Well, today was the second day of our neighborhood festival.

last night was the business peoples party, with a beer garden and karaoke.

arrived late having taught a class near the Tokyo stock exchange. met up with a friend who, having broken up with her boyfriend is looking for someone to share a place with. another friend is also looking for a place to live as the guy he is living with is moving to bangkok, and he holds the lease. phone calls were made and they will meet next Tuesday, not really nz style, but hopefully they can get it together.

after that, went over to the festival, our landlord is the head of the local neighborhood group and as such, is responsible for organising the festival – the 998th time!

he gave me half a dozen beer tickets, which were a welcome present. met a deaf guy and practiced the little japanese sign language i know. we managed somehow to communicate!

our not so philipino friend sang wonderfully. i didn't get my shit together to sing, which is probably a good thing as there were children present!

then we went back to the tachinomi for a few drinks, and when that closed we went next door to our house to carry on. almost a very messy evening!

Saturday, woke up late and spent the day on a presentation for ernst and young on Thursday. finished! then back for day two of the festival. today was family day, with games, food, and a prize draw. we won a case of Chinese noodles, and a strange lighted miniature japanese garden. the noodles will be a great present for our friend in china we are visiting next week.