Lunch diary 1129

 Last week I didn't do walking exercise because of the cold weather, though it sounds do be just an excuse. This week I will ????

Monday, we went to a big mall, and bought this meat which was on sale.

I didn't do walking exercise, but I walked in the mall, The steps was about 2000 steps.

Daytime in fall, doing walking exercise, browsing the big mall

Tuesday, I went to the dentist. My artificial tooth was going to be made it. But it was postponed. 

I sauteed meat and broccoli. And just "tin"ed the frozen rice. "tin" is the sound of microwave oven. When we cook something with the microwave oven, we call it "tin".

Toward the close of fall, continue going to the dentist, Covid goes its way

Tuesday, I "tin"ed frozen pasta. it means I just cooked frozen pasta with the microwave oven. It was a very cold day. Yuki went playing golf. I was cooped up in the house.

Autumn rain, the elderly man playing golf, while his wife at home

Thursday, this is fried rice with lettuce.

Can you see small fish with eyes? To get more minerals naturally, I soaked these small fish into vinegar and soy sauce. They are good kind of nibbles without drink.

Against winter depressing, cooking something, at kitchen

Friday, it was fried rice again, but this time I used AONA kind of spinach.

Harvesting fall, various greens, however the greens

On the day I had no lessons, I was going to spend a lazy evening. But, unusually my younger daughter called me. When I took the skype, I felt something bad. Because her call was mostly "bad" things. This time, she was lingering to explain the trouble between her friend and her. "Explain" is a reserved word. More suitable word is "complain". I understood her feeling because such things happens to all "young" mothers. So I just listened to her. When I talked with my mother, I usually just listened to her. Who listened to me without suggesting, advising, or denying. 

It's difficult for me to spend "moderate" daily life.

I continue to make HAIKU poems. Did I tell you? I take lessons by receiving collections by mail once a month. Usually I send 5 Haiku-poems. These days I can't get grade A; there are three levels. Most of them are grade B, but these days I get grade C.  And  the teacher said " watch more carefully, focus what you see, what you feel, and what you want to describe".

Well, my style is "anyway make it, anyway do it, --- without thinking". Sometimes it is all right. "Do quickly" was? or is my life style. But it often comes with "irresponsible attitudes or actions".

The reason why these days I get grade C or B is probably such an irresponsible attitude to my Haiku.

Now I have more time than before. So I can sweep everywhere moderately? politely? . I can cook something using more time. BUT==== I'm not good with hands, and anyway I'm not a patient person, I'm short-tempered.

Though it is in Japanese, my friend introduced this site.

She is as old as me, and she is living in her mother's house alone. Her mother is in nursery home. She retired from her business. I don't know her financial situation, but anyway she seems to enjoy her moderate daily life.

Well, I don't know how she records such video by her self.

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1123

 

Constantly I cook pre-cooked dishes.

Pumpkins (or squash) were baked with oven, the I sprinkled vinegar. Sliced onions were soaked into honey. These are mainly served for our breakfast.

I also discarded 10 things. I collected Japanese thin towels printed seasonal things, and used to decorate walls, but the colors faded away. so I have decided to use them practically as kitchen clothes. 

I also cleaned the windows in my lesson room. This is a kind of winter cleaning.

I did it!!!! 

Additionally, on the day, I spent a lazy afternoon.

lunch and walking diary 1123

Today, it is the last day of three-day holiday weekend. Yuki and I stay home without going special places. 

Suddenly the number of covid19 cases is increasing. What I can do is sigh.

 

Monday, I sautéed cabbage and eggs. 

Without a ladder, can't reach Yuzu citrons  on the top of a tree 

In the afternoon, we walked around this area to do some errands including updating our bank books. We walked 6200 steps.

Autumn dahlia, straight up,  don't mind coronaviruses.

 

Tuesday, frozen pasta was cooked by the microwave.

In the morning, I had a zoom meeting with my volunteer group. It was the second time. Each member seems to get used to deal with zoom.

Autumn already has come, talking over the screen,  in the same residents

In the afternoon, I detoured to the post office. I walked 5200 steps. Then I also went to the gym. For me it was a tough day.

Autumn tea time, heal my legs, with bitter green tea

Wednesday, we ate up our pre-cooked cabbage dishes.

My mother said on the phone, "today I went to the clinic, than I expect it was crowded, but most of patients were my familiar people, so I enjoyed chatting"

They are all seniors, so probably they are not afraid of coronaviruses among them.

Bright autumn sun shine, lingering mom's voice, daughter's job

Thursday, I bought delicatessen at supermarket.

