Good morning 0227

 

Monday has started.

Since early morning, we have been busy.

I got a call from my younger daughter (just complaining).

I had my car inspected, so a car dealer came to our house to pick my car.

Then we went to do some errands at post office, banks etc.

Now I'm updating this blog. 

I need to prepare for our lunch.

And to makes happy a friend will come in the afternoon!

lunch diary 0225

Monday: The trach can which was kept outside broke. And we needed to prepare to go to Tokyo in a few days.  So we left home at 10. We did lots of things. It was a good excuse to have lunch outside. So we went to a sushi-go-round. My husband was satisfied with eating the "Roasted Nodoguro fish" that was introduced on TV the other day. However, we also ordered Udon to eat enough instead of lots of sushi. We needed to save money to go to Tokyo. Two of us are frustrated these days with our family issue. It is good to go to a sushi-go-round to change our mood. We hope sushi-go-round restaurants keep these reasonable price.

Tuesday: It was  supposed to be light crispy fried rice, but it didn't.  okay.  In the morning, Yuki played tennis as usual. I had a volunteer group meeting on zoom once a month. Are we going to start volunteer work soon?

Wednesday: I bought Fried horse mackerel and  I made sauce with green onion, vinegar, and soy sauce.

When I went directly to the strawberry field to buy strawberries, they were sold at a vending machine. I was looking forward to talking to the wife of the field, but I couldn't. It can't be helped. It's not good to take time off when she is busy. However, the "extra" strawberries are no longer available.

Thursday; we went to Tokyo. I ate a vegetable tempura bowl for lunch, but I forgot to take the picture. I met my daughter and we had a tea time. She ate strawberry parfait. I don't like cold ice cream or fresh cream very much these days.  She is still young. In the past, there was a time when cream was my "staple food".

Friday: Eating out again? Yes, we did. Both of us were tired on Thursday, so we decided to eat well. It is one good point to live in such a local place. We get enough volume for 1000 yen. Coffee is also included as a free drink. For people who don't like coffee, it may be a service that seems to be unfair.

Good morning 0224

 

Friday, it is the last weekday of this week.

Yesterday we came home late three big bags of garbage from the nursing home where my mother in-law is living. 

Anyway I have to separate the garbage. And I do some errands at post office, banks.  

Three years with corona pandemic have past since Yuki retired. Well, previous life of corona pandemic is coming back.  We will to go to Tokyo once or twice a month. Everybody around us says tat our generation in our 60’s is do do nurse our parents. It is the last opportunity to be good a good child, and to be involved in family troubles.

Good morning 0223

 

It  is a holiday, today. It is cloudy, but not so cold. Lucky! Now we leave home for Tokyo. It seems to be a busy holiday. 

Good morning 0222

 

Yesterday, I got lots of eggs which is almost past best-before-day (probably to eat as raw eggs).

 So I cooked plain crepes. We ate some of them for our today’s breakfast, and the others are kept in the frizzer.

Today in the morning I go to the library to borrow some books of haiku.

Good morning 0221

 

Today I have a zoom meeting of my volunteer group. Probably it will be hold by only two members. “Holding a zoom meeting” is a good excuse for two of us to chat together.  Of course we always welcome new members.

According to the weather forecast, another strong cold front is approaching, though it seems not so stronger than previous one.and it will be the last strong cold front this winter.

Spring is just around 5e corner with strong pollen.

Good morning 0220

 

Monday has started.

Unfortunately the lid of  our big trash box for outside got chipped. “So”, we are going to a “high-class” home center, though it is a little bit far. It is fun to go there for us, and this time we need to buy, or we can buy a thing. Just browsing is boring. 

Book talk with my friend “Yo! Yes? “ by Chris raschka

One of “ my home library” projects is “book talk.”.

I often do it by Zoom or Skype. I recorded our conversation and update my YouTube site. 

The other day my friend ”Micchan” introduces an English picture. Though we talked in Japanese, I added subtitle in English. It is a short conversation, I wanted to show you my project. 

If someone shows interest to my book talk project, let’s do it together. Do you have some interesting and easy books or picture books? Do they have Japanese version? I can add Japanese subtitle on our book talk. 

lunch diary 0218

Monday: This is " Egg sauce Udon with Red Ginger" at  Marugame Seimen  noodle restaurant. I thought that "with red ginger" means a lot of of red ginger. But it was wrong. It means that the udon had red ginger tempura on it. It was a good idea. I learned Red Ginger tempra is tasty. I'll make it at home. A new supermarket opened near the station, so we went there. It was the first time that this supermarket opened their branch in this area . I was planning to buy our lunch boxes and go home, but we had to eat out, so we bought some side dishes for our dinner and went home.

