After reading a book

I borrowed this book from the library. The title is "lots of fun with 65 things". The author was 65 years old when she wrote this book, now she is ---- ??? she was born in 1947.
Her name is HARUMI KURIHARA
She used to be a "perfect" housewife, and she started her own business, now she is a "professional housewife" (according to her)

What are fun for her????
It was very interesting. She "enjoyed" her "careful" life including daily ironing.
What made me surprised was that "most of things for her fun were troublesome and unwilling chores for me".
This book was little bit sarcastic to me, while this book reconsidered my daily life.
Anyway I tried to do some things I wanted to do, or I was able to do.
--- cooking.
I baked apple tarte tatin.

At home

A half of week has already passed. Until this Monday afternoon, I was not so bad, but -- since then, I have not been so good.
I stayed home, and did some things.



I cooked prepared-dishes for this week, as usual.

and I organized the garden.
Japanese anemone were running wild. (Does it make sense?)
So I cut them, and put them into a bucket.
(It is a kind of way of Japanese flower arrangement, but on the way "buckets" are not used.)

 

Not so bad. Do you agree with me?

 

walking diary 1028

I continue "walking exercise". Recently I learnt this word "speed walking". I don't walk speedy, so in my case "walking exercise" is a suitable word for me.

 

We drove town hear and there to do our errands. And on the way home I got off the car, and walked home back alone. 5762 steps.

On the way home I found these red fruits. They recalled me the season of their blooming, but I forgot the name. Later I knew that they were dogwood trees.

 

Seeing red fruits: Their blooming comes up to mind Though forgot the name

 

We went out to listen to a concert. Three men played Japanese instrument. The day before the day it was "SOKUINOREI", (enthronement ceremony) . We were watching TV and listened to Japanese ancient music played Japanese instrument. Luckily on the day we listened to such a performance directly.  We walked downtown and did 6000 steps.

An autumn clear day, Directly listen to Japanese tune By Shou recorders

 

 

 

I walked in the day time here and there. But it didn't reach 5000 steps. So I did walking exercise at night. Well even at night, many people did "speed walking".  The people who were walking at night were younger than ones who were walking in the daytime, so they walked speedy, it meant "speed walking".

 

An autumn night; People do speed walking Younger than us

 

 

lunch diary 1028

Monday, we went out for lunch, because Yuki wanted to eat "KUSHI-KATSU"; deep-fried skewer?
Usually restaurants where they serve KUSHI-KATSU are usually  kind of Japanese pubs, and open at night. Recently one restaurant opens from the noon (, to be correct it opens at one P.M)
A set of 5 skewers cost around 600 yen. It was not bad and tasted good. But they serve automatedly a small dish of the service charge, we call it "OTOSHI". It cost 250 yen, and just fresh cabbage. We don't drink, and it is at noon, so usually few restaurants take us such service charge. We were really surprised and realized that the restaurant was "a Japanese pub". Our lunch on the day cost 2500 yen. Considering the quality without alcohole, it was high. On the other hand Yuki enjoyed KUSHI-Katsu which recalled him his business trips to Tokyo.

Fried Samma (saury, autumn fish); Reflect on the commuting days  By bullet train



Tuesday, it was rainy. Yuki retreated to his room. In the morning I hold a laughter yoga meeting, a woman came. In the afternoon, we changed mats and carpets in the rooms for winter.
Retirement couples  Daytime chores together; For winter


Wednesday I saw a friend after a long interval. We had brunch together. We are the same age, but she stills work four days a week. She managed the time to meet me in the morning. Though I enjoyed my "lazy" life, I felt bad about myself a little.
Golden lace; Having brunch with a busy friend  In her niche time
Do you know that in the language of the flower, it signifies "kindness"



Thursday I went downtown alone, for walking exercise and listening a small concert at lunch time.
The concert was really good. I was going to have lunch at a café, but when I checked my pedometer, it didn't reach 5000 steps. So I bought a croquette and went to a park. I did speed walking there and reached more than 6000 steps.
There I saw a elderly couple who were at the concert. They also had lunch there. The scene made me with a croquette smile, which I bought at a butcher's  downtown.
A calm autumn day; Drop by a butcher's Speed walking in the park




Friday, while I was doing exercise at the gym, Yuki chose some deli style foods at a supermarket. The budget was within 500 yen. He did a good choice.
Autumn festival; Going out for delicatessen Get dressed

1000yen budegt for lunh

Before Yuki's retirement, our lunch budget of dining-out was around 2500 yen.
And at that time we had lunch outside on weekends.
Now, the budget has changed into around 1000 yen for two of us.  Because --- probably we have lunch outside on weekdays.
However we have noticed it is very difficult.
Anyway we went out downtown to enjoy a festival held by our city with 1000 yen.
The main object was walking exercise.
The festival was held by our city, so there were many reasonable food stands, or many hobby groups or volunteer groups set up their booth to introduce their activities or the fund-raising.

