snow still stays!

On Jan.22 we had a heavy snow
here in Tokyo.

We've had fine weather
since then.

But it has been very cold,
and so the snow still stays
here and there.

(in the neighborhood, 4:30 p.m.)




The un-melted snow on the road
is frozen.



I must be careful not to walk
on the frozen snow.

Today I walked 40 minutes
to attend Friday English Class
at Kominkan.

After class HM-san was kind enough
to drive me to my apartment.

Thank you so much HM-san!

Daikan, the coldest season

It's January 20.

Yes, the coldest period of winter,
大寒, sets in today.

It is said this sever cold weather will last
for about two weeks.

But it was not cold at all today here in Tokyo.

It was cloudy in the morning
but we had fine weather in the afternoon.

I felt
as if spring were approaching.

But according to the weather forecast,
the weather will turn severely cold
on Monday.

Will we have a heavy snow
here in Tokyo?

(along Tamagawa-josui, today)


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

Today, on January 22,
the snow has suddenly come down!
Spring is far behind.

(near my apartment, around 3:00 p.m.)

today's sky

What a lovely day!
It was very cold in the morning
but it was sunny and warm in the afternoon.

I went to a bookstore in Kokubunji by bus

I was looking up to the sky
while waiting for my bus.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

My sister's husband passed away
on the late evening of Jan. 13.

May his soul rest in peace!

The next day I left my apartment
to go back to my hometown
where my sister lives.

But I got very ill on the way to Tokyo Station
and could not go back to my sister's.

Oh, how I wish
I could stay by her
and support her
as I did 5 years ago!

Her son and daughter are staying
with their mother for now.

My sister and I talk on the phone every night.

I'll be sure to come to you, Sister!

first Friday English Class in 2018

It's Friday and I attended Friday English Class
as Kominkan for the first time this year.

How nice to see my classmates
after an interval of 3 weeks!

Our American teacher asked us to tell about
“New Year’s resolution.”

I said, “I hope my condition will be better this year.
I hope my English will get better and I will have
many chances to use my English.”

There are 9 members in this class
---only ladies.

6 members are in their seventies.

2 members are in the middle of their sixties.

The oldest lady is 88 years old.

She is going to celebrate her 88th birthday,　
米寿.

We all like studying English.
We are all talkative.

We enjoyed
a delightful conversation today.

Happy Birthday, my Dear!

It's January 11 and it's your birthday,
my dear.

You've been dead since Mar.19, 1974.

I can't believe so many years have passed
since you said to our daughter and me,
“See you again tomorrow!”

Thank you so much
for always watching over us.

I really miss you・・・my dear!

(a farmer's field near my apartment, today)