Tuesday: This is a kind of cutlet bowl. I expanded the volume adding HANPEN. It was pretty good. On this day, I performed with a friend at café Karaku. I ate lunch well , and got enough stamina , then I went out. I'm happy that the corona restrictions are easing so the customers are increasing. For the time being, as long as the Karaku  owner's couple is doing well, my friend and I will be able to continue our performance.

Wednesday: "Charmera" instant noodle. My husband likes the rich ramen series. Charmera is light type. But it is all right for him to eat light type. Charmera is 60 years old. I grew up with this. I keep this series for our emergency supplies. The expiration date is approaching, so we started eating it. I will buy new one again, though  the price has gone up. On this day, a friend of Curves gym dropped by our house and we had a pleasant tea time. Will such a "tea party" with friends come back little by little?

Thursday: I cooked "frozen gyoza that doesn't need oil or water" which is one of regular food  in the freezer. It was very well cooked this time as well. We have to buy new one on the day when frozen products are sold at half price. I got an e-mail saying "you will get a reserved book", so I went to the library but the library was close. Well, such a thing sometimes happens. I was able to do walking exercise.  So I can say it was a good day. Actually, when it is warm,  "pollen" is in the air. So I don't like walking.

Friday: I cooked  fried mackerel. Even though it was just frozen prepared mackerel.  I had a haiku meeting in the morning. Thankfully I got lots of (strict) advice. I studied a lot. However, I think their advice seems to be difficult for "beginners". I'm the youngest and a beginner in the club. Anyway  I'll do my best. It takes twenty years for me  to catch up with my predecessors. Our life is long.

Good morning 0217

 

Today, I have a meeting of Haiku club. Yesterday I was “struggling “ with reconsidering my Haikus. 

Last night a friend and I a book taking  meeting on zoom. 

Since I started my “house library” I have often hold book talk meetings on on with friends. My “house library” project gives me a good opportunities to talks with friends more.

a small solo exhibition

This exhibition was hold last year.

Good morning 0215

It is sunny, but cold. Many audiences came to Karaku cafe. My friend and I were very surprised and happy. 

March is just around the corner. So I will decorate dolls on the entrance shelf today.

Then I should go to the gym. 

 

Good morning 0214

 

Happy Valentine!

We have nothing special for Valentine.

But, it is the performance day for me at Karaku cafe. So I’ll have good sweets after my performance.

Yesterday we went to a new supermarket, and some food.

Yuki has a big fried curry bread for his breakfast. Probably he has already enough calories for today.

Good morning 0213

 

A new Monday has started. Last Friday a new big supermarket near the station opened. So, of course we will go there today. The supermarket is a branch of  a famous supermarket in Kantou area. It is the first store in Utsunomiya. 

So I have to finish morning errands quicker!

lunch diary 0211

Monday:  We had ¥800 steak lunch at a city hotel downtown. It was really wonderful that we enjoyed this view with 800 yen lunch. But how long can this price be maintained? So, we went out to have it before the price is up. After the lunch, we had some errands we had to do,  so it was a good timing to have lunch outside. By the way, at this hotel, Wednesday is "rice omelet day", and they only serve omelet rice, but they offer it for 600 yen. Now that the price of eggs is soaring, how long will they maintain this price?

Tuesday: I cooked Chinese cabbage soup early morning . I put cheese on top  and "grilled" the soup for our lunch. I did walking for the first time in a week. I walked downtown on Monday as well, I walked a lot  two days in a row.  It was very rare as these  cold days. Some difficult issues about family might occur, but it will work out. I made A4 size photo book for my mother in-law. It arrived on the day. She seemed very happy and to enjoy seeing it.

Wednesday:  I put Miso paste is on top of rice.  This Miso is a little high-class miso used for "miso rice ball" served at a famous miso shop. I use SHIRO-DASHI soup stock instead of soy sauce soup stock. Though  even if the  color of soup is light, it is said to contain plenty of salt. It is difficult to adjust the salt intake.

