28 August 08

Nick's family visited Zojoji (unfortunately under wraps for renovation, but they enjoyed the aproned jizo statues) and then went up Tokyo Tower. I met them at Tamachi station and then we made our way to Harajuku, where we had lunch at the restaurant near Meiji Jingu. I'm sure it was the first time the waitress had been asked for a dish to be served without any rice accompaniment! Pam and Graham managed their chopsticks very well, and as she said, at least it means you eat more slowly.

Afterwards we walked through to the shrine, just as the heavens opened with a thunderclap. It somehow added to the serenity of the place to have water pouring in a curtain down from the eaves.

We finished the afternoon with a walk round to Yoyogi Park, where Graham snapped a leopard-printed butterfly and we watched a white heron stalking the little minnows in the fountains pool.

27 August 08

The long-awaited day of the Robinsons' arrival dawned, and for the first time in a week or so it was a bright, clear morning. Emily and I got the Narita Express from Shinagawa (nearly missing it due to a misunderstanding about the platform); a bit of a faff trying to juggle her while one-handedly folding the buggy, but I managed somehow.

Of course, their BA flight was late, by an hour, so I had more than enough time to try and get her to eat some lunch - difficult when she was tired and eating in her stroller with airport distractions all around. We'd given them no hint that I'd meet them, so I think/hope it was a genuine surprise for them to see us by the barrier. We got the next express back, and after a much-needed nap, Emily was soon charming them with her smiles and antics.

I escorted them to the ryokan in Gotanda: a basic place, but friendly enough, run by a pair of middle-aged men. They found it impossible trying to climb the carpeted stairs in the ubiquitous plastic slippers provided. Afterwards we came back to the apartment and they tried not to fall asleep, in an effort to beat the jetlag by staying up until Japan bedtime. Nick took them out later for a Korean-style meal, in what sounded like a very hectic and noisy restaurant.

26 August 08

Geraldine was back from her holiday, and as I hadn't seen her and Gaby for a while I arranged to meet them at a small mall in Daikanyama that has baby merchandise. It was a good recommendation I'd picked up from the TNMG forum, with some lovely stuff. They sold just about everything a baby could want, and a lot of things that I hadn't even realised that I needed! I have to keep reminding myself that Emily's favourite playthings are: a toothbrush, a plastic lid, an old yogurt pot and a rubber doorstop. Why spend a fortune on short-lived toys?

23 August 08

We had a difficult morning as Emily got very upset when I took her for her first nap, almost certainly due to teething pain. After an hour of tears and unscheduled milk, we gave in and got her back up again. Eventually she succumbed to a short sleep later in the morning. Still, after that brief rest she seemed in a good mood for the afternoon.

It was very grey, cool and drizzly again. Crazy, but I almost missed the sun. Remind me how much I've been hating the heat and humidity, someone!

Bettina had lent us their baby backpack, which we're planning on using instead of the buggy when we go for our week away soon, so we thought we'd have a trial run.

We walked to Happoen, the pretty Japanese garden 20 minutes walk away. As on previous visits there were several weddings in progress, so I hoped they weren't too disappointed by the unprecedented weather. It still seems incongruous to hear the recorded church bells there; what with the weather and that sound you could easily believe you were back in an English town.

21 August 08

I took Emily to the children's playplace in Shibaura in the afternoon, where I'd arranged to meet Momo, who was back from a trip to Italy to introduce Mikele to his family there. I'd also mentioned it to Jo and Kara, and a mum I hadn't met yet called Katherine. Her boy is two and a half - already wearing clothes for a five-year old! Typical American build, with the most piercing blue eyes. We played for a couple of hours; Emily was on good form, smiling and waving a lot and 'shouting'.

In the evening, a thunder storm came right overhead. I went out on the balcony to watch, but was almost afraid as the sky was lit by searing white light directly above. I am pretty sure that a fork hit somewhere only half a mile away, as I thought I could make out some smoke drifting afterwards, and the deafening crack was immediately after the lightning. I definitely saw a hit a couple of miles away on the SONY building in Shinagawa. All very exciting, but a bit close to home.

20 August 08

I could get used to meeting Nick for lunch regularly at Paul; they certainly know how to make superb bread, pastry and cakes. Emily was into everything, as always. Most babies are happy to sit quietly in their pram, but she has to join in. Nick narrowly avoided getting butter all over his suit trousers.

We went to Tracy's for another swim afterwards. It was supposed to be at least 32C but it didn't feel it, thankfully. The pool felt almost cold, so I only took Emily in for 10 minutes. She doesn't seem to particularly enjoy the experience, but at least she doesn't cry. While we were in there, Brigida, who was on the side, pointed out that the fence was shaking. We couldn't feel the earthquake at all, but it turned out to be a 3. Nick reported a violent upward lurch.

