音楽が元で知り合いになれる楽しさ

　愛車に乗る機会が少ないので調子維持のため、午後になって高前バイパスの車の会社に立ち寄り、新たなブリジストン・タイヤ245-35-19の乗り心地の良さなど、車検後の調子について伝えてきました。

　帰路はそのまま、柴崎町の喫茶「さんぽ道」に行き【カッキーまた行ったのかと言われそうですが】、アイス珈琲を味わいつつ、1時間ほど涼んできました。今日は数人の女性客がいました。

　その中の一人が以前に私のピアノを聴いてくださった方らしく、声を掛けてくださり話ができました。音楽が元で知り合いになれると嬉しいです。「さんぽ道」の前はご覧の通り、緑と花で落ち着きます。

Dear my friends

　As I don't seize many opportunities to drive my car, to keep it in good condition, I stopped by Audi dealer on Takamae Bypass in the afternoon. And I informed how it was the condition after the inspection, including how comfortable the new Bridgestone 245-35-19 tires were.

　On my way home, I went straight to the cafe "Sampo-michi" in Shibasaki-town [you might think, did "Kakky go again?"] and spent an hour cooling off over the iced coffee as usual. There were several lady customers today.

　One of the ladies has heard my piano playing before, she spoke to me, so we got to talking. I'm happy to make acquaintances through music. As you can see, in front of Sampo-michi, there's greenery and Crape Myrtle, which makes me feel at ease.

果たして、再会できるか！

　現役時代を振り返ると、高崎商業高校勤務ではAET【英語指導者】としてニュージーランドから来日されていたスペンス先生と毎日、交流するのが楽しくて、休み時間や放課後などはお茶を飲みつつ、つい、あれこれおしゃべりし、楽しく過ごしたものです。彼は学校に近い江木町に家族と共に住み、小学生の娘さんはやはり近くの塚沢小に通ってました。日曜日や夏休みには時々我が家に遊びに来られ、娘のセラーちゃんは娘たちともよく遊んでました。

　私が外国の先生と交流を密にしてたのは、見知らぬ日本の国に来ていろいろ分からぬことや、不便なこと、生活上で祖国とは違うシステム、また、概して「英語を話さない日本人の多いこと」に戸惑い、「私の根底に、日常生活に不安を感じてもらいたくなかった」ことがあるからです。

　これは私自身が最初の就職でカルカッタ日本人学校勤務だった体験から来るのでしょう。現地では日本語は一切聞こえず、最初は見知らぬ人たちばかりで、何事もちんぷんかんぷんで、日本とは気候のみならず、お金が違い、生活方法のすべてに戸惑ったことが心に蘇ったのかもしれません。

　このため、高商では英語の先生方より、公私ともに彼と深く付き合ってました。学校を離れても、夏休みの今の季節であれば、例えば「高島屋のビアガーデン」にお連れし、楽しく交流したことは忘れません。彼もきっと忘れないでいるでしょう。特に、群馬音楽センターで開催した高商吹奏楽部定期演奏会では私が指揮しましたが、聴き来てくれたことが本当に嬉しかったです。

　実は、現在も交流はフェイスブックを通じて繋がっており、遥かなる南半球より、拙い私の英作文を読んでいて下さり、私はもっと力を入れたくなってる心境です。日本人で親しかった友人の多くは世を去り、寂しい日々ですが、ニュージーランドのスペンスさんには心より感謝してます。果たして再会できるでしょうか。

Dear my friends who are crazy about encounter with person and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

...............................................

　Looking back on my active period, I enjoyed interacting daily with Mr. Barry Spence, who came from New Zealand to work as an AET (English Language Teacher) at Takasaki High School of Commerce. We would chat about all sorts of things over tea during breaks and after school, and we would often have fun. He lived with his family in Egi-machi, close to the school, and his daughter, an elementary school student, attended nearby Tsukasawa Elementary School. He would sometimes visited us on Sundays and during summer vacation, his daughter, Sarah, would often play with my daughters.

　The reason I interacted so closely with foreign teachers was because, just after his arriving in the unfamiliar country of Japan, he was overwhelmed by the many different things he didn't understand, the inconveniences, the different systems in daily life from his home country, and the fact that many Japanese people generally don't speak English. "In my deep down, I didn't want him to feel anxious about his daily life."

　This probably stems from my own experience working at the Calcutta Japanese School during my first job. I didn't hear Japanese words there, and at first I was surrounded by strangers, so everything was incomprehensible. Not only the climate was different from Japan, the money system was also different, and I was bewildered by the entire way of life. Perhaps that was deep down within me.

　For this reason, at the Commercial High School, I had a closer relationship with him, both personally and professionally, than many English teachers. Even after leaving school, I never forget the fun times we had, like taking him to the Takashimaya Beer Garden during the summer vacation. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten either. I was especially happy that he came to listen to the Commercial High School Wind Orchestra's regular concert, which I conducted at the Gumma Music Center in Takasaki-city.

　In fact, we still keep in touch through Facebook, and he reads my poor English composition from far away in the Southern Hemisphere, which motivates me to put in more effort. Many of my close Japanese friends have passed away, so I'm feeling lonely these days, but I'm truly grateful to Mr. Barry Spence in New Zealand. I wonder if we'll meet again.

冷たく美味しそうに見える

　不思議なコップが百円ショップで売ってました。このコップに水を入れると水が青くなり、恰も、表面に氷が浮いているように見えます。このため冷たく見え、水分補給には打って付けです。

　一方、私だけ水分補給しても申し訳ないので、暑い中、外に出てホースでサルスベリはもちろん、柿の木などすべての植物に勢いよく水を遣りました。植物にはポンプによる井戸からの水ですから冷たいです。植物たちは生き返ってます。柿の味は渋いカッキーと違い甘柿です。

Dear my friends who like a sweet persimmon

　I found a mysterious cups at the 100 yen shop. When I pour water into this cup, it turns a light blue color, and it looks as if there is ice floating on the surface. This makes it look cold and is perfect for rehydration.

　Meanwhile, if I rehydrate, it is no good, so I went outside in the heat and vigorously watered all the plants in the garden, including the crape myrtle and persimmon tree with the hose. The water for the plants was cold, as it came from a pumped well. The plants are coming back to life. Please come and eat some persimmons when they are ripe in the fall. The taste of persimmon is unlike astringent Kakky, they are sweet persimmons beyond description.

サルスベリは色彩が多種で、どれも情熱的

　写真上は、今朝撮った庭のサルスベリです。本格的に開花が進み、現在5分咲きです。私は枝を剪定しないことにしてるので横に伸び、南国的な枝ぶりとなって広い日陰ができます。今日も暑いので、人間の水分補給と同様に、家族である巨樹のサルスベリに水をたっぷり与えるつもりです。倉賀野を通過することがありましたら、ぜひ、お立ち寄り戴き、サルスベリの情熱を観賞しつつ、冷たい飲み物で休憩してください。

　ところで、私の近所にはあちこちでサルスベリが開花中です。今朝、ラジオ体操が終わってから、カメラを持って近くを一周し、ご覧の通り、色彩の異なる三種類を撮影しました。どれが素晴らしい色ということはなく、いろいろあって、それぞれ美しく情熱的です。丁度、個性ある人間たちのようです。すべてが笑っているようにも見えます。写真をクリックし、拡大してご覧ください。

　ところで、先日お伝えした通り、吉井町から富岡市に抜ける新たなバイパスの沿道には、推定数百本という赤いサルスベリが延々と咲き始めてます。未だ、幼木ですが、これから８月にかけて真っ赤な街道になるでしょう。富岡市に行くことがありましたら、このバイパスを通過してみてください。驚かれると思います。

　今日も猛暑ですから外で無理せず、涼しい室内で過ごしましょう。人間の体内は常に６０％の水分確保が必須といわれてます。たくさん汗を掻くので水分が減少します。体調維持のポイントは「喉が渇く前の水分補給」です。７月もいよいよ最後となり、涼しい秋はそこまで来ています。暑さはもう少しです。皆さん、頑張りましょう。

Dear my friends who are crazy about in good shape and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

...........................................................

　The photo taken this morning above shows the Crape Myrtle in my garden. It's currently 50% in full bloom. I don't prune the branches, so they grow horizontally, creating a tropical-like branching pattern which is providing ample shade. It's hot again today, so I will give my giant family Crape Myrtle plenty of water, just like I hydrate myself. If you pass through Kuragano-town, please stop by, admire the passion of my Crape Myrtle, and take a break with a cold drink.

　By the way, Crape Myrtle trees are blooming in my neighborhood. This morning, after my radio gymnastics, I took the photo for a walk around the neighborhood and, as you can see, photographed three different varieties, each with their own unique color. None of them are particularly beautiful, each has their own unique color and passion. They're just like human beings, with their own unique personalities. They all look like smiling, too. Click on the photo to enlarge.

　By the way, as I mentioned the other day, hundreds of red Crape Myrtles are beginning to bloom endlessly along the roadside of the new bypass that runs from Yoshii Town to Tomioka City. The trees are still young, but from now on, during August, the road will turn bright red. If you visit Tomioka City, try to pass this bypass. You'll be amazed.

　It's extremely hot again today, so don't push yourself outside and stay indoors in the coolness of your room. It is said that the human body needs to maintain 60% water at all times. We sweat a lot, so that we tend to cause a loss of water. The key to maintaining good health is to "hydrate before you get thirsty." July is finally coming to the end, and the cool weather of autumn is just around the corner. The heat is almost over. Let's all do our best, everyone.

　　

涼しい喫茶店で憩う

　群馬県の今日の最高気温は３９．９度と発表されてます。確かに余りにも暑いので午後４時より、涼しいお気に入り喫茶「さんぼ道」で１時間ほど休息してきました。

　暑いからでしょう、客は私一人です。静かな環境で本を読みつつ、また、暫くぶりに定番であるショパンのノクターンB mollを語りかけるつもりで弾き、飲み物も定番のアイス珈琲で心身ともに冷やしリラックスしました。

　写真の如く、この喫茶の南東側は今では少なくなった広大な自然環境に恵まれ、写真をクリックすると臨場感が出ます。この景色を見るだけでも、ここに来た意味があります。皆さん、立秋まであと9日です。猛暑が続くのは先が見えてます。日の入りは確かに早まってます。

Dear my friends who like to see nature and great music.

　The highest temperature in Gumma Prefecture today was announced to be 39.9 degrees in Celsius. It was certainly too hot, so I decided to rest for about an hour at 4pm at my favorite cool cafe, "Sambo-michi."

　Perhaps because of the extreme heat, I was the only customer there. I read a book in the quiet environment and, for the first time in a while, played Chopin's Nocturne in B minor by the piano, as if talking to you. I also had my standard iced coffee to cool and relax both my body and mind.

　As you can see in the photo, the southeast side of this cafe is blessed with a vast natural environment that is rare in the city these days, therefore, if clicking the photo gives you a sense of realism. Just seeing this view makes us worthwhile. Everyone, there are nine days left until the beginning of autumn in Japan. The scorching heat is finally here, I guess. The sun is certainly setting earlier.

御荷鉾山を見るたびに蘇る・・・懐かしい雪合戦

　誰でも年々年を重ね、それは５０才を超えると早く感じます。年を重ねても、ずっと健康でいたいものです。私は、健康でいるための基本は「筋肉を鍛えること」と考えます。簡単と思われがちな朝のラジオ体操も「ピアノの音色を聴きつつリズミカルに行う」と、筋肉はもちろん、深呼吸が多いので呼吸筋にもプラスとなり、結果として平素の姿勢に反映します。姿勢が良くなると大切な「胃や肺を圧迫しなくなり」食事も美味しくなります。

　一方、「自分が自分らしくいることの一つは声の質」と言えます。声が安定すれば、いつまでも自分らしくいることに繋がります。それらは話すこと、歌うこと、笑うこと、手足を使うことなどで、私たちの生活行動のすべては筋肉が作用してます。生きることは筋肉の動きと言えます。

　下半身を鍛えるため私が住む倉賀野町周辺をウォーキングすると、上毛三山や浅間山の雄姿のみならず、北西には谷川岳、西南にはテーブルマウンテン「荒船山」、南には東西の御荷鉾山【写真】が望めます。西御荷鉾山の近くは、昔、高崎商業高校吹奏楽部員が冬の合宿をしたところです。リクレーションで全員で山頂に登ったら雪が積もってました。

　ここで伝統の木管楽器群、金管打楽器群に分かれて雪合戦になりました。しかし、実際にはこの時とばかり、後輩は先輩をめがけ、女子は男子をめがけ、練習を忘れた楽しいひと時でした。

　この山を見つつウォーキングをすると、懐かしい青年教師時代が蘇ります。彼ら彼女らは既に還暦です。もう、こちらが人生について、いろいろ教わる番です。

【日本文が長いので英文は要点のみにします。】

Dear my friends who are crazy about eternal peace and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.....................................................

　Everyone ages year by year, and this seems to happen faster when we over 50 years old. Even as we age, we want to stay healthy

　On the other hand, it can be said that "one of the things that makes us feel is the quality of our voice." If we have a stable voice, we will be able to live our life as ourselves, such as speaking, singing, laughing, and using our hands. All of our daily actions are driven by muscles. Living can be said to be the movement of muscles.

　When I walk around Kuragano-town where I live to train my lower body, I can see not only the majestic three well-known in Gumma but Mt. Asama, Mt. Tanigawa to the northwest, the table mountain "Mt. Arafune" to the southwest [photo below], and the east and west Mt. Mikabo to the south [photo above]. Near Mt. West-Mikahoko is where the Takasaki High School of commerce brass band used to hold a winter training camp. When all students climbed the summit for recreation, it was covered in snow.

　Here, they split into woodwind and brass percussion groups and had a snowball fight. However, in reality, the juniors aimed for the seniors and the girls aimed for the boys, and it was a fun time that forgot about music practice.

　Walking while looking at these mountains brings back the nostalgic memories of my time as a young teacher. They are already more than 60 years old. Now it's my turn to be taught a lot about life from them.

　　

暑気払いに行ってきます。

　本当にうだるような暑さです。インド滞在中の若き日は水泳が好きで１０００m～２０００mほど連続して泳ぎ、目が赤くなるまで泳いだものです。近年はよく新町のプールへ行きました。そういえば、もう１０年ほど泳いでないような気がします。

　今考えると、水泳は全身の筋肉を使うと共に、常に深呼吸の連続だったので健康長寿には理想的と考えられます。このため、また行きたいです。一人でより、どなたかと一緒に泳ぎたいです。

　ところで、今宵はお許しください。高崎田町の某所で暑気払いです。ここはバランスのとれた食事と共に、楽しい会話ができ、私には必須なことです。では倉賀野駅から電車で行って参ります。二次会には行きませんのでご安心ください。

Dear my friends who are crazy about swimming and great music

　It's really sweltering hot. In my younger days, when I was staying in India, I loved swimming and would swim 1000m to 2000m continuously, until my eyes were red. In recent years, I often went to the pool in Shinmachi. Come to think of it, I haven't swam in about 10 years.

