KAFKA＜36＞ 疲れ目の理由・・・（＞＜）

I head off to the reading room and back to The Arabian Nights . As always , once I settle down
　and start flipping pages , I can't stop . The Burton edition has all the stories I remember reading
　as a child , but they're longer , with more episodes and plot twists , and so much more absorbing
　that it's hard to believe they're the same . Thet're full of obscene , violent , sexual , basically
　outrageous scenes . Like the genie in the bottle they have this sort of vital , living sense of
　play , of freedom , that common sense can't keep bottled up . I love it and can't let go . Compared
　to those faceless hordes of people rushing through the train station , these crazy , preposterous
　stories of a thousand years ago are , at least to me , much more real . How that's possible , I don't
　know . It's pretty weird .

At one o'clock I go out to the garden again , sit on the porch and eat my lunch . I'm about
　halfway through when Oshima comes over and says that I have a phone call .
　“A phone call ?”I say , taken aback . “For me ? ”
　“So long as your name's Kafka Tamura .”
　I blush , get to my feet and take the cordless phone from him .

　（Kafka on the Shore より）　

今週は、普段と比べて特に目の疲れが激しい
なぜなら・・・２時～の再放送ドラマを３本 観ているからである。
あ～捉まっちゃったよ～う゛
　『ランチの女王』＆『流れ星』×２　これがまた泣けるんだなぁ～(>_<。。)

「今週は目が疲れてるの」と、少し充血ぎみな疲れ目で訴える私を、気遣うように見つめるパパに
上記の理由を打ち明けると・・・「同情の余地なし！！」と呆れられた

今クールのドラマは～？とチェックするも・・・これといったのがまだ見つからず・・・
それが私を昼の再放送枠へ誘った（いざなった）・・・かどうかは定かではないが、
再放送ドラマは手っ取り早くて、ややせっかちな私向きだったりする＼(^o^)／

とにかく、この夏を乗り切るには・・・・
ドラマ３時間に耐えうる強靭な目を・・じゃなくて、せめて２時間までにセーブしましょ

そういえば、台風、行っちゃったみたいだけど・・・なんだかまだまだ不安定～

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

KAFKA＜35＞ something pink ！？ （・・？）

I take a bus back to the station and have a steaming bowl of udon in the same cafe as the day
　before. I take my time , gazing out the window as I eat . The station's packed with people streaming
　in and out , all of them dressed in their favourite clothes , bags or briefcases in hand , each one
　dashing off to take care of some pressing business . I stare at this ceaseless , rushing crowd and
　imagine a time a hundred years from now . In a hundred years everybody hereーme includedーwill have
　disappeared from the face of the earth and turned into ashes or dust . A weird thought , but everything
　in front of me begins to seem unreal , as if a gust of wind could blow it all away .

I spread my hands in front of me and take a good hard look at them . What am I always so tense
　about ? Why this disperate struggle just to survive ? I shake my head , turn form the window , clear
　my mind of thoughts of a hundred years away . I'll just think about now . About books waiting to be
　read in the library , machines in the gym I haven't worked out on . Thinking about anything else isn't
　going to get me anywhere .

　（Kafka on the Shore より）


今朝、息子が、「なんか・・・ピンクの物ってさ～・・・」と、少し困った顔で話し出したので
何かな～？？？（・・？）と思ったら、
７月より配属のチームの決め事で、火曜日（朝会の日）は、何かピンクの物を身に着けるんだとか
へ～と、私的にはちょっとわくわくしちゃった～
まあ、男子にピンクはちょっと扱いづらいかもしれないけど・・・・
その気になれば、淡いピンクのＹシャツとか、今はノーネクタイだけど・・・う～ん、時計？眼鏡？のパーツに
工夫次第で、どうにか取り入れられないかな～～～？？？

まあ、悩みたまえ(^_-)-☆

でも、そういうやわらかい発想！？遊び心があるのって、ナイスだな～って思った　

KAFKA＜34＞ サプライズと癒し♪o(^-^)o

At 7.15 I eat breakfast in the restaurant to the lobbyーtoast , hot milk , ham and eggs .
　But this free hotel breakfast doesn't come close to filling me up . The food's all gone before
　you realise it , and I'm still hungry . I look around , and second helping of toast don't seem
　likely to materialise . I let out a big sigh .

