Hi, everyone!
Plum, I understand your difficulties and reformation about the position of your lap top PC. Because I used to work a desk top PC before, and now a lap top one. In addition to this, I use it on the same desk. So, I feel I get tired easily these days. I, too, must think about the position of my PC.
This afternoon, my kids and I went to a used-book store to sell some books after a long time interval. While looking for something interesting, I came upon a magazine for kids’ learning English published by Alc. When I glance casually at the cover of it, there was a photograph of your face on it, Plum! I was pleasantly surprised to see you. That magazine was published on November 2002, and there was the special interview, in which you told how to improve English for all mothers. What a lucky coincidence. What is more, today was a sale day for all magazines. I was happy to get it and some other magazines.
So, see you tomorrow. Good night.
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Dear Cherry and friends,
Hello. How are you?
Cherry, I can imagine how you felt when you saw the photo. Plum is definitely our heroine and local celebrity and what's more, she is our mentor.
Two days ago, I sent Japanese manuscript to Plum and asked her to read it.
I hardly write Japanese article formally. Once in a while, I blog in Japanese, but its style is not formal.
Did I write formal Japanese recently? Not recently, but last summer I did. Last time I wrote formal Japanese was when I translated an English academic research essay into Japanese. It was about China's foreign investment. A certain research center gave us this job. This was the first time when my translation made some money. Only five years ago, I didn't have even the slightest dream of such possibility. English used to be just one of my hobbies.
Before I joined Plum's tutorial, I attended English classes only in Toyohashi. In those days, I studied English for the purpose of making friends. Since I attended several classes or circles in which people communicate in English, I always felt the English community of Toyohashi was very small. It might be better if I say we can easily get to know people who use English whether they're native speakers or not. When I attended an English conversation session with a Canadian teacher, I knew two of his acquaintances. One was his student at another place, the other lived next to his house. He was amazed.
Similarly, Champagne told me that KC, who attended her class in Toyohashi, knew me. He and I were May's students many years ago. As some of you know, May used to teach in Toyohashi, and currently teaches at Kurumamichi.
It's a small world.
Now I'm feeling I wrote this before.
Peach, when I wrote about my granny and our visit to the Imperial Palace, I should have written "the plaza in front of the Imperial Palace" instead of "garden." And for small stones, I should have called it "gravels." There was no flowers. Sorry for my using inappropriate words.
Good night.
Hi, ladies!!!
It’s Sunday, March 15, 2008, today, and it’s another early spring beautiful day. I believe that all of you are having a marvelous time in this brilliant weather. We are easily influenced by weather, and that’s human nature, isn’t it? This afternoon I’m gonna plant some flowers that I got yesterday at the garden center of the shopping complex, here and there in my garden. Gardening, or appreciating plants, is one of the God-gifted human pleasures, I always suppose.
Last weekend and the following weekdays I was extremely busy, and so I could not read all your postings except the ones by Cherry. Then now I have finished reading all the ones I missed, and I am very happy to know that all of you are enjoying your lives and your attitudes are always forward and future-oriented. (Tomorrow would be better than today…that’s the spirit!!!)
Have a lovely Sunday, my dear friends. Talk to you again tomorrow. Bye for now.
Dear Cherry and friends,
It is Sunday, March 16. Yes, it is a beautiful spring day. I saw beatiful geraniums whose petals are more beatuful and gorgeous than the ususal ones at Plum's. I also am attracted by them. Besides its beauty, they are pernennial species and can survive the following year. As their roots are short, they demand less water.
This morning I heard a Japanese bush warbler singing. When we hear it we know spring has come. At first a newly born bush warbler cannot sing so well, but it soon learns to sing. I feel like cheering it up! So many years ago, I've been to Tsukigase to see plum blossoms. They were amazing,even mysterious to me. On today's Chunichi, I found a hiking bus tour there. I'd like to join, but I have to walk 7
kilometers. I wonder if I
can acomplish it. Plum blossoms are appreciated in Japan.
Thank you.
ありがとうございました
Dear Cherry and friends,
Hi! How are you?
Yesterday, one of my friends took me to Lake Hamana. After having lunch together, we spent some time chatting on the beach of Lake Hamana, and then went to a hotel beside Lake Inohana connecting to Lake Hamana. The hotel has a hot spring. After taking the hot spring bath, she invited me to her room to have tea. She has a resort condominium on the opposite shore of Lake Inohana. She said that she sometimes stayed in the room with her family and friends. Before leaving there, we walked around the building. There was a yacht harbor near the area. We watched stars in the sky. I hadn't seen such many stars for a long time.
Today, I got some advice about the Japanese manuscript from Plum. I corrected it and printed it out. In the afternoon, I asked Mother to call Ms. E, the teacher of her essay class, take me to her house, and introduce me to her. Ms. E used be a journalist. I don't know from when, but she started her own editing business. She teaches writing personal histories at a culture center where Mother met her. Thus, we made an appointment with her and visited her around 5:30 pm. I asked her to proofread my manuscript. She promised me to read it. In front of her house, we talked a while. She gave me some advice. For example, she said, “Put a summary and your profile on the cover. These are sort of information people want to know before reading the whole essay.” Now, I have to write a summary.
Have a good week.
Dear Cherry and Friends
It has been getting warmer recently. The warmer it is, the more cheerful feeling we have. Exactly as Plum mentioned, we tend to be influenced by weather condition. So I suppose everybody has spent wonderful days. I am very happy to get some good news from friends and I have now been overwhelmed with a lot of efforts and marvelous achievements of my precious friends.