Thursday:  I made cutlet bowls with frozen cutlets  adding lots of green onions to expand the amount. At the elementary school nearby it seems that the flu is increasing,  as soon as the class closure due to Covid-19  had decreased. In the afternoon, we went to Gyomu super market which offers every thing with very reasonable price. "Because it's cheap" I thought we wouldn't use money that much. It was my mistake. Yuki was with me. We paid more than I expected. Well, it couldn't be helped. At Gyomu Super,  I bought a bottle with flavored ground chicken. I was surprised at the taste.  It was  better than I expected. I might get addicted to it.

Friday: As expected, we had snow. So, Yuki was off from tennis.   On the other hand I went to the gym, because Yuki picked me up and dropped me off.. Great! ··who? Yuki bought a side dish of trip stew. So as usual  I added lots of green onion to taste it better and to expand the amount. In the afternoon, both of us stayed in our own room and worked on. I wrote  haiku. My husband was practicing the guitar.

Good morning 02110

 

It seem to snow, but not doesn’t start show yet. 

We are planning to go to Tokyo this weekend, but it might be postponed.

Yesterday, suddenly I got lots of eggs, and asked to share with my friends. 

Before  snowing I have to hand the eggs which are fresh. So before doing usual errands, I will drop by  my friends’ houses with the eggs. 

Good morning 0209

 

It is cold again. According to the weather forecast, it will rain or snow tomorrow. So, Yuki says that we should go a big supermarket for this weekend”, though it is just an excuse. He wants to buy his favorite food at a big supermarket. So, in the afternoon we will go out together. Anyway it doesn’t snow or rain! I should go to the gym in the morning. 

Good morning 0208

 

It is cloudy, but it is not so cold. Yuki has already left to play golf. 

Yesterday I tried to update this old iPad. I tried to make enough room to updated it deleting some photos, music, etc. But it doesn’t have enough room to be updated yet. According to information on the net, it can be done using iTunes of PC . 

Last month I did it on my iPhone. Th iPhone seas updated. But updating caused some problems, because my iPhone version was too old.  So I changed my iPhone. No I have a new iPhone, though it is not the latest version. We pay iPhone warranty every month. So we used the warranty and exchanged it for a new one. “We”?

Yes, when I told Yuki to use the warranty, he said “I will do it, too”.（The battery of his iPhone deteriorated). Both of us have a new iPhone though it is not the latest version. 

Good morning 0207

 

Yesterday, we walked more than 7000 steps. It was a healthy day.

It is cloudy today. Today I am going to do usual things, it means I have to go to the gym and do yoga. In the afternoon I am going to open “my house library. I hope someone will drop by. 

Yesterday I got an email from a high school English teacher. He is interested in English haiku. And he will organize a English haiku club with his students at school. He showed my English haiku, and sent the email. He lives in another prefecture. I was really happy someone showed interest to my haiku. Even though through net, I got a new haiku friend.

Good morning 0206

 

Monday has started. 

It seems warmer than last Monday. It is good. On the other hand pollen allergy seems to start. 

Today, in the morning we are going to see an small exhibition, then probably we will eat out somewhere.

Yesterday when I was walking I found that a small small exhibition is hold at a nearby convenience store. 

lunch diary 0204

Monday; My husband and I were doing some errands downtown from the morning.　We had lunch separately. Yuki went to a “Mazesoba” restaurant. (kind of ramen restaurant). I went to a famous local miso shop and had a miso rice ball.　Unfortunately  the shop he wanted to go  was closed, so he changed to ramen restaurant.　I caught up with a friend who was just taking a break from work, and enjoyed miso soup with plenty of ingredients and hot amazake.　Yuki and I still had some errands to do. My friend went to work, I joined my husband, and finished the rest of the errands.

Tuesday; I put chopped Chinese cabbage for extra filling.　I also added "Hanpen". Its texture was like squid.　In the afternoon, I practiced wearing a kimono.　It's been two years since I decided to let go off my mother's and grandmother's kimonos.　I can't wear them quickly, and I can't find suitable places to go out in Kimono.

Wednesday: Yesterday's fried rice was still left. So  I wrapped them in egg. In the morning, I went to a volunteer center for the first time in a while. Will I be able to do any volunteer activities from this spring? For the time being, I would like to enrich the "home library" activity. I had been doing "senior activity consultation" instead of "volunteer consultation".

Thursday; we took the plunge and had a luxurious  lunch. We had Italian lunch at the hotel. We could relax in the lounge, and we could been seen off when we left.

We felt like we were staying in a hotel. Though the price of lunch was expensive, considering their service it was a really reasonable price.

