lunch diary 0330

Monday, I stir-fried green peppers and thick sliced pork.
I went to a gym, there were only a few people. And every time a person used, each machine was sanitized by alcohol. And the distance between each machine was more than one meter.
And all windows were of course open, so we felt like being outside.
Doing exercise; all windows open up to spring wind


Tuesday, I got this lunch from my neighbor. It is called OSEKIHAN; red rice. We usually have one when something happy happened.
Our neighbor, share the happy rice: full of cherry blossoms.





Wednesday, early in the morning we went to see cherry blossoms in the hill. It is our annual custom.
We could do it like the last year.  Until now we used to drop by a café to have breakfast. However this year we used the coupon, and took them to our house.
Early in the morning, drop by a drive-through shop, after seeing cherry blossoms,


Thursday, finally we got afraid of coming the pandemic, so -- though it sounds strange, I tried not to use our stock in the freezer, and I constantly go to a nearby supermarket and get each-day food.
What I cook? organize our fridge ;  a pleasant spring day



Friday, Nato again. Nato is said to improve our immune power.
Yuki went fishing with two rice balls. Oh, it was my mistake. He went practicing of his fish kits.
At a far river, only drop a line; on a pleasant spring day

Walking diary 0330

How is your life? How has your daily life changed by this coronavirus?
Though lots of events are cancel, I still continue walking exercise.
Our residence area is not dense, and luckily we can go to big parks in rural areas by car.


This is a weeping cherry tree
We went out to a forest park which it takes 40 minutes by car. There Yuki practiced fishing, and I walked around the big pond. I walked 5629 steps.
I'm really afraid not only the coronavirus but also pollens, so I protected my face "perfectly" with a mask with eyeholes, a hat and special  grasses. So when you see me, you can see only my eyes, I know it looks weird.

Spring wind; Where have you met before?  wearing a big mask
 

 

This is SOMEI-YOSHINO.  We could enjoy these cherry trees on this hill this year again like last year. On the day, I walked (climbed) early in the morning, and I also walked in the evening. So I did walk totally 10326 steps.
Morning cherry blossom; finish off the day, 10000steps.

 

This day, it was raining. But we went to a place, where Yuki used to work .
We were only seeing the cherry blossoms. And we walked around his office. 5212 steps.
The commute road, the cherry trees in full bloom, Lazy afternoon
 

 

 

English Haiku 0326

Today's English Haiku is

my heart

taken away

woodpecker

--

Irina Guliaeva (Moscow, Russia)

Selected by Dhugal J. Lindsay

Woodpecker is an autumn word.

What does this Haiku mean?

Hearing the sound of woodpecker pecking a tree trunk,  my heart is also beating more, because I'm falling in love

It sounds exciting. But the season is autumn.

So it is another meaning.

Hearing the sound of woodpecker pecking a tree trunk make me sadder, it seems to hollow my sadness of heartbreaking.

Or hearing the sound of woodpecker pecking a tree trunk, my sadness of heartbreaking seems to be taken away.

What do you think of it?

 

And if we use a spring bird,

my heart,  take away softly; Japanese bush warbler

I'll introduce another spring bird which is used as a spring seasonal word.

I don't remember how skylarks sing, and what do they look.


wiping the floor, lasting the traces of hers; Skylark

Today's drill is try to mark out your Haiku clearly.

The scene is
A lady is playing with a cherry stem and spinning it.
She really wants to see someone.
Let's make Haiku


Playing with a cherry stem; I wish you were here,  with me

Cherry blossoms of this year

We went out to see the first cherry  blossoms on early in the morning.
It is our annual event. We could enjoy seeing SOMEIYOSHIHO cherry blossoms at Hachimayama park.

We haven't been there for a long time.
So we didn't know that this park got a big damage from the typhoon of the last summer.

Since this month the parking lot has reopened.

However the usual way to climb the hill was still forbidden to use.
So we detoured. We went across the next-door park.
 

Usually we had breakfast at a café on the way home.
But this year we used Macdonald coupon.
 

It cost 350 yen to each of us.
It was a good day.

Walking diary 0323

Every day the situation changes.
Anyway last week I could enjoy walking.

