♪ Late new year ★

It feels like an eternity since I last blogged here as I've been super-super busy. I actually lost a few readers during my unannounced hiatus, but oh well. Maybe now is a good time to update?

The New Year: I'm gonna mash together New Years eve-eve, New Years eve, and New Years day.
So it's not my first time in Japan to ring in the New Year, however it was my first time not as a concert hopper "celebrating" with visual-kei bands.
   New Years eve-eve (is that the correct term?) I celebrated with my Japanese Family, however my Partner was celebrating with Work mates - which I wasn't told about until I arrived and he said he was leaving, which gave me no 'preparation' for an anxiety attack. Which left me a little shell shocked, oh if only I could have drank beer. It was fun, but everyone's name escaped me apart from one person, oops. There was a comment about my ring, which at the time my fingers were swollen and she said; "trapped and bound by strong love", which was rather cute.. even if she was mildly drunk.
   New Years Eve I spent the day with a very hungover guy who didn't roll in until 2:00am. We spent the entire day moving furniture into the other room - which was meant to be our bedroom from the start only we stayed in the tatami floored room on a futon since moving in for some unknown reason. Anyway we purchased a kotatsu and Winter here is basically kotatsu season, so cosy and warm!! We (he) managed to stay awake to watch TV and see the New Year in. It was far too cold for me to be outside - even though I insisted I was fine, damn health worries, I wasn't to get 'too cold'. Anyway we opened the doors to listen to the people at the shrines surrounding us ring the bell, it was oddly soothing yet eerie? After I wished my Parents a Happy New Year from Japan we both went to bed.
   New Years Day, SHOPPING. I was surprised to see people going about their daily life as normal? Actually my Partner had to go to work but certain things were possibly happening, and he called in to explain. Yeah I felt like I was dying, so much for insisting I was fine the previous day. We still oddly went shopping, and Japan is famous for it's LUCKY BAGS, which I purchased a couple, so finally, picture spam.

I love this brand "DIG DEEP" I previously purchased a long shirt from them and when I was this as a Lucky "Box" I couldn't resist. I was torn from many other sets, but I only liked one item from them, plus this came with a cute fuzzy room set. It came with 5 pieces and a badge accessory. 

Fuzzy room wear set

2x t-shirts (blue + black)

1x long sweater (grey)

Of course they have random bits of English on them which always amuses me, the grey one reads "BUT HERE" and leaves me asking, "BUT WHERE?"

   My second purchase was this bag, I have so much to carry at the moment that a shoulder bag hurts, and I hate wearing a bag where the strap crosses my chest and simply says: hey, I'm separating your boobs and making them look more noticeable.It came with a hat, not that I wear hats but it's cute and I did actually wear it on one of those QUICK WE HAVE TO GO OUT BUT YOUR HAIR IS AN AFRO moments.

It also has a purse which I have not transferred anything to. It took me 3+ years to change to the one I have now I am that fussy with certain changes. But anyone who has been in Japan long enough to be offered a point card and unknowingly says 'yes' you end up with thousand credit card sized cards overflowing your purse in no time! At the moment my count is: 10 since arrival, 11 if you count a train card, and 15 if you include business cards, it's not even an obsession! 

   During the New Year in Japan, Children are given these little envelopes as presents. It is probably the same as Chinese New Year - hence the Horse. However it's my first time here with a Japanese family keeping me under their wing, so they gave me an envelope too. Isn't it just cute!?

Bonus photo: Yokohama has a Krispy Kreme, this is my attempt at persuading my Family to visit. We only seem to have mini vendors in the UK, unless there are restaurants too, probably in London. Although we never went inside, I'm a fan of Mister Doughnut, yum.

Double Bonus Photo: My drip tried to kill me during my Hospital stay. I had to call (my wonderful) oba-chan nurse to unhook me at 4:00am, the tape was so hard to remove she basically pinned my arm to the bed to rip it off, uncomfortable when there is a needle wedged in your arm. 

Stay tuned for more.........