ネコペン １４０１ アリーナ成人式

※ネコペン１３が原作に無いので１４です
After more affectionate banter Polly said , “Do be careful , deatest .
If anything happened to you , it would break my heart , you know that .”
“I'll be careful , ”he promised .
When he went out to breakfast , he discovered that Saturday morning was carnival
time in the Casablanca lobby as the tenants turned out to shop for groceries ,
do laudry , pay the rent , pick up their dry cleaning , stock up on videos for
the weekend , return books to the library , jog around the vacant lots , and do all
the other busywork that occupies working people and students on their day off .
Even the old and infirm were circulating ; the two elderly women who usually
drifted through the halls in quilted robes were fully dressed , explaining to everyone that
they were being taken to visit a friend in a nursing home .
Mrs. Tuttle was busy handling complaints and writing rent receipts . Rupert was
directing a youth who was trying to mop the floor .Napoleon and Kitty-Baby
were dodging feet .
After picking up a few treats for his roommates at a neighborhood deli ,
Qwilleran returned to the building and was heading for the elevator when he
encountered the person he least wanted to meet . Surprisingly , Isabelle Wilburton
presented a neat and appropriate appearance in a white blouse and khaki skirt .
On previous occasions he had seen her in a spotted housecoat or a cocktail dress
or a fur coat or less . She was carrying her kitten , nestled in a blue towel .

一昨日は、アリーナでの成人式見て来ました
さいたま市の成人式・・・親にも入場券が送られて来るなんて知らなくて、ちょっと驚きでした。
しかも、うちの場合は、息子の住民票がつくばにあるので、郵送されて来ず、友人から
情報聞くまで知らなかったし～
市内の新成人は約１万２千人とのことで・・・最寄駅から会場へ向かう人の波は、
ちょっと圧巻でしたね女の子のほとんどは振袖姿でしたしね～
アリーナでは、特に親席の指定が無く、新成人に混じって式に臨みましたので、ちょっぴり
新成人気分を味わってきました（笑）

それにしても、知った顔を捜そうにも、それだけの人数でしたので・・・ほとんど会えなくて残念でした
菱沼やさよちゃんには会えたんだけど・・・
ゆかた、めだまやき、れん、るちあやちひろに会えなくて残念だった～

式の後に夜の部の同窓会を企画していた息子は、前日までなんだか落ち着かない感じでしたが
その会も１００名余りの参加で結構盛り上がったみたいで、無事済んでほっとしました

ネコペン １２０２ お正月は駅伝観ながら・・・

He taxied downtown and dined at a middleeastern restaurant before heading
for the venissage at the Bessinger-Todd Gallery . In the canyous of the financial
district the Friday night hush was disturbed by a commotion around the gallery
as cars pulled up one after the other . Therr valets in red jumpsuits were kept
hopping , and the hubbub within the building could be heatd out on the sidewalk .
Guests were pouring through the front door into an exhibit space already packed
with art lovers , although art was not their prime interest . They milled about ,
drinking champagne , and shouting to be heard above the clangor of the music ,
while the musicians increased their volume in order to be heatd above the din
of voices . The center of attention seemed to be a young man with shoulder-length
blond hair , who stood head and shoulders above all the rest .
Qwilleran saw no one he knew , apart from Jerome Todd and the sour-faced
critic from the Daily Fluxion . He was not interested in the bar , and the buffet
was engulfed by hungry guests , four deep . As for the art , he saw nothing he
would care to hang on the walls of his remodeled barn , if he had one . The
focal point of the exhibition was a trio of large canvases depicthing ravenous
eatets devouring fast food , obviously by the same artist who had painted
the spaghetti orgy in 14-A .
On the balcony , away from the press of boudies , he found a more intimate
collection of ceramics , blown glass , stainless steel sculpture and bronzes ,
as well as more breathing space . He was particalarly curious about some ceramic
discs displayed on small easels . Looking like limp piecrust , paper-thin , they
were embellished with wavy sheaves of paper-thin clay and fired in smoky mushroom tones .

