Typhoon Sinlaku - Near Miss

Today is Sunday and rain has finally stopped. Friday afternoon was a bit anxious as I was watching Typhoon Sinlaku's storm track hour by hour; headed straight for Nagoya. The rain started coming down quite hard at about 5:00 pm 9/19/08. I kept waiting for the winds, but they never came. By 11:00 pm, it became apparent that Sinlaku had decided to head for deeper waters. She only dealt a glancing blow to this part of Japan. However, Sinlaku packed a punch as this storm (Category 3) killed 12 people in Taiwan earlier in the week.

On to more pleasant topics. I have mentioned to some of you how nice my apartment manager was to me when I moved in. He really made me feel welcome. He gifted me a Japanese garden for my patio. Moriizumi-san is retired from Toyota and his hobby is gardening. My apartment complex fits his hobby perfectly because it is nestled in the trees; a very garden like environment. He also gave me some dishes (left behind by another tenant).

I have been adding a little bit at a time to make the place feel very homey. So far I have new bedroom furniture, a new rug in the living room and house plants. Curtains should be ready later this week. I still need some living room chairs, wall hangings and lamps and then I'm done. This is difficult to do part time without Eliza's help. This place has certainly taken on a masculine feel. I am counting on her help when she gets here to bring it to life!

I'd love to have a pet to keep me company but pets are not allowed here. Besides, I figured it is easier to take care of plants than a cat or dog. I'm not sure if Eliza would want another pet anyway.

There are some built in cabinets that eliminate the need for a lot of furniture. But right now I only have one sofa and kitchen chairs to sit on.

This weekend is devoted to expense reports and studying Japanese. I am beginning to get a little bit of an ear for it. My Japanese instructor gives me one on one lessons every Tuesday evening. She taught in the college, here in Nagoya for 30 years. She also taught calligraphy and is a believer that this is an important part of learning how to read and write the language. I am afraid that I have not been a very good student because I am now working some pretty long hours and getting the apartment outfitted, including stocking the cupboards with the staples needed to cook for myself. If I keep eating in restaurants, I will gain back all of the weight that I worked so hard to get off.

I need to get out and take some more pictures. I have plenty of stories but would prefer to have the pictures to go with them. Look for more soon. Until then, sayoonara.