"Kadomatsu" or Gate pines

Today I saw the big gate pines for new year celebration in front of the supermarket neaby. I'd never seen these big pines back home but in the big city and polulated area like Yokohama can display big pines to entertain people.
I like the weather in the Kanto plain especially in winter.
It's so sunny and warm compare to the north east of Japan.
But I sometimes miss white Christmas back home.

Recipe for Non butter Chochlate banana cake

Ingredients
2 fingers of banana
100 grams of Cake flour
30 grams of Cocoa powder
1/2 tea spoon of baking powder
2 eggs
70 grams of sugar
50ml of milk
Vanilla oil
1 tablespoon of Rum
How to make
1. Mash bananas with a whisk to puree.
Mix flour, Cocoa and baking powder and sift together.
2. Beat and whip the eggs in a bowl and suger together until creamy and light.
3. Add the bananas and milk and mixed with rubber spatula.
4. Add sifted powders, vanilla oil and rum.
5. Bake it in 180 centigrade over for about 15 mins. Sprinkle powder sugar if preferred.

Winter Solstice Dinner

That's my Winter Solctice dinner.
Yellow tail fillet Grill with boiled spinich
Tangle rolls
Sweet cooked pumpkin
White and Browm rice
Stewed Dried Radish and carrots
According to the Japanese tradition, "Eating pumpkins on Winter Solstice prevents from catching a cold".
To my understanding, winter solstice dinner for Japanese does not carry much of the meaning, but in Chinese culture the people have meaning and I found it so special.
While in Hong Kong, my ex- took me for his family dinner on the day, then I found it so special and keeping the tradition is really nice.

Finally! The last class was over on Christmas day

Yeah!The last class was over.
From now on I'll have 10 days winter vacation.
There are so many on my wish list but I really do not know where to start.
At least I spent 25th morning alone to enjoy shopping.
What a nice feeling being alone and enjoy myself!
Some of my classmates even told me the same thing. Especially, mothers.
(In Japan, hiring baby sitter or nunnies are minor, unless you have
someone like parents or nice hubbie, having own time is difficult.)

This year the whole town seems quieter than usual Christmas
day, not so many people were town center than I expected.
I guess that the worst recession in post war hits Japan and
the economy is sharply going down. I never have a day to hear the news of
business restractures and cutting down the manpowers.
I am scared that the crime rate may increase.

Anyway I deserve(we all do!) just a little time to enjoy myself, right?
So...
I painted my nails to have a good mood of Christmas and shifting my mind
to enjoy this relaxing moment.
Anyway, all the practical tests in this school year was over.
The rest I need to do is writing my first nursing plan based on
virtual patient (that's dry run for clinical in January)
, a report for "Social Science" and lyric making for music class
and preparing myself for the end term examination.
As for me, painting my nails used to be a part of the uniform when
I worked for an airline and it is the pleasure and fun part of the job,too.
And I still like it, especially after banning in the nursing school and
medical field in Japan. I am a little rebellious today, huh!
I

Kid's ballet

Today my daughter E had ballet lesson. She has a lesson almost every Saturday in a nursery school. On the first Saturday of this month, E had a bad cold and she kept vomitting so that she missed the lesson. Last Sat. E's nursury had drama and dance performance . Again she missed the lesson.
E was so cheerful and lively in her ballet class today. She had sparkles in her eyes. Surely E loves to attend the ballet class. E is a type of person to express her desire clearly and strongly. When it comes to a ballet lesson , she is even clearer and strong to express her feeling . I never forget the day E had asthuma attack and the GP asked us to go to the nearest hospital with the referral.It was Saturday and E insisted on going for the lesson. We ended up seeing the lesson for a little while before going to the hospital. When one has strong desire, one can do then.

Socializing!

Finally last practical test was over on Friday! Yay!
The result was unknown yet, but at least I feel relieved.
The next week is less stressful than before.
Today some of us had drinking party. It was so much fun!
I was so talkative and we had good laughters.
Ladies love to talk about relationship.
So do I. Everyone else except me is single but my love
life is dead anyway. My passion for love or romance has gone somewhere
but I am not so sad. I enjoy peaceful and stable life
in my emotional side. But funny part was everyone was so nosy about my
love life before my marriage. I wish I could have told exciting story to
entertain my friends... Anyway, I had a good time. My social life is back!
Yes! Finally after 5 years absence of such fun time.

