Getting a little bit hungry

[BarleySugar]

Our Japanese student (JD) is cooking dinner tonight, with help from DD. They started at 6.30 with 7.30 in mind to eat. It wasn't until 7.25 that DD asked the best way to cook the potatoes and carrots that were supposed to be added already cooked, to the curry. Then they set up the steamer timer, but when they went back, the veg were still raw, they had forgot to plug it in Much giggling etc, and we are still waiting for dinner. OH has had a sneaky snack to keep his blood sugar up. The curry smells really nice, but no call to eat yet. We are resolutely keeping out of the way, letting them cope.

[kirsty b]

Aww, bless!

[lynda66]

*chucks you a pot noodle* ...... just in case

[BarleySugar]

Dinner was really nice, ate at 9.15, but I think JD ate too much. Her electronic translator said stomach ulcer, although that is not in her medical questionnaire. I hope it's just indigestion. She has some medicine with her from Japan that she has taken, and I've told her to come get me if she feels worse. Such a shame, she and DD enjoyed doing the dinner so much.

[bobleponge]

Good that she feels comfortable enough to cook for you all though. You're clearly doing it right and she is very happy where she is.

[sallym]

Can I come and be an exchange student in your house? Sound like great fun and I don't need a translator, well not when I'm sober.

[BarleySugar]

Yesterday, before they cooked dinner, I took JD and DD to a Pamper Day at the local village hall. They would not try any treatments, but persuaded me into a reflexology. It was great, once I got over the idea of laying down in the village hall! JD bought some raffle tickets, once we explained what the idea was. She won a massage chair session, which she insisted on giving to me, instead of choosing another prize for herself.
Luckily she seems fine today, so I hope it was just indigestion. Tomorrow we all have a day off school so we are going to see Santa. DD said she will insist he sees them both, if he won't it's agism (sp?).

[smallblueplanet]

Glad your new 'daughter' is okay BS, it sounds like you'll all have a fun Christmas! Do the japanese have santa?

[BarleySugar]

She is nominally Buddist, but not practising. She is very interested in what Christams actually means to us, and our traditions. Apparently they do decorate etc for Christmas, but I do not think she actually does santa in their family. However tomorrow we will be getting her a stocking, and we have already started looking at stocking fillers for the 2 of them. They have advent calendars for tomorrow, and I have managed to get tickets for the Christmas eve carol service at our local church. I did have to agree to doing a reading as a representative of the gardening club (blackmail?). It is so popular they had to bring in ticket only(not charge) on health and safety grounds! It is just a shame the congregation goes down to around 15 regulars through the year.
We still attend our old church, so guilty! JD is quite happy to come with us next week to our regular church, and will be helping with the kiddies at the children's service as DD does that each month. I'm not sure whether she will go to the Sunday school lessons DD is going to be teaching in the New Year though.
It is lovely to see the change in her already, and she hasn't even been with us a fortnight yet.

[smallblueplanet]

Whereabouts in Kent are you BS? The OH comes from Marden. I think you could have an extra special xmas with the fun of explaining the meanings and traditions to JD, it'll allow you to do all the things you thought your kids/yourself were too old to do?

[BarleySugar]

We are in Iwade, the church apparently has the oldest bell in the country. We moved here 4 years ago. Only thing is there is an appalling bus service, and the 'children' have to rely on the Mum and Dad taxi service to get anywhere. Good or bad depending on which angle you look at it

[BarleySugar]

We still do stockings etc, my Mum and Dad always did, right up until we left home. It will be interesting when my 2 sons come home from uni. JD has their room She and DD are fine with sharing tho, we explained the situation to the rep and JD before she came. As it was an emergency placement, not something we'd have considered otherwise, they were both fine about it. Apparently some students have to share with host siblings anyway.

[smallblueplanet]

It looks a lovely church. I see you have xmas drinks on 4th Dec!

Welcome to Iwade Village

[BarleySugar]

We have so many new houses in Iwade, and the church is in walking distance for most people, so as well as looking the part, it is lovely to walk down to the carol service. They do an evening one for adults, and an afternoon one for the children.
I'm looking forward to 4th taking some of my chilli jam to go with the cheese and biccies. Do you want to come? Our gardening club was originally going to be the allotment society, but as we still haven't got anywhere with that, it changed name. Did think about the No Allotment Club, but thought better of it. As a result of the club, and the blog we all intended to start, but only a couple of us did, I've been asked to write a regular gardening column for the newsletter, starting January, so now all I need to do is to think....what do I do in January?