The people you meet

Sometimes I get stuck behind my computer doing lots of writing/editing work, but this week, between computer and family management, I've had an interesting time meeting people.

On Monday I had a video call with my forever-friend Mel. We do this regularly. It's mutual debriefing. When our family were in Australia last Mel and I regularly did this over coffee, and found it so beneficial that we've continued. Not quite the same at a distance but still something we both look forward to.

CAJ campus is gorgeous with autumn leaves just now!

Late on Monday afternoon (is 5.30 still afternoon if the sun's been down an hour already?) I attended a short information session about basic wrestling rules at school. I didn't really need to go, but went primarily to support a new wrestling-mum who I invited. Still, it was fun to be there with her and I learnt more than one new thing!

On Tuesday I met a lady who I also know a lot about. Over the last nine years I've critiqued much of her writing and she's critiqued mine--we're in a small writing group. She's in town because her son and daughter-in-law work here, in fact her daughter-in-law taught my youngest son last year. We met up and FaceTimed the third person in our group. 11am here, 9pm there, in Virginia, US. We chatted for over two hours! Our writing is non-fiction and often very personal, so we know a lot about one another and it wasn't hard to talk for ages. These are the ladies (along with a couple of others who are no longer part of the group) who taught me how to write well and how to edit. I owe a lot to them!

On Wednesday I met my language exchange partners. With so much going on I found it a challenge to talk and listen in Japanese, especially when their English is much better than my Japanese, but they're so encouraging helping me to persevere even in little steps to improve my Japanese.

That night we had former OMF Japan colleagues visit for dinner. A Japanese-Singaporean family. They also have three boys, our middle sons were classmates at CAJ for a time and good friends. Alas they are now based in Singapore. But the mum's hometown is our city so when they visit family on their holidays they land in our "backyard". Most short term visitors to Tokyo don't come this far west so we relished this opportunity. Six boys, though: they ate a lot!

My Friday meeting. 

On Thursday I got to stay mostly at home behind my computer ticking stuff off my To Do list. Editing, desktop publishing, magazine managing etc. I did have a short meeting at school about one boy's behaviour, but we won't talk about that!

Thursday night I took the night off cooking because CAJ was hosting two basketball games and the accompanying "concessions stand" with Japanese curry rice or chili dogs or hot dogs for sale. It was a great place to cross paths with friends I rarely see.

Today I've been at another OMF Japan website revamp focus group on the other side of town: left home at 8.15, got back at 3.45. But another good time connecting with likeminded people.

Almost every morning this week I've had trouble waking up. I'm feeling residual tiredness that was exacerbated by our extreme camping experience last week. I'm looking forward to a sleep-in tomorrow and quiet weekend. But there is a lot of baking needed. Thankfully that's something I enjoy.

Hopefully I'll enter into next week with more energy! Especially because next weekend is a big one: the first wrestling tournament of the season and our school is hosting it, which means more work for us (we provide breakfast and lunch for the coaches and officials).