　Looking at it now, swimming uses all the muscles in our body and requires constant deep breathing, so it seems ideal for our longevity. For this reason, I would like to go again. I would rather swim with someone than alone.

　By the way, please forgive me for this evening. I'm going to cool off at a place in Takasaki at Tamachi. This tavern named "Baku" is a place where I can get a balanced meal together with conversation which are indispensable for me. Now, I'll take the train from Kuragano-Station. Don't worry, I will not go to the afterparty.

猛暑に対して、もう一踏ん張り

【画像をクリックし、拡大するとピントが合います。】

　庭の巨樹サルスベリが咲き出して１０日ほど経ち、やっと五分咲きになりました。猛暑の夏は燃えるような真っ赤なサルスベリが似合います。百日紅とも書くことから、今後、果たして、９０日間咲き続けるでしょうか。１０月まで咲けば、もう完全に秋です。その頃になると私たちは今の猛暑を忘れてるでしょう。

　調べてみると群馬県では、今日７月２８日の日の出は４時４７分、太陽高度は７２°、日の入りは１８時５３分です。夏至に比べると日の出は既に２１分遅く、太陽高度は５°低く、日の入りは１２分早くなります。今日も猛暑が予想されてますが、地球は着々と秋に向かってることは事実です。希望を持って生きましょう。

　少々、害虫に蝕まれてもサルスベリはこれからが本番です。人間も同じ生物ですから、時には病魔に侵されやすいものです。私は健康にかなり気をつけてます。その中心は食事内容で野菜の「種類」を多くしてます。一方、日々、身体を「適度に」使い、筋肉をつけるようにしてます。ここがポイントですが、年令を重ねたら痩せてはなりません。筋肉のため「歩くよう心に鞭を打って」ます。「塩、砂糖、油」は、すでに食品の中に含まれので、わざわざ購入しません。軽く一杯やりながら刺身が好きなので醤油は少々使います。

　ところで、サルスベリと言えば、先日「甘楽こんにゃくパーク」へ行く途中に驚きました。吉井町から富岡方面に行くバイパスの両側には延々とサルスベリの若木が並び、すでに咲き始めます。数年後には特徴ある真っ赤な街道になるでしょう。サルスベリから私は「私に最も不足する情熱」を習います。音楽はもちろん、人との出会いにもワクワクしたいです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about encounter and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.....................................................

　It has been about 10 days since the giant Crape Myrtle in the garden started blooming, and it is finally 50 percent in bloom. The fiery red Crape Myrtle looks great in the scorching hot summer. It is also written as '100 days red' in Chinese character, so I wonder if it will continue to bloom for another 90 days. If it blooms until October, it will be completely autumn. By that time, we will have forgotten about the current heat wave.

　When I looked it up, I found that the sunrise in Gumma Prefecture today, July 28th, is 4:47, the solar altitude is 72° at noon, and the sun sets at 18:53. Compared to the summer solstice, sunrise is already 21 minutes later, the solar altitude is 5° lower, and the sun sets 12 minutes earlier. Today is also forecast to be a heat wave, but it is true that the earth is steadily moving towards autumn. Let's live with hope.

　Even if it is slightly eaten up by pests, the Crape Myrtle is just started to bloom. Humans are the same living beings, so they are sometimes susceptible to disease. I am very careful about my health. The main focus of this is on my diet, and I try to eat a variety of vegetables. At the same time, I try to use my body "moderately" every day and build muscle. This is the key, as we get older, we can't afford to get skinny. For the sake of my muscles, I force myself to walk. Salt, sugar, and oil are already in the food supply, so I don't buy them. I like to have a grass of beer and eat sashimi, sliced raw fish, so I use a little soy sauce.

　Speaking of crape myrtle, I was surprised the other day on my way to Kanra Konnyaku Devil's tongue Park. On both sides of the bypass going from Yoshii-town towards Tomioka-city, there are endless rows of crape myrtles, and they have already started to bloom. In a few years, it will become a distinctive bright red road. From crape myrtle, I learn "the passion which I lack the most." I want to be lively and excited about music, as well as encounter a lady. Recently, I had met.

微かに地球照が見える

　今宵、午後８時前に、私の家の三階の窓から西の空に沈む直前の「三日月」を撮りました。今日は旧暦【太陰太陽暦】で６月３日です。月が沈む位置は浅間山のすぐ南です。

　この写真をクリックし拡大すると、薄く月の全体像が映ってます。これは「地球照」というもので、おそらくインド洋やアフリカ大陸を照らしてる太陽の光が、逆に月面を照らしているものと想われます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about astronomical phenomenon.

　Tonight, just before 8pm Japan time, I took this photo of the crescent moon just before it set in the western sky from the third-floor window of my house. Today is June 3rd in the lunar calendar (lunisolar calendar). The moon sets just south of the active volcano Mt. Asama.

　If you enlarge this photo, you can see a faint image of the entire moon in the left side. This is called "earthshine", and I think it is probably the sunlight shining on the Indian Ocean or on the African continent which is then illuminating the surface of the moon.

暑い日に日帰り温泉もいいものです。

　午後３時頃に家を出発し、山名回りで１０日ぶりくらいに「吉井牛伏ドリームセンター」の日帰り温泉に行ってきました。と言うものの、実は、車検を終わったばかりの水色の愛車で良い道を走りたくなったのが本音です。お気に入り新品タイヤ245－35－19は路面をしっかり捉えて快適です。これで、助手席に〇ちゃんが乗ってれば言うことなしです。

　帰路は吉井町から中山峠の快適な道を通過し、倉賀野バイパス経由でした。肝心のお湯に浸かると牛伏山の全貌が見え、心はさっぱりし、体調が良く生った感覚です。従って今宵のビールは格別でしょう。何と言っても、今時ここの入浴料200円は安いです。高崎市民でよかった。

Dear my friends

  I left home at around 3pm and went to the "Yoshii Ushibuse Dream Center" for the first time in about 10 days, going via Yamana-town. To be honest, I just wanted to drive on a nice road by my light blue car TT that had just passed inspection. My favorite new tires, 245-35-19, grip the road surface firmly and are comfortable. If my sweetheart in heart is in the passenger seat, I couldn't ask for anything more.

  On the way back, I passed through the comfortable road of Nakayama-Pass from Yoshii Town and took the Kuragano-Bypass. When I soaked in the hot water, I could see the whole shape of Mt. Ushibuse, so my mind and body were refreshed. Therefore, tonight's draft beer will be exceptionally delicious. After all, the bathing fee of 200 yen here is cheap these days. I'm glad to be a Takasaki resident.

生きることは、動物も人間も基本は同じ

【画像をクリックするとピントが合います。】

　キジバトの番が咲き出した庭のサルスベリの枝で休息しています。私には羨ましい光景です。ここなら上空から天敵に見つからず安心できます。「空を飛ぶ鳥のように自由に生きる」という歌がありますが、一見、自由に飛んでいるようでも、上空からは急降下する鷹など猛禽類に追われ、下からは猫など危険な動物たちに命を狙われるので、常に周囲に目を配りつつ生きてます。その合間を縫って餌と水の在りかを探し、巣作りし、子育てし、命を繋いでます。

　実は、基本的には人間も同じです。特に、私たちの一世代前は、長い期間、戦争の時代であり、食糧難の中で子育てし暮らしてきました。元の私の家は倉賀野町の真ん中にあったことから庭に消防団の防空壕があり、空襲が起こる度に両親と子供たちはその中に隠れ、敵機が去るまで真っ暗な地下でじっと身を寄せ合っていました。現在、私のすぐ近くに当時小学生だった姉が一人で住んでますが、この大変な時代を生きた歴史の生き証人です。子々孫々の時代から未来永劫、戦争に巻き込まれてはなりません。

　ところで、昨日、車の会社アウディーに行ったのは、車検を終えたら、背もたれが揉むように動く椅子の下の部品がないことに気づき、探してもらったら工場内にあったので良かったです。一方、私のスマホが電話もラインもブログも動画もすべて不可能になったので慌てましたが、店に行ったら、このようなときは一旦、電源を切って再度スイッチを入れると解決することを教わり、無事に使えるようになりホッとしました。皆さん、「立秋」まであと１０日です。日本列島は今日も猛暑です。こまめに水分補給し、体調に留意なさってください。

Dear my friends who are crazy about eternal peace and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.............................................

　A pair of turtle doves are resting on the branches of a blooming crepe myrtle in my garden. I envy their sight. Here they feel safe from predators from above. There is a Japanese song that "we want to live freely like a bird's flight in the sky," but even though they may fly freely at first glance, they are chased by raptors such as hawks that dive from above, and dangerous animals such as cats from below, so they always have to keep eyes on their surroundings. In between, they have to search for food and water, build nest, raise their chicks, and survive.

　In fact, humans are basically the same as them. In particular, the generation before us was a long period of world war Ⅱ, and our parents raised children including me in the midst of food shortages. My former home was in the middle of Kuragano-Town, so there was an air raid shelter in the garden. Whenever there was an air raid, my parents and children would hide in it and stay huddled together in the pitch black under the ground until the enemy planes B-29 left. My older sister, who was an elementary school student at the time, now she lives alone near me, and she is a living witness to the history of this difficult time. We must not be drawn into war, for not only our next generations to come, but for all eternity.

　Not change the subject, but, I went to Audi company yesterday because after my car inspection, I noticed that a part was missing under the seat that allows the massage my back, so I asked them to look for it and was glad to find that it was inside the factory. On the other hand, I panicked because I could no longer make calls, send LINE messages, weblog, or watch videos on my smartphone, but when I went to the store, I was told that in such cases, the problem can be solved by turning it off and then turning it back on. Finally I was relieved to be able to use it again. Everyone, there are 10 days left until the beginning of autumn in Japan. It is extremely hot today again. Please drink water occasionally and pay attention to your health.

　　

来週を楽しみに！

　今日は用事があって、午後３時頃より先日車検を終えた高前バイパスのアウディーの会社に行き、帰路にスマホの店に立ち寄って来ました。どちらも簡単に解決しました。明日、書きましょう。

　週末なので、今宵は気分転換に高崎の街中で一杯やりたいところですが、多分、来週には【時計屋の隣りさん】に誘われるでしょうから、今宵は我慢し、家で過ごします。心の中で楽しく一緒に過ごします。

Dear my friends

　I had some business today, so around 3pm I went to the Audi company situated at Takasaki Bypass that recently finished its vehicle inspection. On the way to home, I visited the smartphone store. Both issues were easily resolved. I'll write about it on Facebook tomorrow.

　It's the weekend, so I'd like to go for a drink in downtown Takasaki -City tonight to change my mood, but I'll probably be invited by the friend named "Mr. Next Door to the watch shop" next week, so I'll put up with and stay home tonight. I'll spend tonight happily with thinking of you.

日々、体力を鍛え、山岳行きに備える

【遠望は春、群馬県庁最上階から撮った谷川連峰です。画像をクリックすると臨場感が出ます。】

　連日、猛暑が続いています。皆様、いかがお過ごしでしょうか。夜間も湿度が不快にさせてます。このため、就寝中に汗をかき、どうしても睡眠不足がちになります。私は年のせいか、昔のように８時間連続して眠れることはなくなりました。実は、食事をすると眠くなってしまうことがあります。ですから、細切れで合計すると、どうにか７時間を確保しているようです。

　光陰矢の如し。今月もいよいよ終盤です。来たる８月７日は「立秋」です。私たちを載せ公転を続ける地球は着々と黄道十二星座の「やぎ座」から「水瓶座」の方向へ進んでいます。８月になり、夜空が澄んで見える様になったら確認しましょう。深夜に、この星座たちは頭上に近いです。ただ、「水瓶座」は北半球で見ると上下が逆さまです。この頃になると平野では残暑でも、山は涼しくなるでしょう。私は予定してる赤城大沼周遊ウォーキングは「立秋」過ぎに、同様に「谷川岳」天神平・天神峠の散策と楽しみな谷川温泉も８月中旬です。

　以前は、県内外の山へは、山岳の名人Ｔさんに度々連れてってもらいました。しかし、高校で山岳部の顧問であり、私の英語の先生でもあった彼は早世してしまい、近年これほど寂しいことはありません。今回の赤城大沼一周ウォーキングと谷川天神平も可能ならば同行してくださる方がいれば楽しいと思います。現地までは、今回車検が済み、新たなタイヤ【245-35-19】に交換し、新たなバッテリーを積載した水色の愛車ＴＴに活躍してもらいます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about moutaineering and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

......................................

　The heatwave continues day after day in Japan. How are you all doing? The humidity is uncomfortable even at night. Because of this, I sweat while sleeping and I tend to get a lack of sleep. Maybe it's because of my age, but I can't sleep for 8 hours straight like I used to. In fact, sometimes I get sleepy after eating due to living alone. So, if I add up small amounts, I somehow sleep 7 hours.

　Time flies. This month is finally coming to an end. August 7th is the beginning of autumn in Japan. The Earth, which carries us on its orbit, is steadily moving from the direction of Capricorn to Aquarius. Please check them out in August when the night sky becomes clear. Late at night, these constellations are close overhead. However, Aquarius is upside down when viewed from the Northern Hemisphere such as Japan. In this season, even if the heat remains in the plains, the mountains will be cooler, I guess. I plan to walk around Mt. Akagi Big Lake after the beginning of autumn, and I will also explore Tenjindai and Tenjin Pass on Mt. Tanigawadake and of course, visiting the exciting Tanigawa Spar in mid-August.

　In the past, I was often taken to mountains in and outside the prefecture by Mr. Todokoro, a mountaineering expert. However, he was the advisor of the mountaineering club in high school and also my English teacher. Regrettably he passed away young, so I have never felt so lonely in recent years. I think it would be fun if someone could accompany me on this trip around Lake Big lake in Mt. Akagi, and Tanigawa's Tenjindaira. To get there, I will be using my light blue Audi TT Quattro, which has passed inspection, has new tires [245-35-19], and is equipped with a new battery.

突然、眼前にこの光景が出現し驚く

　この山は、群馬県の中央に聳える榛名山系の最も東の峰の「水沢山」です。今は亡き友人Ｔさんと西隣の雌岳(めだけ)の山頂に着いたら、突然、眼前にこの「水沢山」の全貌が現れ、誠に感動しました。この瞬間は生涯忘れません。

　　

  Ths mountain is Mt. Mizusawa which is the easternmost peak of the Haruna mountain range which stands in the center of Gumma Prefecture. When I reached the summit of Mt. Me-dake, located to the west with my deceased friend Mr. Todokoro, the view of Mt. Mizusawa suddenly appeared before my eyes. Therefore I was truly moved. I will never forget this moment for the rest of my life.

