Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Fly away to Canada

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I’m going to Canada after three years!
When I went there last time, I just started posting this blog.
And I stayed in Victoria for two weeks while going to a language school.
It was few yeas ago. But I still emember the arrangement of the class rooms at school ,
the dirty red bricks side of the stairs and inside of the bathroom of the school, how the rooms
were at host family’s house and many stores in downtown.
This is our third times to Whistler.
I hadn’t imagine we could go there again.
We made airline reservations, booked hotels and bus ourselves.
We’re leaving for Canada on Christmas and We’re getting there in the morning on
Christmas.
We’re getting back on 31th of Dec. We’re going to my parents’ house and spending time
with family on New Year’s.
We mustbe jet-lagged but I wanna stay up late playing card games. Because it’s definitely
Our New Year’s.
I wanna sleep on plain and leave my energy.
Thank you guys for everything! I want you guys to get along together next year, too.
I wish you a very happy new year!
By the way I took this picture at our Christmas party on 23th of Dec.

Merry Christmas

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The first thing that I did on the day of our Christmas party was making the crust of quiche
and pizza.
When I left the dough of pie, I kneaded the dough of pizza.
When I let the dough of pizza dough rise, I stretched the dough of pie.
I made the filling of quiche and put it in the ovenstove. And then I cleaned my house
a little and set the table.
Time flied and it was 3:30 in the afternoon when I realized it.
The following day was a week day this year. So we decided to have the party earlier time
than usual. When my family got to my house, any dishes weren’t ready yet.
When I cook, everyone enjoys finding treadures in my house.
I put the menu at each seat. Flipping the page, they can find instructions of treasure
hunting.
When they did that, I stretched the dough of pizza and broke 4 kinds of cheese.
Cooking while seeing them enjoying doing it is one of fun things.
And chosing something for someone and getting something from someone is fun, too.
Next year I’ll put many boxes under the Chiristmas tree like friends from other countries’
blog.
Putting that aside, the most delicious dish this Chiristmas was definitely short cake.
Short cake that I baked this Christmas was much more incredible than last Christmas.
Sponge cake was really goooood!
My mother who doesn’t flatter me said “ It’s so incredible! “ to me, too.
It was worth learing making sweets.
Our happy Chiristmas party finished after eating good short cake!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

expecting Christmas

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On 23th of December we have the annual Christmas party at my house.
Every year I think what I cook for it this year.
The following day of 23th was Saturday or Sunday for few years.
But this year the following day of 23th is weekday.
If I stay up late cooking, I wouldn’t work. So I had thought I had to start cooking
from Sunday but I couldn’t do it.
So I was up till at 3 in the morning last night.
But I can’t cook every dishes.
I gotta cook from now on, too.
By the way I took this picture at 3 in the morining.
I forgot getting blue berries but it’s not bad!

Monday, December 22, 2008

nodding off on Saturday

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Last Saturday it was the day that I had to work.
It was not crowded on the train and I was able to get to work earlier than usual.
But I worked for 6 days in a row. So I was really exhausted.
I did my task qucikly and I left work in the early evening. Then I went to the familiar hair
salon in Shibuya.
I had my hair trimmed when I read a book and magazines.
And I got sleepy when I got my head massaged while getting wrapped.
When I got my bangs cut, I nodded off.
Time flied and there are only about 7 days left this year.
I got transffered in the beginning of this year and some teribble things happned.
But there were many happy things this year.
I wanna make effortes to say “ It was a happy year. “ next year.

Monday, December 15, 2008

bright town and a little bit dark Japanese recent

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Yesterday rolledcake that I baked left and something sweets from a person who visited us
yesterday. So we came up with inviting mother and her children next to me.
Then we vacumed for a short time and emailed her. She said yes right away.
The day before yesterday I cleaned my house but dust had kind of stacked up already.
So I wiped up on the various place.
Should I clean rooms everyday, I’m more comfortable. I gotta keep cleaning my house.
Thinking of that, she emailed me and said “ My daughter got a fever. So I’m sorry
I can’t visit you. “
That’s too bad but it can’t be he;ped.
We ate the rolled cake for 3 straight days. It’s difficult to keep our figure anymore.
Bonus was the worst since getting it for the first time. So I don’t wanna see the report
of it in this winter.
There are lots of article about getting laid off.
I read an interview spot of a man who got laid off and he has a family and he can’t get how
he brings the bacon home. And I saw many article about forign workers.
I’m enough happy and God sends me a message and he said “ You have to appreciate your
Happiness and don’t have to see the thing that you can’t get. “
I thought of that.
By the way this picture is the lighting for Christmas in Shinjuku of Tokyo.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

something from a country that has the very blue sea and white houses

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I got something from a friend called marina for my birthday and Christmas.
She is Greek and I met her on the blog.
Greece is a country where I haven’t been to. When I was in elementary school, I learned
Polis, Socrates and something about this country.
Greece reminds me very blur sea and white houses.
Greece is one of countries where I want to go to someday.
Haruki Murakami wrote about Greece in an essay called “A Distant Drum “
Greece is the attracitve country and you can eat fresh good cuttlefish.
This necklace is something from the distance country.
I’ll value it!
By the way this sweets in this picture are Melba toast.
I saw a friend from college last night and I got it from her!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Happy birthday to me **

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9th of December was my birthday.
I had a trouble of something. So it wasn’t a good birthday.
I said “ I don’t need something for my birthday. But I want you to do various house
work for me.” to my husband.
So he didn’t get anything as I said.
My husband had a trouble of something, too. So he was tired and he didn’t do house
work. I didn’t want to make dinner because of being tired. So we eat out at a cheap
restaurant. And then I did the dishes and scrubed the bathtub.
It was not a special day.
Sometimes it happens in life.
Sometimes you’re impressed and sometimes you’re disappointed.
Defenietly it’s “ C’elat Vie.”
If I say something about yesterday, I got email from many people for celebrating
my birthday. I haven’t replied every email yet.
My birthday is a good opportunity to train baking cake. So I told my husband you
don’t need to buy cake. So there wasn’t cake at my house.
So I started to make cake at over 11. Making cake might be not bad.
And the top of the rolled cake that isn’t decorated with cream is not bad.
It looks really good. My birthday was not bad?!

