Good morning 0121

 

It is the last weekday, today. 

I was not going to have lessons in the evening, but I have. Because this omicron corona pandemic has started, and students’s big sports game was canceled.  So they come to my house as usual after school. 

Good morning 0120

 

This morning the first role was to take out burnable garbage.

The moon was beautiful, though we didn’t notice the moon of last night.

Though cold days have been continued, I continue waking exercise. 

In one month I have to take a health check, so I try to lower the blood cholesterol with exercise.

Good morning 0119

 

Last night we had a big meal, than we expected.  It was steak. we feel heavy in our stomachs. 

 So yogurt with strawberries and some cookies.  Cookies??

Today Yuki has no schedule, so, probably he concentrates to analyze his music score on PC in his room. 

I go to the gym to do 30 minute exercise, and in the afternoon I have lessons.

Good morning 0108

 

According to the weather report in the north area of Tochigi it is snowing. Here it is sunny. 

Today I have a monthly zoom meeting with my group. Probably three members including me will join. 

Then I will go to the local community center to check with our future volunteer activity.  Because of this corona pandemic, some volunteer activities like hobby activities are canceled, though it is difficult to explain what are volunteering hobby activities. And I don’t know what essential volunteer activities are.

Good morning 0117

 

Yesterday, my friend came with a big box of strawberries. She was on the way home from her mother’s house who has strawberry farm.  How lucky? Tochigi is popular for strawberries, but until May they are expensive even here

Today , it is Monday. 

The first house role was taking out burnable garbage. 

Yesterday, we went to the library, but I forgot to take one book to return. So we will go there again. Today yuki has no tennis meeting, so, we will walk to the library.

lunch diary 0116

 Monday

DONDO-yaki (New Year's local event) hasn't done yet in this district. Bute at the shrine they have already accepted lucky charm and sutra of the last year. So we handed them. with pray.

Tuesday

It was Hanaichi Day, a kind of New Year's festival.  I bought " yellow carp doll" which is our local lucky charm in the morning. In the  it was the first my performance day at KARAKU café this year.

Wednesday

I got shock again, because I was rejected by my relative again., but I'm all right. I'm a big person with a big "heart".

Thursday

I managed to go to the gym to do 30 minute-exercise two days in a row. Anyway, my goal of this year is keeping exercise.

Friday

I had a gastroscope in the morning. There is no polyp this time.  Really??  I feel having quite gastritis, but it seems to be neurogenic gastritis.

Good morning 0117

 As soon as we wakes up, tsunami news are constantly on the air. I hope big troubles will not happen.

Anyway our usual day has started.

Yuki goes tennis. He likes today’s tennis meeting, because the main members are active people, he gets young energy from them.

I will edit my haiku YouTube, then I will  do walking exercise.

Good morning 0116

 

It is Saturday. It’s sunny. In the morning Yuki goes practicing tennis. Once a week he takes tennis lessons. I will discarding things.

The green spread on the toast is Maccha (green tea) butter.  My friend gave me. 

The most favorite way to use it , this way.

However today I didn’t prepare shimmered red beans.

Good afternoon 0114

 I’ve just come back from the clinic. 

Today I had a gastroendoscopy,  and thankfully my gastro had no problem.

Then I went to Mac and had a morning set.

Well, I take anti-panic medicine these days, but than I expect, my innards are strong like my mother.

Good morning 0113

I start a short blog  in English again on this site.

Yesterday, it was really cold, but today it is sunny and doesn’t seem to be cold, though I don’t to outside yet. Anyway in the morning, I will go to the gym. And in the afternoon, we will go grocery shopping, it will be a peaceful day.

One day drive

We did one-day drive. It was the first time of this year.
I found an article that a famous old TENGU mask at a old temple is available until 15th of this month.
So we went there. It was about one hour drive.
The temple called HORINGI was bigger than we expected.
So we felt we were in a sightseeing spot. Fortunately it was not so crowded.

 Then we had lunch. This area is famous for TORAFUGU (Japanese pufferfish), but it was expensive, so we had "usual" SASHIMI-bowl.
You might wonder why we have SASHIMI-bowl here because we have no sea.
The reason is we are JAPANESE. And unfortunately they didn't serve Japanese noodle during winter vacation season.

Then we visited a local shrine in the town.

And we also visited river fish production processing firm --not fisher shop. There they culture river fish, so we can get eels at reasonable price.
To tell the truth, at the restaurant we had lunch, they serve a eel-bowl at 3300yen.
It is actually less expensive than others restaurant in other towns.
But I bought one eel at 1500yen.

Then we visited, a small historical point where recently they were renewed.

In Meiji era, about 100 years ago, in this area there used to be "JINSYA TETSUDOU" handcar railway like Atami town. Now it is available as one of sights pots of this area.

Does it make sense? 

Then we dropped by a big discount supermarket.

We came back about 4 PM. 

And our dinner was the eel which was grilled by me.

lunch diary 0108 in 2022

Is it irresponsible that "everybody is different"?

 It is difficult to explain the correct situation. Anyway I wonder about an article.

I know saying our own opinion is important.

I know having our own opinion is important.

However, when someone expresses their opinion, is it irresponsible or rude to say "everybody is different" ?

Of course if it is a place to debate, or to discuss, it might be rude.

"I understand your opinion. But it is difficult to judge whether I can accept, or I can't accept. I need time to put my thoughts together. Or it is not time for me to think about the them".

Under this corona pandemic, things which we make decision seem to increase.

 

New Year has come

 Happy New Year!

We saw the first sunrise from our house.

And we had New Year's feast at home.

"We" means, Yuki, our two daughters, and our grandchild.

I noticed that since we got married, it was the first to time for only family members  to celebrate New Year at home. Usually we celebrated New Year's Eve with my mother and we visited Yuki's mother on New Year's Day.  

Last year only two of us celebrated New Year, because of the sever corona pandemic.

This time our younger daughter and our grandchild came back from Thailand and our elder daughter visited us. 

For our grandchild it was the first time to spend New year's vacation in japan since she could understand many things. So I cooked harder than usual.

To tell the truth, usually my sister in-law cooked, so I didn't need to cook so much.

Anyway our New Year's vacation was finished.

Our usual days have started.

lunch diary 1226

Our Christmas week has finished. 

Today I put away all decorations and put New Year's decorations.