「こんにゃくパーク」へドライブ

　先日バス旅行で行った甘楽町の「こんにゃくパーク」まで午前中にドライブし、境内の野菜売り場で、オクラ、茄子、キュウリ、ニンニク、キャベツなどの野菜をまとめて購入してきました。新鮮で安かったです。

　「こんにゃくパーク」に１０時半頃、到着しましたが、夏休みだからでしょう。驚いたことに県外の車を含め駐車場は満車の状態でしたが、どうにか駐車できました。野菜を１０００円程たくさん買ったため一人では食べ切れないので、近くに住むやはり一人暮らしの姉にお裾分けしたら喜んでました。

Dear friends

　In the morning, I drove to the Konnyaku Park that means Devil's tongue Park at Kanra-Town in western Gumma prefecture, where I had recently visited on a bus trip. I bought a bunch of vegetables at the vegetable stand inside the park, such as okra, eggplant, cucumber, garlic, and cabbage. They were fresh and cheap.

　I arrived at Konnyaku Park around 10:30. Because it was summer vacation, it was crowded with people. To my surprise, the parking lot was full, including cars from outside the prefecture, but I managed to find a parking spot. I bought a lot of vegetables, about 1,000 yen worth, and couldn't eat them all by myself, so I shared some with my sister who lives nearby and also lives alone, she was very happy.

サルスベリのための日々の日課とは？

　遅ればせながら庭先の大きなサルスベリがやっと咲き出しました。写真は今朝、梢のよく咲いてる部分を撮ったので、全体としては現在２分咲きと言ったところです。右下の写真のように他の枝には蕾が膨らんできました。巨樹ですから枝から枝まで７mほどあり、結果的に南国のように木陰ができます。それにしても真夏に咲くとは不思議です。気温の高い中国南部が原産地と考えられ、江戸時代以前に日本に輸入されたと伝えられます。

　木登りが上手な猿でも、滑り落ちるほど樹皮が滑らかという例えから名付けられたのでしょう。一方、特徴として開花期間が７月中旬～１０月まで約１００日間も紅く咲くので百日紅とも書きます。巨樹のため養分がたくさん必要で、私は付近を草刈りし、栄養を与え、水遣りを日課としてます。今は亡き両親が井戸を作っておいてくれたので、幸いにも水だけは豊富にあります。

　しかし、サルスベリも人間に似てることがあります。何だと思われますか。私は毎日、サルスベリのために戦ってます。それは害虫によって幹が蝕まれていることです。あちこちに食われた穴があり、幹の中にトンネルが出来てます。これは数百～数千と考えられる小さな赤い蟻です。黒い大きな蟻は土の中に巣を作るので問題ありません。

　実は、このサルスベリは長女の長女が誕生した記念樹です。この花のように情熱的に活躍してほしい願いを込めて植えました。このため枯らすわけにはいきません。可哀そうですが、ガムテープで取り除いてますが、敵もあっぱれです。繁殖力が無限です。捕っても捕っても、翌日にはまた動いてます。薬を使うと樹木を痛めることも起こり得るので、粘り強く安全な方法を採ってます。皆さん、良い方法があったらお教えください。

【本文が長いので英訳は二段目からです。】

Dear my friends who are crazy about the health of plants and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

............................................

　The name probably comes from the fact that the bark is so smooth that even monkeys who are good at climbing trees would slip off it. On the other hand, one of its characteristics is that it blooms red for about 100 days from mid-July around my birthday to October, so it is also written as 100-day red crape myrtle. Because it is a giant tree, it needs a lot of nutrients, so I make it a daily routine to mow the grass around it, provide it with nutrients, and water it. Fortunately, my late parents built a well, so there is plenty of water.

　However, there is something about crape myrtle that is similar to humans. Do you know what it is? I fight against it every day. It is that the trunk is being eaten away by the small red ants. There are holes eaten here and there, and tunnels have formed in the trunk. Small red ants are moving that could number from hundreds to thousands. The big black ants make their nests in the soil, so there is no problem.

　Actually, this crape myrtle is a memorial tree for the birth of my eldest granddaughter. I planted it with the hope that she would be as passionate and active as this flower. For this reason, I cannot let it die. I feel sorry for ants, but I've been removing them with duct tape, but the enemy is amazing. They have infinite reproductive power. Even if I catch them, they're on the move again the next day. Using medicine can damage the trees, so I'm persistent and taking a safe method. If you have any good methods, please let me know.

　　

心より暑中お見舞い申し上げます。

　余りにも蒸して暑く、庭に来る鳩も用意した水を美味しそう飲んでます。皆さん、本当に暑いですが、いかがお過ごしでしょうか。

　２０～３０年前によく耳にした「不快指数」という言葉を最近はすっかり聞かなくなりましたね。言葉も流行り廃れがあるようです。ところで、今宵もフェイスブック友人のお顔を想いつつ、ビールを美味しく戴きたいので、先程、お腹を空かせるためにＴシャツと半ズボン姿で上４町内を一周し歩いてきました。外にいる人は殆どいません。

　一方、明日の午前中には、車検が済んだ水色の愛車で先日バス旅行で行った「甘楽町のこんにゃくパーク」内の野菜販売所へドライブ予定です。「新鮮な野菜が安い」印象でした。私の目的は大きなオクラとその他の野菜です。最近の私はブルーベリーとオクラに嵌ってます。

Dear my friends

　It's so hot and humid that the pigeon that come to my garden is drinking the water I prepared for her with gusto. How are you all doing in this really hot weather in Japan?

　The term "discomfort index," which was often heard 20-30 years ago, has not been heard much recently. Words seem to go in and out of fashion. As usual, I'd like to enjoy a delicious beer tonight while thinking of my Facebook friends, especially you, so I just walked around Kami-4th district in a T-shirt and shorts to make myself hungry. There are hardly any people outside.

　By the way, in the morning of tomorrow I plan to drive my light blue Audi TT coupe which has passed inspection, to the vegetable store in "Konnyaku Devil's tongue Park in Kanra Town," which I visited on a bus trip the other day. I felt the impression that "fresh vegetables are cheap." My purpose is to get some large okra and other vegetables. I've been obsessed with blueberries and okra lately.

人間らしいこと・・・尽きない会話

 

　私が小さい頃のことを覚えているのは４～５才頃からでしょうか。それ以前のことは思い出せません。皆さんはいかがですか。ところが、私は「ウ～」と空襲警報が鳴り響き、何か緊迫した雰囲気は感覚として微かに記憶にあります。今のウクライナやガザの幼児たちと同じだったのでしょう。

　その後、当時の倉賀野には幼稚園や保育園がなかったので隣村の岩鼻の保育園にバスで通いました。友人の祖母の方が毎日送り迎えしてくださり、今振り返ると有難かったです。一緒によく遊んだその友人も既に天に召されてます。

　ところで、現在、一人暮らしが続いていても、私には多くの楽しみがあります。それぞれ生き甲斐に繋がるもので、どれが最も楽しいと比較できるものではありません。その一つは「樹木に花が咲く植物」を育ててます。これは両親から受け継いだ血統かもしれません。

　現在、サルスベリの開花が日に日に増してます。一方、音色美を求めてソプラノサックスとピアノの演奏です。しかし、残念にも鑑賞してくれる人はいません。また、好きなことは昨日、車検から帰って来たAudi TTのドライブです。こちらも、哀れにも助手席に乗ってくれる人はいません。勉強は本来的に苦手でも、生活に関する英単語を覚えることは好きで、これは若き日のインド生活の名残でしょう。

　しかし、私が最も人間的で好きなことは、友人・知人との泉の如く尽きない会話です。しかし、哀れにも日々そのような方はなかなか来訪されません。先日の３時間は楽しかったです。時折行く高崎の某所でブログのコメンテーター「時計屋の隣りさん」との夕食会は極めて楽しいです。

　ところで、私の家には写真のように日本家屋でも三階に山小屋風で上毛三山が望め、眺望抜群の部屋があります。ここは人間性を取り戻せるかの如く、リラックスして話が出来るスペースです。そのほか、写真の通り、室内のみならず、庭にもお茶を飲みつつ、自由に会話ができるテーブルが用意してあります。ですから、私が最も好きなことは「心知れる方」といつまでも尽きない話をすることでしょう。お待ちしてます。

【文章が長いので英文は要約です。】
  　

Dear my friends who are crazy about conversation with people throughout the world and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.........................................................

　Even though I continue to live alone, I have many things to enjoy. Each one is connected to the purpose in my life, so I can't compare which one is the most enjoyable. One of them is raising "flowering trees." This may be a lineage I inherited from my parents.

　Currently, the Crape Myrtle is blooming more and more day by day. Meanwhile, I play the soprano saxophone and piano in search of beautiful tone quality. Unfortunately, there is no lady to appreciate it. Another thing I like is driving my Audi TT Quattro, which came back from inspection yesterday. Unfortunately, there is no lady to ride in the passenger seat. Although I am not good at studying, I like to learn English words related to daily life, which is probably a remnant of my life in India in my younger days.

　However, the thing I like most as a human is the endless conversations with friends and acquaintances. Unfortunately, such people rarely come to visit me every day. The three hours I spent with beautiful Run-chan and the others the other day were really fun. I also enjoy having dinner with my blog commentator "The Watch Shop Neighbor" at "Baku" in Takasaki that I occasionally visit.

　By the way, as you can see in the photo, my house is a traditional Japanese-style house, but there is a mountain hut-style room on the third floor with a spectacular view of the "three well-known mountains in Gumma Prefecture. This is a space where I can relax and talk to friends, as if I were rediscovering my humanity. As you can see in the photo, there are also tables set up in the garden as well as indoors where we can chat freely over tea. Therefore, in fact, what I like most is to have endless conversations with "people who know me well." I look forward to seeing you again.

　　

一時間ほど「さんぽ道」で涼む

　これから喫茶「さんぽ道」で１時間ほどリラックスしてきます。やはり、アイス珈琲で涼みます。チャンスがあれば、つまり客が少なければ、ピアノを弾きたいです。

　実は、愛車が車検を終わって一週間ぶりで帰って来たのです。もう嬉しくてたまりません。まるで恋人と再会したようです。やはり、プロが磨くと一段ときれいになりました。では行って参ります。

Dear my friends

　I'm going to relax at my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi" for about an hour. I'll cool off with iced coffee. If I get a chance, that means if there are not many customers, I'd like to play the piano there.

　By the way, actually, my beloved car TT Quattro had just returned home since a week after its inspection. I'm so happy beyond description. It's like I reunite with a sweetheart in my heart. It looks even better after being polished by the professional. Well, I'm off now.

森林浴しつつ、心優しい音楽を聴きつつ

【写真は、今朝５時に撮りました。The photo was taken by me at 5am this morning.】

　不思議なことに、例年、私の誕生日に大きな「サルスベリ」が開花します。今年はほんの少し遅れましたが、ちらほら咲き出してます。季節的にも、暫く庭に花が少なかったので私はホッとし、日々孤独な生活でも、現在はたくさんの植物が家族になってます。おそらく倉賀野町では最も森林浴ができる環境にあると言えるでしょう。お陰で、毎日が森林セラピーのためでしょう。近年の血圧は１２０～１３０台で安定してます。

　早春には、５本の梅が色とりどりに開花し、それまでの荒涼とした風景から約１ヶ月ほど、紅白に咲き分ける「思いのまま」などの色彩が私を夢中にさせてくれます。４月には「源平枝垂れ桃」がその子供と共に庭のあちこちで開花し、５月には華やかな西洋シャクナゲ、深みある色彩で日本シャクナゲと続き、井戸水による私の水遣り作業はピークになります。

　現在、庭は緑の樹木に覆われ、肝心な私の住まいは前の道から見え難くなってます。実は、この環境は、前述の通り、家に居ながら「森林浴」となり、光合成によつて人間生活にとって最も大切な「脱炭素化、及び酸素の生成」が行われてます。

　ご存じの通り、人間生活にとって何が必要不可欠かといえば、胸一杯に酸素を吸うことです。また、この森の中から時折ピアノの音色が響きます。私たち人間にとって「自然」と共に心優しい「音楽」こそなくてはなりません。森林浴とピアノと会話がしたい方は遊びにいらして下さい。お待ちしてます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about living in the nature throughout the year and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

............................................

　Strangely enough, a big Crape Myrtle blooms on my birthday every year. This year, it was a little late, but she is starting to bloom here and there. So I'm relieved, because there haven't been blooming recently in the garden, and even though I live a lonely life, many plants have become part of my family. It's probably the best environment for "Forest Bathing" in Kuragano-Town. Thanks to this, I'm doing forest therapy every day. In recent years, my hypertension has been stable at 120 to 130.

　In early spring, five plum trees bloom in various colors during about a month, the desolate scenery in winter changes from the previous season, the red and white "Omoi no Mama" plum blooms, which fascinate me. In April, the "Bicolored Genpei weeping peach" and its children bloom all over the garden, and in May, the gorgeous Western rhododendrons and the deep-colored Japanese rhododendrons come into bloom, and my watering work with well water reaches its peak.

　Currently, the garden is covered in green trees, so that making it difficult to see my house from the way in front. In fact, as mentioned above, this environment allows me to enjoy "Forest Bathing" without leaving my house, and photosynthesis is carrying out "decarbonization and oxygen production", which are most important for human life.

　As you know, one of the most essential things for human life is to take a deep breath of oxygen. Also, from time to time, the sound of a piano can be heard from this forest. For us humans, gentle "music" is as essential as "nature". If you would like to enjoy Forest Bathing and conversation and piano music, please visit me near the Post office in Kuragano-town. Tea will also be served. I look forward to seeing you.

　　

何故、毎日、猛暑なのでしょう。

　今日７月２２日は二十四節気の一つ「大暑」です。文字通り連日、猛暑続きですが、何故、毎日暑いのでしょう。その理由を考えましょう。それには深夜０時に真南を見ると、やぎの顔をした黄道十二星座の一つ「やぎ座」が考えられない遠方の宇宙で光り輝いてます。このとき、北半球では毎年、真夏になります。

　一方、同じ地球上でも、現在、寒さに震えている地方もあります。それは南極大陸など南半球の高緯度地方です。

　　

　これは地球が一周「約９億４千万㎞ある公転軌道」上の現在どこを公転しているかに因ります。私たちの地球は、太陽の回りを「秒速約２９㎞」の物凄い速さで、しかも、太陽から約３８万㎞の距離を保ちつつ、ほんの少し楕円で公転してます。その公転する方向は北極星側から見て反時計回りです。

　ところが、ここがポイントです。私たちの地球は「地軸を傾けたまま自転しつつ公転してます。」この傾きは北回帰線や南回帰線の緯度と同じで２３．５°程です。実は「この傾きのまま公転してることに因り」、地球上では太陽の角度が日々ほんの少しずつ変化し、結果的に、地球上では気温が次第に変化し、四季が起こる原因になってます。現在の地球の公転上の位置は「やぎ座」の方向にあります。

　私は度々、日の出時刻や日の入り時刻と共に、その日の正午の「太陽高度」を角度で示してます。例えば、群馬県の今日の日の出は４時４１分、日の入りは１８時５９分、正午の太陽高度は７４°です。因みに、冬至の太陽高度は低く３０°です。現在の半分以下です。このように地上に降り注ぐ太陽光の角度によって気温が変化し、四季が起こり、今日の大暑は一年のうちでも猛暑となります。皆さん、こまめな水分補給をお願いします。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the change of temperature by seasons and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..............................................

