"Gravitation doesn't make people fall in love"

This is a HUGE update that I've been gradually writing in my head for the past three (I think) days.  So, here's what I can remember.

I fell alseep that first night because Ka-Ka and Slyph-san were using my computer and I was apparently exhausted. What do I remember from that day? I'm not quite sure...I did stuff. That was what happened.

Then, I woke up and proceeded to mow (yes, hand mow) the side of the yard. I also did more of the front...all day. I realized that I was more Otoo-san's WWOOFER and Slyph and KaKa-san were Okaa-san's. Did it make me feel any better? A little bit; because I would rather be outside than inside. At breakfast, I had asked Otoo-san if it would be alright if I made "American" food on my birthday. He said alright! We're going to have a celebration for my birthday and work being over (and Ka-Ka and Slyph-san too, since they leave soon after), with American, Hong-Kong, and Japanese food all being served. I'm so excited! I sure hope they eat their burgers! hahaha. Then, at dinner when I was suppossed to help, and after dinner, I got super jealous of K&S with Okaa-san again. I moped for about ten minutes and then Slyph came and said we were to socialize with the guests. So, I did, and I felt better. It was a very enjoyable evening.

So far I have drunk:
Blue Beer
Red-ish wine (though it didn't have much alchol in it)
Red wine from 2003

All less than half a glass. After all, I'm still a "child."

Before bed, Otoo-san said "You have a holiday tomorrow!" I went "OMG!" -spazz- Because a certain someone was getting in that day and I had a BRILLANT idea.

I thought about it and decided that my brillant idea would cost a fortune, but it was brillant.

So, I woke up in the morning, asked Otoo-san if I could go to Sapporo/New-Chitose even though I would get back at about midnight, and he said ok. I was so excited! Okaa-san drove me to the train station and I caught a train to Sapporo. I arrived in Sapporo at about 1:30. I had my guidebook with me, so I knew what I wanted to see. But first, I had to find an ATM because I was hungry and I wanted to buy some gifts. Plus, I needed to have money to get to the Airport and back. So, it took me about 30 minutes to find an ATM that worked, but I withdrew about $100.

All of which I spent. Ok, maybe about $85 of it I spent.

About $50 of it was for train tickets though. Well, maybe $40. I went to the TVB Tower, the clock tower, Odori Koen (Park), and a giant "arcade" mall. I bought some gifts for people, a few things for myself, ice cream, and a coffee. At about 4:30, I left the coffee shop I was in to head back to the JR Sapporo Station. I had about an hour to kill, so I saw a Gap. I figured, "hey I can just wander, maybe buy something cheap." Well, there was an elevator...and that Elevator led to about 6 floors of shops. So I wandered...and it was HARD not to buy stuff because they were having a HUGE sale that ended that day. I found a shirt I almost bought that had the title of this post on it. For only $17 too, which is pretty good. But I didn't...

So, I go to the airport on the 5:55 train, get there at about 6:30...I figure that's plenty of time, in case Dave somehow switched to an earlier flight, as his was suppossed to arrive at 7:45. Well, there were TWO planes arriving at 7:45, and I was an IDIOT (for once) and didn't write down the flight number. So, there was one from Narita and one from Tokyo (which I didn't understand, because Narita is in Tokyo...) which I assumed was Haneda. Haneda was where I came from, so I figured his would be that one. It got in on time, and I saw the people coming out...

Only problem...Dave wasn't one of them. I waited until I missed the 20:04 train back to Otaru, and I took, instead, the 20:34 one to Otaru, crying most of the way there. Well, most of the way to Sapporo. It was then that I realized that my train, stopping at every station between Sapporo and Otaru may not in fact make it to Otaru in time for the last train to Kutchan. So I would be stuck at Otaru, with barely enough money to get food, a train ticket, and have money for a taxi back in the morning. I prayed...the entire way to Otaru. And I made it at 22:10 for the 22:29 train to Kutchan.

