Sunny Saturday

and not much to report. My foot still hurts and I've had to cancel a party out of town tomorrow, as I have no way to get there that does not involve pain or further injury. It's okay though, just around the house. The worst part is the anxiety of the fear that someone's going to kick it. I went to the clinic get a new dressing this morning, and had a foot bath for the swelling, while in the rehabilitation room trying to corral the 3 kids, with ever-so-helpful staff who did thoughtful things like give Erica a ball to play with.

Lena was reading a book with pictures of Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights, which made me think the odd rehabilitation contraptions looked a little like his Hells.

Spent the day reassuring, convincing and reminding my daughters that yes, indeed, I was actually truly really banning TV for the day. I caved, and let them watch Nanny McPhee while I put Erica to bed for her nap. But the trick mostly worked, they remembered they have toys, and are now playing with them. A much better day than yesterday, when trips to three stores to spend about $200 on food that'll probably last less than a week left us all frazzled and mental - the lack of air conditioning in my car doesn't help. But I wanted it done so that shopping is not on the list of things to do for the next few days at least.

Had a lovely dinner out at one of my favorite restaurant's yesterday too, Diner's Kitchen, with a guy who used to work at Keio years ago and is back in town for the summer holiday so his partner can visit home. And in the next few days I will meet with yet another guy who used to work at Keio years ago and is back in town for the summer holiday so his partner can visit home!
Dinner in tonight, but sinful none-the-less:

here is photographic proof of why I am still a fattie while my husband is rapidly becoming a thinny: Me cooking chocolate sauce, and him frying dried burdock root for a slimming tea.

And a completely superfluous one of the spider I executed, just after I took this shot...

... and no, spiders don't generally lead to excess babies around here, especially since yours truly is the one who ends up having to exterminate them. Erica may however, be so traumatized that she does not ever have a bath again. I didn't try today, I will try to get her in the shower with me in the morning instead. The spider was first spotted by Lena on the wall of the bath/shower room while she and Erica were in there, and she screamed. Erica saw it at the same time it heard Lena scream and it started to run, so the combination of running spider and screaming sister terrified Erica. I hobble-ran to the bathroom to save my babies, in time to see it escape. It was when I came back in ten minutes that I took the above shot and then applied the bug spray (followed by quickly slamming the door and running away, as I have seen big bugs go nuts after getting sprayed, it's not pretty!).

Anyway, the girls then wanted to watch Home Alone, which seemed harmless enough, only... I forgot about the famous tarantula scene. Now I think she may have the beginnings of a morbid fear, she read our DK spider book at bedtime, and hopefully not a phobia. Mums, the above may well be fool proof instructions for creating a phobia in your toddler. Take notes.