　Today, July 22nd, is one of the twenty-four solar terms, "Taisho" in Japan. It has literally been scorching hot every day, but why is it so hot every day? Let's think about the reason. If we look due south at midnight, we will see the goat-faced Capricorn which is one of the twelve zodiacal constellations, shining in the unimaginably distant universe. At this time, it is midsummer every year in the Northern Hemisphere.

　Meanwhile, there are also areas on the same Earth that are currently shivering in the cold. These are the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Antarctica.

　This is due to where the Earth is currently revolving on its "approximately 940 million km orbit". Our Earth revolves around the Sun at the incredible speed of "approximately 29 km per second", and at a distance of about 380,000 km from the Sun, in a slight ellipse. The revolution is counterclockwise when viewed from the North Star side.　

　But here's the point. Our Earth "rotates and revolves on its axis with a tilt." This tilt is about 23.5°, the same as the latitude of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In fact, "because it revolves on this tilt," the angle of the sun on Earth changes slightly every day, and as a result, the temperature on Earth changes gradually, causing the four seasons. The Earth's current position on its orbit is in the direction of Capricorn.

　As you know, I often indicate the "solar altitude" at noon, along with the sunrise and sunset times. For example, today's sunrise in Gumma Prefecture is at 4:41, sunset will be at 18:59, and the solar altitude at noon will be 74°. Incidentally, the solar altitude on the winter solstice is low at 30°. It is less than half of the current level. In this way, the temperature changes depending on the angle of the sun shining on the ground, causing the four seasons, and today's heatwave is the hottest in the year. Everyone, please drink water occasionally.

　　

刻々と変化する入道雲の表情

　午前中の暑い中、庭で「ミンミン蝉」が鳴き、私は植木が枯れるのが心配でホースで勢いよく井戸水を根元に与えました。午後の空には、ご覧の通り、入道雲が現れ、果たして夕方はザーと一雨あるでしょうか。

　もし、夕立になれば、自然は良く出来ており、植物たちは息を吹き返します。これは丁度、私が夕食前にジョッキーで生ビールをぐっと喉を通すのに似て、よく浸み渡ります。

　ところで、写真の入道雲をよく見ると、何か大きな動物に似てませんか。目や口のような形に見えます。「植物が枯れる心配はない。」と優しく語りかけているように見えます。

追伸…群馬県では東部の桐生市方面で夕立があったと伝えられます。

　

Dear my friend including in the Southern Hemisphere

　In the heat of the morning, the Minmin cicadas were chirping in my garden, and due to the heat, I was worried that my many plants would wither, so I used the hose to forcefully spray well water at their roots. As you can see, cumulonimbus appeared in the afternoon sky, so that I wondered if there would be a sudden downpour in the evening.

　If there was an evening shower, nature would be well-timed, and the plants would come back to life. It would be just like me and Barry taking a draft beer at a Jockey before dinner, and it would soak in.

　By the way, if we look closely at the cumulonimbus in the photo, doesn't it resemble some kind of large animal? It looks like eyes and a mouth. It looks kindly like saying, "The plants won't wither. Don't worry."

P.S.: It is reported that there was a sudden shower in the eastern part of Gumma Prefecture, such as Kiryu-City.

異性がいると話に偏りがなくて楽しい

　今日は「海の日」です。海なし県の我が群馬県の今日の日の出は４時４２分、正午の太陽高度は７４°、日の入りは１８時５８分で、昼の長さは１４時間１６分です。因みに、調べてみると北海道・根室市では今日の日の出は３時５６分と随分早いです。日本列島は今日も太平洋高気圧に覆われ、朝からよく晴れ、私の家の三階の山小屋風ロフトからは上毛三山の一つ「榛名山」がよく見えてます。

　若き日はこの榛名山の最高峰・掃部ヶ岳(１４２３m)を始め、写真で見える峰々の殆どを登頂したので、今でも体力増強と景色を眺めての気分爽快をめざして登りたいのですが、昨今は榛名山でも熊の出没があるので諦めてます。榛名山の多くの峰からは富士山がよく見えます。

　ところで、低山の山登りを含め、精神面でも新たな分野への挑戦や冒険は青年や壮年だけのものでなく、自由の身の高齢者の特権です。私は機会あるごとに話の合う人と一杯飲んだり、食事をしてます。一人暮らしの仲間は自然と増えるので、今後は男女を問わず交流したいです。やはり、異性がいると話に偏りがなくて楽しいです。その点、先日の地区の人たちによる「甘楽町こんにゃくパーク」へのバス旅行は楽しかったです。

　つい、暑い暑いと家の中で過ごすことが多くなります。夏こそ思いっきり身体を鍛えるチャンスです。涼しいうちに今朝もこれから上４公園でラジオ体操会が始まります。木陰で身体を動かし、ラジオ体操中は殆どの動きが大切な深呼吸を伴ってます。一方、姿勢を良くしようと目的を持つと関節や筋肉の動きが変わります。何事も目的を持ち、昨日までの自分から脱皮したいものです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about seeking the real health and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..................................................

　Today is Marine Day in Japan. In Gumma, a landlocked prefecture, sunrise today is at 4:42, the solar altitude at noon is 74°, the sun set will be at 18:58, therefore the length of day is 14 hours and 16 minutes. By the way, when looking up, I found that in Nemuro-city, Hokkaido, sunrise today is quite early at 3:56. The Japanese archipelago is covered by the Pacific high pressure again today, and it has been sunny since morning. From the mountain hut-style loft on the third floor of my house, I can see Mt. Haruna, one of the famous three mountains of Gumma prefecture.

　In my younger days, still young in heart, I climbed most of the peaks you can see in the photo, including the highest peak of Mt. Haruna, Kamongadake (1,423m), so I still want to climb it to improve my physical strength and feel refreshed by looking at the breathtaking scenery, but I have given up these days because bears have been appearing on Mt. Haruna. The famous Mt. Fuji can be seen clearly from many peaks of Mt. Haruna.

　Not change the subject but, taking on new challenges and adventures, including climbing low mountains, is not just for the young or middle-aged, but is a privilege for the elderly who are free everyday. Whenever I have the opportunity, I go for a drink or a meal with people I can talk to. Generally, people naturally make more friends who live alone, so I would like to interact with them regardless of gender from now on. After all, when there are people of the opposite sex, the conversation is not biased and it is fun. In that respect, the bus trip to "Kanra Town Devil's tongue park named Konnyaku Park" with local people the other day was fun.

　When it's hot, we tend to spend more time indoors. Summer is a great chance to train our shape. Radio gymnastics will start at Kami-4th Park this morning while it's still cool. We move our bodies in the shade of the trees, and most of the movements during radio gymnastics are including the important deep breathing. On the other hand, if we have a purpose in mind, such as improving our posture, the movement of our joints and muscles will change. It's indispensable for us to have a purpose in everything we do and we want to break away from our old way of living until yesterday.

　　

いすゞ１１７クーペに乗っていた我が青春

　３０代～４０代の一齣です。私にもこんな若き日があったのです。大好きだった「いすゞ１１７クーペ」で２６万K走りました。この距離は地球６周半に相当します。毎日通勤【榛名、高商、富岡、前橋】に使いました。現在フェイスブック友人のニュージーランドのスペンスさんもこの車に乗りました。覚えてますか。

　This is a scene of my 30s to 40s. I was young like that. I drove my beloved "Isuzu 117 Coupe" for 260,000 km. This distance is equivalent to six and a half times around the earth. I used it to commute to work every day [Haruna, Takasho, Tomioka, Maebashi]. My current Facebook friend Mr. Spence in New Zealand was also on board. Do you remember that?

正しい血圧測定法を考える

　庭ではすでに１ヶ月近く「ねむの花」が咲き続けてます。夕方には相対する葉が重なって閉じ、朝は日の出より遅く寝坊です。その間、針のような花は咲き続けてます。それにしても、夜間に葉が閉じる現象は他の植物には見られず不思議な習性です。

　私たち人間は、この規則正しい睡眠を見習うべきでしょう。しかし、夜はテレビを見がちで遅くまで起きており、起床は辛くて睡眠不足がちです。睡眠の質は健康に関係し、特に血圧に関係すると考えられます。ところで、いつも気になることですが、「血圧は、測定の仕方で数値が変わる」ことから、正しい測り方が大切です。計り方が正しくないと高血圧でないのに数値が高く出ます。

　ご存じの通り、正しい血圧の測定方法は、リラックスして座った状態で「測定する部位と心臓の高さを同じにする」ことです。また、腕の力がすべて抜けてることが必要ですが、手首で測る場合は、腕を持ち上げる力が加わってる場合が起こります。この状態でも数値が高くなります。

　しかし、多くの病院の待合室で測る場合、私は背が高い方なので普通に椅子に座ると、計測器の位置が心臓の位置より低くなるので、血圧の数値が高めに出てしまいます。病院に設置してある血圧測定器は、腕の高さが心臓の高さと等しくなるよう「椅子の高さを調節できる血圧測定器」が望まれます。しかし、そのような装置は殆どなく、背が高い人も低い人も同じ測定器で一律に測ってます。これでは、高血圧でないのに血圧の薬を飲むことにもなりかねません。

Dear my friends who are crazy about seeking the real blood pressure and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

............................................................

　The "silk flower" has been blooming in my garden for almost a month. In the evening, the opposing leaves overlap and close, and in the morning, they are sleeping in later than sunrise. Meanwhile, the needle-like flowers continue to bloom during night. Even so, the phenomenon of the leaves closing at night is a strange habit that is not seen in other plants.

　We humans should emulate this regular sleep. However, we tend to watch TV at night and stay up late, so we tend to get up early and are sleep deprived. The quality of sleep is related to our health, and is particularly related to blood pressure. By the way, I always on my minds is that "blood pressure values change depending on the way of measurement" so it is important to measure it correctly. If we measure it incorrectly, the value will be high even if we do not suffer from hypertension.

　As you know, the correct way to measure blood pressure is to "make the part of the body being measured at the same height as our heart" while sitting in a relaxed position. In addition, it is necessary to relax our arms, but when measuring at the wrist, there are times when we are lifting our arm. Even in this state, the value will be high.

　However, when I measure blood pressure in the waiting room of many hospitals, I am quite tall about 180cm, so when I sit in a normal chair, the position of the measuring device is lower than the position of my heart, resulting in a higher blood pressure reading. Ideally, blood pressure measuring devices installed in hospitals should be "blood pressure measuring devices with adjustable chair height" so that the height of the arm is the same as the height of our heart. However, such devices are rare, and the same measuring device is used for both tall and short people. This means that we may end up taking blood pressure medication even though we don't suffer from hypertension.

　P.S. I was the first to vote in the House of Councilors election this morning at 7 o'clock.

明日の選挙・・・・・私の願いはただ一つ

　梅雨が明けると、流石に暑いですね。皆さんは、いかがお過ごになりましたか。私は草むしりなど日中の外での活動は休みました。家の中でクーラーは「除湿」で、かなり涼しいです。

　明日の参議院議員選挙の投票所は毎朝行ってるラジオ体操会場の隣りなので、明朝は体操が終わったら、そのまま７時の開始と同時に一番乗りで投票します。社会に対する希望はいろいろありますが、私の願いは、政府が「外交をしっかりやって、国家間の信頼関係を築き、子々孫々の時代まで絶対に戦争の起こらない日本」であることです。他のことは我慢できます。

　ところで、秘密にしてくださいね。本当に内緒ですよ。実は、私は「防空壕の中で生まれ育ちました。」現在のガザ地区と同じです。戦争中は食料不足で母のお乳が出なかったのです。代わりに粉ミルクで育ちました。結果的にカルシュームがあるのでしょう。背が高くなりました。しかし、真っ暗な防空壕の中で育ったため、ご存知の通り、肝心な性格はこのように暗い人間になってしまいました。平和であれば、多少のことは我慢して生きます。

　ただ、社会の中に差別があってはならないです。困っている人たちが安心して生活できる社会であってほしいです。

　今宵は茄子の煮つけ、美味しい「砂肝」、もちろんこの他にもあります。あまりも暑いので、ビールはちょっと大きめですが、寂しいのでお許し下さい。

Dear my friends

　It's really hot after the rainy season. How have you all been? I took a break from weeding and other outdoor activities during the daytime. The air conditioner inside the house is on the dehumidifier setting, so it's pretty cool.

　The polling station for tomorrow's House of Councillors election in Japan is next to the radio gymnastics venue where I do my exercises every morning, so after I finish my gymnastics tomorrow morning, I'll be the first person to cast the vote at the start of the 7am poll. I have many hopes for society, but my wish is for the government to "Conduct diplomacy well, build trust between nations, and become a Japan where war never breaks out, even for our future generations." I can tolerate other things.

　By the way, please keep it a secret. The truth is, I was born and raised in the air raid shelter during the World War Ⅱ, just like in the Gaza district today. During the war, there was a food shortage, so my mother couldn't produce milk. Instead, I was raised on powdered milk. I guess I got more calcium, as a result, I've grown taller. However, I was raising in a pitch black air raid shelter, therefore, as you know, my personality became gloomy. As long as there is peace, I can put up with small things and get by.

　However, there should be no discrimination in society. I want our society to be one where people in need can live in peace.

　Tonight's menu is simmered eggplant, delicious gizzard, and of course other things too. It's so hot that the beer is a little large, but please forgive me because the sadness. I'll raise a toast while remembering your face.

いよいよ真夏です。・・・長い一日を有効利用したい。

【写真は真夏の太陽のような「百日草」です。 】

　今日から、子供たちにとって楽しみな夏休みに入りました。同時に、関東地方が梅雨明けです。今朝は朝から真夏の太陽がじりじり照ってます。梅雨であった今までは湿度か高かったですが、今日からいよいよ暑さが本格的になります。こまめな水分補給を励行し、工夫して暑さ対策を施し、健康的な夏の一日一日を過ごしましょう。

　今日７月１９日の日の出は４時４０分、正午の太陽高度は７４°、日の入りは１９時００分【いずれも群馬県】です。昼の長さは、夏至に比較するとすでに２０分短くなっており、太陽の位置は３°ほど南へ戻ってます。このように地球の動きは季節を先取りし、既に秋に向かって公転しています。これについては、深夜に空を見上げれば有名な星座たちが地球人の私たちに示唆してます。

　深夜の上空には、いよいよ「夏の大三角」を構成する一等星のデネブ【白鳥座・稚内市上空】、ベガ【琴座・織姫星・仙台市上空】、そして、アルタイル【わし座・彦星・フィリピン・ミンダナオ島上空】が大きく私たちの日本列島を覆っています。特に、デネブを中心とした白鳥座が北の空に向かって大きく羽ばたいてます。

　一方、すでにお気づきの人もいるでしょうが、早朝には東の空に「明けの明星」金星が一際明るく輝いており、恰も「朝の時間帯を身体や頭を鍛えるために有効利用しなさい」と我々に促し、自らも明るく輝き、模範を示してます。これからの季節は、涼しい早朝の１～２時間に創造性を磨きたいものです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about an effective way of living during the summer and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.....................................................

