It's that time of year again

Either I need to update my apps, or my phone as I was unable to check out my blog statistics. However I could see the blog.
But posting photos?!

 from my pc

 who said zero pilots can't be cute!

What you find when wandering: Port of Chiba

 The inscription didn't turn out so well. It basically states that Chiba Port Tower was built in 1986 to commerate Chiba-prefecture achieving a population of five million. 

Chiba Port Tower. It looked cool with the sun behind it.

Looking towards Tokyo, Fuji is there, except my phone camera doesn't have a zoom function.

This model is of the first ship which sailed from Vancouver, British Columbia back in 1953 to Chiba. It brought the first load of iron ore for the reconstruction of Japan following World War Two, and the Korean conflict.

Darn camera without zoom lens. 

A chatty kitty and a big solar panel

This kitty looks like two I had as a child back in Nova Scotia. Both I had named Charlie. Charlie 1 was born sometime about 1978 and lasted until about 1983. Charlie 2 I remember about 1983 to 1994. Pretty old for a cat.

 Due to the energy shortage by the nuclear plant meltdowns up in Northern Japan which produced 40% of the Tokyo regions power, this solar panel was built near where I live. Not sure how many of these will be built in the near future.

Joyfull Honda, Japan Meat

Chikin?! Winner?!

 Canadian Moose?

Typhoon and tornado

 a ffunnel cloud formed over our area about 5PM

double spelling error

this shot was ttaken at Keisei Funabashi station. I guess that they don't need to proff read

Recreating Fort William Augustus, Canso, Nova Scotia circa 1744

This summer, Ian needs to make a project for his school. Last summer we did a project about tall ships.
This time, we shall build a minature fort.

Step one, drawing the fort plan, and building the earthworks.

Step two is to then add the toothpicks as the pallisade.

Both Ian and Leena worked on his project. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

After this project this little fort will take part in many 18th-19th battles.


Unfortunately, the fall and winter of 2014 was a bit damp, and the whole thing got moldy! So this fort has now been consigned to the burnable garbage. I'll have to think on how to rebuilt this with something which can resist mold a bit better.

No smorking?

Ah yes, once again, we see Japanese attempting to use English, but failing to do a spell check!

Easter in Japan 2013

No Easter bunnies, no coloured eggs, no choclate.

But we did have Caesar Salad

courtsey of COSTCO. We went up the the Shin-Misato location and my oh my was it ever nice. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the customers were not the Zombie types you see elsewhere like they have never seen food before.





and Sakura, otherwise known as Cherry Blossoms!

We didn't get any Sakura parties so far this year, though we may have one this coming Saturday but alas, I have to go back to work then.

The end of the school year in Japan

Despite the weather getting warmer and the sun beginning to shine, this time of year is a bit down.
It's the end of the school year and for ALTs it can be a bit stressful as we have to potentially say farewell to all our schools.

One of my schools gave me a small send off. I got a nice bouquet of flowers.
It was hard not to cry. But things happen for a reason, so perhaps some bigger and better things are on the way.

Merry Christmas 2012

Another Christmas in the trenches so to speak.
Living in Japan during the holiday period can be different. First of all, Christmas is NOT a family holiday in Japan. It's slowly becoming a kids day, but it's still the reserve of couples who want to say, share the mistletoe.

This years events took place on December 24, as it was a national holiday, in lieu of the Emperor's birthday which fell on December 23, which was a Sunday, so Monday was given off.
We allowed our kids to open their presents about 10:30 am. They were happy.

I was also able to finally find the Disney DVD of BRAVE, which the recent releases at Toys R Us are in the area with the video games.

We had a tree, with stockings.

Our Christmas meal this year was MEATLOAF! Turkey is a bit hard to come by and is darn expensive when you do find it.

But I was able to make mashed potatoes, onion/mushroom gravy and maple-butter carrots. My grandmother's recipie.

I've got some pretty good friends, a few years back, I invited my Canadian co-worker and her sisters to my place for Christmas dinner. It was nice to share a turkey and some Nova Scotian hospitality.
Every year since, they send a nice care package of my favorite Tim Horton's coffee, and candies for my children.
It's a little something but it means alot to us.

Ian building his Pirates of the Carribean set

Mum andLeena opening her Barbies

Time to play with our dolls

The only turkey I will have this year.

Japanese christmas cake

chopped carrots which I would make into maple butter ones

I don't have mashed potatoes shot but one of poutine

Dancing and Karate

It's been a bit of a busy weekend here in Japan. Ian and Leena had a dance event on Friday, for a charity event held in Kamagaya. The event is to be an annual event to assist the recovery effort for Tohoku, Japan, the area hit by the big earthquake.

Leena as a butterfly

The local neighborhood festival.

These are the pictures from the dancing.
There were some interesting samba dancers but if you've seen them once, you've seen them all (and I've seen the same ladies 4 times this year, though they are marvelous, though my wife was daring me to take shots)

I'm dancing again?

Do I have to wear this makeup?

Left foot, right foot.

Just before the samba ladies showed up.