It is really warm. It might be a good thing. But for me it is really difficult to catch up with the temperature.

do not postpone, washing cars, like a summer day in autumn 

Friday, I microwaved frozen rice. It's all right.

Today it tuned into usual cold weather. I had a headache.

It was caused by my autonomic dystonia. I took a prescribed stabilizer.

Go straight down in to autumn, with dizziness 

New Year is approaching

Yesterday, suddenly daily COVID-19 cases surpassed 2300 and set a new record.

Well, well, I talked on the phone with my mother the day before yesterday.

Mother "are you able to come to Tokyo at New Year?"

I " Probably we'll come over, but just 15-minute visiting."

Mother" will you take me somewhere like a supermarket or a department store (by car)?"

I " No way. You know it is risky. During New Year's vacation, everywhere must be crowded"

Mother " It sounds boring. "

I " Probably, and we often talk on the phone enough. You have lots of visitors, even though their visiting will be for 15 minutes, anyway you see your sons, their granddaughters, my  daughter, and probably the neighbor Ms. ?? ( I've just forgot her name) will come. So you wouldn't feel lonely"

And Yuki also talked on the phone with her mother yesterday morning.  She doesn't watch news so often. So she doesn't understand why New Year's party is hot hold this time with her son's families. She understand it is not allowed to go to supermarkets in groups, but why "family" gathering is not allowed???

Actually it is not allowed, we are just scared.

So he told her, each family must visit you in turn during New Year's vacation.

However, the situation has changed.  It might become difficult to visit her elderly nursing center.

Anyway this Monday her third son is going to visit her, so far it is allowed to visit there by a few people.

Here in Tochigi, compared with Tokyo, the cases are a few. But the cases have also increased since yesterday.

There is a sign in some clinics I go, "if you visit Tokyo or neighbor prefectures, please inform us by call before entering"

A year has passed since our retirement life started

A senior man said to us when we got free from our children's education, "when you are working, you are busy and have always a tight schedule, but easy to use your money". We listened to him with a half eye. Anyway Yuki started playing golf, I started ???? being more outgoing???

Now, we really understand what he said.

Additionally, thanks to??? this corona pandemic, we don't go out to far places such as TOKYO. We have little chance to go to concerts. Luckily, the other day I went to see Yuki's band debut concert. It was held outside. I stayed there for 30 minutes. And Yuki also came back as soon as his performance was finished.

Movie theaters are open.  but we don't go.

Corona pandemic keep us from going cultural things.

Is it bad? Or it is a good opportunity to reconsider our life , What is necessary, what is we want to. 

Without trouble, automatically facade of social communication disappears. Does it make sense?  It is easy  for us to have a simple life? or a modest life ? without comparing our previous life.

Well, well, another big corona pandemic wave seems to come.

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1116

 I'm delivered a box of vegetables from a farmer in this area directly once a week. I'm really happy to get fresh vegetables easily, but anyway vegetables are always waiting for being cooked.

Carrot season has come. I made sweet carrot paste like jam. 

Nowadays, Yuki finally has noticed he always has had vegetables enough.



I organized our garden. I discarded some pots, and wreathes.

Can you see a little Santa? I've started putting some things for Christmas. However this year I have no plan to hold or attend any Christmas parties.

Well, I also discarded wooden toy blocks and some cards which were used by our grand daughter.

Well, "we" also cleaned some of the windows of our house. The main work of our winter cleaning is cleaning windows.  The rest of uncleaned windows are in the kitchen, and bathroom downstairs. Probably we will finish "our " winter cleaning before December coming.

lunch and walking diary 1116

Grilled squash; with lots of KATAKANA, I walked around this area. I was going to drop by a nearby super market on the way home, because it was the coupon day, we call "point day". But I forgot "the" important member's card. So I got home, and went there again on foot. Thanks to  additional to-and-from I walked more than 7000 steps.

Autumn red berries; try to pull the vines, no reach 

Tuesday, fried rice with Daikon radish. Probably for Japanese people it sounds strange, but for two of us, it is getting usual.

Anyway, we eat constantly Japanese radish. Thankfully as soon as one is finished to eat out, another new one comes.

The next day morning, I cooked DAIKON steak with ham for our breakfast.

 


My stew pot, without putting away, always busy

Wednesday, I steamed Chinese pork dumplings.

In the morning, I went to the gym. And -- the inside was cold to me. To keep ventilation, the windows are open while the air condition is running to get the room warm.

with layered clothing, do exercise while keep windows open, in corona pademic

Thursday, I stirred Daikon. And fried the minced leaves.

Japanese radish, copy what my grandma did, mince the leaves

After having lunch at home, we went to Forest park it takes 30 minute drive.

