Heading east and bits of other news ...

This morning the nest will be less crowded as Tom heads off for a summer teaching English and travelling in Japan. He has been assigned to a camp at Gujo, Gifu Prefecture.  I write like I know where this is, but to me this is just another place on the map. No doubt Tom will feed me a few titbits of info to keep me happy, so you'll know when I know! We’ve looked it up on the internet and he’s rather pleased with his lot. You'll notice that the Boulder weather has been replaced on my blog bar by Gujo. I tried hard (without any success) to import a pic of Mt Fuji into the weather widget. I'll try again when a spare day or so comes my way!

Last night we met up with Rhiannon for a 'last supper' at a local pub. The food was typical pub grub although Rhi and I shared an enormous (but delicious) strawberry shortcake sundae. The photographic evidence is on Tim's camera and he's away until Sunday.

Tom will be working (sadly unpaid, except for flights, accommodation and food at a hotel) for six weeks and then travelling with his girlfriend Meg who is Japanese.

We’ve spent a few days getting organised and choosing gifts for some of the families he will stay with during his visit. We were a little bit limited as Tom doesn't really do shopping and it all needed to fit into his rucksack! The spoons are Portmeirion, so a link with the Potteries area near to where we live. Just the thing for a race used to using chopsticks for just about everything - even I'm told to hold a washing up sponge. We removed the 'made in China' sticker but I guess this is just another sign of the times!

The malt was made in Scotland! If it arrives unbroken it will be a miracle.

Meg's brother was bought an English rugby shirt. It was impossible to get his first choice of a Welsh rugby shirt in Stafford.

 One of the Japanese traditions that I wasn't really aware of surrounds the rituals for the wearing of shoes. He needs to take indoor and outdoor shoes and trainers and in order not to offend needs to follow certain guidelines.

When Meg and some of her friends came to visit us in Salt a few weeks ago, they were delighted when I gave them each a pair of knitted slipper socks I'd found in M&S (of all places)! 

They’ll be hard pushed to find any slippers in Japan big enough to fit Tom …