Fame at last. Fortune still some way off

Oh, by the way, I'm famous now. Yes, I was in the Japan Times again, only this time pretty high up in the article and with a picture of me and Yoshie (on the right) strutting our stuff in the playgroup. Whether the coverage amounts to a hill of beans is doubtful, but it will make a nice framed cutout for the classroom if nothing else and we can tell our kids we were in a newspaper. Then we have to explain what a newspaper is.

Here's the article here.

Happy Halloween. Now breathe normally

What a busy day. Ran a half-marathon this morning. My time, for those who care about such things, was 1.52 and 14 seconds. Pretty good, but there was a chap in front of me dressed as Michael Jackson who moonwalked round the big turns. And still beat me.

I did beat Darth Vader, even though the force was weak in me by the end.

And then, we held a Halloween Party for 65 kids at our school. I felt like King Harold marching back from defeating one foe, the Saxons, Jutes or Obtuse Angles or whoever they were, only to face another far more formidable foe.

However, dodged all incoming arrows and the kids had a lovely time. Here's two witches cleaning up after the party.

Two apologies, a link and virtual sock drawer

Hello all. Just a quick note to say I'm missing you all back in Britain. Three weeks just wasn't enough, and I still haven't got round to apologising to the many decent folk I just couldn't fit in.

So, it's back to Japan - everyday since being back has been like a sauna. Sounds fun I'm sure from chilly Britain, but 30 days on the trot with temperatures over 30C and humidity a few notches away from 100 gets tiresome very quickly.

Anyway, moaning aside, I've got a fun task to do - help sub-edit an article my old school pal Mrunal has written about raising his disabled son and balancing work. I'm looking forward to doing it, but I want to do a great job, so have been putting it off in typical poor time management on my part.

Apologies again, will get to it shortly. In the meantime, here's a bit of proper writing I did for a Washington DC political blog. That was fun too, but think I should spend my time on writing that great unfinished novel sitting in my virtual sock drawer.

Time marches on!

Sherriffs in Britain 2010 - the video is here

Here it is folks, the video of the holiday. Crank it up and get quick with the pause button.

We all had a lovely time, my only regret was that we didn't have longer. There were many good friends I wanted to meet up with from my Derby and Nottingham days, but just had about two days too few.

Next time.

Hanami - Cherry blossom viewing

Our two petals with a late-blooming cherry blossom in K-chan's schoolyard.

Guess this constitutes a post for international women's day. Maybe.

Feeling a bit like I'm on the other side of the world tonight. One of my oldest friends back in Britain is celebrating the birth of his first daughter, and I wish I could be with him to share his joy. Ho hum. Here's a shot of my babies instead taken with my newfangled iPhone thingamy.

Snow - The Tower English musical

I'm posting this video here, not because I think you need to work on your English, although you probably do come to think of it, but because it features views from the Tower English homestead - and has cameo appearances by K-chan, Emma and a speaking part for Yoshie.

Oh yeah, it snowed the other day, but guess that's not big news for folk in the rest of the world.

Exciting new Twitter thing is here!

Can't seem to find the time to post much here these days, so I came up with a brilliant solution. Twitter. Ehhh? It's a "micro-blogging site". Ehhh? It means I can write updates that must be 140 characters or less. Look, I don't have time to explain. Just look at the whatsit on the top right there, and if you can figure it out, click on some of the words there and you could even sign up for Twitter and follow me and all sorts. Or just keep an eye on the whatsit at the right and read fascinating updates on the fascinating life of me. Or not. It's your choice.

Happy New Year folks!

So, Happy New Year to all my faithful readers (and anyone else who typed in "Tiger drinking" into Google). Yes, it's the year of the tiger. I have no idea if that is auspicious or not. I've already given up smoking, I already run regularly and have no intention of giving up drinking, so this year's resolutions will be: learn more Japanese and write a novel. They are useful resolutions, I make them every year.

Merry Christmas from Japan

Here's what's been taking up our time back at the ranch:

Did you spot Emma and K-chan? Me as Father Christmas?

Katherine's piano show

Sorry to be late posting this, but here is Katherine playing La Ra Du (is that spelt right? - only know it in katakana). Take it away K-chan:

Did I forget to mention...

...it was Katherine's birthday last week? To celebrate, we went to the karaoke, but I promised Yoshie I wouldn't post the compromising video, so instead, here are the girls with the cake. You have been spared the worst.

Sweet dreams

Younger daughter: Mum, my friend has hip hop every Thursday. I want hip hop too.
Mum: Well, we'll see. Are you sure you like hip hop?
Younger daughter: Pleeeeeeeeeeease mum, you know I like any kind of sweetie.

Meet the new member of the family

It's a nine-year old Nissan Tino, which the kids have christened "Pandi" for its resemblance to a Giant panda. Hope the world's oil supplies last for a few more years.

Please do it at home. Like Tower English!

Wow. Has it really been since August that I've posted anything here? Sorry folks, if any of you are still reading this.

Well, I've been doing my bit for Queen and country, running the Teganuma Eco Marathon at a snail's pace and been a bit busy with other stuff. While I've been using the internet to - how you say - goof off? I've had a brainwave and thought, why not use my newly acquired knowledge of cheap digital cameras and free uploads to YouTube and do something worthwhile-ish for the business (You know, Tower English? The best darn tootin' English conversation school in Kounoyama no less).

Here's my latest wheeze. I do look a bit pasty and I was a bit subdued as it was after midnight when I filmed myself, but I'm hoping I'm onto something with 3-minute English lessons once a week as a way of promoting the school on its blog (over there on the right) and having fun making them. Whaddaya think?

Something else that's been taking up my time...

Here's what's been taking up all my time recently...

(Oh, best if you click on one of the buttons under the video to make it full screen!)

Why did the snake cross the road?

...to get to the other side. Oh, it's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that. Look what we came across the other day on our way to the lake. The fellow in the video told us that the snake is a regular visitor and all the neighbours are used to it.

You're not in Leicester anymore, kiddoes. 

Ode to enjoyable wastes of time

It's been a while, huh? Well, here's a little ditty that K-chan has been working on, y'all may appreciate:

Happy meals

Who says McDonald's is bad for kids (errr....)? Here, the girls demonstrate the play equipment at the Abiko branch. It always strikes me as odd that the packaging on the Coke and Double Quarter Pounders with "Cheese" have pics of Olympians engaged in heroic pursuits. Still, the kids enjoy it and the Happy Meals with free toy must keep thousands of Chinese peasants gainfully employed. Oh, Emma's sweatshirt was a present from Ba-chan, so no nasty comments please.