Eating the fridge and the freezer...

No, we are not eating the fridge, but we thought some weeks ago that we really needed to go through the fridge and freezer, and just see what was there.

Scary thought, because you never know just what you'll find! Like plum juice. What did I think we'd need to keep that for?. And there were also those things you part-used and meant to go back and have another meal from.

Then, when you check your own label, (that's if if you've been really good and actually remembered to label it), you discover it has well and truly gone past its use-by date, and then some. And as careful as you are with bread, why is the bottom of the freezer always littered with crumbs??

We did a big check, and a clear out, and have actually had some good meals from some of the finds, and so now the fridges and the freezers are seriously depleted, and can just sit there until we return. We'll even turn one off altogether.

The other thing you have to do, is not buy any more things, especially in the last 2 weeks. Just get what you need from day to day.

Ready, set, go!!

Are we ready yet? Yes. Are we totally ready, well almost.
Today we got all the potted plants we wanted to survive, and bedded them into one of our vegie beds, and covered them a little with straw mulch. 
We did this last trip and all survived. It's mainly the small pots, as the larger ones seem to cope better, and we have re-potted a few. They will stay on the stand in the courtyard and when we get more rain, they will benefit. Of course with the colder weather, most of them will "shut-down" for winter.

The rest of the garden is looking good, but only because of all the rain we've had, and we have mulched everything we can, and planted a few things that needed to be in the ground. If we lose stuff, then too bad. There are a few late tomatoes which we hope will still colour up, and our son can use them.

We've pulled the zucchini plants, which have been very bountiful this year, and we used the last of our home-grown onions just last week. The sweet corn was also used up, so everything can now just sit and wait through winter.
The house will need a final whip through just before we go, and then we just turn everything off and close the door, and go!

Realisation...

It just dawned on me that, if in fact there is anyone out there reading these posts, I may have come across as completely selfish and insensitive in my attitude to going overseas at this time, and through Japan.

We cannot begin to comprehend what the people of Japan are going through, and we really feel for them. 
However, this trip is very important to us for lots of reasons, not the least of which is that we had wanted to go last year, and deferred it after our beloved Samuel died, but also to try and complete as much of our family research as we can, once and for all, while we still have the chance.
It will never be complete, (and can't be, because there is still the future to come), but we do want to leave as much as we can to those who follow.

We will most probably never travel this far again, so it has to be now.

On a clear day, you can see forever...

Tokyo and beyond, and our local rain...

As a last thing to settle my own mind, I rang the hotel at Narita Airport (Tokyo), and after listening to a very fast set of sentences in Japanese, I timidly asked if this was the hotel we were supposed to be staying at. 

Immediately, a very clear voice, (same person), in perfect English, said it was and we began our conversation.

The different 'inflections' in the Australian voice take over, and they quickly realise they are speaking to someone from another country. Then when I had to spell out my surname, doing the B for Bob thing, she very quickly fell into the rhythm of it and we got on famously!

Bottom line was, that all is OK at their hotel, and everything is functioning well, and they were looking forward to seeing us. So, having confirmed that all is well, I can now get on the plane and expect to get to the UK without any problems. As I have said, both the Sydney and Narita airports have had flights to and from, ever since the earthquake.

The bigger problem is here at home, where we haven't been able to complete all the jobs we wanted to do in the garden, because of the recent rains. It's either too wet to do anything, or too wet to plant or remove stuff, so as of tonight, we have decided we will do the most important things, and then just go.

If there is anyone out there reading this blog, please keep posted, because there will be plenty more...