  Last night we went into the city centre to watch some fireworks (hanabi). This was an opportunity for Reiko to wear her Yukata which is a traditional Japanese robe. The fireworks were okay but they were mostly obscured by the large buildings in the city centre and as I had seen this kind of thing before many times they seemed to pale into insignificance amongst the bright neon lights of the city.
Also as food is much more important than anything in the Shiraishi family, the fireworks were quickly abandoned for a local Chinese restaurant where we met up with Reiko`s father for a meal. In the restaurant there was a TV showing the Japan versus Bahrain game in the Asia cup quarter final which is on in Beijing. I tell you these Japs could teach us something. They pass quickly and seem to live on limitless luck. In the previous game it was one all and down to penalty kicks. Japan missed their first two penalties and still managed to win after sudden death penalties thanks to an incredible save by the Japanese goalie.
In this game they won by four goals to three thanks to a goal near the end of extra time. I reckon they should come to England and give a lecture on luck acquiring skills. Today I saw Maki and Tommy and their kids Lyoma (Dragon) and Kotaro (Tiger) and went to play football and on a kite (with varying degrees of success) in what the Japanese would call a park and the English would call a gravel pit. It rained, there were tears all around and having been bored being left with the kids, Maki and Reiko zoomed off in the car (unawares to us) leaving us to kick a football in the rain. The rain has fortunately plunged the heat down so I can just about tolerate the heat. Today I also gained my Izumi city citizen card and am now fully registered as an Osakan citizen mwaa ha ha!
I am addicted to Harvest Moon on the GBA and green tea ice cream and am being forced to listen to questionable Japanese pop groups called Mr Children (sinister overtones anyone? ), Bump of Chicken (? ) and GLAY. By the way I am still alive as you may guess by my relatively regular posts here so if anyone actually fancies contacting me, you know my email address. Apologies but subtle hints never seem to work in my opinion..... Bye bye. 