 

These are KAWAZU cheery blossoms. This kind of cherry blossoms start to bloom earlier than standard cherry blossoms like SOMEI YOSHINO.

I walked 6769 steps.

On the way home I dropped by Tully's  coffee shop.

They stopped to serve coffee with mug cups. And they use plastic spoons again.

 

 

Disposable plastic products cause a problem, but for a while we need to use them to avoid viruses.

Cherry blossoms; the first time on a week day, after retirement

.

 

Anyway graduation ceremonies were hold in most of schools even though the scale was diminished.

I presented these small bouquets to my students who graduated this year.

I walked 5027 steps to buy them.

Mimosa blooms; a sickly flower bouquet, suit to him 

 

 

 

The first spring storm?? Anyway it was really windy.

I did door-to-door drops to advertise my English school. I walked 5500 steps.

The first spring storm; door-to door drops,  brace myself

 

 

 

This is really rural area. I saw green barely field. I walked 7920 steps.

Green barely field, a more bend-over woman, wearing a plain hats

 

 

Weekend chore 0323

Fortunately super markets still have enough stocks. We experienced that toilet paper suddenly disappeared, but since then such a panic hasn't occurred.
However in my case, once a week a farmer delivers his vegetables directly to our house.



I got purple-Daikon. It looks good for fresh salad, or pickles. But it was too big to cook them. So I simmered.it.
I took time to make marinated egg plans and GOBO. I bothered deep-fried these vegetables after  pretreatment.

 
"We" also discarded 10 things.
These are our grand daughter's.
Accurately these were our daughters',  and half of them were made by me. These were used by our grand daughter. And --- I put away half of them in the upper closet, and we discarded half of them.
On the other hand we discarded some things which were put there.
Well, I also clean some windows. This year I try to clean windows constantly.



In my house there are many windows ---- we need to clean, though not "must thing".
But probably cleaning window will bring  a clear and slimmed-down life to us.

lunch diary 0323

Every day I check news in the world, on the other hand the life in Utsunomiya is still calm.
Since Yuki retired, a half of year has passed.
We made a rule which  I don't need prepare his lunch when he goes to play tennis.
"However", he said "I hope you will  leave the rest of your lunch".

Monday, both of us were really busy even though we were at home. We prepared papers and went to banks and the city hall. It was sunny, but strong wind was blowing.
"We" made fried rice together.
Spring storm wind; having business bags  he once wore


Tuesday, Yuki went fishing. So Yuki made these rice balls by himself.
On the other hand I had lunch outside with my friend. ( It cost 680yen)
Spring river; make rice balls for himself open the rice cooker


Wednesday, I did volunteer work all the day. My students come individually to show their homework. So the early morning I made my lunch box.
Book coupons Present directly with eye contact ; Spring sky


Thursday, I simmered pork and ginger.
If I made miso  soup as the third dish , it must have been a standard Japanese lunch set.
After we had lunch together, we went out to play half golf. I got a coupon, so we did it for 1500yen .
Catch up the ball Walk on the fairway; Spring clouds





Friday, I grilled fish. I didn't cut corners to make lunch. Well, I did cut corners to make dinner on the day.
First spring storm; Turn over a new leaf, door-to door drops

English Haiku 0319

Today's Haiku

my wrinkles

deeper and deeper ...

snowmelt

--

Rosa Maria Di Salvatore (Catania, Italy)

Selected by Dhugal J. Lindsay

what does it mean?
The older we get, The deeper our wrinkles get  and we are able to accept and permit all things generously like snowmelt.
Or after sever winter with tough days, our wrinkles get more deeper

What do you think of it?
Today's seasonal word is "farewell gift"


However, this word is not a seasonal word. farewell gift for graduation is a seasonal word.
Last week, my two students graduated from elementary school and my class. So I gave book coupons as my farewell gift for their graduation.

Directly, hand coupons with a big smile , Spring sky

Today's drill is "make Haiku in one scene".
Up till now when I make Haiku I always image two scenes separately like a season word and the other. This time try to make Haiku in one scene.

