They came from Yamanashi Prefecture via Shin. Called 黒玉=kuro-tama, lightly sweetened green-pea paste balls are coated with brown sugar whose smooth surface might come from algae. Taste good in room temperature, while the best after getting out of refrigerator. More famous 信玄餅=Shingen-mochi is also accompanied by brown-sugar syrup, might be popular among natives.
Mei-Shun visited a nearby hair salon. It was rainy from early morning, let her use an umbrella besides a face mask. She put on a indigo dress with yellowish patterns, chose navy blue for the former and beige for the latter. Such color combination is enjoyable for her, while Shin and mom-in-law are never interested in that big flowers often bloom under dark clouds.
Mss. K, S and Mei-Shun dance together 奴さん=Yakko-san, meaning a samurai servant these days. Master Bando chose this 端唄 light score, suggested above trio to perform it on a stage in yukata next summer. Taking it a nice idea, MS asked her to instruct them also in おてもやん=Otemo-yan, a girl with red round cheeks. All three ladies looked a kind of shocked, said they have thought she prefers long, serious 長唄 like 京鹿子娘道成寺.
Mei-Shun continues practice of 松の緑. Master Bando kindly gave her its hand-written score consists of 9 pages. She managed to reach 7th, began to catch lyrics. Interestingly, Shin chooses favorite songs by what they say, while his wife by how melody sounds. However, when she moves to music, story becomes very important in order to play a kind of role.
Rainy season was finally declared today in Kanto Area; 7 days later than average, 3 days compared to 2020. Shin and Mei-Shun therefore drove to 吉祥寺 on the last sunny weekend for shopping at a famous outdoor clothes shop. His size is not always available among makers of our country, while American one nicely bigger and fashionable. May she join with this cotton-hemp shirt?
Golden Week holidays are over, returning many of us to normal workdays — yes, normal. It seems to Mei-Shun that understanding of current normalcy really depends. For example, an owner of a beauty salon she visited today is a pottery lover. 陶炎祭=hi-matsuri held in 笠間 has been her annual destination of this season, yet cancelled to avoid crowd.
Mei-Shun meant to visit Master Bando today with a kimono in blue, cherry blossom patterns sewn by a friend of beloved Master Mei-Shu. However, iris one is available in current season only while the above all through the year in our country. She therefore wrapped the former into 小風呂敷=ko–furoshiki a small, square piece of silk and changed 眼差しの貴婦人 to Ms. Blue, her engagement ring.
Mei-Shun often has a sore throat after catching a cold. Coughing for weeks has lead to awful bronchitis. Such a condition is too inconvenient to balance with active life, she concentrates on care by gargle, iodine lotion and medical drink. Yes, water plays a very important role; a glass of it easily lets slight fever go, humidity weakens viruses including that novel one perhaps.
First in 2021
It is a great pleasure of Mei-Shun to see it again at a nearby beauty salon. She visits there every 3 weeks for hair dye, served coffee, tea, green tea or fruit juice waiting for the medicine to work well. This season of cherry blossom gently makes her request one of favorite pottery among collection of the owner beautician. “What floats on surface is not dust but beaten gold”, she said.
Mei-Shun visited Master Bando for a lesson in the morning, Dr. M for a regular check in the afternoon. She practiced how to bind obi sash on a shirt and jeans beforehand, chose かるた結び=karuta-musubi or card-shape fastening for today’s kimono. Giving up chatting on a cup of tea, she rushed back home to wash mouth. Sorry, Mikan-chan, mom has to leave you alone twice.
meishunkikunoe 