Shopping, Mt Fuji, Christmas party, etc.

Can you see Mt Fuji in the distance?

Today was a Costco day. I drove for more than an hour spent more than a hour in the car on the way there. Maybe 1/3 of that wasn't driving, just sitting at traffic lights. It was faster on the way home, for some reason. A definite highlight of the drive was seeing Mt Fuji as I drove along a local road. Unfortunately the best view wasn't at a traffic light and as I didn't have a passenger, I couldn't take a photo (it's not easy to stop on these Japanese roads), but here is a partial glimpse from one set of lights.


I bought up on various things that are not available closer to where we live or are cheaper at Costco. I nabbed a pack of TimTams for a touch of Australia these holidays. I also bought a packet of chocolate melts to make chocolate fudge, another thing I traditionally make at Christmas (it makes a good present for teachers too). I bought some healthy stuff too, like grapes (in the middle of winter!), zucchini, and meat. The Japanese don't usually buy much at any one time. When they see a foreigner at Costco, they often do a double take because often our trolleys (US=cart) are very full. My large shopping trolley was stacked and I had one person actually speak what everyone else was thinking, "Wow, look how much she has!" 


Once I got home I had to put it all away, including dividing the meat into meal-sized portions (one of my most hated household chores) and squeeze everything I could into the chest freezer. Then I toddled off down the road to supervise my boys doing homework in the library before joining my husband at the annual Staff Christmas party. 


The other day when I wrote about what makes Christmas feel like Christmas for us here, I didn't mention that there are a handful of events that we attend every year that help us feel like it's Christmas. One was last Friday, the Middle School Christmas Concert. One was the party this afternoon. It is an enjoyable kid-free time to socialise with people who are often too busy to do much more than shout hello as you pass them at school.


There was childcare, but no food for the kids. So, though Mum and Dad came home at 5.30 stuffed full of yummy food, the boys needed feeding. Our tradition is for me to bring a large pizza home from Costco for dinner that evening, so it wasn't hard to feed them tonight. My, they are growing, though. Look how much the three of them, 12, 9 and 6, ate of the 18" (45cm) pizza!


After that we had to get them to concentrate long enough to have a shower, clean teeth, do devotions and get that light off. 


After that I was able to have a long chat with my youngest sister on Skype. The first time in quite a while and it was good. But now I'm tired and ready to hit the sack with a good book. See you tomorrow!