Ok, this jet lag melarchy has got to stop!

Urgh, arrived back from Osaka at about midnight on Sunday, and with no sleep on the plane - due to watching 6 films. He he. Yes, 6 films - we'd been awake for about 25/26 hours. So, surely sleep should come naturally at that point? Er, no! At that point my brain is thinking, well it's 8am in Osaka, time to wake up. So I managed about 4 hours sleep on and off and gave up at 7.00ish yesterday morning and thankfully I'd booked an extra day off work. Though that was supposedly to "rest". Hmmmmmm.

By 9.30 I'd done two loads of washing, emptied my three bags, sorted out all my souvenirs and had even started putting my photos on the external hard drive. I was doing well. Being productive, getting things done and most of all keeping busy. But then I think the tiredness and lack of coordination kinda snook up on me and I whacked my head ridiculously hard on the corner of our shoe cupboard. Bear in mind the fact that we've lived there for over 2 and half years and I - nor anyone else for that matter - have never banged my head there. But I'm not talking a little bump, I'm talking massive. I almost didn't even feel it at first, it was more the noise, then a moments clarity and then my hand clamping to my head, and then.......and then........the pain.

Luckily A was working from home so I rushed in to him, half expecting to remove my hand and be greeted with the sight of blood, but luckily not. But I could tell by the pulsing and throbbing that it was a big one. His look of terror only confirmed it. He ran straight to the freezer (not that you have to run anywhere in our flat. Everything is within reaching distance...ha ha) grabbed some ice and used it in a tea towel as a cold compress.

It was sorta funny in a way, 'cause that's what happens at work with the kids. They bang their head, or fall or something and we run and get the ice pack. And like them, I was trying to be brave. It wasn't hurting so much, I didn't need to cry. Ha ha. And I didn't of course, but it bloody hurt! Well, I was quite ready to take the ice off after five minutes or so, but my Doctor (A) said I had to keep it on for 30-40 minutes. He'd looked it up on google or something. Ha ha. But I didn't want to keep it on that long. I turned into one of my kids. No, it's alright now Helen. I don't want the ice anymore. It's cold. I finished now.
But my Doctor wasn't so kind and I think I managed 30 minutes before I'd had enough. He reassessed and said the bump had gone down a bit and there was a tiny bit of blood from the impact of the corner, but that was all. He then mentioned the H word. Maybe I should take you to hospital. No. NO. NO!

My kids did this all the time. I would be fine and I am, just feeling a little idiotic. I mean, I'm still not sure how I managed to do it. I have seemed to have lost all sense of spatial awareness in my increasing age and I guess not sleeping properly in the last few days and stressing about going back to work wasn't helping either. But.......ah well. I'll just have to try not to head butt any of my kids today. Ha ha.

It was kind of refreshing being back in London yesterday, where no one talks to you, or even looks at you, or helps you when you're lost. The Japanese were very nice and kind and helpful, though they did stare a lot, at the outsiders. There really weren't many western tourists at all, in any of the places we went. Just a few Americans, Australians and the odd German and French couple. So, I got to experience first hand, being a minority and most of the time it was fine, but sometimes you felt a little weird, like no one understood you and that we were some specimens to be observed. But yeah, being back in the hustle and bustle of my big city was nice.

I had to go out to stock up on birthday presents and post presents and get wrapping paper for presents.....I love buying presents for other people. It's just so much more exciting than spending money on yourself. I guess that's kind of an old fashioned concept, but in some ways I am extremely old fashioned. I still love it though and I hope E who is 2 today, will love his presents, which, finger crossed will arrive today. Though having to rely on Royal Mail......hmmmmmmmmmmm.

I have to say, you know you're back in London when you're sweating your ass off on the tube and when you blow your nose and it's black. Ahhhhhh, remind me why I like it so much here????? Ha ha.

Anyhoo, I didn't really get much done apart from wrapping presents and writing postcards, that never actually got written in Japan. It took me most of the afternoon and then I went on to back up all my holiday photos on DVD. He he. It took four DVDs and that;s not including A's 2,500 photos. Excessive? Ah well, you gotta make the most of it when you can. I may never ever go to Japan again. Who knows.

I was hoping for an early-ish night and actually A and I fell asleep on the couch about 9-ishArgh! It took me at least an hour to sleep, then I was awake at 2.30, then 3.15, then 4.45 as A had to be up to go to Paris and then at 5.15, I gave up, finished reading my book and felt ready for a blog.

Really, I'm just glad I wasn't concussed and I actually woke up today. Shame I didn't actually sleep though. Ha ha. Ah well, this just gives me more time to be productive.......or time to watch a film before work.....ha ha. I wonder which will win. Although, if you think about it....finishing a blog and posting it before 6.40am is already pretty productive.

As always, thanks for reading. Without an audience, this is just me wittering to myself, which granted I am pretty darn good at, but thanks all the same.

Have excellent Tuesdays and if work's as bad as I predict it will be, you never know I might be blogging again tonight.

Arigato

Helen