New dreams for old

It has been a busy holiday season.

Dad and the girls arrived on Saturday evening before Christmas since their school closed the day previous. My eldest brother met them from the airport and brought them here. Hitomi visited her sister in Akita and brought her and her husband to her parent’s house in Asakusa so it was a busy week-end but one I felt really happy about because the family was coming together.

The early evening of Christmas Eve I spent at Hitomi's parent's house with her family. Sometimes I feel that I am aware of how others feel as if they radiate their feelings. I have never been to her parent’s home before, although she and I have been together for two years. Her Mother was lovely and made me feel so welcome as did her sister but I think I could almost taste disapproval from her father. Perhaps I was wrong? But I just tried to dismiss it from my mind.

We met up with friends at the Lexington for the evening but home before midnight like good girls ready for Santa's visit.

On Christmas morning I went to the children's ward in the hospital where I was as a young girl. When I was ten I was thrown from my horse as it refused to jump. I broke both legs and had a splinter from the gate pass so close to my eye that they think I might lose it. I was in there for my 10th Christmas and since my coming of age, I promised myself that I would always go on this day and bring a smile to those in that same place where I was and some smiles, especially those of children are worth a lot.

My brothers both arrived for the evening and for the Christmas day dinner and I take satisfaction that my family was complete and together. It is not too often that we are and many times I miss my family. We had a private room downstairs in the restaurant, the food was great but most important was that we were all together and enjoying ourselves and exchanged small gifts.

On the 27th my dear old friend Ayumi called. It was a surprise. We used to be very good friends in the past but I think we had slowly drifted apart this last year. We talked over happy memories but then she shocked me by saying that her relationship has just ended. I had thought they would marry soon. Years ago she and I and Terutaka were the singles club. We none of us believed we would marry or even find a long term relationship, but we always had each other. It's crazy the things we think sometimes. But we promised that we won’t drift apart no matter what. Friends forever and life has many gifts but not many are greater than the gift of true friendship.

New Years Eve arrived and Hitomi and I decided to just be alone together in my apartment. For the first time in many years I was not working and I felt out of place like a piece of me was missing. We watched Kouhaku on TV. This time last year I was actually there in the NHK studios as part of my job but this year I'm in a different company and with the person I most want to be with.
Yes I miss it.
But it's all change.

Watching Morning Musume on the show actually disappointed me this year because I usually enjoy them but this year they seemed poor. At midnight we both prayed for new hopes and new dreams for the New Year and went downstairs. Hiro was sleeping in his office, he had been working all day and he was opening again on New Year’s Day for the osechi lunch so we left him to sleep.

This morning we spent time looking at our nengajyo postcards and marking our daruma resolutions and then my niece, Kyioshichan, called in for her pochibukuro.

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season and that this year will be good for you.

Happy New Year

AKEMASHIE OMEDETO GOZAIMASU!