Stoat - Where?

Sunday is a bit different from the other days of work as the early shifters finish at 5:20 instead of 5:40. And, if we make the 5:25 train, we get home about 35 minutes earlier than usual. Naturally, the only thing to do in this extra time is eat and drink, so every week we head off to Ogiya, a small Yakitori place near Gifu Station for what has become known as Beer on Sticks. Yakitori, if you didn’t know, is all the bits of the chicken you would never normally eat made acceptable because it’s on a skewer. Hearts, necks, gizzards, knuckles and the rest, as well as some pork and bacon stuff are all on the menu. Because we start so early we’re usually done by 9 or 10, which is nice because it means people can go even if they have work the next day.
(more…)

I’ve just finished speaking with a couple of Japanese Jehovah’s Witnesses, who knocked on my door out of the blue. Apparently they’re going round all the English speaking people in the area and encouraging them to get exercise. They must have known I haven’t played football for a while. They didn’t take up much of my time and were very friendly and softly-spoken in the manner of most Japanese people who are imposing on you in some way. In general I hate the idea of missionaries, but it’s difficult to be angry when it’s just a smiling Japanese man chatting with you.
(more…)