Good morning 1130

 

Yesterday, Yuki’s friend presented a lot of persimmons. Some of them are almost mature. I made persimmon jam, and some of them are dried after peeling, the others are stocked in he fridge after wrapping each of them. 

For these two days I cooked a lot. Today, I will go to the gym. My usual day has started. 

Good morning 1129

 

Yesterday afternoon I was cooking or experimenting. 

I knew, we can roast fresh peanuts with oven. 

I make peanuts butter, and peanuts bar with marshmallow.

I am going to visit some friends house to share the peanuts in the morning instead of going to do,exercise.

Good morning 1128

 

A new week has started. 

Yesterday we visited our friend’s house who are land owners and own big rice and vegetable fields. 

I got lots of fresh peanuts, Yuzu citrons, and so on. I like getting vegetables and at that moment, I feel bit excitement like how I deal with them. I think it is. For me it is like an experiment.

Their house is so big that we don’t understand the amount of vegetables. 

Now our sunroom is fulled with their gift. This week I will struggle with them. Yuki says “it is your hobby, you have to become away of it”. Well I just won’t waste them. 

lunch diary 1126

Monday: Our lunch  was  baked thick fried tofu with meat miso paste, and natto. We got enough protein. The sun came out after 10:00 A.M. So, I was getting better, but I  spent the day lazily and leisurely while reading books.

Will it finally cold winter come?

Tuesday;  Last night, we had "Ankake" yakisoba noodle. we had the leftover. If course I added vegetables more.  It seems to get cold again tomorrow.

In the afternoon, we went to Gyomu Super for "shopping", which sells lots of things at reasonable price.

Wednesday;  It's a cold rainy day. So, my husband has no plans. We went all the way to next city "Yuki"  to buy special soy sauce. It's about a 40 minute drive one way. I was snuggling up in the car.

On the way home, my husband ate "spicy" mabo tofu at his favorite Chinese restaurant. I had Yulin chicken. Which one has more calories?

Thursday;  I forgot to take a photo of the lunch.  I cooked a bowl of fried cutlet using frozen cutlets. It's yuzu citron season. we had homemade yuzu jam. I know the process is very troublesome, and putting the jam in a bottle, wrapping it, must be more troublesome. Thank you.

By the way, I also made yuzu-flavored sweet miso paste.

Friday; tofu fried rice. It is also called kasamashi fried rice it means tofu expand the portion,  or healthy fried rice.

It was a very productive day, with a haiku meeting in the morning and watching my friend's  hula performance in the afternoon.

Good morning 1125

 

Today’s toast is burnt. It can’t be helped. 

Yesterday, a neighbor came and borrowed a book which is a Japanese book.  It is not an English picture book, but I was really happy that my home library works.

Today, I have haiku meeting at our local community center. In the afternoon I go to see hula group performance because my friend performs.

So, probably today’s dinner will be delicatessen.

Good morning 1124

 

It is sunny. Yuki looks very happy, because Japanese soccer team won, though I went to bed as usual. 

Yesterday, we changed our schedule, and did about one hour drive. We went to a soy sauce firm to buy ‘special soy sauce and vinegar, though I can’t tell what is special. 

Anyway the soy sauce and vinegar is used at some famous hotel in Tokyo, and the owner sell them at really reasonable price to the customer who come there directly. 

Good morning 1123

 

It is raining, and cold. It is a holiday. So, we stay home, though in the evening two students come. 

We? Or I was going to clean some windows as a part of winter cleaning, but, won’t because of this weather. 

Yuki has already started watching recorded soccer game. 

I ——- will watch a movie of amazon prime , after “doing house errands”. Probably it is my habit to sweep roomies with broom. I think it is all right to skip everyday sweeping and doin laundry.

Yesterday, my friend sent me some nice photos. One of them was a organized drawer. 

I was influenced, and opened the drawers of the kitchen shelf. Though they were not well-organized, they were not so bad. Unfortunately I was not able to discard any things. It means the thing I keep are used constantly. 

Good morning 1122

 

Last night, we changed our schedule. We celebrate our friends i day earlier birthday. I didn’t prepare anything, so we ordered some  delivery meals, and I wuicklynbaked apple cake.

It was a good night. 

According to my plan, I was going to bake apple tart for her today. 

So today’s  y plan is going to the gym.

Good morning 1121

 

A new week has started. Yuki has already left for playing golf. Last night we had heavy rain. But it stopped. Probably the grass at the playground is wet, but anyway it becomes sunny (it is still cloudy)

Before raining I felt tat wire pressure suddenly got lower. Because I had bad headache. So I spent lazy evening. Yuki cooked udon noodle for our dinner. The rest is our breakfast. 

