a little bit excitements 1030

 1, I found a place where I want to go last month. And we were going to go there in next month. It is a shrine in this prefecture.  When I talked with my elder daughter T, she was also interested in it. She searched it in detail, and she said that in front of the  shrine, there is a parking lot. and we have to "climb up " the stirs, according to the brochure, it takes 20 minutes.

Really?? I can walk without rest for 20 minutes, but I'm not confident or I can't "climb up the steps of the stirs for 20 minutes".

I'm really happy that T shows the interest to going together, but anyway I need more walking exercise.

2. It is a day of "KATAMI dsuki".

The other day we saw a JYUGOYA a kind of full moon. And it is said that we should see JYUSANNYA another a kind of full moon if we see JYUGOYA. The reason why I mention "a kind of full moon", is that both JYUGOYA and JYUSANYA are not a completely round moon. A full moon, or a completely round moon comes two days later of those. And the second full moon is called blue mooon.

Last time we didn't have Japanese sweets, so this time we will buy seasonal Japanese sweets.

And we did it. 

We could see the moon, and I asked Yuki to take photo with his "regular" camera.

While he was preparing his camera, clouds appeared. So he took this photo.

We can say "what a mysterious scenery".  (not too late)

What kind of coupons are issued?

In Japan interesting coupons were issued to revitalize this financial situation. We bought some books of discount coupon for eating issued by our city, and some books of discount coupon for shopping.

According to "my plan", we were going to use the eating discount coupon for "our" lunch outside. HOWEVER, once I gave a book to Yuki, who wanted use the coupon for his favorite ramen noodle, ---- most of books "were" used for his ramen. I don't like ramen noodle he likes. So when he goes to join his band practice, he eats his favorite ramen noodle outside. 

And, now, the books are almost finished. I imply him that after using the coupon, if you want to keep the "habit", you should pay it from your pocked money.

Well, what will he do?

We bought the eating discount for 30000yen in June, and it gave us 10000yen discount. Additionally as of now, Yuki had ramen noodle more than 20 times.

Waking diary 1026

I could do walking exercise more than I expected last week. But it is not enough.

Are they broccoli leaves? How gigantic they were!

I went to see a doctor prescribe the medicine for my allergy.

I walked more that 5000 steps there and back.

I saw these leaves and I also saw the flowers of Soba noodle.

The flowers of Soba noodle, makes me reconfirm, depart from the city

 

We drove a little bit far. It was fun, but unfortunately it was too early to see colorful leaves. "We" walked more than 7000 steps, including the stirs to a shrine on top of the hill.

Colorful leaves, 1000 steps of stairs to a shrine, make it

However from Wednesday to Friday I didn't walk much. Additionally the weather was not good.

 

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1026

 

I made pickled cucumbers with soy sauce and vinegar, again.  I thought it was the last time to make it when I got lots of cucumbers last week. But this time I got lots of cucumbers again from my friend saying "it is the last harvest of this year".

I also got lots of potatoes. So I sent the potatoes to my daughter. The box was very big, because I'm so kind that I put potatoes, onions, apples, other preserved food and a bag of new rice. The stuff is almost for free, because most of them were gotten from my friends. But sending fee was --- expected than I thought. I was too generous.

I also discarded 10 things. One drawer looks more organized.

And I also clean the windows in my classroom. Now "we" have to start winter cleaning before a cold winter comes.

lunch diary 1026

 

Monday, I cooked fried rice with "boiled Daikon radish". The white blocks are Daikon. It was not so bad. Daikon is a seasonal word for winter, on the other hand, red pepper is a seasonal word for autumn.

Red pepper; the color shows up on  white rice

Tuesday, I stewed a whole of cabbage and ground meat with pressure cooker.

I also put rosemary, sage, bay leaf which I picked from the garden.

Autumn grasses, as soon as picking up, into stew pot



Wednesday, we ate the rest of yesterday. No problem.

It was a warm day.