This year a friend came, so I decided to cook something, and Three of us including Yuki enjoyed Christmas.

My elder daughter visited her younger sister's apartment, so our daughters and our grand daughter enjoyed Christmas together. (Unfortunately our son in-law couldn't come back to Japan from Thailand)

This year, of course we were in trouble with covid-19.

However, for us the most worried thing was my mother's situation.

Since she needed care by someone, almost one year has passed. Last Christmas she was all right, though because of corona pandemic, no one except my brother who lives with her only spent together.

During one year, many things in our life  changed. I'm suffering from light depression.

Fortunately my mother and Yuki's mother are fine.

My mother spends her life at her house with her son.

Yuki's mother spends her life at a elderly nursing home.

It's difficult to say which is better, which is happier.

They show us our future.

Merry Christmas

 How are you spending today? My friend comes in 30 minutes, so we are going to decorate cake together, I already prepared based sponge cake, strawberries, fresh whipped cream.

This year one of my HAIKU won a prize, and it was placed on next year's calendar with English version.

lunch diary 1219

lunch diary 1212

I added subtitles in Japanese and English.

Our these days life is partly involved in my mother's care or partly not. However we enjoy our daily life.

lunch diary 1205

I added subtitles in English and Japanese.

lunch diary1128

I added English or Japanese subtitles to show my short diary.

The music is arranged by Yuki.

lunch diary 1121

I captioned this youtube in English and Japanese.

lunch diary 1113

I added subtitle in English and Japanese. I hope you can see it, and enjoy it.

Monday, our scheduled was changed.  We went to see colorful leaves at a shrine on the small mountain. Suddenly we thought "let's have grilled beef". So we dropped by a YAKINIKU restaurant.

Tuesday it was the day of KARAKY, my performance day. Here in Utsunomiya, corona pandemic seemed to settle down. So all tables were occupied. But there was one or two people at each table as the measure under this corona situation.

Wednesday

I put cut pumpkin into a slow cooker, and went out walking exercise. It was a cold day.

Thursday

We visited our friends' house. Since both of us knew the senior couple who are more than 15 years older than us, 25 years passed. They are very precious friends. We don't have many friends who are close family friends.

Friday

In the morning I went out to do errands. And I bought delicatessen at a supermarket.

What a frail autumn rainbow! it's enough to turn out from the bed

lunch diary 1107

Finally I learned how to add subtitles in English and Japanese. You can choose one of them. If you are interested in it, please watch it with subtitles.

Monday

I noticed I was in trouble with autumn allergy. I got careless because I usually wore face mask. It was not enough against autumn allergy. I went to a drug store and bought Vaseline to protect my skin.

Tuesday

I managed to keep walking exercise. One way to keep motivation is an app in my iPhone.  The app always indicates the suitable number of steps for me. But from Tuesday it seemed to show much higher goal. I'm not sure to achieve the steps the app shows.

Wednesday

I cooked a whole cabbage with five kinds of beans with pressure cooker. To have it more tasty, we went out of our way to buy a good quality French bread at a bakery.

Thursday

To tell the truth, we had a little quarrel. I forgot what was a trigger of the quarrel. Our bad mood brought Yuki bad mood, and his bad mood brought me another bad mood. It was endless. And anyway we ended the quarrel though I didn't know how to do it.

Friday

Both of us went to see a dentist. We went there once a month or every two month. It is one way for us to keep our health.

 

We went out putting on street clothes after a long while.

 Last weekend, Yuki joined the city music concert.

So he need to wear something dressy --- not a stage costume.  The first day he wore a thick blown wool jacket and the next day he wore a black leather jacket. To tell the truth, they are all of his "dressy" or "outdoor" jackets for a cold season. They are not business clothes. He put them on after a long while. Probably it was for the first time in years. Additionally he has kept them more than 20 years. 

Then, I also went to see him in my black leather coat. It is my "outdoor" coat. Probably I also put it on for the first time in 3 or 4 years. Here in Utsunomiya I usually go out by car, so I don't need to put a middle length or long length coat in the cold season. Usually I take or put a short length coat. When I went to Tokyo by train I would wear the leather coat. I bought it when I was around 40. At that time I thought I became a suitable age to wear a leather coat. 

Anyway "we" had a opportunity to wear  street clothes instead of lounge wear, casual clothes or sports wear.

I noticed that I felt refreshing by not going out, by wearing it.

And he said, he also felt bracing himself up.

 

lunch diary 1031

Monday; we went to a library which is a little bit far from our house. Then we went to a mall at a station. There is a better quality food shop. I bought a can of tea, and so on. --- as our custom, we make tea with tea-leaves, not with  tea-bags. ---does it make sense? -- Tea bags are bags of tea-leaves. 

Tuesday; I did exercise well, I went to the gym, and also did walking.

Wednesday, "we" did walking. 

Thursday; we printed flyer of Yuki's live. He gave some of them to his tennis mates. Senior mates accepted it, but younger mates denied politely. Of course we know they are busy in their family events.

Friday; I feel tired, so I went to a cake shop to buy some cake instead of a convenience store. The reason good sweet relieve my physical fatigue.

lunch diary 1024

 

 Monday, we went to an exhibition. My Haiku poem was also displayed there. Yes, I won a prize at a contest. To congratulate myself, we had lunch outside. 

 Tuesday, it was the firs time in one and half year. One lady came to see my collection of English picture books. Though our volunteer reading at the library hasn't started yet, it might resume. I hope that the six wave of corona pandemic won't come.

 Wednesday, Yuki went to tennis in the morning, and I went to the gym to do 30 minute exercise. I'm increasing the number of going to the gym. Anyway I have to do exercise more to down the score of my cholesterol, I have to take a blood test again in one and half month at hospital. 

 Thursday, it was a sunny day, so I walked 5000 steps more. I got big sweet potatoes, so I made Massaman curry using roux which my younger daughter gave me. We thought we could get the roux anytime, but now it is difficult. Next time my son in-law comes back to Japan, it is the last time to get the roux. I really love the roux of Blue Elephant. But unfortunately it isn't imported to Japan.

 Friday, it was a very cold day. According to the weather report, the temperature was the same in December. Our house was all right, because I've already prepared heaters in all rooms, and of course I've already bought enough kerosene.

