This week Yuki is taking a break from chemotherapy. He says the numbness in his hands has gotten a bit better. He still plays tennis and the guitar, though he’s not as good as he used to be. He hasn’t played golf lately because it’s a bit hard for him to hold the clubs tightly.
Anyway, today he’s off to play tennis, and I’m going to the dentist. My root canal treatment is taking such a long time!
It’s Friday. It’s sunny and not so cold.
Today Yuki is going to his clinic, and I’ll do my personal exercise with an AI program.
Yesterday I went to a 30-minute circuit workout, and my hip joint hurts a little.
We’ll probably have lunch out and drop by a discount shop.
In the evening, we both have dental appointments.
It’s just another ordinary day for us.
Yesterday we completed all our plans, though we had lunch outside.
We stopped by our favorite shrine and prayed. Yuki’s photo today is of Yuzu growing at the shrine.
Today I’m holding a laughter yoga chat meeting, I prepared youkan, a traditional Japanese sweet, for the members．
Today Yuki is taking part in a jazz festival. I’ll stay home, though I was planning to go see it. It’s a sunny day. Sometimes it’s nice to spend a lazy day at home alone, even though I often do spend my days lazily.
While our elder daughter was staying with us, she holed up in her room and worked quietly by herself, but we usually had three meals together. Compared with our usual life for just the two of us, we talked more. It was fun — and now I need to get used to our usual quiet life again.
Looking back, October was a busy month.
Yesterday, Yuki was able to get his chemotherapy, and next week he will take a break from it.
My elder daughter went back to Tokyo yesterday.
Our usual days have started again. According to the calendar, it’s a three-day weekend.
This morning, Yuki will play tennis, and in the afternoon he plans to visit some used shops to look for music gadgets.
Tomorrow he’ll join a jazz festival, and on Monday, if the weather is fine, we’ll go to a museum.
Anyway, it seems we’ll spend a calm and pleasant three days off.
Our elder daughter is staying with us. She has already started working on her art pieces.
This morning, Yuki and I will go to the clinic.
After having lunch at home (we’ll probably buy three lunch boxes on our way back), we plan to attend the first meeting for cancer patients and their families at the hospital. I’m glad they are finally holding such a meeting.
I’m surprised that Yuki will go with me. Two years ago, I joined a similar meeting organized by an NPO, and I sometimes take part in their meetings. But he doesn’t.
This time, the participants are limited to the patients of the hospital. Since it’s the first meeting, we don’t know whether there will be a second one or whether we will join it again.
In the evening, I was going to give a piano lesson, but I canceled it for today.
Today we are going to see our lawyer. Yuki’s inheritance issue is progressing, which is a good thing. In the morning, he will go to play tennis.
In a few hours, my elder daughter will come. She will stay for a few days to work in my house. Her solo exhibition is planned to be held in December. She says that while she’s finishing her last pieces, there might be some noise, so she decided to work here. I’m not sure if it’s all right to do it here, though.
Yesterday was my volunteer reading day at the library. I was happy that many families came to the story corner.
This time, an ALT teacher joined me. She was born in Malaysia and studied in Australia for ten years. Then she came to Japan as an English teacher. After the volunteer reading, Yuki also came, and the three of us had lunch together. Since Yuki has been to Malaysia, he was very happy to talk about her country.
Today it is raining. Yuki has no plans except watching TV. I will go to a temple to copy sutra in the afternoon.
Thankfully, Yuki was able to receive chemotherapy this week. Last week he couldn’t, but that actually turned out to be good — his white blood cell count to increase. The current chemotherapy seems to be effective. We still don’t know how long he will be able to continue, but we want to maintain his (and my) quality of life while living with cancer.
Either way, we’re relieved after his chemotherapy yesterday.
Today is my volunteer reading day at the library.
It’s really cold today — where has autumn gone?
Yuki’s inheritance issue is proceeding little by little with our lawyer, which is good.
Today our schedule isn’t so tight. In the morning, Yuki will go to his clinic. I’m still wondering whether to go with him or not. I was supposed to do a 35-minute AI exercise program, but I don’t feel up to it because of the cold weather. While he’s seeing his doctor, I might take the exercise — or I might just stay home lazily.
In the evening, he plans to go to a radon sauna, which is about an hour’s drive away. A high school student will come for my piano lesson.
Yesterday we saw Yuki’s ENT doctor. The muscles of his vocal cords are getting better, but not perfect yet. It will take more time for his voice to return to normal, or it might be difficult, since he had radiation treatment to his neck.
