Happy days, I’ve had my application accepted for an apartment that will take me and my rather sizeable dog (once she arrives).

The biggest challenge I have had apartment hunting has been that landlords tend to prefer smaller pets. Pet discrimination aside, the rest of the experience has been impressive.

After being told that rents in Tokyo are typically not negotiable,  we negotiated. Many apartments don’t have ovens (same as HK), this one does. It even has gym membership, a pool (which I think is open all year) and includes free internet and curtains. All of which are fairly uncommon and / or expensive by Tokyo standards.

As an added bonus, the 24 hour concierge gives weather reports which is what this little snowman represents. This has to be one of the cutest weather reports I have ever seen.

This is my first time living somewhere it snows so waking on Monday to a white covered rooftop was really exciting. I”m not embarrassed to admit, I yelped with joy. It really is the simple things that can make my day. I may also have done a little dance. A few times. Maybe while yelping.

On Sunday evening, I heard the wind shift and a sound that wasn’t rain but was something falling and hitting the window above the head of my bed. I figured I was half asleep and imagining things. I peaked through the curtains in the morning and the yelping and dancing began.

After I was ready for work, wearing boots, a coat and gloves, I stepped outside onto a snow covered road that had already begun to turn to sludge. It was a fairly easy walk until I rounded the corner for my uphill trudge to the train station.

This part was icy and snow covered. I carefully picked a path through with an occasional slip and a giggle, while holding an umbrella (did I mention there was light rain at this stage), I arrived at the station to find it fairly full compared to usual.

A train took longer to appear than on any of the previous days and when it finally arrived, it really wasn’t that long, it’s all relative, I couldn’t see through the windows as the hot air from the sardine-like people had fogged them. The train was packed. A few sardines popped out while the rest of us politely queued to join in the tin. The way we all fit will be the subject of another blog post at some stage.

The train moved more slowly than usual and arrived at my station for work a little later.

I piled out with a majority of the sardines and walking underground and then undercover, arriving at our office, still all excited.

Seems I am in a minority with my love of the snow. Admittedly, it was a very light fall, especially when compared to New York at the moment.

My colleagues see it as a hassle and are annoyed the trains run slowly, the schools are cancelled or they are unable to reach the office at all.

I had none of these hassles and wasn’t impacted by the delayed trains. I was delayed by my yelping and dancing.

I was too busy enjoying the fresh air, the sky and the crisp wind hitting my skin to feel anything but good fortune. It was a feeling of being frozen yet blissfully alive. It felt like opportunity and a great way to start the working week.

Hope this novelty stays with me.

*Thanks to Crowded House for the title to this post.