Monday, December 01, 2008

window of your heart

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After seeing Daitoku-temple we had lunch in the late afternoon and it was already
getting dark.
It was no wonder because of being over 3.
It was time to get back but my father-in-law took us to an small temple called “ Genkoan”
where I wanted to go to. I found this temple in a picture book of Kyoto.
It was during 3-day-holiday. So it was crowded wherever we went to and we couldn’t find
any space to park the car. My father-in-law pulled over and said “ I’m gonna look for a space
for the car. So you can go there ahead. “ to us.
There is a square window and round window in this temple.
You can see the fantastic garden in the flame of the window.
This round window is called “ Satori-no-mado “ that means “window of enlightenment”.
I wanted to take my time to see it. But people waited in line to see it.
So I saw it for few minutes and gave the place to other people.
We didn’t have enough time also it was packed in this temple.
But this window remained in my album of heart.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Japanese green tea with small happiness

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We sat on the side of the garden while drinking a cup of green tea after taking a walk
in Daitokuji. Drinking tea while seeing changing leaves is such a fantastic thing.
The thing Japanese drink green tea is really luxurious and elegant.
The beautiful garden is made for people who drink tea in the small room called” Chashitsu “
All people use a tea cup that ceramic artists made with their power.
When Japanese make tea, people value the way they make tea and do it slowly.
It means they take their time to do it.
Putting that aside, I’m not sure the price of the green tea.
Whenever I pay when I’m with my parents-in-law, they say “ You don’t have to pay.”
My father-in-law still works. Probably that’s why they say it.
After starting to work I started to try to pay for us also my parents.
It’s my personal policy and virtue.
I don’t know why. Probably I had my parents worried when I was young.
So I have to return a favor. It might be the reason.
But it’s not bad I have parents who pay ours.
Because we can’t seem to depend on other kindness after grwoing up.
What’s great about getting married is some hard thing might happen,
but also many happy things happen because you have another parents.
The more years pass after getting married, the more you find out something good about
marry also getting how happy you are.
By the way this is a bowl called “ Tsukubai” in the garden of Daitoku temple.
Go ahead to wash your hands and go to the room for Green tea!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

red leaves and nice air

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In the next morning of staying at my husband’s family-house my mother-in-law waked us
up. Breakfast was already ready and there was some pieces of bread and something on the
table. Chanson was playing in the living room. My mother-in-law has learned it for a long
time.
She wore full make-up last night but she didn’t wear make-up when we had breakfast.
Becoming family is something like it, I thought.
My father-in-law drove and went to temples in Kyoto.
We saw beautiful changing leaves covered mountains on the way there.
We stopped by a gorge and took some break while seeing beautiful leaves and listening to
the sound of water.
Sign of “ For Sale “was on the almost broken wooden house.
It was on the side of the river and there was a beautiful Momiji- tree next to it.
If I lived there, it would be attractive.
But if the river was swollen, the house would get washed away easily.
My father-in-law looked like enjoying smoking in the clean air.
There was a stand of vegetables around there and Chinese cabbage is sold for 100-yen.
If I lived near the stand, I would’ve gotten it.
My mother-in-law talked about something and the sound was echoed on the river.
I repeated her Kansai accent in mind. It means we have different Japanese pronunciation
in each area of Japan. So she pronounces Japanese different from me.
I wanna learn her accent. That’s why I repeated her words in mind.

Monday, November 24, 2008

changing leaves in Kyoto

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Last Saturday I flied to Kansai from Haneda and visited my parents-in-law after working
till noon. We were more than welcome from my parents-in-law and my grandmother-in-law
with their big smile.
Everybody seemed to be more than willing we visited there.
I was nervous before seeing them because of my heart pounding. But after seeing them
again
I thought it was good to visit them.
This picture is path in Daitoku-temple.
It was really crowded but changing leaves in Kyoto is the best in Japan.
I was really happy to see them.
I’m gonna post many pictures that I took there every day.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** the small happy thing

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People who are related to me at work came from bank.
They are in charge of analyzing other companies at my company.
They are very conservative and strict and it’s kind of hard to treat them.
It’s different from the relationships between ex-division and the other division.
It means my division and workers from bank are not kind of good companies at work
and they are kind of boss and we’re kind of follower ships.
But people who are the most related to me are them.
We work in the same company but the antecessor used to say “We always appreciate your
Business”.instead of “ hello “ or “ morning “ on the phone and in email.
When she ordered something to them, she used to say “ Could you conduct a detailed
inspection of the documents?” instead of “ Can you go over it? “
The word is like the word for saying customers and it was not friendly.
I’ve said “ morning. “ and “ hello “ to them the same as other people at work.
When I said “ morning “ to the most conservative person of them, he said “ yes “ or he said
nothing. But I’ve been saying “ morning “ to him since last January.
And then he finally said “ morning “ to me yesterday.
It was the first time he said “ morning “ to me.
I was more than delighted he said so. It’s like the situation when a person whom I have
a crush on says “ Yes “
Recently I feel like smile from him on the phone and I really pleased.
When you give up something, it’s over. I know it but the most important thing is
keeping doing something.
I found out it from a small thing!