First write about our good point and bad point.
A good point, I try to do every thing promptly without putting them off.
A bad point, I'm really heady.

Next try to describe the things in one phrase consist 5 syllables  and 7 syllales
Promptly, walk forward everyday
No time, to reconsider and rethink

Then chose suitable seasonal word.


Come to mind,one after another;sowing flower seeds
Leave no room for reconsidering : stalks grow rapidly

Coronaviurs

Everyday the situation changes. It is really tough to keep up with it.
There are lot of sites about the coronavirus.

This site is intended for kids.
What's coronaviruse?
It is intended by a medical collage in Japanese and in English.


Anyway here in Utsunomiya we spend calm days. "We" means Yuki and I. If Yuki went to work, I would feel very sensitive.
Some people living in Utsunomiya are really afraid of people who commute to Tokyo, or visit Tokyo.
And people living in Tokyo area (including Tochigi) are afraid of people who lives in Kanasai area (including Nagoya)
I was going to see a friend who lives in Nagoya in April with another friend who lives in Saitama.. But this plan was canceled. We are all English teachers who belong in the same company. However coincidently the friend living in Saitama told the plan to one of her student. And his mother was really afraid so she told my friend "I won't let my child go to your class in April".
So, we decided to cancel the meeting in Tokyo.

My daughter who lives in Thai was going to visit us the late March.  But it was canceled. When she canceled the plan, it was thought that Japan would dangerous. Now the situation has changed. She is really afraid of being Thai, Coronavirus? It is one reason. Actually in Thai, suddenly people started to buy dairy things and foods. Because, many (or some) people get daily pay. So before it is stopped, they wanted to buy necessities. And also it is said the security seems to get poor.

I'm not sure, my daughter "evacuate" here to Japan, or stay there . Anyway if she comes back now, she and my grand daughter have to stay in my house for two weeks quietly.

walking diary 0316

Here in Utsunomiya, most of events were canceled, but "walking" is recommended to improve our immune strength. So  I continue walking exercise as much as I can, though pollen is swirling.

 

Monday, our plan to visit our mothers was canceled. So We drove to draw spring water on the mountainside.

 

 

Unfortunately walking trail was being repaired because of the latest Typhoon in the autumn.

We walked 5212 steps.

Melting snow --- begin absorbed in drawing  spring water 

 

My gym was closed, So I walked there to and from. It took only 5583 steps.

I understood that if I walked there when I do exercise, I would improve my power more effective.

Tulips---. with a backpack on my back, swaggering

 

What a admirable "FUKUJYUSOU". I have one in my garden, but it is very little, and only one flower is blooming. 5791 steps.

Spring comes,  never close my class, do posting

 

 

We went to GINZA by car. Because of the coronavirus the roads were not crowded. And we parked our car in the parking lot,  then we walked around. The town was not crowded. But this bakery was crowded as usual. I bought bread after waiting for 20 minutes in line. I was lucky. the second person and others  behind me  had to wait for 45 minutes. (Is this sentence right?)

Smartly dressed, waiting in line in Ginza,  the arrival of cherry blossom

 

Lunch diary 0316

How's your situation? Here in Utsunomiya it is calm. I haven't seen infected people by coronaviruses directly. My younger daughter living in Thailand said "I often see somewhere being sterilized".
Since two weeks ago all schools, public libraries and so on have been closed yet, but Yuki and I enjoyed our daily life as usual.



Monday, we didn't need visit our mothers in Tokyo. It meant we had no plan on the day.
So I made quick lunch box and went to draw spring water on a  mountain.



It was far than we expected.
Melting snow--- dwell spring water, wearing new shoes.


Tuesday it was the day of Karaku. I didn't advertise my performance, but usual audiences came to listen to us.
Spring rain--- Though radio sounds unsettled,  my normal self



Wednesday, it was a cold day. I made curry noodle.
Spring rain  Car windows were washed, without my help.
At night Yuki and I had a quarrel.