So we had ramen and curry within 1000 yen.
They were tasty.



Additionally, at some booths, they passed out a number ticket for free foods like fresh rice cake, fresh Udon noodle. However we were to late to go there to get them. We enjoyed their show to make rice cake, and Udon noodle.
We did more than 7000 steps.

Walking at a big park

We went out to a big park, where it took 30 minutes drive.
I thought it might be good to go out with a "nice" picnic basket". But I "couldn't", because it was "troublesome". I filled each water bottle with my herbal tea, and coffee, and wrapped some snacks in cloth. And as soon as we finished our morning errands, we went out.

The park is public. It was a weekday, but there were people from various generations.
Some mothers and kids were there, many elderly people were doing walking exercise. And some student groups were training. And many hobbyist groups were there.

 

 

In the park, there is a small fish pond. It was one of the things Yuki wanted to see.
There were more people than we expected, and they seemed to be into fishing.
It means most of them had their own fishing kits and were wearing "suitable" fishing clothes, though the place was just a fish pond. Probably they came here to practice fishing.
Nowadays we begin to notice that in fishing world they have a kind of fishing uniform.
Additionally on weekends, the place seems to be filled with families who rent fishing kits there. ( So, such people we saw on the day won't come on weekends)

 

This park is big, and there are many trees. So it seems to be famous for bird watchers.
Can you see a small purple bird in the photo? It was really difficult to take a good picture with cell phone.
There were many people or groups of bird watchers with "special" camera. And most of them were wearing camouflage clothes.

We saw many runners there. Of course most of them were wearing cool running clothes and shoes.

On the other hand, though we saw many people who were just walking, their outfit seemed to be conservative? somber? or "not cool". But most of them were wearing cool walking shoes.

While we were walking in the park, we were watching other's outfits. It was interesting.
What were we wearing?
 After walking in the park, we had to go to  another place, so Yuki was wearing a jacket --- not usual park outfit. I was wearing "usual" outdoor outfit .

 

How many kinds of apples do you know?

Coincidently I got various kinds of apples from an apple farm for free.
Most of apples are now not got on the market. Their main variety is "FUJI" which are going to be got on market in November.
Some other varieties of apples were used to be got on market but no they aren't.
The other varieties are planted as their hobby, or as a kind of experience.
Apples are said to have more than 10000 varieties in the world, and 1500 varieties in Japan.

 

 

From the late of August and the early November, I get fresh Japanese pares from an orchard nearby.

And I also get grapes,

And from October to December, I get fresh apples from another orchard, thought it is 20 minute drive.

 

りんごの季節がやって来ました。富士は１１月になってからだそうです。一方、梨はにっこりで締めですね。

Walking diary 1021

After long

 

It's been ??? weeks since I did walking exercise last time.

I did 5811 steps, and I felt "exhausted". I thought I got used to walking 7000 steps. But I seemed to go back the first stage.

After the typhoon; Though usual life has returned, Feel difference

 

 

This is celosia. This area was filled with lots of water, but the plant kept the color.

After the typhoon; Keep the color Bite the bullet

(does it make sense?)

 

I did 5200 steps walking around my house.

 

 

 

 

We went on a picnic to a big park where it took 30 minute drive with snacks and water bottles.

There is a fishing hole. Yuki just saw it. Next time, probably he will do fishing probably.

Getting old How to play with  Nuts of trees

 

 

We went downtown and saw a festival.

There was a small parade. The members of the parade  were wearing old costumes. It is a kind of JIDAI-MATSURI. I found a friend in the parade.

JIDAI-MATSURI is a seasonal word for autumn.

 

JIDAI-MATSURI;  With unfamiliar Tabi-socks Chill out and relax

 

I walked 7532 steps.

 

 

lunch diary 1021

Monday; we were going to stay in Nagoya. It can't be helped. Fortunately we didn't have any troubles after the typhoon. On the other hand a lot of people than we had expected sustained damage from it.

 

After the typhoon; Open the white door in the kitchen  Appreciate every day

"White door" means the door of the fridge. "Fridge" is a seasonal word for summer. So I changed the word it into "the white door".

 

 

Tuesday, Yuki went to a job-placement office and went through procedure.

I talked with a friend who suffered a little  damage from this typhoon. I was relieved to contact with her. She lived a little bit far away. She was fine.
After the typhoon: Get through to a friend finally On the phone

 

Wednesday; we dropped by a supermarket and bought  deep-fried food.

I avoided to have them for my lunch, but probably we will often have them for lunch, which we will buy at a supermarket.
With deep-fried food Look up and smell; Orange osmanthus

 

Thursday, we went to a friend's restaurant.

