Living La Vida Loca In Japan: December 22, 2023

Friday - Cold and snowy. Really snowy.

I woke up around 8 am this morning. I grabbed the kerosene tank and went downstairs. I filled up the tank and then came back upstairs. I put the tank back in the heater and turned it on. We both were in bed for a bit longer, but around 9 F got up and went downstairs to make breakfast for K and himself. On the other hand, I got dressed and went outside to start shovelling snow.

There was so much snow. It was rather insane. I managed to clear off the steps and then started to clear snow next to the car. Dear F had managed to hide one of the big snow-clearing things. It was “buried” under a bunch of stuff in the garage. I had to dig it out before I could use it. I had cleared one side of the car when F came out to start clearing the snow. He was really surprised that I was outside working.

Between the two of us we got the area around the car cleared and even out onto the road. F moved the car and I got some of the rest done too. He went inside to change and I went in to take a break.

F and K left for the farewell ceremony and I went back upstairs. I thought about going back to bed, but never actually did. A bit after noon I heard the dreaded sound that I was waiting for. The snow plough went down the road. I waited until it was done and then went outside again.

The snowplough had cleared the road but had filled up our entrance to the yard. F wouldn’t be able to get his car in. I managed to clear the roadway and I was lucky enough that it had stopped snowing for a bit.

I finished, came back into the house and made my lunch. It wasn’t very big and now I was hungry! I took it upstairs and ate.

A bit later, F and K came back. F offered to take me out for lunch as he was hungry. I was too, so it was fine by me. We went to Gusto, the far-away one. The roads were so slow, happily, people were driving carefully for the most part. We had a decent meal, we both had stuff from the lunch menu. Hurray.

Those lumps on the left are cars under the snow.

F and K had to go back in the evening for another ceremony thing, so basically, as soon as we got back he had to start getting ready. We had to shift more snow…most of where I’d cleared this morning had been covered over already. Yuck.

They went off and were away for a couple of hours. When they came back, F got started on dinner. It was nice that HE did it for a change. We had nabe and they also had some bentos that they were given at the funeral.

After dinner, F did the dishes too, but I helped him more than he ever helps me! I carried things to the kitchen and helped put things away. I went upstairs afterwards and relaxed.

Later on, I had a shower and then F did too. F didn’t tell me that he had turned off the water afterwards. Why wouldn’t you tell your wife that? Honestly!

I didn’t watch any TV tonight, I just watched some YouTube and tried to relax. Tomorrow, we’re going to the funeral and the memorial service. I’m not exactly sure how this is going to go down. I’ve never been to a Japanese funeral before. Wish me luck!

Oh, and the Tea Advent Calendar…today was Rooibos Rich. I drank it this evening and it was quite nice. It wasn’t my favourite rooibos tea, but I would buy it if I ran out of my favourite kind.