After 1Y + 43Wks

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It was the first time for Dr. A and Mei-Shun to meet with each other this year. The former told the latter that if today’s test results were fine, their appointment would be made every three month. How nice it sounds! The longer a patient can be relieved from memories of any disease, the smaller pressure she/he would have. And it would mean seasonal visits to a hospital — quite normal for Japanese in good health, living in a country of 春夏秋冬=spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Delicate Girls

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Mikan-chan, you look fine this morning. May mom go out? It is warm and windless, the best condition to play with horseies. Would you sleep under mom’s 半纏 kimono coat? All right, see you later, sweet girl. Well, Madoka-chan, you refuse to give us lessons today. Ms. I said that you might have frightened at something small in woods next to the field. Such a sensitive girl, your nose bled last week as well. No problem, take enough rest on carrots and apples.

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New Year’s Eve

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… on lunar calendar it is today. We have been able to see the moon early in the morning, becoming thinner and thinner. It was impossible to find her high in eastern sky, even with Shin’s good eyesight. We miss her a lot while Mei-Shun is a bit happy thanks to the bathroom scale: she lost one sac of sugar. Has she been paralleled with the moon in shape? Then she has to be very careful not to do so from today! Anyway, shall we have a little tea party on ささらがた and  冨貴寄?

Joy of Sweets 2

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Welcome to Japan, Angry Owls, yet could you please calm down? Your looks are at the opposite ends of your taste, so gentle. Shin has brought you home, leaving the U. S. just on the day of new president’s inauguration. We wish no facade like yours would reflect real emotion among them. By the way, it is rare to employ blue in food for us Japanese. Flowers, are you trying to decrease our appetite? You might be right, since shortbreads are high-caloric delicacy.

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Joy of Sweets

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Shin’s 干支=eto, Chinese zodiac symbol is 酉=tori, rooster celebrated in current year. That is why Mei-Shun ordered ささらがた=sasaragata and 冨貴寄=fukiyose featuring 酉 respectively. Her custom to give the latter to 年女 or 年男=toshi-onna/otoko friends and family members started three years ago. 2014 was 午=uma, horse year in which her elder sister was born. On the other hand, it was Professor S who served the former when Mei-Shun visited her home for the first time.

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Enjoy Ever

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Mei-Shun has picked up some from countless flowers Shin gave her so far. Many opportunities including her performance on stage, their wedding anniversary at Christmas and her birthday replenish her blissful arms with gorgeous bouquets and arrangements. Middle-sized roses are relatively suitable to dry for preservation, with recent best following below in bright orange. Since they bowed immediately in spite of watering, Mei-Shun hung them in headstand position for a while.

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Hi, Friends

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Mom found a cute 湯呑=yunomi, Japanese tea cup at her favorite tea shop. Tabby-grey-dot combination, isn’t it why you chose them? I’m your prettiest, purr. It is so cold today. Actually, such weather is not kind to me these days. It forces me to stay in the restroom from early in the morning till noon. Oh, I feel something wrong around my tail, hiss! Mom, don’t leave me alone. Hold me until gentle Hypnos comes to touch my eyelids.

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3rd Snow?

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Actually, Mei-Shun saw the second on 14th for just a moment. She found it started at just 9:00 this time. According to the weather forecast, it should have been a rainfall around here — maybe because we have 大寒=daikan, the 6th of winter while the last of 二十四節気 today. The coldest season in an year means that we have only to endure it for 2 weeks. With lunar New Year’s Eve next week, shall we enjoy this frostiness wrapped in thick coats, long boots and furs?

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Fluffy Sunlight

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Such a day is called 冬日和=fuyu-biyori, mom says. My favorite time in winter comes every morning: Aladdin wakes up to give out warm wind a minute before 5:00, while mom opens the cage door calling my name. Still dark outdoors, I check around my territory. Hi, Cymby, you look fine. But how freezing your realm is in stairs hall, hiss! Hunger suddenly caught me. Mom, breakfast please. By the way, I’ve not seen dad … is he all right? Coming back from the U.S. on Sunday? That’s terrific, purr.

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Copyright © 2017 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.

Waterfowls

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Mei-Shun visited 乙戸沼 Park — long time no see. Winter mornings are too cold and dark to be there after driving Shin to the nearest station, so she has used to walk to the nearest shrine since around 大雪, the third of winter 二十四節気. Amazingly beautiful it is. A flock of wild ducks play on the pond with white dots of swans. Yuri-kamome or Larus ridibundus, great to see you here. It looks like grey herons rest on each fountain nozzle, or are you cormorants?

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