  

  But unfortunately we can't import it.

lunch diary 1017

 

 Monday

We walked around the city hall. "Pot flowers contest walk rally" was held. My friend displayed her arrangement. We found it while we were walking 5000 steps.

Tuesday

It was a cold day. But it was also my performance day at KARAKU. Unfortunately my partner who recitals short essays was absent. So I played some tunes as back music. Our regular customers were there, I was really happy.

Wednesday.

It was raining. Both of us stayed home. Yuki practiced the guitar while watching TV and using his PC. 

Thursday

I tried making grilled rice balls with hot sandwich maker. BUT --- anyway the result was good. But the maker got very dirty.

Friday

"I" did exercise well. I know I need doing exercise more constantly to decrease cholesterol. It is very hard task for me.

  

lunch diary 1010

 

 Monday We drove to a rural area. The purpose was to see dahlias in fallow rice fields. anyway we could take a look. The fields were introduced on the news paper. So we got the information. It means many (senior) people got the information. So we couldn't find the space to park our car. we gave up.  We saw them from the farm road. However on the way we dropped some shrines. So we had a good drive.

Tuesday, our familiar gardener came. We asked him to lower trees in our garden.

Before Yuki retired, we asked the same thing. And we were going to trim trees by ourselves. BUT it was really difficult for us. So this time we asked it again. He laughed.

I said to him  "when we bought this house, the seller said to us that you looked forward the mature trees in 20 years". At that time all trees were very small."

And we started having our garden trimmed after 20 years passed. 

This time the gardener said to me "the collect phrase was  that gardeners looked forward the mature trees in 20 years".

Wednesday

Yuki and I organized the garden more. We broke the old wooden tables and discarded as garbage.

Thursday

We took some big garbage to the city garbage disposal center. So our garden task of this year was finished.

Friday

Our health insurance cards were changed. for 2 years after he left company, we were still involved in the company's health insurance system. It was finished. Now we are involved in National health insurance system. We became real retires without job. (Well, I actually have some students, but my job is considered as a kind of part time job.)

Kids talk card -7-

 

Mr. Kishida has been elected prime minister in the Diet.  If I could meet him, what questions would I ask?　I would ask him "how many people who are from rural areas do you know as actual friends?"He grew up in TOKYO. And he is a man with high academic　background.;among countries in the world.So naturally we have some kinds of differences between metropolitan areas and rural areas.

And --- unfortunately, I don't think of more specific questions any more. 

If he doesn't know about the situation in rural areas,  ---  "what about it?"

If he knows well about the situation in rural areas, --- "what about it?"

Anyway these days I feel more strong the difference between TOKYO and Utsunomiya in both good meanings and bad meanings.

And if I asked about his childhood, "did you think about becoming prime minister when you were in you childhood, if yes when?"

I simply admire people who wanted become politicians when they were little.

Because at that time they must have been full of justice.

lunch diary 1003

Monday we visited my family grave then I visited my mother while Yuki visited his mother.

Both mothers are fine, and they looked happy to see each of us.

Well, let me confess that I'm afraid that my younger brother who lives with my mother and I ended. 

Tuesday, to make me relax, we had lunch at KARAKU

Wednesday, on this day Yuki stayed home all the day. So he cooked lunch.

Little by little he improves his cooking skill.

Thursday, early morning we visited nearby shrines before Yuki went playing tennis.

Thankfully, our granddaughter started to go to school smoothly.

And the living place of her and her mother (my daughter) was also determined.  As of now they are staying at hotel. Finally in the middle of October their coming back is dealt with "permanent return" and they register their residence in Japan.

Friday, October has started with big surprise.

Yuki's band was in this month's city PR magazine.　Unfortunately his photo was cut.

And my HAIKU was also in it. 
So I got some call from my friends.

  

lunch diary 0926

Monday

During the three days off, Ah-chan was staying with us. On Monday it was the last day. We went to a big mall and did shopping. As soon as the restaurant opened we entered and had an early lunch to avoid congestion -- and we were already tired and Ah-chan was hungry.

Tuesday

I organized all rooms. And I also organized the refrigerator. Our younger daughter and Ah-chan's life finally started in SAITAMA. For a while we can spend usual days.

Wednesday

It was Yuki's birthday. Two of us didn't do any special thing, though I cooked his favorite SUKIYAKI for dinner. Anyway two years passed since he retired. Thanks ?? to corona pandemic, we could save money than we expected, on the other hand our mothers situation changed, and our younger daughter and Ah-chan came back. So we need to revise our saving plans. Anyway there are still two and half years until our pensions will be payed.

Thursday

It was equinox day in September. Luckily we could see a full moon at night. I showed it to my mom through ALEXA. But it didn't catch perfectly, though she could understand that it was the moon.

Friday

Fall is called "the season to enjoy meals" in Japan. The first seasonal thing we got was salmon. And this week we got KABOS citrus. We know it is suitable to fish. So we went to the supermarket to buy salmon. To tell the truth, it is said "SANMA" fish is the most suitable to KABOS, and it is also typical fall fish. BUT unfortunately these years it is continued to have poor catch of SANMA. So SANMA doesn't come to the nearby supermarket.

 

Kids talk card -6-

 

Today I want to hold a zoom meeting using this card. I'm not sure if I can get enough members. Anyway the meeting will start from 4 to 4:35 at zoom site (Japan time) If you are interested in it, please give me a comment on this site. I'll send you the zoom cord.

Well, I'm not a student. So I try to think back of my school life. Probably the most important rule was --- having handkerchief with me  and having short-nails. I have played the piano since I was little, so I had no trouble about short-nails. But I would often forget to take my handkerchief to school. It was a rule at elementary school. At junior high school, not to wear a colorful jacket. At high school, of course not smoking, but it was not my important rule, because I was not interested in smoking. Well my school life didn't seem to be so strict.

In my house, when Yuki and I were raising up my children --- what was the rule? Not to tell lies, though it is a basic rule.  Probably when they were small children, it used to be a kind of rule  -- to keep their picture diary. Or when they were elementary school children, before playing outside they had to finish their homework. I'll ask them what did they think about it when I have such an opportunity.  I think we didn't have special family rules, but we might have had our own life habits.

Well, now there are two people in my house, Yuki and I.

