Alacrity

The day we sent Grand-dad off I got the Kanji kentei 5級 certificate in the post. It felt very hollow. Nevertheless, forward!

I studying for 4級 now and there are some really hard characters

• 払 to pay はら(う),フツ
  
• 敷 to spread し(く),フ
  
• 匹 to be equal　ひき,ヒン
• 壁 a wall　かべ,ヘキ
  
• 凡 mediocre　はん,ボン
  
• 捕 to arrest　つか(まえる),と(る), ホ
  
• 敏 luxurious　ビン eg 敏活
  
• 尾 the end, tail　お,ビ eg 首尾 the outcome, result

敏活 is composed of two characters; 敏 (びん) meaning luxurious and 活(かつ) meaning life, so it should mean 'luxurious life' but my dictionary says 'quick (to seize opportunity)' and the English word 'alacrity' (which I didn't know, but you can find anything on the internet).

My wife is still not back to normal. The Buddhist timetable says we can go out again after 49 days. I hope after that we can 'seize the day'.

Long time no blog.

The principle reason (excuse) to come to Japan was to take care of the old folks. In this act of altruism, I'd get first-hand experience in Japan and the kids would be able to understand their mother-tongue. I guess I didn't think it through. I couldn't get a job, so Maki did. Now it's been a long time since I was an engineer.

Both parents-in-law have now passed on, and with wishing to seem unkind, that mission is done; what now ?

We have (almost) recovered from the bereavement and it's time to formulate the new mission. I used the old folks as an excuse to come to Japan. The longer I'm here the more I understand and the more I enjoy it. So there is the plan - all things Japanese. The goal is to be able to enjoy it. That means understanding and deriving some revenue from it. The problem is then how spread knowledge of Japan throughout the world. Solution: internet.

From now, I'm studying kanji, Japanese music, shamisen, shakuhachi and JSP and JSF.
It was a bitter moment when we arrived home after my father-in-law's cremation; I recieved Kanji Kentei 5-kyu certificate in the post. I should have been elated, but he was a nice old bloke and he is missed at home.

Next, in July Kanji-kentei 4-kyu, JLPT 2-kyu (again!!) and Sun Certified Web Component Developer exam