A festival seems to be held on weekend at the nearest station. Mei-Shun wishes she could see it in yukata, yet allergy around collarbone still prevents her from wrapping neck with 半襟: she puts it on even for soft summer kimono. Moreover, Shin is going on another business trip abroad, toward Indonesia from Thursday. She would therefore visit nearby 八坂神社 instead and return 粽 purchased online last year.
Previous 尾上菊之助 or 家元 grandmaster 菊ノ上扇舎 finally succeeded to 尾上菊五郎, his father last year. It is quite interesting that the latter continues to be called 菊五郎 VII, while the former newly VIII whose eldest son 菊之助 VI. Mei-Shun failed to catch this news, missing their reception stage in double 白拍子花子 danced by above younger father and son.
They live at a hair salon Mei-Shun always walked to in high heels. Her beautician said that one in a cuboid pot stayed in a “hospital” for a while: a couple whose wife is a client here dealt with it. Our population includes some succulent plant lovers, while this lady might prefer container gardening or bonsai. The other looks like growing on a tiny stump, giving a unique atmosphere.
Shin, Mikan-chan and Mei-Shun got up around 7 : 00 to be in time for 一番太鼓, drum beating to let audience know sumo site opens. Oh, many wrestlers in kimono are seen walking with them by the same route toward the place. Nice scent of 鬢付け油, hair oil to make 髷 style, comes when they follow those big guys. It is interesting to find 土俵 ring still empty and dry.
Yes, all through October celebrates above in our country. It reminds Mei-Shun of 祇園祭 in Kyoto. They have a lot of sacred events from July 1st to 31st, culminate in 山鉾巡行 held on 17th and 24th. A traditional festival mainly attracts adults, while foreign one children. Sweets in charming packages fill store shelves, let her take pleasure in shopping. How about it for you kind followers?
So 2023 started for Shin to work from today. Since 元旦=January 1st was amazingly on Sunday, we managed to have 2nd a national holiday. However, 3rd is not printed in red on our new solar calendar meaning a weekday. Many of us therefore had serial holidays from December 29th, 2022 — just 5 days, quite shorter than usual. On the other hand, above husband of Mei-Shun continued his business until the end of last year.
Mei-Shun actually likes sumo. Former 横綱=yokozuna, highest-rank wrestler 稀勢の里 recently opened his new stable in 阿見町, next to 土浦 City. When Shin drove her and his mother to a grilled eel restaurant, they passed by 二所ノ関部屋 looking like a big temple or a gymnasium. It took just a second for the wife to check it up on the net, decide to be a supporter.
Mei-Shun used to visit monthly a local bank to get new bills. Our traditional arts including kabuki dance, 茶道=sado tea ceremony, 華道=kado flower arrangement for examples, often welcome them rather than old ones. On the other hand, ATMs of her main bank sometimes offer notes clean enough to work for such opportunities. That seems like a lottery, would be her new custom.
We have 立春=risshun, the 1st of spring 二十四節気 today. Yes, it means that winter has gone, spring starts. However, it is colder than yesterday 節分=setsu-bun, one of 9 雑節 which informs season alteration more clearly than above. Mei-Shun would have liked to get a bag of baked soy beans to spread both outdoors and indoors, while only smaller bags of assorted ones were available.
We had 大安=tai-an, the best of 六曜 yesterday. Mei-Shun dropped in the nearest shrine today in 赤口=shakko, among above meaning inconvenient for business, to draw 2 omikuji lots; one for Shin, the other for herself. What, 凶=kyo and 末吉=sue-kichi? They are the worst and second-worse lucks respectively. Could you dear N-狛犬 keep these on behalf of the couple?
meishunkikunoe 