Unfortunately because of the typhoon there are some leaks in her house, so for a while she is going to close the restaurant from next week.

After the typhoon; Busy days come back With transience

Friday. I got a whole of pumpkin (squash, or KABOCHA; its outside is green and thick)

I cooked it  making simmered pumpkin, gratin pumpkin, pumpkin soup. I tired of pumpkin.

However probably "a whole of pumpkin"  often will come from now.

 

From the all angles How fattened and solid  The pumpkin is!

A new homebakery

I bought a new Home Bakery.
The new one is the same size of the old one. I used the old for about 15 years. It had one problem, but it still worked. Why I bought the new one?
Because we can bake rice-bread with the new one.

Nowadays, rice-powder is getting popular.
So I wanted to make rice-bread.
I tried doing it.

Unfortunately, it looked like a kind of pound  cake, not bread, though the taste was not so bad.
According to the directions, the bakery choose the kind of rice powder.
Here in Tochigi, we can get rice powder easily, but a special kind of rice powder is sold only on the net.

When and how do you feel "luxurious" or "elegant"?

Since our retirement life started, I often say "saving, saving, saving". At first Yuki showed a little bit angry face to me, but now he shoes a bitter smile and half-listen to it. And I was reluctant at first to do it.
Well, two months has passed sine Yuki stayed home. I ever say "saving, saving, saving", but I try to say it positively.

We looked back  our "luxurious". We found we would find our "luxurious" in foods.

Wine, at some time we were into buying win which a person recommended. Actually all of them were fine, but we couldn't enjoy the difference of them. And Yuki was also satisfied with "cheap" wine. And when I tasted (I can't drink a lot) cheap one or expensive one, I was always drunken.
So our wine boom passed. At the same time  my cooking Western appetizers boom also passed.

Cheese:  We like cheese, I often reasonable cheese for cooking. But Thick one is very expensive, and we can't eat much, just nibble them. For nibbling something as appetizers, we preferred to SASHIMI considering our wallet. So our cheese boom passed.

Tea, I like tea. I took tea-lessons. And I understood, the most important thing is "polite and slow". It is my weakest point. On the other hand my strongest point is "quick and  deftly?". Additionally it is the reason why my behavior doesn't look "elegantly".

Coffee, we like coffee. Yuki took coffee-lessons. And he gave up pursuing coffee world. The reason is the same of mine.

Well, I also try to learn Japanese tea, and Japanese flower arrangement.
To tell the truth, I had the experience. I learned a little bit from my grand mother, who was a little bit famous at that time and did it as work not for her hobby.  The image of Japanese tea and Japanese flower arrangement was "strict". 

While I'm looking back our "luxurious", I have noticed that I lack a sense of fun.

Haiku in October

I try to submit my Haiku in Japanese to some magazines.

 

About Yuki's retirement



At the end of September; living in comfort With a tranquil look

New sake; Retire after rewarding  years  With a red hat

( We have a custom to celebrate 60 year with wearing a red hat and a red vest)

 

Autumn

Tone up my legs  Walk quickly Under the mackerel sky

Autumn clouds ; Make rice balls quickly Toward the hill nearby

 

 

Typhoon

Thphoon has gone; Keeping the color, Bite the bullet

 

 



Last week

The week before last week, I attended my mother, who had a cataract operation.
I know, it is just a cataract operation, but I had dense four days. When I came home back, my brain almost exploded. When I saw her, I could image my future; it made me more irritated and upset.

Sunday, I took acupuncture therapy. It removed my body tiredness.
Monday, I stayed home lazily. I was going to read books but couldn't. I took a bath with bath salt and aroma. I often took a nap on the bed while listening to the radio.
Tuesday, It was the day of KARAKU. In the morning I stayed home lazily, but little by little my energy was charged.

Wednesday, I had lessons from 3 to 9:30. My usual day came back. Suddenly my elder daughter came. She had time to have lunch together. So we had lunch outside.

Thursday, we were going to prepare for our trip to Nagoya, but Typhoon information was announced. We didn't. In the afternoon, an important paper was mailed. So we went to a city pension office with it.

Friday, we decided to cancel our trip. So we went to a station to refund our tickets.
And the Typhoon attacked Japan.

It left sever aftermath in Japan.

Anyway for us, usual week has started. Yuki went to a job-placement office to go through a resignation procedure.

lunch diary 1014

This is a lunch diary of last week. This weekend we had a big typhoon. Fortunately our house hasn't had any big damage. However even in this area, some small rivers overran partly. And some roads were flooded. Today it is a holiday on our calendar. Many people are volunteering to clean the roads.