I "decided" a rule, that is to share  house errands. For example, On Wednesdays and Fridays (my lesson days) cleaning the upstairs toilet , hallway and stairs is Yuki's role. But it is often broken, because he often plays golf on Wednesday from early morning.

Anyway, in our retirement life, it is one issue how to share house errands. 

lunch diary 0918

Monday, 

Our younger daughter M and granddaughter Ah-chan had lunch together and left for Saitama. On Sunday M had fever because of the side effect of the vaccination. Monday she was all right.

After they left, we organized the rooms and spent lazily the rest of the day.

Tuesday,

It was the day of KARAKU for me. But I performed with my friend. But as soon as I finished our performance, I had to go back home. On the day my mother got a little bit strange or got a feeling of anxiety more than usual. So I need to chat with her.

My mother usually spend alone afternoon of weekdays, though around 3 PM someone always visits her to make sure of her safety. when I was chatting with her, her daughter in-law, and my daughter visited her. So as a result, she talked with more people and much longer than usual. 

Wednesday

We got some pieces of salmon from our neighbor. They are very delicious. To tell the truth we were looking forward to the salmon coming this fall. 

Thursday

One of my hobbies is clipping recipe from the newspaper. But clipping and cooking is different. So on the day I "decided" to cook new dish from my clippings.  I cooked and shared with our neighbor.

Friday

The weather was strange because of coming typhoon or extratropical cyclone.

I trimmed roses and some trees.

Kids talk card -5-

 

This week I talked  about this card with my friend, though unfortunately I couldn't get enough number of members so that I couldn't hold a zoom meeting.

The question is "what is the best gift you have ever given?" . Not to me, to someone. To tell the truth I don't remember what gifts I gave to people.

I usually send domestic fruit in season of Utsunomiya to my friends once or twice a year. I "believe" they like them. And not only they enjoy the fruit, we also have a good excuse to talk with them for hours. Especially under this corona pandemic, it is difficult to meet them without special reasons. But we can talk via skype or zoom. 

On the other hand, the question "what is the best gift you have got?" I can answer it. It is a hold-up umbrella which my dead father presented me when I was a junior high school student. 

To say more correctly, it is not "best", it is the most memorable present.

When I was a junior high school student, anyway I used to rebel against my father. One day, I didn't know why? Anyway he suddenly bought a hold-up umbrella for me. Unfortunately I didn't like the pattern, I thought it was for senior women. BUT anyway I accepted it. And probably I haven't used it --- or I have used it once or twice for these 50 years. But I still have kept it.

My father passed away when I was 19. At that time I was a college student. Though I didn't like my father very much, I didn't talk a lot with him. Because  he was busy? or it was difficult to find something common to talk .

Anyway on Father's day, he died of hurt attack suddenly. At that time I noticed the umbrella was still in my room. When I became a mother I understood his feeling when he bought the umbrella. Probably he bought it at his office shop. They must have not dealt with kids' umbrellas. Or he might have considered me as an adult. So he chose "womanly" pattern umbrella.

I still keep it, though I don't use it. However, now it is most memorable present for me.

 

Kids talk card 0916

Today's card is this one. I want to hold a 30 minute zoom meeting Japan time today Thursday 4 PM. I'm not sure enough number of members gather or not.  

Anyway if you give some comments about this card, on this blog, I'm really happy. 

KIDS TALK card -4-

 

Last week I chose this card, but unfortunately I didn't hold a zoom meeting because there were not enough people.
However I showed this card to one of my friends, and we are from the same age.

She said

"Yes, I have a hobby.   My hobby is dancing hula.

New hobby  for me is to practice ukulele.

I think that it would be fun to play the ukulele when my friend dance hula.

But some of my  hula's friends already have been practicing the ukulele."

As far as I know, she doesn't play any musical instruments. So if she starts practicing the ukulele, it must be fun.

In my case, my hobbies are --- playing the piano, making Haiku, and so on.

Before this corona pandemic,  I played the recorder (mainly alto, or bass) with other two members. We made trio. But unfortunately, the trio is disappeared naturally.

So I would like to resume the recorder performance, though it is not a new hobby.

This card tells " an important part of a hobby is that it leads to friendship who share your interests."

I agree with it. As you know once a month my friend and I perform a 30 minute concert at KARAKU, I play the piano, and she recites  a short essay..

It is fun to do something with someone. 

Well, I think discarding 10 things a week might be one of my hobbies, but it is done by myself and my husband. Well, it is not a hobby, it is a kind of preparation of ending my life.

Anyway under this corona pandemic, I think it is still difficult to do something with someone. "Difficult" means, not only being caught by corona virus, but also being afraid of getting criticized.

I hope this corona pandemic would settle somehow.

P.S

I have to collect her comments.

She said "I had took piano lessons until I became a junior high school student. I mastered BURGGMULLER and CZERNY"

追伸・・訂正がはいります。

「ピアノは個人教室で色音符バイエルなるものから始めて年中児若い先生が結婚するので河合楽器のピアノ教室にかよい、ブルグミュラーとチェルニー―が終わったところ？でまでやりました」とのことでした。すみません

lunch diary 0911

Monday, 

Yuki and I love going to the nearby supermarket on Mondays, because, usually good quality meat which is leftover on weekends, is discounted. So we enjoyed the Japanese beef for Monday's lunch.

Tuesday,

I cooked eggplants. According to the weather report, it was going to be sunny. So I washed sheets and covers. BUT in the morning it was rainy. BUT, from the afternoon sun came up. So anyway all laundry dried.

Wednesday

It was supposed to be hot, but it was COLD or CHILLY for me. So I cooked hot (not spicy) curry noodle.

Thursday.

It was sunny. In the morning we went shopping by car. Then it was a so sunny and clear day that we did walking 5000 steps.

Friday, 

I had no excuse. We walked to the nearby supermarket, and found half discounted Japanese beef. So it was our lunch.

To tell the truth, though we are Japanese, we prefer meat to fish.

Well, my Mom is fine. These days she shows interest in AUDIBLE from ALEXA.

So I chose some nobles supported by AUDIBLE and let her listen to them.

Kid Talk card 0909

 

I 'm going to hold a 30 minute  zoom meeting this Thursday (Japan time  at 4 PM), and talk about this theme. Though the meeting has not yet been held because lack of the members. 

Under this current corona pandemic, our life style must have changed. So I'm really happy if I get short comments about theme. 

