It’s been snowing from early in the morning. White feathers come down one after another. Such a sight reminds me of the first day I arrived here at new home accompanied by mom. I’d lived in a glass cage until then, never seen outdoor world. It was raining — what’s going on? There’s water here and there! But I’m not wet. Why? Scared but interested in, I stayed beside the window. Yawn, this is it. Thanks mom, time to take a nap.
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It is 酉= tori, rooster as mentioned before. Shin and Mei-Shun have made it a rule to visit Fukushima Airport at the beginning of the year. They are always happy to see twelve cute 干支 animals made of paulownia sawdust there, while a tabby kitty joined this year. Apples, another target were not available, so they chose kumata-pan, buns with sweetened bean paste filling. Yes, sweet … coated with white sugar, sized in your palm. It may easily make you round-shaped like our 丸酉!
I’m waiting for mom. She is preparing futon mats and blankets to take a nap with me. It has been too windy to hung them outdoors since yesterday, she complains. Ah, that’s why your horse-saddle buffer was on balcony floor. Dad is at home today, makes me feel a bit tense — I’m not used to such difference from normal environment. But you smile, mom, that calms down my mind. Everything would be fine after our sleep together, purr…
Copyright © 2017 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.
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.
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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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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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?
They are for horseies, longer ones attached to forefeet while shorter ones to rear. Mei-Shun ordered them via net shopping as お年玉=otosidama, meaning new-year gift for herself. She is ready to purchase such items little by little. Rental gears are available for free at our club, yet her favorite colors and designs are much better. Her dream is to own a horse in the future, at home if possible. Shin loves them as well, would be happy to take care of him/her or — them.
… for mom to reach her birthday. She has set three objectives of this year; to acquire 師範 certification in Kikunoe-ryu, to succeed in weight control, to pass an examination to become a Japanese language instructor. The second and third might be allowed to carried forward? Nil, this is a matter of willpower. She has continued daily study so far, while succeeded and failed in exercise and healthy eating beside me. They just must be upgraded for better results, meow.
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あけましておめでとうございます。A Happy New Year!
This has become 寝正月, sleepy new-year holidays for Shin and Mei-Shun. He brought a cold to home, making her have the same symptom — sore throat and a slight fever. It is never seen to affect their first omikuji of 2017, yet he drew 小吉 while she did 半吉. The latter means half lucky, the worst among 吉 lots. They therefore tied them on a 南天 branch grown in the shrine garden to avoid such ill-fated souvenirs.
meishunkikunoe 