Sept. 29 - The 62-year-old Boy

I live in the countryside where there are many rice fields.  While I was having my morning walk, I noticed some farmers checking their rice fields.

 

 

 

 

The red spider lily was in full bloom.
 

It is getting close to harvest time.

A black-colored rice variety is planted.  

The taste of black rice seems interesting!  

The sunflower is still in bloom. 

They have already harvested the rice in some parts of the field.

 

  

It is still September, but I've already bought a planner for 2016. 

I thought the red cover was attractive and that it would be out of stock soon,

so I bought it right away.

 

 

I like making my schedules in advance.  I don’t work at the moment, and I don't have a lot of activities to do.  Even so, I like organizing my daily activities. 

These are the things that I usually do:

Planning meals for lunch and supper

Buying the groceries
Doing the laundries
Cleaning the house
Taking care of our garden

These are the activities that I sometimes do:

Going to shopping malls
Walking in the parks
Going to hot springs


I live with my 62-year-old husband who retired from his work last spring.  He survived cerebral infarction, a heart attack, and high blood pressure.  He stays at home 24/7, and he doesn't help in any house chores. 

He graduated from a national university which has a good reputation in our area.  I noticed that his mind works quickly.  I would say that  he is a very proud man.   He thinks that cooking meals, cleaning the house, and doing the laundry would be the ladies' chores.  These simple tasks are not suited for him.  He always needs a wife who serves him, and he doesn't want his wife, me to work outside.  He also considers that I am responsible for taking care of all the house chores.  He is a very impulsive person who doesn't make his schedules at all.  Once he decides to do something, he does it right away.

He's the boss!

The center is Tanu chan.

The picture was taken at Tatsuno Parade held in April 2014. 

 

I enjoyed wild-bird watching a few days ago.  I finally found a blue-and-white flycatcher for the first time in my life.  Many Japanese bird watchers dream of seeing this bird.

I went back home and told him that I was able to take the picture of the blue-and-white flycatcher.  I was so excited to report it to him, and I was also thirsty after a 60-minute walk. 

I took this picture of the blue-and-white flycatcher that day.  
The size of the bird is just about the same as a sparrow's.

 

 

He asked me to add the pictures into his memory stick immediately.  I told him that I was too thirsty to do that at that time.  Then, I had a glass of water and I went upstairs to feed my pet birds.  I guessed that they must have been hungry.  When I descended, Tanu-chan who must have been impatiently waiting for me, handed me his memory stick saying "Please do it right away."  He must have decided to upload those pictures in his blogs.  

* * * * * * * * * *

He has been growing approx. 500 pots of Christmas roses for the past 10 years.  Due to his health condition, he doesn't take care of his plants anymore, so I take care of them instead.   

He can drive a car.  I can be considered as "a paper driver", which means that I have a driver's license but cannot actually drive.

He sometimes takes me to botanical gardens to take pictures.  We both love visiting gardens and taking pictures.  I like visiting with him because it gives me chances to exercise. 
 

* * * * * * * * * *

He likes to go to hot springs, and he always asks me to accompany him.  All of the hot springs that we have visited are located in the countryside which are not accessible to any public transportation.

Tanu chan was reading a magazine while

holding an ice cream in his hand.

However, he stays in the resting place of the hot springs for 3 hours or more because he usually takes a nap.   Most of the customers stay in the resting place less than 30 minutes and go home.  I don't really enjoy spending my time that way.  I used to bring 5 or 6 books to the hot springs to kill time.  
 

Tanu chan was occupying the resting place at the hot spring. 

The green scenery from the big window was great!

If I don't wake him up, I can't go home because there is no public transportation available in this area.  If I disturb him while he is taking a nap, he will wake up in a bad mood.  

If he asks me, I should say: "I don't want to go today because I already have something planned."   However, the problem is that I am basically a person who loves to stay outdoors so when he says: "Let's go now," it's hard for me to say "no." to him.  I leave our place without finishing my task. 

For example, last week I told him: "How about visiting the Hyogo Flower center next week because dahlia will bloom around that time?"  

He replied "Let's go now.  How soon can you prepare to leave?  If is it possible, can you make it in 30 minutes?"

I told him again: "Dahlias will be in full bloom next week so let's wait until then."  But then, he said "We can visit there today and once again next week."

In the end, we went there 30 minutes after we talked about it.  I should not tell him anything in advance.  Thus I write down my schedules in the planner to clarify the activities.      

* * * * * * * * * *

I was amazed when he went to see his doctor complaining about his wife, yours truly, could not finish the house chores and our house has been messy.  It became the main cause of his stress.  Ouch!!!

