Skiing and Hula dancing.

Today I skied. Okaasan hula danced. He cooked. The cat slept.

Quite a good day really. Got 3 days of work into the holiday weekend, so I got out to enjoy the snow very early in the morning 90 minutes away at Kiroro, near Otaru. Recently I am awake so early, always by 6 am...usually by 4 am...or earlier. Brain is too busy and it is peaceful time alone.

I managed to get back in time to take Okasan to the sports center. I'd planned to walk her there, so she could begin to remember where it is from the house. But she was in a big panic about losing a comb and not being able to brush her hair etc - so we left late and went by car. The class had actually just started - I waved her Goodbye and rushed off to do some quick shopping and have a cup of coffee at home.

I got back to pick her up and could see her big smiling, happy face across the meeting room. All her classmates gave me a big welcome - the foreign daughter-in-law. She'd had a great time, despite having no Hula skirt. He says we should tell her to go and buy a skirt, I thought maybe I should try and borrow a sewing machine because she has bought the material...I have to agree his option is easier.

When we got home I started clearing the snowy path by the front of the building - and Okaasan, instead of going inside decided to help me because she said it was "too nice" to go inside yet. So we moved and stamped flat snow together for 20 minutes. She's getting into the swing of real Hokkaido life because up here it's usually the women in families who do the snow clearing!

While driving and skiing today I decided that maybe it IS best that we move to a house where we and she can live AND somewhere that my English school can be under the same roof too. It would make financial sense and it would be easier schedule-wise too - I could cook and teach all at the same time without a 15-20 minute journey as I have now.

We talked about it more tonight and decided to try and look for somewhere. There are many, many houses now empty. I feel a little sad, because although this house is so small - I like it, and I like the location. I like the pocket garden with the cherry tree and our BBQ space. But I guess I am like a father-to-be relucantly giving up the sports car for the family stationwagon..it isn't just the car, but the feeling that a lifestyle is passing. I know I will be getting (and needing) a bigger kitchen and a dining room...but I worry about losing the spontaneous BBQs a deux we used to have when our schedules coincided.

I also have worries about sharing kitchen space, being behind the same front door...etc etc. And of course moving home is one of life's stressful events, which of course JUST what we all need right now! Anyway, I told him that he must get the leg better before we move - I am NOT going to move two homes and a business on my own.