Piicats News Book 3

'00 JULY

Umesyu

Do you know the Umesyu? It is the only one liquor that I can drink. Umesyu is spirits flavored with Ume(Plum) fruits, made with shochu(distilled from sweet potatoes ,rice, buckwheat,etc) and crystal sugar. I make Ume liquor and Ume juice every one years, because I cannot drink any liquor so much. There are three bottles of Ume liquor on the storeroom. I somtimes put it in a cake , or use it in roasting the pork. This year ,however, I made the Ume liquor. It is three months later when we will be able to drink it.

My new car

Three years ago my husband bought his new car. It is a sports typed car, Fairlady-Z, by Nissan. He had longed for it for a long time. Then he gave me his old car. It was a little big car for me. Besides its odometer showed over 100,000 kilometers. Too much!!! But the car was necessary for me to take my father-in-law to the hospital. He had to be given an intravenous drip injection twice a week when he was at home. Or he had been in the hospital over ten times in these two years. When he was there, I take my mother-in-law to the hospital twice a day, because he was almost blind owing to glaucoma. So I needed a big car.

Now I bought a small car. Very convenient, having a tight turning circle and easy to go through the narrow street. But I am a little embarrased with my new car. Soon I'm going to get used to drive it.

Movies

On this weekend my husband did his job with the computer .There is only one in my house, so I wacthed for movies on TV. "Dr.Dolittle" "Saving Private Ryan" "Armageddon" "What Dreams may come" Very famous movies, though I haven't watched them yet. Almost of them were nominated at the Academy Award.

"Saving Private Ryan", there were some cruel and very realistic scenes that I couldn't stare no longer. Fortunately I recorded it on video tape, so I fastforwarded a tape. "Dr.Dolittle" and "Armageddon" were enjoyable. Robin Williams in "What adreams may come" is the most favorite actor of mine. He can play both very serious part and funny one. In July and in August, there are a lot programs of famous movies, for example "I've Got a Mail","City of Angel","Amistad", and so on. Very look forward to watch them.

Smoke from the air conditioner

I had a strange smell when I came back home one day. It smelled like a fish boiled with a soy sauce, I thought. I didn't know what it was. A few minutes later ,I found the smoke from the wall socket fro the air conditioner. This air conditioner is very old. It was furnished when this house was built 25 years ago. So very ,very old.

It is the end of the rainy season, and we have very hot and humid days. I cannot put up with these muggy days without air conditioner any more. I wen to the appliance store to get a new one immediately. It was so lucky that one of the shop assistant arranged to deliver the new air conditioner the following day! Now I am in the comfortable ,cool living room. I'm HAPPY.

Money News

2000 yen notes are making an appearance for the first time from today, 19th July. Using new technology the 2000 yen note will be even further protected from forgery. The picture on the note is one of the gates of the Shuri Castle, which dates back to the 15th century, located on the outskirts of Naha City in Okinawa. The Okinawa Summit is to be held this July. On the back of the note is a passage from the Tale of Genji which was written about 1000 years ago. The note is part of the late Prime Minister Obuchi's "Millennium Project".

Movies of this week

I watched two movies on the TV this week. One is "Amistad". It is the story about a lot of slaves, being carried off forcibly and illegaly from their home, West of Africa, before the Civil War. A brave young lawyer and a onetime President of the United States struggled against the Southerner, who insist the slavery, against the President at the time, and against Spain. This movie was a true story. I cried many times to know this history of the emancipation of slaves.

Today I watched "Hamlet" by Shakespeare. It is well known ,and I know it. But I was very impressed with Shakespeare's words spoken fluently without any hesitation.

Guests from Korea

My husband studies Korean now, and has some Korean friends. Korea is the closest country to Japan geographically, but a faraway country in their friendly relations with Japan. There seem to be a lot of misunderstandings among the peoples of two countries. My husband exchanges e-mails with his friends, and then he knew some of those . I, too. We want to know each other, and to have a good relationship with them.

One of his Korean friends came to Japan this summer. He teaches Japanese language at the High School in Korea. He stayed at his relative's house in Osaka with his two sons and his borther-in-law.
They came to our home on the 29th in July. He brought us many presents, Korean keyboard to my husband, Korean toasted seaweed , 'washing cloth of the dirt 'to my daughters and me. We, all, were
very glad to have them. Then his brother-in-law made us 'Sangetan', Korean famous food. It was very delicious.

