Finland?

An odd title for a blog entry made on a Monday, I admit. Today was the day to take my almost 3 year old car in for its first "shaken" inspection. While it is supposed to ensure that cars are safely maintained, I think it's just another money maker for the auto industry. A new car has 3 years of shaken (pronounced shaw-ken) and then you have to pay for it to be maintained and inspected every 2 years.

My car was relatively cheap. I paid 46,600 yen (about $500) to have it inspected and all the paperwork filed. You can tell I've lived in Japan just a little too long when I think that $500 for a one hour car inspection is cheap. At least they rotated the tires and I got 5 free boxes of tissues when it was done.

So I made a little escapist trip to Book Off in Shuunan after that. Book Off (and its affiliated store Hard Off), sell used books (and other goods). I get a tiny peek into the lives of other foreigners who occasionally sell their stuff. In the foreign books section today, I found an Australian cooking magazine from January and the Lonely Planet guide to Finland. I bought both, of course. I am that desperate to buy things in my own language that I will buy a guide book to a country that in all likelihood I will never visit. It was only 300 yen (about $3.50).

I imagine some backpacking Eikaiwa (English conversation school) teacher finished her trip and offloaded it. Maybe she is Australian. She's probably in her 20s, no kids, no mortgage. This summer she will be drinking in the beach cabanas farther up from where I live. These little beach huts serve overpriced cocktails to summer visitors. I have never gone. Do I sound bitter? Even when I was in my 20s, I probably wouldn't have gone.

I will read all about Finland and I will wonder what happened to the entire selection of British chick lit that was at Book Off the last time I went. None of those books were there today. Did some other foreign woman with a habit for escapist reading buy them all? Maybe it was my imaginary Australian friend? And maybe, it's time that I sell half of the books littering my sons' closet so I can fuel someone else's habit.

Life's a beach

My husband is off on an 110km "fun ride" today. He left at 7:15, leaving me with two wide awake boys and a lingering resentment that he prioritizes fitness over family and I do not. Most of the time, I'm happy that he is fit and healthy and happy. Most of the time I do not begrudge the two hour rides he does every weekend morning.

Today was not one of those days.

Both boys had been monsters on Saturday. Spoiled, angry masses of energy destroying our condo and injuring each other. They were defiant and pushing every button to make their parents furious. The idea of solo parenting them until 4:00 in the afternoon filled me with dread.

I whined in email to a friend. I whined by Skype to my sister. I whined to my mother-in-law. (Thank god she doesn't hold it against me when I complain about her son.) And finally I sucked it up and decided to take them to the beach.

I packed up the sun tent and juice boxes, the sand toys and the small towels. DS1 took bug nets and DS2 rode his tricycle. We walked and triked the five blocks to the beach. And you know what? We had a good time.

I sat sheltered from the sun in my little cabana while they splashed in the shallows. They made sand castles and found sea glass and caught a crab with the nets they brought. I alternated between joining in their activities and being a passive observer. We stayed for almost three hours and they rarely fought or argued. I felt restored.

And now, I have parked them in front of the Disney Channel and I'm taking some time to blog. Life is good. (That, and Daddy should be home in another hour or so.)