Sundays - the joys of being the only person in the entire chugakko who actually gets a weekend

So i've discovered Sundays are my favorite days ever. No matter what i do, I like it. They are low pressure, unlike Saturdays, so its okay if i spend the entirety of a Sunday afternoon on my futon/couch in my sweats. They are great days for getting things done, making slow-cooked, heart-warming foods for the week, cleaning the apartment, making phone calls home, shopping, or checking to see. The last few Sundays have been fabulous.

Three weeks ago, inspite of my huge need for some R&R after Gabe's bday party, i spent Sunday at my J-Gpas art show. Keiko, Yoshiko and I got the royal treatment, as Oji-san and the other artists served us tea and cake and taught us some origami (i'm now famous for my spinning top). Two Sundays ago, again wishing i could just sleep the day away, I met up with Keiko to follow through with plans we'd had for months. We visited Kongo-Rinji (a temple very near to Hatasho, the town our school is in) on one of the last fall afternoons of the season. It was gorgeous, and well worth the outing.

And this last Sunday, after a quick stop at Starbucks to avoid wishing we were home sleeping off the effects of the weekend, Keiko and I met up with our school nurse and her family to tour the Christmas lights in Yokaichi (basically 3 houses, one of which was her fathers') and have dinner at their house. It was a fabulous evening, complete with good food, great conversation and completely adorable company. Shimizu sensei has three kids: Atsuki (boy 5), Nao (girl, 8) and Yuya (boy 9). They charmed me completely, so much so in fact that i was texting with a friend today about how i want one for myself. I'm thinking Yuya. He's the oldest, the smartest, and wears these adorable glasses.

In the midst of a sometimes depressing holiday season, a string of great Sundays reminds me
of how great i really do have it here.