“ You're not at home any more , where you can stuff yourself with whatever you like ,”he says.
“ I mean , you've run away from home , right ? Get that into your head . You're used to getting up
　early and eating a huge berakfast , but those days are long gone , my friend . You'll have to
　scrape by on what they give you . You know what they say about how the size of your stomach can
　adjust to the amount of food you eat ? Well , you're about to discover if that's really true .
　Your stomach's going to get smaller , though that'll take some time . Think you can handle it ?”


　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


昨日一番のサプライズは・・・菱沼からのＢ・Ｄメール
覚えてくれてたのねありがとう

そして、昨日一番の癒しは・・・お茶に寄ったお店の大きな窓の外に広がる空間。
緑いっぱいの手入れされた広い庭！？は、とにかく圧倒的な緑と季節の花々に
彩られていて、昨日は雨上がりの紫陽花が癒しの色彩で出迎えてくれました
コーヒーとデザートと・・・空間を堪能した、至福の癒しのひと時でした

KAFKA＜33＞ 梅雨の晴れ間のお洗濯♪

“That person's shadow , looked as though half of it had become separated from him .
　It was as faint as yours .”
“I see .”
“What I think is this : you should give up looking for lost cats and start searching for
　the othe half of your shadow .”
　Nakata tugged a few times at the peak of his hat in his hands .“To tell the truth , Nakata's had
　that feeling before . That my shadow is weak . Other people might not notice , but I do .”
“That's good , then ,”the cat said .
“But I'm old , and may not live much longer . Mother's already dead . Father's alrady dead .
　Whetther you're smart or dumb , can read of can't , whether you've got a shadow or not , once
　the time comes , everybody passes on . You die and they cremate you . You turn into ashes and
　they bury you at a place called karasuyama . Karasuyama's in Setagaya Ward . Once they bury
　you there , though , you probably can't think about anything any more . And if you can't think ,
　then you can't get coufused . So isn't the way I am now just fine ? What I can do , while I'm
　alive , is never go out of Naakano Ward . When I die , though , I'll have to go to Karasuyama.
　That can't be helped .”

　　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


この時季、週間予報に雨マークがないのって、うれしいですよね～
ここ２，３日は、タオルケットやシーツ類、マット類を順に洗濯していま～す
今日は、マット類４枚洗ったけど・・・思ったより日差し少なく曇りがちあれ～～
あ～ん、まだ乾いてな～い

洗濯と言えば・・・Ｙシャツの洗濯物とアイロンがけ・・・今月から息子の分が減る～と期待
してたら・・・違った。。。（私服の方が洗濯が楽とは限らないけど。。）
２ヶ月の営業研修を終え、予定通り希望の開発チームに配属が決まったけど、
予定と違って私服じゃないみたい。
ま・朝の服選びに時間が取られないのは助かる気もするけどね。
あ～でも、Ｙシャツ２倍。。。　　あ～頑張らなきゃー（笑）p(^^)q

KAFKA＜32＞ ハミングフレア・ショック！ (>_<)

“So right now you're searching for a lost cat ? ”
“Yes , that's correct . Nakata's looking for a one-year-old tortoiseshell cat named Goma .
　Here's a photo of her .”Nakata pulled a colour copy out of his canvas shoulder bag and
　showed it to Otsuka.
“She's wearing a brown flea collar .”
　Otuka stretched out to gaze at the photograph , then shook his head .
“No , 'fraid I've never run across this one . I know most of the cats around here ,
but this one I don't know . Never seen , or heard , anything about her .”
“Is that right ?”
“Have you been looking for her for a long time ?”
“Well , today is , let me see・・・one , two , three・・・the third day .”

