walking diary 0923

 

This flower looks like a beautiful flower, but it is a kind of weed.

Arrange a flower Though it's a kind of weed Heat of late summer
I walked 5355 steps.

 

Lots of "common zinnia"!  I found the other name is young-and-old age. In Japanese we call them HYAKUNICHI-grass, it means one hundred age grass. I did 6474 steps.

To only just a bottle of iced coffee, I made a big detour. 6474 steps.

 

At dusk Enjoy walking and doing errands Cool breeze

 

 

I walked to clinics, both of them were very crowded. I took a rest at a convenience store with a cup of coffee.7009 steps.

Having a coffee Wait for seeing a doctor September comes

We went out "the" lake where Yuki often goes these days.

While he was fishing, I walked around the lake.6554steps.

 

Cool breeze, Get away from the town Walking exercise

 

lunch diary 0923

Monday, we had lunch together. Fried Pork & Kumichi(Korean spicy pickles) bowl.
It was a holiday, but we didn't have such a feeling, for us it was a usual day for two of us.
However in the afternoon we went out to listen to a concert. A concert was held at a city hall, it meant it was a holiday.
Bell crickets singing; Unconscious it's a  holiday; Our current days



Tuesday, I got "boiled" chestnuts; Thanks that she already cooked them. So I cooked chestnuts rice with rice cooker. Chestnuts are a seasonal food for fall, but it is still hot like summer.
Chestnuts rice, Wonder if long sleeves or short, Rolling up sleeves



Wednesday, I fried rice noodles with vegetables. I set aside Yuki's one.
Weather report was "right". As the noon came, it started raining.
Rain at noon, Quickly take in Futon dried up   Early autumn



Thursday I made spaghetti, which is his favorite.
In the morning, he went to his office to return all his office gadget. Now he is free from his office.

First cool breeze; Wash our cars One of his new chores



Friday, He went to get a haircut and "blur".
He didn't get his hair "dye". We call this way SHIRAGA BOKASHI.
Do you know that?

First cool breeze  Blur instead of dye One of his new errands

Yuki's retirement life -1-

Yuki's retirement life has started. Luckily he seems to be busy.
Since he was young, he has played tennis constantly. When he worked, he took tennis lessons once a week. Now he continues to take lessons. What is interesting, some members of the club got old, and quit taking lessons and joined a senior tennis circle on weekdays. So he followed them. He usually goes to play tennis with the members of the circle three times a day.

------ so he maintained his rackets, and kids. It means he bought new tennis shoes, new gut --- and (so far, he doesn't buy anything more.)

I know he had been interested in fishing, so he bought fishing poles and some kits. Unfortunately he has not found his fishing friends. But he sometimes goes to a lake nearby, where it takes 40 minutes by car.
He often asks someone who comes alone there how to use his kits.
----- and He finds to something more to fish, and buys some things.

Well, camera is another his hobby.
Now he seems to be a member of ????? club on the net.

And the other his hobby is music. He has started to music activity. The other day he joined jam session. Usually such activities are held at night. He found one which is hold in the daytime.
---- and he maintained his music instruments; two guitars and bass (until now). He bought strings and some things.

This month he doesn't need to pay for social meeting with his coworkers, and all budget moved to his hobby budget.

I asked or told him to reduce the budget from the next time. He accept it saying "this time is special."

Anyway it is good that he has started his retirement life with busy days.

Walking diary 0916

I went to a shopping mall to make "my" reading grasses. Then I decided to walk back  to home. (Yuki and I went together). On the way home I dropped by my friend's house. I walked 5423 steps.

 

 Going the same way With more stronger reading grasses; Coral flowers

 

I finally walked to and from  the gym instead of using my car or bike. It was the first time, and since then I haven't done it so far.

I walked 6002 steps. On the way home, I saw many elementary school students walking with their heavy bags like mine.

Actually my bag in which there were clothes and shoes, was heavy for me than I expected.

