the countdown...

Well, we are closing in on the end of our time in Tokyo. In less than 4 weeks, Sam, Fox and I will be headed to Vancouver for a few weeks, and then off to Ottawa for the rest of the summer.

As we meet with moving companies, buy our tickets, start to PURGE junk (one of my favourite things to do - in fact, I love getting rid of things so much that I invariably dispose of something that will later prove essential), and begin the long series of goodbye dinners, parties, lunches, and so on... it starts to feel real.

We are actually leaving Japan. And not coming back. At least not for a very long time... I think this first hit home when I booked our flights home, and then several days later realized: the dog! I need to bring the dog this time! Since we got Fox in Japan, this will be our first time taking her along, and her first flight. Poor thing... But, at least I remembered her.

We sold our oh-so-cute car, and are giving away plants, alcohol, books... I guess this is really happening!

And, we are beginning the preparations for living in Havana. School applications, car buying, inventory (oh, crap!), etc... Since this is our 3rd major move, things seem less frantic this time. Or perhaps, I feel less frantic this time. I have more faith that things will eventually work out. It might be confusing for a while - what gets moved where, and how, and when - but it will all work out somehow.

I am almost relaxed!

happy, exhausted

Sam returned last night from his first trip "away" without parental/family supervision. All of the grade 4s at TIS went camping - they left EARLY monday morning, and returned wednesday evening. They sort of staggered off the bus - filthy, exhausted, odiferous, sunburned and really really really happy.

Sam had no voice left at all (although that didn't stop him from sampling all of the new campfire songs he learned as we drove home) - from telling stories, singing and telling jokes around the campfire. He told the "Desert Island/Surprise" joke - I'm not sure how I feel about this. It is a great joke - but appropriate? Oh well. I guess that is what his teacher means by "I can't wait to hear what Sam will say next..."

He was just a happy, happy boy. The hardest part, he said, was going UP the tower for rappelling. As many of you may know, Sam's relationship with heights is not a friendly one. Staircases can be an issue... Well, no more. He has informed us that after rappelling, he is no longer afraid of heights. He has conquered his fear, and he is proud. And so am I. What a boy!

They slept out in tents, woke up at 5 am, cooked and cleaned up, went canoeing... Then returned home and crashed. Out like a light. Not a peep. We should arrange to do this more often.