Shuumatsu.

Today was rather hot. But not too bad. Had my first bike ride in Japan today. Almost died only once! But it was really fun. Yuki has a little seat on the back of her bicycle where Rei sits, it's amazing how she can pull him along when she's so tiny. Looked really heavy. Speaking of being tiny, I call Rei "saru-chan" because saru is monkey and he likes to jump and climb all over everything and has a lot of energy. So tonight he called me Zou-something (I didn't catch the last word). Zou means elephant. Yuki asked him why he called me that and he replied, because she's big! Five year old boy: 1, Self-esteem: 0. Anyway, so we biked to the Panya bakery place and picked up some breakfast. I had choko-meeron (chocolate melon) bread and some blueberry thing. We brought it home and had it with a hardboiled egg and salad. After breakfast I did chores!! I've already mentioned this about Japan, but I'd just like to re-emphasize: EVERYTHING IS SO CLEAN. All the time. They take great care to clean everything. First I put my laundry in- I dont know if this is a common thing among Japanese households, but they don't have a dryer and everything is put on these handy close line hook things that go outside. The washing machine first does a spin of all the clothes, I think to weigh it, then decides how long the wash should be for. I had a small load and it decided it would only take twenty-seven minutes. So while that was in, I vaccumed my wooden floor with this convenient little light-weight vaccuum, and dusted. Then my laundry was done, so I hung that out to dry.
Then we biked to the suupaa to get some groceries and something for lunch. They dont use grocery carts in their grocery stores, I've learned. Just baskets. Last time we went, Rei pushed a little cart for us. It was very cute haha. Also, once they're done at the checkout, they take their baskets to another little shelf thing against the wall and bag their own groceries! So efficient! After lunch, I rested a little while because Yuki took Rei to his taisou-shitsu (gymnastics class). Then they came back and we biked to a store called uniqlo, which is reaallyyy popular here, because they had a sale, then biked to a small gas station like store (without the gas part) where we met another homestay mother, Miyuki, and her two kids and got ice cream before going back to Miyuki's house. While at the gas stationish store, I was looking at this teen magazine. I was so surprised to find some of the stuff that was in there!!!! Japanese girls want to look more like westerners so they dye their hair lighter and draw on their eyeliner such that it goes below the actual bottom eye lid, to make them look bigger. It was really scary looking!!
After Miyuki's we went to another HUGE 100￥store. they had a HUGE art section too and everything was only a little over a dollar!!!!! I got a sketchbook, 12 pencils in a box, and a pencil sharpener for $3.80. They also had oil paints, water colors, acrylics, pre-gessoed board, palletes and all sorts of stuff for 105￥!!!! I almost fainted. Considering going back there and picking some of that stuff up... since it's only a dollar each... (Still in shock.) After that we went to this place for dinner called...... um. shoot. something-ya. ukiya? blah I already forgot. Anyway the inside kind of reminded me of a fast food restaurant, but the food was SO GOOD! not like any fast food restaurant in america (once again, shocker.). The food was reeallyy fast though. Then we went home, did the ofuro, and now here I am. Oh! Also at dinner, instead of bringing water free of charge like in america, they brought tea!!!!! So great.
Tomorrow I'm biking to Miyuki's and going with Gaby (my fellow gakusei) to Jing's party! Hopefully we dont get lost..... Yay good times!
Jya~