What do you think of it?

lunch diary 0904

This week we were very mentally busy.

Anyway, now our second daughter M and granddaughter A are living in a hotel in Saitama. They left here Utsunomiya. We are spending quietly this weekend.

Monday, it was still hot. In the morning we did house errands such as going to banks , a supermarket, and so on. Until June we walked to banks, but now we don't. It is too hot. Yuki is alright, because he plays tennis constantly. But I---, I know I need more exercise. What should I do?

In the afternoon, Yuki had his car checked. Here in Japan car inspection is done every two year. We think probably it would be the last to have current car checked. We use this car politely and kindly as much as possible for the next 2 years.

Tuesday

I cooked green peppers.

At supermarket green peppers are expensive, but in neighbor's ' garden there are lots of "baby" green peepers. I help the neighbor to "consume" them effectively.

Wednesday,

Our second daughter and granddaughter finally could freely go out. The first thing M had to do was updating her driver's license. We had Japanese hamburgers for lunch.  Our grand daughter A couldn't have hamburgers and first food in Thailand, because as soon as she had, she had diarrhea. She was really really impressed at Japanese hamburgers and free gadget. We bought them at a drive-through restaurant and had them in our car.  We avoided to enter restaurants with four members.

Thursday

In the morning I took every three month blood check. While I was in the hospital, they were doing shopping and had SUSHI.

The result was the same of the last one, so I avoided taking medicine --- but I also promised again to do exercise more.

My problem is high cholesterol. ( I have a little  arteriosclerosis??)

Friday,

In the morning all of three (or four) cleaned their room in the condo, and they checked out. We had pizza at home, and we saw them off at Utsunomiya station.

I slacked off the rest of the day.

Next weekend probably they will come again. Because my daughter will take the second vaccine at Narita airport. We are worried about the side effect, so she is going to stay with us for at least two days here.

lunch diary 0829

To tell the truth, it is difficult for me to adjust to this humidity.

Though I have an appetite, I seem to prefer rice to bread or pasta. When I was young (I'm not sure when was my young period), I preferred bread or pasta to rice.

Monday

Yuki went fishing early morning. But the rive was muddy (cloudy), so he gave up fishing. So we decided to organize our garden. He trimmed bushes, I weeded. Anyway we did it, though our garden didn't look so changed.  "doing it" is important, for us.

Tuesday

We bought fried-SANMA at deli corner at a nearby supermarket.

SANMA used to be very inexpensive usual fish. Nowadays it seem to be difficult to get it at reasonable price. Until 15 years ago, a lot of SAMA came from KESENNUMA fishing port to one of our neighbors. We used to share them with a bucket.

Wednesday

This week suddenly all summer vegetables' prices were up because of lining rain.

We had cucumber enough until last week. But once we knew it was expensive, we wanted to eat. What twisted people we are!

Thursday

I noticed the eggs in the fridge were almost short-dated.

So I cooked all of them scrambled eggs. The rest of scrambled eggs became for our dinner as topping of Cold noodle called HIYASHI CYUUKA.

Well usually the eggs on HIYASHICYUKA is fried eggs --- but it was all right for us.

Friday

Yuki took an annual health check. The official result is going to be sent in a few weeks. Anyway his abdominal girth decreased. He was so glad that he had a big can of beer at night. Well, my health check every three month is next week.

Kids talk card -3-

This was the card of this week. Unfortunately a zoom meeting wasn't hold.

A famous Japanese singer re-entered university to learn "Japanese literature" to improve his Japanese vocabulary.

One of my friends re-entered university and got a certificate as a teacher, and now she works as a semi professor at university. 

Another friend also re-entered university to learn International exchange.

Actually, when I was in my early 50s, I thought I would re-enter university.

However -- I don't try it. Because of this corona pandemic, and my mother's problem occurred.

And to tell the truth I'm not so eager to "learn" something new.

On the other hand, since I'm a realist and I continue to discarding 10 things once a week, I want to reuse my clothes especially KIMONO. So I want to learn sawing skill. And I want to remake my KIMONOS. 

Of course I can ask someone to remake it, but it is very expensive. And if I could do that by myself, it is inexpensive, and very useful to "kill time".  One of the disadvantage is -- the cloth of KIMONO is very sensitive, so it isn't washed by the washing machine. Actually when people used to wear KIMONO in their usual life, they didn't have washing machines.

Well, though it is not a new skill, I'm studying English Haiku. Now I take Japanese haiku course by mail. In my plan, I'll take English haiku course by mail in a few years.

Anyway I want to gather members who enjoy English Haiku.

lunch diary 0822

Monday, I felt dull. So Yuki went grocery shopping to get some things on morning half-price sale at a nearby supermarket. We spent the day lazily.

Tuesday, I had a zoom meeting in the morning. I was glad to chat with the members of my volunteer group. I don't know when to restart our activities at the library and nursery schools. Anyway we continue communicating ONLINE. Now Japanese pear season comes. So I sent TOCHIGI's pears to my friends. Each of them gave me a call. So in the afternoon I was always talking on the phone or skype with someone. 

Wednesday, I thought it was a sunny day. So I wiped up the windows. BUT since I wiped them up? a heavy rain came. In Yuki's case after he washes his car it starts raining. So I seldom wash my car, I usually have washed my car at the gas station. I'm thinking when to go there.

Thursday, Yuki went playing tennis. Public tennis coats are closed. BUT community coats are open for the residents. So he can play tennis once a week. And so far his tennis school is also open. So he takes tennis lessons once a week. On the other hand though my private gym is open, I stopped going there for a while.  

Friday, fortunately the mandatory quarantine of our younger daughter and grand daughter was finished without any problems. They came to Utsunomiya. They started volunteer quarantine for 10 days at nearby weekly rental condominium.

Kid Talk card -2-

 Today's card is here.

Unfortunately, I couldn't gather members of my Zoom meeting about this card. Anyway I continue to advertise this plan.

Nowadays, lack of numbers of honey bees is getting a big ploblem.

Well, today's questions are these three.

What smell do you like best? 

Though it depends on seasons, I like mint in summer. It makes me feel refreshed.

I also like lavenders. I have a big potted lavenders in my garden. I picked the flowers and dried them. They smell good. 

However nowadays, here and we see lots of things with artificial lavender's smell, like detergent, air refresher. So a kids said "this is the smell of washroom".