　Otsuka sat ther thinking for a time .
“I assume you're aware of this , but cats are creatures of habit . Usually they live
　very ordered lives , and unless something extraordinary happens they generally
　try to keep to their routine . What might disrupt this is either sex or an accident ー
　one of the two .”
“Nakata's thinking the same thing .”

　（Kafka on the Shore より）　

ここ２、３年、柔軟剤の『ハミングフレア毎日ふんわりエッセンス 花咲く』の
ふわっと花咲く香りにはまっているのですが、まとめて買い置きしていた分が少なくなったので
買い足そうと洗剤コナーに立ち寄ったら、いつものパッケージが見当たらない
え～～、なんで？と思いながらも気をとりなおして、別のお店をのぞいたのだけど・・・そこにもなし。
変だな～と思いつつ、よくよく見れば、見慣れないパッケージの『ハミングfine』なる商品が所狭しと
並べられているではありせんか！！！いや～な予感を胸に、家に帰ってＰＣで調べると・・・
なんと！毎日ふんわりエッセンスシリーズ製造終了の文字が　そんな～、そんな～～～

そうと知ってたら・・・１０年分買いだめしたのに～～
ああ、しばらく立ち直れない～　　

KAFKA＜31＞ 甘い誘惑！！！

“Hello there ,” the old man called out .
　The large , elderly black tomcat raised its head a frection and wearily
　returned the greeting in a low voice .
　“A very nice spell of weather we're having .”
　“Um ,”the cat said .
　“Not a cloud in the sky .”
　“・・・for the time being .”
　“Is the weather going to take a turn for the worse , then ?”
　“It feels like it'll cloud up towards evening .”The black cat slowly stretched out
　a leg , then narrwed its eyes and gave the old man another good long look .
　With a big grin on his face , the man stared right back . The cat hisitated for a time ,
　then plunged ahead and spoke .
　“Hmm・・・so you're able to speak .”
　“That's right ,”the old man said bashfully . To show his respect , he took off his
　threadbare cotton walking hat . “Not that I can converse with every cat I meet , but
　if things go well I can . As right now .”
　“Interesting ,”the cat said simbly .
　“Do you mind if I sit down here for a while? Nakata's a little tried form walking .”

　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


テーブルの一角におやつコーナーができていて、
食べても食べても魔法のように次々甘いものが溜まっていくにまかせて、あまり気にせず
どんどん食べていたら・・・さすがに、体重が警戒ゾーンに突入　
５月のはじめに今年の健康診断が済んだこともあって、すっかり気を抜いてしまっていたのだ
そういえば、最近は図書館通いも車に頼りがちになってしまっていた。

そんなわけで、今日は久しぶりに図書館散歩へ
のんびり歩くといろんなものが目に入る。この季節だったらバラかな～。
バラの木を見つけては立ち止まり、花を仰ぎ見、甘い香りを楽しんだ
バラにしろチョコにしろ、甘い誘惑は魅力的

KAFKA＜30＞ ゴールデンウィークは名古屋

I'm free , I think . I shut my eyes and think hard and deep about how free I am , but can't
　really understand what it means . All I know is I'm totally alone . All alone in an unfamiliar place ,
　like some solitary explorer who's lost his compass and his map . Is this what is means to be free ?
　I don't know , and I give up thinking about it .

I take a long hot bath and carefully brush my teeth in front of the sink . I flop down in bed
　and read , and when I get tired of that I watch the news on TV . Compared to everything I've been
　through today ,though , the news seems stale and boring . I switch off the TV and get under the covers .
　It's 10 p.m., but I can't get to sleep . A new day in a brand new place . And my fifteenth birthday ,
　besides ＿ most of which I'd spend in that charming , offbeat library . I'd met a few new people .
　Sakura . Oshima . Miss Saeki . Nobody theratening , thank God . A good omen ?

