Wednesday, November 1st, 1989

Note:  This is a series of journal entries from my two years living in Himeji, Japan (1988-1990).  I'm archiving them electronically through my blog.  Last names have been deleted and replaced with first initial only.  For details on this series of blog entries, see this post.

Last Wednesday we watched a movie about Mother Teresa.  It was very informative.  After lunch student affairs didn't meet, the English Dept. did.  We met from 1:30 until who knows when.  (I left at 5, because they were talking about the 1991 schedule).

Akira and I left and went to the bank, and a flower shop (to buy flowers for Mitsuko), America-mura, then to the M's for dinner at 7.  After dinner we looked at wedding pictures and watched the wedding videos.  Lots of memories!

Thursday I went to school and taught E.C. I, then left at 1:30 to go to Mukonoso to see Mitsuko.  I got there about 5:30, and proceeded to talk to her, but her roommate shut me up and I spent the rest of the night nursemaiding, for fear she'd tell me to rub her hand again. ("Give me a break", I thought, "I just got here from Himeji, idiot").  But, she was right.  Mitsuko had just gotten out of surgery & even though she kept talking I should have encouraged her.  (I actually spent most of the rest of the night telling her to shut up).  Her sister & brother-in-law came just as she had fallen asleep.

Kimberly came at 9, and we left about 9:30.  We spent the night at Carol & Nobu's.

Friday I got up and around and went back to Himeji to teach my drama class.

The class went moderately well, but I decided to scrap the lesson plans with Greek, etc. theater & concentrate on fairy tales as drama...about all they can handle.

Friday night I went home and vegged.  I watched videos, cleaned, etc.

Saturday I met Becky at the station and we came back to my place.  Norihiko met us at 10, and drove us to Onzui Valley for the Friday night classes barbecue.  The drive was 2 hours through beautiful mountains full of leaves changing colors.  Our barbecue spot was on a bunch of rocks beside a mountain stream.  They pushed rocks together & put a grill on top to barbecue meat & vegetables.

Becky

Mitsuhiro

Toshihiro

 Reiji and his family

Norihiko

 Sachiko and Kazuyoshi

After lunch we played various games like: the egg toss, 2 legged race, balloon relays, hot potato (with a raw egg), and moved to a little clearing and played "Capture the Flag" (with only a few minor injuries!).

After the game we left, and I got home about 6:30.  Saturday night I vegged again.

Sunday I got up & around & met Becky, Kim, Glen & Masami at Hankyu Sannomiya.  We went to McDonalds, then to see Mitsuko in Mukonoso.  When we went into her hotel (where is my mind today?) hospital room we sang "Get Well to You".  Her room mates thought it was cute.  (I guess a few days later she got a letter from one of her room mates visitors expressing a desire to come to KIBC.  So, that's probably one of the reasons Mitsuko went into the hospital).  Mitsuko's table was full of flowers, and cards and she's had lots of visitors. (That day she had 9 at a time...we had to move to the coffee shop).

After our visit we went to choir, church, & then I came home.  Choir started late, they wouldn't listen, they didn't line up at the right time before church, etc., so I was rather upset, plus it was 5th Sunday all music service & 5 minutes before the start of church, but it was a good service.  Mostly testimony of two visiting missionaries.

Nikki and I had a chance to do the prayer partner thing afterwards.  It was nice.  I also got to meet Dave G's parents.

Monday I got up and met Mike at 12:30.  We went to "Black Rain" with Ken Takakura and Michael Douglas.  It was really good.  It portrayed both the good and bad of the Americans and the Japanese.

After the movie I shopped, picked up my pictures from Saturday and went home.

I got two letters and a pkg. from mom.  I watched videos and vegged.

Tuesday was it's usual busy, long, boring self.