Happy Sky Watch Friday

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

ABC Wednesday *** " R" is for....running

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Last Sunday we participated in an annual race.
I participated in 5km-race three times and 10km-race twice including this year’s race.
After school we don’t have sports festivals usually, so we don’t have chances to join games for sports seriously. So it’s fun to join sports festivals once in a while.
Before the race we are kind of nervous and excited. If the result is good, I would be pleased And if the result is bad, I would feel bad.
When I run the race, I always think I don’t wanna run the race next year anymore.
But I forget it in the following year and I participate in the race again.
My result was not better than my last result. Because I didn’t jog more than last year.
And my mother ran faster than me despite over 60.
My mother beat me before the point of 5km.
I said “ Oh, you beat me. If I beat you right away, you would be comfortable and we would crack up and lose our strength.” to myself while seeing her thin legs.
Thinking of that, but I couldn’t catch up her a little by bit.
And I ended up not beating her…..
My mother got medal the same as last year.
I can’t beat her.
It’s bitter she beat me and I will beat her by a wide margin.
But I’m also pleased mother who is over 60 beat me.
Many athletes in college who run in Hakone race participate in various races around this season.
They run like cheetahs and it’s fun just to see them.
Starting with their full power is really strong.
I gotta jog a lot this winter and I’ll run faster and beat my mother with a long margin.

Happy ABC Wednesday

Friday, November 14, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** a gift

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I had a tough days in this week.
Especially it was terrible last Friday.
I found out unreasonable things at work and I couldn’t get why it happened.
But last Friday I had a good time during lunch time after a long time.
I had lunch with two women at the different division.
I bumped into them outside during lunch time and ate out with them.
It was really comfortable and it was fun.
I was lucky to find comforting women by coincidence.
When a temp stuff who was comfortable quit her job, I was able to find the other
comfortable women. Is it coincidence? or a gift from God?
By the way this picture is the sunset in Chichibu near Tokyo.

Marie made this really beautiful my new blog's design for me.
Isn't it sooooo beautiful?


Happy Sky Watch

Thursday, November 13, 2008

the best bread for me and great present from Austria

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When it was really hard to be at this division after getting transferred in the beginning of this year, a young man who is in the same division got me some bread.
The bread is the best bread for me in life.
Yesterday I got email from him during working.
He said “ I got the bread again and put it in fridge. If you feel like it, please eat it. “
It was a coincidence some terrible things happened yesterday.
A old man who is hired after retiring were cynical to me. And a temp stuff who is the best friend at work decided to quit her job. Because she got kind of bullied by a colleague.
But I need much power to avoid cynical things and to listen to murmuring.
After finishing time at work I microwaved it and ate it.
It was really incredible the same as before and I got power from it.
There are various people in the world. Some people say good things but some people say bad things, don’t they?
There are good things also bad things, aren’t there?
By the way this picture is a great present from a friend in Austria.
Her name is Maria and I met her on the blog.
It’s Manner Schnitten and chocolate made in Austria, an art book of museum Wien.
Last February Belgian old male friend passed away. I’m more than delighted to have a friend in Europe again. I have the pleasure of getting something from Europe and sending something to Europe.
In life relationships are difficult but relationships are fun!.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

I jog for liking myself

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Last weekend it was a comfortable sunny day. So I went jogging in the afternoon in holiday after a long time.
There was a little bit dark place and the air was cool and wet in the park.
It felt really good more than I imgined and an hour passed quickly.
Jogging in the afernoon is good but jogging in the evening is incredible, too.
On weekdays I go jogging at 10 at night.
The cool air feels good and the air makes me get fresh. Because the cool air is different from summer’s.
My ears hurt because of the cold air but when 30 minutes passs, I sweat.
Sometimes going jogging at the late night is a hassle. But even if I’m exhausted or I don’t have time, I can get fine.after jogging.
After jogging I can like myself. Because I make efforts and I can have confidence.
I jog for liking myself.
This thing is not bad.like that.
By the way I took this picture in Chichibu last weekend.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** a comfy holiday

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Last Sunday I went to Chichibu, countryside near Tokyo, with my sister’s family and my parents. Eating good Soba and Tempra is one of fun things.
The Soba restaurant is the restaurant where my sister’s mother-in-law often goes to.
Recently it’s one of familiar restaurants for us without knowing.
When one person joined our family, our world became big a little by a bit.
And it ended up becoming our world. I like it like that very much.
After being satisfied with Soba and Tempra we went to the familiar large park.
We enjoyed playing badminton, Frisbee and catch while seeing the beautiful changing leaves.
After playing it I lied on the plastic seat and took some pictures of everyone playing it.
There were beautiful changing leaves and the beautiful sky above our heads. How beautiful and clear the sky in autumn is!
After a while my sister took bubble soap out from her bag.
I didn’t imagine my husband and my sister’s husband absorbed doing it.
The evening comes fast in autumn. It was getting dark and cold.
We stopped by an Italian restaurant on our way home. And we ate Quattro Formaggio and vongole. We cleaned it and went to parents’ house being relaxed.
When we were relaxed, I got upset at a small thing and I got angry at my sister.
My sister got pissed off at me. Everyone tried to calm our anger. But we didn’t feel better. When it was silent, I heard my husband weird voice.
He played like T-back in an American drama “ Prison Break”. My sister7s husband started doing it, too.
My sister and I cracked up and our anger flied away.
Thanks to guys of my family.

Happy Sky Watch Friday

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

ABC Wednesday P is for….

