Tired

Either the Fuji climbing is still effecting me or I have some unknown serious disease, not to mention the old age - I have been dead tired today. That fact combined with Vimme's energy and no napping hasn't been a match made in heaven.

Today's fun part was to meet Finnish Tokyo mothers again after the summer break.

A Multicolored Pudel

I didn't see this dog live and I guess it's best for the owner's physical health, because I think there must be something seriously wrong with a person who makes her/his dog look like this. And a person like that shouldn't have any pets. When I become the dictator of the world dogs won't look like this.

Oh well, on the other hand... the owner might treat the dog really well otherwise and dog doesn't mind looking stupid, so the only one suffering in this case would be me.

Cowboy Walk

I have a feeling that I walk now like a regular John Wayne. My legs are still really really stiff and aching. We live on the third floor and no elevator. You won't see me outdoors today.

Seen It Done It Been There

I survived Fuji-san! Every muscle in my body below my waist is aching and I slept 14 hours last night.


The climb was much harder than I thought and I did think it will be a tough one. At some point around sun rise I thought I might have to stay on the mountain for the rest of my life, because there wasn't any will or strength left in me to take another step upwards. But somehow I managed to reach the top.


At the top the wind was blowing hard and the whole top was covered with fog. I didn't see the crater. But let me tell you - I won't climb there again to get a glimpse.


Once you are at the top and happy you've done it that far, you begin to remember that you have to get down too somehow. So, already tired and ready to sleep for a week the climb down started. It was a long walk.


The group of Finnish mothers I climbed with was great. And I am really really glad we did it, though if I'd known how tough it is, I would have said no to the whole climb.

A Napless Day

The kid didn't take a nap today. Bright side of it was that he fell asleep in no time at his bed time. The dark side is that I didn't have my coffee break. That makes me mean.

Tomorrow I will climb Fuji with five other finnish mothers. We'll climb through the night to see the sun rise on the top of Fuji-san. Then we'll roll down to the nearest station and sleep in the train back home. I'll report how it was when I am back.

Mother Ship's Wondering

I am planning to climb Fuji-san this weekend. It seems like Typhoon #11 is taking place at the same time. I wonder if I am really into that kind of extreme sports.

Kafka Meets Bach

Everytime I send a parcel at the nearest post office, I get totally 'lost in translation'. My fantastic ability to ask someone in japanese if they have children's shoes doesn't help at the post office's counter at all.

Now I thought I'd figured out what to say and do to avoid seeing that very tired look on post person's face, I found a brand new situation: the person asked me in his apprixomate english (not finglish this time though) if I wanted to send the parcel as an express mail. I said yes - he made it sound like I had no choice. 'Ooops', I thought when I saw what it costed but I didn't want to take my hard decision back. Then the guy asked me (my guess) what's inside the parcel and I told there are a dog's Happi coat and two handkerchiefs. He pull immediately out a very important looking paper with many different little boxes to fill in with addresses, desriptions, numbers and maybe even crosses... 'Oh boy', I thought and once we'd managed to fill in all that was supposed to be filled in, I left the post office promising myself not to tell what's in parcels I send or to send them express.

Oh by the way: we have a beautiful thunder roaring just above us right now and I happen to listen to Bach's Toccata and Fugue. They are perfect together.

Talking Japanese

I managed to ask today at a shop if they have shoes for children - in Japanese (or at least I think so). The salesperson seemed to understand what I ment and showed me the way to the right department. I guess I should start learning more words... god knows when I have time and where I get the energy to do that.

Early Bird

Today I wake up early to chat online with few friends. It's funny to chat on sunday morning to people who are still spending their saturday night.

Pros and Cons

One of the best things about living in different countries is that you meet new people from all over the world. One of the saddest things is that you soon have to say good bye to those wonderful people you just met. I will miss you, C & the boys.

Detox Started

We spent our first pacifier free night last night and I have to say I am very tired. As you can easily guess, Vimme didn't sleep that soundly. Now that I have decided to go through this detox I'll suffer all the badly slept night it takes.

Mama's Tough Moments

Some days are just tough. Usually on those days, I am tired to begin with. And when I am tired I am not very patient. And when I am not patient Vimme gets cranky... well, you get the picture.

