From the Heart of Tokyo 東京の中心から

One weird week

非常に異様な一週間

日本語は下にあるけど、要約です。Looks like a bird, doesn't it.  This is one of those found things that my oldest son, Jay, the artist, would enjoy.  This is the wall in the hallway near my apartment, where the wallpaper, and in this case down to the primer, has been ripped off in preparation for the changes.  Well, that's how it looked when I last saw it, but since we've been banished from our home for a week due to this necessary and extensive renovation, I'm sure it's changed now. 

This has been one weird week, living in a five star hotel near our home and not being able to go in.  Don't get me wrong.  It's a very nice hotel.  We've often wondered about it, this local landmark, and now's the chance to investigate close up.  The staff is very kind and efficient and the rooms are surprisingly QUIET,   which is a big plus. We're on the 9th floor, so our view of this part of Tokyo is interesting, and they gave us adjourning rooms which is important for a family.  Also, they worked it out so we could use the fitness center, so that's been a great thing since the kids couldn't bring their Wii or their dog, etc.  And, surprise, surprise... I'm sticking with my efforts to improve fitness despite the hip problem.  So I hit the gym almost every day.

We took a walk around the hotel and looked at all the amazing menus outside of each restaurant.  The chefs here are the cream of culinary creatures, the creations oh, so interesting sounding, but out of our price range, and we usually bought something from the convenience store, or a less expensive nearby restaurant, and sometimes one of our usual neighborhood favorites.   Which is fine for awhile... but I do miss my kitchen.  School starts next week, and this week Monica's been going out to school for training every day with Iku to be a physical trainer.  So she's been helping with the Boys' Football Practices.  Martin's been on a business trip to another part of Japan since mid-week, and every day, Jonah and I go to the pet hotel ZOO, and "check-out" Toby and take him for a walk and have lunch somewhere that has outdoor dining so dogs are allowed.

So, tomorrow we'll return home, then, instead of complaining about being in a hotel, I'll be complaining about having to do all the housework, cooking, laundry, etc. 

Another thing I did this week, a very important event indeed, was to have another meeting with my prospective employer.  This time we talked at length about curriculum and teaching methods and I got to meet the lady who is starting the new English School where I might work.  She's very interesting, and has many good ideas.  More on that later. 

Last weekend, while still living in the apartment, I changed my wheels on my skates.  Thanks Martin for the advice about the bearings.  I'd used those wheels for a year, every week, and though I'd rotated them frequently, they'd taken a lot of wear.  So I asked Papa-san if he had my size, (78mm) and he gave me a good price and brought them to City Run.  That's Service!  Here's a link to Papa-san's Palotora site for various skating products including custom frames and clothing.  These wheels aren't fancy, just regular wheels, but they're a real pretty bluish-green color and look and work fine on my K2's which I've had for years and prefer to wear every Sunday to the Ueno City Run.  I have another set of skates with 90mm wheels, which aren't as comfortable on my feet, but work better for the longer runs and Saturday Night Skate, so I switch off.  Last Sunday, when I debuted these wheels, it was misty raining part of the time, and since I've been skating without a brake on these skates since starting to use  them for slalom in the spring, I felt a little uncertain on the new hard wheels, but it was fine.  Looking forward to Sunday's City Run if the weather holds.

これは上の要約だので、ちょっと短いです。　実はちょっと違います。　でも、やってみるね。

　非常に一週間だったよ。皆は家の近くの5つの星のホテルにとどまることはいいと思っているので、ちょっと異様なです。間違わないで、このホテルはとてもいいですよ。部屋はすばらしいだし、９階窓からの景色もすばらしいです。ホテルの職員もとても親切です。でも、家に入れないことは残念です。ホテルのレストランはとてもいいだので、すごく高いです。それで、コンビにで食べ物を買って、近くの安いレストランで食べて、近所の気に入れるレストランも食べます。もちろんホテルの部屋は台所がないので、マイクロレンジがない。でも、ジムを使うことができるから、よかったです。 私は殆ど毎日にジムに行きます。ジョナとマーティンもジムを楽しました。　不平を言いたくないけど、自分の所をさびします。

来週、学校は始まりますので、今週毎日モニカは学校に行って、いくさんと言う学校のスポーツ医学人とトレーニングをします。特に今週モニカは男の子のフットボールチームを手伝いました。マーティンは水曜日から、出張に行って、毎日ジョナと私はトビがペットホテルから取って、犬は大丈夫のレストランにランチを食べに行きました。皆は明日に家に帰って楽しむと思います。

今遅くなったので、短い説明です。ホテルと近所の料理について。そして、私の新しい仕事について。そして、スケートのWHEELSをパパさんから買った、おきました。 英語は難しいだったら、翻訳のサイトを使って、分かってようにと思います。

It doesn't rain every day of rainy season.