Today, a friend I haven’t seen for a long time will stop by on her way home from work. I’ll give her most of my Halloween goods. She’s about the same age as I am, and she’s still working as a nursery teacher.
It is sunny, though the weather is expected to change in the evening.
Today Yuki will join a big jazz festival in a large park with his group. It is held every year, and luckily he can join again this year.
I will take part in an online meeting for cancer patients and their families.
To tell the truth, yesterday was my late mother’s third memorial ceremony. My daughters attended, but I couldn’t. It can’t be helped.
It’s sunny today. As soon as Yuki woke up, he put his futon and mat out in the sun to dry.
He doesn’t need to go to the hospital today, so he’s going to play tennis.
I’ll go for my 35-minute physical therapy session with the AI program. I still have some trouble with my hip joint.
In the afternoon, we’ll go to Yuki’s clinic and then to our dentist.
Tonight, my friend will appear on a local radio program. I’m really looking forward to listening to her.
Yesterday I joined an online meeting. The topic was tea.
◆ How many cups of tea do you drink in a day? When do you usually drink tea?
I usually have two cups of coffee with my breakfast. I don’t have a particular time for tea, and I don’t really know how many times I drink it in a day. In a way, I might be drinking tea all the time.
During the summer, I always fill my 500 ml water bottle with barley tea and take it everywhere, even when I’m just moving from room to room at home. Sometimes I refill it. I sip it little by little to prevent heatstroke.
During the cold season, I also fill my water bottle with hot Japanese tea.
◆ Do you have any herbal teas at home? What kinds?
Yes, I have some herbal drinks at home. There are three plants I use: one is lemongrass, which I make into lemongrass water; another is mulberry; and the other is loquat, which I use for herbal tea.
For guests, I have oolong tea leaves and jasmine tea leaves. Are these Chinese teas or herbal teas? I’m not sure.
Yesterday I didn’t feel well, so I stayed in bed. We had planned to go to Yuki’s friend’s band concert, but I couldn’t, so Yuki went there alone.
Recently, it has suddenly gotten cold. Actually, three days ago I was planning to go to a lecture at a big hall. I bought the ticket half a year ago, but I couldn’t go. My friend went in my place. I was lying in bed that day, too—no fever, though.
Maybe my body hasn’t adjusted to the sudden change in temperature yet, or it might be something like seasonal affective disorder, a term I recently learned from a doctor.
Anyway, I’m all right. My appetite is good. Last night we had meat cooked with our microwave-safe fish grill.
Today is the day of Karaku—my performance day with my friend. Yuki has his band practice, too. It’s nice that we both have at least one thing to do besides our usual errands.
Why am I a little tired? One reason is that last Friday was Yuki’s hospital day, which made me tired. The next day was really cold — many people were wearing winter coats, though I stayed home. And yesterday, my younger daughter and granddaughter came over like a typhoon!
Yesterday I visited a friend and brought her some Japanese pears that I had bought at an orchard the day before yesterday. She was very glad to receive them.
In the afternoon, Yuki and I stayed home. I opened my house library, but unfortunately, no one came. However, my elder daughter called me, and we talked for a long time.
Did I tell you? Last week, a woman who lives in an apartment near my house visited and borrowed some books from my house library. She’s in her 70s and lives alone. I told my daughter about her, and she complimented me, saying it’s wonderful that I’ve kept up my small activity—my “house library”—even though people don’t come very often.
Yesterday felt like a long day. Our appointment with the doctor was at 11:30. Yuki had a blood test and an X-ray first, so he went to the hospital at 10. I went a little later, around 11. We finally saw the doctor at 2.
Yuki was able to start his second round of chemotherapy right after the first one last week. His white blood cell count was not too bad, though we are not sure how it will be next week, since chemotherapy lowers it. He came home around 6. I came home before 4, then went to the dentist.
Today he is feeling fine so goes to play tennis.
I will change the covers and carpets from summer to autumn.
Addditionally, this morning we even had a small discussion—maybe more like a quarrel—about foods that boost immunity. His voice is still hoarse, but when he talks in his usual theoretical way, it sometimes irritates me. I know it shows he is doing well enough to argue.
Today we go to the hospital. Yuki may start the second round of chemotherapy right after the first, or the doctor may give him a rest this week.
Before seeing the doctor, he needs a blood test and an X-ray. While he is doing that, I will go to the station building to do 25 exercises with my AI program.
Yesterday I had lunch with a gym friend for the first time in four months. We used to meet outside once a month, but maybe that time has ended. Yesterday we had a good time, but both of us felt a little hesitant. Yuki’s condition has changed, and her situation also changed a little. Anyway, at the gym we are still good friends.