19 August 08

I feel slightly embarrassed having a cleaner when I am not a working mum, but it was good to have Erna start today and have the whole apartment clean in one fell swoop. She's really sweet, and Emily likes her, so will gladly consider using her for babysitting from time to time.

Having more free time is dangerous; especially when we have just found out after 6 months that we do actually have cable TV and can watch BBC World and some footie channels. Uh-oh.

We spent the afternoon at a drivers licensing centre, applying for Japanese licences. Luckily, as hoders of GB licences we don't have to take any tests except checking our eyesight. Thank goodness the Japanese drive on the same side as us. It was tedious spending so long there with Emily, and the place was more like a dreary sixties NHS hospital than anything else, all beige paint, lino and corridors.

18 August 08

Did my bit to bring a new person into the circle, inviting an American lady called Kara to join us at Nandemo children's play hall with her son, Teo, who is four and a half months old. She'd introduced herself via the TNMG forum and lives near us. Jo came too, and Tracy joined us with Lottie and her nanny, Brigida. Tracy goes back to work this week, worse luck, but she is keen for Brigida to bring Lottie to the odd meet-up, or go to her house to play, so this was a trial run.

We stayed for an hour or so then adjourned to a cooler Starbucks to finish off the afternoon. In chatting it transpired that Kara had been living in Japan for 23 years, owns and runs an art gallery and is a single mum, having had Teo by donated sperm. An interesting woman!

17 August 08

What a surprise to wake up and find it cool, windy and misty. Just like home - hurray! It seemed to have dropped about ten degrees overnight, so we could have all our windows open and air the apartment for the first time in ages.


We had planned to go to the seaside to try to get a bit of a breeze, but as it was so cool we decided instead to go to Rikugien, the garden that I discovered a few weeks back and had been dying to take Nick to. As it was still the Obon festival period, a lot of shops and cafes were closed, so we had to go to this funny little place for something to eat. It had old-fashioned glass brewing flasks on the counter for making coffee that looked like something from a science class, and was yellow with decades of smoking. Thankfully we had the few tables to ourselves while we ate, but didn't linger as a newly-arrived couple sparked up just as we finished.


Though it was drizzly, somehow the quality of the light really accentuated the many hues of green in the garden and highlighted the floating layers of trained pine branches.

The rain became very heavy and we had to take shelter for a while, watching the drops pattering prettily on the green-grey water. Crossing the stone slab bridge we paused to see the turmoil of dozens of turtles below, threaded by orange carp.

Rikugien has moved into first position in my favourite parks and gardens around Tokyo, and I can't wait to see it in autumn and winter. It is easy to forget that you are in a major city as you wander the many paths under the trees.

16 August 08

In the afternoon we went to Meiji Jingu for a late lunch at the restaurant in the park. Not bad fare for such a touristy venue, and spacious and smoke-free, which makes it a prime place to meet other mums and babies. While we were inside it came on to rain torrentially, though it was short-lived. We walked on to the shrine for a quick gander before the next thundery shower came through. As always, it looked attractive: the trees very stately and the shrine precincts simple but impressive.

Emily was on good form, though shrieking embarrassingly on the train. It's hard to believe that she isn't crawling, as every day this week she has been on the brink of it. Eating is getting better, and judging by other mothers' tales we are getting off lightly as she usually finishes what I give her and hasn't turned her nose up at anything yet.

13 August 08

Tracy invited Jo and me to the pool again. All three babies were rather tired, so we only stayed in for quarter of an hour at most. The pool was a bit cooler than previous visits, as it had been a bit cloudier so the sun hadn't warmed it as much, but Emily seemed OK with it, just about. A few minutes after we got out she started gagging and foaming at the mouth. Then I noticed something dark in the spittle and realised that she'd managed to pick up a floating leaf and swallowed it. It is so scary to realise how easily they can come to harm.

We walked to the station with Brigida, Lottie's nanny, so that she could get her off to sleep. She's very nice and easy to talk to; her English is very good. Tracy wants us to include her in social invites sometimes so that Lottie gets to mix with our babies, and I think it's a good idea. Thankfully, Emily finally succumbed to a nap as we walked, so Jo and I stopped off at a cafe for an unscheduled drink. It was really pleasant to chat; she is very easy to get on with, and you get used to the Aussie upward inflection after a while.

10 August 08

As it was Tracy's birthday, and they'd just moved house, James invited us to a BBQ at their house on the embassy compound. It was a very convivial affair, and they'd gone to an enormous effort with the food, though I was disappointed at the noticeable absence of Ferrero Rocher!. Bet they've heard that one before. There were about 25 people there, including Sharon, Bettina and Phillipa (with husbands and babies).