Today was one of those days. Among other things, today included one of the worst scenarios: Vimme pood in his pants while we were at a toddler pool. Let me tell you: it wasn't fun at all and I didn't do very well coping with the situation. I ended up throwing Vimme's swim pants into a garbage bin. In the park. And the stuff he had so marvellously produced was spreaded all over the place.

Tomorrow I am going to buy swim diapers.

Metropolitan Nature Phenomenons

Today's earthquake was a bigger one. Its' centre wasn't in Tokyo, but it felt strong even here. I was out with the kid - at Children's Hall again - when it hit and I am glad I was in a room with loads of japanese people and their kids. They all seemed so calm and no one concidered the quake as a reason to quit with what ever they were doing right then. So, I didn't panic. But it was a bit scary.

Weather today reminds of a bathroom where someone has just taken a long hot shower. But I am not going to complain. I prefer sweating before freezing.

A Broken DVD Player

Crap! My computer's DVD player stopped working this morning. There goes my few peaceful moments: I had just discovered the pleasure of kid watching small children's animations while I cook, read, clean or have a cup of coffee. Now I am back doing these things accompanied by Vimme's occational screams. Oh well - too much of watching and sitting isn't good for kids anyway.

Five Books

I went to 'Good Day Book Store' today - alone - and ended up buying five books. I could have bought more, but got a moment of enormous self-control all of a sudden while browsing. Here's what I bought:

1. Kanji ABC
Wishful thinking from my side to buy a book like that.

2.The Essential Rumi
Poems... what can I say, must be wishful thinking from my side again.

3. Hugh Prather: Notes to Myself
The usual new age nonsense that I like reading.

4. Marianne Williamson: Illuminata - A Return to Prayer
The same cathegory as the previous one.

5. Margaret Atwood: Wilderness Tips
Atwood is one of my favourite authors. Happiness is to find a book from her that I haven't read before.

Now I can keep on wondering will I ever have time to read these books.

The Usual Whining and Some Softer Thoughts

Aah!!! Weekend and shared parenting is here again! I know many people who have more children than I have and less help from their partners than I have, if any partner at all. So, I should have perspective to this matter and see how easy it is to parent one child, but let me tell you: I am exhausted every friday and my wish for weekends is to have a moment or two alone.

But parenting isn't all about tight nerves and being tired. I think I have never loved anyone the way I love the boy. The love I feel for him is a blessing, if I may use such a loaded word. I wish I will always be able love the whole package of him the way he is right then.

An Artist and the Art of Tiring

This beauty (on the left) gave us a private concert the other day. A loud private concert. I tried to go out to the balcony to take a better picture of it, but it got disturbed and flew away. True artists are so sensitive.





Today we (3 mothers and 5 little monsters) went to Kodomonokuni to tire the kids. The mission was accomplished successfully and it was really fun to be there.

Mama's Tired

Mercer Human Resource Cost of Living Survey reveals that Tokyo is the most expesive city in the world. No kidding?

Other than that, our every day living has been relatively tantrum free, until this morning. Vimme wanted something to happen faster than I was able to do it and started to scream. At that point I told him nothing is going to happen, because he screamed. And then I went on my Gandhi-like "stay-calm"-mode (could be called a zombie mode too) and waited V's anger to pass. It took an hour. We survived again, but I am totally drained out of energy now.

Dreams and Reality

I woke up to an earthquake last night. I had dreamed about an earthquake just few hours before. A bigger one, the kind you don't want to experience. Quite spooky.

Pretending

I have been pretending to be a paper conservator today. I repaired a book Vimme had destroyed and I am still working on another. I do have very good japanese washi for repairing, but the glue I've used isn't really even close to professional. I will never show the result at school once I return there to finish my studies - to become a paper conservator.

A Man Made Happy

M is happy: we received a big bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups today. He was in extacy. Thank you Erin & co.

HELSINKI HELSINKI

A local guy on a train wore a t-shirt that said 'HELSINKI HELSINKI' on it. I wanted so desperately take a picture of it, but I didn't dare to ask him if it was ok. So, no picture. I wonder if he had been to Helsinki or if found the t-shirt at a flea market.

Monday

We made a nice one day trip to Sarushima Island on sunday. It was fun to sit on a beach and the kid loved swimming in the ocean.

Today is monday and my birthday.