Autumn clouds, their jacket wrap around, own school backpack

Thursday, it is GYOZA, it is famous as our local foods. I sent this photo a friend who lives in Gabon. When she was a college student, she studied at a college in this city. Now she is a mother of two daughters.

Winter preparation, elderly mother did it, keep her youth



Friday, I was not so good. So Yuki bought this delicatessen.

They are fried cutlets and shrimps. Fortunately I had an appetite. 

Cold autumn, the lunch for househusband, going to Deli

clothe for table and kitchen sink

Do you use wet cloth to wipe the table,  clean the kitchen sink, or kitchen stove?

Well, I use them. After I use one, I usually wash it by soap, and soak it into a water with bleach, and hand it through the window to dry it.

However, it is easily to get brown? darken? or get stains.

So I often change them into new ones.

And the old one is cut into pieces, to use as  scrubbing cloth for kitchen stoves. 

But I often use the regular clothe even for scrubbing, so it is easily to get darken with stains.

Before the corona pandemic, we used to use kitchen paper towel more. However during the first corona pandemic, kinds of paper like toilet paper, tissue, kitchen paper was almost run out. So I have started to use clothe more. However it is a little bit difficult or troublesome to keep the clothe white.

 

walking diary 1019

Last week, I didn't do walking exercise much.

Monday, I walked 44715 steps. I was driven to the gym, and I walked back to home.

Tuesday, it was the day of Karaku, so I didn't walking exercise.

Wednesday, "we" went to a supermarket nearby, "we" walked 2028 steps.

Thursday, I was not feeling good. So I stayed home.

Friday, I walked to see a dentist, so I walked 2000 steps.

Saturday, "we" walked to go to a drugstore nearby. We walked 1600 steps.

And Sunday,  we went to a supermarket, the library, and I walked back to home. I finally walked more than 7000 steps.

Tall goldenrods, the shining color makes, my nose itchy

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1020

 

The white things are boiled Daikon radish. The other day, thankfully we got SANMA-fish. This year they are very expensive. So we were really happy to get them. The "traditional" or "easiest" way to eat them is to grill. BUT Yuki said "grated Daikon radish is necessary". So he bothered going out to buy one whole of Daikon. Of course we didn't use a whole of Daikon, so I boiled the rest of them.

I also managed to discard 10 things.

I have organized or reduced the gadgets, staff, and books in the classroom. On the day I opened a drawer and decided "anyway I discard 10 things".

I did it, but still now inside the drawer looks not so organized.

I also change the carpet into a winter carpet in the room.

lunch diary 1019

 

Monday I was not so good, but anyway I did house chores. The worse was that the PC suddenly didn't work. So during the morning I was "fighting" with my PC. And thankfully my PC started again.

Meteoropathy, Typhoon has gone, walking exercise again.

Tuesday, it got warm suddenly. Compared the last day, it was completely in a different season. Anyway it was the day of KARAKU. I did good performance. 

Nice autumn day, made me satisfied today, tomorrow is tomorrow

Wednesday, I bought delicatessen of fried chicken, but I made pumpkin soup after boiling sliced pumpkin and onion.

It was 6 degree Celsius lower than yesterday. I applied the pasting-on heat pat on my back.

Cold autumn, prewarm the oven, what I bake?

Thursday, it is cold like normal autumn. I bought an apple core at 100 yen shop. Last time I made baked whole apples, the outsides were not good. It was really easy to pull out the core with the "gadget".

Cold autumn, what I dress in layers, pile of clothes

Friday, hot UDON noodle with meat.

In the morning I went to see a dentist. The first step of a denture has finally started.

fixing my tooth, the first step has started, autumn sun comes

a little excitements 1016

1. 15%-discount coupon

I got a 15%-discount coupon. It is used for the fourth days straight in a row. But only one thing is applied. The coupon was issued by a nearby drugstore. It is a good walking exercise.

