time flies!

In December time flies more quickly
than in any other month.

I'm surprised that itt's already December 15th!

What have I been doing so far?
I've got a cold.
I have not been feeling good most of the time.

It was very cold this morning.

The temperature in Shibuya-ku was reported
to be 3.6℃ this morning.

The temperature here in Tama area
might have been below zero.

It got warmer and warmer in the daytime.

My granddaughter, koharu, came home
around three o'clock.
She looked well.

She drew some pictures in her notebook.
Then she did her homework.

My grandson came home from junior high school
before four o'clock.

Last Friday he left school early
because he felt very ill.
It was his first time in his 9 school years.

He looks a little tired, though he says he is all right.
I'm glad he has a good appetite anyway.

koharu is now reading a book---
L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables
translated by Yumiko Taniguchi.

koharu, her brother and I are waiting
for their mother's return.

( written at half past four this afternoon )
--------------------------------------

view from the Acropolis in Greece
in December in 2003

eggnog

Today I attended Friday English Class
at the community center.

This was the last class in December.

We read a story from the book 'Chicken Soup'
in the first half of the class and had a Christmas party
in the latter half.

Our American teacher brought us a carton of Eggnog.

"Eggnog is a very, very popular drink
especially in Christmas season,"she said.

It was a very sweet drink.

Do you drink eggnog for Christmas dinner?



(today's sky)

umbrella

It began to rain before noon.
Around three o'clock it was raining hard.

I wondered if koharu had taken her umbrella with her
when she went to school in the morning.

No, she didn't. I found her umbrella at the door.

It was time for her to come home from school.
I hurried to school holding her umbrella firmly.

When I arrived at her school, koharu was looking for
her umbrella in the umbrella stand at the front gate.
Her friends were also helping her in finding her umbrella.

koharu was sure that she had brought her umbrella with her!

I patted her on the shoulder and said,
"Hi, koharu. Here you are. This is your umbrella."

koharu was surprised to see me and said,
"Oops! I didn't bring my umbrella with me, did I?
I'm sorry I am so forgetful. Thank you, Grandma."

(all leaves have fallen-- today's tamagawa-josui)

today's song

Every Saturday morning I listen
to the radio English program "eigo-monoshiri-kurabu."

This morning I heard a song "The End of the World"
in the program.
"It is one of the famous songs in 1960s,"
said Prof. Ohsugi in the program.

Do you know the song? I'm afraid I don't.

------------------------------------
The End of the World--
words by Sylvia Dee
music by Arthur Kent
singer, Skeeter Davis

Why does the sun go on shining
Why does the sea rush to shore
don't they know it's the end of the world
'Cause you don't love me anymore
Why do the birds go on singing
Why do the stars glow above
Don't they know it's the end of the world
It ended when I lost your love
------------------------------------

Yes, I felt as if it were the end of the world
when my husband died young. at the age of 33.

I was wondering why people could laugh cheerfully.
eat with relish, chat vivaciously and walk on briskly.

Now I can say to everybody, "It's not the end of
the world."

( today's photos )

PM Aso's nickname in USA

Today an American asked me if I knew
our Prime Minister Taro Aso's nickname
in America.

I had no idea about it.

I am a very lazy learner of English
and I seldom read English papers.

The American taught me our Prime Minister
was called "Gaffzilla" in America.

According to Longman's English Dictionary,
"gaffe" means "an embarrassing mistake,
especially in something what you say,
that is made in a social situation or in public."

The American says "zilla" comes from "Godzilla."

Anyway I hope our Prime Minister will make no more gaffes.

(a tall autumn tree I saw today)