梅雨でも毎日に雨じゃない。

June is rainy season here in Tokyo.  Tsuyu 梅雨。A long time ago, I was talking to the gardener about the hydrangea flower on my balcony, noting with pleasure than it would soon bloom.  Ajisai 紫陽花, he said, is the flower of the rainy season.  Ooh.  Bummer, I thought then, but I've gotten over that.  The rice paddy's and other nature needs the rain, so no point fussing about it.  Besides it doesn't actually rain every day of rainy season.  One statistic I saw was an average of 12 days in June.  Still that's enough to really impact our skating, if it falls on a Sunday, or on the one Saturday night a month we do the Tokyo Saturday Night Skate.   This year, in late May, we missed two Sundays in a row for heavy rain, then we've had three nice Sundays in a row.  How fortunate.   However, this last weekend, when the once a month Saturday Night Skate fell, so did the rain... in a big way.  Actually cancelled the Sunday morning City Run.  BUT, because our good friend Cyrille was here visiting from France, even though it was seriously raining, over 30 of us skating fools slid from Tokyo station to Asakusa.  It was the first time I have ever skated to that extent in the rain, and let me tell you, it was a bit treacherous.  But what an exhilerating experience.  We went slower than usual, everyone was equiped with helmet, etc, and it actually was fun.  This was my last  skating weekend before August, as I leave in just two hours for the US for a few weeks. (which should explain why this post is a bit hurried and not up to my usual standard.)  Last year, I skated in 5 different states, but this year I've decided not to even take the skates on the trip this summer, because of the baggage limitations, and how busy we'll be.  (That's four pairs of skates and four sets of gear... just not possible this time)  We will visit my favorite skate shop in Nashville, Tennessee, Asphalt Beach, and look for new skates for Jonah, as he's considering changing up to bigger wheels for speed.  Lately, Monica's been enjoying Language Exchange with her Japanese friends during City Run.  Thanks to Iwa-san (looking pretty spiffy here) for some of these pictures.  Please go to his site for lots more.  Also, see his blog for REALLY good flower pictures. 

Oh, BY THE WAY, we went to the Invago Concert last weekend and Martin took some pretty good pictures, I thought.  I put some of them on Smugmug, and gave some of them to leadsinger/songwriter, Luca.  Please take a look.  This band is GOING PLACES!!  ところで、先週の日曜日に家族はインヴァゴのコンセトに行きました。すごくすばらしいかったです。マーティンはいい写真を撮ったと思います。私の写真のサイトで乗せたので、歌者・歌のライタというルッカさんに上げました。この音楽のバンドはとてもいいと思います。湯名有名になるでしょう。

この物語は梅雨についてです。東京は梅雨でも毎日 雨じゃない。６月で多分１２日の平均だと聞きました。長い時間前に、私は庭の人と話したながら、彼は紫陽花は梅雨の花と教えました。その時に、私はがっかりした、紫陽花はとてもいい花が、たくさん雨は大変と思いました。でも、年上になた、心を変わりました。自然から雨は大切だから、雨がふったので、紫陽花も楽します。今日、２時間後、アメリカへ旅行に行ってが、 このブログをかきたいです。最近雨の季節、時々シーティーランの滑ることに影響を与えた。５月で２週間の日曜日は雨だけど、後で三週間で、大丈夫です。最近モニカはもっと日本人と日本語で英語で話したので、いい交換です。ジョナも少し日本語を練習です。享年、夏の旅行に行って、５つ州で、滑ったが、今年スケトを持っていきません。荷物は重くなるし、とても忙しいだと思います。でも、残念。テネシイ州、たぶんジョナために、新しいスケートを買ってみます。土曜日は毎月のサタリーナーイトスケートでしたが、雨です。布津で、カンセルをするが、今度いい友達はフランスから来たので、滑りました！私はとても恐かったが、すごく楽しかったです。週末の写真はここです。いつもＩｗａさんのサイトも見て、彼のブログも見て、すばらしい花の写真があります。Iwaさん、いつものように写真を使ってさせてくれて、ありがとう。