明けまして　おめでとうございます
今年も早や３日目を迎えておりますが、いかがお過ごしでしょうか？
我が家は、今年は帰省しなかったので、昨日今日と駅伝観ながらのんびり過ごしました。
新記録すごかったですね～。観ましたか？？？

新年の抱負は・・・まずは体を鍛える！って、昨年末に思っていたんですが、
年が明けたら、なんだか気分がすっかり変わって、
「自分の一番やりたいことに時間を使おう」と思いました。抱負っぽくないですけどね。（笑）
昨年を振り返ってみれば、いろんなことにとらわれて、やりたいことの半分も
やっていなかったような気がするので、本当に時間をかけたいことをしっかり選んで
とりくんでみたいと思ってますp(^^)q

今年は、明るく元気な年になるといいな～と思います

ネコペン １２０１ 早くも年賀状届く・・・！？

Putting the Countess out of his mind , he spent most of the day writing
a column on the Casablanca for publication in the Moose County Somethig .
The problem was : How to make the subject credible to north country readers
when he could hardly believe it himself . While working , he evicted the Siamese
from the library , an unfriendly act that aroused the indignation of Koko .
The cat prowled outside the closed door muttering his new intestinal “Rrrrrrr”
as if he were about to regurgitate . After listening to the unsettling performance
for half an hour , Qwilleran yanked open the library door .
“What's your problem ? ”he demanded .
Koko ran to the end of the foyer , where the French doors led to the terrace ,
but it was not the outdoors that interested him ; it was the bloody butcher
block painting . Standing on his hind legs with his head weaving from left
to right like a cobra , he uttered his gagging guttural .
“Frankly , I feel the same way agout it ,”Qwilleran said . Not only was the subject
matter nauseathing but the canvas was hung in a makeshift way , off- center
and too low . With suspicion teasing his upper lip , he lifted the painting
down from its hanger .
Immediately Koko stretched to his full length and sniffed the mushroom-
tinted wall . Comprared with the adjoining walls it looked freshly painted .
Qwilleran , examining it closely , detected some unevenness enough to feel with
his fingertips , and when the cat started prancing in circles with his back
arched and his tail bushed , it was time to take the matter seriously .

昨日、夕方買い物から帰って郵便受けを見ると・・・年賀状が一枚届いていた
よく見ると、宛名の記載漏れで戻ってきた自分の出した年賀状だった
真っ白な表面を見ながら・・・いったいどなた宛に出した賀状かと不安にかられながら
裏面に目をやると、一言書き添えた文面から宛先が判明した。どうやら最終便で日曜日に
投函した四枚のうちの一枚のようだ。息子が３歳になる少し前まで一年半住んでいた
瀬戸市の母友のうちの一人のようだ。愛知の瀬戸からこちらに転勤で引っ越して来てから
１７年が経とうとしているんだな～と、しばし懐かしの瀬戸の記憶に思いを馳せた。

まあ、そんなことがあって、相変わらずのそそっかしさを再認識した年の瀬だったが、
そういえば、先日知人が今年の自身の十大ニュースを書いて送ってくださっていたっけ。
私も書いてみようかしら・・・と試みたが・・・ブログで全世界に発信するような
内容は見当たらず（笑）・・・そそっかしい失敗の記憶ばかりが思い出される。
そんなわけで、今年はこれで書き納めといたします