　Today marked the start of the summer vacation that children hoped. At the same time, the rainy season has ended in the Kanto region. The midsummer's sun has been scorching since this morning. The humidity was high so far during the rainy season, but from today the heat will finally become more intense. Be sure to drink plenty of water, take measures to protect yourself from the heat, and spend each day of the summer in a healthy way.

　Today, July 19th, sunrise is at 4:40, the solar altitude at noon is 74°, and sunset is at 19:00 [all in Gumma Prefecture]. The length of the daytime has already become 20 minutes shorter than at the summer solstice, and the position of the sun has also moved back about 3° to the south. In this way, the Earth's movement is ahead of the new season, and it is already revolving towards autumn. If you look up at the sky late at night, famous constellations will hint to us earthlings.

　In the late-night sky, the first-magnitude stars Deneb (Cygnus, above Wakkanai-City, most northern place in Hokkaido), Vega (Lyra, above Sendai-City), and Altair (Aquila, above Mindanao land, Philippines) that make up the "Great Summer Triangle" are covering the Japanese archipelago. In particular, Cygnus, with Deneb at its center, is spreading its wings toward the northern sky.

　Meanwhile, as some of you may have already noticed, Venus, the "morning star," shines particularly brightly in the eastern sky in the early morning, which is urging us to "make good use of the morning hours to train your bodies and minds," with shining brightly herself and setting an example herself. During this summer, it's the best opportunity to hone our creativity in the cool early morning hours.

　　

拙い文章が「長寿会お知らせ版」に載る

　最近、倉賀野町上３地区の新聞に拙い私のブログが載りました。編集者で長寿会長のＫさんが、毎日、私のブログに目を通して下さってるようで、今回、地区に関連した上記の文を選んでくださいました。

　実は、恥ずかしながら、上４地区のあちこちの掲示板に、これが掲載されてます。私自身が高齢の仲間ですが、私としては、これからも地区の高齢者と、輝く未来を持つ小学生の安全登校のために役立ちたいです。

　それには、いつまでも身体を鍛えつつ、精神が錆びつかないよう修養します。脳の活性化のために一日にいくつでもいいから生活に即した英単語を覚えます。今日は脱水症と除湿を覚え、早速、除湿をブログで使いました。

　Recently, my humble blog was featured in the newspaper in the Kami-4th district of Kuragano-Town. Mr. Kumagai, an editor and chairman of the Longevity Association, seems to read my blog every day, so this time he chose the following sentence related to the district.

　Actually, I'm ashamed to say that it has been posted on bulletin boards all over the Kami-4th district. I am an elderly person myself, but from now on I would like to continue to help to the elderly in the district and to elementary school students who have bright futures, so that students can continue to go to and from school safely.

　To do this, I have to keep my body in shape and train my mind so as not to get rusty. To keep my brain active, I will learn English words that are relevant to my daily life. Today I learned about dehydration and dehumidification, and immediately used dehumidification on weblog.

エアコンは「除湿」が意外に涼しい・・・やっと梅雨明け

　子供たちにとって、今日で１学期が終わり、通知表を受け取ります。そして、明日からいよいよ楽しい夏休みです。次女に小学生の娘が二人いるので成績はどうでしょう。成績はさておき、隔世遺伝でしょうか。私に似てか、身長は最近会うたびに高くなり驚きます。上の子は小学５年というのに１５４cmです。ジャンプが多いバスケットをしてるからでしょうか。

　ところで、昔を振り返ると、学校があまり好きでなかった私は夏休みが本当に嬉しかったです。それなのに結果的に教職の道を選んだのですから人生は不思議です。ただ音楽が好きだったたり、英語は一度、良い成績を取ったことがあり、これが引き金となって、あるいはインド行きに繋がったかもしれません。

　ところで、インドと言えば暑いことをイメージしますが、最近の日本の夏も湿度が高いため不快に感じます。実は、最近、私は室内ではエアコンを「除湿」にしてます。温度を下げることより、除湿の方が思った以上に涼しくなります。ですから、暑いと感じても湿度対策で快適になるようです。室内では半ズボンにTシャツです。そして、夕方になれば待ちに待った生ビールです。これで気分はもう最高。と言っても、やはりどこか寂しいです。どうにかして解決したい。

Dear my friends who are crazy about seeking the real happiness and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

...............................................

　Today marks the end of the first semester for children in Japan, and they will receive their school reports. And tomorrow will be the start of the fun summer vacation. My second daughter has two daughters in elementary school, so I wonder how their school reports. Aside from their school reports, I wonder if it's atavism. I'm surprised at how tall they have become recently, perhaps because they are similar to me. The oldest girl is 154cm tall, even though she is in the fifth grade. Maybe it's because she plays basketball, which requires a lot of jumping.

　Looking back at my past, I didn't like school very much, so I really looked forward to summer vacation. Despite that, I ended up choosing to become a teacher as occupation, so life is strange. However, I liked music, and I once got good grades in English, which may have been the trigger that led me to go to India as my first occupation Just after graduation from Gumma university.

　By the way, when we think of India, we tend to think of hot climate, but the recent Japanese summers are also uncomfortable because of the high humidity. Actually, I've been setting my air conditioner to "dehumidification" indoors recently. Dehumidification is cooler than lowering the temperature, so even if we feel hot, it seems that humidity control can make it more comfortable. Indoors, I wear shorts and a T-shirt. And in the evening, I have a long-awaited "Bottoms up" with draft beer. This makes me feel great. But I still feel a little lonely. I want to solve this problem somehow.

   

今宵は高崎の某所で愉快に過ごす

　毎晩、夕食は寂しい孤食ですから、今宵、私は倉賀野駅から電車に乗り、高崎田町の某所で夕食を摂りました。一日中、蒸し暑かったのでジョッキーの生ビールの味は一入です。

　ブログのコメンテーター「時計屋の隣りさん」が関係する投稿文が二日続けて新聞に掲載されたお祝いです。昨日は読売に「昔懐かしい夜見世」について掲載され、今日は上毛新聞に先日の投稿・群馬の方言「しゃいなし」に対する読者の感想文が掲載され、こんな連続の喜びはあまりないです。このため、彼にとって投稿冥利に尽きたようです。

　実は、私もちょっと嬉しいことがありました。と言っても、人生が変わるようなことではありません。このため、今宵の某所での一杯は格別でした。でも、早く今の生活環境を変えたいのが本音です。

　Every night I must eat dinner alone, so tonight I took the train from Kuragano-Station and had dinner at "Baku" in Takasaki Tamachi. It was hot and humid all day, so Jockey's draft beer tasted especially good.

　This is to celebrate the fact that a post to newspaper related to blog commentator "The Clock Shop Neighbor" was published in the newspaper two days in succession. Yesterday, the Yomiuri newspaper published an article about "Nostalgic Night Sellers," and today the Jomo Shimbun newspaper published a reader's review of the previous post about the Gumma dialect word "Shainashi." He didn't often get such joy in succession. This seems to have been the greatest reward for him.

　Actually, I also had something a little happy happen to me. That said, it will not change my life. That's why tonight's drink at "Baku" was special. But the truth is, I want to change my current living environment as soon as possible.

群馬に残したい方言「しゃいなし」・先日の投稿の感想・上毛新聞より

【障子の上の欄間・・・これはしゃいなしか】

　「しゃいなし」の松村哲夫さんの投稿【1日付】を懐かしい気持ちで拝読しました。群馬で生まれ育った私は今でも時々使いますが、他県生まれの夫は何のことか分からないと言います。

　私は「余計なこと」「くだらないこと」の意味で使うことが多いです。最近では、6畳の日本間の縁側に面している障子の上の部分が欄間のようになっていて、障子の張り替えが素人には難しく、「頼んだわけでもないのに勝手にこんなしゃいなしをして、大工さんは何を考えているのだろう」と腹立たしい思いで使いました。また、無理に若作りをしたり、TPOをわきまえずラフな格好をしたりしている有名人をテレビで見ると、「あんなしゃいなししなければいいのに」と思ってしまいます。

　標準語で言うより状況をぴったり言い表している気がします。そして松村さんが書かれているようにユーモラスで、この言葉を聞くとクスッと笑ってしまいそう。単刀直入に言うより柔らかい感じで趣があります。ただ、私たちの子供の世代はもう使わないだろうと思うと、ちょっと寂しさも感じます。【投稿者は高崎市の福島博美様】

読売新聞・群馬版の「ひろば」・・・テーマ「夏と言えば」より

　昨日の読売新聞群馬版の読者投稿欄「ひろば」に、このブログのコメンテーター「時計屋の隣りさん」の昔懐かしい「夜見世」についての文章が掲載されました。誠におめでとうございます。私も彼の文章を拝読し、子供の頃の楽しい「夜見世」の原風景を思い出しました。

　つきましては、広く県内外の皆様に紹介させていただきます。

　　　　　　タイトル・・・ 幻想的な「夜見世」・・・・

　子供の頃、街なかの夜店はまるで別世界だった。夕方になると、テント次々と並び、白熱球の光で活気づく。水槽では、元気に泳ぐ金魚たちと水面に映えるヨーヨーが目を引く。針金に薄紙を貼ったすくい網は、金魚にあっという間に破られ、お情けでもらえた一匹の金魚が嬉しかった。ヨーヨー釣りでは、紙縒(こよ)りの先に付いた鉤(かぎ)針(はり)で釣るたびに、小さな達成感で心を躍らせた。

　
　甘いものが貴重だった時代、買う菓子はベッコウ飴と決まっていた。そばにはゲーム台があり、ボタンを押すと飛行機が回り、“当たり”に止まればもうひとつもらえるがほとんどハズレ。それでもワクワクしながら挑戦した。魔法をかけるように鼻をくすぐるアセチレンガスの香りも記憶の深い場所に刻まれている。

　
　遠い夏の楽しい情景を静かに思い出させてくれる夜店の当て字である「夜見世」は夜店のもつ幻想的な空気を静かに漂わせている。

夕方、「さんぽ道」で過ごす。

　午後４時頃から喫茶「さんぽ道」で珍しく、ブルーべリースムージを味わってきました。最近は昼食にもブルーベリー入りのパンを食してます。一説には目に良いとの話がありますが、どうでしょう。

　愛車ＴＴは今日、アウディーの会社に預けてきました。私は運転するのに目は遠方がよく見え、不都合ではありません。

　先程、「さんぽ道」で、自らHappy birthday to you! をピアノで弾き、一人で誕生日を祝いました。なんて寂しいことでしょう。果たして来年は一人でなく、美味しいディナーを戴きつつ祝えるでしょうか。

　Around 4pm, I went to the cafe "Sampo-michi" and enjoyed a blueberry smoothie, which is rare for me. Recently I've been eating bread with blueberries for lunch as well. Some say it's effective for the eyes, but I wonder.

　Today I left my beloved TT at the Audi company. My eyes can see well the distant view, so it's not a problem for me to drive.

　Just now at the "Sampo-michi", I played "Happy birthday to you!" by the piano to celebrate my birthday alone. How lonely it was. I wonder if next year I'll be able to celebrate not alone, but over a delicious dinner.

創造性と心の平安を期して生活したい

　お陰様で今日、誕生日を迎えました。周囲に同級生が殆どいなくなってる現状でも、健康で今日の日を迎えられ、本当に有難く感じます。今後も自ら健康法を考え、その実践を続けます。特に、バランスのとれた食事と歯磨き、毎日、筋トレを含めた適度な運動、そして、ピアノなど音楽を通じて心の平安を実践します。皆さん、これからもブログを通じて交流をお願い致します。

　子供の頃の誕生日は８人家族で祝ってもらったり、社会人となった若き日のインド滞在中は周囲の人とカルカッタの街中に飲みに行ったりしました。しかし、時代は推移し、生活環境は変化、すでに２０年間も一人暮らしです。気持ちは青年のつもりでも、いつの間にか高齢と呼ばれる年齢です。でも、これは万人に共通することです。要は、人間に大切な創造性を忘れず、年齢を気にしない未来志向を求めたいです。

　ところで、偶然にも今日の誕生日に「愛車ＴＴが車検」です。今回の主な交換部品はバッテリー、及びタイヤ【245-35-19】です。その他の交換はサービスに任せます。私はこの扁平率が気に入ってます。３５％の扁平率は運転中、車全体が路面にぴったり吸い付いてる感覚で、カーブで遠心力が働いても安定走行します。

　次に、運転で心掛けてることは次の通りです。運転するときは、先ず運転用の靴に履き替えます。常に時間にゆとりを持って家を出発します。早朝や夜間及び子供たちの通学時間帯には運転しません。信号機のない横断歩道では「歩行者優先」を厳守。長時間の連続運転をしない。

　最も厳守すべきは車間距離です。気づき難いことですが、前の車が１０m先にある場合と比較し、５m先に近づいた場合は、前の車の大きさが２倍でなく、４倍に大きくなり、前方の景色が著しく狭まり見難くなります。これは「前方の車の大きさは距離の二乗に反比例」するからです。例えば、１５m先にあった車が５m前に近づくと、その車の大きさは３倍ではなく、９倍になります。

Dear my friends who are crazy about driving your beloved car and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my lunch in Japan time.

......................................

　Thanks to you, today is my birthday. Even though there are almost no classmates of Kuragano Junior High school around me, I am truly grateful to be able to celebrate this day in good health. I will continue to think of ways to stay healthy and practice them. In particular, I will practice peace of mind through a balanced diet, brushing my teeth three times a day, moderate exercise including muscle training every day, and music performance such as piano and listening to. Please continue to interact with me through Facebook.

　When I was a child, my birthday was celebrated by a family of eight, and when I was in India as a first occupation in young days, I went drinking with people around me in the city of Calcutta. However, times have changed, my living environment has changed, and I have been living alone for 20 years which I could not predict. Even though I feel like a young person in heart, I have reached an age that can be called old. However, this is something that everyone has in common. In short, I want to aim for the future without forgetting the creativity that is indispensable to humans, more over without worrying about my age.

　Not change the subject, but it just so happens that today is my birthday and my beloved Audi TT Quattro is due for inspection. The main parts replaced this time are the battery and 4 tires [245-35-19]. I will leave the other replacements to the service. I like this aspect ratio of tires. With the aspect ratio of 35%, the whole car feels like it is sticking to the road surface while driving, and it runs stably even when centrifugal force is applied on curves.

　Next, here are some things I keep in mind when driving. When driving, I first change into driving shoes. I always leave home with plenty of time. I do not drive early in the morning, at night, and when children are going to and from school. I strictly obey "Pedestrian priority" at crosswalks without traffic lights. I do not drive continuously for long period of time.

　The most important thing to observe is the distance between previous cars. It is hard to notice, but when the car in front is 10 meters away, the size of the car in front is not doubled, but four times larger when it approaches 5 meters, and the view ahead becomes significantly narrower and harder to see. This is because "the size of the car in front is inversely proportional to the square of the distance." For example, if a car that was 15 meters away moves 5 meters closer, it will become 9 times larger, not 3 times larger.