Monday, the main was a kind of Chinese dish, Maboo-Harusame.
I wanted to serve all things with one bowl, but Yuki wanted to eat them separately. So he washed the dishes, and put them away together.
Autumn cicada Set the table together It's time for lunch




Tuesday, it was pilaf with lettuce.  After eating lunch I went to Karaku to play the piano.
At that time I was still tired because of caring for my mother. So playing the piano made me refreshed.
Feel cleansed  Play the piano at a café Autumn cicada




Wednesday, my elder daughter happed to visit Utsunomiya. She was really busy, but we had lunch together.
At lunch time, Busy dauther bobbing up The day of Kanro

Kanro means around October 8.



Thursday, Yuki and I went here and there to errands. Lunch time came, but we had still errands. So we dropped by the library, and had 500 yen lunch.
A clean autumn day Doing work briskly wearing sneakers




Friday, I cooked rah-men. It was unusual for me. However now Yuki is retired. So I have to ? will cook rah-men more often.
Autumn lantern staying home together  having rah-men noodle

We ate rah-men at noon, but the haiku's scenery was at night.

Typhoon has gone

Typhoon has gone. Fortunately we had no problems. (well, as we expected  the roof of the sunroom leaked a little bit because of aging, we often apply sealing so usually it doesn't leak. )

Yesterday, while  we were watching news on TV, we were organizing paperwork.
Today We watch F1 race on TV while eating sweets.

Before "the" big typnoon.

On our calendar, it is three-day weekend.
Yuki and I were going to Nagoya and to see F1 race to finish up with his businessman life.
However, now a big typhoon is approaching. It seems to be very big, which we haven't experienced since 1954. (before we were born)
It is the first time that most stores in Tokyo are closed.
On TV, lots of advice are being announced. Getting bottled water,  reinforcing windows with curing tape, and so on. But most of such things (bottled water, curing tape, and so on) seems to be already sold out.
Anyway, we did what we could do. We have a few windows that don't have shutters.

 

Well, we have no plan. So we are going to organize paperwork and discard unnecessary paper.

About sports

Yesterday, a young Japanese lady came, and talked with me in English.
The them was "sports".

What sports do you like to "play"?  --- To tell the truth I don't like doing any sports so much, but, if I have to chose one, probably I like playing ping-pong. I'm not good at playing ping-pong, but I am able to hit the bowl with racket.
What sports do you like to "watch"? --- I like to watch ice-skating. I don't cheer any ice skater but I liked Mao-chan.

What sports do you want to do or do in each season?
I sometimes swim in the pool in summer, and I wish I would do surfing.
I like hiking in autumn, it is the best season for me to walk outside. I wish I could climb a mountain.
I used to sky in winter.
I do yoga eagerly in spring. I have a sever allergy to pollen, so I don't want to go out especially in spring.

What sports is easy for you?  Probably it is walking exercise. Now I try to walk 5000 steps constantly for my health.
What sports is difficult for you? Most of sports, skillfulness like using balls, flexibility, muscle power, such things are lacked on me.
However doing exercise is necessary , I know, to keep our health.

When I was a child I liked dodgeball, jump rope, and so on.
When I was a junior high school student, I was a member of ping-pong club.
Since then I haven't done sports eagerly.
Now, as I tell you, I try walking constantly, so I want to go on a hike a little bit far someday.

One of my Hiku is appeared in summer issue of Hiku Interenatioal.

I'm a member of Haiku International association.
I constantly contribute my Haiku by mail.

And finally,

If you are interested in other HIKU, please read it.
HI 144

Higher comsuption tax

Our consuption tax increses from tomorrow.

We didn't  buy more than usual, but we bought something. They were  a carton of cigarettes and (only) two bottles of SYOUCYU-sake, all of them were Yuki's luxury.
I think, it doesn't lead to save money. I think he must have them more than usual because they are in sight of his eyes, though  he is denying.

Anyway according to this article, "people know the point system, but they don't understand the system". This sentence is right.
In October, foods are still sold with 8 percent consumption tax, but the other things are sold with 10 percent consumption tax. But we are going to get a  refund on the difference  for the difference in higher tax with "points" for a several months.  Then we don't know how to get the points effectively.

For example, I'll tell about a neighborhood supermarket which we often use.
They issue their own point card as a service card. When we accumulate a certain number of points, we use them as money. But, it is only when we pay by cash. When we pay with credit card, we don't get points of the supermarket, but we can get points of the credit card company. However the rate of profitability of the supermarket point is higher.
And in this case,  we seem to be able to get a refund as the supermarket points.

I'll tell you another neighborhood drugstore which we often use.
Their payment system is linked by our credit card company, and they also issue their own point card.
There when we buy something, we get both points of the credit card company, and the drugstore point card. In this case, we seem to chose points from which card to get a refund. Additionally using credit card is higher profitable.