いろんなことがあった大変な年だったけど、来年は、よい年になりますように

ネコペン １１０２ 仕事納め

At that moment Ferdinand made his menacing appeatance and announced in
a muscle-bound growl , “Dinner's served . ”
It was served on square-cut dinnerware on a round ebony table in a circular ,
dainning room paneled in black , turquoise , and mirror , its perimeter lighted
with torcheres . The entree was shrimp Newburgh , preceded by a slice of pate
and followed by that favorite of the Twenties , Waldorf salad . Then Ferdinand
prepared bananas Foster in a chafing dish with heavy- handed competence and
a disdainful expressions meaning that this was not real food .
During dinner the conversation lurched rather than flowed , their voices
sounding hollow in the vaultlike room . Qwilleran was relived when they moved
to the library for coffee and Scrabble . Here he proceeded to amaze his hostess
by spelling such high-scoring words as ZANY and QIVIUT , and once he retripled .
She was a good player and she seemed to relish the challenge . She was a diffirent
woman at the game table .
At the end she said , “This has been a most enjoyble evening . I hope you
will come again , Mr. Qwillen .”
“Enough of formality , ”he said .
“Could you bring yourself to call me Qwill . It's good for seventeen points .”
“I must correct you , ”she said merrily . “Fourteen points .”

パパは今日が仕事納めなので、明日から結構長期冬休み。
明後日には、つくばから息子も帰って来るし、皆で大掃除でもしましょうか（笑）
そんなわけで・・・ネコペンも今日が今年最後になるかな？どうだろ？
時間あったら、もう一回ぐらいＵＰできたら～と思っていますが・・・・

念のため、今年最後のご挨拶を
今年は、抱負にあったブログの更新を、どうにかコンスタントにできたかな～と
ほっとしていますアクセス数も励みになりました
通ってくださった皆様に感謝いたしますm(__)m
来年は、どんな一年にするのか、どんなブログにするのか
休み中にゆっくり考えてみたいと思っています

では、来年もヨロシクお願いいたします。
よいお年を(^O^)/・゜★,。・:*:・゜☆ 　・゜★,。・:*:・゜☆

ネコペン １１０１ 昼も夜も

The hostess came forward with hands extended and head tilted prettily to
one side . She had been tilting her head prettily for so many years that one
shoulder was now higher than the other . Yesterday Qwilleran thought her
posturings and obsessions were ludicrous ; today , having heard the Adelaide legend ,
he found her a pathetic figure , despite her turquoise chiffon hostess gown with
floating scarfs and square-cut onyx and diamond jewelry .
“So good to see you again , Mr.Qwillen, ”she said .
He sat in the Bibendum chair , and Ferdinand served heavily watered grapejuice
in square-cut stemware . Qwilleran raised his glass in a toast .
“To gracious ladies in enchanted palaces ! ”
The sad little Countess inclined her head in acknowledgment .“Have you had
an interesting day ? ”she asked .
“I spent the day looking forward to this evening and selecting this trinked
for you . ”He presented the velvet sack .
With cries of delight she extracted the Art Deco pillbox . “Oh , thank you ,
Mr.Qwilleran ! It's French Modern ! I shall put this in my boudoir . ”
“I thought it would be in keeping with the stunning ambiance you have created .
Is that a Rene Buthaud vase on the mantel ? ”he asked , flaunting his newly
acquired knowledge .
“Yes , and it means so much to me . It contains the ashes of my dear father .
He was such a handsome and cultivated gentleman ! How he loved to take me to
Paris＿to the opera and museums and salons ! ”
“Did you meet Gertrude Stein ? ”
“We attended her salon . I was a very young girl , but I remember meeting some
dashing young men . I think they were writers . ”
“Hemingway ? Fitzgerald ? ”

クリスマスは・・・昼は高校駅伝、夜はフィギュアスケート全日本選手権！
ＴＶから離れられない　しかもスケートは３夜連続
でも、男子も女子も見どころいっぱいで、楽しませてもらいました
高橋＆鈴木明子選手には、世界選手権での完璧なジャンプを期待します！
真央ちゃんには、やっぱりジャンプ、トリプルアクセルを世界選手権に間にあわせて
一片の曇りもない笑顔をみせてもらいたいな～と。
衣装では、鈴木明子のピンクのコスチュームが私好みですごく良かった。華やか！
ネックレスも合ってて、とってもかわいかった
あとは・・・男子フィギュアの新星羽生結弦にも大注目！
今回フリーで１位だったし！１７歳とは思えない表現力と気迫で高橋、小塚に迫る！
男子も女子も世界選手権が楽しみなメンバーが揃ったという印象

