Home at last.

My step-mum is home at last and I spoke to her for a good chat on the telephone. She sounded stronger and so happy.
Who knows what happens from this stage. But at least she's reached this stage. 6 months of a complete turnaround in life.
You go out one day in the car to just take someone home in the next village. And never come back.

Step-mum is being for by a live-in, private agency carer at the moment because she is very unsteady walking and many things like washing and toilet are a big effort still. The carer is booked until the beginning of February and then there will be an assessment to see whether she can get along with less care - somebody coming in from the local council twice a day maybe.
All very expensive. But thanks to the great British Health Service she's had 6 months of free care, so time to spend some of that money that was "put away for a rainy day". I think it's raining good and proper now!

*** and the other night? Did I have to have a dinner-a-deux with Okaasan? No. VERY luckily Yujiro's job interview finished and he came home in time to save me THAT stress. It will come soon, another day. This time I escaped.

Snowing and cold now in Sapporo. Okaasan is staying tucked into her kotatsu (heated table blanket) in front of the TV. And tonight I am gonna cook couscous for dinner...let's see how she likes that...

AND!!! I have borrowed a friend of a friend's oven, so I can cook turkey this Xmas. For the first time in Japan I will be able to cook my own Xmas dinner properly. Yeah!!!!
AND!!! I ordered a Xmas tree from the flower shop. $30 for a tree, but I deserve a very very good Xmas this year.