It’s the middle of the week, and I’m convinced that the weather is playing some part in the doldrums that Kuniko and I have been in lately. We’ve both been getting home on the late side, and with almost no energy from teaching lethargic students we don’t really do much when we get home.
Lately it hasn’t been so hot as humid, and the walk to work and back sometimes feels more like a swim. I buy a cold drink at the convenience store before setting off for work in the afternoon, and even on the way home at night I’ve got a good layer of sweat going. Sounds like fun, huh?
Last night Kuniko cooked up some shisomaki for me – it’s my favorite yakitori dish, and it turned out great. We watched a little TV and then headed to the air conditioned bedroom to mark papers, play Nintendo, and use the computer.
The heat did drive me to get a haircut yesterday (finally). After a bad haircut experience last time I thought I’d put it off as long as I could. Kuniko mentioned the other day that I probably have reached that point, so I went off in search of a haircut.
First I went to the place I tried last time, hoping for some improvement, but they were closed up. Instead I walked back home using the back roads, and I walked past a small barbershop that was open. I decided to try it out, and it turned out great.
There was a guy getting finished up at the moment, so the barber’s wife sat me down and I read the newspaper until he was ready for me. He was a talkative guy, and it was great practice for me to try to keep the conversation going in Japanese. He did a really good job with my hair, and did all the old fashioned barber routines like shaving, shampooing, and even a strange kind of neck massage involving snapping his hands together on my shoulder blades. His wife had coffee ready for me when I was finished, and the barber and I watched TV and chatted while I drank my coffee. It was a really good experience, and now I’m actually looking forward to my next haircut.
Well, my computer is heating up the room too much so I’ve got to sign off and call it a day. I’m leaving for work in a few hours, and so I’d better get ready…
