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。

Comments

[jay]

yes, i do like that bird

[Pamela]

Jay. Thanks for this comment and your recent note. Going to grad school. Wow, that's really neat. Plus lots of good art happening. I'll send you the above pix as it actually has a feathery tail, but when it uploaded to this site it changed the shape and cut off the tail feathers.

この人は長男です。最近、彼は美術修士大学に行く決心しました。