Chains

I am so tired right now. I didn't come back from Miyoko's dinner last night until about 2am. I had to wake up at 7 this morning. And if there is one thing that I need more than anything while I am here, it is sleep. There is too much stress here. It is just 24x7 stress. Back in the States I only stressed out every now and then, but not here. I need my stupid sleep. I almost fell asleep here today, at this desk in front of everyone. I couldn't think nor focus on any thing. I would look down at what I was writing after I snapped out of my daze, and it was just scribbles on the paper.
But last night was good. Shooting the shit with other ALTs is always great, especially since I don't hang out with them all too often. I like to know how they are doing and what things they are up to and what they teach their kids. Plus the food is great. At last weeks dinner we had two cakes, one for me and one for Aussie Mark. I took my cake home and still have some of infact. But last night was US Mark's birthday, well it is on Friday. So we had another awesome cake. I need to start running or something. Or maybe just stick just fish and rice. I love the sweets here. The chocalte is so good, not that waxy Hershey crap. This stuff starts to melt as soon as you look at it.
So the dinner was great. One of the conversations about the ice on the roads. They don't use salt here. Well they do, but they don't dump it all over the place and turn the streets white before a single snowflake falls. So the roads are icy when it gets really cold. It has only happened once since I have been here. Luckily I didn't have to drive anywhere that day. But I have heard too many stories of cars bumping off of guard rails and sliding into rice patties. In hopes to avoid this I have order a set of chains for me front tires(front wheel drive). I hope they are easy to put on and off. It's just I have been warned so many times since I have been back that I am worried. I have every right to be too seeing as how the roads are all twisty and narrow. Plus there are inclines and declines everywhere. There is a 45 degree down-grade going into the parking at Sougawa elementry school. I just hope the cold weather passes soon. It has been warm the last couple days, but I know that will not last long.
Oh and last night, this is one of those you had to be there stories, when I was driving back home at 1 in the morning I was stopped at a light in the middle of Gobo. No one around of course, except the car that I was behind at the light. Then a stray dog strolls, this dog strolled, in front of us and in the cross walk from one side to the other. It was as if he had pushed the button and waited for the light to turn red and then proceeded. Plus it was 1am and he was alone. There are stray cats everywhere too, so I guess there could be stray dogs too.