Unfortunately we could only stay for two hours, as Nick had an invite to a firework party in Shinagawa (we were all included but it was past Emily's bedtime), and I needed to get Emily home to avoid a repeat of the smaller-scale fireworks of the previous evening when we stayed out too long and she was overtired. It was lovely to feel real grass between my toes and sip a cheeky glass of cold white wine, but with a baby you can never truly relax.

After I'd got a tearful Emily off to bed, I heard the bangs as the display started over on Tokyo Bay, and went out onto the landing outside our front door to investigate. It turned out that we had a very good view, being up on the 11th floor. I didn't bargain for it lasting and hour and twenty minutes though, or I'd have taken a chair out there. It was an awesome event, and must have cost a huge amount. Emily slumbered through some extremely loud bangs that shook the windows.

9 August 08

After the usual much-needed Saturday lie-in for Nick, we fancied going on the water again, so we took the boat across to Odaiba. It's fast becoming my favourite trip out; though the bay is ringed with high-rises and is partially industrialised, that makes it more interesting, and Rainbow Bridge is pleasing to the eye. Aqua City is quite futuristic.


Odaiba has a wooded waterfront walk with good views, where you can very quickly get away from the crowds and have it almost to yourself.

Mind you, it is the start of Obon, the mid-August festival period when people traditionally go back to their home town for a few days, so perhaps a lot of Tokyoites had left the city.

Actually, it was comfortable outside for once, owing to a strong breeze, so we were able to walk along the shore without perspiring too much. Two young women were very taken with Emily, saying she looked like a pretty doll, and took each other's photo with her. We finished our visit with refreshments at a seaside cafe reminiscent of those at home. Nick ordered chips (or 'French fly' as the menu had it) and they were decent English chunky chips for once, with proper malt vinegar to boot. I resisted the urge to order 'porched egg'.

For dinner I used the new oven for the first time and produced a passable fish pie and a plum crumble. Now all I need is a bit of time to rustle up a cake or two...

8 August 08

Nothing much to report, but I wanted to mark the start of the Beijing Olympics. A very auspicious date: 080808.

Emily has been doing lots of standing practice this week and seems quite steady holding onto a surface. Of course she can't get up herself yet, so no need to start worrying about her navigating the room destructively yet.

We had an earth tremor at lunchtime; it started with quite a lurch but didn't last long. Apparently it was a 3, right below Tokyo at 40km deep.

After lunch I popped to Roppongi and then on to the supermarket. It's always like a trolley dash when I go to Nissin; Emily invariably gets grizzly, perhaps because I dawdle looking longingly at western foodstuffs. Walking back, I was just passing the Korean cuture centre when a nationalist rally came by in their sinister khaki vans blaring loudly. An old row about some disputed islands has flared up recently. Emily was upset anyway, being totally overheated from too long a stint in the buggy without coming out for an airing. They'd popped some dry ice in my shopping to keep it cold for the walk home, and I put some around the back of the pram to help cool her down. Unfortunately a bag slipped down and was touching her arm, and gave her an ice burn. Thankfully it didn't blister, though it was red for quite a while.

7 August 08

Tracy had invited Bettina, Jo and me to take the babies to the Embassy for a dip in the pool. Certainly a big improvement on our earlier plan to go to the paddling pools at Nandemo.

By the time we got in at around 3.30, half of the pool was in shade; a good thing too, as I could only stand on tiptoe up the deep end and needed to be in the shallower end. Tracy's new nanny Brihida (not sure of the spelling - she's a Philipino), who was really nice and spoke good English, helped by passing the babies in to us.

We stayed in for about quarter of an hour, and all four seemed to like it. It was a perfect temperature for them and helped cool us all down on such a blisteringly hot day. They were all rather tired by the time we got out, though Emily just would not take a nap as I'd foolishly hoped she'd do.

Brihida is keen to take on a little supplementary cleaning job, and I must say it will be a great weight off me to take her on. I just can't find enough time to keep our flat to the standard I like. It's always so dusty with the hard flooring. Mind you, it does make you realise just how much dirt a carpet can hold. I'll be able to devote more time to ours and Emily's meals as I can't find time to planning menus at the moment.

4 August 08

Can it really get any more humid? Ugghh.

I'd arranged with Bettina, Tracy and Jo to go to Asakusa for lunch and a trawl through the souvenir shops at Sensoji temple. Tracy had to cry off as Lottie was a bit tetchy, but the three of us had a nice lunch. I'd suggested the tempura retstaurant that Nick and I went to a while back, and was pleased because when they saw that we had three babies they ushered us upstairs to a private tatami room. We were able to lay Emily, Tim and Issie down, which made it so much easier.The serving ladies went potty over them, of course.