ネコペン １００２ 大宮サンセットって・・・

Machines were churning and spinning , and one thumped noisily ; not everyone
had balanced his or her load . Several persons were patiently staying with their
things : an old man jabbering to himself , the woman with two small children＿
speaking in their native tongue＿another woman in a housedress and sweater , glowering
at a student with his nose in a texbook who had not balanced his load . Qwilleran
studied the signs for instructions :

　　　　TOO MUCH SOAP MESSES UP MACHINES!!
　　　　　　　DON'T FEED THE MICE!!!
　　　　　　　MOTHERS WITH BABIES＿
　　　NO DIAPERING ON MACHINES! USE RESTROOM!!

Although no stanger to laundromats , Qwilleran found sadistic pleasure in asking
featful fellow passenger from Old Red how to use the washer , explaining in
a graveyard voice that he was new in the building . She obliged without looking
at him , then moved away quickly .
He balanced his load , inserted a coin , and studied the posted messages for
further inspiration , no doubt from the motherly Mrs. Tuttle :

　　　　BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR! CLEAN LINT TRAP!
　　　　　　　DON'T HOG THE DRYERS!!
　　　　　　　NO LIQUOR! NO LOITERING!
　　　　THIS IS NOT A SOCIAL HALL!!!
　　ONLY ONE PERSON AT A TIME IN THE RESTROOM
　　　　　　　OR IT WILL BE LOCKED!!!

今日は冬至だから・・・１年で日没が最も早い日ってことになるわけで
ちょっと窓の外の夕日に注目していたら・・・大宮サンセットを思い出した！
スピッツのアルバム「色色衣」に入ってる曲なんだけど
この大宮って大宮のことなんだろうか・・・さいたまの？・・っと、
前から気になっていたので、ちょっと調べてみたら・・・本当にそうでした
以前大宮でコンサートをした時にボーカルの草野さんがＭＣで、「大宮」って言葉を
入れた曲を作ることをファンと約束してできた曲だそうです

昔、スピッツが大宮のライブハウスでライブをしていた時、
そこのライブハウスの非常階段から、綺麗な夕陽が見えたらしく
それを思い浮かべながら、書いた曲なんだとか。

我が家の日没は・・・３キロぐらい離れたマンション群に夕陽が隠れるそのときで
今日は16：20でした～夕陽の輪郭が欠け始めてからものの３分も
たたないうちに、完全に姿を消してしまうのを見てるとちょっと不思議。
太陽・・こんなにすばやいんだって・・・変に感動したりして（笑）

ってことで、『大宮サンセット』の詩の一部を↓↓↓Pick up!

・・・・・・
大宮サンセット　君は何故　悲しい目で微笑む
大宮サンセット　手をつないで　歩く土曜日
・・・・・

あの大宮サンセット　妙にでかいね　小さな世界を照らす
大宮サンセット　正気じゃないぜ　まだそこにいて　　　

ネコペン １００１ スッキリ！

At the fourth floor Old Red came to a grinding stop , and a woman carryig
a laundry bag started to board the car . Catching sight of the moustached stranger
with a shopping bag , she started to back off but apparently decided to take a
chance . There was no eye contact , but roguishly Qwilleran started to berathe
heavily , causing her to edge closer to the door . He was feeling playful follwing
his stimulating lunch at the Press Club and his brief bialogue with the Countess's
absurd butler . When the elevator reached the bottom with a crash , the other
passenger scuttled off the car , and he followed her with deliberately heavy footfalls .
The laundry room was large and dreary wigh one row of washers and another row of
dryers , many of them labeled out of order . The peeling masonry walls had not
known a paintbrush for perhaps sixty yeras . At thet time＿when family laundersses
did the washing , ironing , and mangling＿a cheerful environment was not thought
necessary . Now the somber workplace was enlivened by a veritable gallery of
prohibitions and warnings neatly printed with red and green felt markers and
lavished with exclamation marks :

　　　　　　NO SMOKING! NO LOUD RADIO!
　　　　　　　　NO HIRSING AROUND!!!
　　　　　　　HAVE RESPECT FOR OTHERS!
　　　　　　CANADIAN COINS DON'T WORK!
　　　　　NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST WASH!
　　　　　　　STAY WITH YOUR THINGS!!!
　　　　　　　　BALANCE YOUR LOAD!!!