There We walked about 5000 steps.

Autumn leaves, hiking the forest path, with a bear bell

Friday, I grilled fish. I cooked lunch diligently. (Is the adjective suitable to the sentence?) 

Grilled fish, makes Japanese radish, an appetizer, 

I walked to see a dentist and detoured back home . Anyway I walked 3000 steps. 

I was going to walk more, but it was too hot to do walking exercise because I was wearing too many.

I found kochia afield.

Autumn leaves afield, becoming popular with kochia

We enjoyed colorful leaves nearhere!

In this prefecture, there are many sightseeing spots for colorful leaves.  Of course they are usually crowded on weekends even in this corona pandemic.  We have lots of "free time" on weekdays, --- I think, but he is busy in playing tennis, and I constantly go to the gym in the morning. So -- it is a little bit troublesome to go a little bit far even by car.

And actually we are afraid of going such sightseeing spots-- we are completely members of senior generation. 

So We went nearby. The first object was buying apples. And on the way we dropped some local shrines seeing local colorful leaves. It took 40 minute drive to the apple orchard.

 We are lucky to enjoy such nature easily. This time we didn't walk so much.

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1109

 These days it is easy to get lots of kinds of "squashes", or "pumpkins".
Until about 10 years ago, I didn't know that why "KABOCYA" (in English, pumpkins) are orange in the U.S. or in English picture books. Now I know Japanese KABOCHA is a kind of squashes. And when I went to the U.S. I was really surprised to find "KABOACHA" in the vegetable section at a supermarket as same as "DAIKON".

The other day I got "butternut squash". Well I think it is not  a "buttercup squash".
I'm not sure what difference there is between them.

Anyway it is not as hard as usual Japanese KABOCYA to cut.
I bothered cooking meat sauce with beans.

And I baked the squash.

The back of the stuff was our dinner.

The front of slices were baked with coconut oil and marinated as one of pre-cooked dishes.

I also stirred Japanese radish, "daikon".

I also discarded 10 things.

The bottles of spray are mosquito spray. They were not empty, but probably I'll buy new ones for next summer.

I also cleaned the windows in my bedroom. "I" have started winter cleaning, though Yuki hasn't started yet.

lunch and walking diary 1109

Monday I made hot-sandwiches and steamed Chinese dumplings. It looked like a breakfast menu. It's OK.

To tell the truth, Since the weekend I had felt my body cold. So I couldn't spend days without past-on warming pads.

Past-on warming pads, without huddling in the room, being active

In the morning, I went to the post office nearby  and other places on foot. I walked 2500 steps. Then in the afternoon, we went to a mall, there we walked. So totally on the day I walked more than 5000 steps.

Autumn rain; without my elder mother, walking in the mall

Tuesday, it was the big sale day at a nearby supermarket. So I bought this delicatessen.

Fall for the sales day, walk and buy more, a clear autumn day

We went to a grasses shop to take Yuki's grasses. On the way home I walked back. So I walked 5400 steps.

Finding a YUZU citron, share one with me, I'm waiting

Wednesday, I cooked deep fried Toufu, it is called AGEDASHI TOUFU. I found one at a restaurant when I went to the U.S. It was completely different. So I asked the chef whether he knew real AHEDSHI TOUFU. His answer was "no". Weather forecast said it was the day that the wind was cold, and the next day it was a cold day.

Wind makes cold, sunshine comes through the window, doing YOGA

I? or the microwave range cooked it. The taste is as same as the one at a local cafe.

With frozen food, feel like being at a cafe, an autumn lunch

In the afternoon we went downtown. On the way I got off the car and I walked back. So I walked 5600 steps.

A calm autumn day, as a snug as a bug in a rug, while walking

(as a snug as a bug in  a rug, is this phrase suitable?)

Friday, I cooked pork-ginger. To tell the truth, it was the same menu of the last dinner.  The day before we got good quality pork. So we didn't get tired of eating twice in a row.

Wind bringing coldness. having stewed pork, in a row

small excitements

1. Finally Yuki's band has debuted. Some bands joined and hold a concert on an outside stage downtown. So I said that if it was sunny and not so cold, I would see you. And luckily it was a sunny day.

Fortunately or unfortunately, as soon as their performance was finished, he and most of the other members got home without no party. So Yuki and I had lunch at home together.

2 I bought a bottle of candle at a used site shopping on the net which are organized by a private group.  It was branded.

It smells good. I use it while I do yoga in my room. Well I hope my room would be more organized, but so far it is difficult. Probably if I change the lamp on the ceiling, it would look completely different. However I can't afford to buy new one, or I could buy but I won't use our money for it.

