Thoughts while washing my socks

Down with a terrible cough and have been so tired this week. Felt like sleeping all the time.. n was really looking forward to TODAY.. cos i dun have to wake up early.. n sleep did I... I slept like a log and woke up only at 12...

Been thankful too. Dear Beth n Nozo.. n the church here.. I have been blessed with 2 heaters. From one small orange heater to 3 heaters. How good God is. N thankful to Keshi n Jun... For sending me back so willingly.















Despite being such a high-tech country, most people in Japan still use the kerosene heater during winter because it is effective and the most cost-saving. Actually, I was apprehensive at first.. cos I really din fancy kerosene, n errr... it sounds dangerous. But when Nozo taught me how to use it last night... wham! It was really quite easy. :)


Now I am washing my socks.. Never thought I would need socks at all, till now. :D

Good Old Telephone

I am in school this morning, and just had a nice glass of fresh milk. Today is our school's open house and Junior High students will visit the school, so Tom and I have to prepare an English lesson with games. :)

Well, last night, I had one of the best conversations with Steve since I arrived here. We talked for really long over the phone and I think both of us felt really happy, cos it's been a looooooooong time since we talked and communicated. Pastor Kong preached about communication during the Marriage seminar series and last night, we really communicated and this morning, when I woke up, I really felt so happy!

Anyway, I talked over the phone... using Brastel (an international phone card calling service) and yes, it is definitely more expensive than Skype, cos Skype is free. And I have used Skype so many times too and thank God for great technology and innovations but when we were talking over the phone, each lying on our beds, for me, warmly tucked in under the covers with the rain n wind outside, it was such a warm and familiar closeness to Steve that I felt. Skype is great cos i can see Steve's face if i want to... but lying there on the bed, talking about everything and nothing, I felt like I was transported back to the dating days, Sec Sch, JC days, where there was not yet Skype and where we used pagers and the Good Old Telephone. :)

I dunno if u feel the same way, but Tom did too. We were musing about this a few days ago on our way to 7-11 and we felt the same way!!! Nothing beats a good conversation over the phone and he told me he would rush home on his bike during lunch break in his uni days when he was in England, just to spend some precious minutes with his girlfriend who was in Tokyo then.

Ok, so here, I am gonna spend some hours in school and this afternoon, I will be off to either Osaka or Umeda with Holly! :D

5D, hang in there!

Seed - Time - Harvest

Beth posted this on her blog...
It is so apt, a great reminder especially in this season - Seed, Time, then Harvest.

http://theumetanis.blogspot.com/2006/10/cutting-rice-fields.html

A new pastime

Last Saturday, Yasu, my language exchange partner invited me for a hiking expedition with him up one of the mountains in Kobe... n of cos, i was excited n game! Well, I really really enjoyed myself tremendously. I love a good challenge and he told me that this was one of the easiest treks and well... it was absolutely fantastic, so good that I have decided that I'd invest in a good pair of hiking shoes and start exploring the area a bit more.

I walked from my house to Suzurandai station to meet him and then we were on our way after purchasing our bentos at Daiei. We went up Futatabi-san (再度山), and I was so surprised, cos upon reaching, I saw so many families and couples there. When we were trekking up the slopes, we met no one u see. Later I found out that these people could have driven up to the top.

It was sooooooooo nice. The air was fresh and crisp and there was a nice breeze... not too cold, just right for me. And the scenery was beautiful too. Leaves are turning red and fall colours.. beautiful autumn colours...

And I enjoyed my bento there, taking in everything around me. It was such a waste that I din bring along my camera, cos I thought probably there'll be nothing much for me to capture anyway. How wrong I was. Anyway, I took pics with my hp... and went snapping away like crazy.





That's Yasu! He is 55 years old this year, and works as a trader. I am really glad to know him. :)



After reaching Sannomiya, which took us about 3 hours, we went on to one of the famous tourist attractions, the Foreign Settlement Area. A long time ago, many foreigners came and settled in Kobe in this area and the architecture has been preserved. The buildings are so quaint and pretty, and there were many many tourists and Japanese visitors and... Akube (Haha.. a kansai slang to mean couples) This is a must-visit place if you drop by Kobe.





Kuma-san and I
At one temple near Tokyu Hands, I saw Panda and took a picture with him. Haha, I really felt quite happy and child-like. Anyway dearie, if u r reading this, this picture is dedicated to u!



At the end of the entire hike, still very very genki!



We left Sannomiya at about 4pm and on my way home, I chanced upon this underground bookstore, arcade and table-tennis recreational centre. They looked really old and I thought it was really cool. I felt like I had just stepped into another time zone. The bookstore, arcade and table-tennis centre were just outside the underground train station at Kobe Kousoku and above the train station, you get the bustling metropolitan area.


Some ladies gathered together for a time of fun


The books are really old and there is this musty smell and feel about the place. Yet there is quite a number of people standing there just browsing thru the books.



I really felt very happy after the day. Though I was tired and suffered from slightly sore muscles, it was invigorating and rejuvenating. Walking alone through this foreign land without my loved ones by my side has taught me many things and I am continuing to learn daily. Thank God for the beautiful Saturday and for many more beautiful days to come. :)

Have not blogged for quite some time... and i have much to write about.
First of all, specially to 5D, you have come so far!!!!! All the best for your examinations. You can do it... ALL THE BEST ALL THE BEST!!! GANBATTE NE!

N last Saturday, I went to USJ (Universal Studios Japan) in Osaka with Beth n 2 of the CG girls... Great fun, but there were so many people! N the running from place to place was exhausting...we were like kiasu singaporeans, running from one ride to another and in the end, we managed to get on quite a number of them. :)


Magical land
Think this is somewhere in Snoopy Land or Peanuts.. haha.. i dun remember! But it's so magical-looking and so nice... pretty...


Spiderman - My favourite character! Anyway, we waited longest for this ride, but cos Beth brought with her cards so that we could play the time away, it wasn't that bad! Well, Spiderman says that with great power comes great responsibility... so true so true. I like Spiderman!


The train bound for USJ is really kawaii yah... Oh yes, trains in Japan come in all sorts of colours. Really beautiful.


Turkey Leg - Very nice and very expensive... looks like ice-cream right. Each leg costs about $7.80.



Acting silly, Beth n I


Peko-chan!!! So cute and looks like lala girl. haha.



Ultra man - Specially for Ziwei! Ey, I haven't found ur 1960s Ultraman.. but this pict is for u lar. :D



Halloween in USJ! Naho, Watashi, Chi n Beth!