Roses, Cake, Hitchhikers.

I've been making it a point to go out to a park every Sunday. Today's big trip was out to a rose garden near Komagome. Kyu-Furukawa is famous for its rose garden and a western-style building that is the work of the English architect, Josiah Condor (the same person who designed the Nicolai Cathedral in Ochanomizu). There is also a nice little Japanese style garden at the back with a lovely pond. 

I spent about three hours there and had a good walk around (and of course took a lot of pictures). You can buy a lot of rose-related souvenirs. I treated myself to some rose-flavoured ice-cream and a bag of jellies. I almost didn't go, as looking at the clouds this morning, I was pretty sure it was going to pour down, but by some miracle it didn't rain.

This week it was hubby's birthday. I went out shopping late Monday and was lucky enough to get him presents and a cake before the shops shut, but it was a close thing. there aren't many places you can get a birthday cake at close to 9 o'clock at night. so thank god for department stores. I managed to get him a lovely cream sponge with fresh strawberries on it. The lady asked if I wanted his name icing onto a chocolate plaque, and I had a brain wave and had his nickname iced on it instead. She looked at me strangely when she read it and even more so when I started laughing. I was worried about getting it home in one piece as it was so massive, but they packed it pretty securely so I didn't end up with it in a dollop at the bottom of the bag. I went to Body Shop first to try to get him some bathroom stuff, but the staff in there were so annoying that I left after 5 minutes; they followed me around the shop explaining everything to me even though the name and function of every product was clearly written on the labels in two languages. I hate pushy assistants - I can't concentrate when they are bleating at me - so I left. It all worked out for the best, as I ended up in Lush and bought him a pile of hand-made stuff for the bathroom: herbal shampoo bar; honey soap, peppermint soap, herbal facial scrub, lavender massage bar. I hope to take him out for dinner somewhere tonight. He likes steaks, and I would like to take him to TGIF, but he might not want to go that far away, so we might end up in Billy the Kid again.

Last week we had to endure the noise of the school sports day - this week and next week it's the painters. On Thursday I noticed a poster at the entrance to our apartment building announcing that the painters will be redecoration over the next fortnight, starting at 8:30 each morning and finishing at six. As I work late and hubby works nights, this will be another two weeks of sleep deprivation. They started in style on Friday, drilling holes in the walls to attach the scaffolding at 8:30 on the dot. More than the noise I am worried about what might happen to my cactus, Wilbur, as they will be covering the balconies with tarps for two weeks and no light will be getting in. I might have to take him to work with me so that he can get some sunshine.

I finished watching "The Singing Detective" on YouTube - thoroughly enjoyed it - and now I'm part way through the original BBC series of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". That's when telly was good, not crap like it is today.

Oh well, time for a cup of peppermint tea and to clean out the hamster. He smells of pee and there are fruit flies hovering over his banana.