上のたくさんリンクをクリクをしてのほうがいいです。ちょっど今、最後の準備をしなければなりませんから。

Never a dull moment

絶えず大忙しいで

English is written below.  上の陶器美術物は３００年以上前に京都の近くに作られました。先週レベカという友達と出光美術館に行って、展示を見ました。活け花先生は”乾山の芸術と光琳”を推薦しました。それはとても 面白かったです。乾山と光琳は兄弟です。光琳は陶器を作って、乾山は画家です。 上の大皿は一つから１２個セット。各自個は各自月で、俳句と芸術があります。私の一番の気に入りのは上です。 藤井と鳥のは３月のためです。ウェブサイトは出光美術館。

いつも忙しいだけど、先週最もです。木曜日から日曜日まで、私はたくさん色々していましたので、私だって信じられない。たぶんヨガから、最近もっと勢力があるので、全部をできました。美術館後でレベカと梅の花という豆腐レストランに食べに行きました。それはおいしくて、きれい装飾です。とてもすばらしい経験です。

その４日間で他のできたこと正し順序じゃない：

• 活け花のクラスを参加する。
• ヨガくらすに行く。
• 二つ英語のクラスを教えました。
• 海野さんの忘年会に参加して、写真はイリエさんとおいしい食べ物です。
• 教会に行く。
• くきさんの英語のサロンの大きいクリスマスパーティを手伝いました。たくさん日本人女性を何回も前に会いました。それはとても楽しかったです。前年２５年間母に違う手製の装飾を貰います。その装飾を使って、衣装を作って、プライーズを勝ち取りました。（笑）
• ＩＮＶＡＧＯ,私の気に入るの音楽のバンドを六本木に見に、聞きに、行きました。バンドの歌歌手は私のＭｉｘｉ友達です（Luca)。また来週末にバンドは三回上演します。いつかこのバンドは有名になると思います。これはグルプの最初ＣＤです。次のＣＤは直ぐに来ます。
• 主人の懇願から、車でナビを使って、知らない所に行って、特別物を持って帰りました。(ピーナッツバター１４つ）私にはそれはとても難しかったです。ナビは日本語でだし、私は本当に方向音痴がある。そうすると大きい混成です。
• オンラインでクリスマス買い物をしました。それはしにくい。長い時間かかりました。
• クリスマスランの計画を作って手伝いました。（レストランに行って、予約を作りました。）やがみさんのサイトに見てください。皆スケータは参加つもりして欲しいです。
• 上野ＣＲに参加しました。その日に外苑の銀杏木は美しくなりました。
• 子供たちとクリスマス木を建てました。
• 娘を医者に連れて行きました。お世話をしました。

The top picture is a piece of artistic pottery made near Kyoto more than 300 years ago.  Last week, I went with my friend, Rebecca to the Idemitsu Museum of Arts to see the exhibit "Art of Kenzan and His Brother Korin" which was recommended to us by our Ikebana teacher.  It was totally amazing. Korin made the pottery, and Kenzan, the artist, did all the painting.  The above picture is actually a dish, part of a set of 12, one for each month.  Each correlates to a beautifully written poem which was also on display.  The wisteria and bird dish above, for March, was my favorite.

It's always busy, but last week, from Thursday to Sunday I got so much done, even I couldn't believe it.  Maybe because of yoga, I'm more energetic lately.  After the art museum, Rebecca and I went to a tofu restaurant, Umenohana (plum blossom).  Not only was the food delicious, but the decor was lovely.  A totally wonderful experience.

Some of the other things I did during those 4 hyper-busy days, in no particular order are:

