movie 「小さいおうち」

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, I went to Tachikawa City again
to watch the movie 「小さいおうち」　which was
released on Jan. 25.

The movie is directed by 山田洋次.

The movie has many good actors and actresses.

The story is based on a bestseller 143回直木賞受賞作品
「小さいおうち」 written by 中島京子.

The movie will never disappoint you.

I was deeply impressed by the movie.

Showa Kinen Park in winter 2014

I went to Showa Kinen Park with my friends
the day before yesterday.

The forecast predicted that we would have
unusually warm weather with the maximum
temperature 16℃ in Tokyo.

But it was not so warm.
It turned out to be a good day for walking.

We started walking from Tachikawa Entrance.

I like the nude trees of winter, too.



（みんなの原っぱ）




We walked to こもれびの里, where we saw an old
Japanese farm house.

I thought of faraway times--no, not so far away.



We went up to こもれびの丘, where we enjoy コスモス
in autumn. Poppies are now planted there.



Then we went to 日本庭園.

Everything seemed calm, clear and pure there.







We saw some lovely flowers, too.

They were saying,
“Spring has come to Showa Kinen Park.”



(ロウバイ）




(セツブンソウ)


We had late lunch at 2:30p.m. at a restaurant.



We talked a lot.
We laughed a lot.
We walked a lot.

I had a very good time with my friends.

I love Showa Kinen Park in every season.

I walked 21409 steps in a day.

after class

I attend Wednesday English Class at KIFA.

KIFA stands for
'Kodaira International Fiendship Association.'

Our teacher is from Australia.
Her husband is a Japanese.
She is a very good teacher.

We, 16 students (all ladies), enjoy learning English.

The class starts at 1:00 p.m. and ends 2:30.

After saying good bye to our teacher, some of us
gather in the lounge on the first floor.

What, do you think, do we do there?

we have a voluntary class for one hour!

We enjoy talking a while, asking questions we have had
in class.

We all like English and want to improve our English.

So we use a textbook for one of radio English programs
and enjoy practicing English.

What a pleasant time we have!

I like English.
I like people who like English.
I like people who are learning English.

I like my classmates so much.

about this time last year

I'm now writing this in my room full of spring sunlight.
Warm sunlight is pouring into my room.

I remember how busy I was last winter.

========================================

I was very busy last winter taking care of my elder sister
and her husband living in my hometown, Niigata.

Her husband has been ill since he suffered a crippling
stroke in 1997.

My sister has been taking care of him for 17 years.

Last winter she herself had a fracture in her upper left arm.

She fell into a panic.

“Alas, what shall I do?
I can't take care of myself.

What should I do with my husband?
I can't take him to the doctors.

Oh, what a heavy snow !

Will a taxi come to my door?
Will a taxi be able to go up the steep slope?

The road is very slippery outside, and I can't bring
my garbage to the public garbage collecting place.

What should I do with my garbage?.

I can’t go down that slippery slope to the garbage
collecting place. Oh, what shall I do?

I can't go shopping at a grocery store.
What shall I do with my meals?”

She called me for help.
Her neighbors were all so kind to my sister.

But she fell into a severe depression.
She had no appetite and lost a lot of weight of 10kg.”

====================================

I'm very glad my sister is all right this winter.

Her appetite is increasing but she gains no weight.

Her husband goes to day care nursing center
three times a week.

A care-giver visits my sister twice a week
and she can ask the care-giver for shopping.

My sister can talk to a care manager when she is in trouble.

As for the garbage, I wrote a letter to the mayor and
they arranged to come to her house to collect her garbage.

My sister is now 74 years old---older than I by three years.

I’m happy we are good sisters.

How wonderful to be alive,
though we have many troubles in life!

(at my daughter's)

to Portrait Gallery in Yotsuya

Are you interested in Nohgaku performances?

To tell the truth, I've seen 能楽 only once
at 能楽堂 in Niigata City.

能楽 was too difficult for me to understand
but I liked it.

Today I went to Yotsuya to see photos of 能楽 performers
taken by photographers.

My friend's photo was displayed there at Portrait Gallery.

She is a member of 能楽写真家協会.





First I watched a DVD of Nohgaku performances.





All the photos had something appealing.

They had something strong and elegant.

How difficult to explain my feelings!

I stayed in the gallery for one and a half hours.

I enjoyed the silent Noh world.



How about going to Portrait Gallery and enjoy Noh world?

Portrait Gallery is five minutes' walk from Yotsuya Station.