I have never cooked a Cottage Pie from scratch before, but after hearing about the difference between a Cottage Pie (minced beef) and a Shepherd’s Pie (minced lamb) and that the family are sick of having roast chicken every Sunday, I decided to give it a go.

I have also never been one to ‘cook ‘ as I find it tedious, but since I turned 50, I can now be bothered and my Japanese Tefal  set (I got it as a wedding present over ten years ago ) is being out through it’s paces.

The family loved it and had seconds, too.

Feeling more motivated to cook again.

Decluttering is a pain.

After watching Hoarding being buried alive on tv, I decided that I HAD to declutter my house as I know the stuff will be chucked when I die.

Mentally – In my head I know that I will have yo get rid of stuff I have accumulated over the years, but it is so overwhelming that my head hurts. 

Today it’s my old toys and board games.

Emotionally I had prepared myself for the detatchnent, but in the end I couldn’t get rid of a few of them.

Will have to reset my goal to clear out the ‘messy’ room. 

Today is bitter sweet as it is Mothers Day in the UK and seven years since I lost my Grandmother-in-Law in the earthquake in Japan.

My family.

P-chan with my mother-in-law etc.

As my children grow older, I have to have a clearout of the books, etc I taught them Japanese from.

Yes, I taught them Japanese as I believed, and still believe, that they should not lose their heritage. 

I taught myself the language as a ten year old back in the ’70s and would feel that although I had no intention of marrying or having children, especially Japanese ones, that it would be a waste for them to only speak English and it would be a good skill for them to have. 

I have had (and sometimes continue to have) arguments with my hubby in ‘letting it go as we are not living in Japan’, but NOT while I’m alive will I stop ‘teaching/telling them about their heritage and my love of Japan.

Today, I am letting go of the various 0-10 books and games I have accumulated over the years from Japan (before my kids were even thought of) when I was an ESOL/TEFOL teacher in Japan.

I am planning to teach basic Japanese in primary schools, in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It’s just how to get that off the ground? ?

Anyway as my youngest will be starting Year 6 Japanese school, soon, these items are not needed anymore.

I hope they go to a good home. 

This year I let me daughter make the pancakes from scratch.

She didn’t do a bad job.

Plans to break world record attempt at Wollaton Hall – you just have to wear a Robin Hood costume

The attempt will be held on May 7

In the build up to going to the Robin of Sherwood Convention, the kids and I will be going to this event. 

Seems to be that we in Nottingham are getting up for this year’s robin hood festivities.

The Robin Hood festival,  robin of Sherwood Convention,  there may be some films coming out from Hollywood and now.a friend of mine has written a book.

2018 seems to be the year OF Nottingham.

Today we are celebrating Hinamatsuri no Hi.

Being in a mixed family I believe that it is important to keep up the various traditions.

So today I will try to make some traditional food for my daughter 

https://g.co/kgs/YjLNXW

My daughter asked to wear my twenty-two year old kimono .