I love Daiso!

This morning, I planned on going to the supermarket after dropping H off to get some fruit. We have a man cold in the house everyone, lemons, oranges, kiwi fruit and bananas at the ready! But, the strangest thing...I found myself walking L towards the Daiso (100 yen shop) adjacent to Fressay. I had a vague idea of looking for plant pots, but mainly I was there to browse. Now Daiso has slowly began to creep into my good books. It all started when I found Bicarbonate of Soda cleaning spray, quickly followed by a Baking soda variety. It all helps that they have started putting english on pretty much everything. Although I could probably work it out in japanese, seeing it in english has been a big help to me. I almost feel guilty when I laugh at the janglish, because I am truly grateful whenever companies try to be more accessible language wise. Who am I to laugh at their english? You certainly wouldn't see any japanese in the pound shop in the U.K....(but you have to laugh at number 3 in the pic...)

Anyway, today's browse turned out to be more of a shopping spree. I succumbed to the 'get it, it's only 100 yen' voice in my head, and ended up spending almost 3000 yen...BUT I have to say, apart from the yoghurt raisins (which turned out to be chocolate flavoured like yoghurt), I am happy with all of my purchases. I bought some little plants for the window sills, some plant pots to re-pot my potbound ones, some tupperware for the fridge, pipe cleaners for the children, cleaning cloths, measuring jug, and some lovely little teacups and plates. We went shopping a while ago for kitchenware in Ikea. While I have lots of good things to say about Ikea, love their designs and furniture, the plates that we bought from there are ALL chipped. I think the first ones chipped about a week after we had bought them. So instead of driving 3 hours to get more that will probably also chip, I wanted to find some more local alternatives. My one complaint about the things I find here is that they are either cheap and tacky designs, or very plain and pricey. I was very surprised to find that the Daiso designs were quite pretty without looking cheap and nasty, not to mention at least 500 yen cheaper than the ones we had!

So today I am thankful for our local Daiso - YAY!

pics :

1. chipped Ikea plate

2. Daiso plate

3. Daiso cup and saucer (100 yen set ;))

4. Daiso english found on a tupperware box (food container)

My life as a pig

So for some reason, I can't stop eating this week. You name it, it has probably been in my mouth. Although I have to stop myself shopping when I'm hungry, so thank goodness there is no crap in the house. I had thought it was pre-menstrual, but looking at the calendar, I think I have at least a week or two before P-day. Who knows WHAT it is, but I hope it stops soon. I did well by planning my meals for the week. I ended up spending about 5,000 this week on the shopping, which is a few thousand less than usual and I'm pretty sure that's down to the planning. It also meant that I cooked a few more interesting things this week, because I had to sit down and think about it in advance. This week saw chicken stewed with winter veg., cottage pie, marinaded pork chops with vegetable croquettes, veg. and meat lasagne, chicken kiev, and salmon and broccoli tagliatelle. Comfort food was the main theme, but I am amazed at how the kiev turned out. I thought it would be a big mess, but apart from being a bit fiddly, it's sooooo easy, and wasn't at all dry.

This Thursday, Y had to work overtime until 10p.m. on the 24 hour hotline shift, so the gym was out, then Friday is their closing day, and then today? Well, we ventured to Costco in Iruma. My first plan was to take the train to Omiya (love LOFT), but Y pointed out that maybe over an hour on the train would see the children getting restless and turn out to be super stressful. So not wanting to disappoint H on my suggestion of taking the train, we drove to Takasaki station, parked the car and rode the train four stations, then came back on another one. She was so excited bless her. And L spent the whole journey saying, "choo choo". Then we got back in the car and drove to Costco (Y's idea), which was a close to 2 hour drive. I drove while the children slept. Partly because I can't sleep/rest/stop my fingers from turning bright white while Y is driving, and partly because being a passenger bores me.

