It's been a great week ... with another one to follow

This week started with an Ikebana class. I LOVE the autumn colors and this class more than any other so far really lifted my spirits.

Autumn Moribana

Then I did an Italian Cooking Course at Newlyns Farm Shop with a friend and had a fabulous time. I made pasta and bread and both were delicious.

Rolling the pasta

Feeling very pleased that my cutting worked and i have Pasta!

Scrumptious pesto bread

We even made biscotti!

YUMMY! Orange and chocolate

I finished the week with another Ikebana class (two in one week is very indulgent) and we did MOONS. We learnt about the Harvest Moon, the Hunter Moon which led us to the Ikebana designs of full moon, waxing moon, and waning moon.

My freestyle design

We used autumn materials from Di's garden and again, my spirits soared.

It a few hours later and I'm still happy and chirpy and realised I haven't felt this genuinely happy for quite a while.

The happiness continues as we await our next visitors. the_3_of_us LOVE having guests stay over. To date, we've had 18 people stay (and we've only been here a year, and that doesn't count some people revisiting several times) 

I’ve just realized (hence the blog NOW) that within the next 2 weeks, we will have friends from the 3 cities we’ve called home visit with us. 

Tonight, MrsO and her son will be with us. MissM and Charlie were BF’s at the Montessori they attended. In fact, the owner/manager of the Montessori said ‘they are my first ever boyfriend/girlfriend team ever’

They would sit together, play together, put their arms around each other ever so casually during circle time, or hold hands to go downstairs to the small play area.

MrsO worked full time, and has 3 older kids, so as a little-one, Charlie would be schlepped around like most No4 kids are …. We had a few after school play dates, but not many.

Charlie wanted to be 'the' one to give MissM her farewell card and gift on her last day at Montessori, and was the final hug.

For his 8^th birthday Charlie asked ‘to go to England and see MissM seeing as she’s so close now, and to go to Legoland’ so that’s what they are doing.

It will be brilliant to see their faces – they’ve changed a lot since being four and half.

Will they still get on?

Will they remember the reality of their friendship?

Then it dawned on me, next Wednesday/Thursday we’ll be hosting dear Japanese friends. I am still slightly shocked (in a good way) that they will be here, as MrsS said 

to me when we were leaving ‘ we will try to visit you one day’

I think of all the people I had to say goodbye to, she was the hardest. Even writing this brings tears of joy to my eyes. She is truly one of the most genuine, gentlest, kindest ladies I have the privilage to call a friend.

One of the loveliest ladies I know

Her son and MissM were BF's from ELC (preschool at YIS) and enjoyed many play dates together, tho as soon as they turned 6 (or not long after) it wasn’t seen as cool to be hanging out together, so we did so in secret.

MissM and Yuki-chan at our first authentic Chinese New Year Parade

Our families get along very well indeed, and we shared Chinese New Year with them for the 3 years we lived in Japan.

We are so looking forward to returning the hospitality to them next week.

THEN on Friday night, my cousins from Sydney are stopping over for dinner and a sleep over, then we’re going into London to see a play while DH and MissM have a daddy-daughter-day (they haven’t had one of those for months)

SILs on the left, cousin on the right

Mid Novemebr sees the return of the godson, and a few days later, his youngest sister arrives. They’ll be with us for 3-4 nights before taking off to Iceland and goodness knows where else.

This is the time when being an expat is one of the most awesome, rewarding, fulfilling, fun, emotional lifestyles anyone could ask for. We have been fortunate to live in 3 amazing cities, and, to have called each one HOME.

We’ve met incredibly lovely people who have opened their hearts and homes to us even tho we’ve only been in their lives on a day-to-day basis for a very short time (relatively speaking) yet the bonds of friendship are very tight.

Our Japanese friends were more than gracious to help us with language, and cultural issues, to share with us their customs and festivals.

the_3_of_us are so excited about this week, starting this evening ……

There will be lots of champagne drunk over the coming nights.

With friendship

x