3、 I bought coconut oil to cook marinated sweet potatoes. Of course we can't find it at nearby supermarket. So I went to a big supermarket downtown.

Than I expect, it was expensive.

Well, when I made it, the coconut oil was transparence. But I stored it in the fridge, it got white and hard. well, well, So I sautéed it again and also make fried eggs. the smell was good. Even Yuki noticed the sweet smell, and the different taste from the usual.

 Using coconut oil gives me fun for a while.

if that tells you anything ---househusband Yuki

 If that tells you anything ----

Since Yuki retired, he said to others that he has been busy as househusband. 

We have two vacuum cleaners, one is downstairs and the other is upstairs.
Once a week Yuki cleaned all upstairs rooms (just three) with vacuum cleaner.

The other day, he finished cleaning there than he expected. So he offered me to clean the first floor with another vacuum cleaner. At that time I was cooking pre-cooked dishes. So I was really happy to hear his offer.

Well, after he finished the cleaning, I told him to discard the trash in the vacuum cleaner. He suddenly said "troublesome" with anger.

I didn't want to quarrel with us, so I said "leave it in the room, I'll do that and put the cleaner away" in a little bit angry voice.

The upstairs cleaner is the type with a paper trash bag, so it doesn't need to be throw the trash out every time we use it. --- "however", I sometimes change a paper trach bag into a new one.

The downstairs cleaner is the type with a trash basket, so usually after the cleaning we take the trash in the basket out.

Why he could say "troublesome"? It is our (my) rule.

Anyway, in the same day, he said that "if I could have shown the way to handle the basket at that time, I wouldn't have said troublesome". ==== really???

pre-cooked dishes and discarding 10 things 1101

I cooked pickled cucumbers again. It is really autumn, but still I've got cucumbers from someone. Though in the summer we had less green leave vegetables, we have enough green leave vegetables. We can get fresh Daikon with fresh leaves. So I cooked them.

I checked inside of the fridge, and organized them. It means some of things were already expired. 

Well, I finally discarded one of my member's cards. It was a face esthetic salon. I bought my cosmetics there about twice a year. Then as a complementary service I could get a face massage.

But this year such service is given to customers who bought something over 10000 yen. (I usually bought about 5000 yen.)
And because of coronavirus I haven't  been there for a year. So I decided to discard the card.  Well, It is a kind of my "retirement life".

I also put Halloween's decorations away. And Some of them were discarded.

Little by little, the store space for seasonal goods is getting organized, or empty. Seeing organized space is good, on the other hand seeing empty space makes me a little bit sad.

lunch and walking diary 1102

 

Monday, I cooked kidney beans and beef with soy sauce, sugar and sake.

On the same day, I got kidney beans from two people. Is it the season of them? I don't think so. Probably it was the last harvest of kidney beans.

Kidney beans, keeping strong color, worth of respect

It was the day to see a dentist. I detoured there both ways, so I walked about 5000 steps.

A good autumn day, take off the jackets one by one while wallking

(How many jackets did I wear?)

Tuesday, It was decupled point day at a nearby supermarket.

So I bought a little bit expensive delicatessen for our lunch.

Seasonal fish; finally decuple point day, so buy them

I went to a post office, a bank, and the supermarket. So I walked more than 6000 steps.

All the rice was already harvested. And I noticed fresh green seedlings on the root of the rice. It is called "karita". And I also noticed, the weeds started to come, but they were herbs.

Come cross and watch, wiled herbs start to grow, in "KARITA" fields.

Wednesday, Frozen shrimps with chili sauce. The microwave open cooked them.

I talked with my mother on the phone longer than usual.

When she complains about something, I always "suggest" the advice to do it better.

Then she always tells me an opposite opinion. I know she  doesn't want to get my advice. I think what I say is an "advice", but for her it is none of her bisness.

Old age VS old age, debate with negative phrases, a bagworm;




Thursday, these are frozen SANMA. Sanma are a seasonal fish, and this autumn it is very expensive. We ate fresh Sanma just once, which were presented from my friend.

Fresh Sanma fish; a charcoal stove is waiting its turn, in the garden

In the afternoon, we went out shopping here and there. An electronical shop, a used book store, another electronical shop, glasses shop, and a Japanese sweet shop. We walked more than 7000 steps.

To celebrate another harvest moon  called katamiduki, we bought a good quality Japanese sweet.

Another harvest moon, reflect our daily life, in floating clouds, 

Friday, I cooked sardine with ginger.

In the morning, I went to see a dentist. Finally the process to make an artificial tooth has started.

Finally it is the time, to accept an artificial tooth, another harvest moon