I'm afraid nothing to exciting to report. Tetsu came back from staying overnight at the convalescent home, and we attended church together. Yes, even though January 1st was a Tuesday, in Japan Christians go to church. There is a Japanese custom of visiting the Shinto shrine around midnight of the 31st and on throughout the first days of New Year's. People will get dressed up in kimono (one of the few times in a year) and go to the shrine to pray and buy lucky trinkets to display in their homes or in their cars etc. Again, so that Christians don't miss out on this custom (and maybe so that they don't also make a trip to the shrine) Japanese churches always have a New Year's Day service.
Home we returned to loaf around the house all day. This is called
"Ne-Shogatsu". Sleeping New Year's. In our case (and elsewhere I guess since there is such a word) Tetsu works such long hours and has so little free time that when he does get two or three days off he doesn't know what to do! No hobbies per se, so he ends up on the sofa watching TV and sleeping. In the past this has caused regular arguments because I am not a TV person nor do I like napping. What a waste of a free day! This year though Tetsu puttered around fixing things for me and when I seemed satisfied that he had accomplished something he settled on the sofa. Tetsu fixed the heater (hmm. It still seems temperamental) and the bathroom door and the light switch and I told him he was wonderful and let him crash out for the rest of the day.
Velvet chose to keep me company while I was sewing the last borders on (if my seams aren't straight I'm blaming it on Velvet!) but Choco sided with Tetsu and slept the day away.
Home we returned to loaf around the house all day. This is called "Ne-Shogatsu". Sleeping New Year's. In our case (and elsewhere I guess since there is such a word) Tetsu works such long hours and has so little free time that when he does get two or three days off he doesn't know what to do! No hobbies per se, so he ends up on the sofa watching TV and sleeping. In the past this has caused regular arguments because I am not a TV person nor do I like napping. What a waste of a free day! This year though Tetsu puttered around fixing things for me and when I seemed satisfied that he had accomplished something he settled on the sofa. Tetsu fixed the heater (hmm. It still seems temperamental) and the bathroom door and the light switch and I told him he was wonderful and let him crash out for the rest of the day. 
Velvet chose to keep me company while I was sewing the last borders on (if my seams aren't straight I'm blaming it on Velvet!) but Choco sided with Tetsu and slept the day away.
8 comments:
Hi Tanya,
I love that shot of your cat sitting on your lap when you're sewing! Are they always that affectionate? :) Lynn
Sometimes kitties are the pestiest when they are the sweetest.
a quiet day is a wonderful way to start the new year...
We had a very quiet happy day too!
It was nice to just relax after the bustle of Christmas.
We had a quiet and relaxing day too. I remember many times when I was working that I was so exhausted that I would just sit on the couch and stare at the tv. Or sleep. Sleeping in is nice. :) It may not seem productive, but it did help recharge the batteries, or at least not use up any more!
I noticed the picture of Choco on the heating pad. I know you've been freezing your knickers off with the heater broken, but Choco looks nice and warm. You are so sweet!
Sounds familiar. Tetsu is getting smarter about making peace in family. He pleased you before he can go ahead and enjoyed his nap.
I loved learning the word for sleeping on New year's. That's one of the things i remember about living in Japan: sleeping in. I was invited to visit one of my student's families one New Year's, and it seemed like a big slumber party to me.
glad to meet you. I might link to your New Year's posts. My neice is fascinated by everything Japanese these days, an I know she'll find this interesting.
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