So the first day, we went there to buy an ointment for Yuki. The second day I went there to buy my face cream. The third day I went there to buy my face pack. And the forth day we went there to buy our Japanese herb medicine.

2. go to our familiar apple orchard

Apple season comes. So we went to visit our familiar apple orchard. I sent a box of apples to my mother, and we also bought some B-ranked apples and were presented many C-ranked apples.

The difference of three types is just outside. The taste is almost the same.

I shared B-ranked apples to my neighbors. 

And It is the baking time. I baked whole apples with butter and cinnamon. And I also baked sliced apples with bread crumbs and butter. 

3. What should I put on?

My performance at Karan has started. So I was thinking what to put on.

I usually wear a casual clothes, or everyday clothes. So I looked for something fancy clothes for the first time in 5 months. It was fun.

Well, around this time of the last year, we went to a hotel restaurant with my mothers. To be correct, We took each of them in turn. We told them our thanks to celebrate Yuki'r retirement. At that time, we wear street clothes, it means Yuki wore suits. I've never seen him in a suit since then.

I'm not used to a new normal life yet

Finally, I've started one of my activities outside. Yesterday I played the piano at Karaku tea-room, and after that I walked with my partner, Ms.U. We could talk for less than one hour. Usually we would talk more than 2 hours after our performance. Oh, of course we were wearing a facemask.

A member of my laughter yoga club asked me when to restart the meeting. To tell the truth, it seems to be very difficult.

At first, our residential community hole doesn't open yet. It means that our residents don't accept any meetings. So I don't like to be told by someone  like "at H's house some members gathered and shouted in the daytime".

The second, the main exercise of laughter yoga is laughing aloud, energetically. So it sounds like shouting. And It is said speaking in a big voice must spread corona viruses more.  

The third, I'm really afraid of corona viruses than I thought. Here in Utsunomiya, these days, including today no one who got infected , has been reported. But every one seems to be afraid people who come to Tokyo area, or go there.

Nearby restaurant, one poster is put on the door "sorry, people who from Tokyo refrain from entering."

Actually we don't go to Tokyo for these months, but we don't know when we have to go there. Going to Tokyo is all right. However after we come home, we should stay home at least one week quietly. So I don't schedule any meetings to do something. Because it is not sure if the meetings will be held certainly. 

And I try to avoid to contact with people who come to Tokyo.

So a meeting has started. The main staff comes from Tokyo. However I don't attend to it yet.

Here and there, they have started to make plan for new year's vacation.

Yuki was going to attend one-night party at a inn. But he declined. because we don't know when we have to go to Tokyo.

We are really sensitive to this situation.

English Haiku in October

 I continue making Haiku and receive paid corrections by mail once a year from a pro Hiku poet.

This time he pointed out that I should focus on one thing more.

Anyway I translate my corrected Hiku in English. I underlined seasonal words.

I hope you image what I saw, what I felt.

Avoid the three C's 　Kids go to school with umbrella  against summer sunshine

Purification trough (Chouzusya) gushing, summer vacation

With a cooking book, make a Lebanon cuisine , using Japanese eggplants

Feel my aging, Old songs in my youth, and cicadas

summer curtain, cover the dust, with breeze

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things

I constantly make Japanese pickled cucumbers with ginger.

And pumpkin or squash season has come. so I boiled them with sliced onions to make soup stock.

Of course I discarded 10 things.

I  organized the bottles of aroma. some of them are expired.、

"Expired" means that I didn't use so often.

But among them, one is used sometimes for Yuki. I use a few drops for his foot care, main aroma oil is different. Is it all right to omit the special oil without telling him? 

And I also tidied up things in the fridge. I also found some things which were expired.

walking diary 1012

 The first half of the week, I did walking exercise. But later in the week, I was not so good because of the typhoon. I suffered from "meteoropathy" with headache, and depressing.

I walked around my house and did 5078 steps. I walked in the evening, it was time for many students come home. So probably I was an obstacle for them. Here in Japan sidewalks are for pedestrians in the rule, but bicycles also run, and in commuting time to school, sidewalks are mainly for students with bicycles.