多くの外国人が働いてる現状を見る

　昨日、倉賀野町上３地区と私の所属する上４地区合同による久しぶりのバス旅行では「甘楽こんにゃくパーク」を訪れました。このすぐ南には上信越道が走っており、交通が便利なこともあるのでしょう。月曜日の午前中であるのに、多くの人で賑わってました。

　目的地に着くや否や目に入って来たのはご覧の色彩的な観覧車です。足湯もあるには驚きました。しかし、それ以上に私の心を奪ったものは写真上の木造の休憩所です。仲間とお弁当を食べ、一休みしたくなるような雰囲気です。試しに座ってみたら椅子の背もたれの角度がよく、リラックスできました。内心、私の家の庭に作りたくなりました。しかし、庭に作って、一人で休憩してても絵になりませんね。

　中に入って驚いたことは工場見学のときです。「こんにゃくを原料とした製品」を作る過程です。見学コースが出来ていて、高い位置から作業の様子が見られます。生産されてる製品は私たちがスーパーやコンビニでよく見られる「ゼリーなど、こんにゃくが原料の食品」の数々です。機械が生産しつつ、それをベルトコンベアーによって運ばれる流れ作業で製品がどんどん出来上がり、最後に段ボール箱に詰められます。

　ところで、現在、参議院議員選挙の真っ只中ですが、各党の演説を聞くと、中には、外国人を排斥すべきと主張してる候補者もいます。しかし、ここで驚いたことの一つが「工場内で働いている１００人以上と思われる従業員の殆どがアジア系の男女の外国人」です。良く動き、せっせと働いてます。結果として、出来た製品の殆どは私たち日本人が常食する食品の数々です。「私たちの食生活はこれらの人たちによって支えられてることを実感」しました。店内で働いてる外国女性がいたので「お国はどちらですか」と尋ねたところ、「ネパールです。」と応えてくれました。私はダン二ャバード【有難うございます。】と返しました。

Dear my friends who are crazy about our daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my dinner in Japan time.

.....................................................

　Yesterday, on a joint bus trip for the first time in a while, Kuragano Town's Kami-3 District and Kami-4 District which I belong to, we visited "Kanra Konnyaku that means Devil's Tongue Park." The Joshinetsu Expressway runs just south of here, so transportation is convenient. Even though it was a Monday morning, the park was crowded with people.

　As soon as we arrived at our destination, the first thing that caught my eye was the colorful Ferris wheel shown in the picture. I was surprised to see that there was a foot bath. However, what captivated me even more was the small wooden rest hut shown in the picture. It has an atmosphere that makes us to eat lunch with friends and take a break. I tried sitting in it, and the angle of the chair back was just right, so I was able to relax. In my heart, I wanted to make one in my garden in the future. However, it wouldn't be picturesque to make one in my garden and take a break by myself alone.

　The thing that surprised me inside was the factory seeing. It was the process of making "products made from konnyaku." There was a tour course about 300 meters, and I could see the working place from a high vantage point. The products they produce are a variety of "foods made from konnyaku, such as jelly," which we often see in supermarkets and convenience stores. As machines produce the products, they are transported along a conveyer belt, and the products are completed one after another, and finally packed into cardboard boxes.

　By the way, throughout Japan, we are currently in the midst of the House of Councilor's election, and when listening to the speeches of each party, some candidates are arguing that foreigners should be excluded. However, one thing that surprised me here is that "Most of the employees who seem to be more than 100 people working in the factory, are foreign men and women from Asian descent." They move around a lot and work hard. As a result, most of the products they produce are a variety of foods that we Japanese eat regularly. "Feeling that our diet is supported by these people," I left Konyaku Park. There was a foreign lady working in the store, so I asked her, "Where are you from?" She replied, "Nepal." I replied, "Dannyabad that means thank you."

　

今宵の夕食は某所で楽しむ

　今日は近隣の仲間と、甘楽町の「こんにゃくパーク」へのバス旅行で楽しく過ごしました。

　夕方帰宅してから、今日の旅行の反省会がしたくなり、と言うか、ちょっと疲れもあり、夕食を自ら作る意欲がなくなりました。すぐに思い立ち、それは一杯戴きつつ、話しながら美味しく夕食を摂りたくなりました。

　このため、高崎田町のいつもの小料理屋へ行ってしまいました。ごめんなさい。他の客はおらず、ママさんと2時間半ほど一杯戴きつつ話ができ、やっと疲れが解消できました。今宵は良い夢が見られそうです。

　Today I had a great time on a bus trip to Devil's Tongue Park in Kanra-town with some friends of the neighborhood.

　After returning home in the evening, I wanted to reflect on today's trip, or rather, I was a little tired and didn't feel making dinner myself. A thought immediately occurred to me: I wanted to have dinner while having a drink beer deliciously and chatting.

　So I went to my usual small tavern named "Baku" in Takasaki Tamachi. Sorry. There were no other customers there, and I was able to chat with the owner for about two and a half hours over drinks. As the result, my fatigue finally went away. I think I'll have good dream of you tonight.

いろいろに対応する指の能力の不思議

　昨日、人間の指は「私たちの意志通りに」漢字を書いたり、ピアノでも、サックスでも、ギターでも、頭で考えたこと、心で感じたようにすぐに反応し、実践し、表現できるもの」と書きましたが、同様に、私はフェイスブックやブログをパソコンから発信してますから、指はキーボード上でも意志通りに動いてます。人間の指はいろいろに対応し不思議です。

　昔、職場でパソコンが導入されたとき、幾人もの先輩から、便利だからという理由で「ローマ字入力」を薦められました。ところが、私にはどうしても馴染めず、初めから「平仮名入力」にしました。その理由は二つあり、一つは、例えば「空」という言葉をローマ字入力で打つには「sora」と４つ打たなければならないことです。ところが、平仮名入力では「そら」と二つ打てばよく動作が半分、打つのに必要な時間も半分で済みます。長い文章であれば、その差は歴然です。

　もう一つ「ローマ字入力」にしなかった理由は、私にとって最も大きく、それは「英語の発音にマイナス」と感じたからです。例えば、「む」の場合、muと打たねばならないからです。ご存じの通り、muの英語の発音は「ミュー」あるいは「マ」に近く、「ム」とは発音しません。同様のことはたくさんあり、「らりるれろ」はすべてra ri ru re roと打つことになり、例えば、ライオンと打つ場合は、raionと打つことになり、私はこれが嫌でたまらなかったのです。ご存じの通り、英語でライオンのスペルはlionです。本来、舌の位置が全く異なるLとRがローマ字入力では、ごちゃ混ぜです。このようなことは数えたらきりがありません。本来、ローマ字自体が英語の発音には大きなマイナス要因です。

　不思議なことに、人間の指はキーボードで平仮名入力するとき、慣れてくるとその位置を探すことなく、自然に指がその文字の上に行き、習慣とは素晴らしいです。一方、英文を打つときは、サッと頭が切り替わり、自然に指がアルファベットの上に行きます。今までに書いたブログの記事数は5300を超えてるので、この点でも、指の反応は、もう迷うことなく、平仮名入力、及び、英文入力に対応でき、指の能力は誠に不思議です。

   
【今日は、これから旅行に行くため、英文は夕食後になります】

Dear my friends who are crazy about the movement of fingers in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my dinner in Japan time.

    

...............【Interpretation into English is summing up】...............

　A long time ago, when computers were introduced at my workplace, several of my seniors recommended me that I should use "romaji input" because it was convenient. However, I just couldn't get used to it, so I chose "Japanese hiragana input" from the beginning. There are two reasons for this decision. One is that, for example, the word "sky" using romaji input, I have to type "sora" four times. However, with hiragana input, I only need to type "そら" twice only, which cuts in half and the time required in half. For long sentences, the difference is more clear.

　The other reason that I did not use "romaji input" was the biggest one for me who like English, and because I felt it would be "negative for English pronunciation." For example, for "mu," I have to type "mu." As you know, the English pronunciation of "mu" is closer to "myu" or "ma," and it is not pronounced "mu of English." There are many similar cases. For example, if we want to type lion, we have to type raion. As you know, it is spelled lion in English. L and R, which are completely different tongue positions, get mixed up when typing in romaji. There are countless such cases. In fact, I am of the opinion that romaji itself is a big negative factor for English pronunciation.

　Curiously, when typing hiragana on a keyboard, once I get used to it, my fingers naturally go to the character without searching for the position. Habits are wonderful. On the other hand, when typing English, my mind quickly switches to English version and my fingers naturally go to the alphabet. I have written over 5,300 weblog articles so far, so in this respect, my fingers can respond to typing both hiragana and English without any hesitation, therefore the ability of fingers is truly amazing.

　 　　

明日はバス旅行・・・「こんにゃくパーク」へ

　明日は久しぶりのバス旅行で、９時３０分に倉賀野を出発です。私が住む上４地区と、上３地区合同で、行き先は午前中に甘楽町小幡の「こんにゃくパーク」の工場見学、買い物、バイキング試食などです。

　午後はそのままバスで移動し、「片岡長寿センター」で入浴、昼食、そして親睦会です。会員の８割は女性です。私は昔、勤務が富岡だったので、小幡へは幾度か行きましたが、「こんにゃくパーク」へは今回が初めてです。

　Tomorrow is our bus trip in a while, departing Kuragano-town at 9:30. It's a joint trip between Kami-4 district where I live, and Kami-3 district. Our destination in the morning is a factory tour of Konnyaku that means devil's tongue Park in Obata in Kanra Town, where we'll go shopping and enjoy a buffet tasting.

　In the afternoon, we'll continue on the bus and go to the Kataoka Longevity Center for a bath, lunch, and a social gathering. 80% of the members are ladies. I used to work in Tomioka-city, so I've been to Obata several times, but this will be my first time at Devil's tongue Park.

昔のように、漢字や平仮名を毎日手書きしたい

　人間の指ほど自らの意志通りに動き、頭で考えたこと、心で感じたことをすぐに実践でき、表現できるものはないでしょう。このため、いつまでも人間らしく生きる方法の一つは毎日いかに指を使うかと言えます。

　先ず、近年はスマホ、パソコンの出現により文字を手書きすることが少なくなりました。小学校の授業でもタブレットを使うと聞いてます。このため、若い人も文字を手書きする機会が激減し、増してや大人の私たちは、もしかして一日のうちで一度も字を書かない日があるかもしれません。このため、私たちは意識して文字を手書きすべきで、文字が読めても、年齢と共に書けなくなりつつある状態にあるとも言えます。

　幸い、私は単語帳に英単語とその日本語訳を書いてるので、日々、文字を書く機会を意識して作ってます。写真をご覧になって、もしかして「カッキーは英文はきれいだけど、日本文は下手だね。」と思われそうです。英文は筆記体なので確かに楽でスムースに書けます。いずれにしても、左手も右手も指先を使って、自らの考えや感情をいつまでも表現できるようにしておきたいものです。

　その点、楽器を演奏することは、指の感覚を研ぎ澄ませるには理想的な動作です。不思議なことに、楽器によって指の動きは全く逆であったりするのに、その楽器を持つとその楽器のドレミファに自然と動くので、人間の指は良く出来ており不思議です。同時に楽器演奏により美的感性まで研ぎ澄まされるので、楽器演奏は人間にとって一石二鳥です。これを機会に、私は日々の生活に於いて漢字や平仮名をもっと丁寧に書くように心掛けます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about handwriting in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

............................................................

　There are few things that move as easily as human fingers, and can immediately put into practice and express what we think in our head and feel in heart. For this reason, one way to live like a human being forever is to use our fingers every day.

　First of all, in recent years, by the advent of smartphone and computer, our writing by hand has become less common. I've heard that tablets are recently being used even in elementary school classes. This has led to a decline in opportunities for young people to write by hand, and even more adults, there may be days in which we don't write a single word in a day. For this reason, we should be conscious of writing by hand, and it can be said that even if we can read, we are becoming less able to write as we get older.

　Fortunately, I write English words and their Japanese translations in a vocabulary book, so I consciously create opportunities to write every day. Looking at the photo, you might be thinking, "Kakky's English is beautiful, but his Japanese is poor." English is written in cursive, so it is certainly easy and smooth to write. In any case, we want to be able to use the fingertips of both our left and right hands to express our thoughts and feelings from now on.

　In this respect, playing an instrument is an ideal action for honing the sense of the fingers. Curiously, human fingers are so well made by nature that they naturally move to the notes do-re-mi-fa of a particular instrument, even though the finger movements required can be completely opposite depending the instrument. At the same time, playing an instrument sharpens human's esthetic sensibility, so playing an instrument kills two birds with one stone for humans. I will take this opportunity to make an effort to write kanji and hiragana more carefully in my daily life.

ツーショット

　午後３時頃からお気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でアイスコーヒーを戴きつつ、１時間ほど本を読み過ごしました。昨晩のお酒もすっかり抜け、気持ちは正常(？)になりました。

　最初、女性客が５人いましたが、途中から２人になったのでピアノをお借りし、私のテーマ曲であるショパンのノクターンb mollとポプュラ―を数曲を弾きました。ここは天井が高く建物の構造が良いので響がいいです。ピアノはドイツ製でよい音色です。私は器楽でも声楽でも音色こそ演奏の生命と感じてます。

　ところで、今日は愛車ＴＴと七面鳥のツーショットが撮れました。七面鳥は最近、物に動じないかの如く表情に威厳が出てきました。 見習いたいものです。

　From about 3pm, I went to my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi" and spent an hour reading a book while having iced coffee. The alcohol from yesterday had completely worn off and I was feeling normal (?).

　At first there were five lady customers but halfway through there were only two so I borrowed the piano and played Chopin's Nocturne in B minor which is my theme piece in life, and a few poplars. The ceiling is high here and the structure of the building is good, so the acoustics is great. The piano is made in Germany and has a good tone quality. I feel that tone quality is the life of music performance, whether it's instrumental music or vocal.

　By the way, today I took the photo of my beloved TT together with the white turkey. Turkey is recently more dignified, he seems completely unfazed by anything, I would like to emulate him.

地区の廃品回収作業に参加・・・資源ごみとして再利用

 

　久しぶりに昨夜から今朝までぐっすり眠れました。いつもに比べ気温が涼しかったこともあり、それ以上に、昨夜の会で一次会が終わったら未だ７時頃と時間が早かったことから、どうしたことでしょう。高崎の街中の某所まで３～４Ｋを一人てくてく歩き、疲れたのでしょう。

　そこにはブログのコメンテーター「時計屋の隣りさん」がいるだろうと思ったからです。人間とは目的地があるとどんどん足が前に出るものです。やはり彼はおり、楽しいひと時が過ごせました。

　実は、このウォーキングが功を奏し、昨夜から今朝まで、ぐっすり眠れました。やはり、高齢期を迎えても日中に、ある程度「しっかり運動」することが深い眠りに繋がると感じます。

　ところで、今日は朝８時３０分より、上４地区の不燃物回収が行われ、私も参加します。各家庭から出されるアルミ缶、新聞紙、段ボール、古本などを軽トラで回収して回り、上４公園に集め、その後、業者の大きな回収車に詰め込む肉体労働です。凄い量なので、およそ２時間かかる作業です。肝心なことは資源ごみとして再利用です。では頑張ります。

Dear my friends who are crazy about real health in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..............................................

