Civilised celebrations

Had a very pleasant bank holiday weekend. I spent time lazing around the house and catching up with family (and Tammi's girls, Willow and Ivy). We went to a little pub somewhere not far from Watford (but about two hours out the way we went!) and had lunch before sitting on the green outside and laughing at a man poncing around his Porsche. Initially his wife and daughter got out of the car and sat on the grass, while he posed on the open door and gazed across the common (very Racing Green), then he crouched down next to it and checked the mirrors and played with the windows, before shutting the door, walking a few yards away and then turning back to bask in its glory again. He spent at least 40 minutes repeating and varying this, without his wife or anyone else in the area paying him any attention. It must be quite a ritual. What a prick!

Roisin's leaving do was nice in a calmer way than we'd all expected. We passed the hazy summer afternoon outside the Pembroke without raucous or alcohol-induced ridiculousness. I popped back to Earl's Court with her and Gillian to say hello to Julian. On the way, we ran into Alex and Susie (who had offered me lots of advice on living and working in Japan after spending three years there herself). It may not be a small world, but it's a small city at times. It was all very nice, but on the way home I got on an Upminster train that took me to High St Kensington, which was a bit annoying. I also had to contend with drunks with whistles, but that's carnival for you...

The tight, nauseating feeling I've had recently has eased now my jabs and things are sorted. My sister's loft is creaking under the weight of my personal library, but it's another thing ticked off the list. Now I can started looking forward to leaving. This morning was the first time I'd felt only positive about the whole thing for quite some time. It's nice, it's relaxing - although my chest still feels slightly constricted with old panic.

I'm particularly looking forward to the freshers week/induction in the hotel before we start work. The idea in itself seems a bit undignified and gross, but it'll be good to meet other teachers before being sent off into our different areas of Tokyo. I do hope I don't get landed in the Leonards' Quarter.

I'm going to start revising Japanese and teaching tonight.