Ine Residents poke and taunt spiders

Honjo Spider Harassed by Neighbours

At work lately I have been making lesson plans for my elementary students! As such, I am in the middle of a very annoyingly long lesson for colors. I am making a color game, where kids get to wear color badges (or flashcards that name colours on string) and when I hold up a flashcard that has their colour on it, they jump in the rainbow circle! Sometimes the flashcards will have more than one colour, so more kids have to jump. Challenging for all minds. For older kids I might photocopy spare cards and have them grab the colour, and whoever has the most cards wins! For smarter kids, I could have the same only when they have a card (like, red) and I show something red, they have to call out "red!" in English, and if they forget the word or don't do it, they have to put the card back. And so forth.

Anyway I am halfway done with the game. Then my coworker came around and said he wanted to show me the classrooms in the elementary school next door. So I went with him and we looked around the adorable classrooms. The desks look like they are made for elves. So then he says "OK, I am a first grader, teach me!" Now, how the hell am I expected to teach a 50 year old man about colours when my lesson isn't done and my colour game is half done???? So I explained the game, and he didn't get it. I had to use all of my broken Japanese and demonstrate a zillion times. Then he was like "I understand" and told me my flashcards were too small for the class. I KNOW! THEY ARE FOR THE GAME THEY ARE NOT FLASH CARDS!!!!

So frustrating! Anyway.

I mentioned the bugs yesterday, including the enormous spider that was splayed across my porch! After arriving home from a long day at work, I knew it would still be there. Spiders have a tendency to hang out in their webs and eat bugs all day, from what I've read in books. So there it was, waiting for me, as I got home. Luckily a neighbor noticed me and came over. We said a quick hi and she saw me looking at the bugs. And I said "why are all the spiders at my house? There aren't anywhere else!" She laughed and got her broom. So we sort of picked the spider up and brushed him aside. Or.. her, are spiders girls or boys? They can be both right? Anyway, the spider was on the ground and stopped moving. We were oohing and aahing over its interesting yellow and white patterns. It was a really alien looking spider, after all. Finally the neighbor woman started poking it with the broom and we giggled as it ran away. It ran into the grass and had the hardest time getting into the tall blades and hiding.

Not so big now, are you spider? Can't even take a walk in the grass. Psht.

I am going to get attacked by that same spider in my sleep, just for shaming it. I can feel it.

Then I had some delicious beef (at least I think it's beef) and rice, watched all of my Harry Potter movies and fell into a deep sleep. It was glorious.