Bicycles, main characters on sidewalk , autumn evening

Orange osmanthuses are blooming. Some people loves this smell. On the other hand probably people in my generation might say "oh, it reminds us of toilet refresher.  Additionally, nowadays, the fragrance of lavender is common as refresher nowadays.

Sweet trees; they remind you , some place interesting

This day, I walked more than usual---over 8000 steps.

And another day I walked around my house -- and 5042 steps. I was going to more, but before I left home I got a phone call from my elder daughter, and  I talked longer than we expected.

Autumn evening, my daughter being over thirty, talking with bouncing sound

 

A little excitments 1009

 It is a cold Friday. Another typhoon is approaching. 

1. A new big road was opened to traffic.
Yuki wanted to drive through it, though I was not so interested. However it was a good excuse to go to a little far away Japanese sweet shop.

And we drove through. It was a new road, but everyone already used it, so it was crowded. (On the way home we used an old road , it was not crowded.) At the shop, we had a coffee time. Probably it was the first time in a year. We had a good time.

2. Hot sandwiches.
I cooked cutlets. and we left  some of them for our next day breakfast. Suddenly I recalled me. Yes, I have a hot sandwich maker. At night, I went to bed while I try to make hot sandwiches for our breakfast.

When our daughter were here, it was troublesome, because at the one time I only make hot sandwiches for two or just one. Now it is all right. At the one time, it cooked for two of us.

3. gardener.

Usually we have our familiar gardener trimmed tree once a year.

This spring we didn't do that because of corona viruses. Instead of them we trimmed more constantly than usual. And we were thinking to have him triimed tree this autumn. But we decided to ask him.

When we see the organized our small garden, we feel rich.

Of course we save money , but now we don't go on a small trip, and even go to Tokyo. So such a little luxury is all right. In another word, we didn't feel it was that we had to save. --- however we have to cut the budget for our foods a little.

the longer we live, the more farlies we see

Thankfully, my mother and my mother in-law are fine, and probably enjoy their long life while complaining.

Now, they (probably) give up doing "syukatsu".  They say "it is better to leave thigs to chance than to plan every little thing."

"Syukatsu" means planning for their end of life, such as decluttering, discarding, organizing papers , and so on.

Whenever I open the news paper, the title "syukatsu" always catch my eyes. What things are necessary for Sukatsu? All news say "you start doing syukatsu as soon as you become 60.)

It sounds strange. Because we have more than 20 years or 30 years until we become the same age as my mother or my mother in-law.

According to the newspaper, 

organizing the back accounts, discarding things, reducing the garden, and so on. 
Well, we have lots of time, so we will be able to do those things constantly. But to tell the truth "troublesome". However making the most of everyday is very important, we know.

Oh, another thing I almost forgot. For men (in Japan) , learning to cook and organize the daily including how to take out garbage, clean the bathroom, wash, hold and put their clothes away, etc. are very important to live independent.

One year has passed since Yuki retired.

Now he can cook rice, it means he learned how to prepare rice, and use the rice cooker.

Well, let me introduce this exhibition.

Pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1005

I cooked Japanese type pickled cucumbers again, and I also mashed the potatoes and repackaged into smaller sizes and froze them.

Well, I also pickled radish and sliced onions into vinegar and honey.

 

Well, I also cooked Japanese pare tart in an easy way.

The base of tart was made by crashed cracker and butter. I didn't have almond powder, so instead of it I used cornstarch.

I baked it.

Perfect!

Next thing was discarding 10 things.

I checked on the top of fridge.  I discarded some packs of blue ice.

And I also discarded plastic glasses. To tell the truth, I moved them into a temporary box before discarding them directly.

I also cleaned the outside of the fridge.

walking diary 1005

 This week I walked more.

This summer the weather was really strange. BUT it is said that red spider lilies bloom as usual without any climate effect.  I walked 5000 steps and a little more.

