Has my life ever changed! It used to revolve around UltraDad’s work schedule, and mostly involved meals: make sure his breakfast and supper are ready on time and pack his lunch every day (or night). When he worked days, I got up with him at 5:00 A.M.
Now he lives 80 miles away and, presumably, takes care of his own meals. And I haven’t actually cooked a meal since he left.
I think he is really enjoying his job, and I think he is enjoying living in a more remote area. I think he’s plowing snow tonight. People ask me if I’m “moving to Ruby Valley”. People ask me if he “usually comes here on weekends.” I tell them we haven’t been doing this long enough to have a “usually.” And no, I do not plan on moving to Ruby Valley, at least not now. Truth to tell, I have no idea what I would DO there.
But enough about UltraDad; what is going on in MY life, you ask? I am nearly done with my first semester of “back to college.” I have really enjoyed Poli Sci and have muddled through online Music. I’ll let you know the final verdict after finals next week. I had tea in the cafeteria after our last onsite class today with Peggy, a fellow student who is nearly my age. It was so interesting; our lives parallel each other’s in so many ways. Both of us were returning to school and had originally gone for 1 1/2 years. Both had 4 kids nearly the same ages. We exchanged emails and phone numbers, and I hope we will keep in touch.
I am trying to catch up on my routine end-of-the-year medical procedures. Wednesday I had a fun colonoscopy and will have the mammogram next week. The colonoscopy, my first ever, was actually not too bad, and the results were unremarkable, which is good.
I am still working at the prison store 4 afternoons a week. We just got in some new frozen products: Cheeseburgers, Polish Sausages, Eggrolls and Ranch Dip, so that is very exciting for all concerned.
I have decided to take a Certified Nurses Aid class next semester to see if nursing might possibly be a good career choice for me.
Mostly, the ‘boys’ and I are adjusting to being alone. There is definitely more time to be self indulgent, which I am. And more time to self reflect, which I do. And more time to get things done, which, at least for now, I am not. But I am trying to get back to posting. Perhaps the rest will follow.
Mildly-depressed-but-I’ll-get-over-it
UltraMom
UltraBob and I spent four days last week in Osaka and Kyoto to have some relaxing time alone while our baby is still inside me and quiet 
Osaka is famous for delicious but reasonably priced foods, and I think I ate too much. I might get scolded by my doctor for gaining weight at next week’s appointment.
Some of you may be waiting for the story of the dog day event I mentioned in my last post, and I just realized that it’s already been a month! I actually entered my sixth month of pregnancy today!
I’m sure that the details of the tradition vary depending on where in Japan you or your family is from. My report is based on what my mother and my aunt taught to me.
Just as years go through twelve different animals in the Chinese zodiac, there are zodiac signs for the days in a month. It is a Japanese tradition to wear a maternity belt for the first time and pray for an easy delivery on the dog day of the fifth month of pregnancy. This is because of the easy time dogs apparently have in giving birth to puppies.
Firstly you prepare some sekihan (rice made with red beans, a symbolic food seen in Japanese celebrations) and dango (dumplings with sweet bean paste). You then give these traditional celebratory foods to people you want to announce your pregnancy to. Then as a return of happiness, you’ll get some cotton cloth back from them, and make your own maternity belts with it. Some people visit a shrine (or a temple) to pray and receive a protective charm.
I’m not sure if it is really possible to do all of this in one day though.
I think people these days usually purchase maternity belts from stores and begin wearing them on the dog day of the fifth month. Some still visit a shrine (or a temple) and share celebratory food with family or friends.
On my dog day, my mother prepared the sekihan and dango for us and we shared with some people. My 96-year-old grandma was very excited to hear about the news. UltraBob usually refuses these red-colored foods, but this time he ate with us. My mother wrote a kanji word “
” (meaning “a celebration”) on my belt in red ink, which I guess was part of the tradition, but seemed really strange to me.
This coming Thursday, I’m attending a parenting class for the first time with UltraBob.
I’m looking forward to getting useful information from the class.
Also I’m going to write about more of the Japanese traditions and lore I’ve learned about in my next post. I’m interested to know about Western traditions and lore as well.
I was looking over my husbands shoulder and saw him reading about the maternity belts. This is a custom that I am not used to, but with the baby shower it is where friends and family, give the expecting mothers gifts before the baby is born