L continued to sleep in the pushchair for about an hour after we ventured inside the warehouse that seems to get bigger the longer you are in it. H, however, was a big big grizzly pain. I want to pick up, race around, and get out as soon as possible! But hubby, nope, he likes to browssssssse... So crowded, there I am having huge trolley battles with middle aged women who pretend not to see me, while trying to placate my 3 year old who thinks Costco is suddenly the most boring place on earth.

Phew, three hours later, we emerge 30,000 yen less wealthy (how did THAT happen?!?!?!) and more than ready to go home. Again, out of fear for our lives, I drive home, let Y bath the children, fawn at them in their cute oversized p.j.s, wish I'd read the label on the cute p.j.s I bought for me, which although an L, are definitely a Japanese L as opposed to a western L...so glad I didn't plump for the M.

So for tonight, I will give the gym a miss, and am about to turn in for the night too. A long day, rounded up with two glasses of Chianti. I will sleep very very well :)

Things I love Thursday

Well here is my balance for the F off Friday. Not sure that I will be able to keep either up for any length of time, but wanted to at least do one of each within one week :) So here are some things that I love about this week:

• that my appendix has stopped giving me trouble and allowed me to feel loads more grateful for the little things that I take as given
• that my weight today was 61.4kg after having a week with no exercise
• getting the laundry done for the past two days despite the rain (thanks to the drying rack in the spare room
• that I managed to get presents sent off to both my mother and younger sister for their birthdays this week
• that my mother printed out the photos from the shichi go san and told me she shows them to all and is "proud to tell people that they are her grandchildren"
• that I can fit into my new Zara size 8 jeans (even though I will have to turn them up because they are too long thanks to all those tall skinny spanish chicas)
• that L is FINALLY starting to apologise again and understands the meaning of the naughty step :)

Wow, that felt pretty good. And I have loads more probably! I know appendicitis is not the most serious of conditions, but everytime I have got it, I worry that it will burst and I will drop dead. So it kind of makes me appreciate EVERYTHING!

Off to bed, night night all!

F Off Friday

Inspired by Sarah's idea, I have decided to do an F Off Friday, and will be stealing Lulu's Things I love Thursday to strike a good balance when Thursday comes around again. Yin and Yang and all that jazz. So these are things that have F'd me off this week. In the interests of positivity, I am keeping this list to a maximum of 4 things:

1. Being accused of trying to get something for nothing from an internet seller who wanted to make me get nothing for something.

2. Going down with appendicitis again and making myself homesick because of it

3. H throwing up after dinner because MILs "snack" after nursery today was one banana, one satsuma and a whole load of bread.

4. Going out to the loo and coming back to my nice folded laundry pile being thrown around the living room by my children

Ah, ok, that wasn't so bad. I feel better to get it off my chest and now I can concentrate on having a good weekend :)

Today

Ok, so this is not my scan, but you get the idea..and then can zoom and go through organs and stuff while you look at it..pretty cool, eh?

My day, in short:

Overslept, got the children up (they were awake and throwing soft toys around the room)

Came downstairs, went to make hubby's bento, and then he offered to do it himself x

Got the children dressed, fed and out of the door in 50 minutes (record ;))

Dropped H off at nursery, then drove to the hospital with the seat reclined so as not to hurt poorly tummy

Got to hospital and made appointment to see 外貨 doc. ("external medicine", will never think it normal that surgery is classed as that)

Met hubby in the nick of time, as I was struggling to fill in form with kanji characters so small they looked like dark boxes

Sat and waited for about an hour or so before going in to see the doc., during which time, got e-mail from annoying woman who had offered to sell "barely worn" clothes on tell and sell and then got arsey with me because I had (very politely) asked her to photograph items and tell me the sizes...her verbal attack ended with suggesting I search for clothing at the Salvation Army..nice

Got in to see the doc., who was very nice, and wrote down lots of English for me, albeit rather advanced medical vocab., but got me to understand it too

Went off to get my blood checked and have a syringe of Heparin strapped to my forearm in preparation for giving me drugs to make the CT scan clearer

Went back to 外貨 to wait for the CT people to tell me they were ready

Got into CT room with old biddy nurse who told me I had to take my bra off as it had a wire, and then tried to "help" me to pull bra out from under my clothes while trying not to rip out big syringe strapped on my forearm, assisted by my husband..

