Back From the Dead

So what has happened since my very long absence? We've got our permanent residency status, and now we're building a house. A house we can call our own, at long last, after more than a decade of renting. Life is busy; settling in on a new country, where this is where our grass will be greener, we'll make sure to water it, look after it with much care and love.

I've also discovered a love of exercising, in particular long distance running and high intensity interval training (HIIT). I'm never a gym member. Right now I don't need it. I exercise out in the deck, or in the garage, without needing to worry about disturbing anyone. New Zealand is a prefect place to go running outside, and of course other outdoor sports and activities too. So many parks and open fields. The sun is out most of the time, it rarely gets under -1 C in the cold months. Even when it does, it's when we're in bed anyway. So, right now, I'm much fitter and stronger than I ever was in my teens, twenties and even thirties. I haven't ran in a marathon, I don't have or need such a goal, it's more of a personal hobby.

Family life has been fantastic. Hubby is busy with work as ever, in fact much busier than Tokyo for some reason, but he's always there for us. We're as close to each as ever, in fact we're more attached to each other. The kids are happy, growing bigger and taller, and becoming more and more Kiwi. Here, they have a much better sense of freedom, go out and just be. Although Wilkie misses Japan at times, he enjoys school and is now eating a much varied diet. His current favourite is pizza, and doesn't even mind the fresh basil I never fail to add. Followed by lamb chops and beef stew. New Zealand is littered with junk and ready made food just like other developed countries (although we've never taken them to McD or any other fast food restaurants), but the quality of fresh food, the availability of Asian, hard to get spices and ingredients definitely beat Tokyo hands down. And the lamb here is heaven. Eating out however, Tokyo beat NZ, at least Hamilton, hands down.

Anyway, it's time to pick up the kids from school. Oh yeah, I passed my driving test not long after we got our residency, so I'm driving now too!