On the other hand, I have a little bit felt down. Because what I have done these days is only to keep me fit, which means that maintaining my health is my only job.
See you again, my high-spirited friends,
Dear Cherry and friends,
It is Monday, March 17. The sky is clear up and it is very warm, which is very comfortable to me, I hope to you all. Alice, it’s good to have someone help you read your Japanese writing. I strongly feel your mother is also well trained and talent in reading and writing Japanese. A blue bird may sit close to us!
Today I’d like to mention about Izakaya. As I don’t go out for Izakaya so often, I don’t know much about it. But Izakaya seems to be very trendy place for the people from abroad. In Izakaya they serve a variety of food in a reasonable price. The atmosphere is really to be enjoyed. Image of Japanese food is always very formal like sushi bar or ryoutei. Someone says there is no book that explains the phenomenon to Westerners, in which people not only eat and drink . So, if you know good Izakaya in Nagoya or Sakae area, please let me know. I’d like to go in advance. We should prepare for taking someone there. Thank you.
Correction:
On the 6th line, I found a mistake. Please correct talent into has a talent. Thank you.
Dear Cherry and friends,
Hello. How are you?
Cosmos, please take care and don't be stressed out.
People around you, your family and Waka chan always make you happy and I'm sure they have power to heal you. I'm often amazed with your positive attitude towards your family, friends, people in general.
Today, I got a brochure from British Tourist Authority which definitely made me want to visit Britain. Photos completely look different from ones I saw on the web. Have we ever visited there? Well, Plum asked us the other day, right?
My answer was yes, but only 3 days. You might think it was part of a tour to European countries. No, it wasn't. I visited only London. I was not able to stay there longer, because I had my own juku (prep school) and I couldn't take a long leave. I met a friend of mine. I stayed at her apartment. She was working in London. It was early December. I remember that I visited Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace by myself during the day. At night, she and I went out together. We saw a musical. I only remember the title, “Crazy for You.” We also visited a pub, my English was so poor that I couldn't enjoy myself.
If I have another chance to visit Britain, I would love to visit rural areas.
Talk to you soon.
Dear Cherry and friends,
It is Tuesday, March 18. It is getting warmer and warmer day by day. I cannot resist dozing. Today I’d like to ask you the difference between Japanese teachers and foreign ones. In Japan traditionally teachers seems to have been respected more. It can be proved by the song we sing at the graduation ceremony; Aogebatotoshi. I hear in a certain high school in Japan, not only students but also teachers stop singing or listening. I also hear in America the students can evaluate the teachers by answering questioners. A Japanese high school student once told me that teachers don’t warn against the students’ during the class. She is even disgusted. I wonder if it is a matter of nationality. I mean it is due to Japanese educational system. I understand your feelings against teachers well through this blog. All teachers are not always doing right.
Hi, ladies!!!
It’s Tuesday, March 18, 2008, today, and it’s been another early spring warm day, hasn’t it?
Yesterday Cherry came to my place to deliberate her essay, and we are almost finishing her essay, but we will meet again after my returning from England. We also discussed what she wanted to research this year, and she said that she would like to study Suga Kanno, and I was completely pleased with her choice. I have been extremely interested in Suga Kanno, but have never had a chance to examine her, and so I’m greatly looking forward to reading her essay for this year.
Cosmos, I am terribly sorry to hear that you have been still suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. I know how hard to get rid of that disease, and the pain is unbearable, torturing and excruciating, I believe. My mother was also inflicted with the neuralgia when I was a high school girl. I don’t remember how long she was so, but she was often in bed due to the pain when I got home from school. But eventually her pain seemed to have disappeared fortunately, and I rarely heard her complain about her disease. Actually she celebrated her 88th birthday in good health after she went to New Zealand for 4 weeks at the age of 83. At the age of 90, she got a stroke, and due to that she got bed-ridden and was in the nursery home until her death at 94.
I believe she led a happy life as she got older, living with my brother’s family. I seldom heard about any conflict between my mother and her daughter-in-law, who is a relatively take-it-easy type and not good at arguing, and thus in her own way she tried to build up harmony and peaceful relationship with my mother, which was excellent to my sisters and me.
Tomorrow some workmen are coming to elevate the floor of the sunroom attached to the lounge, and I will have a hectic day.
Talk to you again tomorrow. Have a fantastic Wednesday. Night, night, my precious friends.
Dear Cherry and friends,
Hi! How's everything going?
This evening, I heard my father talking loudly to the phone. I was wondering what was happening. He sounded he got angry some time before but I heard he say, “I don't care but please understand my current feeling.” Obviously, he had trouble with somebody.
After a while, I passed where he was working. I didn't ask what it was, but he told me what was going on.
Some months ago, we designed a picture which was planed to be put on a car. I remember the job because it was an interesting job. The ordered picture was a combination of Holstein (cow!) pattern and map of Hokkaido and Aichi. We enjoyed making the picture. The most difficult part was its tail. The client wanted the car to look like a cow. Although my sister and I didn't come up with a good idea about how to draw a tail, my father drew a tail easily and finished designing. He brought it to the client, but we haven't been asked to make a sticker of that picture.
Today, while he was driving in town, he saw a car whose design was exactly that one, that is, ours. The client didn't pay for the design, but brought the design to another signboard maker and placed an order. That's the reason why my father got angry. We should have charged for the design.
I don't know who should be blamed, the car owner, the car dealer, or us.
Ironically, the car owner was an outsourcing company.
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