For our lesson Feb. 5

(Tutor's revised sentences)
I had the chance to unwind (or relax) yesterday.  I ate lunch in a Japanese restaurant, bought food for dinner in a grocery store and went to the 100 Yen shop to buy notebooks.

(My original sentence)
Yesterday afternoon, I went shopping to somewhere.

* * * * *

(Tutor's revised sentences)
I was holding two small pink notebooks while I was checking for other things that I may possibly buy in the shop.

(My original sentence)
I was having two small notebooks in my hand, and strolling for something else to buy in a shop. 

* * * * *

(Tutor's revised sentences)
Then, suddenly a grey-haired lady came and asked me where I found the pink notebooks.  She added that the color is attractive and she is as well interested to buy one for herself.

(My origingal sentence)
Then, suddenly a grey-haired lady came and asked me where I found the pink notebook, she said the pink color is attractive and she might want it. 


This A6-sized note book contains 180 pages each, so I thought it maybe one page for one day for the two books keep as long as 360 days.

The previous week, I had bought the A5, bigger size note book, which contains 120 pages.  One year has 52 or 53 weeks, so I can write 2 pages for one week, it means I can use this for my weekly diary. 

* * * * *

 &
(Tutor's revised sentences)
I showed her where the shelf was.  However, there were only blue and brown colored ones left.  I was taking hold of the two pink ones, so I thought of giving up one for her.  But because I wanted two, so I decided to take them with me.

(My original sentences)
I showed her where the shelf was.  There were other blue ones and browns ones left, but there was stock for the pink.  I was having the two, so maybe I should give up one for her.  But I wanted the two, so I didn't do that.

* * * * *

(Tutor's revised sentences)After buying the two notebooks, I immediately went home but I felt guilty for what I did.  It then led me to feel so nervous. And since I have two kinds of Chinese medicine (singular form), I decided to take them and slept for about two hours and that from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

(My original sentences)
After buying the two notebooks, I returned home feeling depressed for what I did and didn't.  In other way, I was becoming so nervous for such a little thing, and had two kinds of Chinese medicine, and slept for two hours, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  

The picture is the Chinese medines.

My doctor's advice was to take each pack for two times in a day

between the meals.

I missed the chance to cook supper last night again, but I bought some food in the grocery, so my husband and I ate it at 7:30 p.m.

Last Saturday, I had lunch at 12:00 pm. I took the Chinese medicine at 2 pm and fell sleep from 3 pm to 7 pm.  After that, I went to bed at 12:00 am but couldn't sleep until 2:00 am.
The next morning, I took a lesson with a good tutor who has a license as nurse.  I asked her for her opinion, and she suggested to me that if I become sleepy, why not give up taking the Chinese medicine in daytime?  Then, it might allow me to finish my duties as a housewife and do personal stuff.  She also said, "Take them just before going to bed."

I thought it was a good idea, and my other Japanese friend who has experienced working as nurse, said so.  I decided not the Chinese medicine after lunch last Sunday and Monday but I noticed some differences for my condition yesterday's afternoon.     

That's the reason why I went to the doctor last Monday to ask for his advice.   He advised me that the light green pack which helps me to relax my nerves, may cause me to feel sleepy, so I have to take them before going to bed.  Meanwhile, I should take the two orange packs which give energy between meals during daytime.

In general, there are three ways to take medicines except before going to sleep.  Doctors and pharmacists advise to their patients to take medicines through the following ways:

1.  Take the medicine within 30 minutes before meals.
2.  Take the medicine within 30 minutes after meals.
3.  Take the medicine between meals.

In my case, the doctor advised me to take two orange packs between 2 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Before sleeping, at around 9 to 10 p.m., I need to take the two green packs.

I was born in 1966 and I will turn 48 years old this March.  My friends in the same generation say that they get tired easily compared with their younger days.  I feel that, too.
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When I was in my 20's, I studied English in Nebraska, which is located in the Midwest, for one year.

Living in a countryside in Hyogo, I noticed that I am living in a place surrounded by nature such as trees, ponds, and sea.  I like watching wildbirds during my walks in the neiborhood.  I never get bored with it.  It also gives me a lot of chances to exercise.  Winter season is the best season to watch wildbirds because some trees have less or no leaves.  Small birds are cute but they are hard to be found in other seasons as they always try to hide in trees. 

My doctor says that the cold temperature these days is not very good for my body.  He also suggested that I should walk for 5,000 or 6,000 steps daily for just about 30 minutes.  He says that it is enough for me and I should give up fried foods. 

As I enjoy walking and watching wildbirds, it takes me to walk more than 10,000 steps for two hours.  I spend more than one hour in a forest to stop for a while to find birds and take pictures of them.  I am engrossed in taking good pictures of them, but I always find myself totally tired when I arrive at home.

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When it comes to my English lessons, many tutors suggest to me that I should read English articles more.  I think I have to.  For reading materials, I am very interested in the article Kyoko wrote "Alone in the Garden", in the Washington Post.

Kyoko Mori was born in 1957.  She grew up in Hyogo.   She was born to Japanese parents, and her  mother liked planting flowers and vegetables, and feeding sparrows in the veranda of their house for some time.   She moved to the Midwest in her 20s to study English.  

I found something in common with Kyoko for Hyogo, gardening, birdwatching, Midwest.  But we are very different because of her unique life story.  She wrote several novels from her experience.  Kyoko was only 12 when her mother committed suicide.  Her mother might have been so much depressed because her husband had seldom returned their newly bought home.  Even worse, his different girlfriends called him every night, and so on.  Kyoko's father married his girlfriend within one year after his first wife's death.  Her stepmother treated badly to her, so Kyoko left Japan to start making a new life living in the United States.  She is now teaching Creative Writing in a college in Washington DC.  She even once studied at Harvard.