koharu is my strict teacher

koharu, my granddaughter, is now in the fourth grade.

She is very busy playing with some of her friends
after school.

We have now little time to enjoy drawing together.

She asks me to stay longer at her house.
She asks me to stay the night with her.
But I come back to my apartment.

koharu had no afternoon classes at school today
and came home earlier than usual Wednesday.

I was practicing the harmonica when she came home.

koharu asked me to play the "Astro Boy, tetsuwan-atomu, "
again.

I thought she loved the song and that she wanted to listen
to it again. No. I was wrong.

She advised me to play the song correctly.

I should play three musical notes together
and more quickly, she said.

I had better practice the harmonica harder and harder,
she added.

I love music but I have a poor ear for music.

Thank you, koharu.

You are my lovely and strict teacher.

Ginza and Shinjuku Gyoen (2)

I was sorry 'The Greenhouse' was under reconstruction.

I saw many flowers there three years ago.

When will it be completed?

--at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden--

Ginza and Shinjuku Gyoen (1)

Yesterday Ms. M and I met on the Chuo Line platform
at Tokyo Station at 11:00.

We walked to Ginza and had lunch at Ginza-Daimasu,
one of my favorite restaurants.

Many people were enjoying Gin-bura.

After lunch we went to Shinjuku and visited Shinjuku Gyoen.

Three years ago I visited the Garden for the first time.
I love the Garden so much. .

Have you ever been to Shinjuku Gyoen?

How amazing to have such a large, beautiful park
in the middle of a big and busy city of Shinjuku!

I walked 17401 steps yesterday.

(Ginza)




(ume-modoki)


(leaves of tochi-no-ki)

lecture by Ms. Keiko Ochiai

Her lecture attracted a large audience.
Her lecture lasted for two hours.

She told us how she had taken care of her mother's
last seven years.

She told us how happy both she and her mother had been,
though the latter had been ill in bed.

If both children and elderly people are happy, the country
where they live can be called a good country.

To tell the truth, I expected a lecture by Dr. Yamazaki,
who is a true pioneer in the terminal care or a hospice.

Town Watching--Shakujii

When I made up my mind to rent an apartment in Tokyo
and live there for a few years, I knew nothing of Tokyo.

So I bought a book "Tokyo Town Watching."

Now nine years have passed since that day.

Today I opened the book again and visited Shakujii.
It was my first time to go there.

I changed trains on Seibu Line three times and arrived at
Shakujii Park Station on Seibu-Ikebukuro Line.

I went to Shakujii Park first.
There were two large ponds in Shakujii Park.
I enjoyed walking around the ponds.

Some were enjoying fishing in the pond.
Others were enjoying paddling a boat in the pond.
A gentleman was painting a picture.

After enjoying the park, I walked down the street
to Kami-Igusa Station on Seibu-Shinjuku Line.

On the way I had a cup of hot chocolate at an elegant cafe.

Then I arrived at Iwasaki Chihiro Museum.
I like Chihiro's world very much.
I bought three wonderful books of Chihiro's.

I'm sorry I've found myself a woman who can't read maps.
I often walked in the wrong direction.

I really had a great day.
I walked 18125 steps today.