I had a big laugh. Well when I was a kid, the smell of orange osmanthus was the smell of washroom.

. My elder daughter doesn't like bananas. BECASUE she used to use toothpaste with banana smell, and she didn't like the smell in sudden, and she didn't like eating bananas subsequently. 

A few years ago I was into aroma, and my family also likes aroma. The big hit was against aging body odor. Since Yuki retired, Yuk's stress has decreased, and he doesn't have not so strong aging body odor according to our daughters.

I'd like to have a such chat. 

lunch diary 0814

Monday 

I got the second vaccination. I thought probably I had no side effect on the day, but anyway I dropped by a super market and bought some delicatessen. I spent lazily the rest of the day (as usual).

Tuesday

Fortunately I had no fever, so I went to KARAKU to perform with my friend.

However I felt very sluggish, so after Karaku, I took a nap and had light dinner, and went to bed earlier than usual.

Wednesday

Both of us had much free time. City tennis coats were closed. I stopped temporally going to the gym. However Yuki wasn't bored. He seemed to enjoy watching TV while watching his PC. On the other hand --- I was a little bid bored. BUT to tell the truth, I still felt sluggish.

Thursday

I went to my friend's house to get a hair cut.  In the afternoon I started organizing my English materials. As I introduced my new plan yesterday, I planed zoom meeting more using my materials.

Friday

Though I did lessons, I was not in good shape. I thought the reason was the sudden coldness. I didn't seem adjust to the difference of the temperature. OR I might had belated side effect.

This weekend I was almost in bed taking some medicine. I had no fever, but anyway I felt very sluggish. Today I'm all right. And it is not so cold.

KidTalk card -1-

I have continued organizing and revising my English materials. And I want to use some more often. Some of them don't "see the light day" yet.   The set of KidTalk cards is one of them.

I bought it to use for three minute talk at Toast Masters meeting. But I didn't use it. Now I left Toast Masters club.

So I think that "anyway use it. So I'll open 30 minute zoom meeting once a week to discuss one theme using this card".

To tell the truth, last week I introduced my zoom meeting on my group blog, and facebook. Unfortunately I couldn't get any attendee. It's alright. I'll try it little by little.

Oh, if you are interested in it, please leave the message on the Facebook site, thought it is in Japanese. Usually I organize the meeting every Thursday from 4:00 (Japan time). I decided whether it will open or not in the morning on the day.

Last week, I wanted to talk about this card. This weekend we have OBON holiday. So I thought it might be suitable card.

What is OBON?

Obon ia one of the buddhist events. In Buddhism, it is believed that the sprits of family ancestors come back to this world during the Obon period. So as a Japanese custom , it means though we are not strict Buddhists, we tend to hold family gatherings.  Obon is not an official holiday, but many companies decide that this period is holiday week, so many employees can easily plan and go back to their hometowns for family gatherings. 

This video is a traditional style. In my case, just visit my mother and my mother in-law. 

Well,  the theme of this card is

What is your favorite holiday, Why do you celebrate it, what do you do on that day?

Actually I don't have any favorite holiday. But for me New Year's holiday is very important, so in a way  New Year's holiday is my favorite holiday.

New year makes my feeling refresh. I can change my mind easily. I feel I will start a new step.

I do visit shrines. As you know our hobby is visiting shrines these days. But visiting shrines on that day make our feeling more purify. So I love it.

And I don't need doing usual errands. Before corona pandemic we went to Tokyo to attend family meeting. Of course we do lots of errands, mainly cooking. But there are many people, so my task is very few. This year Yuki and I stayed here. But I sipped usual house errands. We spent the holiday lazily --- well, nowadays we often spend lazily.

If you share your idea, I'm happy.

lunch diary 0807

Monday,

Yuki's second vaccination was finished. He is the first person in my family to take the vaccination twice. It is a relief for us.

Unfortunately, he had fever. But it was all right to take a fever reducer. He seemed to enjoy the day in his room watching TV, playing around on computer and so on.

Tuesday,

I felt a little bit tired from this heat even though I stayed almost in the house those days. We went to the library and on the way home as usual we dropped by small shrines.

Wednesday,

I got lots of green peppers from the lady next person. Both of us felt a little bit bored and tired. SO, we did 10 minute cooking. We made easy unsweetened pudding called "CYAWANMUSHI" with microwave oven. Well, this youtube recipe seems to be complicated than ours.

Thursday

I got GOYA (bitter gourd) . So in that morning, I was also busy in cooking. This summer it is really hot, so it seems to be a good harvest season of summer vegetables. Some of them is eaten by themselves, but we (Yuki and I) are not plant eaters. And it is difficult to fresh vegetables themselves much at once. It means "cooking" is necessary.

Friday

In the morning I went to dentist, and in the afternoon, Yuki went to dentist and skin clinic.  

I try to do things what I can do on the day. However to tell the truth, I'm full of anxiety, though I have nothing what I can do by myself. Like everyone (probably) I seem to be tired of this corona pandemic and, my mother, my younger daughter's family, and -- well, I'm not so worried about my elder daughter even though she doesn't earn money. In fact I really thank her for watching my mother. 

So I really than to YUKI, who chose " not to work more" and "to stay home".

Well, he doesn't stay home. Yuki's attitude to enjoy his "hobby" makes me relaxed and tells me Whatever happens happens.

lunch diary 0731

Monday

I cooked lunch without cutting corners, or  seriously, though it doesn't mean "elaborately". I sautéed chicken and Naganegi onion  with YAKITORI-sauce.

My mother denied to have delivered daily frozen delicatessen,  so my brother has to prepare something for her everyday.  But he accepted her selfish opinion. 

Tuesday

Typhoon came, but than we expected it was not so strong. Anyway Yuki's outside activities were canceled. Both of us stayed home all the day.

Wednesday

After we did some errands including going to the bank, we dropped by Karaku and had lunch. There we met my friend. We told her to have lunch together, so she sat next to our table. All three of us had a bitter laugh. Probably after the second shot of the vaccination we are able to sit at the same table.

Thursday

We went to some stores to find RANDOSEL (Japanese back pack for elementary school students). They are seasonal things, but even in summer it is not so difficult to get it. Our granddaughter will go to school in Japan from the middle of September.

