I do think Andy would like this video...(Andy are you there?!?!?!)

The ski trip!

Woke up at 6 and headed out the door. I took the three minute train to Shin-Osaka and headed to the bus platform. Brian was going to meet me. He arrived especially early. But I couldn't find him. After much talking and running around and looking we found he was at the WRONG station. He had only ten minutes to right the ship. And at the last minute he came running up the the bus platform and he jumped on the bus as it was rolling away. There was three of us were on the bus and we were rolling towards the slopes. Sebastian showed how he could lean the chair all the way back so it rested on my chest. Then when I went to sleep he flicked my nose and then when that didn't work he stuck his finder in my nose. We arrived at the bottom of the hill and met JOY my Italian friend. Joy and Sebastian were really good so they went off on their own and me and Brian stayed together. I helped Brian get to his feet and he struggled all day. But by the end of the day he was able to get some mileage under his skies. BUT we wandered too far off track and we were the last people to leave the park. Everyone at the bus was waiting. The last hour was especially rough for Brian. He had been falling all day and he was ready to cal it quits. But he was a camper and soldiered on. We took the bus and I fell asleep hard. When I woke up we had pulled into the station. It had been a long and exhausting day but we were happy and ready to go back again soon!

Oh and did I mention that snow fell in huge soft baseball sized chunks. Incredible. The ground was powdery and soft and impossible not to be happy.























BONUS crazy German guy pix!

My life!

1. Megumi is always in a bad mood. Pregnancy is tough for the old girl. Her belly is tight. She is sick. I am on vacation. And she has to get up early for work. Life is unfair. Sunday night we had to rush to the hospital. We found a taxi and made it to the hospital. It was strange seeing what was moving around at 3 AM. kids were on the street riding bikes. "What are you doing on the street riding bikes?" I thought. But they didn't hear me thinking or they just ignored me and went cackling off into the night. We made it home. Megumi went to bed. I was waiting in the dark lobby for her and I just slept. No much else you can do in a dark room at 3 AM.

2. Still trying to think of a name. Almost sure it is a girl. Maybe a girl would be nicer. Less screaming. Been trying out some names but Megumi hates every one of my suggestions. She doesn't even listen to me. She just goes "shht" and turns her head away.

3. Did I pull or a musscle. Why does my leg hurt? and why it won't go away?

4. I am digging TOM WAITS nowadays. You should too! Good stuff.

5. Have you been keeping up on politics? (By you I mean you as in the universal, I am talking to the world, YOU!). The Republicans are... Well, I don't know the word. But I look at these debates and it is a completely different world. It is like they are on the other-side of the grand canyon and I am looking out across at them with nothing in common.

3.

Oh by the way....

Did I mention that I got married on Christmas day?

My team again...

After Chritsmas...

1. Megumi hasn't been doing well. Yesterday I came home and she was on the floor sleeping. She opened her eyes long enough to make it to the bath (one of her most favorite activities in all the world). then she came back. Then she went to bed. She never said a word to me.

2. Then this morning I dressed and walked her to the bus stop. Her face was pekid and drained. She didn't say anything to me. She slowly walked to the bus stop and by slowly I mean tiny steps. Meanwhile I have the whole day off and I sauntered leaisurly back to the apartment.

3. So of all the events in my life it really pales in comparison to the struggles Megumi is going through. Having a kid is not easy for her. Everyday is a struggle and these last few days have been especially tough. I will keep everyone up to date...

SEPTEMBER 19th/20th AWAJI SOCCER TOURNAMNET

Got up at 6 on Saturday morning and I headed out the door. I made it to the bus stop with 10 minutes to spare, threw my bag in the rack and slept (or tried to sleep). There were a lot of foreigners on the bus and they were all chatting away in English so it made it hard to think because (unlike Japanese) I can't filter English out as background noise.

Got to the tournament grounds and it was pouring down rain. And it rained all day. One of my players got sick and the other didn't show up (?!?!?!?!) so we were down to 9 men. Then another man got hurt and we were down again. But it all worked out. We found extra players and we did alright. We had four games and we actually won a single game. It was just kicking from mud puddle to mud puddle. So I think that is why we won.

The next day things had dried out and we were able to pass the ball around. We won a single game and then we were eliminated in the second game.



I came home and just relaxed. It was a tough weekend and I am really sore. But I am happy to have had to chance to get outside and kick the ball around.