Sept. 24 - Notice from the Local Police

I read a bulletin board on our street, and I found one report from the local police particularly important.  At first, I thought where I live was safe, but I had to change my mind.  Crimes are actually happening, and robbers are still at large. 

I would like to translate the local police report into English today.

"We would like to report that a series of snatching incidents involving pedestrians' and cyclists' bags is happening in our area.

Here are information taken from our recent records.  The first victim was in Oshio on Friday, Sept. 4.  The second was in Shikama on Saturday, Sept. 5.  The third was in Kameyama on the same day.

All of above happened between 8:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.
All of the suspects were riding motorcycles.

* * * * * * * * * *

To prevent this from happening to you, here are our suggestions.

1.  When you are walking along the street, you must carry your bag at the side where there are buildings.  Do not carry them at the side where vehicles can pass.  

2.  When you are riding your bicycle and put your bags into the front basket, use a basket cover so that it would be difficult for anyone to snatch your belongings.

 

 

 

 

One example of the bicycle's front basket cover

3.  Even if there is a short cut to your home, if it is already dark, pass through a well-lighted street that is frequently used by other pedestrians and vehicle-owners. 

4.  Not only what you can see in front is important, you must also pay attention to what is happening at the back.  

- If you are using your smart phone or earbuds in listening to music while walking, you cannot notice someone getting close enough to snatch your bags.

If it should happen to you, shout so that someone would notice the snatcher.  Try to remember what the suspect looks like as well as details of his motorcycle.  Call the police at 110 immediately."



(My opinion ・・・ I would like to avoid going out alone after dark.  I think that the way he hangs the handle of his bag on his opposite shoulder is much safer compared to how the girl does it with her own bag.) 

When you have a body bag with a long handle, it is safer to wear the handle on the opposite shoulder (not on the same side) so that a snatcher would not succeed in snatching it away from you.

Sept. 23 - Tamba-no-Yu Hot Spring, Hyogo Prefecture

My husband and I went to visit the Tamba-no-Yu Hot Spring today.

It was our second time to visit the hot spring in the countryside.  There was scarcely any traffic, so I was comfortable during the 90-minute drive.

The train was passing through Hokke Guchi Station of the Hojo Tetsudo Line. 

* * * * * * * * * *

Luckily, we were waiting for the traffic signal to turn blue while this one-coach-train was passing in front of us.   I was very fortunate to take a picture of the short train. 

"Tachan's restaurant" 

 

There was only one restaurant, very noticeable, in the middle of the rice fields.  I felt that the place we saw on the way was more remote than the place where we live.

On our way to the hot spring, I noticed this wooden board with a drawing of an old man.  It says "Go left to the hot spring.  It is 1.2 kilometers from here."

To my surprise, there were already many cars parked at the parking lot.   We had a hard time to find a slot, but we were finally able to park our car.  My husband took a picture in front of the sign which says " perennial youth and long life." 

This hot spring owner grows its own Chinese herbs, which the staff members put in the bathwater.   The herbal bath is said to be good for the body.  We can relax by taking the bath.  It is believed to give us a longer life. 

Their herbal park is located next to the spring, and visitors can go there for free.  We walked around the park for 10 minutes or so.

Here's my husband taking a picture of the herbal garden's map.

Plant Name: Yaburan or Liriope muscari
Herbal Medicine Name: Dai-You-Baku-Mon-Tou
Effective parts: Roots
Effective Use: Nourishing tonic, removing phlegm

Plant Name: Shiran or Bletilla striata
Herbal Medicine Name: Bya-Kyu
Effective parts: the surface of stems
Effective use: bleeing, nose bleeding
Effective Use: Nourishing tonic, removing phlegm

These boards particularly interested me.

I have been easily irritated by petty things these past few years, maybe because of my menopausal age.  My doctor recommended some Chinese herbal medicine that is supporsed to be effective in solving this problem.  I've been taking the prescribed medicine every day.  If I forget to take it on a given day, I get easily irritated about small matters the next day.  That's why I was interested in the information printed on the boards.   

The building contains the hot spring and the restaurant. 

We went insie the building.  During the silver week, customers who are over 65 were given bath free of charge.  I saw many senior citizens there. 

Both my husband and I had to pay the admission fee because we were below 65.

I noticed one old lady who was asking for free admission at the front desk.  A female staff member replied "Please show us your driver's licence or health insurance card so that we can check your age." 

However, the lady looked obviously over 75 years old to me.  I thought it was foolish to ask her to show her driver's licence.  She cannot probably drive because of her age.  For her health insurance card, her family may have advised her not to bring it to a crowded place.  She may lose it easily.  Her hands were full with bags which may contain her bath towel, and new clothes for changing. 

She couldn't show her ID card there, so she had to pay the admission fee.  I felt a pity for her. 

