Simone and I saw Two Gallants play last night in a little venue in Nottingham. They are from San Francisco, and their little helpers struggled to write a pound sign on their merch stall. Bless. Now my ears feel sensitive, because of enthusiastic drumming. Good though.

keepin cool at lawson
with a watermelon lolly

Since Scotland, been to Cambridge and London and back, and will be off again soon no doubt. We got a place to live, riding on the outskirts of lady London. Moving to the big city...yikes. I feel happy today.

Scotland is beautiful...and my friends Donna and Keith are too. We are enjoying festival type things...comedy and street dancing and everything else inbetween. Walked the dogs up Arthur's Seat today. I could see for miles and miles, and almost got over my fear of doggies. There's a piper doon.

I'm back in England...new house, wee room that is the size of one of my rooms in my apartment...stuff in boxes are appearing everyday. I miss Japan. I have been driving around in my mum's old car. It's red and people here drive so fast. Also cant get a hang of these roundabouts. Hope to find my groove soon. Here is a pic I took with my students the last time I was in Hachinohe. I wonder how much yen I have spent on these things.

gosh
my last night at the house...
last time to be a mall rat
last sticky pictures at the 100 yen
last visit to the pottery place
this is it...
i'll come back, i promise

today i leave my place
goodbye cranky handle shower
farewell hello kitty table
byebye lovely basket bicycle
goodbyes to the people who have worked
while I have pretended
I will miss you...

Ra-se-ra
Simone and I were able to catch the Nebuta Festival in Aomori after I cunningly got some paperwork leave in the city. The sun was out, people were dressing up in fancy clotheseys, and I bought Simone a pair of Ninja stylee boots for her birthday. Which she tried on in the park while I read out of The Big Issue. I made these boys put on their hats for this photo. "Put on your hats!!" I said. Nebuta is a twist on the local word for sleepy, and is meant to wake up the sleepy souls watching. It was super. Got interviewed for the Asahi Shinbun (national newspaper) and they printed my name in the next day's issue.
Yessss.

Look!This is the Sanshataisai Festival in Hachinohe. So many colours and creepy things, yet beautiful to experience. Simone and I got to wear a yukata, with a little help from Akiko. This boy statue is peeing with festival style. Curiouser and curiouser.