Moving Day and Gap Year

Our Australian teacher taught us two phrases
in Wednesday English Class—
Moving Day in Canada and Gap Year in UK.

I am very much interested in these two phrases
I did not know.

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July 1 is a public holiday in Canada.

In Montreal, Canada, people who want to move
from on old apartment to a new apartment, can move
only on the day of July 1---only one day each year.

Actually, about 650000 people move on July 1.

I've never been to Canada.
I never heard of it.

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A Gap Year is very popular in UK.

Many high school students, after being admitted to a college,
take time out before going to college,

They travel, volunteer or work in UK or in another country.

They are expected to gain valuable experience
during the Gap Year.

Their experience during the Gap Year may enlarge
their perspective.

(my favorite picture-- a high school girl,
yes, my only daughter, 30 years ago)

Koganei Park on Feb.22

What a balmy day!

My friend and I walked to Koganei Koen
after lunch at Saizeriya nearby.

Spring weather seems to have arrived!

Ume Festival was going on there.



Some ladies were playing the koto（琴）



Some young people were enjoying a picnic lunch.



Many boys and girls were playing in the park.



Ume flowers have just bloomed in Koganei Park!













I love to go to the park, because almost all people
in the park look happy.

I walked 16321 steps today.

no more heavy snow

Last Sunday I went to Kokubunji by bus.
They had chains on the rear wheels.

The expressways were closed due to a heavy snow
and goods were not brought to market.

I was surprised to see most shelves of supermarkets
or convenience stores empty.

Today there is no snow left on the street here in Kodaira,
though the snow is piled on either side of the street.

I’m sorry vegetable prices have gone up!

The radio report predicts a heavy snow again
on Thursday.

I hope the forecast will not come true.

(today's Tamagawa-josui)


(today's sky)

another snowy weekend

It's half past eleven at night.

It is still snowing here in Tokyo.

I attended Friday English Circle today.

It was a very small class.

4 out of 8 members were absent!

Our American teacher gave each of us a handout.

We read some articles on it.

The articles were a bit difficult to read.

We enjoyed speaking in English, anyway.

(at 4:30pm, today--in my neighborhood)

the word, hopeful

Today I attended Wednesday English Class at KIFA.

First we talked about the Sochi Winter Olympics.

In the men's half pipe snowboarding,
two teenagers won medals—

Ayumu Hirano for the silver and
Taku Hiraoka, for the bronze.

Ayumu is 15 years old Taku is 18.
They made us so happy.

Congratulations!

By the way, you know the word “hopeful,” don't you?

The word is used as follows:
I am hopeful of success.〔成功する望みを抱いている〕

In today's class I found out that I had never used the word
“hopeful” as a noun, which is used as follows:

an Olympic hopeful 「オリンピック選手候補者」
a medal hopeful　 「メダル候補者」

I am glad to notice that “hopeful” is used as a noun too.

(at 6:00 pm, today)