October has begun. Today I hold our laughter yoga meeting—for the first time in three months. The hottest season is finally over. Recently I sometimes felt like stopping some of my activities, but now I want to continue them. So I decided to keep my usual activities as much as possible.
Unfortunately, it is raining this morning, so Yuki’s tennis is canceled. He changes his routine and goes to the clinic instead. On the way, he plans to stop by a department store, since it is the last day of the Hokkaido cuisine festival.
Yesterday we went to the library, and we saw ginkgo nuts falling from the trees.
Some people were picking them up with thick gloves, because the orange outer layer can cause a rash.
When I was in high school, the ginkgo tree-lined road from the front gate to the back gate was famous. At the autumn school festival, we students sold dried ginkgo nuts. We picked them up with their outer layer still on, buried them in the ground, and waited until it rotted. Then we dug them up, washed them, and dried them.
It is a good memory.
I went to see my dentist yesterday evening because my chipped front tooth seemed to be getting worse again. About a year ago I had a bad fall and badly damaged that tooth. The doctor said it didn’t need to be pulled out, but unfortunately the root canal treatment hasn’t improved it as much as we hoped.
Yuki’s illness and inheritance matters are still stressful. But the severe scorching summer, which was worse than we expected, brought us even more stress. Fortunately, it seems to be over now.
Yuki looks so happy to buy good-quality shochu (a kind of sake) at Costco Today.
A new week has started. Today is our hospital day. We’ll visit ENT and radiology at the hospital, and then two clinics—one for me and one for Yuki. His radiation treatment is finished. His voice is still hoarse, but it’s getting better, and he aspirates less often now. If the ENT doctor approves, he might be able to eat noodles. To tell the truth, he has already started eating them little by little.
Today is also his birthday, so we might celebrate with lunch at a noodle shop.
Yesterday, I participated in an online meeting. The topics are... "Driving"
◆How do you feel about cars? What do you like and dislike about them?
Having our own car is very important in our daily life here in Tochigi. Without a car, it would be very difficult to manage daily activities. In fact, our whole society relies on cars and trucks—even in Tokyo. Without delivery trucks or garbage collection trucks and so on, daily life would not run smoothly. What I like about cars is their convenience.
But at the same time, they give off exhaust that causes global warming. These days, people talk a lot about electric cars, but honestly, I think it’s hard to imagine all cars becoming electric. In Japan, we always have the problem of not having enough electricity.
◆When did you get your first car? Can you describe it?
I had to get a car as soon as I moved to Tochigi in my twenties. My husband and I were both transferred here, though we worked for different companies. He came first, and after I explained the situation to my office, I was also transferred. Since I had already gotten my driver’s license when I was a university student, I was ready to start driving right away.
When we each bought our first cars, we didn’t have much money. My husband got a used car from one of his coworkers, who was a couple of years older and ready to buy a new one. I went to a nearby used-car shop and picked up a compact car. Maybe you don’t know this, but at that time cars used to have spike tires in winter.
◆When did you start driving?
I got my driver’s license as soon as I turned twenty, and I used to drive my friends’ cars sometimes.
◆What do you like to listen to when you are driving?
Nowadays, I like listening to the radio when I’m driving. I especially enjoy MIYA-raji, a local FM station where my freinds often appear.
◆Has your car ever broken down or had a flat tire? What did you do?
I’ve had a flat tire two or three times, but luckily my car could still make it to a gas station, so I never had to call JAF.
I also bumped my car into a utility pole once. Luckily, it made it home, and then I called my car dealer.
◆If you went on a road trip, where would you like to go?
I’d like to go to Hokkaido. When I was in my twenties, I drove around the southern part of Hokkaido. So if I went on a road trip now, I’d like to explore the northern part. Also, if I went by car from here, I would take a ferry from Niigata to Hokkaido. Or I might take the bullet train to Hokkaido and rent a car there.
About an hour ago, I got a message from my friend saying, “I just arrived.” She and I perform together at KARAKU café once a month. Right now, she’s in Aizu for an on-location shoot for a TV drama that will air next spring. She actually has a role—not just as an extra, even though it’s only one scene.
She left here at 4 a.m and drove there. We’re really looking forward to hearing her story about what happens in Aizu.
Finally, it’s Friday. We’re hoping Yuki will be able to start his chemotherapy today.