　I was able to sleep soundly since last night until this morning after a long interval. The temperature was cooler than usual last night, and more than that, it was still early at around 7 o'clock when the first meeting ended last night, so I wonder what happened. I must have been tired after walking 3-4 km alone to the tavern " Baku" in the downtown, Takasaki city.

　I thought that the blog commentator "The man next to the watch shop" would be there. Humans tend to move forward when they have a destination. He was there, so that we I had a good time.

　Actually, this long distance walking worked, and I was able to sleep soundly from last night until this morning. As the result, I'm sorry to say that a lady usually appears in my dream did not appear. I'm sure she will appear tonight. I think that even in old age, a certain amount of "hard walking" during the day leads to a deep sleep.

　Not change the subject, but, today, from 8:30 in the morning, non-burnable waste collection will be held in the Kami-4th district, and I will participate. We collect, aluminum cans, newspapers, cardboard, used books, etc. from each household in a light truck, bring them to Kami-4th Park, and then load them into a large collection vehicle operated by a company. It's physical labor. As you can see, there is a huge amount of garbage, so it will take about two hours, I guess. The important thing is to reuse it as recyclable garbage. Let's do our best.

　

今朝、暫くぶりに利根川の川辺に佇む

【画像をクリックすると、水辺にいる臨場感が出ます。】　

　今朝早く、次女の家に行く前に利根川の川岸で撮りました。いつも青いきれいな水なのに昨日の夕立のためでしょう。今朝は濁ってました。この川の水源は尾瀬戸倉、奥利根湖、谷川岳、三国峠、白根山など群馬県の北西部の山岳で、その後、沼田市、渋川市を流れ、ここ前橋市を通過し、太平洋へ流れます。上毛かるたでは「利根は坂東一の川」と詠われ、流域面積は日本一といわれます。

　昔、小学６年頃でしょうか、両親と水上温泉へ行ったことがあり、利根川の支流の浅瀬のボート乗り場で私が漕ぎ、両親を乗せて３人で最初で最後のボート乗りを思い出します。あまり両親と遠出したことはなく、これ以外では私が成人してから、当時の愛車「いすゞ１１７クーペ」で、鹿沢温泉に行ったことくらいです。もっと親孝行すればよかったと悔やまれます。

　川と言えば、子供の頃、プールがなかった時代ですから、夏休みには烏川で毎日のように泳いだ記憶があります。そしたら、一度深みに嵌ってしまい、１分ほど川下へ流されました。水の中で上を向いたら水面が天井のように見えたので、かなり深かったのです。息が出来ず苦しかったことは覚えていません。夢中だったのでしょう。

　あのとき、あのままだったら皆さんとフェイスブックで永遠に会えなかったのです。助かって良かった！夏休みが終わると「くろんぼ大会」(今は使われない言葉)が行われたものです。健康を期して、今年は少し陽に焼けよう。

Dear my friends who are crazy about real health in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

......................................................

　I took this photo early this morning on the bank of the Tone River before going to my second daughter's house in Maebashi-city. The water is usually blue and clear, but it must have been murky this morning because of yesterday's evening shower. The source of this river is the mountain region in northwest Gumma Prefecture, such as Oze-Togura, Lake-Okutone, Mt. Tanigawa, Mikuni-Pass, and active volcano Mt. Shirane , and then it flows through Numata-City and-Shibukawa-City, passes through Maebashi City, and flows into the Pacific Ocean. In the Jomo Karuta which is Japanese syllabary cards, it is written that "Tone is the best river in Kanto district" and it is said to have the largest drainage area in Japan.

　A long time ago, when I was in the sixth grade of elementary school, I went to Minakami Spar with my parents, and I remember rowing at a boat in the shallow waters of a tributary of the Tone River, and taking my parents for a ride, the first and last time we went on a boat. I didn't go on many trips with my parents, and the only other time was when I went to Kazawa Spar by my beloved Isuzu 117 Coupe after I became adult. I regret that I should have been more devoted to my parents.

　Speaking of river, when I was a child, there were no swimming pools in my Kuragano-town, so I remember swimming in the Karas-river almost every day during summer vacation. One time, I was drown in deep water and was swept away downstream for about a minute. When I looked up in the water, the water surface looked like a ceiling, so it was quite deep. I don't remember being unable to breathe or feeling uncomfortable. I must have been engrossed in the water.

　If I had drown away at that time, I would never have been able to meet you all on Facebook. I'm glad I was saved! At the end of summer holidays, a "Kurombo Tournament" (a word no longer used) was held. For the sake of my health, I'm going to get a little tan this year.

　　

ＢＭＩより少々太り気味の方が声が安定し、歌ってよく響く

【写真は私のお気に入りウォーキングコースで、高崎市木部町の鏑川の土手です。】

　人間は元々一人であっても、私はすでに人生の四分の一になる年月が一人暮らしです。こんな環境になるとは考えてもいませんでしたが、これが現実で仕方ありません。それでも、昨日も喫茶「さんぽ道」で行われたソプラノによる生の演奏会を聴いてきました。考えようによっては、一人は何をするにも自由があります。しかし、内心は寂しい日々です。

　頼る人、相談する人が身近にいないので「肉体の健康維持」は最重要事項として取り組みつつ、併せて「精神の老化」は避けなくてはなりません。それでも、最近は新たに出会った人から良い影響を受け、有難いです。日々、早朝にブログを書いたり、最近は、ピアノ伴奏で近隣の人たちの喜びに役に立ったりして、心に張り合いがあります。

　健康の基本は食事です。一般的に、年令を重ねると痩せる傾向ですが、実は私は今までで今が最も体重があります。「年を取ったら痩せてはならない」、痩せるということは「内臓の諸器官も痩せ細って働きが悪くなる」という考えが基本にあるからです。しかし、美味しいので、つい食べ過ぎる傾向にあり(夜は飲み過ぎ)で、これは反省です。ところが、ちょっと太り気味の方が声は安定し、歌を歌ってもよく響きます。きっと、腹式呼吸が自然にできるのでしょう。

　一方、毎日の任務として「筋肉トレ」があります。「筋肉は精神力と密接に繋がってる」と考える私は、特に姿勢は筋肉の表われであり、併せて、顔の表情も筋肉の表われです。このため、ウォーキングなど下半身と共に、上半身を鍛えます。一番手軽にできるのは何かに摑まり、斜めの腕立て伏せです。これなら心臓に負荷が掛かり過ぎません。猫背が防げ、服を着ても見た目に若くいられるでしょう。内緒ですが、私は今後、和服を着たいのです。男の和服姿もいいものです。果たして似合うでしょうか。いつか見てくださいね。

Dear my friends who are crazy about real health in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

................................................

　Although humans are originally alone by nature, in fact, I have been living alone for a quarter of my life. I never thought I would be in such the environment, but this is the reality. Still, yesterday I went to listen to a live soprano concert at my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi". Depending on my thinking, being alone gives me the freedom to do whatever I want. However, I feel truly lonely every day.

　Since I don't have anyone to rely on or consult with, I have to maintain my physical health" which is my top priority, while at the same time avoiding "mental aging". Still, I am grateful for the positive influence that I have received from a lady recently. I write on Facebook every morning, and recently I have been helping to make my neighbors happy by playing piano accompaniment, which gives me a sense of purpose.

　As you recognize, the basis of health is diet. Generally, people tend to lose weight as they get older, but in fact, I am the heaviest since I was born. This is because my basic idea is that "we should not lose weight as we get older" and that losing weight means "Our internal organs will also become thinner and less functional." But because it's so delicious, I tend to eat too much (and drink too much at night due to lonely), which I regret. However, I am of the opinion that being a little overweight makes our voice more stable and singing resonates better. I'm sure abdominal breathing will come naturally.

　On the other hand, one of my daily tasks is "muscle training." I believe that "muscles are closely connected to our mental strength," and posture in particular is an expression of muscle, as well as facial expression. For this reason, I train my upper body along with my lower body, such as by walking. The easiest thing to do is to hold on to something and do diagonal push-up. This don't put too much strain on our heart. It will prevent us from slouching, and we will look younger even when wearing clothes. This is just between you and me and lamppost, but I would like to wear Japanese clothing in the near future. Men in Japanese clothing also look good. I wonder if it would suit me? Please take a look sometime in the near future.

　

珍しく「さんぽ道」で３時間も過ごす

　午後は喫茶「さんぽ道」でアイスコーヒーを戴き、涼んで来ようと思います。愛車を動かす必要から、岩鼻回りで、ぐるっと東の方から行ってみます。

　ところで、愛車のナンバーは下から２が続き、その上が３が続き、その上は〇が４つ続いてます。２は二人でこそ、この世は楽しいという意味です。

　梅雨が明けたら、と言っても、もう真夏です。とりあえず、車検が終わった後、ドライブし、近いうちに赤城大沼一周ウォーキングします。次が谷川岳天神平と天神峠です。帰路に近くの谷川温泉で湯ったりします。4

　追伸・・・実は今日、たまたまこの喫茶店内でソプラノの音楽会があったので聴いていました。このため、３時間も過ごしました。　

  

　In the afternoon, I'm going to cool off with the iced coffee at the Sampo-michi cafe. Since I need to move my car, I'll go around Iwahana-town and go all the way from the east.

　By the way, as you recognize, the license plate number of my car has two in a row from the bottom, three in a row above that, and four circles top that means Audi. The number two means that the world is more happy with a lady in heart.

　After the rainy season is over, it's already midsummer. Anyway, after the car inspection is over, I'll go for a drive, and then I'll go for a walk around Lake Onuma in Mt. Akagi. Next is Mt. Tanigawa Tenjindaira and Tenjin Pass. On the way home, I will relax at nearby Tanigawa Spar.

P.S. ・・・Actually, there was a soprano concert in this cafe today, so I listened to it. As the result, I spent three hours there.

暑くても、しっかり対処し、明るく過ごしましょう。

　私の家の前の倉賀野町上4地区集会所「ふるさと」の掲示板に出ていた「シルバー川柳」です。

　高齢になると現実には、日々、生活面でいろいろ不都合なことが起きてきます。それらは身体面、精神面、経済面、夫婦関係などでしょうが、それを悩みとして深刻に捉えず、ユーモアとして生活できれば、年齢を重ねても、楽しい毎日になるのではないでしょうか。

　一般論として、私も含め、日本人にはユーモアのセンスが不足してると言われてます。英語圏では、会話中、５分に一度は人を笑わせるユーモアが大切な要素と言われます。確かに、以前に、ニュージーランドからホームステイとして滞在してたスペンスさん一家はいつも明るく話されました。

　皆さん、今日も日本列島は猛暑と予報されてます。同時に、気圧も湿度も高くなるようです。私はこのようなとき、手拭を冷たい水で絞り、背中など汗を掻いたところを拭き取ります。それにより、暫くの間、本当にさっぱりします。

Dear my friends who are crazy about humor in daily life and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.........................................

　This is "Silver Senryu" that was posted on the bulletin board at "Furusato," the community center for the Kuragano-town Kami-4th district in front of my house.

　As we get older, we face many inconveniences in our daily lives. These may be physical, mental, financial, or marital. However, if we can live with humor and not take them too seriously, I think we can enjoy our days even as we get older.

　It is generally speaking that Japanese people, including myself, lack a sense of humor. In English-speaking countries, it is said that humor is an important element in daily conversation, making people laugh once every five minutes. Indeed, the Spence family, who stayed with us from New Zealand, always spoke cheerfully.

　Everyone, it is forecast that the Japanese archipelago will be extremely hot today. At the same time, the air pressure and humidity will be high. When I'm in this situation, I wring out a towel in cold water and wipe the sweat off my back and other parts of my body. This really makes me feel refreshed for a while.

..............................................................

【Silver Senryu】 interpretation is as follows.

My wife wakes me up while I'm sleeping and makes me take sleeping pills.

I forget which part of my body is disease so that have to ask the doctor.

Even if I save money, I can't spend it because I'm bedridden.

When we got married, my wife's voice was beating fast to me, but now I feel dizzy.

By doing exercises to relieve back pain, I am suffering lumbago.

 　 

花はよく咲いても、なかなか渡れない天の川

　午後、皆さんが歌うピアノ伴奏をしたことで、今日は充実した一日で終わりそうです。音楽演奏は一つの自己表現なので楽しい歌、悲しい歌の世界に没頭でき、心は充分に満たされます。

　おっと！今宵、これだけ暑くて湿度もあると、一日を振り返る夕食には生ビールでグイッと行こうと思います。一人で庭の花ばかり見ていないで、早く天の川を渡り、地上の織姫星に会いたいものです。では、乾杯！

　I played the piano to accompany everybody as they sang in the afternoon, so today my life looks set to end as a fulfilling day. Playing music is one of the forms of self-expression, so I was able to immerse myself in the world of happy and sad music, therefore, my heart was fully filled.

　Oh! Tonight, it is so hot and humid still now, I think I'll have a draft beer for dinner to reflect today. I don't want to just stare at the flowers of gladiolus in the garden by myself, I want to cross the Milky Way and see Vega on Earth. Cheers!

買い過ぎないよう・・・我慢が必要

　一度、百円ショップへ行くと病みつきになります。一昨日も「幅広い歯ブラシ」を買う目的で行ったのですが、いろいろな物が安いことから、ついあれこれ目が行き、ティッシュ８個入り、小さい電池４個入り、ついでに箸も買いました。結局４点で消費税込み４４０円でした。以前には、ご覧のお皿を買いましたが、使いやすく私のお気に入りです。本当にこれも１００円かと思う商品もあって驚きますが、１００円ショップでは買わない我慢も必要です。

　ところで、最近私が使ってる歯ブラシは今回購入した「幅の広いもの」です。従来のものよりよく磨け、これはお薦めです。

　歯の数は大人で２８本です。厚生労働省によると歯の平均本数を年齢別でみると、40代は27.8本、60代は22.7本、80代は13本となり、40代を過ぎると歯を失う本数は加速するといわれます。私は結構な高齢ですが、幸せなことに今でも２８本すべてがあります。おそらく、三度の食後に毎回磨いているからでしょう。同時に、牛乳やカルシュームを摂取するよう努めてます。

　ところで、今日は火曜日のため「高齢者あんしんセンター倉賀野」主催による健康体操が私の家の前の上４集会所「ふるさと」で行われます。体操の後、脳トレと称し、歌の前奏を聴いて曲名を当てるクイズがあります。その後全員でその歌を歌います。いつも皆さん本当に楽しそうに歌われます。皆で同じ歌を一緒に歌うことで一体感が生じるのでしょう。あるいは若き日を思い出すのでしょう。そのピアノ伴奏を私が弾くことになってるので頑張ります。内緒ですが、今日は「鐘の鳴る丘」、「知床旅情」などです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the way of brushing tooth and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

......................................................