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P is for PEOPLE!
You know sometimes it’s difficult to get along with somebody.
We have various relationships among women at work.
Some people always complain and some people often bitch behind somebody’s back.
I sometime feel that is a hassle being with them.
But relationships among women are fun.
Communicating with PEOPLE is difficult and sometimes a hassle.
But communicating with PEOPLE is fun.
I wanna get along with various People!

Happy ABC Wednesday

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Today's flower - flowers in the entrance

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This flower is flowers that my father-in-law grew.
The flowers make the entrance of my house bright.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

ABC Wednesday O is for opportunity

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When bad things happen, it's opportunity to change the way you think.
When it's bad day, it's oportunity to appreciate the usual happy day.
When you see an attractive person, it's opportunity to make efforts to be
like the person:)

For me, this blog was really good opportunity to meet you guys.
I'm really happy to meet all!
Someday please come to Japan.
When you come to Japan, it's opportunity to return you a favor from me and to know Japan well:)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Today's flower - tough morning glory

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This flower is morning glory in my balcony.
The flower usually bloom in summer.
These days it's chilly in Tokyo.
I don't know why the morning glory bloomed yesterday.
but it was lucky to see it even though it's already fall!
I wanna make efforts like this flower:)

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Tartelettes au chocolat

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Last Tuesday it was my first time to go to school for making sweets.
This time I baked Tartelettes au chocolat.
It feels like long time even if it takes 2 hours to make sweets at my house.
But when I made it at school, I felt like short time.
I bumped into my friend who introduced me this school there and we said hi and talked about something while doing dishes. It reminded me home economics’s class in junior high. People do tools in line. If I were at my house, I would take a lick the spoon.
But I shouldn’t do that there even if I wanna do that.
Well, I made the crust of Tartlettes and baked it with aluminum stones.
Then I put filling in it and baked it again. When I removed it from molds, I couldn’t seem to do it.
The teacher tried to remove it instead of me. And then the filling of chocolate fell out from the pie.
Oh, I totally didn’t imagine it. I feel uneasy. But I thought it was a small thing and I didn’t get angry.
The teacher poured some soft chocolate sauce and put it in fridge.
Opening the box and taking out the pie after getting home, chocolate fell out from it.
It was not good starting….Umm
By the way the pie is on the left side of the back line.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

fun trip even if it doesn't cost much

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On the next morning we had breakfast for 600yen at the establishment.
It was not so good but we were satisfied it.
There were many beautiful mountains under the fog in the brilliant morning.
The most beautiful mountain is of course Mt.Fuji.
When we took many picture of Mt.Fuji and saw news at the lobby, my mother cut some
vegetables, made curry and cooked rice. On the day we were gonna eat it on the green
ground.
We didn’t have many plans but we left the establishment at 10.
It was a brilliant sunny day. Pulling over on the pathway, we took some pictures there.
How do you say, every mountain was beautiful. How beautiful this place is!
We took a walk on the trail, drank milk, ate ice cream and got some jam.
And then we went to the ground of grass and ate the curry and rice that my mother
made. She dished up curry and rice that was still warm with Japanese pickles.
The curry was much more incredible than its that I usually eat. We ate it one after another.
We ended up not eating out during this trip.
We enjoyed seeing beautiful scnery also eating something and we got some information
that we want to go to next time.
Out trip was over this time.
Speaking of which, it took only 7500yen per person including the room charge, gasolin,
fee of express way and all meal.
Isn’t it great we stayed one night there and we enjoyed having every meal.
By the way this picture is a picture that my husband took.

Monday, October 20, 2008

a silent night in mountain

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Night comes first in mountain. The temperature goes down and it gets dark in the evening.
We took a bath after enjoying doing BBQ.
It must’n’ve been hot spring but hot water in the bath was comforting.
When we stretched our legs in the bathtub, we wanted to soak.
I remember when I was in elementary school, boys peeked women’s bathroom.
But I was wondering where they peeked it?!
After taking a bath we played “ UNO ATTACK “ while drinking at the room.
This place is not hotel but educational establishment. So there is no TV at each room.
It’s not bad there is no TV.
By the way our family likes card games. So we have various UNO card.
Per say, Harry Potter UNO, UNO SPIN, UNO ATTACK.
Every UNO is one of UNO. But they have a little bit different rules.
So you can enjoy playing them!
We ended up enjoying playing it till lights-out time of 10.
In the next morning I don’t know why my head moved to left side when I waked up.
We put Futon in order to the alphabet “ T “ and I slept at the cross bar of T.
My sister’s husband slept at the vertical barof T but my head was on the his Futon.
These days I turn sideways during sleeping.
I thought it’s only during summer but I turn sideways even though it’s already cold.
My husband who goes to bed after me moves my body few times.
It’s about me but I don’t know why….
I didn’t used to do that.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Fall is for enjoying seeing changing leaves also eating!