For the first month, my daughter and granddau

ghter stay Japan as temporally returnees, and if the situation doesn't get better, they live in Japan after getting their residence resisters. What we can do is just watching them.

Friday

For two days it was really humid because of Typhoon. I felt dull and sluggish. So we had a little bit good quality stake. 

In August , our city has announced to take special measures against corona pandemic. One of them is to close public sports facilities. Well, Yuki's tennis activity is canceled. Instead of it, he will go fishing more, and he will go golf practice more.

lunch diary 0724

I felt rushed this week.

Monday, it was the day I took the first vaccination. My arm hurt ---but . Just like that. Fortunately I had no fever.

Anyway, I was really afraid of the side effect, and it was a good excuse not to do cook. So before I went to clinic I had bought some delicatessen for our lunch and dinner. After the vaccination, I spent the rest of the day lazily.

Tuesday, 

My back hurt a little. Anyway I was all right. In the morning I had a zoom meeting with my English Picture book reading club members.

I cooked corn-rice with rice cooker. I make rice with a cob of corn. After it was cooked, I scraped the corn and mix them up.

Wednesday

I was going to the gym, but ---suddenly I got a call from my younger daughter living in Thailand. She and her daughter (my grand daughter) were told from her husband's company to go back to Japan temporally.  So to do that they suddenly had to make arrangements and preparations. And Yuki and I also started to make a contact to some departments of our city office. Well if everything goes well, they will come back at the end of August.

Thursday

On our calendar,  four-days weekend started. But for two of us it was usual days.

But my gym was closed. So "finally" I began to organize and reconsider the stock of my KIMONO. I didn't discard them yet, but anyway I divided them into two groups. One is  the KIMONO I keep, the other is the KIMONO I "might" discard. 

Friday

Not only my gym, Yuki's tennis meeting was also closed. So we cleaned our house, and went out for lunch.

lunch diary 0717

Monday

I made "grilled pork - over- rice bowl ". Maybe you've heard "beef-over-rice-bowl" or beef-bowl. Instead of beef I used pork.

In the afternoon, we went to a mall to buy a birthday present for my grand child. I hope she will be able to receive the package in two weeks.

I think it will reach. Because I sent it in a big envelope, so it must be considered as a kind of letter.

These days it seems to be difficult for parcels to reach people overseas because of corona pandemic, on the other hand letter seems to be delivered as usual.

Tuesday

I deep-fried a kind of spring rolls. In the afternoon I went to KARAKU to perform for 30 minutes with my friend.

Wednesday

We went to a shrine on a small mountain. It took 40 minutes by car. Usually we go there on a New Year's Day. This year we didn't. So finally we went there. It was the first time to go there on a weekday. During the holiday seasons, we can't drive to the front of the shrine. We have to climb the mountain. But this day it was really easy for us to go to the shrine. Because we could drive to the front of it.

Thursday

I cooked "grilled beef -over- rice bowl". To tell the truth, the grilled beef was the leftover of yesterday's dinner.

In the afternoon both of us went to get our hair cut. He went to his familiar barber shop, I went to my friend's beauty salon.

Friday

I cooked Chinese dumpling. To say more correctly, I bought frozen Chinese dumplings, and just fried. When there were four members, I used to make Gyoza from scratch. It was economical, and making with my daughters was a kind of leisure time. Now, it is not economical and troublesome.

However, when my daughter comes back, probably I'll make them for her.

And of course when my grand child visit us, I'll make them together for leisure time. (I'm not sure whether she is willing to do it together, she is not an infant who is amenable to any ideas. )

lunch diary 0710

Monday

Before the day, I cooked zucchini and bacon. So I cooked the rest of bacon and kidney beans  for our lunch. I felt week because of probably the humid rainy day.

On the other hand Yuki was fine even though he got the first vaccine against Covid 19 the day before.  So he went golf practicing.

My mother also sounded sluggish. (Well we saw our face each other through Alexa App.)

Tuesday

It was humid, but anyway it didn't rain. Yuki went to playing tennis as usual. And I also went to the gym to workout.

Wednesday. 

In the morning we spent as usual like that Yuki went playing golf, I went to the gym.

On the day it was Star Festival. Two students was going to come in the evening. So I prepared some things for enjoying Star Festival together. Someone coming makes me busy and active.

Thursday

Both of us had no schedule in the morning. So we went to another library, and on the way home we dropped by a butcher downtown. There we can get domestic meat. It costs reasonable, and tastes good.

Friday

My elder daughter went to Kyoto for a few days. There she joined a small group exhibition.  In her free time she was planning to visit some temples and write sutras.

So I also tried writing sutras, in the morning. In the evening and at night I had usual lessons. 

Well, these days Yuki constantly practices the guitar from the evening without taking a nap. He is going to attend a live event in August.

lunch diary 0703

It is raining, now. I thought it would have not been so heavy rainy season. But it was wrong. Here and there big accidents are happening. Anyway we are spending every day calmly as much as we can.

Monday. We started to organize the top closets. We know that when we become over 70, we don't "check" the top closets. We did it 5 years ago. At that time most heavy things were moved to into middle closets or some things were thrown away. It was the second time. Yuki gave to keep his old audio gadgets. The things they are kept there are mostly kids' works and our albums.

But one sets of old audio speakers which was my father's and brand speakers are still kept.

Tuesday, it was very cold "for me". So I turned on the heater.

In the morning I "finally" updated my iPhone.  It took all the morning, but I did it. Well, then I found my iPad doesn't work well partly. So I had to update my iPad, too. I thought I was not so bad with using such gadgets, but --- these days I don't like them.

Wednesday, we went out to have lunch at our familiar restaurant. It the first time in a year, well we bought New Year's feast there.

Thursday, it was raining. So Yuki decided to throw his old PC. So he initialized it. As soon as he  clicked the initialize button, the initialization started and finished. Well we also booked our Covid vaccination.  At first Yuki is going to take it this Sunday.

Thursday, I walked to the dentist in the morning. In the afternoon for a while raining stopped. So the next door lady picked some green pepper and egg plants from her "garden" (or small farm) and gave some over the fence. We chatted for a while. Even though she already got Covid vaccination, we hesitate to chat face to face long time.

Homemade mulberry vinegar

This year I got lots of mulberries and raspberries. So I keep some bags of them in the freezer. On the other hand I made berry vinegar with the berries, vinegar and brown crystal sugar. It took one week for the taste to get mild.