• Ikebana class
• Yoga class
• Taught two English lessons
• Went to Unno-san's End of the Year party.  The picture is of Irie-san and some delicious food.
• Church
• Participated in Kuki-san's English Salon Christmas Party.  This was totally fun.  I've met all these ladies several times before.  I even won a prize for the best costume, incorporating my Mom's homemade Christmas ornaments which she's given us every year since about 25 years ago.
• I got to go see my favorite band, INVAGO, play in Roppongi.  The lead singer of the band has become my friend.  The picture is of their first CD.  They're currently recording their second CD.  This weekend they'll be performing all three nights in different places.  I just know they'll be famous some day.
• At Martin's request, I used the navi system in the car and went to a place I didn't know to pick something up for him.  (14 jars of peanut butter) This was really hard, partially because the navi system is in Japanese, but mostly because I am totally directionally challenged and always lost.  So it was a major accomplishment.
• Did my Christmas shopping online.  Terrible experience with American Eagle Outfitters.  Took a really long time, and I don't know if the stuff will even come at all.
• Helped Yagami-san plan the Christmas Run (Skating through town wearing Santa Outfits on the 24th.)  This will be Martin's first Santa Skate.  I'm doing the restaurant reservation and food ordering. 
• Ueno City Run. Skated from Ueno to Aoyami with skating group.  The Ginko trees at Gaienne (goal) were so fabulously beautiful yellow gold.
• Took Monica to the doctor and gave her special attention.
• With the help of the children, put up the Christmas tree.
•    

何何します。

Doing this and that.

最近日常生活はとても忙しくて、面白いです。　この写真は日曜日で、だいさんと友達達は私にインド料理を作りかたを教えました。　とても楽しかったです。彼は一つだけ料理を知っているても、そのチケンカレーは辛くて、おいしです。お久しぶりよりこさん！　来たくれてありがとう。　　　　　　　　色々しています。学校のエベントに行って、家でぺそコンを努力して、生け花を習って、日本語を勉強して、友達に会って、スケートします。時に英語の先生にならいたいので学生を探します。　　　　　　もちろん主人はよく出張をしたから、疲れたそうです。　でも、彼は丈夫なので、ここにいったら、いつも何何しています。　彼はよく写真を撮ってので、新しいレンスを使いたいそうです。　この物語は少し日本語で書きました。すみません。　

I didn't abandon my blog, I've just been really busy doing lots of interesting things.  The photo (above) is from Sunday when Dai-san and some other friends came over and he showed me how to cook his one dish that he knows, chicken curry.  It was really spicy and very good.  And beautiful Sangeetha made a savory beef dish that was too easy to be that delicious. Oh! And Ryo-kun made okonomiyaki right there in my kitchen.  It was easy, except for the flipping part.  And this is my good friend Yoliko-san and my new friend, Miyuki-san.  See other pix from INDIAN COOKING PARTY.

The arm injury is mostly a thing of the past, and I am back to skating as before, except, of course, I will always wear my helmet and wrist guards.  This is IWA-SAN'S photo from the recent SNS. (Saturday Night Skate)   I've been attending Ueno City Run almost every Sunday morning.. that's why we usually go to church on Saturday night.  The weather's been pretty good lately.  Fall is nice in Tokyo except for the nasty smell of rotting ginko nuts here and there.  But they make such beautiful yellow Autumn trees.

  Thanks to Sabin's Folks for hosting a really nice gathering of the girls on Monica's Volleyball Team.  This was a good chance for the families to show their spirit and for the girls to hang out together and for everyone to eat and talk.  Here's a few pix from the VOLLEYBALL FAMILY SPIRIT PARTY last weekend.

Martin has been very busy with work and with work travel.  Surely he's tired, but he's strong.  When he's here, he's always doing something, if not work, or his church volunteer work, then something with the family.  He's enjoying trying out his new lens, and has been taking some nice pictures, many of which make it to smugmug.  Soon, I'll make a special place on my photo sharing site for his pictures which are not merely snapshots.

Matsuri Pix & WE stuff

祭りの写真、mixi, スケート、フリスビー、教会、女の子のスポーツの写真

I took this picture, but most of these photos  ARK HILLS MATSURI PIX  are Martin's from the weekend before last.  Watching the pretty neighborhood ladies dancing in their yukata and listening to the traditional music is such a pleasure. Here's what Martin wrote about this festival on mixi:

週末に近くでアークヒルズ秋まつりがありました。アークヒルズ２０周年を記念して、いろいろなイベントが起こりました。演奏と太鼓などして、エンタータイメントはよかったです。一番面白いことは二人のパパットショーです。子供のだけじゃなくて、そのパパットの高さは３メータぐらい、時々怖いでしょう。そのパフォーマンスはすごかったです。その後、皆がみこしを担いて、アークヒルズを回りました。昨夜、奉納踊りして、見るのはとても楽しかったです。 （マティん）