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Well, getting to the familiar establishment, we prepared for BBQ. The air is much better than its in Tokyo. But also we ate beef in the air, it would be incredible!
We borrowed a cutting board and a knife.
My mother can build fire and use the Dixie best.
I and my sister picked up some branch and used wood for lighting charcoal.
We brought them to our mother like competing.
Then we were able to light charcoal and put Dixie on it.
My sister said “ Aren’t you beginning timing? “ to our mother.
She said “ I don’t need it. It’s OK just seeing it. “ to my sister with compelling voice.
We picked up branch and wood for grilled beef while seeing the head of Dixie moving with
good sounds.
By the way how sweet cooked rice by Dixie is!
I ate it with grilled beef and vegetables one after another.
My husband took many pictures without me knowing when I ate them.
I started enjoying spending fall to eat good food!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** beautiful sky and beatiful red leaves

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Last weekend I went on a overnight trip to Yatsugatake with my family.
I had a small trouble before going traveling. But my family solved it.
I appreciated it and I’m happy to have such a nice family.
I and my sister used to go to Yatsugatake for a camp when we were in elementary school and junior high school. So it’s familiar for us.
This time we stayed at the establishment where we used to stay when we were in elementary school and junior high.
Of course we have stayed since then. We were missed it and excited before going there.
And we said “ We gotta build camp fire and do folk dance! “ each other.
Speaking of which, There was the story when I heard it in junior high.
It’s haunted by ghosts in a room of the establishment, two people saw the dog in the establishment at the same time in the different place.
Oh, I remember test our courage in the grove and we fought with boys by pillows.
We were thrilled to hide from teachers who came to each room and we enjoyed hiding in the same Futon with others.
Remembering it, our voice must’ve reached to our teachers. I found out teachers allowed us.
This is scenery from the establishment.
It’s the beautiful sky and red Momiji.
It’s really beautiful and we liked it very much.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

ABC Wednesday *** " M " is for....

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M is for mother.
She grew up me and my sister by herself.
She used to work at a swimming school during a day and bring newspaper in the early
morning and the evening.
We appreciated it and we gotta value our mother.

M reminds me variou people and food.
Per say, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Japanese princess called Masako....
and Macdnald, macaroon, macaroni, macadamia nuts....

By the way this picture is leaves called MOMIJI in Japanese.
When it's fall, we enjoy seeing those changing leaves of Momiji!

Monday, October 13, 2008

These days...

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Recently I’ve been busy at work and I went out on holidays.
Yet I didn’t turn PC on. So I hardly posted blog these days.
Turning PC on, two hours passed quickly. So I’m thinking it’s not bad.
On the last day of holiday I cleaned my house and tidied up various places in my house.
I threw away many recipe from magazines and some web. There were pieces of paper more
than imagined. When the space is organized after throwing away much unneeded stuff,
I’ve got a feeling it feels good on the beginning of the week.
Seeing the organized space, I’m satisfied.
I’ve been thinking I wanna put the address to all stuff in my house.
But I can’t seem to put all stuff.
I wanna start doing it a little by little everyday and finish it till the end of this year.
By the way this is a trail below Yatsugatake of Nagano.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** the sunset in Firenze

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Hello guys!
These days I've been busy at work.
So I don't have enough time for myself.
Oh! That's toooooooo bad!
By the way I took this picture in Firenze.
I wish I lived near Firenze!

Monday, October 06, 2008

the last snorkeling in Guam

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We had to chek out at noon on the last day in Guam.
So we had only few hours to be in the sea.
My husband took his time while blowing up a beach ball on the beach.
I couldn’t wait for him and started swimming slowly to my mother in the shore.
But I was care about him. So I waited for him on my way to my mother.
He caught up me while swimming slowly with a beach ball.
I said “ I’ll swim ahead not wait for you.” to him. He said “ Yeah, OK! “ So I started doing the crawl.
And I saw next to me while swmming. He swam ahead with fins even though he swam very slowly.
I moved my hands and my legs quickly. But he swam faster than me even though he swam only by his legs but also with fins and a ball.
Ummm, I laughed automatically and a little water flew into my nose!
We enjoyed snorkeling until just before leaving the hotel. But actually we wanted to snokel more. We stayed in Guam only for two days and a half day. But it was very fun.
After getting back to Japan I wrote down about this trip and then this story was longer than I imagined.
Two weeks passed since getting back to Japan. Recently it’s getting cold in Tokyo.
So when I wear a skirt not wearing stockings, my legs get cold.
The season that I enjoy wearing anklets is over and I put anklets in the box.
So, what am I gonna take out instead of it?

Friday, October 03, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** the last day in Guam ...the rainbow in the morning

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On the last day in Guam I got up early with my sister’s husband and went jogging.
There were only few people and cars in the town. But there were hardly cars out of the town.
Only People who wiped the window of shops or people who jogged were there.
When we jogged the temperature was still low.
I followed my sister’s husband while taking pictures.
At the time we found the rainbow that was disappearing in the front of us!
It was very lucky to see the rainbow while jogging!
“ The early bird catches the worm.” is true!
Jogging for 45 minutes, we got to a kind of park and got back.
The sunshine started shinning strongly!
I was a little bit scared because I got too much sunburn when I came to Guam three years
ago. I didn’t want to experience that again.
I jogged faster in the sun and jogged slower in the shade
So we jogged fast and strongly. So my muscle got sore even after getting to Japan.
But It was very fun to jog in the early morning in the uncrowded town of Guam
If we hadn’t jogged, we would’n’ve seen various scenery.
When and where I’m gonna jog in the early morning?

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

ABC Wednesday K is for

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For me K is for " Kitchen "
In the kitchen I cook, baking sweets and making soap:)
Kitchen is a place for making something good for me.
When I was single, I didn't get how kitchens were important places for wives.
After getting married I got it!
I sometimes think of something in the kitchen while doing dishes.
Yeah, kitchen is my best place at my house:)
By the way I’ve been busy at work also after work.
Usually I don’t have much plans though.
I’ve been wanting a schedule note book to write down my plans.
I worked overtime most of the time in September.
I hope I get home earlier in October.
Suddenly it’s getting cold and I’m hearing people coughing at work.
I gotta be careful not catching cold and work hard.
It’s already dark when it’s finishing time at work.
I’ll take out clothes for winter already.
By the way this is dinner that was ready in 30 minutes after working overtime.
It was very simple but I was satisfied. Hot miso soup got my tired heart bright.

