Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!

So…  its been a while….  okay, yes, I’m not the most regular blogger, and I wanted to explain why. 

I blog at work.  I know, I know, not really a good thing to do.  And I’m not saying that my work is boring *cough*, but the fact is I teach 21 hours a week, but I’m required to be at work over 40 hours a week.  And in terms of preparation, it does not take me an hour to plan for every lesson I teach, because I will teach the same lesson 2, 3 or 5 times.  Which gives me a lot of free time to look busy.  And so I blog.

But I haven’t blogged in a while because my school is a private school and we have lots of vacations.  And I mean lots.  In one year I have approximately 4 months vacations, plus extra days I’m not required to go to work.  So I’m a bit irregular.

Today is my first full day back at teaching.  We have been on spring vacation for just over three weeks.  It’s difficult to get back into the swing of things, but I like being back to a regular schedule.  I do love vacations, but I tend to sleep in far too late when I don’t have any requirements imposed on my time.

So, this year mum and Aunty Lyn came to visit for a couple of weeks.  We did a lot!  We went to Nagano for a few days to see the Snow Monkeys, and toured about many places in Tokyo, including Ginza,Asakusa, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ueno and Rikugien Park.  Unfortunately it was a little too early for cherry blossoms to fully bloom, but there were the occasional few.

It was really nice to have visitors, and to see my mummy!  Plus it was also nice to do some tourist things that I haven’t done in quite some time. Once I’ve sorted through my photos I’ll be putting a few on Flickr.  Speaking of, mum bought my new camera over with her, so now I have D90 love!

About a week ago cherry blossoms came into full bloom.  I went with a friend and her friends to a Sakura Festival in Chiba.  It was really crowded, but I love the vibe of Japanese festivals, so it was lots of fun.  I also tried my hand at a japanese fishing game, and despite losing, I am now the proud owner of a goldfish.  Haven’t decided weather to call it Fish/Sakura/Dinner or Mullet.  I think I’ll run a poll through twitter.

I also went on a stroll along a river a few stations over.  There are over 400 cherry blossoms along the river, and it was beautiful.  It was a little windy, so the cherry blossoms were falling off the trees, but to be honest, thats my favourite time, as it reminds me of snow, but is far less chilly   Here’s a couple of pictures –

a couple more can be seen on my flickr.

Scottish Highland Games

Yesterday the Scottish Highland Games were held in Chiba.  Two of my colleagues are of Scottish decent, as well as myself – somewhere back in the mists of time.  They were both going (in their kilts no less!) so I thought I should indulge in some of my heritage.  Admittedly I don’t think of myself as Scottish, I’m third or fourth generation Australian, and my closest heritage is English and German, but I’m beginning to appreciate the Sottish in my background.

Anyway, I’m digressing.  The Games.  It was the first time for me to go to such an event.  They had a lots of things in the program, Soccer and Netball games, kids races, dancing and piping, and of course – heavy events.  It was also probably my first time to witness the heavy events, and I found them to be very very interesting.  (And also awing…  people can lift weights like that and throw them?!?!)  And of course there is the food and drink.  I wasn’t quite game enough to try the haggis (my colleagues tell me they have eaten better), but there were other British foods like cottage pie, and Indian..  And of course the beer.  and whiskey. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michelelisa/sets/72157607775927349/

Admittedly there wasn’t all that much to see and do, but it was a nice relaxing and interesting day none the less.  I’ll be going next year as well I think, and maybe by then I’ll have a kilt in my own tartan