I just wrapped up three days off, and it was very refreshing. Saturday was cool, clear weather, and I had just some light cleaning duties at home, so it was a prefect day to relax. I took a nap in the afternoon, and with the windows open and a soft cool breeze flowing through the house it is the very definition of relaxation. It is pretty rare when all the conditions are met – and there are a lot of conditions. It is too hot in summer and too cold in winter, and being limited to the weekends makes it even more difficult to find the time. But when things work out, like last weekend, it brings back memories of Greek islands and beaches in Maui.
On Sunday I went into Kobe and got my driver’s license renewed. This time I was eligible for a “gold” license, because I have been a safe driver for the past three years. In actuality, I don’t drive so much, so it is easy to be a safe driver. One of the benefits of a gold license is that you can get it during the weekends, while drivers with a standard license must take a day off of work and go in during the weekdays. It is an interesting point of motivation in Japan where working time seems to be a precious resource.
Also on Sunday we went to visit Yoshi and family for dinner at their place. We had a nice yakitori dinner in their yard, and it was really delicious. They have a source of fresh local chicken on skewers, and Yoshi and I took turns rotating the meat on the little mini-grill that he set up. We had a good time talking with them about their adventures, but we were pretty tired and called it an early night. We are thinking about taking a trip with them to Hong Kong in the future, but nothing is set in stone yet. They are really easy to travel with and like us are pretty food-focused when they visit other countries.
On Monday it was a holiday, and Kuniko finally got a day off, after 16 straight work days. We tried to use it wisely. We mainly stayed at home, snacking and catching up on movies. We went to bed last night very early, at 8:30 am, so the extra sleep should help. Kuniko has an easy week this week, and then two days off next weekend, so things are looking up!