This weekend in our neighborhood the 20th anniversary Ark Hills Fall Festival was held. Various performances, including taiko drumming and other music was great. The two-man “puppet show” was the best, with very interesting puppet/costumes that could be alternately small or tall, and sometimes jumping at the crowd, scaring the kids. It was so cool! Afterwards, everyone carried the mikoshi (portable shrine) around Ark Hills in a noisy and energetic parade. Last night, the Hohnoh Odori dance was great to watch. (by　Martin)

That was Martin's first posting in his mixi dairy.  (Yes, I copied it with his permission.) It's like a blog.  He can use it to practice his Japanese via reading and writing with friends. This is mixi: It was good practice for him to set it up by himself, as the entire thing is in Japanese, instructions, buttons that don't translate, the works. And since I'm one of his mixi contacts, I can see if he writes anything interesting.

All week, we are so busy.  Then the weekend comes, and its more go go go.   But who's complaining?  Both kids are doing their sports every Saturday, so we have to alternate which to attend.   This time it was Monica's Volleyball.  And Martin took some Volleyball Pictures.              Like their team spirit?

Martin's church ministry, the altar server program is going well.  With the help of Katie and Monica, Martin has been training new servers every weekend.  Actually, its a youth group as well as being a service ministry that he leads in his "spare time."   

I have to show you this.  Iwa-san took some nice photos of Martin and me playing frisbee last Sunday after I skated City Run.  Martin came to goal on his bike, and we enjoyed some power frisbee together.  Those pix are near the end of Iwa-san's CR slideshow.  Skating was great.  The weather was fabulous.  It was warm, but there was a cool breeze.  It was a lovely day to enjoy with friends.  Iwa-san is the guy sitting in the middle.  I think he is a genius.  He is so talented.  He possesses both the technical ability to take an excellent photo and the artistry to see it in the first place.  Also, amazingly, he is able to skate and take hundreds of photos then go home and process them before night... and he's older than me.  His energy is inspiring.

So, what did I see when I was skating home through Roppongi?                                          You know.  A Matsuri.

Back to School Resolutions

日本料理の作り方を学びたいです。料理の先生が要る。　　　　　　　　　　　下を読んでください。

Yesterday was the first day of school.  Monica and Jonah left in a happy mood.  They are both looking forward to a good school year.  They are both good students, except in Japanese.  I vow to spend 10 minutes with each of them separately every day to work with them on their Japanese and it will help us all.

For me, it is similar to New Years Resolution time in that I can reassess how I will spend my time and make the best of what may be our last year in Japan.  Apparently, I've been loafing long enough.  (NOT!) But I need to find a job if we will ever be able to afford a house again someday.  I plan to work at the school part-time as a substitute teacher.  I am also giving considerable thought to teaching English (ESL). 

I am putting even more effort into learning Japanese, so of course I will continue my lessons with Matsui-san.  Also, I want to continue to do yoga, ikebana, and maintaining my pages on the school website.

My special goal, besides getting a job or two, is to learn how to cook Japanese food.  I want to take individual lessons maybe twice a month.  I hope to find a good cook who is also willing to let me practice speaking Japanese during the cooking lesson.  This is difficult because my Japanese is so basic, but I'm optimistic that I can find the right person.

昨日モニカとジョナは学校にまた行き始めました。二人ともよい一年を楽しみにしています。私にとって今回は新年のようです。決意の時です。将来に家を買うために、仕事をしなくちゃ。判断をしました。　子供の学校でパートタイムの代わりの先生になります。　ほかにも英語（ESL)を教えるつもりです。

今年はたぶん日本に住む最後の年です。それで色々な事をしたいです。もちろん、まついさんと日本語レスンを続けます。そして、ヨガとか生花とか学校のウエブサイトの努力を続けます。

日本を出る前に、私の大切な新目的は日本料理の作り方を学びたいです。一か月２回のレスンをしたいと思います。　特別な人を探しています。こちらは料理するほかに日本語を話す練習をしたいです。完璧な人を求めていません。いい人がいたらぜひ紹介してください。私は楽観的です。

By the way, I finally got to meet Indy in person... I mean in dog... umm... I'm not sure of the correct English here.  Indy is my friend's Jack Russel Terrier puppy.  He's very smart and bilingual.  Well, he doesn't speak English but he understands it... "SIT", "STAY" "COME" etc.    We took some pix.  It was really fun.

