done about it finally although I don't fancy being bandaged in the Tokyo summer heat. But there you go.

Wish me luck!

Girl's Night in

Dharma and Greg.

Thai curry.

Haagen Das.

Shits and giggles.

It can only mean one thing.

A girlie night in.

With my husband.

You go girlfriend! It's like so like fun hanging with you sister.

A very sad day...

In memory of the sunny day in Barcelona two years ago, when he proposed in the Parc Guell and in memory of today, a grey day in Tokyo, when as a special treat to my husband, on this most important of anniversaries, I forgot to put the garbage out and it was full of vegetable matter and he is going to kick my ass. Next anniversary, for the record, will be our 2nd fake wedding day on August 20th. The day we pretending to get married for our British audience.

OH MY GOD the best thing just happened. The sun came out and the first semi (cicada) of summer started singing.

A great day indeed. The garbage stinks. I am still in my pyjamas at 1 o clock and have managed ot be so productive as to eat breakfast, drink 2 cups of builders tea, upload some photos to Facebook, check at least 2 friend's zombie levels, forget to put the rubbish out and hid it in the balcony (do you read this honey? Because it is definitely not just behind the air conditioner unit) and play with a Japanese calligraphy pen.

I rule.

I love summer.

How Lush is This?

It's like a dream. I bought one of her prints recently. It is still wrapped up in my living room waiting to be proudly displayed in a beautful frame. When I get to the frame shop and get it framed. Until then, she sleeps. The Okashi Otaku. She sleeps. Behind the Bendall.

Martin Freeman

Smooth of leg, yet chafed of inner thigh, I nearly fell off my foldaway on Sunday when I passed this manOn my way to Shibuya.

Let the winds of Change

Blow through my Blog.

It seems strange right now.

But we wanted a change.

I lost all my previous settings.

Slightly annoying.

But now I have to get my legs waxed.