Tsuchiura First High School Festival

Today I went to a school festival at Tsuchiura First High School. I'd never been to a school festival before so I didn't know what to expect.

The first thing we saw was an amazing gate! I guess they use it every year.

Each student was wearing a class T-shirt that they'd designed themselves, and as guests left they could vote for which was best.




And each class had planned, designed and created a different theme for their classrooms. They'd spent a lot of time decorating the outside class wall and inside, too.

Some were really interesting, but the funniest was a 'haunted house' - junior high school girls who were visiting were screaming but I couldn't stop laughing!




I also found that the school still has one of the original buildings dating from 1902. The design is lovely and is based on western architecture. It is only open to visitors a few times a year, and inside some rooms are used as a museum. If you have a chance, I really recommend you go and see it one festival day.















 

Creatures ...

A skink right by my front door.

A frog on a window.

(Actually I put it there for Dusty to look at but he wasn't interested in it at all.)

Shopping basket

Here is my shopping basket. Yes, Kuro is in it :(

Cats LOVE sitting in something. When I put a basket, box or bag on the floor, both cats immediately run and sit inside. Of course it is not very hygienic that he is sitting in it. But it's okay - I have alcohol wipes in the entrance and wipe out the basket before I take it shopping the next time.

A full tank of gasoline

One of the things I learned after the March 11 earthquake is that it is surely better to keep a full tank of gasoline.

Before then, I'd always let the tank run down to almost empty, and it was just pure luck that I'd filled the tank only three days before the disaster.

Since then, when the tank indicator drops to 3 bars from the top (so about 3/4 full) I drop by a gas stand on my way to work and fill it up again. It means I have to go every few weeks, and I dislike self service gas, but at least nowadays I never have to worry that I won't have gasoline if any trouble strikes in the future!

June 1st

Wow, it is unbelievable that today is June 1st! New Year's Day just seemed like yesterday.

The last few weeks have been so busy ...

First, I needed to keep catching up on my own work and clients' work that was postponed because of the disasters. Luckily it seems that the end of May brought and end to the backlog of tasks :)

Second, last Friday I had a board meeting to attend. I left home at 7:45am and got back at 11:45pm. Worked Saturday, then Sunday I was in Yokohama all day! Hmmmm, I think I'm getting old because nowadays the metropolis makes me tired, not excited :)

Third, I had a lovely time last Thursday catching up with old friends for lunch. We were trying to work out when it was that we met last. Maybe almost 4 years!

Things have been so busy that I decided not to make a reservation at my hair salon. If my hair looks a bit strange lately, it is because I cut it by myself. Scary.

I'm really sorry that this blog has taken a backseat to everything else. I'll try my best to post every day again :)