1 week after work...

Hi everyone who bothers to read this, sorry it is long!

It has been pretty good, the kids are mostly good and we are getting into a routine now. I get up around 6am and have a shower, most of the time the kids don't wake until 6:30. I make myself a coffee and something to eat while they come down and I get them some breakfast. After they have eaten and cleaned up we usually go for a walk to the park (while it is still cool - and assuming it doesnt rain). When we get back i put on a DVD so i can rest for a bit (it gets really hot and the pram is heavy to push). During the day we do various things, but around 11:15 i make lunch so at 11:30 they can eat. After i have cleaned Andrew up i put him to bed - and he usually sleeps 2-4hrs! I let Ariana play computer games while i clean up the lunch mess and when i am done we do something that Andrew is too small to do. Around 4pm Joe or Felicia come home and that's all for me!

I like to go for walks around the place, there are alot of things i want to take photos of but i still dont have my camera (stupid ebay). I have my SLR and i have been playing with it but i don't like to take millions of photos with it because film and developing etc. The area is really beautiful, there are sugar cane feilds everywhere - some right near our house. The view here is lovley too, you can see the ocean from the window. The picture to the left is part of my backyard and some of the view, it is prettier from upstairs. In my bedroom at night i can see the city lights from one of the islands here and it's really nice too. The weather is crazy here, one day it's really hot and sunny the next it's really windy and rainy (but not cold). It starts to cool down in December but it never gets lower than around 15 degrees c.

I have been to the local max value (a large supermarket) and it is quite strange. They have lots of advertising around the place (video and radio) and one time i was walking and i heard a song from the radio singing "denshi renji" which means microwave lol. I found that things werent heaps expensive which is good (exept mellons which are $12-$15 but can be more in different seasons!) I also saw alcohol and fireworks in the ailses, which is nice i guess. I recently bought fantasia on DVD for around $5! I have wanted that for ages and although it has Japanese subtitles there isn't much talking in it. I also bought a bag wich is clear and has cute clovers on it, i need something i can throw everything into when i take the kids for a walk - good for going to the beach with as well. I went to the local mall (thing) and bought clothing, i was happy! The things i have seen are pretty decent too.

I have been on the American base several times now. I was surprized because it was so big - they have resturants, dorms, swimming pools, shops, bank, cinema, church and lots more. If you wanted you would never have to leave the base (i don't know why you would). It is weird going there because it is like a whole other country - i am experiance this Amreican culture as well as the Japanese so it is quite strange but i like it. I got to try Reece's peanut butter cups and i really like them :) The things on base are pretty cheap, and it is nice to have a place that speaks English too. Oh and alcohol is cheap too, i saw some of that absolut vodka (around $40AU at home) for half the price here! I bought some of that lychee liqure here and it is really nice (if you like lychees).

Some other random news I have decided to try a different type of Japanese drink from the vending machines every day. I have had a few different sports drinks, teas and juices. There are so many different types it is fun trying them, they taste different to drinks from home. I bought a new mobile phone :) it is black and nice looking and it came with a mini stationary kit (?). The brand is softbank which i thought was weird but it was cheap ($50 + $30 worth of credit free). I have been looking for some friends in Okinawa to show me around and practice my Japanese on, i want to meet someone who is around my age but i have alot of older people msging me :s oh well.

This weekend Joe and Felicia had some people over from work for a BBQ. It was nice to meet new people and not hang around kids all the time! On Sunday two of their friends and us went to the aquirium. It was the first thing i got to see besides going on my walks and down to the base. It was so full but it was still nice to see. We had Japanese food for lunch and then went back home.

Not much else to say, i have been busy alot and i hope to soon figure out the bus system here. I really want to buy an electronic dictionary so i am investigating that :) i am having a good time though. I might update my blog weekly for people to look at but i will stop emailing you all coz i dont think everyone cares that much. Hope everything is good in Australia (i have been watching chaser online and looking at the news every now and then). Cya

-Alicia