I will spend lazily today, too.

lunch diary 1119

Monday; Two of us went to the supermarkets in the station mall. We walked there to  search for our each favorite food.

Yuki looked for branded ramen noodle, including MAZESOBA, TSUKEMEN, etc. Of course they are expensive.

That's why? or we had not enough time to have lunch at a restaurant. So we had soba noodle at "Standing Eating Soba Stand". There are seats, though. Simple Wakame-sea weed  soba is "460 yen", huh? I thought it would be expensive, so we ordered Soba with Kakiage tempura  for 560 yen.

The reason is kind of strange, but that's okay.

Tuesday:  Eating out again? The fried oyster lunch has finally started at a hotel restaurant that is our favorite restaurant. It was rainy, so Yuki  had no tennis practice. It means he was free.  Moreover, they serve 800 yen lunch at the hotel. 

By the way, yesterday, we just washed the car for 100 yen at a gas station. 

Wednesday; It's a vegetable-focused lunch. In the morning, Yuki went to play tennis, I went to the gym to do exercise. In the afternoon each of us spent the rest of the day in working, reading and studying.

Thursday  I got  a large amount of fresh Mizuna leaves. I cooked them at once. The fish are hidden below. When gifts comes, they come a lot at once. I also got ginkgo nuts. I put them  in a paper envelope and cooked in the microwave. If you hear popping sounds as many as you put in, it's all roasted.

Friday I deep fried frozen cutlet instead of buying delicatessen. There are 2 pieces left. It's not enough for our dinner, so I reserved them to cook cutlet sandwich for tomorrow morning. 

The weekend is approaching with a haze remaining. whatever.

Trouble shooter 1111

 There was an interesting advice column on the news paper. I translated it. 

 

——————

How should I nurse my mother in her 80’s?

I’m in my 60’s and a housewife. I want some advice about my mother. I live with my husband and my mother’s house is 100 km away. She is in her late 80’s and lives alone. But my elder brother’s house is next to hers. She is getting weak in her legs and back. So she calls me every day and asks me to come and help her.

I married my husband 30 years ago. We used to live with his parents. I nursed my mother in-law who was bedridden, and I also nursed my father in-law who got dementia. My husband is alcoholic because of his hard job. His relatives said “you came here to nurse your parents in-law”. So I nursed them until the end mostly by myself.

My elder brother got in a bike accident, and he is on a wheelchair since then. His wife thought that he got the accident because his mother asked him to do errands. So she hates my mother. They have broken off relations with my mother since then.

I’m suffering from depression, and hip joint disease due to nursing my parents-in-law. So I can’t nurse my mother. My husband says “your elder brother and his wife should nurse her”. What should I do? My mother told me she doesn’t want to live in a nursing home.

------------------------------------------------

The phrase “you came here to nurse your parents in-law” is too bad. It is an insensitive. They consider you just for house errands and nursing. They don’t treat you as a person. They ignore your personality. It is a really tough life, isn’t it? You do very well under such situation.

Now, you go to hospital because of your depression and your disease. You also support your husband who also needs to go to the hospital. You need to prioritize your health.

You should choose your way to live. Whatever choice you make, there might be something you will regret.

But you should make your own decision. If you are not being clear about your situation toward your mother, it is not good for her. Although you feel like it’s giving your mother the cold shoulder, you should honestly tell “I can’t nurse you”.

The key point is your elder brother and his wife. How about writing a letter to him? You should tell him correctly and concisely your situation; “I’m sick, I can’t nurse our mother and I won’t be able to nurse her in the future”. And ask him to contact to the local welfare office for elderly nursing.

After you finish doing that, you should forget about everything. I hope you will pursue your own happy life.

Good morning 1117

 

It is sunny again. 

In the afternoon I open my library, while waiting video phone from my mother. 

I hope someone drop by.

I know more advertisement is needed. However—— I am not so positive. 

“Deeds, not words”

“Life won’t wait”

And

“Go with the flow” . It’s me. 

Good morning 1116

 

It is sunny, but it is cold. Winter has come. 

Today for two of us it is a usual day. 

Yuki goes playing tennis, I am going to go to the gym. 

Today I have piano lessons. But one of them has coronavirus unfortunately. She is fine. Now she doesn’t have fever. She just stays home. 

“Staying home” is only the way to hear the illness. Whenever someone catches coronavirus, I am worried about my daughter  and grand daughter. 

Good morning 1116

 

It is raining. According to the weather report it is the first time in a month. Really? 