I think about my home back in Nogata , in Tokyo , and my father . How did he feel when
　he discovered that I'd disappeared ? Relieved , maybe ? Confused ? Or maybe nothing at all .
　I'm betting he hasn't even noticed I'm gone .

　（Kafka on the Shore より）　

ゴールデンウィークは名古屋と言っても・・・行って来たのは、パパと息子
私は、体調不安があってパスしました～。だって、高速渋滞に耐えうるほど体力に自信が
無かったんですもん

ＰＣもＯＦＦして、家事に明け暮れました。（ほんとです）

以上、ＧＷ報告でした。みじか！

KAFKA＜29＞ Happy Birthday! 23才♪ 営業な日々。

I take the train back to Takamatsu Station . For dinner I stop inside a cheap
　cafe near the station and order chicken cutlet and a salad . I have a second
　helping of rice and a glass of warm milk after the meal . At a corner shop outside
　I buy a bottle of mineral water and two rice balls in case I get hungry in the
　middle of the night , then start for my hotel . I walk not too fast or too slow ,
　at an ordinary pace just like everybody else , so no one notices me.

The hotel is pretty large , a typical second-rate business hotel . I fill in the
　register at the front desk , giving Kafka instead of my real first name , a phoney
　address and age , and pay for one night . I'm a little nervous , but none of the
　clerks seems suspicious . Nobody yells out , “Hey , we can see right through your
　ruse , you little 15-year-old runaway ! ”Everything goes smooth as silk , business
　as usual .

The lift clanks alarmigly to the fifth floor . The room is miniscule , outfitted
　with an uninviting bed , a rock-hard pillow , a miniature excuse for a desk , tiny
　TV , sun-bleached curtains . The bathroom is barely the size of a cupboard , with
　none of those little complimentary shampoo or conditioner bottles . The view from
　the window is of the wall of the building next door . I shouldn't complain , though ,
　since I have a roof over my head and hot water coming out of the tap .


　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


昨日は誕生日で、今日は野球観戦、そして明日は初めてのお給料日～
・・・と言っても、もちろん自分のことではなく、息子のことである
ＳＥ職で入社した息子だが、新入社員は全員 最初の２ヶ月は営業研修という会社の方針をうけて、
慣れない営業の日々を楽しんでいる　
昨日は誕生日だというのに「残業入っちゃった～」と、帰宅したのは11時半（普段は10時頃）
それから食事をして、家族３人でバースデーケーキを食べていたら夜中の零時をまわっていたという。。。（笑）

朝の５時半起床は まあ慣れたけど、週一の朝会の日の４時半起きは、なかなか慣れない
Ｙシャツ２倍も洗濯アイロンがけがちょっぴりキツイけど、それはあと一ヶ月余りの辛抱
な感じで、新しい生活に少々振り回されぎみバテぎみな私だけど・・・
息子のほうは、慣れないながらも明るく前向きに営業な日々をがんばっている

KAFKA＜28＞ 松たか子の歌声がかわいらしい あの曲♪

At the end of the tour the Osaka couple thanks Miss Saeki and disappears .
　It turns out they're members of a tanka circle in the Kansai region . I wonder what
　kind of poems they composeーthe husband , especially . Grunts and nods don't
　add up to poetry . But maybe writing poetry brings out some hidden talent in him .

I returen to the reading room and pick up where I'd left off in my book . Over
　the afternoon a few other readers drift in , most of them with those reading
　glasses old people wear and that everybody looks the same in . Time passes
　slowly . Nobody says a word , everyone lost in quiet reading . One person sits
　at a desk jotling down notes , but the rest are sitting there silently , not moving ,
　totally absorbed . Just like me .

At five o'clock I shut my book and put it back on the shelf . At the desk
　on the way out I ask ,“What time do you open in the morning ?”
　“Eleven ,”Oshime replies . “Planning on coming back tomorrow ? ”
　“If it's no bother .”