Fall equinoctial week,  Primary schoolers with heavy bags Walk back with me

 

 

On this day, it suddenly got cold. So my allergy against the difference of the cold and warm occurred.

So I need to sweat a little. I walked 5582 steps. While my walking I took this photo.

Fall equinoctial week, A butterfly hovering  And storing food 

 

lunch diary 0916

Monday, when I was alone, I put all foods in one plate because it was troublesome to do the  dishes.
But Yuki wanted to eat rice with a bowl. It had no problem, because doing the dishes was his job. However wiping the dishes and putting them away were my (and his) job.

Passing Typhoon away, More time and effort doing the dish Nato bowl forming threads



Tuesday, Yuki was still playing tennis, so I had lunch alone. His lunch was left.
In Chiba they still remained without electricity, though it was still very hot.
After the Typhoon, While listening to the radio Forming threads of Natto



Wednesday, I got lots of eggplants, so I made curry and rice of them.
Of course we ate it for our dinner.
Remain the hotness, how long it keeps in the dining Smell of curry




Thursday, Yuki went out with his rice balls, I also went out to attend a meeting with my rice balls.
Bell crickets  singing Making ourselves our rice balls For lunch early morning



Friday, It suddenly got cold, so I was going to make hot noodle with soup.
But I didn't. I used all leftover of vegetables, so I fried them with Udon noodle.
Autumn HIGAN( equinoctial week)  Look for a long sleeved shirt How heavy the drawer

Small photo books to each our mother

I made these small photobooks, and sent to our each mother.
The photos in the book are pictures taken by us (Yuki, my daughter and me) during our Hakone trip

When I use an Internet tool, I always admire "how convenient and reasonable nowadays are!".

I edit the photos on PC, and sent a photo company. Then in a few days they make such a photobook. It costs about 500 yen including sending fee.

This weekend, we are going to go to Tokyo again to visit our mothers.
We will have a good talk seeing these photobooks.

Weekday concert

A day of last week, we went out downtown to listen to a concert.
It is not usual to be held a concert in the daytime on weekday.
The concert was organized by our city, to attract (senior) people in the day time on weekday and let them come downtown.
It was the first time to go there with Yuki.
Than we expected, more couple like us were there.
The others were women's groups, some women by themselves, and few men by themselves.
I think that this city definitely proceed to senior world,  or 1/3 of our population will be seniors. So such concerts must help them(us) to spend daily lives actively.

Well, well, after the concert, we had lunch outside.
Not so bad, but I thought we had to eat lunch at home, thinking the cost and quality balance.

lunch diary 0909

Last Monday we were in Tokyo and had lunch with my mother.
She loves TONKATSU, Japanese pork cutlet.
Summer leaving, going out with a cane ; having cutlet



Tuesday, I set a timer of rice cooker. While Yuki were playing tennis in the morning, I was watchin recoded programs on TV. When he came back, I cooked lunch for 5 minutes, having them with him 10 minutes, and putting away for 5 minutes together.
Summer leaving; have a moment of lunchtime, together at home


Wednesday, I ate lunch by myself without waiting for his coming back
Though reach retirement, continue to make lunchbox: autumn breeze


Thursday, we went out downtown to listen to a concert.
It is unusual to be held a concert daytime  on weekday.
After the concert we had lunch outside. Though it was delicious, considering the menu it seemed to be a little bit expensive. --- We have to think about our home budget more sensitive.

Lunch outside, with caring for our wallet; autumn breeze



Friday, I trimmed the garden. I stubbed herb AKASHISO leaves and made juice.
AKASHISO-juice; fry vegetables serve with one plate.

Walking diary 0909

This early morning heavy rain and  strong winds were blowing off because of Typhoon.

It is around 9 o'clock. The sun is coming out.

This morning Yuki was going to go fishing to a lake, but he couldn't. He stays in his room creating something on PC.

This is a flower of Chinese chive, which is called NIRA in Japanese. They are blooming in my garden as a kind of weed, but I don't stub them.