何がスッキリかと言うと・・・
なんと！年賀状が仕上がったのです。まだ、２１日だというのに快挙です
さっそく投函してきました　身も心もスッキリ
今夜はぐっすり眠れそうです　・・・ってちょっと大げさでしたかね～（笑）
あ～でも、この解放感ほんと！しあわせです
あとは、クリスマスとお正月をのんびり過ごします。

ネコペン ０９０２ エアー広報誌片手に？(^_-)

Sometimes he wished he could find the words to express what he wanted to say
to Polly . Though a professional wordsmith , he was tongue-tied with this woman
of whom he was so fond , but she understood . Feeling suddenly calling Amber
Kowbel but decided he was not as bereft as all that .
On the Scrabble table Koko was sitting tall in his impudent pose , with ears
askew and whiskers tilted . He had been up to some kind of mischief ; Qwilleran
could read the signals . A brief search revealed a scattering of Scrabble tiles
on the floor under the table .
　　“You joker ! You think that's funny ! ”
　　“Rrrrrrrr , ”said the cat .
　　“What's this new noise you're making ? It sounds like a Scrabble tile
stuck in your throat . ”
Qwilleran stooped to gather up the tiles , and at the same instant Koko jumped
from the table with a flip of his tail that struck the man on the cheek , stinging
like a whip .
　　“Please ! Watch your tail ! ”
Koko walked stiff-legged from the room , turning once to look scornfully over
his shoulder . Koko's scorn had an edge like a knife .
Qwilleran wondered , Did I say something wrong ? Is he trying to tell me something ?

ついさっき、広報誌が届いた。一昨年まで息子が通っていた高校のものだ。
息子の在学中の３年間、私はそこのＰＴＡ広報部に所属していた。
部員は各学年３～６名程度で他の部と比べて人数が少ないぶん、女子校の部活みたいな
ノリが存在した（笑）　いい意味で、いろんな刺激があったとも言えるんじゃないかと、
今ではそう思う
２つ下の後輩たちが卒業するまで、広報誌を届けてくれるシステムになっているため
卒業後２年間計４回届くわけだが、今回はその最終号が届いたことになる。ちょっぴり
寂しい感もあるが、ここまでは私達の責任範囲！みたいなとこもあって、正直言って
少しホッとした気分でもある。
これが最後の仕事！？そんな気持ちで紙面のチェックを始める。　な～んてね
今回広報部を卒業される皆様！３年間お疲れ様でした
三送会では、ぜひぜひ美味しいお酒を飲んでください！（でも飲みすぎ注意（笑））

※木曜日には届くはずだと某関係者から連絡があったので、遅くとも今日の夕方便で
届くだろうと思ってスタンバッテイタノデスガ・・・イマカクニンシタトコロマダデシタ
ちょっと気が早いのですが今週の話題としてお伝えしたく、エアー広報誌片手にＵＰです（笑）

