Good morning 0528

 Yesterday I took part in an online English conversation meeting . There were four members who are all Japanese.

The topics are "park".

◆How often do you go to a park? What do you usually do there?

We sometimes go to parks to see seasonal flowers such as wisteria, azaleas, roses, and so on. And when some events are held there, we also go to enjoy them.

When our children were little, and when my granddaughter used to visit often, we would often go to parks because they wanted to play outside.

◆What kinds of things are not allowed to do in parks?

At small parks, playing catch is not allowed. Fireworks are, of course, prohibited too.

Even at big parks, fireworks are prohibited, and BBQs are basically not allowed. However, it seems that they are permitted in some areas.

◆Have you ever been hiking in a National Park? How far did you hike?

I once hiked in Oze National Park. I don’t remember how far I hiked, but I walked for most of the day. It was when I was a student.

◆Have you ever been to an amusement park? What’s its name and what is inside it?

My most recent memory is of Tobu Zoo & Amusement Park. we enjoyed the rides and the goose parade. It was quite interesting. I’m not sure if they still have it now, because it was quite a long time ago.

We used to go to Tochinoki Family Land . Even now, its roller coaster  seems to be popular.

◆Are parks generally clean where you live, or do they have a lot of trash and litter?

I think they are generally clean. In the small neighborhood park near my home, there is a sandbox. It is always covered to prevent cats from using it. Picking up litter and weeding are done regularly as part of our local community activities, so the park is kept clean.

Parks managed by the city, such as Hachimanyama Park, and those managed by the prefecture, such as Tochigi Wanpaku Park, are also kept clean, I think.

◆What kinds of plants and animals have you seen inside your local park?

In this season, we can see wisteria, azaleas, and roses. Soon, hydrangeas will bloom as well. There are many different kinds of flowers. The nearby Chuo Park may have the greatest variety.

As for animals, at Hachimanyama Park, we can see peacocks, cranes, and rabbits because there is a small zoo in it. 

Good morning 0525

 

by Yuki

The snap peas in our garden have started to bear pods. We are surprised to find we can harvest more than we expected.

by Mieko

This photo is Dorayaki. Dorayaki is a typical Japanese sweets. It is a kind of soft pancake like sweet sandwiches.

Good morning 0518

 

by Yuki

by Mieko

This week has started. Yuki is having some side effects, but he is doing all right. He is planning to go to a jazz café to play bass, piano, or guitar. According to him, he can’t play the instruments as well as before, but he can still enjoy playing in sessions with others. That’s a good thing.

I have a rehab appointment at the orthopedic clinic.

Good morning 0514

 Yesterday I joined an Online meeting.

The topics are..."Health and sickness”

◆How healthy do you feel right now?

What troubles me most is my frozen shoulder. I can raise my arm, but I can’t move it behind my back. In Japanese, there’s a common expression “forty-shoulder,” but even at my age, the doctor didn’t really use the term “sixty-shoulder.

◆Have you ever broken a bone? What happened?

I have never completely broken a bone, but I sometimes get avulsion fractures.剥離骨折 It has nothing to do with aging; I’ve had this since I was young. At first, I sometimes thought it was just a sprain, but it turned out to be an avulsion fracture. When I go to the hospital, I’m often told it’s an avulsion fracture. I’ve learned how to tape it properly, so it usually heals on its own. I just have to wait for it to heal naturally.

◆Do you take vitamins or mineral supplements?

I used to take various supplements occasionally, including ones for knee pain prevention. However, last year I was found to have low bone density, so I now take a prescription from my internist. It’s an activated form of vitamin D3.”

◆What do you think about Chinese medicine?

I like traditional Chinese medicine, or kampo in Japanese, which is a slightly different system from Chinese herbal medicine. I take it under a doctor’s prescription. For example, for hay fever, Western medicine alone wasn’t quite effective enough, so my doctor added kampo to adjust the treatment. I also take kampo for chronic coldness in my body. Nowadays, many clinics include kampo under health insurance, which is very helpful.”

◆What things do you do that might damage your health?

The things that might affect my health are mental stress, fatigue, and changes in temperature.

◆How often do you eat junk food? What kinds of junk food do you eat?

I like rice burgers at Mos Burger, and I enjoy ginger cookies from Gyomu Super. I often make fried udon at home rather than fried yakisoba. I’m not sure if that counts as junk food. So I guess I eat some comfort foods, but not much typical junk food.

Good morning 0513

 It’s a nice day again today. After the pollen season, I often air out my futon. YUKI does it too, no matter the season.

Airing futons is part of Japanese culture, but these days people living in newer condominiums are usually not allowed to hang them outside.

Today, I’m going to practice putting on a kimono so I can wear one when I meet my friend this Saturday. If I can manage it well enough, I might go to a department store in it today with YUKI. If not, I’ll just go in the same outfit as yesterday.

Good morning 0512

 Today is my performance day with a friend at KARAKU Cafe. It’s a beautiful day. I’m going to wear white pants today, which is unusual for me. When I wear white pants, I feel a little more refined, and because I don’t want to get them dirty, I pay more attention to my movements.  But this year, I’d like to wear them more often—even when we go to an Italian restaurant.

Good morning 0511

 

by Yuki

by Mieko

A normal week has started. Last week, YUKI couldn’t have chemotherapy, but today his condition isn’t so bad. It’s difficult to balance the treatment and its side effects.