This day I was going to do walking, but I was too tired to do, so I went out to do errands by bike.
If I walk there, probably the step would be over 5000 steps. But using the bike, my pedometer showed 1279 steps.
Without granddaughter Ride on the bike with child seat ; A flower of chive

 

We went out downtown to join a weekday concert. We parked our car in the city hall parking and walked downtown. 6109 steps.

A weekday A concert downtown; Fall breeze

 

 

We went out shopping by car. I got off from the car and did walking exercise.

6212 steps.

Dusk approaching, Walking while shopping; Roadside marigold

 

Suddenly I noticed that when I was walking --- the garden of most houses were "trimmed". It means they were lots of weeds about 3 weeks ago.

I felt embarrassed, I don't know why.

Anyway I decided to weed and trim my garden.

I cut some of my herbs including this fennel.

 

Having steak For our house lunch;  Weeding the garden

 

 

At home

We are really satisfied with our trip to Hakaone with our mothers.
The two trips made me very tired. Still now I'm recovering to my usual life. (What is my usual life?)

I cooked dishes for this week.


I discarded 10 things,


And I changed interior of our entrance.

Yuki's first week

Anyway, luckily? he is busy.

Last week, he went out to play tennis three times. He left home at 9 (earlier than usual) and got home around 2 o'clock. I didn't need to prepare lunch for him. He said that the members of the tennis club were so tough. So he took nap, watched TV, and -- he seemed to start something creative on PC.

He also took experimental squash exercise, but considering the price he decided not to join them.

On the other hand he bought fishing kits, and went out to a small lake.
Fishing season is until September, so for a while he is busy.

Today we are going out to listen to a weekday concert.

walking diary 0902

 

Do you know these flowers? They are like daffodils.

In Japanese we call them summer daffodils.

6328 steps.

 

Summer daffodils Though walk slowly Continuing.

 

 

This day I was going to go to the library on foot, however, it was too hot for me to do it.

I went there by car, and had lunch alone. Yuki went out to play tennis.(Unbelievable)

In the evening I did walking. 5669 steps.

Do you know "book worm" is a seasonal word of summer.

For a book, Walk around in the library, bookworms.

 

Suddenly the atmosphere changed into fall. 5001 steps.

Yellow cosmoses Bowl of rice for lunch With my husband

 

 

We went on a trip with Yuki's mother.

She also used a wheel chair as my mother did. 7000 steps.

Autumn wind, Pushed a wheel chair Mt.Hakone

 

Anyway Friday!

Since Yuki got his freedom, one week has passed. Our life style doesn't seem to change a lot, except I cook dinner for him.
I realized that rice is very useful. We have staple food ( I have just learnt this English word) , it is ri
So it is not so troublesome as long as we have cooked rice, which means I don't cook feast.
So I always set the timer of rice cooker.
And our important accompaniment is "Natto". I hear someone screaming.

It is raining now. In the morning I'm going to see a dentist.
Yuki stays home and (according to her) he is going to do music and photo creative work.
In the evening, I have lessons, and he is going to go to experimental squash practice.
At night, he is going to go out to his farewell party. He has at least more two appointments of his farewell party.

Our familiar buchter has also retired.

Yesterday Yuki and I went out to have lunch outside at a café.
They serve meat ball lunch. But this week is the last week to be served them.
The café owner and we are friends. And a butcher is also our common friend.
The butcher who is over 70 retired last month. And the meat balls are the last meat which were sold by the butcher.
The butcher was very small shop. However he survived. The reason was , probably that he had a  good skill, and he dealt with special beef.
Even though there are many small butchers, but most of them don't deal with beef, because they can't earn enough profit. Most of customers buy beef at a big meat shop, or department store.
Though some small butcher still deal with beef, but usually they sell only beef for stake.
However the butcher dealt with most of all parts of beef, and he has special customers.