'00 August

Happy Wedding , Yumi & Dominic

Yumi and Dominic had a wedding ceremony at a fantastic church, facing the sea. Both the bride and the bridegroom were very lovely and noble. My husband ,our two daughters and I attended the ceremony. Then there held a wedding reception at the hotel. Dominic's parents came from New Zealand, and his sister came from France. His best friend came from New Zealand with his parents.

It was a heartful reception. Yumi and Dominic made invitation cards and wrote their messages to each one. There were each card on the table, with the figure of a red crane to a lady guest, a green one to a male guest, which they folded with a piece of paper by themselves.

They gave all the guests a piece of cakes. This cake was made by Dominic's mother. We heard this was a custom of New Zealand's wedding ceremony. And among them , there is a lucky piece of cake. That lucky man were presented a bottle of wine!!!

Hatubon

There came the first Obon since my father-in-law passed away in February.We had a small memorial service on the 12th in August. The priest came home and prayed. One younger brother of my father-in-law , mother-in-law, my husband's older brother's family and our family attended the service.

We are going to the Mount Koya-san, bringing a part of his ashes to the temple .Almost of his ashes were burried on the day of his funeral , in a graveyard in our neighbourhood. Only his Adams apple will be placed in the temple in Koya-san.

Congratulation !

I went to the Kousien stadium four times. For I had to cheer the baseball team of the high school my youger daughter graduated this March. Yes, there were held the High School Baseball Tournament .
My daughter was one of cheer leaders in her school days. They got the championship at last. It is the twice ,after an interval of three years. Congtarulation!!!

'00 SEPTEMBER

To Mount Koya

We went to the Mt.Koya in Wakayama Pref. to bring a part of ashes of my father-in-law. We have to cremate a dead body soon after his funeral legally. Each denomination has their own way services. The religion of my family is Singon-syu. It was founded by the priest Kukai about one thousand years ago. Mt.Koya is its sacred moutain.

We have to serve a cup of tea to ashes of my father-in-law. So we had a rest at the house of his young brother's house in Wakayama Pref. From there , we got on the express train, Koya-go, on Nankai Rine. It was my first time to get on that express train. I could see the wonderful view from the window of the train. I get sick whenever I go to Mt.Koya by car.

The priest prayed for my father-in-law at Oku-no-in temple at the top of Mt.Koya. They will continued to pray for a while, and then they will spread the ash of my father-in-law over the sacred moutain, we were told.

My decision

Every summer I gain weight because I have meals three times a day, and have a snack between meals with my children. I gained so much weight this summer!!! My skirts and pants became a little tight for me to put on. So I determined to diet. Sharon , My English teacher , reduced her weight for her wedding. 17 kg, waooooooo! She gave her advice to us. Yes, to US. Almost of the students on her English class began to diet. All fo us were surprised at her slim body after her wedding ceremony , and impressed very much.

Her advices are;

1.Have a balanced meal three times a day
2.Not have anything after nine o'clock
3.Drink coffee without sugar
4.Drink soymilk instead of milk (Soymilk has low in calories, one thirds calories of milk's)
5.Not eat sweets, chokolates, cakes
6.have much water
7.Not weigh myself on the scales

One of the student told us to take a walk , over 8,000 steps a day. I take a walk with my two dogs for one hours every morning and every afternoon. When I had a pedometer with me in taking a walk, it counted about 5,000 steps. So I walk about 10,000 steps everyday.
Twenty days had passed since I made my decision for diet. I have not stand on the scales yet. I don't feel or recognize any change .

"The Kid"

I went to watch the movie,"The Kid", with my daughter last Saturday. I didn't know it was produced by the Walt Disney company. But I admitted that it was very Disney Movie, when the movie was over. It was wonderful movie about the dream of one boy.

There was a competent, rich man.He was 39 years old. One day a plump boy appeared in front of the man. The boy was himself , 8 years old, in his childhood. The boy was surprised and angry to know that his dream had never been realized; not a pilot, no dog whose name is Chester, no wife. The man went to the day of his schooldays with the boy, he remenbered all the matter. On their birthday, one aged pilot appeared in front of them, with a red plane, a dog named Chester, and beautiful wife. That man was themselves, 70 years old.

'00 November

Plan for our trip to New Zealand

We'll visit New Zealand from the 25th of December to the New Year's Eve. My husband and the elder daughter and I. I miss my son and the younger daughter cannot go with us. My husband thought he wished take our two daughters with him. He wished them to enjoy their first overseas trip. The younger daughter is to visit Australia for one month next February. He said that he wouldn't go on a trip without his daughters and told me to visit NZ and to meet our friends by myself. So I persuaded my elder daughter to have a trip with us.

