to Yugawara

My friend, M-san, invited me to Yugawara.

She had resort hotel coupons valid until
the end of March.

Yesterday I hurried to Shinjuku Station
to meet M-san.

All that we promised was to meet at Shinjuku
Station and to go to Yugawara.

Neither of us had ever been to Yugawara.

Yugawara is famous for its hot springs.

First we went to Odawara.
It took us 92 minutes by Odakyu.

In Odawara we visited Odawara Castle.

Then we got on JR train and went to Yugawara
and visited 湯河原梅林.

We enjoyed walking there.
Ume-flowers smelled so nice.

We stayed at a hotel last night.

I was sorry it was raining when I got up
this morning.

When we arrived at Yugawara Station to go back
to Tokyo, we changed our minds and decided
to go to Atami.

We enjoyed walking along a shopping arcade
in front of Atami Station.

The two-day trip with M-san refreshed me.
Thank you, M-san.











(from the lobby of the hotel, this morning)

Desert Flower by Waris Dirie

On Thursday I went to Kodaira Central Library
to borrow an English book titled Desert Flower
my blog friend, happytogether-san,
had recommended me to read.

Sorry to say, they did not have the book
in the library.

But I found a Japanese book titled 砂漠の女ディリー.

It is the very book Desert Flower translated
into Japanese.

The Japanese book was published in 1999.

The translator is Ms.武者圭子.

I could not stop reading the book.
I absorbedly read every word.
I read the book in one sitting.
It was such an impressive book.

Have you ever read this book?

If not, I'd like you to read it.

I'm going on an overnight trip tomorrow.

So I think I'll order the original book
on the internet next week.

I' d like to read the book in Waris Dirie's English.



（ワリス・ディリー著、武者圭子訳　「砂漠の女ディリー」３２４ページより）

（女子割礼の問題を別にすれば）アフリカで育ってよかったと
思う一つの大きな理由は、自分が自然の一部であると感じられ
ることだ。そして、生きるということの意味をほんとうに知っ
ていると思えること。それは本物のくらしである。
テレビで他人の生活を眺めるような人工的な世界ではない。

ごく幼い頃から、わたしは生存本能を磨いてきた。喜びと苦痛
を同時に学んだ。幸せというのは、何かを持つことではないと
いうことも学んだ。私は何も持っていなかったが、とても幸せ
だった。

いちばん楽しい思い出は砂漠で家族と一緒にいたときの思い出だ。
わたしたちは食後、火のまわりに集まって、ささいなことで笑い
あった。雨が降りはじめれば、生命の復活を祝った。

ソマリアで育つと、日常のどんな小さなことにも感謝するようになる。

Oh, my Christchurch!

When I was 59 years old, I went a foreign country
for the first time in my life.

The foreign country was New Zealand.

I stayed with a family in Christchurch
for one month.
.
The family members were three--Mr. and Mrs. G
and their old dog.

Mr. and Mrs. G were younger than I by a few years.

I went to the Cathedral Square alone
almost every morning, went to the information center
and decided where to go.

I wanted to know anything about Christchurch.
I wanted to see everything in Christchurch.
I wanted to know how they lived in Christchurch.

Everything in Christchurch was new to me.
People were so kind in Christchurch.

I enjoyed talking with many people.
I enjoyed staying in a beautiful Garden City.

I am deeply shocked the earthquake destroyed
most of Christchurch.

The earthquake did a great deal of damage.

Three hundred people are said to be still missing.

May they all be rescued as soon as possible!

1st harmonica volunteering in 2011

Last Thursday, the next day of my one-day bus tour,
It was very difficult for me to get up early.
I was too tired.

I hurried to the community center and practiced
the harmonica.

Then we 12 members of Harmonica Circle went
to a nursing home for the aged.

About 25 elderly people were waiting for us in the hall.

We played 16 songs on the harmonica.

雪・ふじの山・冬景色・冬の夜・冬の星座・

春よ来い・うれしいひなまつり・四季の歌・

数えうた・鎌倉・波浮の港・青葉茂れる桜井の・

湯島の白梅・まつの木小唄・黒田節・ふるさと

They sang loudly to our harmonica.
They looked happy.

When we play the harmonica as volunteers,
we always play ふるさと at the end of the concert.

The song ふるさと always reminds me of my hometown.

I miss you, Father and Mother!

(my hometown, last summer)

to Izu Peninsular

On Wednesday, the day before yesterday,
I joined a day bus tour.

The weather was perfect for a bus tour.

I left my apartment at 6:45, went to
Tachikawa and got on a sightseeing bus.

Forty members joined the bus tour.

First we saw つるし飾り雛 in Izunokuni.
It was my first time to see those つるし飾り雛.
I felt prayers for children's good health, good luck.







Next, we went to 修善寺梅林.

I felt I should have come a week later to see ume
in full bloom.

I enjoyed being there, enjoyed the air of spring.





Lastly, we went to Kawazu.

Kawazu is famous for its Kawazuzakura.

I felt very sorry that it was too early to see
kawazuzakura in full bloom.

Kawazuzakura was just beginning to bloom.

I'd like to visit Kawazu again.









I walked 16637 steps.

I was happy to have a good day.