Monday, September 29, 2008

thrilled night in Guam

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On the second day of Guam time flied when we were in the sea.
After having dinner at TGIFriday we walked around the town and went to a ride called sling shot.
The ride is the opposite of bungy jump.
My sister who likes scary rides asked us to ride the ride.
My sister’s husband said “ I can’t do it definitely.”
Everybody said " Aya should ride the ride! " to me. My sister who really wanted to ride it held me to the entrance of the ride. Everybody said " I'll pay the fee. " or " I'll get something after you riding. " to me. I said " Wait wait!! I'm bad at riding the scary ride more than you guys. " I thought I tried to ride the ride for my sister many times.
Because she really really wanted to ride it.
It attains heights of 230 feet and reaching speeds of up to 100 mph over and over.
It’s more scary than Japanese roller coaster very much.
I ended up not riding it. I couldn’t have courage to ride it.
After leaving the ride we went to the aquarium called “ Under Water World “.
We were able to see big Mantas and turtles swimming under the aquarium tunnel.
Sometimes some manta took a break on the aquarium of our head. And their faces made us
laugh.
We ended up going back to the hotel around 12 in the morining.
On the following day we were gonna go back to Japan.
Time flied on the last day.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

funny " Ponyo " and swimming fish around us

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When I went to Guam last time I got sunburn. That’s why I couldn’t jog.I thought I wanted to jog even this time. But it was toooooo baaaaad it was raining.
We were gonna get back to Japan on the following day. So on the day it was the best day because of having much time.
Inside of the sea seemed not to be clear because if rainning. We didn’t know we enjoyed snorkeling….
After breakfast we prepared for something to go out the sun started shining !My sister’s husband beat his chest. Actually he always brings the sunney day.I started singing a song of a movie called "Ponyo On A Cliff"
Everybody was laughing and said “ Try to sing the song again!” to me.
I sang the song. Everybody was laughing very much again.
The song that I sang was a little bit different from the real song.On the day we went to Agana Beach by an optional tour. But there were a lot of seaweed not coral. So we couldn’t see much fish there.
It was still raining. We got back to the hotel and went to Tumon beach again.
On the day it rained the whole day. So the temperature was low and swimming in the sea
was warmer than being on the beach.
But swimming for a long time, the water got rid of our temperature without knowing.When we realized my lips turned black.
Everybody told me to go to beach already. So I didn’t want to do it but I swam to the beach.
Seeing fish is very fun also swimming in the sea is fun!
We were able to swim faster from the beach to the shore with the wave. But we couldn’t go ahead faster from the shore to to the beach.
When it started pouring strongly, suddenly the water got cloudy.
I was a little bit scared.
My mother who waited for us on the beach was worried about us.
If lighting had appeared,it would’ve been dangerous.
Spending time in the sea is very fun but I gotta be careful.
By the way this fish is clear fish who swam around us. It looked like saury.

Friday, September 26, 2008

cute brothers and a night in Guam

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After snorkeling we went shopping to the Premium outlet mall.
The outlet looked like uncrowded shopping mall.
There was a big cheep clothing shop, NIKE and a toy shop.
We left there and went to a grocery store called “ Kmart” where we saw on the way to
the outlet mall.
Grocery stores in other countries are very interesting!
I looked for various food and various stuff in the store.
I wanted many things but if I got everything that I wanted, it would’ve been heavy.
So I didn’t buy many things.
We got bread for breakfast, honey made in US, dental floss and some alcohol.
Japanese ASAHI beer called “ Super Dry “ was sold for about $1 each.
They imported them but its in Japan is more expensive than it.
I found out Japanese alcohol tax is way too expensive!
On the night we ate pizza called Quattro Formaggio and pasta at an Italian restaurant.
After eating we drank beer and smirnoff at the hotel.
By the way this picture is some brother who swan with float.
They looked like getting on together.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

sleeping and swimming like fish*

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We got up at 8 in the morning. It was a brilliant sunny day.
We got something light for breakfast and went to the beach.
We ate a not good hotdog quickly and started snorkeling.
The first person who starts swimming in the sea is always my mother.
She said “ I’m over 60. So I try not to have too much confidence in my physical strength.”
But I couldn’t believe it when I saw her swimming. She swam fast the same as usual.
We always swim to our mother who swims ahead.
Tumon beach has a lot of hotels but also the beautiful beach!
Heading out of sea, there are many corals and a lot of fish all over the area.
You can see even clownfish.
Being in the sea, I forget time and I’m not bored at swimming and sometimes I wanna
float forever.
If somebody said “ If you couldn’t do only one thing in your life, which would you chose
snowboarding or snorkeling? “ to me, I’d definitely chose snorkeling.
This picture is a picture that I took when I snorkeled.

For starters I went to bed at the hotel in Guam

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It takes about 3 hours to go to Guam from Japan by plain.
It’s easy to go there even though it’s a foreign country.
It’s one of good places for people who can’t seem to take a long vacation.
Beach is very beautiful also there are a lot of fish in the sea.
Last Friday I finished working at 3:30pm and went to Narita from Nihonbashi.
I don’t need to make a reservation for it and I only have to get on the express train of
Toei-Asakusaline. It took about an hour and fifteen minutes.
It was very easy to go to Narita even though it takes more time usually.
Last summer my sister and her husband went to New Caledonia on the other day as us.
Because we couldn’t take a vacation together.
This time we went summer traveling together after two years. So I looked forward to going
to Guam. I know it but the funniest point for our family is going traveling together.
We flied at 8:45 at night from Narita and we got to Guam at 1 in the morning local time.
It’s been a year to go abroad. As soon as I got off the plain I was excited.
I fell asleep while listening to the conversation and laughing between my sister’s family
and my husband on the way to the hotel on the bus.
For starters I went to bed at the hotel and slept tight. It was the start of this trip in Guam.
By the way this picture is beautiful Tumon beach.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

A short summer trip*

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I’m flying to Guam tonight.
Last time when I went to Guam is the just time to start updating Japanese blog.
I feel like it was long time ago.
I’m having fun to going travel for a short time!
By the way this hotel is a hotel that we stayed in New Caledonia last year.

