Where has the week gone.

Hi all, I've just realized that it's been over a week since I posted!!! It has been pretty busy at work and last weekend was busy aswell. Another one of the boys has left the firm to go to Tokyo to another job. So that was Friday night taken care of. Another Karaoke experience and home to bed. I was very, very drunk. In fact, I was feeling the effects after a can of beer!!! AAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I have to train how to drink all over again now *sigh*. Saturday was spent in a heap but I did purchase a brand new, fire-engine red, pimping(!) fold-up bike for myself. All for the bargain price of 50yoyos. Photos will be posted soon. So in my hungover state, I cycled around the area I live, aimlessly, as it was a beautiful day and I needed to clear my head.

I tootled off to the Tsutya to get the last 8 hours of 24 Season 4 and watched that for the evening. Well, not all of it. I fell asleep in the chair, which is not the most comfortable, so I went to bed. Sunday was gulling day with Neil and we turned up the following, amongst one of the heaviest downpour of rain I have ever experienced: 15-20 heuglini taimyrensis, a presumed 1st winter heuglini heuglini which has been present on each visit during the month, as well as 10+ mongolicus. We finally found a "white-winged" gull and were able to get excellent views of it, however it proved not to be the expected Kumlien's we were looking for but a different bird; clearly a 1st winter Thayer's! So possibly the bird we had originally seen on the 12th of March could have been this species afterall. We were delighted as it was a lifer for Neil. Many shouts of joy and punching of the air with fists, as only birders do, and as only birders understand why we do.

The week at work has been busy and tiring. My apartment phone rang at 5am on Monday morning!! Whoever the guilty party was, own up now ye langers!! Needless to say i couldn't get back to sleep and I slept on my desk at lunch time on Monday, as only I can do. I still haven't lost that talent, heheehheeee. Today, we had a Bio-group lunch, organized by Komatani-san under the sakura (cheery blossoms). The sakura are out in full bloom now and they should last for the next 10 days or so. It is quite beautiful really. The gaijins at work are organizing a hamani party this weekend. A hamani party is where you camp under the sakura for the night and all the following day, drinking, eating and being merry. The locals are mad for it and you can see entire families doing the same thing. All getting drunk under the trees, with babies, cats, dogs, and any other pet that they have. It's mad to see. I missed it last year as I arrived about a week too late.

And now, it's nearly Friday. I have a teleconference in the morning so I have to be in early. Colonic irrigation chemicals...nice way to start a day eh?? Ok sin e for now, that's all my tired brain can think of. I leave you some photos of today and a view of Osaka from the 37th floor of the building I work in....

Carmo's Diet: this week I have mostly been eating steamed salmon with a dash of pepper and drizzle of lemon juice.

Carmo's Birds: see above

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: you are a legend fella!! here's one for you...Vanessa Paradis