Emily sat on a cushion and played with anything I could find that wasn't dangerous or breakable: chopstick, lids, towelette. She gets bored so quickly otherwise.

We could only tolerate about half an hour of shopping before we had to go in search of respite in a cafe. I'm getting quite bored with Starbucks (sorry Kate!) but at least you know that there won't be smoking inside, unlike most other chains here.

After Emily went down we had yet another thunderstorm - hardly surprising given the level of humidity. The lightning was quite pink this time. I love watching a good storm from the front of the flat because we have such a fantastic view from out there, but it means I don't make the most of valuable evening time to do chores.

3 August 08

Emily (and Mummy and Daddy) had fun playing with her new xylophone.


We had planned to go back over on the boat to Odaiba, but mid-morning James called to ask if we'd like to go over to their place and have a swim in the Embassy pool. Too good to resist, and I wanted to have a look at their new place on the compound.

We walked from Nagatacho along deserted roads round the diplomatic district on the south west side of the Imperial Palace. Their house, apparently the smallest at the site, seems pretty sizable to me and very nice too, with high ceilings and blue shutters outside. Of course, we were a shade green with envy. Lottie looked very sweet and had grown again, mainly lengthwise, since I last saw her about a month ago.

The pool was about 12m long so it was possible to swim properly, though we took it in turns to supervise Emily on a lounger under a parasol. We decided to try her in the water, and after a minute or two of looking peturbed she seemed to enjoy it, especially when Nick threw her up in the air.

Luckily part of the pool was in shade or we couldn't really have contemplated it (and Nick would have been burnt too). Emily was rather tired after being awake several hours, so she eventually got upset and I had to take her for a nap.

James and Tracy then took Lottie in too, and she loved it. We hope to go back and swim next week, as we've been invited to Tracy's birthday BBQ.

2 August 08

We decided to spend our afternoon at BIC Camera, a massive electricals emporium at Yurakucho. At least it was cool in there, though heaving, as ever. For once we managed to get everything we went for, and without too much stress. At last I shall have an oven, albeit a miniature one. Nick is relishing the prospect of a crumble and roast pork despite the season, though he may have to take second place behind Emily's dietary requirements.

Today's Jap-lish T-shirt said 'off with the seniors' '. Note the possessive apostrophe, leading me to speculate what part of the anatomy was to be lopped off. Women here can be such fashion victims, and just like at home the trend is for huge round sunglasses, which I think makes them look like bugs and is a bit silly.

Returning home we found that our road was closed to traffic for a street party. It's nice to see some community life, with local people drinking cans of beer and eating food from stalls, sitting at temporary benches under paper lanterns in the quadrangle across the way. Perhaps we'll go next year. We didn't make it home until 6.15, but I am becoming a lot more relaxed about Emily's routine now, though if we are late back it eats into our evening.

1 August 08

We were all disappointed when Nick called to say that he couldn't get out of the office for lunch. It's particularly hard as he's seeing less of Emily now because she sometimes sleeps through until after he's left and is increasingly difficult to rouse for the late evening feed.

I decided to go over to Roppongi Hills instead, and pick up a few small birthday gifts for various people. It may only have been 30C, but it was awfully humid and within a few minutes I was making good use of my sweatcloth. For once I got lucky and found a great place for reasonably-priced gifts (a tough call in such a mecca for the seriously-loaded).

Afterwards I walked some more, to Sharon's apartment, as one of the gifts was for her recent birthday. It wasn't far but I had to walk around the streets for quite a while as I needed Emily to take a nap. Investigating a quiet sidestreet I didn't know, I was taken aback to see a snake on the road. It was easily a metre long and a golden-brown colour. I hurried past but I'm sure it was more scared than I was as it slithered for cover under someone's front steps. Glad I don't live round there! Sharon insisted on us going in, though it was an unannounced visit, so we swapped progress reports and let Emily and Taylor play for a while. They got back from a UK trip a week ago and have just about got over the jetlag. I was glad that I'd got her a small gift as she had brought something back for Emily.

I'd walked quite a way, was drenched in sweat, and hadn't had lunch, so decided to skip food shopping and get Emily home to the cool to play. As I sometimes do, I let her watch a bit of the Disney channel before tea. It's crazy but the bit she likes best is the AXA insurance advert that they always show in the interval. It's about the most brain-numbingly boring ad (though there's a lot of competition here), yet she always whips round to look when she hears it, no matter what she's doing.