But his wife and he couldn't be against his age.

The last meeting with a finacial planner

Yesterday a man came to my house. He is a financial planner. For our retirement life, we talked with him four times about our financial plan.
Yesterday it was the last meeting.
Coincidently we had an opportunity to know him through his office.
He knows Yuki's company's (welfare) system well, so it was easy to ask him about our financial situation of his retirement life.
At the first meeting  we looked over our assets (including our saving). And he started to think about 60 of his retirement age. (Probably, I'm a so good wife that I saved enough (I don't think so) money for his regular (I think early) retirement.

The next meeting we tried to budget schedule of our retirement life over next about 30 decades.
We were really surprised that we should think about our 30 year-life, nowadays. Actually his mother still lives actively, though she is 92 years old.
And we were also surprised that we would need lots of money than we expected. To tell the truth he reconsidered whether he would retire regularly or  extend his retirement. And he decided to life frugally .
At that time I was really full of anxiety. We reconsidered our usual life.

The third meeting we made our saving schedule including our prospected outcome. I have kept our household accounts. It was really helpful.

And at the last meeting we thought about investment management.
However we decided not to do it.
It is our lifestyle.

Yuki's schedul of this week

It is the second day of Yuki's long vacation.
In 20 minutes I hold a laughter yoga meeting at home, so he has already gone out. Where?
He joined a tennis practice.
Last Sunday he immediately contacted to his senior friends.
Monday, he went out to play golf.
Tuesday, he went out to play tennis.
Wednesday, --- no plan, though I have lessons from the afternoon to the night. And he has his farewell party at night.
Thursday, probably he goes out to play tennis though it seems to be rainy.
Friday, he is going to take squash experimental practice, and he has another farewell party at night.

He also contacted with a Jazz band.

I said to him "don't forget please, our family event is a high priority."
However it is better to have many things for him to do than to have nothing.

Yuki's retirement life has started.

Last Friday, he got home with this bunch of flower around 6 PM, and as soon as he got home, he left out again to join his farewell party.
We spent usual weekend.

And Monday has come.
I made usual breakfast for two of us, and ---he took out the garbage, then he went out to play golf.
Though it is a usual weekday, coincidently he found a friend who took a day-off, and went out to play golf.

Seemingly our life doesn't change so much.
It is right.

Well, last week I was really tired or exhausted after the trip with my mother.
As I wrote on my blog, she couldn't lots of things more than I expected. It brought me lots of anxiety. I talked with my brothers on the phone, I asked some advice from an elderly center on the phone. (I was going to visit the center near my mother's house, but luckily, they talked a lot with me on the phone.)
But the important thing is "she still can do lots of things by herself, and spend days by herself.".

There are only three days!

Obon vacation finished. And Only three days including today are left --- Yuki commute his office regularly. Our (happy) golden life is just around the corner.

However, anyway our new life seems to start busily.

This weekend, we took my mother to Hakone.
Since we went on a trip with her, three years passed.
And this time we found she cannot more things than we expected.
I took her to an art museum. There she used a wheel chair for the first time
Against our expectation, she "enjoyed" using a wheel chair.

 

She made Haiku with me.

A chorus of cicadas  Enjoy getting old In a wheel chair

 

After the trip, I called a city division of the support for the elderly in her living area.

I thought I had to visit there directly, but I could talk a lot about the support system on the phone.

 

We seem to prepare necessary matters  little by little  for her to live easily her elderly life.

 

In two weeks, we will take my mother-in-law to the same place.

 



walking diary 0804

Since last week, I haven't done walking exercise because of this heat.

So this diary was about two weeks ago.

At that time we had still rainy days.

 

 

I saw these sunflowers in a field, There was no weed. It means the owner left these sunflowers purposely.

On the day I did volunteer reading of English picture books at the library.

Sunflowers; Enjoy foreign letters  With picture books

 

 

Can you see petunias covered with weeds?

In the field Not only weeds; Summer sky

 

What a wonderful lily!