Sept. 22 - Essay writing has become a therapy for me.

1. Essay writing has become a therapy for me.

I live in the countryside and I will be turning 50 in six months.  I could not last working the whole day like young people do. 

There is no opportunity to find a job related to English.  I don’t have any specific goals in studying hard.  I am now at "menopausal stage" or "the change of life."  My physical strength has been changing and I feel weak.

These days, I am not interested in what’s happening to the world, but I feel passionate about what’s happening to myself.  When I am writing, I always think of my inner feelings.  I think essay writing has become a therapy for me. 

2.  I used to be a city girl. 

I used to live in Tokyo Metropolitan areas which are closed to train stations.  My apartments located within 10-minute walk from stations.  Trains come every 5 minutes or so, so I didn’t think about driving a car because the public transportation system was excellent there.   

When I got married at 40, I moved here in the countryside.  I have been living here for almost ten years.  I have been accustomed to live in where I am now, but I still cannot drive a car. 

3.  My current situation

If I go to the nearest train station, I have to walk for more than 20 minutes.  Once I get to the station, trains come every 15 minutes and I can go anywhere.  The train ticket to Himeji Station costs me about 300 yen one way.  We can find almost everything in Himeji Station area such as sightseeing spots, department stores, and nice restaurants and so on.

Taking a bus service is another choice.  Fortunately, we have a bus stop in front of our house. 

Here’s the bus time table to Himeji Station

7:00, 8:28, 9:24, 11:38, 13:38, 15:38, 16:24, 17:24, 18:24, 19:24

Here’s the bus time table from Himeji Station

7:15, 8:25, 9:55, 11:55, 13:55, 16:25, 17:25, 18:25, 19:55

If I take the 11:38 a.m. bus to Himeji station and eat lunch with friends in a restaurant for an hour, then I may take the 13:55 bus and come home.
 

This means that I stay out for more than 2 hours.  The two way bus fare costs me 540 yen and a lunch in a restaurant would be around 1,000 yen.
 

Sometimes, I would like to have someone to chat with, but I think it will cost me too much.  I can only afford to pay for once a week meet ups which is around 6,000 yen. 

3.   Talking to RJ tutors

 

I take one lesson every day, and it cost me about 200 yen per lesson.  I can talk about anything I can think of because Filipino tutors are nice and friendly.  I can save time too because one lesson is only 25 minutes.  I can have time for house chores or I can take a nap.

I pay 6,000 yen to RareJob every month and it would be equivalent to the amount of eating out with friends weekly.   However, RJ enables me to save time and helps me improving my English skills, which are rewarding to me.

I somehow manage to myself understood in English.  My explanations are always long whenever I try to explain something in English.  If I explain the things I wrote above in Japanese language, I may do it within 5 minutes.  However, if I do it in English, I may need 25 minutes.    END


manage to ... do something difficult  (intransitive and transitive) to succeed in doing something difficult, especially after trying very hard

 

 

 

Sept. 21 - Hyogo Flower Park

My husband and I enjoyed taking pictures of flowers yesterday.

Here are some of them. 

You will find another photos in my recent entries.  Thank you!

Sept. 19 - Takasago Mantou Festival 2015

Tonight my husband and I visited the Takasago Mantou Festival for the first time.

 

"Takasago" which is located in Hyogo Prefecture, is a popular town for wedding ceremonies and Jazz music.

 

"Mantou" means millions of lamps.

 

The 2-day festival began today, Saturday, at 6:00 p.m. and ended at 9:00 p.m.  They will have the same schedule for tomorrow.

 

 

The sunset behind the factories was beautiful.

The town people drew a magnificent sea by illumination.   

Here's one dog. 

I ate one cheese roll with mayonaise on top.   

Inside of the heart shape, the word "結", which means "tie (the knot)" can be seen. 

 

The building with a stained glass (colorful window) looked like

a wedding ceremony hall. 

Some of the men looked like prepraing for their Mikoshi festival in October.

I liked the poem written on a lantern. 

They were made by a local high school students' association.

The lane with LED lights in blue and white looked nice.

The pale pink was real flowers.

The contrast of the colors blue and pink looked fascinating. 

The flower shaped ornaments seemed  to be prepared by the Hyogo Flower Center.

This human face ornament looked scary to me. 

One lantern of four seasons and seasonal pictures.

I liked this floral lantern the best. 

Jazz concerts were held in several places.   

According to the local news, more than 10,000 people came to enjoy the festival.

My husband and I wanted to visit all the places they illuminated. However, we should have walked all the way to get there because it was a pedestrian precinct.  We gave up walking after 2 hours.

 

We thought about visiting the next day, but our legs were still tired of walking.  We would like to visit the festival in the next year.