July 23, 2018

Monday - Hot, So Hot, So Incredibly Hot

A good day.

I’m back from my trip to Niigata and it was hot.  Actually, everywhere in Japan is hot these days.  The country is experiencing a heatwave, and Japanese people don’t seem to be good at preventing heatstroke. A lot of people have been taken to hospital with it, and sadly, quite a few people have died.  Sigh.  

Niigata was great, just darn hot.  Luckily the hotel I stayed in had working air conditioning so when I was in I was fine.  I walked a lot, I walked all over Niigata city, took buses, did a little mall shopping and tourism things and had lunch with a couple of friends.  It was so nice!

Last night I packed my suitcase and gradually got ready to go.  In the morning, all I had to do was watch the news, shower and leave.  I tried and mostly succeeded in leaving a little early so I could visit the post office.  I bought some Gotochi cards and also some lovely stamps at the post office.  After that, I walked to the movie theatre and went to see You Were Never Really There.  I liked it, but it was a very violent film.  Interesting too, however.  

After the movie, I had some lunch and then started the gradual move back to the station to pick up my stuff and catch the train.  I didn’t spend too much money today either, so that was good!

The train ride back was easy. I may have dozed off for a second or so.  I did a little knitting as I finished all my crochet in the hotel.  I still have to put my blanket together, however.  I listened to some good podcasts and just relaxed.  Until I got near Tsuruoka.

I had texted F to say I was on the train when I got on the train.  About 6 minutes before the train arrived I received a text and picture from him of his dinner and a note that said, “I’m eating at home!” He said later that it was supposed to go out earlier, so I can understand that he meant it to be funny, but I was quite upset.  I thought he had forgotten my train time.  When I got to the station, F wasn’t there, but he was walking to the station from the car park.  Honestly, I was annoyed, even though he wasn’t that late!  I got over it soonish though.

We had dinner in Foodever and looked to be almost the only people there.  They have just reopened I think and maybe people don’t know it yet? The parking building had changed a lot too.  It used to be in one entrance and out another, now the corkscrew has been closed and we have to go back the way we came in.  Yikes.

F wanted to go to the onsen so I suggested just going, not bothering to go back to the house first.  The reason was that it was already after 8 pm, if we went to the house it would be very late at the onsen.  We went. I sat in the lobby and listened to more of a podcast and did a bit of knitting.  

When F finished, we bought some peaches and then left.  We stopped at the MaxValu for a few groceries and then came back to the house.  

We turned on the AC in our room as it was really hot.  I watched a little telly and then Project Runway because….

And that’s it.  Now I have to get used to this heat again and not run the AC 24/7.  I also have to work on my column, finish the squares for my blanket and then do a massive amount of laundry. I can wait on that one I hope!

Come back later if you are up to it.  I’ll likely be here tomorrow with all the news that is fit to print!  Until tomorrow….