Friday, July 6, 2012

Back in Japan (for the moment)

The whole family arrived in Japan last week after a trip involving a Metro bus, light rail, an aging 767 with no in-seat entertainment, three express trains and a local train.  It is still the rainy season here.  Think Seattle, but in the high 70s and lots of humidity.  The shoes in Grandma's entrance hall are starting to mildew. 

Both of my kids are enrolled in school.  One in third grade at his old elementary.  The other in the Fives class at his old daycare.  I have more free time than I know what to do with.  I should be writing.  Instead, I am eating manju and meeting old friends for lunch.  I will guest teach next week at the daycare, but other than that I have no real responsibilities.  Grandma cooks and cleans.  I eat and nag the kids to pick up the legos.  Husband is working remotely for half of the time.  He mostly eats and works.

Are you sensing a pattern?

I need to start taking long walks on the beach to figure out what my life will be like in September.  The rain has meant that I have read 3 books on my Kindle.  I love the Seattle Public Library and e-book loans. 

My oldest child arrived home from school about 45 minutes ago.  He knows that if he is up here in the condo, I will make him do workbooks.  He evaded me for 20 minutes before I tracked him down at a friend's.  He is outside playing soccer and being a boy.  This is what I missed about Japan.  In Seattle, there is no way I would let him outside to play without adult supervision.  He is much happier being a free-range kid. 

I need to go pick up the little one from daycare in another 20 minutes or so.  He has forgotten how to speak Japanese, so every day is a challenge for him.  He seems to be doing okay though.  The amusing thing is that when I pick him up from daycare, it's like the English language button gets pushed.  He starts talking ten miles a minute and telling me who all the bad kids are in his daycare.  (If you want to know, it's mostly Kazuki-kun, the same boy who used to be a trouble-maker a year and a half ago.)