Sky Watch Friday **** beautiful sunset and a bad day

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On the other day I felt down suddenly.
Feeling down comes to me all of sudden.
By the way a temp stuff at work that I get along with recently smokes.
When we go to lunch together, she lights a cigarette before eating.
And she enjoys blowing white smoke.
Sarah Jessica Parker who is a heroin in “ Sex And The City “ enjoys smoking in the drama.
Seeing them, I sometimes really want to smoke when I feel down like the day, get angry at
somebody, feel bitter and want to cry because of being hard time.
My throat gets hot and dry.
If I decided to smoke, I could get it easily.
It must taste really gooood after about 5 years.
But I know the hardness of quitting smoking. So I don’t smoke again.
A little bit feeling down went away in the next bright morning.
I wanna treat the bad day well from now on, too!
By the way I saw the sunset in the mid summer. It was like being in a dream.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

ABC Wednesday *** " I " is for....

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i is for for " Inner Circle ".
It's a Jamaican reggae band's name.
I used to listen to their reggae when I was in my twenties.
Their songs make me happy:)

i is for " interior design ".
I'm interested in " interior design ".
So I like seeing magagines about it.

i is for " I " can do anything if I make many efforts.
Everybody has unlimited possibilities:)

Monday, September 15, 2008

The time when everything starts is fun*

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I feel uneasy to go to work after three-day-holiday.
Holidays passed quickly. Remembering last Friday before holidays,……
I went to Shinjuku of Tokyo after private lesson of English conversation.
The first place where I stopped by was a stationery shop. I got something for Marie who is a
French woman. I met her on the blog.
I miss picking up something on shops for friends in other countries since a friend who was a
Belgian old man passed away last January.
I’m more than delighted to get something for a friend again.
And then I went to a shop for ingredient of sweets and got matfer’s baking mat made
from glass fiber, a seamless thin spatula and powder sugar.
I got an Italian gook for font. And then it was around 10 when I got home.
But I thought tomorrow was the first day of 3-day-holiday. It felt very easy and it
was fun at the night.
By the way I took this picture at Disney sea when I entered there.
The time when everything start is fun.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** special gift*

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Last night I worked overtime for 30 minutes and got off at a station on my way home.
And I went to a school for making sweets.
After thinking of it for a long time I decided to go the school.
The biggest reason is fees. Inexpensive fees are really good for me.
I’m not sure about making sweets even the basic of it. So I wanna learn the basic at inexpensive school and go to another school.
Why I went to the school this time is not joining the school. I wanted to find students who introduce me to the school. When someone introduce you to the school,you don’t have to pay admission fee for it.I waited for students while seeing cell phone.
Few minutes later two students got out.
I ran to them and asked them to introduce me to the school.
I thought one of them was like a friend from college. Suddenly words slipped out.
I said “ You look like my friend from college. Did you used to go to brabrabra college? “ to her.
She said “That doesn't surprise me! I thought the same thing as you. “ to me.I said “ Ah!! Nao “ .Nao is her name.
I happened to go to the school last night and stopped by around 8.
If I hadn’t worked over time, I would’ve gone there 30 minutes before and I was gonna go there the day before yesterday actually. Yet, usually she goes to the school at another
place. What a coincidence we met each other! I’m thinking that this meeting again is special gift from God like this beautiful scenery at night in Odaiba of Tokyo.
Speaking of Nao( It’s Japanese female name ), There are lots of women called Nao.
And most their real names are “ Naomi “. I have 3 friends called Nao on blog also 4 friends in real life. I imagine I used to be related with Nao in previous life.
If I met a Japanese spiritual counselor called Ehara, He would say “ Do you meet women called Nao too many times? “ to me!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

That's what sisters are*

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Last Friday I took a half day off for some reason.
I met up with my sister in Shinjuku of Tokyo and we had lunch at a restaurant where I used to go to when I worked in Shinjuku..
After enjoying eating hotmápó dòufu we walked to NS building in the hot weather.
When I used to work in Shinjuku, I often went there because there were few customers there.
I used to like the elevator of this building. Because you can see spectacular view.
So I asked her to get on the elevator.
My sister said “ I know a higher building in Shiodome of Tokyo. And you can enjoy going up at high speed “ But we enjoyed going up more than imagined while imagining riding the ride called“ free fall “
It would be OK to ride it once, but I asked he to ride one more time. So she grinned at me
After walking for a long time we stooped by Starbucks. But we couldn’t keep seats
Because I stood reading books at a book shop next to Starbucks.
So we had to walk more for me. It was not easy to hang out with me.
We finally got seats and drank a cup of coffee while being relaxed.
And then we went to see various shops for clothes and something and we went to a shop for ingredient of sweets and I got 1 kg of almond powder, raisin and walnuts walnut.
My sister got me the tool for squeezing the whipped cream for macaroon and Mont Blanc.
She said “ I don’t know why you made me walk for a long time. I’m really tired!” to me while smiling.
Yeah, that’s right! On the day we walked for two or three hours without knowing.
We left Shinjuku of Tokyo and got to my house with some alcohol.
It was really hot in the afternoon. So we took a shower as soon as we got to my house.
And we were relaxed under the air conditioning with alcohol. “ It felt really goooood “
Dear my sister, thank you for hanging out with me.
And the lightheartedness addicted for me.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Try some my macaroon*

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This picture is macaroon of Ayar.
It isn’t bad? I have gotten a knack for making it.
But macaroons that I put on the silicon seat changed their shapes a little and
when I did something else, they were browned.
But I saw what I should do next time and I memorized the texture of dough called
“ macaroonaju”.
I’ll make it next weekend.
You have to use much sugar when you make macaroon.
If my family ate everything, they would gain weight…..
What am I gonna do? I’m gonna bring them to work…..