Once bra straps were out, got told to get out of CT room as there was an emergency and made to walk into CT room prep. area (about one tatami mat size) with hubby, sleeping baby in a pushchair and sat in there for a good five or ten minutes

Led back into CT room, where hubby was made to stay, even though I said I would be able to understand, although it was slightly amusing to see him wearing a baby pink lead apron...

Had a long explanation, my trousers pulled down to my knees, and the biggest lot of drugs I've ever seen pumped into my body, plus a very icky warm feeling all over while the CT scanned my torso. Have to say, was very impressed with the breathe in and breathe out cute little face lights on the top of the CT. Very easy to understand..no need for hubby..

Went back to the doc to wait for the CT results, which they said would take between 30 minutes to an hour. Went off for lunch (well hubby ate, I picked at his side salad)

Went back to the doc who showed us the CT results on a very very cool screen on his desk. Got to see my innards, lots of fun..and told that my appendix is in an unusual location (bent under and towards my back), so a usual 15 minute operation may take an hour if I had to have it removed, as it would be easy to damage my intestines. Made sure that this could be done, if needed, without the intestine damage..and also that if doc. insisted no surgery, that I would not die from sudden peritonitis.

Got meds., dropped Y off at work, picked H up from Grammy's, came home feeling much more reassured and glad that I had gone, even though it had taken four and a half hours and cost me 12,000 yen

Now 8p.m., children are in bed, I have my feet up typing this and all drugged up while hubby works the helpline shift until 10p.m. Am feeling very lucky :)

Health is underrated

I haven't blogged for a while because I've been poorly with a head cold. Both of the children have been ill too, but L the worst. He was diagnosed with an ear infection, and then just over a week later, with a throat infection. It makes me feel ashamed that they both get sick so often. They are both dressed warmly, eat healthily and well, sleep lots and drink lots of water. So I suppose really I shouldn't blame myself. Gah, this parenting lark is a lot of guilt! Anyway, L is still like a bear with a sore head, but at least he managed to eat all of his dinner today, so it seems that he is getting better. H just has a runny nose, but is back at kindie and seems fine. Tonight I made some scrummy mini burgers with onion, garlic and herbs inside, steamed veggies and oven chipped potatoes. Yum yum!

So I haven't been to the gym since last Thursday. Friday was their day off, and then Saturday was when the cold really hit..along with my period, yippee!! And then yesterday, I had the most awful heartburn, that turned into severe stomach cramps. I was worried it was appendicitis again (yes, have had it twice and been treated with antibiotic drip for it both times) and wish they would have just cut it out. But then wondered if it might be another ulcer :( Last week had been quite stressful with everyone ill at home, plus the housework, cooking, etc., so could just be the stress had been playing around inside again. I have to say, when I am ill, I always think that life is so amazing. Worrying about being deadly poorly, or just feeling a bit unhealthy makes me realise how much I take my health for granted.

So tonight, with some fluttering stomach cramps but nothing too serious, I am off to the gym. It is a big stress reliever for me, so I'm hoping that I can get rid of the cramps with some light exercise and some good rest. Of course, my 62kg has now become 62.6, but that is just one of those things! New week, new goal :) Plenty of time for that. Ooh, and a new little shopping centre opened in Maebashi. Have to say that on the whole it is crap with a capital c, but there was a visiting Zara seconds sale, so I bought myself some lovely new tops. Most of them just had a little hole in the collar where the tag had ripped through, and at 70% off I had to grab my chance! Trouble is, some of them are a little snug, so more motivation to lose the inches! Better get my coat :)