Here's Indy's blog: 

And, sadly, one of Monica's really good friends is moving away, so the girls planned a big surprise going away party for her.  It was truly a blast... they had a huge water balloon fight on the porch.  The girls gave their good friend a send off she can always cherish. 

Of course we took lots of pix.

Here's the link. It's password protected, so email me for the password if you want. 

One Very Busy Day

一つのとても忙しい日。

最近とても忙しいです。学校はアメリカンの学年そして今殆ど終わります。私は学校によく行きます。色々イベントからです。時に金曜日はすごく忙しかったですけど、とても楽しかったです。

As I was saying (in Japanese) our kids' school follows the American school year, (whereas in Japan, it ends in April).  So right now, its a really busy time.  As Class Mom, for Jonah's class, I spend a fair amount of time at school anyway, but right now there's so many end of year activities. 

Some of the events attending are: 

• Friday's 5th grade PIONEER PICNIC, which was the culmination of weeks of multi-faceted study of U.S. History during the western expansion of 1800s. 
• Rice Program for the Homeless
• Jonah's Handbell Concert
• 5th Grade's Choir Concert
• Middle School Band Concert (Monica plays clarinet)
• Jonah's Taekwondo Belt Promotion to green
• Volunteer Recognition Events (for my work with the ES Library and the school website
• Sports Day
• End of Year Field Trips and Class Parties

SO, yes, everyone's busy.  But last Friday I was maxed out.  I spent all day at school for Pioneer Day, (Martin at work) then rushed home (one hour train ride) and got ready for a party we were having later that night here at the apartment, then, changed into a dress, and went over with Martin to our neighbor's house.  (see photo below) for a reception for our scholar, Yuki.  Then, straight home from that, our friends started arriving for a SAYONARA Party for my friend Kay, who's moving to Australia next week. 

 

Every year, since we've come to Japan, we've participated in a Cross Cultural Exchange Program, with Japanese Fullbright Scholars who are planning to gain advanced degrees in the U.S. Yuki is our 5th Scholar in the program, and it was such a pleasure getting to know this intelligent and pleasant young man before he leaves for Columbia to finish his PhD.  His English is excellent, and he's very experienced, so he didn't really need us like some of our previous scholars.  Here we are with the Ambassador and Mrs. Schieffer who hosted a reception in their home as a send-off to the scholars.

The Ambassador is a big Baseball Fan, especially of the Texas Rangers.  He's got some pretty cool baseballs in a display case so I took a picture.  Take a close look!

Sparring with Life

生活とスパーリング

Wow.  Life is sooo busy.  Not complaining here, just stating a fact.  Sparring with life seems like a good title because we're not trying to hurt each other, me and life, just gain a few points without getting my butt kicked.  Here's Jonah and Karan and their Taekwondo Teacher Mr. Park at the Belt Promotion on Saturday.  Do take a look at Martin's other photos on my main site.  Here>>  TAEKWONDO.

Luckily, Monica's Middle School Winter Band Concert was the same morning, so it worked out very well.  These kids have really increased in their playing ability.  I love it that she can play the clarinet.  All I can play is my ipod.

For the last two weeks, I've been helping the 5th grade teachers organize a very complicated activity day at school.  It goes along with the students'  curriculum study of Early American History.  They've spent weeks studying the colonies from 1750 to the early 1800's.  They've made little villages out of wood, written reports, done research, made maps, drawings, etc.  So yesterday we had Colonial Day, where they all practiced candle dipping, making butter and other colonial food, weaving, punching tin lanterns, etc.   We needed lots of parents to help yesterday, many supplies and details and all that had to be coordinated, which was my job.  It was a huge job and a big success.  How nice when you can immediately see the fruits of your labor.  So when I get back from China, I'll get those pictures together for you so you can see what I'm talking about.  Here's one of Jonah with his lovely teacher.  This is the candle he made.

昨日初めて二週間前に貰った新車を運転しました。車は良いですが、もっと大きくて、ちょっと運転をしにくいです。左ハンドルです。そして私は怖かったですが、よかったです。問題じゃない。  はい、毎日日本語を勉強をしますが、書く事は長い時間かかります。今日中国に行く。次準備をします。又ね。来週。

Yesterday, I drove the new car for the first time.  It's nice, but bigger and it's left hand drive so it's a little difficult and I was scared to drive it.  But it was fine.  Nice.　　　Yes, I'm studying my Japanese everyday.  But it takes me a long time to write it.  Running out of time.  Going to to China today and I have to pack.  See you next week.

