Feliz Cumpleanos!

(Aunque no te guste recordarlo, feliz cumpleanos, BB!)

Yesterday I met up with A-sensei of my LMS for lunch. We went to a little Italian place in town which was awesome because I got to have real pizza. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Japanese food, but it's nice to have a change. And lots of cheese. I'm really glad A-sensei invited me out - she's really awesome and we had some good girl-talk. I wish I could be at that school more often, because I think we'd make a great team.

After lunch I headed to Alpen Sports to get myself a new pair of cleats. The first pair I've purchased since the high school pair that really sucked and weren't even made of leather. I hope I got the right size, as I paid a pretty penny for them. Although, the fun part about buying them was that I ran into some more kids at the store. Good Times.

Last night, I-kun, a friend of mine, invited me to a town about 6 stops away, or so, to meet up with a friend of his. It turned out to be about 7 of us, hanging out, you know, in the juku (cram school) the friend of his friend runs. Then a campout in the juku, complete with sleeping bags and air mattresses of varying shapes, sizes and plumpnesses. My night would have been restful - the thin air mattress was actually quite comfy, albeit narrow - had it not been for three factors: 1.) the sleeping bag was built for someone about 4 inches shorter and 4 inches narrower. 2.) I lacked a pillow and so had to use my jacket, which was rather unlike comfortable and 3.) the fact that the juku is kitty-corner to the train station, so after a certain hour the train sounds (dinging, bell-ing, train-ing, speaker-ing) came at pretty steady intervals.

This morning was breakfast at the corner bakery, where more laughs ensued, and then a train ride home for I-kun, G-Unit (another friend) and I. Of course we just missed one train, so we had to wait and catch another that didn't go all the way to our stops, switch trains there, but wait about an hour for it since it was delayed (rare in Japan, but after the Kid on the Tracks Incident I can understand), then get home in the delicious warm sunshine... wearing a high-necked sweater. Bleck.

I-kun and I had been hoping to get our soccer (or football as I-kun and his compatriots might say) on, but the lack of directions and times for practice were quite hampering to that endeavor. Instead, today's sunshine was enjoyed by Yours Truly in the good old-fashioned laundry-hanging, gardening and sunning with a book fashion. I'm planning on hitting the hay at around 8 tonight, to make up for lost sleep last night. Complete with freshly cleaned and mountain air-dried sheets and a pre-hay shower to make up for today's lack thereof.