I am alive

Yeah, yeah, I didn't post for ages. I've been busy at work.

The 29th of April was sports day at Konoura Jr. High. It was lots of fun. Each class has to do a dance performance, and this year the kids really outdid themselves. There were a lot of hams having their few seconds of fame.

Last Monday was a day in lieu because of the sports day. On Tuesday I taught at Kamagadai. From Wednesday to Friday was Golden Week, a trio of public holidays so arranged to get Japanese people out on holiday and spending their money. I did nothing. I had a cold. When I say nothing, I don't mean nothing. I did play a lot of FFXII, and spent a lot of time with my pen tablet's pen in my hand and Photoshop open on my computer. I can't visit DeviantART from work to find the links to what I did last week, so too bad. Go visit my gallery, the link is to the right.

On Saturday I had three hours of Yosakoi practice, and then I went to Sumiko's house. I got a big surprise. She has bought a new cat! For a while now, Sumiko has had a cat called Kitaro. He is a grey and black tabby. He was young when I first met him, but now he is a huge beast of a cat. He is also the most human cat I have ever met (more on that in a moment). Anyway, while visiting a pet shop (probably to buy food for Kitaro) they saw a mini Kitaro. It is the same cat! Grey and black tabby, markings in almost the same places. It's uncanny! Her name is Umeko, and she is an undergrown 5 months. Shes about a third of the size of her big brother, if that. But she is strong and feisty and keeps attacking Kitaro. And she yells a lot.

The pair of them remind me of Chris and Vanessa. They were in the middle of a war when I arrived. First Umeko was bothering Kitaro, so he chased her off. Repeatedly. Then she attacked him, so they play-mauled each other. Umeko would saunter off, and Kitaro would remain frozen mid punch, on his back with a paw in the air to my amusement. Repeat ad infinitum. Eventually, Kitaro stood in front of Umeko, raised his paw, and gently bopped her on the head. It was such a human gesture. "That's enough! Stop right there." I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean, this is the cat who tries to eat his dry food with his paws. (He doesn't have much success because he has no fingers).

Then Atsuko arrived, and got immediately distracted by Umeko. "Chitchai!!!" (Tiny!)

We ate gyoza (Chinese something-or-others. I call them gyoza and can't remember what to call them in English. Although I don't remember eating them before coming to Japan, so maybe there is no English name?) After that, we fussed over the cats again for a while, and then played Mah Jongg. I understood it less the second time.

Yesterday I went to take photos, because it is spring and therefore a good time for taking photos.