Thanks a million, Shin, a hard worker even on weekends. Following are his souvenirs including 縮緬山椒=chirimen sansho, dried anchovy and Japanese pepper and 千枚漬=sen-mai-zuke, 聖護院 horseradish pickles by Mei-Shun’s request. And the best is a bag of cute, round rice cakes. They are amazingly soft and tasty after a whole day, no need to bake to put into お雑煮=o-zoni, our new-year soup.
Shin brought home boxes of cookies and tea bags from Hong Kong. His client made a queue to purchase the former, quite popular for decades. Oh, lovely bears prepare for coming lunar new year. Four flavors of shortbreads are within, full of butter. Light texture, not too sweet. Mei-Shun’s favorite is “coffee”, tube-pressed and brown. As to tea, “silver moon” is the best for her among six.
Yesterday was so busy for Shin and Mei-Shun; solar eclipse culminated around 10:00, lunar December started with 朔, 小寒=shokan, the 5th of winter 二十四節気 which means beginning of the coldest season. Well, well, anyway, they walked to the nearest shrine for the 2nd greeting to Gods. And the wife decided her 2019 goals; to gain a Spanish certificate, to take Japanese Instructor exam, and etc.
Eager to watch it safely.
Nobody is that zodiac sign at Mei-Shun’s home. They therefore felt nothing sorry to him, just appreciated. It took longer than a whole day to melt him, so mom-in-law suggested a little bit boiling. The biggest plate and pot helped them to have a gorgeous dinner, while a labor to remove his shell full of thorns. Thanks a lot, Shin, for this sumptuous order and serving your wife.
So 2019, the last year of 平成 Era started. What do you kind followers have in mind as goals? How about Mei-Shun, would you ask? Well, since New Year’s Day is on Tuesday, she feels like leaving a step in last year. May she therefore use several more days to think about it until Sunday, the first day of lunar December? That beautiful crescent, greeted her this morning before the sun came up, would give good advice.
They seem to prepare for Christmas, New-year Day and even St. Valentine’s Day. Shin and Mei-Shun drove to a park to see 霞ヶ浦, Kasumigaura lake on weekend, found them lit up in trial. Well, it might not be too soon because White Christmas, the wife’s favorite rose, beautifully blooms in her mother’s garden. Could you give some comment, Mr. Watermill, looking your partner windmill there?
Lunar 2018 starts from today. Mei-Shun visited the nearest shrine for the second New-Year greeting to Gods while prayed them for good health of her family. Since that includes successful diet for herself as well, she felt reservation at a hair salon on this date would promise a fortunate result. Following cute cup and saucer was served there, 5 minutes from her home.
小正月=ko-shogatsu, older new year was mainly celebrated on January 15. Some area did from Jan. 14 to today calling it 女正月=onna-shogatsu, let women visit temples and shrines. They were too busy to pray there during year-end and new-year holidays. Since it meant to allow red foods as well, they must have been happy to eat お汁粉=o-shiruko or 羊羹=yooukan in their best kimono.
So this year’s ornament 戌=inu, dog and another cat have come to Shin and Mei-Shun. You can meet these cutest 丸=maru, round-shape animals at Fukushima Airport. It features a lot of items related to “Ultra-man” serial TV programs as well. Many figures are displayed at the entrance hall, attracting mothers with prams to take photos. A postbox is painted in colors of hero character.
Before seeing Vanilla-san and Madoka-chan in the afternoon, Mei-Shun walked to the nearest shrine. Since a priest was sitting at a reception desk, she had to put off all of warm items to pray to Gods for a safe day. One nice thing is that the 手水鉢=chozu-hachi, washbasin frozen in normal winter mornings, is full of clear water during 松の内=matsu-no-uchi, new-year week.
meishunkikunoe 