Japanese horses

I'm supposed to be leaving the house in 23 mins and I still need to shower and dress for work, so this is only a quick catchup note. 

On Saturday I went horseriding with Emma, an American JET who lives in the next town over.  She managed to chance upon a riding stable of sorts - three horses, one of which is pretty chilled to the extent that it is used for riding demonstrations while the rider fires a traditional bow and arrow, one of which is young and green and one which is a little pony.  Emma has been riding the green horse a couple of times a week, training it up, so I rode the chilled one.  After wandering round the arena for a while as Emma trained up her one, the Japanese bloke who owns them came out, bareback, on the little pony and we were told we were going for a trail ride.  He took us on a little ride past a little lake/dam above his rice paddies, past a random little cemetary hidden in the bushes, along a little ridgeline and back down to the stable.  It was a short but super cute trail ride!  Especially because I was on a ploddy chilled horse following this spry older Japanese man saddle-less on his little pony.  I thought my family would have approved!

Sunday we went down to Fukuyama to pick up a couple of things (important things like real coffee and Vegemite!).  We got a little bit of Christmas shopping done (trying to be organised early because it's hard to get stuff here that a) you can't get in NZ, b) isn't lots more expensive than NZ and c) is postage-friendly) then headed home in time to catch the vege shop before it closed.  The highlight of the day (other than the cute hat I bought!) was dinner - I had been craving something spicey so I made an Indian curry (Japanese do not do spicey, none of their food is hot :(  ).  The curry was really tasty and we ate far too much of it.  But it was so good, and wasn't an expensive meal.  I forsee me making it very often!! 

Ok, shower time.  13 mins, eek!!  Gosh, I'm terrible with time!!!! 

Hope you are all well,
Charly