Monday, May 31, Fair, windy, and then rainy.
No time to go to the hospital for neck
traction. There still is so much work left
to do. I had a full day today. I was on canteen
duty. I sampled the bread and milk, and then
students began to eat. I was a taster. There
were mosquitoes in the cafeteria. The school
is infested with mosquitoes at this time
of the year, especially up to the second
floor, including the teachers' room.
Sunday, May 30, Fair , occasionally cloudy.
Our car was so dirty my wife and I went
to a car wash nearby and washed it. It cost
us only 500 yen. Today the thermometer rose
above 30 ℃－the first midsummer day of the
year. It was hot, and windy, especially in
back of our home－what I call 'the valley
of the wind'. While taking a brisk walk at
night, I perspired.
Saturday, May 29, Cloudy.
There are too many things to do beside
teaching these days. I have to do one miscellaneous
duty after another. As a matter of fact,
today being a holiday, I have work to do
at home. Practiced speaking English at the
usual English conversation school. A bit
tired, so took a nap, and then did some work.
It was a little hot and humid. According
to the meteorological agency, the rainy season
has set in in the Kyushu, Shikoku and Chugoku
areas.
Friday, May 28, 2004 Fair and then cloudy.
I found most of the vegetables in the fridge
rotten when I tried to prepare lunch. What
a waste! But in a way, it can't be helped
because we were in Tokyo for three days last
week. I always take out the garbage. I do
the cleaning. I take care of the cats, feeding
them and cleaning their toilet. I do the
washes. I am a househusband. My wife wears
the pants.
Thursday, May 27, 2004 Cloudy
This morning I heard over the radio, NPR,
that al-Qaida is 90 percent ready to attack
the U.S. soon. Should a nuclear bomb be detonated
in the center of Washington, D.C., what would
happen? Qaida members are said to be with
their families in America to lower their
profiles. There will be a Human Rights homeroom
class early next month. We are all different,
and that is O.K., but the reality is not
that simple.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004 Fair
Our second son complained of tympanitis,
inflammation of the middle ear, this morning.
He is under stress because he is now studying
for his exams. Stress lowers your resistance.
I have a bit of a sore throat, too. This
evening my wife had stomach trouble. She
had gas. I listened to NPR for the first
time in many days today. I had better resume
it, I guess.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004 Fair
Hydrangeas are beginning to bloom here
and there. I love hydrangeas. This morning
I couldn't afford the time to go to the sign
language circle. So much work to do. Tyranny
of restlessness is no good. Got to watch
out. So, today I listened to classical music
on my portable CD player on my way to and
back from work. Du Pre's cello was moving
as usual.
Monday, May 24, 2004 Fair
Our second son being a fan of the Hanshin
Tigers, my wife and I often see baseball
on TV these days. My wife especially enjoys
it, talking about it with the son. I will
have surgery in August. Difficult and dangerous
operation. To tell the truth, I am scared.
Happy are those who live an ordinary life
with nothing special happening.
Sunday, May 23, 2004 Cloudy
There was a general assembly of the condo
complex this morning. I attended it. It lasted
for two hours or so. There were only eleven
people present－less than half the residents.
There used to be more. The other half handed
in their letters of attorney. I cooked dinner
for my wife this evening because my wife
felt under the weather.
Saturday, May 22, 2004 Cloudy
Mr. Koizumi made a visit to North Korea
today, a day trip. I will have to go to Tokyo
again on August 9, one day before my operation.
This week I used the Shinkansen for the first
time in many days. I went as far as Odawara
and went by the Odakyu Line, which I am used
to using. I calculated the fare there and
back. It cost me 27,440 yen.
Friday, May 21, 2004 Fair and hot.
The sky cleared up after Typhoon No.2 was
gone. Also the temperature rose. I got back
to Osaka this afternoon and went to work.
On the 19th, I was at an old inn in Kanagaroo.
On the 20th I saw the spine doctor in Chofu
and then met my friend for the first time
in many days. I was glad that he was doing
O.K. Stayed at his residence overnight. Today
is our first-born son's birthday.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004 Cloudy
The sign language circle went on an outing
to Arashiyama by JR. We visited a place called
Community Sagano, a national sign language
study center. We had lunch there, too. Then
we rode the so-called trolley train and enjoyed
the natural scenery. After the ride, we went
to a coffee shop at Sagano and rested for
a while chatting. We went home by Hankyu
via Tengachaya or Umeda. From tomorrow until
the 21st, I will be up in or around Tokyo.
So this diary won't be written for the next
few days.
Monday, May 17, 2004 Cloudy with occasional
rain.
Dismal weather again. According to the
weather forecast, this gloomy weather will
last at least for a week or so. Too bad.
Ate breakfast with my younger son－just bread
(Choco Cornet) and coffee as usual. From
this month on, looks like I've got to print
out my own pay slip. At short notice or without
notice. Had a hard time adjusting my school
outing routes and traveling expenses online.
This is more troublesome than before.
Sunday, May 16, 2004 Rain
The school outing has been called off due
to the heavy rain. The wind was also strong
enough to almost blow my umbrella inside
out. I went as far as Umeda Station and was
informed about the cancellation by the teachers
on duty there. I was supposed to either go
to Arashiyama anyway or report to the vice-
principal at school. I made the latter choice,
for I had something to do there. Gloomy weather
all day.
Saturday, May 15, 2004 Fair and then cloudy.
Our older son came back from Kobe and stayed
overnight. Drove my wife to work and ate
breakfast with our younger son, the other
one still fast asleep. The younger one is
a fan of the Tigers. Today he is going to
work part-time at Koshien. Went to the nearby
English conversation class and talked in
English for two hours. Picked up my wife
and ate out as usual. The weather is getting
worse. We will be having bad weather tomorrow
on our school's outing to Arashiyama.
