Spring? You mean that time of green grass & flower buds? Yeah, never heard of it.

The forecast for a few days last week consisted of: heavy snow, occasionally blizzarding. (note another one of my forced nouns-into-verbs)

Living in Hokkaido now for over two years and therefore two winters, I am accustomed to the fact that spring does not exist here.Not to say that it ever did in the U.K., where the weather lazily dipped into different atmospheric conditions so we get a general "feel" of spring, or any other of the four seasons, as it gets "mildly warmer" or we get a "small sprinkle of snow". Otherwise it's just "showers and clouds", as our friendly weather lady back home would say, all over the damn country.

Though I may have worded it unfairly to say that spring doesn't "exist". It does, it is just different to your accustomed image of spring which was foolishly hammered into our brains by our fairytale picture books at school. Of the past two winters-to-spring phenomenons that I have experienced, in March, the remaining raids of snow continue to glare at us from the pavements and around most buildings, and we begin to get peeks of our missed friend - Mister Road (or asphalt, whichever one deems fit). This year, things were looking up as we had bright spells (I'm still in weather girl mode) and wider roads thanks to the cha-lump-a-lumps that had been cleared away and I was also beginning to feel a spring in my step myself (bad joke) as I began the gradual change to a warmer wardrobe change, though my hopes were crushed as it actually snowed. SNOWED. Less sunlight and slight drops in temperature so that the snow took a little longer to melt I could have compromised for, but to actually have more of the dreaded white stuff from the sky to add the mounds that we already have? Crushed. My hopes. Of spring. { insert unsuitable word of offence to describe my disappointment and anger here }

Though the sun had been out all day yesterday and since this morning so I've decided to forgive the weather a little. But only a little.

"Hell's Valley"

On another note, last Tuesday I went on a road trip to Muroran and Noboribetsu with my co-workers. Technically it was our day off as it was a public holiday, but due to our Sister City exchange programme where we will be having 11 students from the U.S. coming to stay in July, we have to organise their schedule, one of the activities being a trip to the said cities. We basically went to check out the places that we would be taking them, and to see if those places would be "suitable" for teen American kids. As I'm too lazy to type out the list of events, here are some pretty pictures. Click on them to view them in larger "high quality" images from my 2yr old tatty little phone, and hover over them for more information, Sweeties.

The "Ambassabear"

Curry Ramen (Noodles)

"Boruta (Bolt-a)"

View of Muroran

Yesterday I took the day off as I needed to go to the Immigration Bureau as they're only open on weekdays and close at 4pm. This is the case with most banks, ATMs and sometimes Post Offices. (Seriously Japan, I do not understand you at times like these.) I needed a Re-rentry Permit so that I can return to Japan when I go on holiday to a country abroad, as I am here on a visa. Yes, I am going holiday - to Thailand in May! Sun, sea, beaches! Gorgeous men-women! Food, massages! And most importantly, WARMTH! I have been highly deprived of it.

As I took the whole day off yesterday I took the opportunity to go to the hairdressers, as it takes up at least 4 hours of my time. I went back to the hairdressers I went to last time, as I think I've finally found a salon that meets my style after hopping around here and there. I didn't go for a drastic change, mostly re-did my colour and sneakily added a bit more whilst hovering dangerously near the borderline of conservative Japanese rules (workplace has yet to complain to me). I went for the same cherry-brown again, which with time fades to a light pink, which I love! Last time they did it so I had different shades of cherry-brown and pinks, and as I adored that I went for the same again. I had a bit of a change to my fringe and decided to go for a sexy side sweep, and had a very slight straightening treatment to the hair around my face and kept my natural curls. The hairdresser waxed it up and arranged it in a cool, "kakkoii" way, but I was worried that I look more gal or more like a Japanese hostess than a punk rocker.

Face hidden; had ugly double
chin. Must lose weight...

I had a different hairdresser to last time - not that I didn't like what the previous hairdresser did but I accidentally chose a different hairdresser on the website...ahaha... I felt so guilty when I saw my previous hairdresser but she was very nice about it and greeted me in a friendly way, though you never know what they really mean or think in Japan.... Anyway, with my new hairdresser I got the usual, "Wow, your hair naturally curls?" and when she found out I was half English she said that though my hair colour is Asian/Japanese, the texture is very soft, easier to curl and therefore more Western. Yay me for my evenly split genes.

I'd been doing so well in controlling my shopping spree monster last month, but it's lately been greedily snatching at cute crap, yummy food and pretty clothes again. I don't regret buying these new lovelies though ♥ Hmmm, maybe I'll make my next entry a big clothes and fashion entry if I find the time.