Cold

I must apologize for my recent sparseness, I had what I thought was a cold which turned out to be the flu, so I have spent my three-day weekend layed up in my loft with the temperatures descending into the 0s both outside and inside. It has been snowing in Kyoto. I struggled out to walk to the grocery store and facing north the mountains were covered in snow. Being from Florida I still, even after seven years in Japan, am startled by seeing mountains on the horizon, them being covered in snow has the extra quality of the unreal. Me having the flu makes them almost mystical. Arriving at the store I had all the supplies for curry in my basket and was debating whether I had enough money to buy peanut butter when I realized that I had, in fact, no money at all. So I put everything back and ran across the street to the ATM. As the electric doors, covered in setsubun masks, attempted to close on me and the green light began to blink, I made it through the intersection as the sunlight turned to a snow flurry. I bought my groceries and walked home staring and very buildings in the now. Kyoto is beautiful. In the snow it is almost unattainable.

I managed to take a shower tonight. The shower is outside. It is a large cube made of plastic. It isn't a bad shower. It is very warm inside. But only inside when the shower is running. Condensation gathers on the ceiling, which droops slightly. Being in contact with the outside, the ceiling is near freezing. So is the water. As you stand under the hot water, the condensation grows heavy and begins to drop on your back. Freezing. When the shower is off, the temperature drops again rapidly. I dry off grab my clothes and throw them on quickly and smoothly, by necessity. This flu has caused a serious break from reality, but it is interesting.