…and now we return to our normal transmission…

Yes, I’m back! It has been a dark time, the world has seemed somewhat more remote over the last three weeks. I am amazed at how frustrated and isolated I felt without access to what I would call normal wifi and, thereby, the internet. How reliant I have become on having it just always available. The world without Mr Google!

So, given I have missed three weeks, there is a reasonable amount to catch up on. I won’t talk about the recently passed Xmas and New Year’s Eve – they will have their very own Special Edition.

When I left you last, I think I had just announced we had found a suitable block of land and the contract signing was imminent. Well, it still hasn’t happened, thanks to issues with transferring money here and with signing. Our agent was concerned that Craig wouldn’t be here to sign as well, so that his name would be on the title – with good reason, because there is a very hefty gift tax here (and I mean very hefty – up to 50% as I recall). So, you can’t just change the title after the event without incurring this tax. It doesn’t function at all like the capital gains tax and there is no reduction over time or if the property is a personal residence.

Luckily there is a way that somebody (me in this case, because I have Craig’s inkan) can be proxy for another person. This, however, has caused delays because Craig had to go to a Notary and have an Apostille drawn up. He was trying to find one in the week before xmas. You can imagine how well that went.

Anyway, the result of all this is that the contract is being signed on the 10^th and settlement is on the 20^th. I think the owner has been very patient in all this.

So onto other news; I finally found a bank that would allow me to open an account even though my current visa is for only 4 months. The Bank of Kyoto…bless them. So, now we transfer money from Australia to our own account. Now, when I say our account, it is in my name only. It seems you cannot open an account here in 2 personal names, unless there is a corporate structure around them. So, for the first time since we became partners, we will have separate accounts.

The kids arrived!!!!! They were dropped off here on the afternoon of the 22^nd of December. It wasn’t exactly the most pleasant arrival – their cages had quite a bit of fluid in them, so much so that their tails and back ends were literally dripping wet. Something I didn’t expect when I opened the cages to let them out – and it stank. So, when they left their cages (Ziggy straight away off to explore; Zowie a little slower but also had a bit of a look around; Serena ran straight under a bed and didn’t emerge for over 24 hours) they spread the smell around the flat. Luckily I had had the forethought to close the door to the tatami room before they arrived.

I had thought Ziggy would be the most traumatised, with Zowie slightly worried and Serena would be fine. How wrong I was. Anyway, they have all now settled in and even Zowie is getting used to being inside in a smallish area. It has helped a lot to have them here. I now have some company and they keep me busy with feeding and cleaning.

The other thing that I have spent some time doing is watching tv at night. I have found it is a very good way to listen to people talking and to learn new words. Also they actually write on screen what the topics are and what people are saying in the news. So I get to read the kana and kanji as well.

As you can imagine, Japanese tv is somewhat different to Australian tv, particularly in certain areas. Yes, there is a lot of kawaii stuff, especially in the commercials (see above – yes, Japan is actually a cat and a kitten and tv here does have quite a few cats on it). There is another stand out difference and that is the number of trannies on tv – both transgender and transvestite. I didn’t think about it at first, but it sort of struck me one night. There are quite a few celebrities who are trans, but you also see cross dressing of those who are normally not trans, just for specific things (these are mostly men). I wondered if this is related to the long history of Kabuki, so that it is quite accepted here.

The other standout for me is how many of the programs involve humour – whether they be panel shows just talking and being funny, or shows which go to different places in Japan, with comedians just walking around looking at things and eating, or game style shows. Which brings me to the show below. It was new year’s eve, I am by myself and needed a laugh, Well, I have to say I haven’t laughed as much at a show as this one – I was pretty much crying. The 5 contestants (all celebs) were taken to a number of different places, where situations occurred. The thing is they weren’t allowed to laugh, no matter how funny the situation. If they did, they were called out (literally) and then a guy, or some guys, in camo fatigues with balaclavas and red berets would come long and hit them on the back-side with a long, rubber truncheon. The person(s) called out would have to stand up, turn round and present their back-sides to the “soldiers”. This happened many, many times during the show.

(note that one of the celebs is dressed as a woman – BTW the statue is Einstein who seems to be the hero of the show)

My photo of the week(s) is taken from tv, and is not so much kawaii as what the…? I had just turned on the tv and caught the end of a story with a journo talking on a bridge during the news. I didn’t notice the creature in the water at first, then it was a what the…? moment. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch where it was or what for, but you can have a look for yourself. Funnily enough, I didn’t even notice the figures in the background until I checked the photo later to see if it came out ok.

…and here is a bonus photo of the week, with a competition to provide the best explanation for the creature at the bottom left hand side of the photo.

Finally, for this episode, I want to send blessings to the person or persons who invented the heated toilet seat. In the middle of the night, on these cold nights (and I do heat a little, because we are talking under 5 degrees at night,) when I sit down and the seat is not freezing cold, I always thank those concerned, including Toto (not the dog, the company which made the toilet in our flat).

So, that’s all for now folks, but I will now commence work on the Special Edition…I know you can’t wait!!