Friday, May 14, 2004 Fair
Yesterday bought bullet train tickets for
reserved seats from a ticket machine for
the first time. To me, that was a new experience.
Toward the end of the day at work, there
was a rush of 'reports' for me to check.
I worked overtime. The teachers' room on
the second floor, where my desk is, is infested
with mosquitoes, especially after dark.
Thursday, May 13, 2004 Rainy and humid.
Walked to the hospital in the rain this
morning. My shoes were soaked, even into
the socks. Got a letter of introduction from
my doctor, for I am going to the spine clinic
in Tokyo next week. A fellow teacher saw
the movie "Passion." In his opinion,
it is a good movie. Toward the evening, it
began to rain ever harder. On my way home,
the trains were delayed due to the heavy
rain.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004 Fair
The weatherman says that today is going
to be a summer day and that the weather will
be very changeable for the next seven days.
According to a survey recently conducted
in America, if you have an age-related cataract,
you are not likely to live long, compared
with those without any. My mother had a cataract
operation last year. I sure hope that survey
is not too reliable. Two J-Com technicians
came. From today on, ours is a J-Com phone
and we can change the present TV set to a
digital one at any time.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Cloudy
Today is a substitute holiday. Tuesday
again. The sign language circle meets, but
I am a little too tired to go out today.
Somewhat depressed. Maybe out of energy.
Well, I will take a shower and go see the
members anyway. Sign language practice and
lunch as usual. Next week is the annual spring
outing. Took a nap and drove to pick up my
wife at the hospital, eating out together.
Monday, May 10, 2004 Cloudy with occasional
rain.
Quite humid as if the rainy season were
here. Today I had a half-day makeup holiday.
My son is coming home late tonight. My wife's
cold is back with a stuffy nose. At work
I had one thing after another to do, but
by and large, I could work at my own pace.
As usual, I ate supper up in the librarian's
room and shot the breeze a bit for my sanity.
Sunday, May 9, 2004 Cloudy with occasional
rain.
Leaving home for work around 8:00 a..m.
and feeling so sleepy, I kept making boo-boos
today. So forgetful and scatterbrained! Today
has been my 'boo-boo' day. Anyway I had a
full day at work. My son in Kobe has a cold
now and cannot come back home for Mother's
Day. What a weakling! Maybe like father,
like son.
Saturday, May 8, 2004 Fair
Centipedes are beginning to be found around
the house, so I applied insecticide and also
put reed screens over the glass sliding doors
as the morning sun is getting hotter. The
weather is deteriorating. A heavy rain is
expected tomorrow, and it is my workday.
All work and no play during the 'Golden Week'
is taking its toll now. I am in no mood to
do anything. I will just take it easy tonight.
Friday, May 7, 2004 Fair
A good day to do the laundry. Ex-CEO's
of a Japanese major automaker have been arrested.
Its corporate culture must have been rigid,
allowing no mistake. To err is human. Had
the company recalled the defective auto part,
the ensuing tragedy could have been avoided.
Life is irrecoverable once lost, unlike money
and trust. Too bad and too late. Top dogs
are not necessarily ethically right. Often
the case is the other way around.
Thursday, May 6, 2004 Fair
Back to normal again from today. Drove
my wife to work this morning. Our kids back
to school. Only the cats the same as ever.
The nighttime section's Oral Communication
Ⅰ students are divided into three groups.
Today notified them by mail which group they
respectively belong to. I seem to have caught
cold from somebody at work. I have a sore
throat now.
Wednesday, May 5, 2004, Cloudy
Working until the wee hours last night,
I finished making all the five assignment
sheets for the second term. I may alter them
a little bit later, though. I got the new
teacher's grade book ready by entering students'
names and ID numbers. After all, the 'Golden
Week' was mostly filled with work. My wife
and I weeded the weedy backyard together.
She planted some new trees, too,－shrubs
like a fragrant white olive. Drove to Joshin
and won the third prize in the lottery, just
instant ramen, though, and then to Petton
to buy cat food. Killed the first centipede
of the year at the front door－a lot of nature
around the house.
Tuesday, May 4, 2004 Rainy and windy.
I am trying to make two more assignments
for the second term, but I have made little
progress so far. Looks like it's going to
take some time before I work at full throttle.
I will take in the stuff slowly, take my
time, and let it ferment in my brain.
Monday, May 3, 2004 Cloudy
All day I was making 'English Ⅰ' and 'Oral
Communication Ⅰ' assignments for the second
term. They are due late this month. I will
have to make five sheets. I have finished
three of them so far. My older son has gone
back to his apartment in Kobe, and now he
has a new refrigerator and a small TV set.
The weather was getting worse as I took a
walk at night.
Sunday, May 2, 2004 Cloudy
My wife has four consecutive holidays starting
today. She says she will do a lot of cleaning.
I hope she will keep her word. I just keep
my fingers crossed. I drove my older son
and my wife to Joshin. We bought a fridge
and a TV for him. We arranged to have them
delivered to his apartment in Kobe. Doting
parents! I cleaned my younger son's room
because a J-Com man was coming. The room
was an awful mess.
Saturday, May 1, 2004 Fair.
I have very sad news. One of our two cats
is sick. She keeps meowing because she is
very uncomfortable. We used to have three
cats. The oldest one died on April 28, 2003.
She lived for about 14 years. But this one
is a little over eight years old. We took
her to the vet. She is suffering from pyorrhea,
losing her teeth little by little. She seldom
eats dry cat food while the other one does.