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Today's flower** I'm loved by a morning glory

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When I saw a Japanese guy's blog last Thursday, he posted a dynamic sequence of photographs of whales.
It made me go running.
All right! I’m going running I thought and I went out soon.
Starting running and it past twenty minutes, suddenly it was pouring!
I got back to my house quickly but I was soaking wet in 10 minutes.
When I started running from my sister’s house on the other day, it started pouring in 10 minutes.
I bring the rain these days.
Tonight I hope it isn’t raining…
By the way this picture is morning glory at my house.
It has always blue color. But this morning one of them had pink color even though
it had blue color the day before yesterday.
It must be fall in love with me:)

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Camera-Critters -good swimmers

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I wanna swim smoothly in life.
Even competitive swimmers of Gold medalists in Olympics
make a lots effort for it.
So I gotta make many efforts, too! right?

Friday, September 05, 2008

Sky Watch Friday **** Are there clouds on your mind?

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I took this picture in Hokkaido where is placed in the north place of Japan last winter.
On the day it was very windy and many clouds flied away one after another.
I didn't know it was like being in heaven or not heaven.
If it's always cloudy, it's too bad.
But if there wasn't any clouds in the sky, it wouldn't be interesting.
We need clous not only the sun:)

Thursday, September 04, 2008

Tokyo Disney Sea

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I went to Disney Sea with my husband and my sister and her husband last Saturday.
It’s been three years since I went there with my sister and it was the first time to go there with them.
I already got some snacks to bring there few days ago because of looking forward to going there with them.
On the previous evening I couldn’t seem to fall asleep and I laughed myself because of being excited like a child.
It had been raining in Tokyo last week. Last Saturday the weather forecast said it's gonna rain. Getting up early, I saw outside. It was pouring.But when we got to the Disney Sea, it cleared up.
My sister’s husband who calls the sun clapped his arm while saying “ see? “.Getting into the entrance we ran to get “ fast pass “ of a ride called “ Tower of Terror “.
This is a ride like free fall. It means the ride falls down from the top to the bottom.My sister who likes thrilling rides led us there. Indeed we three were scared very much.
We went to a ride of “ Indiana Jones “. But we had to wait for it for 50 minutes even though it was still early morning.
We waited in line while sweating like a pig under the strong sun.
It took long time to ride the ride, but it took only short time till the end of the ride.My husband said “ I’m already satisfied. “ when we finished riding the ride called “ Aquatopia “.We got on a ship called “ Transit Steamer Line “ and went to a ride called “ The Center Of The Earth “ and got a “ fast pass “. When we took a break with beer at the stand on the basement, suddenly it started pouring.
It was around noon. So we decided to go back to the car and have lunch.It was silent at the parking lot. So we were relaxed because it was kind of noisy at the land.
My sister served some rice balls, sandwiches and fried chicken from the coolerbox.We opened a table of the backseat. It was like the meal service on the plane.After finishing eating she took iced coffee and added some milk in a cup.She is really caring! I thought she is a character in a Japanese book for children.The character takes various food from her bag and cook something for children.So, time passed when we were relaxed and being dozing off at a car while feeling cool winds in the morning.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

ABC WEDNESDAY G is for.....

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G is for GOLD MEDAL of Olympics.
Did you see Olympics game?
Kosuke Kitajima who is a Japanese athlete won two gold medals!
I was really impressed at him.
Because he has not only talent also he's made many efforts since he was a kid.
I can't do that like him.
So I respect him. and I think he is GREAT , fabulous and marvelous.
I wanna make efforts to be an atractical woman:)

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Mont Blanc

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My father-in-law sent us a pumpkin that he grew at his garden.
So I made various dishes from it. Per say, deep cooked pumpkin, grilled pumpkin and pumpkin with miso-soup.
The pumpkin was made in Japan also he grew it without Agricultural chemicals.
So I was pleased to eat such a nice pumpkin.
Especially we were able to taste the natural sweet of pumpkin. It was very good.
I grilled sliced pumpkin with bread crumbs that I mixed with Parmigiano cheese and chopped small tomato.
But there was still some pumpkin. So I decided to make cake called Mont Blanc from it.
I boiled pumpkin and used the blender for mashing.
Then I strained it.
After straining it I was pleased to see the smooth pumpkin.
It was really smooth. I enjoyed the texture also mixing it with sugar and fresh cream.
By the way I realized I was not sure how to put the cream on the cake after baking some cup cake.
I don’t have tools for squeezing cream for Mont Blanc. So I used another tool instead of it.
After finishing making it I thought I should’ve put pumpkin cream
around fresh cream on the top of the cake. I’ll do it next time.
Anyway, I’ m satisfied used all the pumpkin that my father-in-law grew and enjoyed eating as various dishes.
The fall that is the best season for eating is coming soon.
I gotta be careful not to gain weight.