Friday : It was the day of bean scatting. we didn't throw beans this year. But we ate "Ehomaki" which I bought at a nearby supermarket. I didn't buy tuna sushi roll, just buy  a normal ′′ Ehomaki ′′ but the other is a ′′ Shrimp Fried ′′ sushi roll.  It was cheaper than tuna one. It was difficult to bite it with one grab. (It is the official  way to eat EHOUMAKI) , so we cut it and ate it. Anyway having Ehoumaki will bring us a good luck.

Have you already read "All the lovers in the night"?

On yesterday's news paper, such an article was introduced.

all the lovers in the night  are announced one of  finalists and winners of  2023 National Book Critics Circle Awards.

Amazon page said

Bestselling author of Breasts and Eggs Mieko Kawakami invites readers back into her immediately recognizable fictional world with this new, extraordinary novel and demonstrates yet again why she is one of today’s most uncategorizable, insightful, and talented novelists.

Fuyuko Irie is a freelance copy editor in her mid-thirties. Working and living alone in a city where it is not easy to form new relationships, she has little regular contact with anyone other than her editor, Hijiri, a woman of the same age but with a very different disposition. When Fuyuko stops one day on a Tokyo street and notices her reflection in a storefront window, what she sees is a drab, awkward, and spiritless woman who has lacked the strength to change her life and decides to do something about it.

As the long overdue change occurs, however, painful episodes from Fuyuko’s past surface and her behavior slips further and further beyond the pale. All the Lovers in the Night is acute and insightful, entertaining and engaging; it will make readers laugh, and it will make them cry, but it will also remind them, as only the best books do, that sometimes the pain is worth it.

“In the skilled hands of Bett and Boyd, Kawakami’s prose is instantly recognizable—immediate, incisive, and unfailingly honest.”—Katie Kitamura, Entertainment Weekly(A Most Anticipated Book of 2022)

I didn't read it. 

Today I want to introduce another book. 

It is "Convenience Store Woman"

Amazon page said;

The English-language debut of one of Japan’s most talented contemporary writers, selling over 650,000 copies there, Convenience Store Woman is the heartwarming and surprising story of thirty-six-year-old Tokyo resident Keiko Furukura. Keiko has never fit in, neither in her family, nor in school, but when at the age of eighteen she begins working at the Hiiromachi branch of “Smile Mart,” she finds peace and purpose in her life. In the store, unlike anywhere else, she understands the rules of social interaction―many are laid out line by line in the store’s manual―and she does her best to copy the dress, mannerisms, and speech of her colleagues, playing the part of a “normal” person excellently, more or less. Managers come and go, but Keiko stays at the store for eighteen years. It’s almost hard to tell where the store ends and she begins. Keiko is very happy, but the people close to her, from her family to her coworkers, increasingly pressure her to find a husband, and to start a proper career, prompting her to take desperate action…

A brilliant depiction of an unusual psyche and a world hidden from view, Convenience Store Woman is an ironic and sharp-eyed look at contemporary work culture and the pressures to conform, as well as a charming and completely fresh portrait of an unforgettable heroine.

Unfortunately it hasn't been so popular.

2 years ago I read it.

And --. I couldn't show empathy.

However, my mother loved it.

Until two years ago, she could read books. Since it had been difficult to read books for her, she had enjoyed audible for awhile.

It was really difficult for me to choose her favorite book.

For the first time I chose authors who are as old as my mother. But she said "such books sounds authors proud of their health." So I coincidently choose "convenience store woman". She loved it. It was difficult to listen all of them at once, so she enjoyed listening it little by little every day.

This time, I read it again. And, I couldn't show empathy again. But I understand my mother's feeling. When we get weaker, we won't see or hear others who are in our same generation and spend active lives.

Good morning 0202

 This is cinnamon bread I (HB) baked yesterday. Today it was a simple breakfast. In one and a half hour, we go to a hotel in Nikko. Nikko is always full because it is a famous sightseeing spot. But in winter not so much. So “I “ suddenly decided to have lunch at a hotel. Nikko , it is in the same prefecture, probably this season it takes one hour more by car to go there . We go just to have lunch. It is all right. We will enjoy luxurious time for a while.  

Good morning 0201

 

February has started. 

It is a cold morning, but it seems to get warm during the daytime. Yuki has already left for playing golf. He was wondering if the ground was frozen,

Today I will also be active. I am going to a volunteer center after a long several and talk about our (my) activity from April.