Botanyuki 牡丹雪

牡丹雪が降りました。　Peony snow was falling.

On Saturday when we woke up it was snowing in Tokyo.  And not just any kind of snow... peony snow!  My friends wrote on Kay-chan's board about the botanyuki.  My jisho (electric translation dictionary) says this is peony snow.  Huge snowflakes.  It was lovely.  It snowed all morning long.  Snow is unusual in Tokyo.  It maybe snows one or two times per winter, without much accumulation.  But Saturday's snow was special.  It was packing snow, so Jonah and his friend  went out and made a cute little snowman.  Snowman in Japanese is 雪だるま．yuki-daruma. (a daruma being kind of a crafted round man of wood) But I didn't know that, and years ago, I decided that the way to say snowman is yuki no hito  雪の人　(literally "snowman")  which is totally wrong, but I don't know why.  It works for me.  SEE FUNNY SNOWMAN PHOTOS   

The botan (tree peonies) are such a comfort.  When Tokyo is wrapped in cold air, and there are no other flowers around to steal the attention, these hardy but beautiful flowers flourish.  When all the fragrant young fragile flowers of spring and summer have gone off to wait for warmer weather, the botan lift their bright faces to the sun and bring unselfish joy to our daily life in winter. 

They remind me of women who would no longer be considered young, but are still, oh so beautiful, doing their everyday things, and giving so much to the people around them.  Winter Flowers.  冬の花

On the right is one of my favorite people in the whole world, Matsui-san.  She is my Japanese Teacher  日本語の先生松井さん。頭がいい人です。彼女のレスンはいつも元気で面白いです。　Her lessons are always lively and interesting.  I'm learning so much from her.  松井さんから良く習っています。

On the left is Oshinoumi-san. おしの海さん。　He is a gardener who works near my home.  Sometimes I meet him at lunchtime and we have a language exchange while eating our bentos. Oshinoumi-san doesn't speak much English, so it's perfect for me.  One time, he told me all about the peonies.  I didn't understand everything he said, but he is very knowledgable and his enthusiasm for his subject is apparent, and I picked up enough. 

土曜日に起きたときに雪が降っていました。牡丹雪だよ。その雪は特別です。大きくてきれいでゆっくり降りました。　これは東京で珍しいです。多分毎冬で一回二回雪が降りました。でも、大体雪は蓄積しない。土曜日は違います。そしてジョナと友達は雪だるまを作りました。かわいです。　写真を見てください。

クモのようです

Like a spider

日曜日に日々や公園にフリスビーを遊ぶに自転車を乗りました。行きながら(I'm sure there's a better way to say it) このビルをみました。あの時に８人は上だでも、カメラを取っての時に半は上に下になりました。　面白かったです。

On Saturday, Kusachi came over to play frisbee. Monica was babysitting, but the rest of us rode our bikes together to Hibiya Park.  On the way there, I saw this sight.  I vaguely heard Martin say something about Spiderman, but, riding a bike, I couldn't get my camera out fast enough, and 4 of the 8 were already down.  A cool scene, nonetheless.

　＊ここから翻訳をしてください。＊Martin's arm is still recovering, though for the first time, I see him catching and even throwing with his Right again.  So, for awhile longer, I am the best.  Then Kusacchi and Jonah, about the same.  But then, to be honest, Jonah is probably better than the average kid.

くさっちとジョナは同じですいい。　　

Some day, I mean to learn more about Hibiya Park.  I remember that it was mentioned as a gathering point for refugees in the book I read about the Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire of 1923.  It is a mature park, but laid out in a functional way, probably in the primiere central spot in the city, having a little of everything.  I skate by there every Sunday, in fact, I fell there (I don't fall often) last Sunday during City Run and the family makes it over to play frisbee once in a while, or walk around, there is so much going on, mostly well dressed couples, concerts, tennis, a few homeless people,  huge fountain, rose garden, pigions, war memorial from the U.S., lots of kids running around... and us, playing frisbee like fools.

After that, we had to get home so I could make my famous deviled eggs for the party that night with our friends from GMIDEL and ISUZU.  I got a lot of practice speaking Japanese with these nice people.  とても楽しかったです。