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.
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.
It is a bit embarrassing to say so to yourself, while so happy to have family and friends who say so to you. Mom, thanks for your simple but heartfelt message. Shin, your surprise gift won an enormous success this year as well. Mom-in-law, your お赤飯=o-sekihan, steamed rice with red bean tastes the best. Now, let’s enjoy together Galette des Rois as Mei-Shun’s birthday cake. And oh, another flower featuring sakura from her best friend! Please take her sincere gratefulness.
風流堂=furyu-do, based in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture is on Mei-Shun’s favorite Japanese sweets shop list. When their products were available at the nearest department store, she used to visit there to buy seasonal gifts; 御中元=o-chugen in summer, 御歳暮=o-seibo in winter. However, as informed that the store will be closed soon, she started internet shopping. 風流堂 is so kind to send her a handwritten letter and a little gift attached to ordered goods.
Called 山下紅=yamashita-beni, they are so beautiful both in taste and appearance that Mei-Shun cannot wait until she meet them at the beginning of winter. Mikan-chan, here are mini-moms you are named after. You are clever enough to know that, greet them peacefully while normal cats do not like them. One of Mei-Shun’s cat fancier friends loves oranges so much. However, he has to go to another room for this dessert since his boy always get angry at it and hit dad by paws.
Halloween might come only for the latter to Mei-Shun. She receives many kind of sweets from family and friends, caught in a big dilemma between appetite and wellness these days. As for her stage performance next week, she has planned to lose a weight in preparation. But oh, how superb this cookie tastes! Eat less while keeping your diet balanced. Walk and workout for 30 minutes respectively, dance a whole score of 汐汲 once a day. Yes, she must put it into practice.
乙戸沼 Park now
Mei-Shun, her mother and elder sister met with each other today finally: They enjoyed an okonomi-yaki party after almost a whole year. They had gathered for celebrating mother’s birthday in early summer, before Shin and Mei-Shun made visit to her in 草津 one of their happy regular excursions. The only problem of this idea is that Mei-Shun lacks a chance to see her sister. Mother worried about it, offered her younger and freer daughter to arrange a lunch at her home.
This date is special for Shin and Mei-Shun. They’ve made it a rule to dine out dressed-up, yet share a slight cold this year. It means for her to play double roles of hostess and nurse at home — too big a responsibility. All right, she told to herself. “You were able to see a doctor, prescribed with medicine while he could not but help himself by commercially available one. Why don’t you feel happy to serve him all day long?” Yes, she does, seeing him satisfied with beef steak, chiffon cake and good sleep.
Dragonfly Kiss!
Mei-Shun went out with Shin in the morning to visit a beauty salon in Shinagawa. With advice by her designated hairdresser, she got a curling treatment. More than 20 years have passed since she had it last time — amazing progress in technology. Thank you, Mr. H. She then met Shin again at a Japanese restaurant which serve them delicacies full of autumnal scent. Her excursion was successfully closed in Asakusa to buy 草履=zouri, Japanese sandal for 汐汲 performance.
A sampling day to see Dr. A, gives Mei-Shun waiting time of 2 weeks in minimum to know good result. Her hospital accommodates many big trees including gingko, some of which are female with branches full of fruits in this season. Oh, let’s not park under them. Air is quite smelly around, caused by ones already fell on the ground. She cordially wishes it would symbolize tasty nuts only, not such a horrible outcome.
meishunkikunoe 