Thursday 14th April
I'm aware that I write too much. A big thank you if you manage to plough through it all, but I'll attempt to keep my word count down a little. At the moment I'm just trying to cram in as much as possible so I can get up to date and blog in real time. This is a short post, but be warned - tomorrow's is long!
Today was mostly the same as yesterday; without the mastiff-meeting, car-collection and the jolly janitor but still with the jetlag symptoms, rain and depression.
Tim went into work for the first time. This is always the worst time for a "trailing spouse". While I embrace solitude, it does hit me when, for the first time in weeks, I'm alone and in a foreign country. He's collected by a neighbouring colleague who will show him how the bus and metro system work. He left before 8am and didn't return until well past 6pm. A long day.
I try to catch up with my social networking. It's weird having a different timeline of people and I feel very far away from the usual information streams. Especially those about how Japan is faring. I finish unpacking and storing stuff away.
Then I go out in a vain search of a post office. There may be something called a Postfiliale, but it's not open, shows no opening times and appears to be someone's house. I'll have to look another day and time. I don't want to close my business but with no postal service I cannot do it. Fingers crossed I find one soon.
In the evening Tim drives us to Ikea. We have to get a double duvet as we've only been lent two old, single, feather-filled ones for our bed. I'm allergic to the feathers. But Tim forgot to get the measurements, so we just got one for Rhiannon and will head back another day. We get a few other things and head home.
Just before bedtime, I remembered that I'm due in school tomorrow to give my two talks to the kids! I read a few blogs and articles for up-to-date information, make a few notes and go to bed.
I had a bizarre dream about earthquakes. I never remember my dreams, but this one was an epic. Not a nightmare, although the subject matter was. It was more like watching a movie. Quite disturbing but it means I awake in a "talk about earthquakes" state of mind.
Although a bit nervous about getting a cab, I'm looking forward to talking to people. And I love public speaking.