Something that I’ve noticed over the last couple of months is the different types of dogs within Tokyo. Now I come from a country were most dogs work for there living, and was brought up with working dogs as pets. We always had them, and still do. They live outside and are never allowed into the house. That being the cats territory. Actually there were rather defined boundaries that they were not really allowed in the front part of the property either as that was the barbecue and cats territory as well. As Dad has mellowed in his old age that rule seems to have been relaxed a little. Truth be told its more that the last couple of dogs have such a deep bond with dad that they know when he is by the barbecue and just turn up. They have also been some of the nicest we have ever had that no one really minds. Even the cat.

The UK is a country of large dogs, again from the farming heritage, so no real change there, except dogs seem to sleep by the fire at night. Tokyo is obviously not farming country (I am sure there a border collies somewhere in Japan). Also spaces does not really permit the luxury of keeping large does. On that I there is a beautiful golden retriever in the neighborhood. Most of the dogs appear to be toy dog. And when I mean toy, think the little puppet/electronic ones that you see and you are in the right ballpark. I was walking back from somewhere the other day and had to stop for a double take as this little ball of fluff appeared from behind this lady and I really could not tell if it was real or not. I was almost identical to one you buy in a toyshop. hmm, probably was purchased in the Toy Dog shop.

Down the bottom of the road is actually shop dedicated to toy dog accessories, so obviously its big business. As it is so cold here in winter and these little things are not exactly large they all need to have little jackets to keep them warm, hence the need for shops!

Anyway just an observation. I think I’ll stick to goldfish, if my apartment had room to fit them!

(Update: Apr 20 – Dinner guests for Lamb feast above noted high number of toy dogs in said hood – Positive will have someone knocking on my door soon advising that if I wish to continue living in this area I will need to purhase a dog.)

Well I’m back in Tokyo after a week of New Zealand. All went really well. Mum and Dad are both getting better. Things went a little down hill with Mum hitting her head and Dad getting an infection in his new knee. Birthday party bash went well with small exception that Dad could not really attend as the antibiotics were not settling very well. Sunday was the day they told me that I was getting black drivers cap and a name change to Parker. Dad had to have a checkup with his surgeon about his knee on Tuesday, and Mum a checkup in Waikato, and neither are allowed to drive.

Good news thing is that I love driving and the new car is great. Dads check up went well and the surgeon is keen to do the other knee asap so that he won’t have pain from it. Mums checkup ruled out all the dreaded lurgies that had been suggested of stroke or tumour. So a few hundred kilometre later family is all back in good health, or on the road to it

Well back at work today after a nasty bout of the flu. Not the chep chep variety (one hopes). Rather pleased with myself as I managed to balance my Yen bank account with MSN Money down to the last 1 yen that I earned in interest. Unbeleivable how low the interest rates here are for having money in the bank. I think close to 0% is probably correct. The main reason for keeping the large amount in the bank account is that they bank by standard will charge 210Yen per cash withdrawel, however if you hold a certain amount in your account they will credit this back to you. (thats about a pound per transaction).

As someone who is still not used to carrying huge amounts of cash around I do tend to make more withdrawels than most, probably weekly now! In this odd sense I earn reverse interest by keeping the amount I do there. Bloody odd. Its also nice to have the buffer.

The other success was putting the drawstring back into my Nike excercise pants. They broke a few weeks back, but without a bobby/safety pin could not do it. One turned up with my dry cleaning the other day, and using a skill my dear mother taught us years ago I put it back in, good as new. Thanks mum, skill i never knew I would one day require, and saved me.

a) having to buy a new pair of shorts 35 pounds
b) The embarrassment of them falling down my legs whilst at the gym. – priceless.