Emotional Day

It's been a sad day today. I went to school and we had the final assembly of the school year. It was to farewell the 12 teachers leaving the school.


It was a bit emotional saying final goodbyes. I made some cookies to say thanks to everyone for their work over the years.

More importantly, today is three years since we lost Daniels's Mum. So all in all feeling a bit tender.

Meanwhile, back in NZ...

I wonder what they are thinking?

Demi: "I could not look cooler in these new pink crocs! My bag totally goes with this outfit, too."

Jodi: "I'm holding on as hard as I can, take the godamn photo Grandma!"

Mummy and Demi.

Jodi-chan.

Kencho 2007

It's our last kencho ever! For us anyway. AJET was handed over, we had our usual afternoon bitch-session, and ZenZen was handed out to an excited throng of groupies. Not to mention the Bobby-initiated lesson plan sharing behind the barrier! Good times, good people.

Selene's Visit

It was great to have Selene back in Hagi for a night - we had two years of Japan/NZ gossip to catch up on.

We even managed to sneak her into work at the Board of Education without being detected!

As you will see below, we didn't get too much face time with Selene as she was far too busy devouring 10 editions of ZenZen magazine and the 2006 Yearbook to bother talking to us!

We're over here Selene!

Bon Voyage, hopefully we'll come and borrow your couch one of these days in London.

xoxo ki o tsukete

Thanks for coming by!

GRADUATION - Omedetou Gozaimashita!

At my base school, Hagi Nishi Chugakko, we farewelled our third graders and wished them well for the future.

It was sad and I felt really proud of them. I had lots of good memories of working with a few of them for the English Speech Comp. They did really well. Congratulations and Good Luck!

I found these red and white celebration buns on my desk after the ceremony.

Spotted at my local supermarket...

Enjoy the perfect match of potato and chocolate!

Honestly, they weren't good. As you sink into the nice milk chocolate, you taste the salt - with a smooth potato finish! I was confused. Ah well, at least the box was in perfect English.

The Chris Mack Quarter Century

O Hina Matsuri - Girl's Festival

It is hina matsuri on March 3rd - the day we celebrate girls in Japan. Daughters are given o hina sama dolls when they are born and this is the time of year to display them in the house. This is the large o hina sama collection of the Ogawa family, who have four daughters.

The seasons are changing...

Moji & more

We loaded up Simon's van for a weekend checking out the Retro area at Moji. Of course, banana man was the obvious No. 1 attraction.

Flick and I did some much-needed foreign food shopping, stocked up on Care Bears and Sponge Bob junk, and then we all headed off for a night in a Lurve Hotel in Fukuoka.

(Starsky came home at about 5am, reeking of tobacco smoke, his fake tan and mascara smudged, his glow sticks fading, his hand stamped with the familiar logo of The Happy Cook establishment. I shall say no more.)

Bad Bunny

Central Fukuoka. Shopping. Lunch. Relaxed Sunday.
Starsky and Dan getting jiggy with a bunny whore against a pole.
You know, just a regular weekend.