from Anne, my pen pal

Dear karin,
I so love the outstanding artwork and frame! Shomei is now one of my favorite artists. It is so pure and simple. The colors are cheerful. The girl standing in the flowers is so dear. I wonder what is on her mind.

I have a picture hanging in my bedroom that I have had forever. It is in pastels. It has a girl in a white flowing dress. She is looking out over the water. Just the back of her is seen. I have always wondered, is she happy or sad? What could be on her mind? I could never read the artist's name.

The artwork you sent me can be changed per the season or at whim. Thank you so very much. I am enchanted by it all.

I have had quite a birthday---many dinners. A group of friends took me out for a lobster dinner on my birthday. Before my birthday, my sister took me to lunch, and I got a lobster tail.

Saturday, my sister and brother-in-law took me out for a lobster dinner. There seems to be a pattern going.How delicious it all was! I really think it is the butter that adds to the taste.

It is the only time during the year that I indulge in lobster. However, I was told that on the cruise, there will be a night of all the lobster you can eat. I think I will like that alot.

I go back to work on the 2nd of August. Then on the 15th of August My sister and I and two friends are off to Seattle, Canada, then Alaska!

The dogs are all fine. Apple is showing her age. She often needs my help to get up. She still loves to eat and gets excited when it is dinner time.

I have been going to water aerobics every morning. For me, that is the only way to exercise. I will miss it when I get back to work.

Again, thank you for the endearing birthday gift, I am very appreciative.
I hope you are feeling much better. Please be well and happy.
Much love,
Anne

Yoh Shomei

I like Yoh Shomei. He is an author of picture books, painter and poet. His paintings express something deep that touches a chord with me.

I sent Anne, my pen pal, some of his paintings and a frame to put them into for her birthday.

I visited Yoh Shomei Museum in Kamakura and bought one of his picture books. This is the picture of the book.

a long way to go

My grandchild got a cold several days ago. She has been very ill these three days. I have been taking care of her, because it is very difficult for her parents to take child-care leave.

Looking at her ill in bed, I thought to myself, "Yes, it was a very, very long way for me to live to this day. I can say I've lived enough. Oh, what a long and difficult way for her to go ! I really wish her good luck."

Her temperature has come down to near normal. What a relief ! The evening sun on my way home made me so happy.

she is happy, I think

It was a very hot day again. I was sweating all over while doing the vacuuming at my daughter's house.

My daughter has been very, very busy marking a lot of examination papers in physics. So I often go to her and help her with household chores.

She is a part-time teacher of physics at a private high school. This is her second year as a part-time teacher. She majored in astrophysics at a university in Kyoto. She loves physics so much.

She is happy when she is studying or thinking of physics. She is now 37 but had no experience of teaching at school. I am glad she seems to like teaching , too. She hopes to be a full-time teacher when her two children have grown older enough.

This is a picture taken by me near Lake Tamako in Tokyo last month. Enjoy the coolness of this picture, please. Opposite of the coolness?

where are you?

I was terribly shocked at London blasts by terrorists--three blasts in the city's subways systems and one more in a double-decker bus on Thursday morning..

One of the passengers who managed to survive said to a CNN reporter, "We were all trapped like sardines waiting to die. I honestly thought I was going to die, as did everyone else."

It is reported there were 700 to 900 people on each of the affected trains at the time. Four blasts took place at the height of the morning rush hour.

There are many who are still missing. I know their families and their friends are searching for them in deep agony. Where are you? Come back to them ! All that I can do is to pray hard.

This is Lake Mashu in Hokkaido, which I have visited several times. It looks sad when I am sad. It looks happy when I am happy. Lake Mashu is the mirror of my heart.