Lunch Box

I've been so busy lately 'cos the day after our class will have Bedbath practical test.
The class starts 13:30 but in the morning, I brush up my skill to pass the test.
So I bring a lunch box like this everyday.
I do hope we all pass the test so that we can go to our first clinical session for a week.

Gingerbread cookies

Today I brought the Gingerbread cookiesto the class. I passed them around , but no one knows this is for Christmas season.
All ate them just as any ordinary cookies.
Well then...
I expected some may realize this is special on this season, but not...( a little disappointed)
Now I feel like making Christmas pudding.
I've eaten Christmas pudding once when I lived in Hong Kong. My BBC (British Born Chinese) friend made it and it was so Gooood!

Be specific!

I've been practicing my skills for nearly two month, 'cos our class will have evaluation on next week. This time we will have bed bath.
Anyway, today I practiced with one of my classmates but her comment was not good enough
to reach her message. I simply do not like " It was not good" or "bad" or even "Good".
What I really want to know is more specific information where I need to improve.
In general, not many Japanese are familiar with giving the specific feed back and almost make it habit to start with some negative and vague comments.
The otherday in the class, someone made a comment on a group performance, but even a
teacher did not give any advice how to give feed back.
I wish many of our class can have chance to learn how to give feedback.
Be specific! I don't care if my skill is good or not, but I need to know where and
which part I should improve! Oh, well, maybe I demand too much,then?

Music for this time of the year!

Every year of this time, I feel like listening
some of the music, particularly the album
from Windhamhill Records "A Winter's Solstice "
and Amy Grant " A Christmas Album" posted
on this site.
The Amy's album I used to have one as a cassette tape and I lost it
somewhere. I really missed the first song of the album
" Tennessee Christmas".
Actually, after I tried some of the songs introduced in "Nursapalooza"blog (thank you Heather!), I start missing the album.
So...I bouught it through Amazon, togherther with a paperback
" Chicken Soup for the Nurse's soul".
I once wondered what kind of book is "Chicken Soup series"when I first saw the book read by a front desk lady in my Hong Kong apartment gate.
A Winter's Solstice is one of my favorite Windham Records album,
I love acoustic guiter sound and piano of the first song of the album,"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". I feeling buying a memory stick for music to listen while I commute in the train to the school. Well...I have to save some for my daughter's Santa gift.

Non butter cake

Thesedays I enjoy making cake with no butter.
Baking is easiest way to chill out .
When I stress out I want to go out for aerobics
but no time. So...Baking is easiest way for me to shift
my mind. Plus my daughter E enjoys eating.
She loves butter but I don't want her to over eat fatty
products. I've read that some companies use a chemical stuff to extracting butter from milk and a chemical stuff often remains
in the butter. I got scared since then.
Besides E has asthma and allegic to some artificial colors.
I try my best to give her safe food and I have fun at the same time.
I actually emotionally involoved and felt down after dissection tour in a hospital.
It reminded me of my late and only brother. Too bad I still can not get over it.
Anyway...These cakes are Chololate and banana cake and Square cake with apricot.
Both tastes good for me. The recipes were made by a public health nurse.

The last P.E. class-valleyball

Today our class had the last physical education class.
Like other nursing school, P.E. class is compulsory, though I took one
in my college more than 20 years ago.
I am not athlete type so I'm not good at playing with balls.
I love dancing and swimming but not with balls.
But I guess that the school aims at communication or let us stress
out with sports, so the teacher decided to do some games with balls.
I had hated to play with balls when I was a high school student, 'cos
I hit the ball then the ball always gone to somewhere not supposed to.
But now I enjoyed to yelling and shouting for the game and the players.
Funny... I yelled in English though I only spoke in Japanese in school.
I even said "Aiyah..." to show my disappointment and it came out from
my mouth naturally. When I was in Hong Kong and worked with Chinese
people, the exclamatory sound "Aiyah!" was here and there.
I had used "Aiyah!" very often then. But not now.
After "Aiyah!" sounds came out , my classmates could not help laughing
and told me " You represent what we all feel and kept it in our heart!"
Me? Yes, everyone in my team always wondered some did not touch ball
in a game or even did not move and try to pick the ball.
Funny again, those teens are not so active and didnot even try.
People around 40 and late 30's try very hard to pick the ball.
Anyway, I did'nt know today was our last class till the end and
I excited most and I enjoyed most. I felt a bit sad afterwards.
Because... most of us has work in the morning and 80% of our class is single
mom's and busy.
Seems like this is the good chance to knowing each other.
Anyway, tomorrow we have a university hospital visit to see dissections.
I heard that the smell of formalin is really strong.
I'd better sleep now 'cos I am so sensitive to strong ordor or smell.

