Dartboard

Last night Catherine and I planned to meet up after work to go to the onsen (hot springs) and then out to dinner. I assumed we’d just go to the onsen and check it out, see how much it costs, decide to come back later, but when I rounded the corner for our meeting place and saw her with her backpack I knew we had miscommunicated somehow. It had occurred to me as I walked out my door that she might think we were going to bathe in the onsen, but I guess it was an unspoken agreement that you don’t go to hot springs in this kind of heat. We did end up going ...and bathing, and it was really relaxing. I think Catherine’s fallen in love with the place; she wants to go back everyday! It only costs ¥200 so it’s not a bad habit to pick up.

We’ve decided Tuesdays are for eating out; we need to discover the gourmet opportunities available in our town somehow. This week we went to dinner in a little restaurant near the port. (They’ll all be called “little restaurants near the–fill in the blank—” until I can read kanji.) Catherine had her trusty guidebook and we were able to order something between that and deciphering the menu. We even ventured out by ordering drinks too! I found kurimu soda on the menu and had a delicious, albeit bright green, ice cream soda with my meal.

Today I spent at school again ...wait, can you guess what I’ve done? Are you imagining me glued to my computer screen. Yep, then you’re right. Talking online to family for a good portion of the day. Getting really jealous when I hear DT is going over to Joelle’s to meet my family for dinner. But I think they are putting a care package together for me, so I feel loved. I really need to start studying Japanese at school now. You’d think in 8 hours every day I could find one hour to study Japanese, but it’s just so tempting to write emails and chat.

My desk: where I spend hours of my time on the internet!

This afternoon (instead of studying Japanese) I played volleyball in the gym. The team captain got “stuck” with me as a partner today so each drill we completed was extra slow. It takes extra time to explain to me what we’re doing and then extra time for me to be able to complete the drill. They are very understanding and I love watching them form English sentences. I took a shower and came back to the staff room and read my Barefoot Gen mange for the last hour.

Hatake and I are going out to an okonomiyaki restaurant with his wife and daughter tonight. I need to do some grocery shopping first because I’ve invited them over for dinner tomorrow night. I trust that I can handle cooking for four, but it may be a complete disaster. Tonight I will be madly cleaning my apartment, pre-cutting all my vegetables and taking care of as much as possible before their arrival at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. I think this will be good for me!

Love and green cream soda
Sierra