November

I can't believe today is the last day of November. Time is flying by, which is nice because soon I'll be able to surf and play Futsal again! I can't wait!! 

Physio Update: 

I'm almost 4 months post-op and that means I can jog and jump and things like that. Actually, I've been jogging since I was given the okay at 12 weeks or 3 months. I'm getting my speed back and I can comfortably run about 6.5 km. I think I could run more, but I don't want to push too hard. I've also started lightly break dancing again and it feels great :) I missed dancing so much. As for my progress in physio, my extension is fine, but my knee flexion is not quite there yet. I think the problem is my patellar tendon. The area is numb and it also feels tight. I think the tightness is preventing me from bending farther. My leg muscle is coming back, but it's still skinnier than the other one. Hahaha. I think running has helped bring it back. Now that I can skip rope, I hope it will improve even more.

I returned these babies too. Good bye crutches! May I never need you again!

I also got new running shoes! So far so good!

Halloween:

I didn't really celebrate Halloween, but I am proud of my costume, which was a slice of pizza :)

Miscellaneous:

I went to Asakusa to have dinner with my soccer coach. We went to a restaurant on the Sumida River. It was beautiful and you could see the poop building, which was all lit up.

We also went to Sensōji, where I got a fortune. Recently I've had a slew of bad fortunes, and this one was no exception...

Surprises in the mail:

Over the past month or so, I have received lots of surprises. I got a package from a friend, another from a former student, and one from my aunt! I even received a letter from my Granma! I love receiving mail, so this was soooo exciting for me :)

Package from my aunt :)

Baking:

I have been baking and cooking a lot. Here are some of my recent projects:

Roasted pumpkin seeds in cinnamon and shichimi flavours.

Soy flour and pumpkin pie muffins... These were sooooo good!

Pumpkin spice and okara cookies. These were also tasty :)

Gateau au chocolat

My first ever roll cake - Matcha and cream roll cake.

I have been cooking with Japanese melon, called uri (瓜).

Tokyo's first November snow in 54 years!!

On November 24 it snowed! It was the first November snowfall in a long time and it was beautiful!

I couldn't believe my eyes! Good bye November, you were fun!

The year so far.

After returning from a wonderful holiday home, what have I been doing? I'm not quite sure of the answer. It seems I have to look back in my calendar and photos for updates. Haha.

1. My first breakdance showcase

I performed with my friends at a little bar for a New Year's party that came a little late. January 8, we danced 2 sets sprinkled amongst various bands at "Easy Goings". I had just come back on the Monday, so I had no rehearsal, didn't even know the music. Luckily I was just doing freestyle sets, by myself! Ahhhh.

This is the sign for the party, my group is "Mountain Crew". 

It was really fun to dance with my boys, and the crowd was friendly, I think it was mostly colleagues of a few of my friends.

2. 1 year post-op check up and MRI number 2

I went for my 1 year post-op check up and apparently everything is good. My surgeon is leaving in May to go to England for two years to study breast cancer. I think he was sad to leave me ;p

Number 2 MRI probably should have come a lot sooner... Oh well. My knee is the next subject for round 2 of hospital experiences. The doctor I saw was pretty unhelpful, except for procuring an MRI for me. That was good. So I went to another doctor (by myself!!!!) and navigated a new hospital, alone. This new doctor suspects a lateral meniscus tear. I am now undergoing "conservative treatment" that includes another new hospital experience- rehabili (or as we would call it, physio). My first appointment was majorly focused on my tight hips and included lots of very close encounters with a young, male, halfway cute physiotherapist... 

Now I'm learning anatomy in Japanese. There is a bright side to it all!

3. Futsal etc

I continue to play futsal with the junior high and high school boys. I think they're more comfortable now, because they play more physically. I'm happy but at the same time, I still think I'm weird.

I went and watched the special needs school's soccer team in their tournament. I watched 2 games, which they lost, but they played so well with only 5 players instead of 7. Their opponents had a full team of 7 players, subs and goalies. It was fun. I want to get involved in something like that as a volunteer activity. 

There's the kids warming up :)

4. My third years are graduating soon!!

One of my students gave this to me. Full of memories from the past year. I'll miss them :(

5. Snow!!! 

This is snow #1!

The next day. Dangerously icy stairs down from the overpass. This is what happens in a place that isn't prepared for snow.

Snow #2. This snow storm was the biggest snow storm in 10 years! That's all the news would talk about. There was hours and hours of footage of snow and people walking in the snow with umbrellas. It was a fair amount, but it was by no means newsworthy. 

Snow #3: Valentine's Day. This was actually quite a crazy snow storm. It snowed all night! The snow was almost a metre deep in places. The next day, I had an appointment so I made my way out, it was windy and pouring, but still cold enough that the snow wasn't melting fast. The streets and sidewalks were just giant ice puddles. I got soaked in minutes. Good thing I had my typhoon boots. I ended up having to cancel my appointment because my train line was not running. It wasn't running normally by Monday, either. Stupid JR.

6. Momo and the Onsen!

My friend from Vancouver came back to Japan for a week. I got to see her and we went to an Onsen in Gunma, near her grandparents' house. After the Onsen we went to her grandparents' house for dinner. It was a lot of fun :) 

Before the Onsen, in our private room. 

Old timey Onsen snacks. Very "natsukashii" for the girls I was with :) Natsukashii means something like nostalgic. 

Our private bath. So nice!

Oden at the grandparents' house. Oden is a Japanese winter food consisting of fish cakes, daikon, konnyaku, eggs, seaweed, and other things simmered for a long time in a savoury broth. It's soooo yummy and perfect for the cold winter nights.

Momo serving up the oden. 

Delicious broccoli and tomato dish made by Momo's grandma. Yummmmm. 

It was a lovely time. 

That's about it up until the present. There have been other things, I just don't have photos from them, for example surfing.