Saint Oyomesan

Sapporo disappearing in 20??? 30?? cm of snow today....

Amazing to see a city almost succumb.

The roads were horrendous, but I got around. Classes were sparsely populated - probably students (like me) were so knackered at all the snow clearing before breakfast they couldn't get anything up to come downtown and enjoy a foreign language.

Pity too about the morning class as I had printed out the nice letter from Mr. K's wife about how he had died last October and how he loved English. How he loved life really. His walking, his flying, his computer classes. But there were 8 students in the class and I shared the letter and we all spoke about Mr. K with affection.

Talking of affection.

I shoveled some out to Okaasan to keep her sane.

Sane Okaasan is a Happy Okaasan and Happy Okaasan is essential for all of us.

Anyone would get cabin fever with the snow poring down and she hasn't been out since Saturday.

Yesterday I came home and gave her melted, sticky rice cake as an afternoon snack.

Tonight I came home and suggested: Girl's Night Out to the local revolving sushi place.

She jumped for it.

Off the carpet, into some clothes, dragged a brush thru her hair....and out the door with me.

The last thing I really felt like doing was getting back in the car...but it was either that or stand in the kitchen cooking and then another 40 mins at the table chatting.

Revolving sushi is easy.

You can eat as soon as you sit down - hence no need to make conversation.

You can talk about the same bits of fish coming round and round: "What is that I wonder?"

The staff interact with you and give Okaasan a bit of chat.

It's all bright and you can see other customers, a lively atmosphere.

Success. Big time.

Almost had a mishap when Okaasan started to trap the waiter in hamster wheels of conversation about WHICH of the three fishy soups she wanted to order. 

By the time he'd listed them she'd forgotten what the first one was. And by the time he'd described THAT in detail, she'd forgotten what the next one was. 

I managed to break into the wheel after only three rounds -when the poor guy was looking a bit glassy-eyed - and I told Okaasan she'd love the FIRST fishy soup. She looked uncertain, but the guy grabbed the order and vanished thankfully.

Anyway. Oyomesan and Okaasan sat there eating sushi and chatting. All was well, we shared pickles, we rubbed elbows...and then we tottered back across the snowy wastes of the carpark and came home stuffed.

Tomorrow the weather may break finally and she can get out again.

And tomorrow?

Well, I'll leave that TILL tomorrow. I am going off to do the BEST Job In Japan!!!!!!

More tomorrow...ho ho ho....just you wait till you hear what JOB I am doing tomorrow. It involves cameras...nudity...and money....

That should get the site traffic UP on this blog.

;-))