Updates and "happenings"

Well, I can't believe that more than 2 weeks have passed since I last blogged!! I have been seriously feeling like a hamster on a wheel-going nowhere fast!! thankfully this week is "golden week" (that really is the name of this time of year) and I have 10 days off!

Ok....since everyone is talking about food prices I thought I would share some pics from the supermarket. Yup...that is a $20 watermelon, $30 melon and $30 for 2 mangoes!!! Sadly.....this doesn't seem any different than normal! I remember when I first came to Japan I thought I would never eat fruit again since in the summer (I came to Japan in July 10 years ago)in Canada fruit is everywhere-lots of it for good prices. Now...not all fruit is that pricey but it is amazing how expensive some things are here!

Ok other news...

I had a "happening" (that is how my students like to say it). I was at a mall, in the restroom minding my own business (putting on lipstick I think) and this old lady is talking. Since I was the only one there besides her, I figured she was talking to me, so I listened. She told me I was beautiful. I said thank you. She said it many times and asked where I was from etc. We chatted for a minute and she told me again I was beautiful and then with a smile she said "chotto futtoi"...which means " a little fat" (anyone not rail thin is "chotto futtoi" in this country but yeah...the word applies to me but still.....). Now.....what do you really say to that? The thought "anatawa chotto toshi yori" (you are old) came to mind but I didn't say it. The thing is she didn't say it with any malice but ....she would NEVER say this to a stranger if the stranger was Japanese . Trust me on this!!! I was talking to a friend about this today and we tried to figure it out and I think it is that they think we are all so open it is ok to say anything to a foreigner. I have been asked if I wanted to make love by a stranger on a train. I have been touched, poked etc. One lady at the local "hokka hokka tei" (freshly cooked-better than burgers-Japanese take out food) took off my ring and tried it on and asked how it looked on her. Again, she would NEVER do this to a Japanese woman. I have been asked all kinds of personal things about my sex life, money etc. I don't usually get upset by this (ok...being asked for sex by strangers...didn't thrill me) but it is interesting how a society famous for being so polite can think it is ok to do or say some of these things. Oh well, at least she didn't grab my breasts! Yes....that has happened to me many times and it has always been women...no they are not lesbians...just curious (ahem...I do have rather large breasts).

Hmmmm.....what else? The other day, my honey was complaining that his jeans were a little tight. I wasn't surprised since I had lately been telling him that he has a little belly. So...I told him to get on the scale. We were both shocked.....he gained 20 lbs in 2.5 months since working at home!! Now....he is really really thin so it isn't out of the normal range for his height (6 ft 5 inches) but it is sudden. His eating habits haven't changed but he isn't moving around like he did at work and walking to the train station etc. So....because we don't want this to become a problem, he is starting to limit his "treats". He has been patting his tiny belly and says "akachan" (baby). He is tooo cute!! Ok...another cute thing...one day he tells me he likes my "bums" and asked him to repeat and he said "bums" so I said ....it is "bum" and he said "why...there are 2 of them!" I'm like "well...there are 2 halves that make 1 whole I guess". Gotta love the cute mistakes!!

Well, I'm off for now!
oyasumi