on Aug. 30, 2021

Today is my elder sister's 82nd birthday.
Happy Birthday, Sister!

She lives alone in our hometown.
She used to be a calligrapher.
Her husband passed away three years ago.
Her son lives in Tokyo,and her daughter
in Kanagawa.

She is lonely, she says, and so am I.
Every night we talk on the phone.
We are happy to understand each other,

Please stay healthy, Sister!
Let's stay best friends
as long as we live, Sister!

on Aug. 23, 2021

When I was walking along Tamagawa-josui,
I heard the cicadas singing loudly.

We are still in the height of summer.

Here in Tokyo, we've had consecutive
tropical days since Aug.19
and this hot weather will last until Sep.1.

How are you getting along in this hot weather?

I almost stay at home and sometimes go out
for a walk in order to refresh myself.

Yes, I make it a rule to walk to my daughter's
twice a day---one way is 10 minutes’ walk.

Oh, I can hardly wait
for the cool autumn to come!

(Tamagawa-josui in summer)

on Aug. 16, 2021

It has been raining these days,
as if we were in the rainy season.

This heavy rain has caused natural disasters
in Kyushu, Hiroshima or Nagano.

Six people were killed and four people
were reported as missing.

River banks have given way in the heavy rain.
Many houses were flooded above the floorboards.
Many houses collapsed and were buried
under landslides.

How can we keep off natural disasters?

Who can stop heavy rains?
We have nothing that can be done.

I'm sorry
we are helpless
against torrential rains.

on Aug. 10, 2021

This is the season of visiting graves
in my hometown.

I used to visit my graveyard on Aug.13 or14.

It's three years since I went back
to my hometown last.

I've been in poor physical condition since then.

Oh, how I miss my husband and my parents!

My husband passed away at the age of 33---
47 years ago.

My father passed away at the age of 70---
43 years ago.

My mother passed away at the age of 83---
25 years ago.

I can't believe such a long time has passed.

Time really flies.

I'm awfully sorry
I can't go and visit the graves!

on Aug. 4, 2021

The community café is open
under this declaration of the state of emergency.

This is a one-coin café for elderly people
in the community.

Most visitors here are vaccinated twice
against COVID-19 and the authorities decided
to open the café as soon as possible.

We are all happy to get together and enjoy talking,
of course keeping 3Cs---
★Closed spaces with poor ventilation
★Crowded places with many people nearby
★Close-contact setting such as close-range
conversations.

Many people who come here live alone.

They say they are lonely and this community café
is the only place they can enjoy talking.

Today I didn't have Wednesday English Class,
so I went to the community café
and enjoyed talking with two elderly ladies.

How nice to have a café like this
in the community!

(a postcard from a friend of mine)