Haircutting Day at the Felkers

As you can see, today the boys both had haircuts, courtesy of their father. Yesterday we explored Monbetsu (about an hour away in other other direction from Nayoro). While shopping, we found a great pair of cordless clippers. Aaron and I had been wondering what we would do when the time came for Ridge and Holt to get a haircut. It is hard enough getting them to sit for an English-speaking person, I have been a little anxious at the prospect of having to undertake this task in another country. So, Aaron solved the problem by doing it himself. Unfortunately, neither of the boys would keep still long enough for me to take an "after" picture, so check back tomorrow and I'll try again.

Holt, as always, has his groupies watching the drama unfolding in our driveway. That's our car behind Aaron. The empty car shed is normally where it is parked. It also seems to be filled with a wide selection of differently sized skis. Too bad I don't know how to ski. Anyway, the younger girl is Nana. She is a second-grader. The older girl is in the fifth grade and is Nana sister. I haven't learned her name yet, but on Friday I will finally have a lesson with the Nishiokoppe Elementary fifth and sixth-graders, so I'll learn it then. She is a bug-catcher extrordinaire. Last week she came traipsing up to the house with a small frog that just sent Ridge into a tizzy with excitement. Today, while Ridge was getting his hair cut, I saw her sitting at the end of our driveway showing Holt how to hold dragonflies by their wings without hurting them. She's a great kid. I made brownies again today, and we shared them with the kids. Aaron gave the fifth-grade girl one. She bowed deeply (she always does that - she seems to be very respectful), took it, and walked away. We were inside (Ridge was being punished - we have sinced learned the word in Japanese for "punish" so we can explain to the kids why Ridge can't come out and play), and so she ducked around the corner somewhat out of sight. She gave it a discreet sniff and then ventured into taking a bite. She must have liked it because it disappeared pretty fast!

The next seven days should have plenty of photo opportunities, and I'll try to continue posting as much as I can. Being Fall, now, both Nishiokoppe and Kamiokoppe will be having Shinto festivals this week. Kamiokoppe's is on Tuesday and Nishiokoppe's is on Sunday next. The following Monday is a more fun-like festival, at which I have been informed I will be expected to sing Kareoke with the middle school English teacher. Oh well, at least he let me pick the song.