I did it, so I shared them to my friends. I also made marinated zucchini.

I "delivered" them to my friend and my neighbor.

Here in Utsunomiya, we are not under the emergency situation, but we are still careful to chat with others. (Well, depends of people)

I chatted with the friend for a little at her garden, 

and I also chatted with my neighbor over the fence.

Because of this pandemic,  some people are also scared to exchange homemade meals. We don't care.

I also have a online chatting friend who lives in the next prefecture. Before this pandemic we sometimes meet halfway. Now we don't. She sent me a box of fresh cobs of corn. 

I also shared them with them.

I made coleslaw. It is really good the inside of hot sandwhiches.

Even though we talk for a short time, sharing meals is a good excuse to see them.

lunch diary 0626

This week, it was a very active week.

Monday.

I went to a clinic to get Japanese herb medicine on foot.

Do you know "Pear Twist"?

Tuesday.

On the day a NPO group member came to take my English teaching materials.

The group helps children and their family who are in trouble to go to school, or financially. I'll keep contact with this group.

Then, I also went to the gym to do 30 minute workout. 

In the afternoon "we" went to the coin laundry to wash the winter carpets.

It was the first time to wash direct there. Until then we had taken them to the cleaning shop. We were really afraid what happened. But it was all right. When we bought these carpet, they were not so inexpensive, or for us at that time they were expensive. So we had thought it would be difficult to clean with washing machine. But it was all right. We will be able to use them next winter.

Wednesday

These days I was feeling that my right eye was heavy. So I went to an eye clinic. 

The doctor said "eye  fatigue". I got two kinds of eye drop. Well I really understood why these day wrinkles on my forehead increased.

Thursday

This day I kept watching and talking to my other via ALEXA.

She was not so good. So she was always grumbling. 

Friday

We had no plans in the afternoon. 
So we went to see hydrangeas. One was not so far. It is a private estimate. The landowner has continued planting more hydrangeas since 20 years ago.  And the site naturally got viewing spot for these years.

 The other site was a shire, which is famous for hydrangeas.

lunch diary 0619

Monday;

I got a head of Chinese cabbage. It was too big, but  --- it was troublesome for me to think of some arrangement of cooking. So I cooked whole of it with pressure cooker.

My mom finally left the hospital. I talked with her a little. Her physical power looked weaker, but fortunately her Alzheimer symptoms didn't seem to progress. Actually the same thing was told by the doctor.

Tuesday;

Zucchini season has come. I got the first Zucchini of this year. Yuki had no idea to cook it. So Anyway I baked Zucchini pizza, and at the same time I also baked slices of Zucchini and marinated.

Wednesday;

Finally here in Utsunomiya, rainy season has started. It was a little bit cold day for me. So my electric slow cooker was very helpful. I put cutting Japanese radish into it and just put the switch on.

I had a zoom meeting in the morning. It seems to be still difficult to held a volunteer reading meeting at the library. On the other hand elderly people around me almost  received the vaccination shot of Covid-19.

Thursday;

I organized my teaching material and English picture books. 

Finally I got contact with a NPO community which support kids. Next week a staff comes to take some of them if they are able to use my stuff. I'm happy if my materials are helpful for them, and also I'm happy to make a connection with them. It might bring me a new path in my retirement life.

Friday;

Yuki and I visited my father and my grandmother's grave. We picked Tomomi on the way. It was the first time in one and half year. At that time my Mom was with us. 

After that we visited my Mom. She was all right, but as I expected her physical power got weaker. But she undergoes rehabilitation constantly. She can go toilet by herself, she can come to kitchen and eat it by herself ,, though all actions are very very slow.

Now, about 1 PM my brother is staying with her. Then around 3 her daughter in-law visits her. And around 5 my daughter visits her. Then my brother comes back around 7 and make dinner.

I'm not sure whether this life style will be continued.

Anyway Until next week, every day in the morning two nurses visit her to care her knee and check her heath condition.  In two weeks, the service will change into vising care service. 

lunch diary 0613

 

Monday, I found a fat long stalk of parsley, so I broke it off. I wanted to less doing the dishes, so that I steamed with fried pan. I had to wash the pan, but it was not so oily that it was easy to wash it.

Tuesday, We went to a "special" super . "special" means they serve all goods for affordable price. Main customers are merchants, but they accept general customers.

We bought a big bag of bacon.

Wednesday, this year we get lots of mulberries.  They are all right to eat fresh ones, make jam, and store in the freezer.

Thursday, it sudden got hot. So it seemed to be difficult to keep vegetables fresh for days. I fried all of them with strange taste. It was not so bad.

Friday, I learn HAIKU by receiving corrections by mail once a year. This week I got the correction of last month, and I posted my works of this week. On my way home from the post office, I dropped by a supermarket and bought this delicatessen.

This week it was the day of KARAKU. Under this corona pandemic, it is the only chance to wear my "stylish" clothes.

I really enjoyed my clothes, performance, and the atmosphere at cafe KARAKU.

We visited three shrines to tell our thankfulness and happiness.

lunch diary 0605

Monday; it was the sales day of "480yen for two sets of Chinese delicatessen" . So we bought two sets. there are three dishes on the table. One is the breakfast leftover.

  

Tuesday, my brother sent a photo which was taken at yesterday's online visiting at hospital. He connected her voice to me through his phone during the interview, but I couldn't see her. So I was very happy. She was fine. I managed to read them up taking lots of rest. June has started. Anyway I went to the gym  to do  30 minute exercise.

  

Wednesday, As soon as Yuki got up, he went fishing. In a week they will be able to fish "ayu". Yuki doesn't have the right to fish them. He didn't buy it because of the price and -- it is really difficult to fish "ayu". But when the season comes, the rivers are more crowded. So before that he wanted to get at least one fish. Unfortunately he didn't get any fish this time again.

   

Thursday; the night before I cooked well. It means, I bothered cooking deep fried cutlet. Of course it is wasteful to put the oil away. So for this lunch I cooked deep fried (kind of) Gyoza. Well mulberry harvest has started. I put fresh mulberries on our salad.

 

Friday, There are "GYOZA". "Gyoza" is one of our local specialty.

"Our local???". Since we came here more than 35 years passed. And without noticing GYOZA became "our local specialty".