Return to Yokkaichi

Since getting back from Tokyo, just have been doing the chores and miscellaneous tasks.
On Tuesday, after getting home to the apartment at 7.30am I slept until 11am, then washed my clothes, and ironed the few clothes outstanding. Washing all my clothes made things a little difficult, as then I didn’t have any casual pants to wear (both are tan coloured, so I couldn’t alternate washings. I also did the dishes, because they needed doing. The next day, after waking up and mucking about with the emails as I usually do, I went out to do some jobs, and to finally visit the Yokkaichi museum that has been on my agenda for the last month. Anyway, after buying some groceries, I went to the museum, it was really cool, despite being in Japanese. Several of the (cute) stewardesses spoke some English, so that made it a little easier, and they gave me a pamphlet and a booklet to read while I was looking around (in English). It was cool as they used holograms on several things – I worked out how they did some of them, but not on one exhibit that showed the town being bombed in WW2, and then when it was rebuilt (see photos - bombed, and rebuilt). All up it cost me 220yen, which was pretty good. I will go back again at some stage and go to the planetarium there too. After using a lot of my time up there, I went to the City office to see if I could get my Alien registration card, as they hadn’t informed me it was ready. Anyway, I got it, after a little wait, which is similar to waiting for fish and chips back home, - you get a ticket with a number on it, and then when it is called, you go up. Lucky for me the 2 or 3 people before me had gone away. By this stage it was just after 5pm, I figured I had missed out on visiting the international center, to provide them with my cell phone number and proof of alien registration (which they required before they could organize me Japanese lessons.)
Thursday I went to work, and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a half-day, so I finished at 6.40. After work I went to the supermarket and brought some potatoes, kumara, milk, peppers, corn, grated cheese, cream cheese, and other stuff, as I decided the previous night I need to have some more variety in my meals – so I had read my recipe book for inspiration. Anyhow, with the above goods, I can at least make potato fritters, corn fritters, scalloped potatoes, and several cheese party dishes (if the need arises – the cream cheese in sweet chili sauce worked a treat for the Christmas party, I should use food as a wooing tool… unfortunately, girls are impressed, yet are not as keen on food as guys are). The sweet chili sauce I have appears to have multiple uses according to the recipe book. If only I could find some reduced cream here. I decided grated cheese was the best way to go – it removes the temptation to eat it like I did back home (cheese is my vice, so far I have been good). On a quiet week I may put up some recipes on the site. Maybe you at home have some simple recipes you want to volunteer? Just click the "comments" link below, and type (or copy/paste) it in.
Anyhow, since I got off early, I thought I should use the opportunity to go to Nagoya for some fun. It was a bit of a silly idea in the end as it was rather cold, and the time it takes to train in, and then walk to where I wanted to go, didn’t leave much time. And then also, doing it by myself is kind of lame too.
Oh well, Osaka this weekend. I will look into getting there tomorrow (Friday), as it is one of my usual half days.