Anyway Yuki stays home today. 

I have a zoom meeting in the morning and at night. 

Well, yesterday we walked more about 7000 steps through going to some super markets, mainly for  seeking Yuki’s favorite noodle. 

I know cooking these noodles is cheaper than eating them at noodle shops.  But all of them are organized by famous noodle shops, so as a bag of noodle for come  it is “expensive” I think.

Good morning 1114

 Autumn festival at tour community center was finished. A new Monday has started. Today after doing errands we are going to some supermarkets to find out Yuki’s favorite ramen noodle. It is a kind of hobby tour. 

I have started to clean windows little by little . Yuki’s role is cleaning them upstairs, I don’t know when he starts. I want him to start it before I start complaining. Until five years ago, we did cleaning the windows in a day as winter cleaning. But we understood it became overload with our shoulders. Since then we do winter cleaning little by little  when November comes. 

lunch diary 1112

Monday

We went to the forest park to see the autumn leaves and ate out. The French restaurant we went is our favorite and. Since it opened we have been there some times. This visit was the first time in a half of year. It is all right to have a luxury lunch, isn't it?  I forgot to take the photo of the main dish.  The appetizer is burdock soup, I'll try to make it at home.

Tuesday

I used up a Japanese radish and a carrot to cut thinly. Fish is hidden under them. I steamed fish and vegetable. I know Grated daikon radish would be suit to this fish. But it is the easiest way to cook for me. In the afternoon, I performed with my friend at Karaku café. I update a youtube "Karaku  Epilogue in November" Than I expected many people visited and watched it. Thank you.

Wednesday

I boiled  gyoza. It was not enoufh for us, so after this, I steamed the sweet bean paste buns. But these days, I feel my body heavy. So is it all right to eat sweet dumplings? Anyway, I did walking exercise in the afternoon. I walked longer than usual, and my right knee started to hurt. It is bad, even now it has been hurt.

Thursday I grilled fish.  I also put plenty of steamed garland chrysanthemums. On this day, in the evening, I was interviewed about " My Home Library" from "Private library group". I open my home library without advertisement except my HP.  I'm thinking about how to operate it from now on.

Friday 

I made fried rice with tofu. Or I added tofu to increase the amount instead of rice. Good taste, good health.

 This week, an autumn festival is hold at the nearby community center. The exhibition has already started, and my haiku is also on display. So we went to see it in this afternoon. I walked home from the public hall. Yuki drove the car.

troubleshooter 1108

Some reports of this week's advice column were interesting. So I tried to translate them.

One of them is like that.

--advice seeker--

I always expect something in return

I’m in my 60’s. I have a full-time job, and I still have fun doing my work. I like cooking. Before the pandemic started, I used to hold home parties. But when I do something voluntarily I always expect something in return. Then when I notice that, I feel guilty. I hate myself for that.

I seem to live my life too fast. I want to live my life slowly, calmly, but I can’t. What should I do? I tell myself to be a good wife, a good mother and a good grandmother. On the other hand I also tell myself there is no need to become such person.

How do I spend my life calmly in the next 10 or 20 years?  I envy the elderly people who are in their 80’s and still lively. But I can’t imagine myself in my 80’s. 

Please give me some advice about how to live my senior life

--adviser--

You always give your 100 percent, aren’t you?  You go hard.  So you might feel anxious whether you can continue your power even in your 80’s. Probably you are pacing too fast, and running out of breath. So you need take a rest. Please imagine a full marathon. There are at least 8 water stations. Thinking of our long life, it is important to relax and treat ourselves to something as a reward, like going to hot springs, having tasty dishes and so on. In my case, I take Thai massage once a month to refresh myself.

And the wonderful point is you can look at yourself objectively and honestly saying “I always expect something in return”. 

Looking at people around me who are in their 70’s, 80’s or 90’s, some people are really lively. The common factor is they don’t seek anything in return. They simply become happy when they see people around them happy. The lively elderly people get lots of nutrition from others’ smile.

This era is known as the 100-year-old period. People who are in their 60’s are junior. So you make up your mind not to expect something in return, and live your life training your mind. Your senior life has just started.

----

Actually, I'm also in my early 60's, so I'm still junior. So Should live my life training my mind. 

Good morning 1111

 

Today’s breakfast is fruit-series. Japanese pear, banana & yogurt, and apple cake.

Yesterday, suddenly a group came to see my home-library. 

I got a call in the morning, so I baked apple cake. In the evening they came and we talked for more than 2 hours. It was really fun time. 

Today Yuki and I are going to the community center nearby. There fall festival is going to be hold this weekend. And exhibits have already displayed since yesterday. One of them is my haiku. We will walk there. 