Ny husband planned our trip by himself, for he has been there two years ago and knows better than us. First the plan of the trip was from the 26th to the 30th. You may think it's a very ,very short holidays. You may think we had better enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays in NZ. NO! He must not take so long holidays. He told the travel agent about his plan, and to book the hotel , the tickets of the airplanes and the trains. But he couldn't get the both of the tickets of the days my husband planned. After all we got a trip for NZ two days longer than his plan. Soooooo lucky for me.

Passport

My elder daughter and I have to get our own passport . This is the first overseas trip for her. For ME? I have been to Europe, homestayed in England for two weeks and traveled around the Europe. But............................................ It was about THIRTY YEARS AGO!!!!! At that time there were two kinds of passport, for a tourist for only once trip and for several times trip. Of course my passport was for only one trip.

We applyed for our passports , and picked them last Thursday. So I can visit everywhere in abroad, everytime I want .

Order from the nursery in the US

I am enjoying the ML of African Violet on the internet. Everyday there are a lot of messages from the members of it in the world, the US, Canada, Sweden, German, Singapole and so on. It is too hard for me to read all of them in English. Its moderators suggest many curious project for us; for example, Bingo games with the names of AV flowers, exchanging our X'mas present, swapping the AV leaves, projecting the seed planting. and so on. I joined 'the Chimera Project' ' Chimera' has the pinwheel flowers. And it is more particular to propagate them compared with the other AVs. I don't have any Chimeras. So I went to the nursery in Osaka to get some. And more I ordered from the nursery in the US. It's the first time for me to order from the company of the foreign country. Besides, I ordered the plants in this time. I have not gotten them yet, but I look forward to have them soon.

'00 December

AV plants from the nursery in the US

I told you that I ordered AV plants, chimera flowers, from the nursery in the US. They got to my house in the end of November. It had been so looong time for me to get them from the time I orderd. All of them were very fine. But I was shocked to see that they didn't have their roots. It was mentioned that the roots and the soil had to been taken away, to export over the seas from their country. And they costed very expensive. For they included the postage, the charge of quarantine, the tax , and so on. Now they have white , tiny their roots. I look forward to see their flowers next spring.

"Green Mile" "Step Mom"

I have heard about this movie, "Green Mile", so impressive . I've seen some of the scene of this movie.
I went to the movie theater one Friday, when it costs only 1000 yen for all women. It was much more moving than I had heard. Three prisoners who were condemned to death; they might commit serious crimes, but they live as a man. The prison guards and the executioner are also humen beings. They understand each other ,except one prison guard. I was very shocked to see the capital punishment. Seeing the last scene, I found the meaning of the first scene of this movie. The meaning of our lives.........

A good news! There was the new theater opened in my neighborhood this month. At this theater we, ladies, can see the movie with 1000 yen on Thesday. Yes, on Friday and on Tuesday, they are movie days for us.

I watched "Step Mom" on TV. There are two children, who have their father , mother (I've forgotten the name of this actress, sorry) and step-mother(father's lover, Julia Roberts). They have some troubles among them ,but all of them becomes one family. Three years ago I was surprised to know that there are some families living with father ,mother, step-father, step-mother , after their divorce and their remarriage. It cannnot be supposed these family in Japan. I think it very nice for the children.

Guests from Australia

Rajna & Louise

Two ladies came from Melbourne on the 9th in November. Rajna is a teacher of art, and Louise of Math and computer. We had a very delightful time with them. They could not speak Japanese at all, but were eager to learn Japanese language.For example "Domo" and "Dozo", these words are used the different occasion, though their pronunciations are very similar . They became to use them properly on the last day in Japan.

They wished to go shopping at the super market. We went there, but there were not any things the wanted to buy. Then we went to the 100 yen shop. They bought many ,many interesting things there; bathing towel, loooong cooking chop-sticks, a cover of the toilet seat, a stamp with Kanji characters, and so on. Rajna bought a under -Kimono for her dressing gown. Our friend of New Zealand wore the under-Kimono when she stayed our house three years ago.

They went for a walk with my dogs. Louise ran and ran with Sakura. Ssakura seemed to be very happy, because she could run as much as she wishes. Thanks Louise. I want to visit their country, Australia.

"River Dance"

X'mas party ( Bou-nen-kai )

Trip to New Zealand