climbing Mt.Takao---alone

Today I got up at seven in the morning.
It was a little late to go climbing Mt. Takao.
But I decided to climb Mt. Takao alone.

The weather was so nice.
I had breakfast quickly.
I busily but carefully prepared for climbing.
I bought onigiri for lunch on the way to the station.

I make it a rule to walk Inariyama Trail
when I climb Mt. Takao alone.

Today I went up and down Inariyama Trail
thinking of silver-san.

silver-san was one of my good instructors
who trained me and led me to Mt. Takao.

silver-san used to walk slowly, because I walked slowly.
silver-san smoked a lot.
silver-san enjoyed joking.
silver-san was an economist.

silver-san suddenly passed away last month
--his son wrote to me.

Do you know how sad I am, silver-san?
Do you know how deeply I miss you, silver-san?
I am heartily grateful to you for what you've done for me.

I walked 22551 steps today.

(cable car station)


(I went up along this trai, not cable car)

my cassette tape recorded 27 years ago

On New Year's Eve in 1983, I sang my favorite songs
and recorded them on the cassette tape.

I was 41 years old then.
I always sang songs when I felt lonely and uneasy.

koharu and I listened to the tape today.

koharu was surprised to listen to my young voice,
she said.

koharu said, "Is it really you? I can't believe it!
You had a very good voice when young!
You are singing very well."

Something has been wrong with my vocal cords
since the year of 1997. No doctors find out why.

Now I find it very difficult to sing songs.

koharu seemed to understand there was a time
when I was as young as her mother.

Kominkan bus tour (2)

( Yokohama Sankeien Garden )

Kominkan bus tour (1)

Yesterday I joined 'Kominkan bus tour' as a member
of Harmonica Circle.

40 members from 12 circles joined the bus tour.

The destination was YOKOHAMA---
Sea Paradise Island and Yokohama Sankeien Garden.

I saw white dolphins for the first time!

Yokohama Sankeien Garden was a beautiful, calm garden.

Some of us asked a volunteer guide to go around the garden
with us and to explain about the garden.

He was a wonderful guide. I enjoyed his historical account
of the building in the garden.

----------------------------
Thank you, Daughter, for calling me at 5:00 in the morning.
Thanks to you, I was in time for the bus.

I think I will soon buy a better alarm clock.

I'm sleepy.

Golden Week holidays are over.
How did you enjoy your holidays?
I was surprised that all holidays were fine days.

My daily life has started again.
I feel very sleepy.
I'm often nodding before I know.
I hear some birds singing in the trees.

Oh! 孟浩然's poem came into my mind!

春眠不覚暁　　処処聞啼鳥
夜来風雨声　　花落知多少