I'm a Japanese housewife living in Japan. I'm in my 60's. I want to know daily lives in the world, so at first I'll tell my daily. What is your daily life?
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
My husband Yuki and I live in a regional city. Our retirement life has state since 2020. Though Something good, exciting, worried or bad often happens, we try to focus the current situation and spend enjoyable days while living offf our savings little by little carefully.
