Monthly Archive for January, 2007

Happy Birthday – eventually!

Published on January 25, 2007 in blog. 0 Comments

Happy Birthday Dear Reni…(and Dad!)

Yesterday was Reni’s 3rd birthday. How time flies! :o

For his special day we bought Reni a new green bicycle (with trainer wheels of course). He had tried it the weekend before last at the bicycle shop and quite liked it. He seemed keen to have it until he saw a bicycle with a ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ basket on the racks above. Fortunately that was out of his reach though so he couldn’t get to attached to it. (Not that there’s anything wrong with Thomas but it would have been overkill to buy it!)

Unfortunately Reni has been sick with a cold the last few days so he has not been the happiest or most co-operative guy around. Actually when we tried to wish him Happy Birthday yesterday he answered back “No”. And when Bec called in the early evening to give her wishes, Reni refused to talk to her. (He eventually did manage to say bye at least.)

His special day did get better though as it went on. After I got home from teaching a private lesson in the evening I gave him some chocolates, (molded from the Ampan-man series characters that he is very fond of). That cheered him up considerably. Then we gave him a present from Rae (an Old McDonald book with CD) and a (Thomas) card from Mum & Dad he was at last happy again.


Because I had to teach, we decided to have a little birthday celebration for Reni a day late. Yoko cooked a yummy dinner of some of Reni’s favourite food; mince patties in gravy (hamburg), egg, chips, carrot and broccoli. It was obvious to us that Reni enjoyed it. He didn’t take ages to finish it, like he usually does!

After dinner, washing the dishes and a shower we had the grand finale- birthday cake. We bought Reni a cream and fruit sponge cake decorated with a face of Thomas and strawberries. He was so delighted when he saw it. After singing Happy Bithday, blowing out the candles and letting off some crackers we all indulged. It tasted even better than it looked! (A plus about there only being the 3 of us at the party- Reni can have cake again tomorrow.)

R.I.P. Dan Rolphy

Published on January 15, 2007 in blog. 1 Comment
Flicking through the news on Google last week, I was surprised to see a fatal shooting had occurred in Floreat Park, the neighbouring suburb of my (other) home in City Beach. The report said that a man had been fatally shot by police after a car chase and a policeman being stabbed. It sounded to me like it may have been an amphetamine-related incident.
There was one aspect of the report though I found a little disturbing. According to a neighbour’s report, four shots had been fired. How could that be justified I wondered? Was the policeman such a lousy shot? Was the knife-wielding police-assailant so invincible one bullet wasn’t enough to stop him? Whatever the reason, the story kind of depressed me. Violence, sadly, is an unavoidable aspect of Australian life it seems. (I speak from experience too.)
This morning, I checked my mail and learnt that the shooting was much closer to home than I realized. (Thanks Milo.) The victim attended the same school as me. He surfed at the same beach as me. I knew him. Daniel Rolph.
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=18660
Dan came from a large family. He and his brothers Adam, Jason and Andrew all attended City Beach High. They were well-liked, down-to-earth guys. People toook to them because of their confident but friendly manner.
Dan was the youngest of the 4 brothers. He could be a cheeky rascal but he was always friendly. Whenever I saw him at the beach he would say g’day and have a chat. He was the kind of guy that made me feel glad to be a part of the City surfing brotherhood.  He could rip too, I might add.
Apparently Dan suffered from bipolar disorder, otherwise known as manic-depression. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm 
Most likely this was a contributing factor for his erratic behaviour that ultimately led to his death. But was his death justified? I highly doubt it. One thing for certain though is that his death was a blatant waste of a life. As his farewell ceremony at City Beach attended by some 160 people testifies, Dan will be greatly missed.
Thanks for all the happy memories you gave us, Dan. Like your nickname ‘Danny Sunshine’ says, you were a ray of light in our lives brother. May you rest in peace. Your old mate, Matt Lindsay (aka Milt).     
 
 

Welcoming the year of the boar.

Published on January 10, 2007 in blog. 0 Comments
   
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Happy New Year! (Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!) from us here in Nihon. I wonder what will 2007 bring? (Could the world possibly become even crazier?)

New Year’s Eve in Japan traditionally is a time to spend with family. It usually involves lots of eating, drinking and watching television at home. After the clock turns twelve the family may venture out for hatsumode- the first visit of the year to a shrine, to pray for a prosperous and safe year to come. For those with staying power the night may continue on into the morning to witness hinode, the first sunrise of the year, .

As is custom however the younger generation break with tradition and kick up their heels at ‘countdown parties’. Clubs hold parties and special events are held. (In Kyoto, the Arts Faculty at Kyoto University usually has a lively affair indoors. In Tokushima there’s a big countdown outside at a park in the city centre.)


Having spent the day alone hiking in northern Kyoto, I was keen to spend the evening with Reni and Yoko. With Yoko getting bigger by the day and unable to drink alchohol, partying was naturally out of the question this New Year. After Reni had gone to sleep we settled down in the warmth of her parents living room.