Thursday, we had Natto to improve our immune strength
Spring in the air,  wearing the cotton on the top, though the same number of the clothes



Friday I cooked Daikon.
Spring in the air, feel like put on pink, browsing shops

Haiku in English 0312

I chose this haiku from Mainich newspaer

moonlight ...

colors disappear

under the snow

--

Rosa Maria Di Salvatore (Catania, Italy)

 

It is a very beautiful Haiku, isn't it.

This winter I couldn't experience deep snow.

A hidden inn
finally stay there one night
snow swirling

   

Snow is a seasonal word for winter.

Today I use this seasonal word "thank-you party for teachers".

 

Unfortunately, here in Japan because of coronavirus, most of graduation ceremony is hold on a reduced scale. And most of graduation parties are canceled.

Thank-you party for teachers --- bouquets lining up, glossily at the shop

 

Well, on the other hand in Spring we visit our ancestor's graves with bouquets.
Spring equinox --- yellow flowers bouquets, waiting at the shop

Toda's drill is try to make you Haiku dynamic in perspective.

The seasonal words are spring sea, summer sea, autumn sea, and winter sea.

You chose one thing under your hands.

 

spring sea__ toss and catch, by myself
summer sea__ pick up a empty can, wait for tomorrow.
autumn sea__ a dozen of color pencils under my hands
Winter sea__ see a empty shell , remind myself

Yuki dropped his iphone at “the” riverside.

First I have a favor to ask. I always confuse how to use the or a correctly.
Is the title a correct sentence?

Well, because of the coronaviruses, we can't meet my mother- in-law as of now.
So one day our schedule was open, and decided to go out to  --- check fishing points in a rural area.
Here in Tochigi, since March river has been open for armature fishermen. (Or we can say,  at most of rivers, usual people are permitted to fish for a  particular period buying an annual piscary. (Piscary, is it right?)

I'm not interested such fishing points, but near a fishing point there a spring and we can get some water freely. To tell the truth people can get three bottles of water.



On the way home, we dropped by a little dam.
Until there, he had his cell phone.




And we took a rest at a farmer's shop.  He noticed that he didn't have his cell phone.
From the dam to the farmer's shop, we dropped by three fishing points.
Anyway we went back to the dam. It wasn't there.
I had my cell phone, so I called to his cell phone. It was ringing, so it was still somewhere.
We went to the next point, it wasn't there.
And we went to the third point, it wasn't there.
We are really in our old generation, we were looking for it with very old way.
I noticed, our cell phones are IPHON.
So I tried to iPhone app. --- but we couldn't operate it correctly.
And I also noticed, our cell phones are normal cell phone, not budget smartphone.
So I called the telephone company. Then we understood we had already obtained insurance to search our cell phone. They looked for his cell phone. According to the GPS it must be in the second point.
We went back to the second point again, and looked for it again.
We found it!
Nowadays to save our expense, we are thinking to change our iPhone into "budget smartphone"
However for a while, it seems to be better to use there iPhones supported by a major company because we are in the senior generation.

I save money and enjoy coffee!

 

The other day I read  and enjoy these magazines to the full.

Where? Not my house. At Karaku.

 

Lots of events are canceled or postponed., but the café of Karaku is usual.

So I played the piano as usual monthly piano time. I didn't advertise it, but regular audiences came.

After my performance,  I read these magazines.

 

 

They are intended for more than their late 50's generation. This series are not sold at bookstore.

If we want to read one, we need to subscribe directly from the publisher.

It costs 580 yen.

At Karaku, we read them for free but we order coffee or something.

 

But it is a good excuse to go to KARAKU, not only to play the piano but also to read these magazines.

 

 

I didn't know that such YOUTUBE is there

I've just known such YOUTUBE is there.
This YOUTUBE might be interesting to you. --- about MASHIKO

My usual weenend chores

This weekend we spent a quiet and usual weekend.
I cooked pre-cooked meals for this week as usual. These days I constantly make carrot paste with a little sugar.



Yesterday we went out for a kind of picnic having a lunch box.

And I also discard 10 things.
Mainly they were clothes of ours.
I also tidied up my winter sweaters. Though it was still cold, sweaters are easy to  absorb lots of pollens . So I stopped putting them on. But it has been still cold. So I bought some "new" polyester-blend clothes which outside are smooth against pollens.