a tree against a blue sky

Today I was absent from working as a voluntary waitress
at one-coin café in the community.

I had to attend an important meeting at Kominkan.

The meeting was 部屋割り調整会議 and before the meeting
we had a disaster drill. I was a little tired.

On the way back I met one of my friends
who lived near Kominkan.

She was doing some gardening in front of her house.

A bare tree attracted me.



She told me it was 姫沙羅.

Oh, what a lovely name!

Nohgaku, 富士太鼓

Today my friends and I enjoyed Nohgaku 能
at 銕仙会能楽研修所 which is a few minute-walk
from 表参道駅.





Today's Noh play was 富士太鼓.

The outline of the play was told in advance so that we could
understand the Noh dance of 富士太鼓.

It was performed by 長山桂三 and his son 長山凛三
who is 9 years old.

They were getting along very well with each other.

The father acted as 富士ノ妻 and his son as 富士ノ娘.

I was deeply impressed by their performance.

After the performance, 能楽師　長山桂三 gave us a short talk
about Nohgaku and showed us 能面, 装束 etc.



I was surprised to hear the following garment is
not embroidered but exquisitely woven!



　
This is my second time to enjoy Nohgaku.

Yes, my friends and I had a wonderful Sunday.

You made it, Yokozuna Hakuho!

Congratulations
on your 33rd title
at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament!

You've surpassed Tahiho's record
of 32 titles.

You've accomplished a great achievement.

I am so excited as a fan of yours.

Do you remember the day we talked a lot?

It was on December 29 in 2007.

It was soon after you became Yokozuna
in May in 2007.

I wrote about it five years ago.

http://wave.ap.teacup.com/applet/karin02/20090516/archive

Let me put the picture here again.



(today's sky)


Let me say again,”Congratulations!”

my daily life has started

I'm glad my daily life has started.

On Tuesday I had Doutor lunch with HK-san
and enjoyed talking a lot.

Her parents made a short stay at a nursing home.

On Wednesday I attended Wednesday English Class
and I was happy to see my classmates.

After class some of us gathered in the lobby
and enjoyed talking both in English and Japanese.

On Thursday I worked as a voluntary waitress
in my community café, one-coin cafe.

It was a very cold, windy day and there were less customers
coming to the café--about forty people.

On Friday I attended Friday English Class
at nearby Kominkan.

Our American teacher gave us exercises in English grammar
and rapid reading and answering.

She is leaving Japan and going back to America next month.
I'll miss her so much.

And yesterday I went to Fuchu City Art Museum
to see koharu's drawing.

koharu is my granddaughter.

She is growing year by year.

She'll be a high school student this spring.

She was only 6 months old
when I came to live in Tokyo.

How much do I miss those happy days
with my little koharu!











On my way back I went the wrong way
and I was completely lost in Fuchu City.

So I walked a lot yesterday.

I walked 14252 steps in a day.

Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko

Yesterday morning I got up later than usual
as it was Sunday.

Sunlight flooded in at the window.

It was such a lovely day that I decided to go
to Lake Kawaguchiko and see Mt. Fuji.

(Kawaguchiko Station)


As I always do when I go to Kawaguchiko,
I first went to カチカチ山　by ropeway.



カチカチ山 was crowded.

Some clouds hid a part of Mt Fuji but I was happy
to see Mt. Fuji.







Then I walked along the lake.

The color of Lake Kawaguchiko was deep blue
reflecting beautiful blue skies.





(Mt. Fuji and the lake)










I crossed 河口湖大橋 and walked along the other side of the lake.



I took a tea break at Fuji Lake Hotel as usual.





Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko
are very special to me.

I walked 15235 steps in a day.