　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


朝の番組（スッキリ！！）で“Let It Go”in 25 Languages （BEHIND THE MIC）、
　『アナと雪の女王』歌姫25人リレー（収録風景）のノーカット版・・・という映像をＧｅｔ！
　いうまでもなく大ヒットのこの曲・・・ビデオエンドレスリピートで聴きまくる　幸せ

　「ありの～ままの～すがたみせるのよ～」と歌う　松たか子の歌声がかわいらしくて好き
　ナイス！モーニング！ヤマザキ・マツタカコ！って感じ！？　？？？
　おっと、いけない。マイブーム『しをん』が出てしまったわ（笑）失礼m(__)m

　私という人間は・・・良くも悪くも影響を受けやすいタイプだ。それが証拠に、ＮＨＫの朝ドラの方言などには
　すぐにそまってしまう。。。ちょっと古いけど、『カーネーション』の時には、よく岸和田弁で、
　考えごとしたり、ひとりごとを言ったりしたものだ(^O^)v　そして今はまっているのは『三浦しをん』
　パパに言わせると＜単純＞なのだそうだが、わたし的には＜素直＆純粋＞かな？と信じて疑わない

　と、話はそれたけれど・・・本題は『アナと雪の女王』なのであります！
　春休みも終わったことだし、そろそろ観にゆきたい　でも！私には映画友達がいない
　しょうがない・・・papaでも誘ってみるか。

KAFKA＜27＞ つくばドライブ・・・＆＜卒業式＞

I sit on the swivel chair and calmly lay may hands on the desk .
　“How is it ? Feel like you could write something ? ”
　I blush a little and shake my head . Miss Saeki laughs and goes back to the couple .
　From the chair I watch how she carries herself , every motion natural and elegant .
　I can't express it well , but there's definitely something special about it , as if
　her retreating fingure is trying to tell me something she couldn't express while
　she is facing me . But what this is , I have no idea . Face it , I remind myself ー
　there're tons of things you have no idea about .

Still seated , I give the room a once-over . On the wall is an oil painting ,
　apparently of the seashore nearby . It's done in an old-fashioned style , but the
　colours a fresh and alive . On the desk is a large ashtray and a lamp with a green
　lampshade . I push the switch and , sure enough , the light comes on . A black clock
　hangs on the opposite wall , an antique by the look of it , though the hands tell
　the right time . There are round spots worn here and there into hte woodes floor ,
　and it creaks slightly when you walk on it .

　（Kafka on the Shore より）　


一昨日、２５日(火）は、つくばドライブ行ってきました
息子の大学の卒業式見て来ました～
（だって、パパがはりきって有休取っちゃうんですもん（笑））
にしても・・・大学の卒業式に親って？？？行くもの？！
と、多少の気恥ずかしさ（少なくとも私は）を胸に、ドライブ気分で出掛けていったのですが・・・
会場に着いてびっくり！保護者専用の小ホールは満員間近の勢い
どうにか座れたけれど・・・後から続々到着する保護者であっという間に席はうまり、
立ち見まで出る始末
ふ～ん、そうなんだぁ・・・と、今時の卒業式事情を肌で感じてきましたっ（笑）
服装は、それこそ思い思いというか、まあまあカジュアルな感じが多かったですが、
私はというと、ピンクのおNewコートの下は春らしいブラウスと
少しミニ丈のスカートアイボリーのパンプスとバッグをフォーマルできめて、
ちょっぴりハレの日感を演出してみました(^O^)v・・・な～んて結構ノリノリo(^-^)o

１時間程度の式の後、写真撮影をして、その後のんびり食事をして、
つくばをあちこち散策して帰りました

入学して１年という頃に あの地震があって、どうなることかと心配しましたが・・・
無事、卒業することができました
４年間は、あっと言う間だった気がします。

４月からは、また新しい生活がスタートします
３月が、あまりに慌ただしかったので、ちょっぴり心配ではありますが、
社会人一年生となる息子の自立を見守りたい思いますp(^^)q