Snow

It's now officially really cold, I saw snow this morning! Admittedly, the snow was capping a mountain in the distance, but it was snow none-the-less. I swear I saw three snowflakes yesterday swirling in the air, but Wayne thinks I was imagining it.

I was hoping some semblance of warmth would hold out for a few more days. We plan to re-arrange the apartment this coming long weekend and was hoping to wait until then to pull out the heaters and winter clothes. Yesterday, I wore a blanket around the apartment but still my fingertips were frozen and made it hard to type.

Last night I gave in and dug out a couple of heaters. And a dig it was. If you've ever lived in a Japanese apartment, you know how precious space is, our heaters were buried in the back of a cupboard under suitcases and backpacks. I haven't gotten out winter clothes yet but have been wearing what I like to think of a bohemian style of layers to survive. I did have to go to the 100yen shop to buy some gloves for the bike ride to school as my fingers couldn't wait.

You would think that once I got to school, I would be warm, but the opposite is true. The floor in the staffroom is freezing and with the Japanese culture of having to wear slippers inside, I can't wear my lovely warm boots during the day. I have a lap blanket I use and have been known to wear a down jacket and scarf at my desk to stop asthma attacks from the low temperature. Adrianne is already wearing her down jacket in the staff room today.

Our school is undergoing major construction at the moment and in the process, we lost one of our classrooms. Most of the time it's OK as one teacher will conduct the class in the student's homeroom. During interview tests however, we need both. What has happened this testing period is that one teacher has to sit outside in the cold, sunless, windy corridor. Thank goodness it's Sam and not me! Poor Gareth has three hours of interview tests to do there today! To make things scarier - it's cold now, but our next tests are in February when we'll be in the depths of winter and our new building won't be up then. And then don't even get me started on the female teachers toilets that are outside.....

On a happier note, I have to say, my husband is wonderful. He knows how much I hate this weather and so on cold nights, he goes to bed before I do, lies on my side and warms it up for me. How sweet is that! He even, admittedly not so happily, allows me to warm up my cold hands on his warm body parts. It's like having a living, breathing, large sized water bottle. Last night, he braved the low temperature and got me chocolate that I was craving and then this morning, he let me stay in while he went out and did the recycling by himself. Isn't he great! I'm not sure what I did to deserve him, but don't tell him that.

Cold

Argh! I have a cold. I hate colds. I hate that feeling that your head is going to explode.

What I'd like to know, is why do I always get a cold when I have visitors? I caught up with the fabulous Christine and Aiden from Australia on Friday night. That morning, I woke up with a cold. Everyone was having a great time, martinis were flowing but I had to stick to mango juice and half-way through the night, I was ready to put on my pajamas and go to bed. It sucks!

I blame it partly on Wayne. I have my very own "Baikin Man" in my home. He almost never got sick back home in Australia, but is often catching colds here. Without fail, he gets one just before we have visitors arrive, then gives it to me in time for the day they arrive. Everytime! It has been suggested to me that it is me being stressed before visitors arrive that makes Wayne so stressed that he gets sick.... I think there could be some truth in that....

Last time my dad came to visit, he got a cold, passed it onto me and while I was trying to recover from it, he ended up in hospital with what the doctors were saying was "Menier's Disease". The doctors insisted that Wayne must have been incredibly stressed and wanted to know what he'd been doing the week before. Wayne told them that he'd been a little busy as my father had come to visit. The doctors sighed and said "well that makes sense, you were stressed because of your father-in-law's visit", gave him a knowing smile and then checked him into the hospital.

My parent's arrive for another visit this Wednesday.

I found this video, that shows how I feel at the moment....