And just over three weeks in Japan…
All is going well… well reasonably well, all things considered! Training is still positive and Bob has managed to stick to his retreat-cum pilgrimage schedule and routine… but has a list of growing small niggly ailments: from cracked and chapped hands and feet, to a small but festering cut on the foot and a calf pull high up behind the right knee that has made kneeling impossible for the past few days.
It's cold. No snow yet, no longer expected, but lots of spring festivals starting - music and ice sculptures by the lake… Bob's still cycling into class… The JAG team have all left Narita for the sight-seeing part of their trip and should be back home later this week.
Luren was the last to leave, and I believe he was delighted to learn the first two gogyo iai kata on the last day. The next day Bob had four solid hours of iai under Otake Sensei's watchful eye. He was the only one on the floor - and that was when the knee went from niggle to painful and has not bent properly since…
Bob has 15 days more training (and two rest Sundays) before heading up north to Nikko - unless the knee gets worse and requires a change in plans.
Shaz is alive and kicking … and finally finding the space to settle down into a routine (rather than run off to Zululand or fly to Cape Town for the day)… The lawn mower was reported to task mistress PAWS for insubordination (taking 20 pulls to start) and after a gruff bark realised that co-operation was required or no further petrol would be forthcoming… and has been much better behaved since then!
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