The Weekend Review - Easter, Takoyaki and a Busted Toe

I've had a nice, albeit busy, weekend. On Friday, I just hung out with my train-buddy-turned-real-friend Nathan in Akashi for a few hours, and then went to the Munch exhibit in Kobe. The exhibit almost gave me euophoric chills, which I know might seem a little morbid considering the themes of depression an death surrounding most of Munch's works, but it definiately brought me back to Oslo and some of the past experiences in my life. I headed home after the exhibit and relaxed, too, which I definitely needed. Overall, a very nice evening.

On Saturday, I was up early for group gardening (yes, still weeding with the neighbors for our community "bonding"), volunteered at at the Harimacho International Friendship Association's annual Easter party for children (wow, were they cute... really genki and talkative and most came up to my knees!) and then headed back to Higashi Futami for lunch with my old ladies. One of the women had recommended a restaraunt called Tenshin, basically a ma'n'pa-type okonomiyaki joint run by a group of old women (like 70 - 80 years olds). The place only has 3 tables, all with a grill in the middle and has gotten several awards for having the best tamagoyaki in Akashi (a ball of octopus and fried dough that Akashi is famous for). On Saturday night, I just hung out with some friends at a house party in Harimacho. It was a load of fun, but I hardly got any sleep at night.

I had a little cut (hangnail) on my right big toe before the marathon last week. The friction of running for several hours irritated it a bit, which I understand, but it had been hurting more and more. By the time Saturday night rolled around, I was still wearing shoes at night, but the pain in my toe woke me up after about 3 hours of sleep and I couldn't get back to bed. I hadn't wanted to go to the hospital for something like a little cut on my toe, but it was getting really big and painful, so I asked my neighbor if she's come with me on Sunday afternoon.

I spent Sunday morning at home, staying off my feet, soaking my foot and mostly just reading. Miwa and I headed to a hospital we knew was open on the weekends (because most aren't... we even checked the internet to find one!), but they were closing for the day. Then we went to an emergency room at another clinic, but after filling out the forms, one of the desk workers told us they "didn't do feet" and that we would have to go somewhere else. Turned away at two hospitals! Well, we got directions for a third place which turned out to be really good. It was an actual foot clinic and the doctor (who was relitively young and whose family we later learned owns the hospital) seemed to understand my symptoms and react immediately to make my foot better. I'm not going to talk about the numbing and draining of the toe, but basically my cut had gotten infected and it was pretty bad.

They took pictures (for future promotional posters?), gave me antiobiotics and told me not to wear shoes for 10 days. To be honest, I am happy that I know what is wrong with my foot and have meds now, but the consequences of the toe hit me harder than the actual pain or diagnosis itself. No shoes (or much walking) could be a potential issue for Cambodia, but more than that, it means no running... or training for the next marathon... and no Nagano next weekend, as planned. まずい!!! Many of the runs in Nagano are apparently open until May, so I might still try to go this year, but I was not happy to hear about the marathon next month. I swear, when I got the application and materials, I thought it was fate that Sasayama didn't turn out because this next one looked SO COOL. But I guess fate has a wicked sense of humor.

Anyways, besides the bum toe, things are good. Fingers crossed that it's better by the trip!