A Life in Japan - Documentary (English with English subtitles)

 my life everyday in a nutshell

Leenas 7th birthday

two cakes as she and Mummy wanted strawberry cream and chocolate 

Fort Beausejour June 1755 Part two, the second attack.

This battle in June of 1755 was where a Anglo-American army under General Monckton attacked the French fort of Beasejour on the disputed Acadia-Nova Scotia border. The fort was held by a company of Les Compaigne Franches de La Marine, augmented by MikMaq warriors and impressed Acadian milice.

my older children playing on the ruins of Fort Beausejour, October, 2003.

Acadian militiaman, 1755-1760

Not all Acadians were deported in 1755. Some escaped into the wilderness of present-day New Brunswick and from there, staged such a relentless guerrilla-style warfare on British areas that it took great numbers of British and American provincial troops to guard, with variable success, the western borders to Nova Scotia. Following the surrender of the French army in September 1760, the Acadians partisans would not give up to the British and it took French officers to finally convince them to lay down their arms and respect the capitulation.


Sorry for the enlarged shots, my phone is giving me some grief today with uploads. However, they do give some more detail then usual.) This is the second attempt to game this action, and once again, the Anglo-Americans are driven off.

 The Massachusetts Regiment took the Anglo-American right, with 

 a ranger battalion in support.

 The French defenders inside the fort await the Anglo-American onslaught. 

Close up of a RAFM 8lb gun with a Revell-Germany SYW Austrian Artillery gun crew painted as Cannonier-Bombardier. The MikMaq chief is wearing a French uniform coat given as a present for his assistance to the French.

 The British regiments made up of the 28th, 40th and 45th attempt to break into the fort. The Royal Artillery and Boston Artillery company breached the walls, allowing the composite Grenadier companies from the three British regiments to storm in. They did so, only to be then cut down by concentrated musketry. The hat companies then attempt to break in again.

On the Anglo-American right, the rangers have been driven off by French artillery fire, while the Massachusetts's troops move forward. The French guns are too much for the Anglo-Americans. Having lost most of their artillery to French counter battery fire, and the British assault driven back, the Anglo-Americans withdrawal leaving the French in possession of the fort. The French have held on for now. 

I like green

Over the last couple of years, Ive bought several green tshirts. I now have about eight but only six are good enoughfor a picture

Culloden (1964)

The first war movie my family had me watch, in order to make sure that when I was 7 years old, I understood that war is horrible.

Our ancestors were part of the Rose clan and thus survived this rebellion as both commanders stayed at Killravock castle prior to the battle.

78th Fraser Highlanders

Battle of Trois Riverie 1776

 From Brendan Morrissey Quebec 1775 Osprey Campaign 128 comes the Battle of Trois Rivieres. This action took place on June 6, 1776. An American force under General Thompson attempted to attack Allan McLean of the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Emigrants. What he found at Trois Revieres was something different. 

The British force consisted of 29th Regiment, 9th Regiment, 20th Regiment, and 62nd Regiment,  Royal Highland Emigrants, Montreal Militia, some Canadien volunteers and Amerindian warriors.

The Americans consisted of a mixed bag of troops from different units in the colonial army. The morale of this group was poor as they had not been paid, the British had sent troops from Halifax, and the war was not going so well for them. 

On turn one, the Americans were led into a swamp by a Canadien farmer, who rightly believed the Americans to be the invaders, not the liberators from British rule. They advanced to engage the British left which consisted of the Amerindian warriors.

The British Light Infantry companies began to snipe at the advancing Americans, but were forced back by formed units of Americans. 

The Amerindians began to take casualties for the American riflemen and fell back to leave the battlefield. The Highlanders and Loyalists then formed the Left of the British line. The centre was then made up of Loyalist militia supported by an RA gun.

The British right consisted of the centre companies of the British regulars as well as a composite Grenadier battalion from all the British regiments.

The Highlanders advance on the left. The Americans form a line to keep up a brisk fire on the advancing British.

Eventually, when the British were able to form line, they poured devasting volleys into the American ranks. The Highlanders and Grenadiers then went in with the bayonet, and drove the Americans from the field. Canada, was saved!

oops how to tear down a home

 Most homes in Japan may last 40 years, then they get torn down. This house, has been empty for the past ten years. Luckily, we haven't had much of a rodent problem, but wondering if we will now. As the population of Japan grows older, many houses in neighborhoods such as ours got this way.

Fathers day 2014

 Enjoying Pad Thai, non aalcoholic wine and my  wife and kids. Life is good

My wife in her Kimono

My wife is a daycare teacher. Her daycare had a 50th anniversary party. It was held at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. As such, she needed to wear formal wear, and didn't feel like buying an outfit which she'd only wear once. She thus decided to wear one of her kimonos. 

When she was younger, she took classes to learn how to wear the kimono. She has her liscence in dressing women in these beautiful gowns, however, many Japanese women do not wear them often as getting the look right is tricky.

In fact, after we got home when I showed her the shot, she noticed that the tie on the obi, or sash drooped down, it should have been tucked in more neatly. She hadn't noticed it. She needed to get her hair done as well. Ah, I do admire her.

Interesting looking car for Japan

 I found this Unimog parked by a house in Kamagaya. Now this would be what I would want when I go camping in Japan, or Canada for that matter. Plenty of room to store kit, good suspension, 4 wheel drive, and big enough that when life goes to crap, you can push your way through.

 And yet another example of not proofreading. My wife needed to look at this one, and understood that it was mispelled. No ideling! So if no idoling, I guess we don't have Japanese girls in short skirts smiling and looking cute.