Red spider lilies; my old mother harks back , to her old mother

Near my house there is a great Japanese pepper tree. It has now fruits. In my garden, it has also a small Japanese pepper tree. And it has few fruits. I walked 6075 steps.

Fruits of Japanese pepper tree; the sun appears suddenly, hid from the light

This is AKEBI. I think they usually grow in the rural area, or are planted in the big farmers' garden. Well, I actually understood that we are living in the rural area. I walked 4950 steps.

The fruit of Akebi, reflects a rural life,  here we are.

Halloween month has come. However this year I have no plan. In our garden there are lots of SYUKAIDOU kind of Begonias. They get  in the way of the things Yuki trim the trees. --- It is a good excuse to escape from trimming the trees. I made a big detour around my house and walked 7000 steps.

Freewheelingly, Grow out branches, above autumn begonias

lunch diary 1005

 

Monday, I grilled fish, simply. Oh it is wrong. I told Yuki how to grill the fish in the easiest way. So "he" grilled fish.  Here in Japan, in the most Japanese kitchen fish-grill is installed. But it is a little bit troublesome to clean it after using it. So nowadays grill sheet is very popular. Put the sheet on the pan, put fish and add some "Japanese sake". Put the rid on it and heat the pan. Oil isn't needed, so wasing the pan is very easy.

Grilling fish, a new househusband tries, in autumn.

Tuesday, I fried pork and ginger. It looks a lots. But all pieces are think. So we ate up at once.

Fri pork, smell crunchy, autumn ginger

Wednesday, I cooked Korean fried rice. Can you see Miso soup? Yuki likes Miso soup. Or he needs soup when he eats rice. But I don't need one. So he always stock his own instant soup. And it is one of his hobbies to search and buy his favorite ones.

A calm autumn day, feel like walking with my mother, on the phone

Fri pork, smell crunchy, autumn ginge水曜、ビビンバの素で、焼き飯。お味噌はインスタント。

Thursday, I used frozen mushed potato I made.

Unfortunately on the day I was not feeling good.  So I did house chores in the morning, but the rest of the day I was sleeping in the bed after taking some medicine.

On the harvest day, tidy up and take out, with cleaning

Friday, this year it seems to be difficult to eat seasonal fish "sanma" Pacific saury. Instead of them, we eat sardines.

Disappear a seasonal thing, have no regrets, having sardines

A little bit excitments 1003

1. One of my young friend opens her shop once a week. I tried going there, but not yet. So This week I decided to go there. We went there. Under this corona pandemic, she was working well with a good smile.

2. Our city, and our prefecture issued  eating and shopping coupons in a row. Same things were done in other areas. They worth at least 20 or 25 percent expenditure . Of course we bought them. Everyone could buy two books which worth 10000yen at once. So we bought 4 books at first and the next week we bought more 4 books. and this week we could buy more 4 books. Now all books were sold out. We were very satisfied. And now our government will be going to issue such coupons. We were looking forward to it. (Well, they already issued a travel coupon, we didn't buy, because we had no plan to travel.)

3. Anyway Yuki smokes. However he tries to decrease the number of smoking, and save his pocket money. So he has started showing interest to "point day" of a supermarket. Usually at the most of supermarkets,  they don't offer any discount point to cigarettes. However fortunately one supermarket nearby, they offer point even when buying cigarettes. So he checks when the day of adding five times point is. This Monday was it. So he bought a carton of cigarettes. To make us surprised many people (mainly senior men) was there. (To explain more, on the day the special corner was arranged.) According to him, "most of them" bought two or three cartons, but he didn't --- because to control the number of smoking.

Anyway for two of us, checking such a point day is one of our excitements.

4 we saw the harvest moon. And to enjoy it we bought special rice dumplings. According to my plan, I was going to a good quality Japanese sweet shop to buy them, but I had no time. So I bought them at a supermarket nearby.