2014/5/30
I often go to a one-coin café in the neighborhood.
The cafe was opened on January 28th this year,
in the community where my apartment stands.
It is run by 26 volunteers, almost all of them
are the elderly, though they are young at heart.
They serve coffee, English tea and green tea
for one coin, 100 yen.
The café is opened for us members of the community
to gather to enjoy talking, and feel relaxed.
Today I went to the café, paid 100yen and
had a cup of coffee.
I enjoyed talking a lot with two volunteer ladies
whom I’ve not talked with before.
How nice to have a café like this in the community!
It's my favorite lounge named 「ふれあいカフェさざんか」,
which I visit when I feel a little bit lonely.


(in front ot the café)

2014/5/25
It was a beautiful Sunday yesterday!
The 46th 体育大会 at koharu's junior high school
was held in the playground.
koharu, my granddaughter, is now in her last year
of junior high school.
It was her last Sports Day at junior high school.
I stayed in the playground till last, that was 解団式.
koharu took part in 100m 走・3年全員リレー・大縄跳び・
応援合戦・大むかで.
The Entrance March started at 8:50.
The Brass Band Club played music to the march
and koharu played the oboe.
Every student did her/his best, I thought.
How young they were!
How polite they were!
How passionate they looked!
How bright they looked!
I was happy to see them.
One of the big events at koharu's junior high school
was over.
(団旗)



2014/5/22
On Tuesday I went to NHK学園 in Kunitachi
and attended a lecture by Ms. Yuko Matsumoto松本侑子.
The title of her lecture was 「『赤毛のアン』の幸福な生き方」.
About 100 people were present---most of them were ladies.
Six years ago, I read the book ANNE of GREEN GABLES
(赤毛のアン) in Official 100th Anniversary Edition.
Ms. Matsumoto's lecture was interesting.
I felt as if I were a college student.
I bought one of her books「赤毛のアンに隠されたシェイクスピア」.
It is written in Japanese,
Yes, the book is very interesting.
I am reading the book, thinking of that little girl,
Anne Shirley, who is full of hope, love or imagination.


2014/5/19
I bought onigiri and daifuku for lunch.
It took me a long time to get them.

I had my onigiri-lunch looking over Rose Garden.

On my way back I visited Water Lilies Pond.



I had a good time in 都立神代植物公園.
I walked 9941 steps in a day.
2014/5/19
There was a stage at the back of Rose Garden.
There was an a cappella concert on the stage.


After the concert I walked around the garden.
I was surprised so many different roses!


Oh, I do love these light purple roses.
They are “Blue Bajou” from Germany.


I walked on and on, enjoying roses.






2014/5/19
Yesterday I visited Tokyo Metropolitan Jindai
Botanical Gardens in Chofu City 都立神代植物公園
to enjoy roses..
I went to Mitaka Station by train, where I took a bus
for Chofu. The bus was full of people and almost
all of them got off at the bus at 神代植物公園前.
It's the season of roses.

There were lines of people waiting to get tickets.

Before going to Rose Garden, I enjoyed しゃくやく.


Here I am at Rose Garden!

Oh, how beautiful!
Rose Garden is filled with sweet scents of roses!


2014/5/17
What a beautiful morning!
A nice, sunny but cool, early summer morning!
Not a cloud is to be seen in the sky.
(from my apartment)

On a fine day like this, how I wish I could go hiking!
But I can't, today. I have to do a lot of housework.
I did the washing and cleaning my rooms.
I put the futon in the sun.
Now I'll go grocery shopping.
Have a nice weekend, everybody.
(in front of my apartment)

(silhouette of the above picture)