Yesterday morning, I went to the gym for the first time in three months. These days I usually go in the evenings, but not very often. Mostly I’ve been busy—either going with Yuki to the hospital or visiting my own clinic. Another reason is that I just haven’t felt like chatting with my gym friends. I don’t talk about Yuki’s situation with them, except for one friend. There’s also one woman who knows because we happened to meet at the hospital. Her husband had the same illness, but sadly, he passed away last year.
Sometimes I feel like I’m being a bit of a drama queen and get depressed. But yesterday, I was able to chat calmly with some of my gym friends.
Yesterday we had eel for lunch at a special price, since it was the restaurant’s third anniversary. Well, the discount was just 200 yen. But we’re kind of timid. Yuki chose the 2,000 yen eel box (discounted from 2,200), while stingy Mieko chose the 1,400 yen eel box (discounted from 1,600).
We usually spend about 1,000 yen on lunch, so this was kind of a special treat before Yuki starts his chemotherapy. Eel is usually really expensive in Japan.
When we were inside the restaurant it was pouring rain, but luckily by the time we finished lunch, the sky had cleared. On the way home we stopped by a shrine and prayed for a calm life.
Yesterday, I played at KARAKU café. The place was full, even the regular customers came. Playing the piano is always fun, and I also enjoyed dressing up a little.
My partner, who read a short essay, will be on TV next spring! Just one scene, but it’s in a really popular NHK drama. We’re so excited about it.
Yuki also joined his band practice. He talked about jazz chords with the members and looked really satisfied.
Yesterday, I reviewed the canned foods we have stocked for disasters. Some of them were getting close to the expiration dates, so I separated them. We have started eating them little by little as side dishes, and we are happy that they add variety to our dining table.
Unfortunately, a few had already expired, so I had to discard them.
I also checked our gas canisters. The manufacturing date was written on the bottom. Do you know they can be stored usually? It says they should be used within seven years.
As you know, I keep up my habit of discarding ten things once a week. This time, I let go of some old bottles of liqueur.
I did it again this week.
Additionally, I bought a bag of dried fruits online. To use up a bottle which is left, I plan to soak the fruits in it.
It’s raining today. Yuki is having his fourth radiation treatment. Although he doesn’t seem to have any side effects, his hoarse voice and strained vocal cords don’t seem to be recovering. He ate grilled beef yesterday, cutting it with scissors. He can’t eat noodles now, but at least he can still enjoy some of his favorite foods.
I’m going to a personal training session. At home, I also do some exercises for my back and hip joints. Once they get injured, it’s difficult to recover.
Anyway, it’s the last weekday. A typhoon is on its way and should pass by Saturday morning.
Yesterday I could join an English conversation meeting on Zoom.
The topics are... "Insects"
◆Which insects help people and how?
The first insect that came to mind was the honeybee. They carry pollen from flower to flower. Thanks to them, fruits, vegetables, and other crops can grow.
When I came here, I met some beekeepers. Before that, I didn’t even know beekeeping was an occupation. Beekeepers sell their bees, especially to strawberry farmers. As you know, this area is famous for strawberries.
◆Have you ever been stung by a bee or a wasp?
Luckily, I haven’t. But in the garden, I sometimes find beehives. As soon as I find them while they’re still small, I remove them.
Nowadays, when kids are bitten by mosquitoes, the bites often swell badly, and some kids even have to see a doctor. The places where they are bitten are usually covered with a bandage. I think people, especially kids with allergies or atopic conditions, tend to swell up more easily.
◆What would happen if there were no insects in the world?
If there were no insects, our Earth would disappear, because without them we couldn’t maintain the ecosystem.
On the other hand, one specific issue we have to face is how to stop the decrease in domestic insects and the increase in foreign insects. Global warming is also one of the causes of this issue.
This is a serious problem for maintaining and improving our agriculture.
What do you think of this topic?
In one and a half hour we will leave home for the hospital.
We see an ENT doctor, then radiologist to plan his radiation treatment. After that we go to a clinic to get shot to reduce his side effect as usual. Probably we will have lunch outside or buy lunchboxes.
In the evening I go to an orthopedic doctor. Probably we will buy lunchboxes.
I give up cooking at home. But I constantly make vegetable smoothies for Yuki and me. So I co stately use a knife and a cutting board .
I use shiso leaves growing I our garden effectively.
I make haiku in Japanese, then I translate them in Engish. It is really difficult. I am not able to use rhyming, syllables effectively and so on. I tend to translate my Haiku directly in English.
This time I used Chat GPT. it really helped me. Even for Chat GPT it seems to be difficult to use rhyming effectively, but the sound closes to English Haiku.
If you are interested in Haiku, please check my youtube.