Good morning 1110

 

Well, it is sunny. 

I am going to go to the gym, in the morning and walking exercise in the afternoon. 

Yesterday, I also did the both thing. And in a positive saying “ I was able to do it” . On the other hand in a negative saying “ I did exercise too much at once”.

If I continue it, I will recover my physical power. 

Yesterday I walked more than 6000 steps. 

More steps, the name steps, or less steps? I am thinking. (Including no steps)

Good morning 1109

 

Yuki has left for playing golf. It is sunny. 

Today I will go to the gym in the morning, and two girls come to take my piano lessons. 

Yesterday’s my performance at Karaku was satisfying. 

I had a good time at Karaku cafe with coffee & cake. 

Of course we enjoyed lunar eclipse.

This photo is taken by Yuki.

Good morning 1108

 

Today it is my performing day at Karaku.

Yesterday we really enjoyed walking exercise in a forest park. Some senior people enjoy walking, so every time we saw we said “hello “ each other. 

Then we had lunch outside at our favorite restaurant. 

Today I have a good tea time.

Luckily I have luxurious three days in a row. 

Tonight  it is a total lunar eclipse, will we be able to see it?

J

Good morning 1107

 

Monday has started. 

Yesterday we went to a playground at Saitama  to see our granddaughter. We saw her and her mother (our daughter) and had “yakiniku lunch” (Korean style BBQ inside) came home.  As we expected we drove them to their house, but it is in Saitama. Than we expected it took shorter time from their house to our house. And luckily we were not caught by traffic jam.

Now we see colorful leaves everywhere. Today we are going to do walking exercise in a park to enjoy colorful leaves,

lunch diary 1105

Monday; I got some advice about my pension at a public pension office. Finally my pension will be granted from next year, though it is a little.　In two years Yuki's pension will be granted. We thought it was going out to celebrate  my pension in advance, but we ended up eating at the food court. Well, we should  still save money.　No, the savings continued permanently.　

Tuesday I asked for apples from my friend, so  went to an acquaintance's apple orchard.　Lucky me! I got a lot of extras. But too many.　So, I dropped in at Karaku café and presented some. So I had lunch there.　I also stop by some friends and had short conversation. It was a nice day.

Wednesday ; The portion distribution of meat and vegetables is...　I don't mind. It is fried vegetables. I put all leaves of one big Japanese　 radish.　

Do you know "KIKU yam"?　If you slice it and dry it, it will be made into a tea.

Thursday;  I made stir-fried rice with good quality  autumn salmons,　but small bones remained. We ate it while picking the bones up with our hands.　They were gift.  Is it okay to eat in such a luxurious way?

In the afternoon, I went walking. I was satisfied.

Friday; I cooked stir-fried rice again using leftover Chinese ham. I used up stocked frozen rice.

 At night, we had "Mizusawa" udon noodle . This was also a gift, and the expiration date was coming. It should be boiled  for 15 minutes, but still  it's chewy. "Chewy" is good means in Japan. That's surprising. For udon, we recommend not only Sanuki, but also Mizusawa.

Good morning 1104

 

This morning, Yuki found a funny “senryu” which is a kind of haiku”, short funny or critical poem without seasonal words.

I hope my translation makes sense.

Though knowing to do it all over again later,  Wife asks her husband to do it, anyway.

He said that anyway doing errands is the first step. The evaluation of the result is the next step.

I said that

“When does husband notice that?   Wife does it all over again  later,   without complaining “

Good morning 1103

 

The toast was bunt. 

Anyway it is a holiday. The gym is closed. But Yuki’s tennis cost is open. So for him, it is a usual day.

I will spend a relaxing day at home, and my private library is open all the day. I hope someone stops by. 

Good morning 1102

 

It is sunny today.

Yesterday I didn’t go to the gym.

When I was preparing for the gym, I got a call from a friend. She wanted fresh apples. So I went to my familiar apple orchard and got some apples.  They also got me lot of C ranked  apples which outside were damaged by frost for almost free.

So on the way home, I dropped by three friends’ houses to share the apples.

Good morning 1101

 

November has started. This month, we don’t have any special events. We want to spend calm days as usual. And anyway I have to go to the gym constantly. I seem to put on weight. 

Yesterday, my friend and I really enjoyed our live talk  online. Yuki tried seeing through his PC in his room and checking us. But his pc didn’t catch up zoom app. 

But, he joined our Halloween party. 

 It means we had dinner outside. My friend drove us to the restaurant, so Yuki enjoyed his beer there.