The last P.E. class

Ginger Bread House!?

Yesterday, my husband D, daughter E and I went to IKEA for Christmas shopping.
We spent almost all day there.
(IKEA there is a lot bigger than one in Hong Kong.
It takes at least 3 hrs to come to the exit with crowds)
What I wanted to buy was Christmas cookies and Ginger Bread House kit to build our own and decolate it. Since I saw the real Ginger Bread House at a convent last Christmas with E, I really wanted to try to make one. I found the one on a news paper inserts last week. I pinned it on the bathroom wall to see it everday since then.
E and I had been looking forward to buying one.
So...we were so happy to buy one.
But after a long day for shopping with crowds and
warmth in the shop, I hardly had energy to do anything.
But...E demanded to build and decorate the house
rightaway. I know she is only 5, it is only natural
to feel so.
As for me, I was exhausted then after finishing a report for online studying
the night before and I felt sleepless.
But again, I started to make her feel happy.
E kept touching icing and lick her fingers each time she put some chocolote balls,
I now can understand it is natural for her to taste suger and eat some chocolate for decoration.
However, I could not stand it .
I grumbled and scolded her.
E had tears in her eyes and said, " Yes, no more licking" and
then next moment her fingers were in her mouth.
I know no one can stop her and What's wrong with licking tasty icing?
I felt so bad after I scolded her and raised my voice.
But she still smiles and said that
" Can't help it. It was only first time to build the house"
I know the roof was cracked and the wall was torn. Icing was dropping...
I felt so crancy so I let it out on E...
I love you, E. Please forgive me. I don't care what other Japanse thinks of me,
I simply want to hug you and kiss you, 'cos I love you!

Last 3 days was tough!

Nov. 26 Vital Sign practical test
Nov.27 & today The first clinical session at a hospital
27th was rather easy because our team had orientation and the hospital tour.
But today was the first visit to an ward so everyone of us was a bit nervous.
Our team visited internal medicine ward (respitatory)and 95% of the patient were elderly( over age 70).
This is reality of Japan now, yes that's aging society.
In the ward, many suffers from deglutition pneumonia, some has lung cancer, carsinostatic treatment, palliative treatment, pulmonary emphysema, and average stay is around 17-19 days which is shorter than it used to be in Japan. (Due to the government policy change, many have to vacate the bed earler than it used to be)
We had chances to see nearly 10 patients closely today.
First 3 patients had bed bath and one had bed bath and pudic bath as well. Thanks to our mentor, she gave us a lot of chance to help and assist her with our maximum knowledge and practical skills we learned so far.
In the afternoon, every one of us had chance to take Blood Pressure.
In my turn, it was my first time to use a mercury manometor because
I always used aneroid manometor at school.
Anyway...
when I heared the systolic BP it was 220mmHg, it was far too high.
The mentor heared the pop through the dual scope at the same time and
she told me to remove the manchette immedietly.
The patient eyes were spacing and obviously the patient looked not well.
He is in the 70s and able to hear but has problem expressing himself verbally.
I sensed that he was not very well because he spitted out phlegm by himself and
coughed a bit just before I started measuring BP.
I was so carried away and just looking at the manometer but I should be more watchful to the patient condition anytime. That's more important than taking a vital signs.
Wow, I learned a lot more than I expected. One of my friend really got shocked to see elderly's pubic region and she even starts to rethinking her career. I believe we will have opportunities to feel satisfactions, or joys or even peaceful happiness through out clinical experience in next 4 years. I hope not she quits the school because she has a quality to be a nurse.

Thanks for visiting!

Thanx for visiting my blog.
My name is Maggie and I've started studying nursing 2008 spring in Japan.
The coming week my class has a nursing skill check.
I did my best to practice my skill, but I still need more time to ensure my skill.
Anyway, Japan has 3 consecutive holiday and today is so called "Labor Thanksgiving Day".
I enjoyed running and sunbathing with a 5 yr old daughter, spent almost half day in a park nearby.
I love playing with kids . Today I chatted 8 yr old kids strangers in a park, the kids seemed enjoyed being with me. E(mydaughter) seemed to enjoy being accompany with them. E is a only child.
E does not have siblings but I do hope she will take advantage of any chance to socialize with other children and learn a lot like children with brothers and sisters.
I wonder how this blog will be, I am a busy , ordinary, early 40's woman with full of curiosity.
I do hope this will produce positive and hopeful links to people.