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Today has been a very quiet day which I really needed.  Last night I couldn`t get to sleep until three in the morning.  I was reading books and watching The Awful Truth which is relatively early Michael Moore until I felt tired enough to turn the light out.

Today Reiko`s friend Maki came round at about four with her kids Dragon (Lyoma) and Tiger (Kotaro)  I hope I have the spelling correct.  Reiko put on A bug`s life which she had bought in China for 30p I would guess and this kept me happy whilst the kids were entertained by other things.  I felt very at one with children today.  Lyoma calls me Mimon and he always asks Mimon wa?  which means where is Simon even if I am just next door.  The kid is cool.  The younger kid stretched out his arms to me which meant he wants me to hug him ahahahahaa aww [retch retch.] It is very strange hugging other people`s children.  I felt at peace. Nevertheless I do not want kids for a long time yet.  It`s mainly the nappies and the loss of all freedom.  But mainly the nappies.  I can deal with other people `s kids.  The parents end up doing the messy part.  I just kick a ball around for a bit and I`m just as entertained as they are.  Simple minds….

I have been taking the dog for walks in order to make sweeps of the local area in case of kidnap/disorientation and for excercise.  I can recognise my way from four different areas now.  I love their dog.  It is called Komaru and is crazy.  It gets tied to a post all day (as is normal in Japan it seeems) and though it gets walked twice a day, is an attention seeker.  I have been trying to instill some English discipline into it to varying degrees of success.  It is really dangerous walking in Japan.  They have hardly any pavements even in residential areas and the roads are really narrow.   When you have a crazy beast on the end of a long leash, things can get interesting.  It`s almost as if they are punishing you for not driving a car.  All Japanese cars are automatic ones for some reason that I don`t understand.  Aren`t they able to drive as well as everybody else?  Can`t they be bothered with the effort?  Too much time spent watching the on board DVD player?

Reiko has a job interview on Monday for a job which involves English and or French and Japanese.   It is buying and selling things for a French company`s Japanese division of sportswear.  I think I should be having the interview as I wrote her C.V and covering letter in English for her.  I asked her if she wants me to do the job as well but she said she could do it fine enough.  She reckons she will be on 20 grand a year which is quite nice thank you very much.  I told her I can experience the Japanese culture and she can work, come home and cook and clean for me.  I think that was quite fair but she wasn`t having any of it so it looks like I will have to get a job soon.  What is worrying is what will happen if she gets a job and I don`t.  Or if I get a teaching job as these are mostly in the evenings.  What will I do all day?  Suggestions please.