I can't believe it is Feburary. I know it has already been this month for three days now, but it is still hard to accept.
Time is pretty interesting. Sometimes I try to "wrap my mind around it". I sit lying in my bed before sleeping or waiting for a train or walking down the street and I just start to try and explain it. And I can't. Stretching behind us for more than I can imagine, for always from and to infinity...
I remember when days seemed to last forever. When math class seemed to be the longest, most torturous 45 minutes ever.
But now I flip through my day like the pages of a picture book. It's quick. You think, that's it? at the end.
I have heard countless adults say how time flies, how they feel like only yesterday they were where I am now. I'm only eighteen and time seems to have gotten noticeably faster...I'm a little nervous if this lovely drive in the car of life is going to go up to roller coaster speeds.
I really hate roller coasters.
Enough thoughts...no one is here to read that!:D I'm listening to sentimental music and it makes me mind start to wonder...
I went with Keiko the other day to the glass artist's studio, Sano-san. I had met her before with Mom and Michael. At that time we all got to learn how to make beads, which was a new experience for me. This time, I wanted to see her be the artist. She asked what I wanted to see and I said whatever she thought was the most fun. Sano-san decided on a praying mantis and asked me to choose the colors. For the next half hour or so we watched mesmerized as she efficiently moved her hands about with the long sticks of colored glass in the flames. The glass glowed red when it was hot, and moved like cold honey, but when she pulled it out of the flames, it immediately started to harden, viscosity changing perhaps? (Love the word, remember half of the meaning...stupid me). It began as a blob and suddenly there were legs and a waist and then a head and the next thing I knew she was setting down a pretty, green, blue and yellow praying mantis down before me. It stared at me with icey blue eyes. Next she created a wave scene with a dolphin jumping. Then a little trotting dog, the legs were perfect, the paws round and adorable. She made a dragon fly too, clear wings and deep red body...It was amazing watching her work, she was so decisive and rough, yet, of course with some kind of delicacy that allowed her to create these fragile crystal-like creatures.
Her fault might be her incredible generosity. Everything she made she put in a box for me to take home. Sano-san had done the same the time before... I also accepted a slice of cheesecake and tea. It was a fun and wonderful afternoon.
Of course, we were home before 5 so that we could watch America's Next Top Model. Today is the last day I can see it, Keiko said she'd email me to tell me who won next friday.
Yesterday I went shopping by myself. It was easily the coldest day yet. I saw a few flakes of snow. The air and sky seemed crisp, like the cold had frozen the sunlight and edges of clouds. The wind was crazy strong.
Stupidly I decided to ride the bike. The way back was awful and about an hour after a got back, it was actually snowing. The most snow I've seen since last years Ohio Winter! Personally, I don't mid outside cold so much...but the lack of indoor heating in these Japanese houses is not very fun. Going to bed even when I want to be lazy and just roll up in my bed, it is too cold, so I stretch and do a little exercise to get warm, put on lots of clothes THEN curl up in the bed. There is no heat in my room except for the katatsu...it kind of hurts to breath so I end up putting my face under the covers as well, which I don't particularly enjoy doing...whenever I go inside the room I can see my breath. Plucking my eyebrows in the mirrow is a pain because it just fogs up unless I hold my breath.
Well, I'm going to Sapporo in a couple days so I might as well just suck it up because it's A LOT colder there and there is snow! The couchsurfer I'm staying with there suggested I buy spike for my shoes. Snow! Other than Sapporo, I doubt I'll see much other snow. Perhaps in Kikuchi a little, but I dont know yet. I am a little nervous about Kikuchi and how cold it is going to be and what work there is going to be. I know there will be shiitake work, which I believe will be returning to many kunugi trees that we cut down a few months ago and cleaning them up cutting them into about 2 meter logs, inserting the bacteria then stacking them so they can sit for a couple years before using them to actually grow shiitake...or something. So as long as I am moving around, I wont be too cold and get by with probably two layers under my tsunagi jump suit. But if I'm going to be doing "still" work...I might be in trouble. Night is going to be the worst...I'm going to have to sleep with three blankets plus a futon on top I think...maybe I'll just beg to sleep on the couch with the stove if it gets too cold! Weeeeeeeee!
No use worrying. I'm excited to get back to the farm and doing work. I wonder if there will be other WWOOFers...
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