Monthly Archives: November 2010

Chai

It was a rainy Monday.  Busy as usual. After the work, Katya picked me up at the office with Maya-san.  Maya-san hates walking in the rain, but we took her to the Takeda Shrine for a short walk. Katya made baked udon for dinner.  After the dinner, I made Chai, an Indian tea.  I used Assam CTC tea. For spices, I used cardamons, cinnamon, cloves, black peppers, ginger, lauriers, and masala.  So it was a real chai. Tomorrow, Katya will go to Tokyo to have some fun.  I will have fun with Maya-san in Kofu.

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Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park

Today, we visited the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park again with mini. Colored leaves are gradually falling down.  The best time is over. We arrived at the visitor center to find much less cars in the parking lot. Up in the mountain, leaves are almost gone. Winter is coming. In the evening, we went to “NEW MAHAL“. Dinner is better than lunch there. I chose spicy chicken curry, and Katya, mixed and eggplant vegan curries.  We shared. Katya’s mixed vegan curry (in the middle in the picture) was very rich and tasty. We got full.  Maya-san welcomed us at home.

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Maya-san’s echo inspection

In the afternoon, I went to the ophthalmologist’s to receive my contact lenses for the trip to Kyoto next weekend. While I was at the ophthalmologist’s, Katya went to Takeda shrine to take pictures (Pics 1 and 2). Then we took Maya-san to Noah Vet Clinic for her monthly inspection. This month, the vet gave her an echo for the heart disease.  The vet told us that her heart is perfect. We asked her about Maya-san’s weak hind leg once in a while.  She said it is normal for some dachshunds.  When this happens, we need to let her take a rest. Then I went back to work. After coming … Continue reading

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Wasabi and Gari

Today is the 19th, the Tokube day, when they give 19% discount tickets.  So did we go. I show you today what we have besides sushi. Quality of the tea powder is good in this restaurant.  We make tea from hot water and  tea powder ourselves. It was a bit cold this evening, so we had miso soups, or bean-paste soups.  Katya’s with crams and mine with cut fish meats. A small red bottle is of red pepper. We like wasabi, a Japanese horse raddish, and ask extra all the time. It is not common for everybody. Soy source and chop sticks are essential. Gari, or vinegared gingers, go well … Continue reading

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Crab party

One of my colleagues, an ex-student of mine, is from Fukui.  His parents sent a bunch of “Echizen Crabs“, and he brought them to the institute. Students had a crab party in a hall yesterday.  Since I was working and could not join, he saved one for me. During the lunch time, I went back to the apartment for lunch and for shower.  I brought the crab. I put it in a refrigerator. I had it in the evening.  Katya eats only legs, so I left them for her.  I took the meat out. I think I will use it for spaghetti.

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Working late

A proof of a student’s paper has arrived. We want to finish it today. It is 10 PM, and we are still at work. It is 12:30 AM now.  It was found out that my student had done an inadequate work on listing the references, and he was asked to check again (by me). The student came back at 2:30 AM.  I checked it and received it. I slept a little. I woke up at 6 AM.  I tried to scan the proof with our corrections written on, but I could not enter the building to get a scanner.  I waited till 8 AM, got a scanner, scanned pages, and … Continue reading

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Persimmons

While I was at work, Katya went to Shosenkyo again to take pictures.  She showed me some of the pictures (Pics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) that looked like beautiful abstract art works. In the afternoon, Katya’s Ukrainian friend, Kseniya, living in Higashi Yamanashi city came to our apartment with her Japanese husband.  They have a farm and brought us persimmons.  Katya was teaching when they arrived, and they left a box of them in front of our apartment.  Kseniya called to Katya saying that Maya-san had barked so furiously inside to keep our residence. Their persimmons grew good and large. There were no seeds inside, and the taste … Continue reading

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Busy Monday

Monday is always busy. In the morning, I check e-mails and try to settle matters as much as possible. In the afternoon, we have a lab meeting and I have a class to teach.  Now I am teaching students how to construct digital circuits using kits. Today, I reviewed three papers after the class. Katya sent me an e-mail telling she went to Shosenkyo at its best.  So many people were there, and she had a hard time taking pictures, although, she took 120 photos. I came home at 8:30 PM.  Katya cooked Chinese dishes, which were very good. A box had arrived from an apartment management company for the … Continue reading

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Colored-Leaf Safari

In order (for Katya) to take good pictures of colored leaves this autumn, we went on a leaf safari on mini. Unfortunately it was cloudy all day, but we ventured. 1. Lake Inagako This is Katya’s third visit to Inagako this fall.  Maya-san started digging holes, and I watched her. Katya took pictures alone 2. Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park Maya-san and I were eating a baked sweat potato on a bench in a parking area of the visitor center.  Katya took pictures alone. 3. Shosenkyo We got there at 4 PM.  The leaves were so beautiful but we did not have enough light at this time of the day in autumn.  … Continue reading

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Ordinary Saturday

Nothing special today.  I write down what I did. I woke up at 7:30 AM to take Maya-san out for a walk; Katya had a cold yesterday.  It was a thirty minute walk.  Maya-san saw two cats and tried to fight as usual.  I did not let her. I went to the institute at 8:30 PM. I went back home at 12 PM.  I had lunch with Katya.  Her cold was over. After the lunch, I went to a hospital for my nose check with my mini. Then I went back to my office. Katya sent me an e-mail telling that she drove to Shosenyo to take pictures but that … Continue reading

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