A very big update indeed
Didn't realize how long it's been since I last updated here. I will try to make amends with a giant posting now.
My new Japanese expression for the day is 癌を征圧する which means 'to conquer cancer'. I just found out a few days ago that my mum has cancer. I was pretty shocked and sad when I heard it. My mum is very upbeat though and kept telling me not to worry about it. Well that's pretty much impossible when you get news like that isn't it? But I'm feeling much better about the whole thing now. Due to mum's previous health scare last year which brought about an onset of diabetes, she is now in the best shape she has been in for a long time. She is getting lots of exercise and maintaining a strict, healthy diet. In only a year she has recovered and is doing fantastic. I'm sure she can beat this cancer too. Vancouver is supposed to have the most advanced facilities for dealing with cancer in Canada so she is in a good spot. My friend Dan's mother went through something similar last year and she made a complete recovery. I know my mum can do it too.
Yukiko & the baby are doing just fine. We're at T minus 1 month and counting now. I've got my first father's class tomorrow. I guess they'll go over what I should do during the delivery, at least I hope they do.
Yukiko looks like she's just about ready to pop.
Going way way back... Yukiko & I spent New Year's with her family in Osaka. We got to spend a lot of time with Yukiko's parents, Keiko and her family, and Yukiko's brother Toshikatsu. I also got to watch a lot of professional fighting on TV. For a predominantly Buddhist country it is very interesting that in recent years it has become a tradition to watch professional MMA, or ultimate fighting on free TV. Not just one show mind you but sometimes 2 or 3 competing fight shows being broadcast at the same time on different channels. As a martial arts fan though I'm certainly not complaining.
One of the unique features of New Years in Japan is all the special food that you get to eat. Osechi ryouri is the name of the specially prepared food that you get to eat from January 1st and afterwards. Yukiko's mum painstakingly prepared loads and loads of different vegetables, meats and seafoods for everyone to munch on for the next few days. It is very tasty but after the 3rd meal it begins to get a bit tiresome. You really can't complain when you think about all the work that goes into preparing it though. I'm sure Yukiko's mum spent at least a few days making it all. People with more money than time on their hands can also buy pre-packaged osechi ryouri from local shops but it is very expensive I think.
Kickin' back at the parents' house.
Yukiko is very camera friendly.
On the first of January we went off to see where Yukiko's parents' new house is being built. It's just north of Umeda and is much closer to our apartment than their current house. It's going to be a bit smaller than the house they live in now, but it should be much warmer and more comfortable. The house they are in now is very cold and get really, really cold in the winter. This is a result of the lack of insulation and double pane windows in Japan.
The building behind looks a little ugly but remember that you won't be able to see it once the house is finished.
Here is the majority of the Tsuda clan; Dad, Toshikatsu, Mum, Yukiko.
A few days later we all went to the Tsuda family's favourite Chinese restaurant in Osaka. It was great.
Keiko & Yuka
The whole gang. From left to right: Keiko (Toshikatsu's girlfriend), Yukiko, Toshikatsu, Dad, Mum, Yuka, Keiko, Seigo, Me.
Visiting our friends Chika & Shige at their new house.
On January 9th I had the day off from school so Yukiko decided to take our new car and go on a little day trip. We went to a nearby park and zoo called Oji Koen. It's about 15 mins away by train but took us about 40 mins driving. Our car's navigational computer also guided us onto a national highway which we didn't intend to do. Highways in Japan are all toll roads... and those tolls add up. Our 1 way trip cost us about 850 yen, or about $9.00 CDN. It would have been much faster and cheaper to go by train. Oh well, it was a good learning experience. For one thing, we learned how to set the car's navigation computer to only select free routes. The park was fun though and we got in a lot of good walking while we were there.
My new Japanese expression for the day is 癌を征圧する which means 'to conquer cancer'. I just found out a few days ago that my mum has cancer. I was pretty shocked and sad when I heard it. My mum is very upbeat though and kept telling me not to worry about it. Well that's pretty much impossible when you get news like that isn't it? But I'm feeling much better about the whole thing now. Due to mum's previous health scare last year which brought about an onset of diabetes, she is now in the best shape she has been in for a long time. She is getting lots of exercise and maintaining a strict, healthy diet. In only a year she has recovered and is doing fantastic. I'm sure she can beat this cancer too. Vancouver is supposed to have the most advanced facilities for dealing with cancer in Canada so she is in a good spot. My friend Dan's mother went through something similar last year and she made a complete recovery. I know my mum can do it too.
Yukiko & the baby are doing just fine. We're at T minus 1 month and counting now. I've got my first father's class tomorrow. I guess they'll go over what I should do during the delivery, at least I hope they do.
Yukiko looks like she's just about ready to pop.Going way way back... Yukiko & I spent New Year's with her family in Osaka. We got to spend a lot of time with Yukiko's parents, Keiko and her family, and Yukiko's brother Toshikatsu. I also got to watch a lot of professional fighting on TV. For a predominantly Buddhist country it is very interesting that in recent years it has become a tradition to watch professional MMA, or ultimate fighting on free TV. Not just one show mind you but sometimes 2 or 3 competing fight shows being broadcast at the same time on different channels. As a martial arts fan though I'm certainly not complaining.
One of the unique features of New Years in Japan is all the special food that you get to eat. Osechi ryouri is the name of the specially prepared food that you get to eat from January 1st and afterwards. Yukiko's mum painstakingly prepared loads and loads of different vegetables, meats and seafoods for everyone to munch on for the next few days. It is very tasty but after the 3rd meal it begins to get a bit tiresome. You really can't complain when you think about all the work that goes into preparing it though. I'm sure Yukiko's mum spent at least a few days making it all. People with more money than time on their hands can also buy pre-packaged osechi ryouri from local shops but it is very expensive I think.
Kickin' back at the parents' house.
Yukiko is very camera friendly.On the first of January we went off to see where Yukiko's parents' new house is being built. It's just north of Umeda and is much closer to our apartment than their current house. It's going to be a bit smaller than the house they live in now, but it should be much warmer and more comfortable. The house they are in now is very cold and get really, really cold in the winter. This is a result of the lack of insulation and double pane windows in Japan.
The building behind looks a little ugly but remember that you won't be able to see it once the house is finished.
Here is the majority of the Tsuda clan; Dad, Toshikatsu, Mum, Yukiko.A few days later we all went to the Tsuda family's favourite Chinese restaurant in Osaka. It was great.
Keiko & Yuka
The whole gang. From left to right: Keiko (Toshikatsu's girlfriend), Yukiko, Toshikatsu, Dad, Mum, Yuka, Keiko, Seigo, Me.
Visiting our friends Chika & Shige at their new house.On January 9th I had the day off from school so Yukiko decided to take our new car and go on a little day trip. We went to a nearby park and zoo called Oji Koen. It's about 15 mins away by train but took us about 40 mins driving. Our car's navigational computer also guided us onto a national highway which we didn't intend to do. Highways in Japan are all toll roads... and those tolls add up. Our 1 way trip cost us about 850 yen, or about $9.00 CDN. It would have been much faster and cheaper to go by train. Oh well, it was a good learning experience. For one thing, we learned how to set the car's navigation computer to only select free routes. The park was fun though and we got in a lot of good walking while we were there.
posted by Jason at 2:47 PM
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