Do you know the name. It is Star Gazal, a kind of oriental hybrid lilies.

This day I talked with my mother on the phone for more than one hour.

How stubborn! Hear laughing at the end;  big thunder clouds.

 

 

Suddenly gray clouds appeared.

In a hurry  Get through all errands outside ; Cold sweet beans jelly

 

It was another day. On the day while I was walking I heard thunder.

Thunder rumbling Walk back home safely ; Pink silk tree

 

lunch diary 804

Though it is in the middle of the second week of August, let me tell you my lunch diary of last week.



Monday, Yuki took a day-off.
He started to consume his paid leaves.
Karasawa shiren Can't take a picture of buzzing; Sprouts of Japanese ginger




Tuesday, it was too hot. I bought croquets of delicatessen.
Delicatessen Avoid me from the oven: boiling summer



Wednesday, in the morning I joined my friend's workshop.
Then I had lunch with her. I was going to eat cold noodle, but it was "cold" in the restaurant, so I ate hot noodle with lots of vegetables.
She is 10 years younger than me, but we can "pursue" the same interest. It is fun.
Forward together Keep the age difference; Sweet fish in the river



Thursday, I made fried rice noodle.
The last night Yuki and I had a quarrel, which is not unusual. Why? Of course our retirement budget schedule.
After quarrel usual day comes; Freshly washed hair

Well, "freshly washed hair" is a seasonal word in summer.
Nowadays, morning shower is usual especially for young people.
But probably until 10 or 20 years ago, it was  unusual, but in summer it was also hot, so many people washed the hair after they got up.



Friday, I got fresh sweet fish a lot, and cooked them to make

At the gym No change of room temperature; KANRONI of sweet fish

going out downtown

Last weekend, we went out downtown to enjoy Japanese comedy stage "rakugo" .
The stage is held once a month at a shrine.
For previous two months we couldn't go, but this time we could go there.




This time it was not RAKUGO, NAGAUTA stage was hold
.
NAGAUTA is a kind of music, and it is also used with RAKUGO as a background music.

It cost 2000 yen for two adults.
This time we parked our car at a parking lot of the city hall. So we didn't need pay transportation.
(When we go there by bus, it cost 440 there and back for one person)

We walked 5200 steps there and back  from the parking lot to the shrine
Well, on the way to the parking lot, we dropped by a shoe shop. Yuki bought a pair of walking shoes.
It cost 1100 yen.
And -- unfortunately I dropped my sun arm cover. Of course I bought a new pair. It cost 580 yen,

So it cost about 3600 yen including money offering ( a kind of donation to shrine).


From now on, everyday is holiday for us, of course we are going to enjoy our days. But we also reconsider our daily cost.

A seasonal word 0801 swimming in the ocean

 

As soon as the lingering rainy season finished, the tough humid summer started.

Usually I don't take a shower or take a bath in the morning, but against this tough weather





 I needed to take a bath in the morning after finishing morning chores.


Sunlight penetrates Bathing in a hot tub ; Summer ocean

I'll introduce some famous Haiku.

It is a summer Haiku. The tough hot summer is necessary to dry Konb seaweeds on the beach, but for flowers it is too bad to survive.

Getting cloudy On the beach where Konb (seaweeds) are dried  Relieves a wild chrysanthemum

Star festival of July 7th, is a seasonal word of autumn in Haiku world.
On July 7th, it is the day loves meet once a year on the milky way. It is the happiest time to meet, but it is the worst time to say good bye.
However a few months pass, and autumn comes, such passion has already gone and have spent usual calm or busy days.


Star festival; though the hair is still wet, don't mind meeting you


It is a simple Haiku for summer.
Loss of weight in summer; I don't like, what I dislike

It is a simple Haiku for autumn.
Start turning red; if you are my Romeo, come in formal wear

Both of the are written by the same female poet.
She is very famous for her strong, selfish character as if she acted like a queen.