Then on Sunday, Ian had his first Karate tournament. He won his first sparing but lost to the second. There was one kid who placed third but he was a real spoiled sport. He threw his gloves on the mats and had a temper tantrum. The umpire scholded him in front of everyone for being such a bad sport. Of the students in Ian's dojo, only one managed to get a medal for his kata or drill style. However, it was a fun event. Even Ian's sensei concured with my opinion of this kid. Totally disrespected the match, the players, judges. Sure he was only 6, but in any sport, acting up like that is bad. (Pictures to follow)

Remembrance Day in Japan

A German Army truck which would have been used in Bosnia. Shot taken in my city of Kamagaya, Japan.

I always remember the sacrifices of the men and women of Canada who gave their lives, and their time in the service, be it militiary, or merchant marine.
This summer I was proud to visit the Commonwealth War Cemetary in Yokohama to pay respects to all the Commonwealth personnel interned there.
My grandfather served in the Royal Canadian Ordanance Corps during World War 2. He went to war in 1939 and came back unhurt in 1945. One of my happiest memories was taking him with my Japanese family to Pier 21 and having the chance to see the picture of the ship he came home on.

When I have the chance, I play Flowers of the Forest, and Last Post. I take time to remember,
but as I read on the Royal British Legion's website last year, for some people, everyday is Remembrance day.

From 1985-95 I wore my band uniform with my father and played in every Remembrance day parade held in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.
I took part in our High school drama club's For every tear, a play which was written by students about the war. We took it to Pictou as well as holding it in our village of Middle Musquodoboit.

My father was an infantry officer in the First Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) in the 1970's.
We took part in memorial services in South Korea in 2001, and I had visited Kapyong 4 times between 1997-1999.
I've visited the Korean War Memorial in Seoul, and Yasakuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Today I remember all those who have died in war, and hope that humanity can find another way to settle our differences.

WOW one year on the blog!

Amazing how fast one year goes! And amazing the amount of games, events and stuff I've put up on this site.

I may have put this shot up earlier.

This shot was taken way back in 1984. I'm standing with Sgt. Bill Nelson

Thank you to everyone who has viewed my blog. I do hope you enjoy this over time.

Celtic culture concert in a Japanese elementary schol

So what? You've never seen a guy in a kilt before? I'm wearing my MacKenzie kilt which was originally issued to a bandsman in the 17th Pictou Highlanders during the First World War. My cap badge is that of my old unit the 78th Highlanders Rosshirebuffs, or what they became the Second Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. My shirt is and Eddie Bauer one my wife got me as a Christmas present two years ago. Nifty eh?

My Japanese co-worker, Sako-Sensei was a good sport and wanted to try on a kilt. He went out and bought his tie to match the kilt.

Getting ready to play in front of our students.

I borrowed the schools snare drum to play. All in all, it was nice afternoon of music, and definetly one to remember for the kids and teachers.

I can't believe I haven't listed these yet

Slowly over time, I have been collecting historical films.
So far I have:
Barry Lyndon
Robin Hood (2010)
Rob Roy: for me, by far the best sword fight ever!
Braveheart (a good story but not historical)
Master and Commander: pretty interesting view of boarding fighting ships
Horatio Hornblower, interesting series of films,
The Trench,
Saving Private Ryan: the only thing to mar this flick is dispariging remarks about the British and Canadians. We took most of our objectives that day, advancing farthest of all the allies.
The Last Samurai: a little slight interpretation, it was the French not the Americans who helped the Japanese fight
Revolution
The Scarlet Letter (1994)
Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Still alive and kicking

Whoa! I just noticed that it's been nearly a month since I posted something here. Everytime I get the chance to try and put something up, I get distracted with family, work, etc.

I showed my wee lassie how to play bowling. We had to kneel down and then push it down!

This is what Leena wanted for her birthday. It's a Japanese girl hero costume. She enjoys dressing up and dancing like most little girls.

I have tried to upload video clips but have been unable to. My youtube channel of japanesehighlander does have some interesting clips of my activities.

These flyboys (and girls) are part of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Air units. Just on the edge of Kamagaya, Shiroi, Kashiwa, and Matsudo, is a large airbase. The base had an open house and I was able to take this one shot. When I went to enter, the guards asked me which country I was from, CANADA, so then they called their superiors and since CANADA is part of NATO they felt I was ok.

If I had answered Russian, I wonder what they would have said!

Teaching English in Japan, the return of not proofreading

Creamy powder Creap. So I guess that this jar of milk powder must be a jerk huh? It tastes alright.

King Stephen and Prince Hummingbird

This shot was from our dance recital yesterday. We did Sleeping Beauty. I was King Stephen, Emi was the Queen. Leena was a butterfly and Ian was a humming bird. Though his costume looks like he is a palace guard.
My wife enrolled our two children in a community dance club which is called Friends Dance Club. Every two years, they put on a show. The dance styles run from Hip Hop, to modern interpretist to ballet. The ages run from children to adults. There was even a local samba drumming group made up of Japanese who play samba drums.

I`m calm, I`m at peace, I`m enlightened

Gear for emergencies

This kit contains a space blanket, towels, a first aid kit, 12 hour candles, water proof matches and nylon para-cord.

After this event, my family kept all of these items at hand. We also have about 40 liters of water and tea in case the water is cut off. We also have emergency food in the form of Ritz Crackers, retort boil in the bag meals as well as pasta.

We also have camping gear which can be used in the event that our house collapses.