ネコペン ０９０１ 年賀状作り

The pizza was good-better than any he had found in Moose County , he had
to adomit . He gave the Siamese a taste of the cheese and a nibble of the pepperoni .
Then he pushbuttoned a pot of coffee and carried it into the librery . He intended
to study his Scrabble＿particularly the scoring rules and the value of the various
letters＿in preparation for his forthcoming joust with the Countess . He unfolded
the board and deployed the tiles on the teakwood-and-chrome card table , then
started building crosswords , playing for premium squares as well as highvalue
words . Koko was on hand , watching the process in his nearsighted way . Abruptly
the cat lifted his head and listened . A minute or so later , there was a knock
at the apartment door .
No one had buzzed from the vestibule , so it was obviously a resident , and
a fantasy flashed through Qwilleran's mind : It was the beauteous Winnie Wingfoot !
Then again , he reflected , it might be Rupert . Nevertheless , he gave the mirror
a quick glance , smoothed his moustache , and finger-combed his hair before
opening the door .
A woman was standing there , wearing a fur coat , and it was not Winnie Wingfoot .
It was Isabelle , the middle-aged tippler , and she was carrying a bottle .
He regarded her without speaking .

昨日は、年賀状作りをしてたら日が暮れたブログ書いてる暇がなかった～
今日は、ブログを書き始めて間もなく・・・・Skypeで息子とチャットが始まった。
元気そうでなにより　お正月にも帰って来れるみたいで、うれしい

年賀状作り・・・家族の写真を載せるのが鉄則
しかし、適当な写真が見つからず・・・この前の日曜日に急きょ撮影
自分のは20枚ほど撮ってもらって・・・使えそうなのが２～３枚！（笑）
パパのは、２枚しか撮らず・・・でも、どうにか使えそうで、ＯＫって思って早速作って
１枚ためし刷りして見せたら・・・・なんと！写真撮り直しするって言うの。
今年こそは、さっさと作って、今週中に出しちゃお～って思ってたのに・・・
ま、いっか～。土曜日に写真撮り直しして、日曜日に仕上げちゃお！p(^^)q

そうそう！耳寄り情報！（多分）
昨日、年賀はがき買いに郵便局に行ったときに、ついでに切手もほしくって見せてもらっていたら
お年玉くじ付き切手なるもの発見！発見と言うか・・・私製はがきも少し利用する予定があったので
「お正月っぽい切手って何かありますか？」と訊いたら、おすすめしてもらったのでした
こんなのいつからあったの？初めて見たんだけどぉ！去年もあった？？？
市販のかわいいポストカードみつけたので、それを出す時に利用してみるつもりです

ネコペン ０８０２ 埼玉に戻って

“If we arrange it for a Sunday or Monday , ”she said , adopting her usual
businesslike delivery ,
“I'm sure Roberto would like to join us . ”
Qwilleran said it would be a good idea . He had lost his personal interest
in Mary . Yet , it was a remarkable fact that she was the only woman Koko had
ever actively approved . The cat discouraged Melinda , antagonized Cokey , and
feuded openly with Rosemary . As for Polly , he tolerated her becase she had
a soothing voice , but he endorsed Mary Duckworth because she was an opportunist ,
and so was he ! Koko knew a kinded spirit when he sniffed one . Also in her
favor was the entire case of canned lobster she had given the Siamese three
years before . That's the way it was with cats !
While Mary returned to the Blue Dragon , Qwilleran zigzagged his way through
the parking lot , avoiding potholes filled with rainwater . To his surprise ,
slot #28 was finally vacant . Now he could move the Purple Plum into its rightful
space . He pulled out his car keys , but there was something wrong with the
purplish-blue metallic for-door parked in #27 . It appeared to have sunk into
the ground ! Actually , it had four flat tires .

前回のつづきになりますが、富山から埼玉に戻った夜は、つくばから息子が帰って来ていて
久しぶりに家族３人でごはんを食べました。（日曜の夜のこと）
今回の息子の帰宅の目的は車でした。しばらく息子に車を貸すことになり
その日が引渡し日でした　なにかと心配ではありますが、私達より車の必要な
生活のようなので、１、２年は貸すことになりそうです。
免許を取ってから１年半近く経つのでではないのですが、慣れない車で夜道を
帰って行くのが心配で、パパが助手席に乗って送っていきました（安心）
９時頃出たので、パパの帰宅は夜中の１２時半でした

車なし生活始めました　ウォーキングがんばれそうです