5 Simple Things

 #1 - I picked up a pre-packaged meal at the co-op last night which I was grateful for when my already late 1pm lunch turned into a 1:40pm lunch.

#2 - "In Africa things come already put together,"

"Do you have a screwdriver?" Me.

"No,"

"I can bring one tomorrow," I said, and today I did.

#3 - I've been listening to a Jason Mraz live on Tik Tok from 1.31.23 that someone posted on YouTube and it is very soothing.

#4 - I'm not sure if it would help me sleep.  The last few nights I haven't slept well, though I fall asleep fine. I woke up at 2AM today I think because I'd turned on the air conditioning for the first time this year and it was loud.  Maybe I'll get used to it.  Or I might try to only have the living room unit on.  We'll see. It's a lucky problem to have.

#5 - I grabbed a big pot (for a plant) that someone left out by the trash. I don't have immediate plans for it, but I imagine I'll have a use for it at some point.

 

 

 I looked forward to this clip as I had never heard Tolle address this question directly. I often listen to him in the background while doing other things on the computer. However right before minute 3 I stopped what I was doing and listened intently. 

 

 

I'm still going to bed early and waking up quite early.  However I much rather that be the case than the other way around (jet lag wise).

  

I asked one of the moms I worked with if she goes to the library 1 mile from her house.  She said she goes often and that her child loves the library and reading.  She has to go to bed an hour before sleep with a stack of books for him.

 

 

 

 I'm starting on a new soccer team tonight.  I was looking for another "older" league and thought I found one, but then realized it was only for men.  I ended up signing up for a women's league that has at least 5 levels.  I picked the lowest level figuring that even though it isn't "older" it is recreational. 

I played soccer in grades 5-12, then I didn't play at all for 13 years.  I wanted to sometimes, but I was never that good in the first place so I was scared/intimidated to try to start again.  

However then my mom was dying of cancer and I was her primary caregiver and I needed something "fun" so I signed up.

I've played once a week ever since, which is 15+ years now on a co-ed rec team.  The team I'm starting on tonight is a women's league.  We had one practice last week and I have to say I missed the male energy, so we'll see how it goes.  Either way I always feel my cardio needs help so it is something.

Nippon

 

 

 

Bamboo forest

 

 

 

 More typical Japanese homes - nearby where I stayed

 

 

 Atypical Japanese home (Finnish cabin) that my sister-in-law's mother lives in and where I stayed.

When my sister-in-law planned to take the kids to Japan for an extended stay I wasn't that interested in visiting, as she planned to stay in Tokyo (where she is from).  I like nature and did not find the most populated city in the world appealing. However, due to various circumstances she ended up living with her mother who is an hour outside Tokyo.  She has this sweet little spot that seems so isolated, but really isn't.

I only was in Tokyo briefly the day I arrived, and I guess wasn't in central Tokyo, but I'm still in awe of how quiet it was.  It was so quiet!! But it was even quieter here, frog sounds at night, the loudest thing being the daily loudspeakers with Greensleeves at 6AM (even weekends), and also 2 other times daily.

 

 How I began the majority of my mornings (steam baths trying to clear out my congestion).  I started not feeling well day 5 and still have a cough/congestion.  Happily my Co-Vid test at least came back negative.

 

Niece and nephew almost home from school (wearing the hats all elementary kids wear on their walks to school).

 

This was only 3.5 k from where I was living.  My sister-in-law drove us there earlier and then I walk/jogged back there the day before I left.  My niece was concerned I would get lost as I wasn't taking a phone with me, but there were only 2 turns and I made my way back fine.

 So today's gratitudes

#1 - Sharing these photos

#2 - I work 2 part-time jobs, I told 1 I wouldn't be back til next week, which was a wise decision as I worked 8 hours at the other today catching up (usually I only work 1 hour at that job Mondays).

#3 -  I was hoping my cough would be gone (that maybe it had to do with some allergy or something in Japan), but at least I can cough freely today and am no longer worried about if I'll feel better for the trip home.  I tried to hold it in on the plane yesterday and I think I have a lot of coughs held in.

#4 - I don't usually post photos of my niece or nephew, but I asked my brother on this one since their faces were masked (still lots of mask wearing in Japan, though not required) and he said ok.

#5 - I have actually really liked coming home to an empty/quiet place.  I thought it would be sadder, that I didn't have anyone to come home to and tell about my trip.  However, so far it's been nice just to have this space and ease back into my life.  I was writing about this in my journal last night, how much I liked it, but that also scared me because it didn't mean I always want to live alone.  This is such a silly thought.  When I lived with other people and genuinely appreciated living with them, I never feared that appreciation would prevent me from enjoying living alone, but funny how that fear pops up vice versa.

P.S. I'm not sure, maybe if I understood the Japanese news I would have heard about violence there, but I doubt I would have heard about shootings.  As soon as I went on the computer today, there it was, life in the United States.