The usual New Year’s fare was on TV – song contests and kick-boxing, neither of which particularly appealed to us. (Watching meatheads beat the crap out of each other isn’t really a nice way to start the New Year, is it?) Yoko decided to watch a comedy special. It was kind of funny for a while but the continual humiliation jokes soon became a bit monotonous. I couldn’t understand all that was being said either so I opted for a book. (The insightful and excellently researched Ghost Wars by Steve Coll.)

A little before midnight we had our last meal of the year together with Yoko’s parents. We ate soba buckwheat noodles with a sweet fish, traditonal Kyoto cuisine apparently. It was very delicious but after a large dinner I could only eat a little. The clock struck twelve soon after but we were too absorbed in our reading and TV watching to barely notice!

Feeling a little bored with ourselves Yoko and I decided to take a walk and see how other people were seeing in the new year. The nearby temple was practically deserted so we continued strolling towards the city centre. By the time we reached the main road we were engulfed by human traffic. Masses of people were making their way to Yasaka Shrine.

It was freezing cold out, (not that it seemed to bother all the young chicky-babes strutting about in tiny shorts and stockings, the latest fashion craze), so we both wanted a hot drink. Starbuck’s was out of the question however – the line was far too long to bother. Eventually we grabbed a couple of hot canned drinks from a convenience store. I got a corn soup and Yoko had a sweet sake. (A little alchohol won’t hurt, will it?)

Getting old? Of course we are! Getting mellow? That’s debatable. Getting wiser? I’d like to think so. Whatever the reason, I was glad to have a quiet New Year’s Eve. It felt so good to wake up fresh without a hangover for a change. I recommend it!


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Adios 06.

Published on January 7, 2007 in blog. 0 Comments
2006 was a challenging year for us. Reni developed dramatically from a big baby into a little boy. The transition wasn’t always easy and it still isn’t over yet. There’s only a few more weeks left of the terrible twos however so we’re hopeful that Reni will become a little more co-operative and a little less contrary once he becomes three. (Of course the pleasure he gave us far outweighed the difficulties though.)
The year was also a bit tough for Yoko. She conceived our second child. This time she experienced morning sickness much worse than when she was pregnant with Reni. The situation got so bad for both her and I that she and Reni had to return to Kyoto for a week to give us a both a break. Fortunately that is all over now and she is feeling much better.
As for yours truly, the year was reasonably uneventful. Work kept me busy from Monday to Friday during the school terms. On the weekends and during the holidays I often enjoyed nature, with Yoko and Reni or friends, surfing, seeking waterfalls, hiking and camping.
2007 promises to be an even busier year I imagine. Our second child is due in late March or early April. Most likely, after the birth will be a difficult transition for Reni when he realizes that he is no longer the centre of attention. Naturally we are preparing him for that time. I’m confident that the little guy will be able to cope (with my assistance).
What does 2007 have in store for you I wonder? Whatever it may be, I wish you peace and happiness!

Early Christmas, Belated Thanks

Published on January 5, 2007 in blog. 1 Comment

This year we were unable to make it back to Perth for Christmas as Yoko is too far into her pregnancy to fly. Instead we spent Christmas Day at her parents place in Kyoto. Our Christmas celebrations were already over by then however .

There were a few reasons for celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. The main one was that we traveled to Kyoto that day by bus rather than our car. Taking the bus meant our baggage was limited to what we could carry. Rather than lug all the presents we had so kindly received from everybody in Oz, we decided to open them before we left. We were all very happy to receive such wonderful gifts, especially Reni. It was the first time for him to really comprehend Christmas.

To all of you who sent us cards and presents- thank you so much. It really meant a lot to us and you really mean a lot to us too!


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Unfortunately our departure from Tokushima was delayed by an incompetent taxi company. We’d made a reservation but they forgot it so we missed the bus we’d planned to catch. Naturally we were unhappy about that and let the driver know. Of course, it wasn’t his fault, he told us with a stupid, nervous laugh, (making us like him and his company even less). After Yoko showed her anger though we got a free ride and were able to catch the next bus.

Naturally Yoko’s parents were happy to see us, especially Reni. Knowing how important Christmas is in Australia, they went out of their way to ensure we enjoyed our Christmas in Kyoto. In Japan, it tends to be custom to celebrate Christmas more on Christmas Eve than Christmas Day. (As Yoko’s dad noted, the Christmas cakes drop to half-price on Christmas Day!)

They had prepared a delicious dinner for us to enjoy soon after we arrived. To begin, we had a champagne toast. Yoko couldn’t resist having a small glassful – she’d been saying for ages how much she’d like a glass of champagne. Reni had a soft drink resembling champagne too, but he didn’t want to drink it because he thought it was alcohol. We eventually got him to toast with us with apple juice.

For dinner, first up we had baked chicken, smoked duck and salad . It was all very tasty. Following that we had a seafood paella, which was also delicious. After a bit of a rest to let all it go down we had a chocolate Christmas cake for dessert. Judging by the way he tucked into it, I’d say Reni liked the cake the best .

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