Hate people who dress up animals. hate 'em....

Hi. Still here. Had a record breaking snowfall last weekend that wiped out Sapporo. 60 cm in 24 hours? 29 years record? Whatever. A whole lotta snow.

There is a blue car under that pile on the left.

I spent a lot of time snow clearing, and of course caught a cold. Spent Sunday wiped out and am just getting my energy back. Of course I worked, didn't take medicines and didn't go to the doctor - all things which amazed my Japanese friends and students. Us Brits, we are tough. And anyway - it's a head COLD! Not a life threatening condition. Stiff, chapped and sore upper lip - carry on chaps.

Good excuse to eat a lot. "Good for the cold".

Dear Son came back in time to take over snow clearing duties and cook a lot of food for the freezer - he really IS a catch of a Japanese man. He was home 4 days. And now gone again, till Christmas.

Okaasan is getting into the routine of the day care visits twice a week. A new helper is going to come, so there have been TWO women visiting - as the old passes the baton to the new, such as telling her the intricacies of our dirty kitchen. I came home on Friday night to find Okaasan sitting straightbacked at the kitchen table, with an untouched food box in front of her, and two women sitting opposite her :-) 

No fightback from her yet about this day care.

We'll see.

I saw a TV program about a family where the grandfather had moved homes to be nearer his son, but the whole move had upset his until-then mild dementia...and within a month he had plunged into far more confused state, which he never really moved out of again. The experts were discussing how people living with dementia are not good with change in their environment or routines - and how a very rigid routine in itself is sometimes a precursor of dementia because it demonstrates the need for people to find comfort in the same, same, same.

Okaasan's condition has worsened this summer. Her mental and communication, and her physical.

What changes? Nothing at home, that I can think of...well, we had the Injured Cat Crises which distracted DS and me for months.

Outside environment?

The new apartment building across the street, all summer. 8 am to 6 pm. Bang, bang construction sounds. Trucks and men.

Okaasan's fave supermarket Seiyu had a complete revamp, while still open. Every time you went the design and layout changed, as they revamped the store. It confused me. It must have confused her far more.The magazines, yogurt and fish paste sausages were gone...somewhere...

Whatever. Winter 2016 and Okaasan is further along in her confusions. Christmas and Japanese New Year fun...here we come.