But I was also extremely worried about Dave. Had I missed him in the sprawl of people? Had he missed his flight? Had something happened to his ANA flight from Chicago? Had he gotten an earlier flight? I figured if he had been lost amiss the mass of people, made the 20:04 or the 20:34 train to Otaru, he would be on the Kutchan train I was on. We had about three minutes left when this other train, across the platform, pulls up. I watch the people get off, noticing a few running to the Kutchan train, when in the corner of my eye, in the flash of the window, I see a rather familiar face moving amongst the crowd.

And there I am, sitting in the front seat, tall and blonde amidst Japanese people, and Dave steps onto my train. We kind of just stare at eachother, which was not how it was suppossed to work out (at least, it didn't in my head) and he comes and stands in front of me (since there were no seats left).

So after all that (and believe me, it was bad...with not finding him, thinking I wasted all that money, and then thinking I might miss the train), it turned out that he was on the OTHER flight that got in at 19:45 and got in late.

Oops.

Well, we chat the whole way to Kutcha, duh, and I remember I haven't eaten dinner. And Dave hasn't eaten in awhile either. But we can't do anything about it because the train doesn't have food and everything in Kutchan is closed. Plus, I don't have money.

Dave's hosts were suppossed to meet him at the train station and I figured, since you pass my place on the way to his, they could drop me off. Well...they weren't there. He tries calling them, confused, and unsure, and I decide we should get a taxi and go to Bouken (where I'm working). We get in the taxi (it's raining too...) and I give the driver the address. He doesn't know where it is. I finally find it on a map and he starts driving...only it isn't the way that I remember from when Otoo-san picked me up at the train station. And being my Mother's daughter, I have a pretty good head with directions. Well, he just took a different way, because soon enough I recognized the MaxValu supermarket. hahaha. Of course, it was that! We make it to Bouken, I get him a room (though I didn't wake Otoo-san up because it was midnight) and go to sleep.

I wake up super nervous, eat breakfast, and Otoo-san sees the note I left for him last night telling him about Dave. Or rather, Dave wrote it in Japanese for him. I'm not sure he understood it, but he didn't yell at me for giving Dave a room. And Okaa-san wasn't there to yell at me either. Though, she seemed fine with it when she did arrive. Dave got his stuff together, paid Okaa-san ($31.50, not bad), and called his host. SAS finally came and picked him up at about 10:00 and he left.

Then I find out that Sylph, Ka-Ka, and Otoo-san are going rafting. I get to stay in the house and clean. Okaa-san leaves as well to go shopping, and I clean. It wasn't bad. Until lunch...I try to help Okaa-san with lunch. I asked her if I can help, she says "not right now" (I think...it was in fast Japanese) and I stand there awkwardly, cleaning the few dishes that needed it, and picking up after her. She, basically, just completly ignores me. She has jokes with Slyph and Kaka-san. Why can't she have jokes with me? I'm eager, waiting to please and help in any way I can, and she ignores it.

Needless to say, not feeling great at this point. But, I do help a little bit, everyone eats, and then we find out we have to clean the outside house. No problem, we do that. About five different times because each time wasn't good enough. And now, at 4:30pm, I started this post.

Phew. And I can't even bike up to the Niseko area to eat in some bakeries and possibly see Dave because it's raining. Though Okaa-san did come in a ask if I wasn't eating dinner. I thought she asked if I was helping with dinner (because it's my turn to tonight), so I said yes. And then I remember hearing "dame" which means "not" basically, and I paused in confusion. Wait? Not eating dinner? No...I need to eat dinner! I scramble after her and say "Yes, I am in fact, eating dinner." She thought I was going somewhere with Dave. I just shook my head and said "Nope!" (At least, I'm not to my knowledge...)

Though I do really want to check out that new burger place...I really want a burger...

By the way, what did you think of the surprise for Dave? Hmm? Am I not the most awesome person ever doing that? Yeah. I am.

hahaha. Just kidding.