Productivity

After a lazy day yesterday today ended up being quite productive.
Still cold, but no snow or wind.

So after doing a couple of loads of washing, taking the kids for a walk to get bread and milk, making lunch and washing up, I did take 2 of our shopping trip and made the trek out to the new Nitori. It was a bit of a nuisance to get there as it's a bit out of the way but when I walked inside I was actually pleasantly surprised!
It's a new store and very spacious. Even the parking spaces were generous which is always a plus! Especially with my parking skills.lol

After lots of searching I found something very similar to what I was looking for, so I'm sure my kitchen is thanking me for that bit of shopping! Also got some fake flowers for the genkan which will brighten things up a bit. Just hope the cat doesn't try eating them like he eats the plastic Christmas tree!

Next job is dinner. The cycle is never ending isn't it?
Prepare, cook, eat, feed, clean, cook, eat, feed, clean....
Usually it doesn't bother me so much because I like cooking (and eating!lol) but not today I'm afraid. Oh well. Something simple it will have to be. Better go get the rice on for starters!

Chilly chilly chilly

It's freezing today.
Literally.
Minus 2 degrees and snowing.
Snow that is actually snow, a rare sight in this neck of the woods.

Exciting as it is though I think today is going to be an indoors kind of day.
After all, I have to be here when the shopping gets delivered, right??

Better luck next time

It seems today is not my lucky day.

I've been meaning to go to Nitori for a while now to get some containers the same as some I bought a while back. So anyway this morning I finally got my butt into gear, made it to the car (B fell over on the way and was screaming to high heaven, but didn't let that phase me), drove to the shopping centre, strapped A onto my front, got a very reluctant B into an Anpanman cart thing, did a little bit of shopping, then set out to go to the ATMs to deposit some money, the toilet (this is quite a task in itself!!lol), and then Nitori.

Get to the ATMs and the lines are a mile long, can't be bothered waiting with a restless B who wants out of the cart, and A who is wriggling nonstop. Ditch the ATMs and head for the toilets.

It was impossible to use the normal toilets with the kids cart and our shopping, so we waited outside the disabled toilet for about 10 minutes before finally going in. Ok, maybe that's not so unlucky but by this stage my back was killing me, and 10 minutes is a LONG time to wait with a 10kg weight strapped to you, especially when you're with a 3 year old wanting to escape from the shopping cart!lol

Next we went up to Nitori, only to find there is no Nitori any more.
Found an announcement thing on a wall saying they closed down on the 6th.
Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

Left the shopping centre and stopped at a different supermarket so I could use the bank ATM they have outside.

Get there to find a notice on the door saying sorry for the inconvenience but the ATM machine has broken down. Okey dokey then....
First time ever to see that btw!!

Get back in the car, think about going to the bank and post office, decide against it and bring the kids home so we could have some lunch.

End of today's outing!!!

Well actually might have to do a round 2 later this afternoon cause I really do need to get to the bank and it's meant to snow later tonight and tomorrow, but for the moment I'm staying put!!

Hope everyone else is having a luckier day than mine has been!!!

EDIT
Just found out that Nitori has just relocated, not closed down. Phew!!!!! Now why they didn't write that on the notice is beyond me.

Maybe I'm not having such an unlucky day after all!lol

Escapade

Just curious here, but is it only my kids that try to escape out the front door?

Tonight when I was in the middle of making dinner I heard what sounded like the front door closing. Strange considering the door was locked.

Ran to the door (with cooking chopsticks in hand, lucky B didn't see me or I'd never be able to convince him what a naughty naughty naughty thing that is!!lol), and sure enough they were both standing outside the door. Laughing away. In the freezing cold. Probably about 2 degrees max. B had no pants on (obviously fresh out of the loo) and was vacuuming!! the outside of the door with the top part of my vacuum cleaner. A was doing a jig with a packet of spaghetti in one hand and soup mix in the other. Please tell me this is not going to be something that will happen every day from now on.

Needless to say, the door has now been chained.
Heaven help me!!!!

All done

年賀状 (nengajo) are done!!!
And sent!!

Well ok, technically not all of them are sent yet, but they will be by tomorrow morning.

The Japanese ones are sent. And even though I had visions of them being posted without personal comments, I even surprised myself and found the time to write messages on EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! And they were quite long messages too. Yay for me! lol

The overseas ones need extra postage so I'm off to the コンビニ when S gets home and then they will be sent too. These ones were totally handwritten though which took forever, especially since I had to tell everyone we moved and write our new address out in English as well as their address!!

What a relief it's all done now.
Nothing like leaving things til the last minute, hey!lol

Next year I'm starting them the same day I put the Christmas tree up, December 1st!!!

This and that

Well I guess Christmas is over for another year!!

We're now in New Years mode trying to make, print, and check addresses for all our 年賀状 (nengajo). I really want them sent tomorrow but I don't think that's going to happen somehow. The picture side is all designed but I need the ok from S before that side gets printed. So far I have only printed out the addresses on the cards. Usually that side is hand written but I have given up this year. I mean, who wants to hand write 130 cards when the printer will do it for you in minutes??!!??? No time for that this year!! And probably next year, and the year after. lol

Enough about that.

Onto the wall.

Thanks Illahee for the advice about the toothpaste and hairspray.
I actually used toothpaste to get the ink off the chair (along with nail polish remover) and B's arms when it first happened. It didn't get it all off but after scrubbing every night in the bath for about 4 days he's as clean as!!! I tried it on the wall too but it had next to no effect, so that's when I switched to nail polish remover. I had another go after reading your comment but nothing seemed to happen.

My last hope is hairspray. Which I don't own!! Shock, horror!! lol
Will have to do something about that! lol

And just for your information, I don't own nail polish either. So I have no idea why I had nail polish remover in the house!!! But it sure came in handy! Ha!ha!

Actually I think the problem is with the actual wallpaper. It's more papery than the stuff used on other walls in the house. I've been able to wipe off any small marks off the other wallpaper with A's おしりふき (oshirifuki, or bum wipes) with no problems. Oh well, can't win them all I guess.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!
We're having a quiet day, but to be honest it's actually quite nice that way.
S is at work, the kids and the cat are enjoying their pressies, and I have 5 minutes of 'me' time on the computer.
All is good! lol

Hope everyone has a safe and healthy Christmas!