　Once we go to a 100 yen shop, we're tend to crazy about. The day before yesterday, I went there to buy a "wide toothbrush," but because there were so many cheap items, I ended up buying a box of 8 tissues, a box of 4 small batteries, and chopsticks. In the end, the four items came to 440 yen including consumption tax. I previously bought the plates you see in the photo, which is easy to use and is my favorite. I'm surprised that there are many products that are really 100 yen, but I have to be patient not to buy them at 100 yen shop.

　By the way, the toothbrush I've been using recently is the "wide one" which I bought this time as well. It brushes better than the previous shin one, so I recommend you to use it.

　As you know, an adult has 28 teeth. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the average number of teeth by age is 27.8 in the 40s, 22.7 in the 60s, and 13 in the 80s, and it is said that the number of teeth lost accelerates after the 40s. I'm quite old, but I'm happy to still have all 28 of my teeth. This is probably because I brush my teeth after every meal. At the same time, I try to consume milk and calcium.

　Not change the subject but, today is Tuesday, so the "Kuragano Senior Citizens Safety Center" is hosting a healthy exercise event at the Furusato community center in front of my house. After the exercise, there is a "Brain training quiz" where participants listen to the intro of a song and guess the name of the song. After that, everyone sings the song together. Everyone always looks like they are having so much fun singing. Singing the same song together creates a sense of unity, I think. Or maybe it reminds them of their younger days. I'm supposed to be playing the piano accompaniment, so I'll do my best. It's a secret, but today's songs include "The Hill where the Bells Ring" and "Shiretoko Ryojo."

　　

私も肖りたい

　本当の七夕の晩【今年は８月２９日】の月は西南の空にこんな形で浮いてます。お椀の舟の形です。これが月齢「七」の「夕」方の月です。

　中国の伝説ではこの舟に織姫星【琴座のベガ】と彦星【わし座のアルタイル】が乗って天の川で年に一度のデートです。私も肖りたいです。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about real happiness and great music

　On the night of the actual Tanabata Vega festival (August 29th this year), the moon floats in the southwestern sky like this photo. The moon will be shaped like a bowl-shaped boat. This is the moon in the "evening" phased of the seventh.

　In Chinese legend, Vega in Lyra, and Altair in Aquila, ride in this boat together for their annual date across the Milky Way. I wish I were as lucky as them.

七夕は旧暦の七月七日であるべき・・・今年は８月２９日

　今日は７月７日で七夕といわれますが、七夕の星である琴座の１等星ベガ【織姫星】と、わし座の１等星アルタイル【彦星】は東の空低くに位置し、この時季は例年、未だ梅雨の真っ最中であることから、実際には、よく見えません。

　これらの星は有名な「夏の大三角」内の右上と下(南)にあり、８月中旬から下旬になると日本でも上空によく見えます。織姫星の位置は赤緯３８度付近なので、仙台～佐渡島の上空を通過します。一方の、彦星の位置は赤緯９度付近なので、フィリピンのミンダナオ島上空を通過します。

　因みに、七夕には関係しませんが、冬の大三角の一角を成す白鳥座のデネブの位置は赤緯４５度なので、日本最北の地である稚内市上空を通過します。このため、８月中旬から下旬になると天候も安定し、午後９時以降には、これらの３つの１等星か日本列島を覆うかの如くよく見えます。

　本来、七夕という文字は星を表すのではなく、月の満ち欠けを表し、月が「七」日目の「夕」方という意味です。この月が織姫星と彦星を含む「夏の大三角」の西の位置に来ると、月の欠けた部分が上向きになり、丁度、船の形になります。

　常に天の川を挟んでる２つの星が舟の形をした月の舟に乗り、１年に一度会えるという中国の伝説です。その日である今年の旧暦七月七日は現行歴の８月２９日です。因みに今宵の月は月齢１３であり、満月に近い明るい月で、お椀の舟の形には程遠いです。

　旧暦が使われていた明治５年から今年はすでに１５０年以上経過してます。単純に現行歴の７月７日を七夕とするのでなく、織姫星と彦星２つの１等星が日本列島上空に来て、しかも、月の満ち欠けが七日目である旧暦の７月７日を本来の七夕とし、未来ある子供たちに正しい天体教育をすべきです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about astronomy and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..................................................

　Today is July 7th, and is called as Tanabata. However, the Tanabata stars Vega which is the first magnitude star in the constellation Lyra, and Altair which is the first magnitude star in the constellation Aquila, are located low in the eastern sky. Moreover the two stars are not actually visible because this season of year is still in the middle of the rainy season in Japan.

　These stars are located in the upper right and lower (south) of the famous "Summer Triangle" as the photo and will come to the sky above Japan from mid-to late August, when they become clearly visible. Vega is located at a declination of around ＋38 degrees, so it passes from east to west over the sky between City of Sendai and Sado Island. On the other hand, Altair is located at a declination of around ＋9 degrees, so it passes over the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

　Incidentally, although it has nothing to do with Tanabata, Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, which forms part of the Winter Triangle, is located at a declination of ＋45 degrees, so it passes over Wakkanai City, the northernmost place in Japan. For this reason, the weather becomes stable from mid to late August in Japan, and after 9 p.m., these three first magnitude stars are clearly visible, as if they are covering the Japanese archipelago.

　Originally, the Japanese character Tanabata does not represent stars, but the phases of the moon, and means the "evening" of the moon's "seventh" day. When the moon is in the western position of the "Great Summer Triangle" that includes Vega and Altair, the waning part of the moon faces upwards and forms the shape of a boat.

　It is a Chinese legend that the two stars that always sandwich the Milky Way ride on the boat-shaped moon and meet once a year. This year's seventh day of the moon of the lunar calendar, which is August 29th of the current calendar. Incidentally, tonight's moon is 13 days old, a bright moon that is close to a full moon, and is far from the shape of a bowl boat.

　This year, more than 150 years have passed since the lunar calendar was used till in 1872. Rather than simply celebrating Tanabata on July 7th in the current calendar, we should recognize the real Tanabata as July 7th in the lunar calendar, the day when the two first magnitude stars, Vega and Altair appear over the Japanese archipelago and the seventh day of the waxing moon. We should provide proper astronomical education to the children who have brilliant future.

いつまでも健康に暮らすには・・・「精神的な張り」が大切か

　一般論として、高齢になると病気に罹り易いようですが、もしかして、これは「精神的な張り」に関係してるかもしれません。日々、心に解決すべきある程度の負荷が掛かっていたり、やるべき仕事があり、そこに「生き甲斐」を感じていることが大切でしょう。私の場合、新たな人との出会いも大きな喜びです。

　生き甲斐の内容は趣味でも良いです。昔、私は学校勤務の傍ら、５０年間もレース鳩を飼育し、早朝に起き、出勤前に舎外訓練と餌遣りの日々で、北海道からその日のうちに帰還する優秀な鳩を育てることをめざしてました。その中の１羽が「稚内モザイク号」で、帰って来たとき鳩を手に持ち「稚内から倉賀野まで、よく帰ってきた」と涙が出ました。今振り返ると充実そのものです。内モンゴルへも行け、イギリスのレース鳩雑誌の表紙も飾ったのは鳩のお陰です。

　現在、皆さんのおかげで、発信してるブログはすでに１８年間になり、今までに書いた記事数は約５０００です。ブログは発想のため、今日は「何について書くか」、無い頭を絞って書く作業です。内容は、総じて「人間の喜びとは何か」を追究してます。

　精神的な張りの中には、音楽演奏【ピアノ・ソプラノサックス】や庭で植物を育てること、友人と時々一杯やり、心を解放することも大きいです。この夏の予定は愛車ＴＴで大好きな群馬の名峰「谷川岳」の天神平と天神峠散策、そして、近くの谷川温泉に浸かることです。本心は誰かと一緒に行きたいです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about joy of human and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..................................................

　Generally speaking, people are more susceptible to illness as they get older, but this may be related to "mental tension." It is important to have a certain amount of mental stress to resolve it every day, work to do, and a sense of purpose in life. In my case, meeting new people is also a great joy.

　Any hobby can be a purpose in life. In the past, I raised racing pigeons for 50 years while working at a school, waking up early in the morning and training outside the loft and feeding the pigeons before going to work, aiming to raise excellent pigeons that would return from Hokkaido on the same day. The name of one of them was "Wakkanai Mosaic," and when she returned, I held the pigeon in my hands and cried, saying, "I'm glad that she have returned from Wakkanai to Kuragano."where is the northern most place in Japan. Looking back now, it was a fulfilling experience at that time. It was thanks to the pigeons that I was able to go to Inner Mongolia and even appear the cover of a British racing pigeon magazine named "Pictorial".

　Thanks to all of you, I have been posting the weblog for 18 years so far, and have written about 5,000 articles. Blogging is about ideas, so every time I was racking my brain to write about something. In general, the content explores the question, "What is human's joy?"

　My mental wellbeing also includes playing music (piano and soprano saxophone), raising many plants in my garden, and having the occasional drink with friends to free my mind. My plan for this summer is to take a stroll around Tenjindai on my beloved Gumma prefecture's famous peak Mt. Tanigawadake, by my beloved Audi TT Quattro, and to soak in the nearby "Tanigawa Spar". In truth, I'd like to go with someone.

　　

リラックスします。

　今日は、涼しい喫茶「さんぽ道」でリラックスして過ごすつもりです。ついでに少し本を読みましょう。客が１～2人なら10分程ピアノを弾きたいです。では愛車の調整を兼ねて行ってきます。

　追伸…その後、アウディー高前支店に行きました。今度の車検でタイヤ交換するのですが、相談の結果、安全第一を考え、今までのサイズ245-35-19ブリジストンにすることにしました。

Dear my friends

　Today, from now on, I'm going to relax at the cool cafe "Sampo-michi". I'll read a little while I'm there. If there are only one or two customers, I'd like to play the piano for about 10 minutes. I'll go, at the same time I get my car tuned up.

　P.S. After that, I went to the Audi Takamae branch. I will have to change the tires at the next car inspection. We discussed it, I decided to go with the previous size 245-35-19 Bridgestone, thinking of safety first.

いよいよブルーベリーの季節が到来

　今年は昭和１００年ですから便利な年です。それは、自分【昭和生まれの人】の年令を知るには１００から生まれた年を引けばよいのです。しかし、年齢を増すと二度と会えない悲しいこと、寂しいことに遭遇するものです。本当に親しかった友を数年前までに３人失った私は、この世の無常を感じてます。しかし、今ではどうにか立ち直りつつあります。それは新たに親しい人との邂逅があったからです。毎日が張り合いがあります。

　彦星【わし座のアルタイル】と織姫星【琴座のベガ】は平素は天の川で隔ててますが、7日目のお椀のような形をした船に見立てた月に乗り、明後日に一年振りに天の川で出会うというものです。もちろん、恒星ですから実際には二つの星は移動しません。また、この絵巻は旧暦の７月７日の夕刻であってこそ、月の形を含め、その位置関係が成り立ちます。

　このため、現行歴【太陽暦】の７月７日ではこの現象は起こりません。現在、二つの星はかなり東の空で見難いです。ですから、正しくは今年は８月２９日です。この晩には日本列島のほぼ真上に彦星と織姫星があり、そして「七日目の月」がすぐその右に位置します。七月七日とは月の満ち欠けが七日目の上弦の月ということです。

　話題は変わりますが、聞くところでは、ブルーベリーは目に良い果物といわれてます。私は昼食にブルーベリーのパンを度々食してます。お陰で視力は良く、運転に困ったことはありません。これからも身体に良い食品を摂取しますが、今までて最も良いと認識できたのはトマトジュースとグレープフルーツジュースです。早朝の空腹時に一日交替で飲んでます。この二つは私の抗酸化対策です。

Dear my friends who are crazy about astronomy and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

...................................................

　This year is the 100th year of the Showa era, so this year is convenient. That is, to find out how old we are [if you were born in the Showa era], just subtract the year you were born from 100. However, as we get older, we encounter sadness and loneliness that we will never see him or her again. I lost three really close friends till a few years ago, and I feel the impermanence of this world. However, I am somehow recovering now. This is because I have met new close lady. So every day is exciting.

　The fixed stars Hikoboshi [Altair in Aquila] and Otorihime [Vega in Lyra] are usually separated by the Milky Way, but the day after tomorrow, they will meet on the Milky Way once in a year, riding on the moon, which is likened to a bowl-shaped boat on the seventh day of the lunar age since Edo period. Of course, because they are fixed stars, the two stars do not actually move. Also, in fact, this picture scroll can only be set in the evening of July 7th of the lunar calendar, including the shape of the moon, in the positional relationship.

　For this reason, this phenomenon does not occur on July 7th in the current solar calendar. Currently, the two stars are quite far in the eastern sky and difficult to see due to the rainy season. Therefore, the correct date this year will be August 29th. On this night, Hikoboshi and Orihime are almost directly above the Japanese archipelago, and the "seventh day moon" is located just to the right of them. July 7th means that the moon is on its seventh day of waxing.

　Changing the topic, I've heard that blueberries are a fruit that is good for our eyes. I often eat blueberry bread for lunch. Thanks to it, my eyesight is good so that I've never had any trouble driving. I will continue to eat foods that are good for my body, but the best I've found so far are tomato juice and grapefruit juice. I drink them alternately each day on an empty stomach early in the morning. The price is 100 Yen per day. These two are my antioxidant measures, especially effective against cancers.

　　

久しぶりに物凄い夕立

　倉賀野では、久しぶりに物凄い音の雷が1時間ほど続き、滝のような雨が降り続けた夕立でした。一時、停電になりました。一方、テレビは今もつきません。どうしましょう。

　ラジオは聞こえるので、ラジオを聴いてます。パソコンは正常です。今日は夕立の前に、吉井牛伏ドリームセンターで汗を流してきました。

Dear my friends

　In Kuragano-town, we had a sudden shower with a very loud thunder sound that continued for about an hour, followed by torrential rain beyond description. There was a temporary power outage. Meanwhile, the TV is still not turning on. What should we do?

　I can hear the radio, so I'm listening to it. Fortunately my computer is working fine. Today, before the shower, I went to the Yoshii Ushibuse Dream Center to work up a sweat.

紫陽花のように、花開きたい

　今年ほど紫陽花をよく眺めてる私はいません。また、紫陽花には色々の色彩があることに目覚めてます。私たち人間にとって毎日が暑くて蒸してる気候ですが、紫陽花はこの温度と湿度を味方にし、どの花も上を向いて咲いてます。ピンチをチャンスと捉えてます。

　ところで、懇親会が好きな私は今後いくつかあるパーティーを楽しみにしてます。また、１０日後にはバス旅行があります。今や、どこへ行くにもマイカーや電車ですから昔のようにバスに揺られて行くのは気持ちも解れ楽しみです。バス旅行は今年2回目です。

　しかも、参加者は倉賀野上三、上四地区の顔見知りの人たちで、紫陽花のように和やかになりそうです。果たして、焼けボックイに火がつくでしょうか。「こらこらカッキー何を考えてるのか。」「純粋にバス旅行を楽しみなさい」という声が聞こえて来そうです。

　ところで、野球ではチャンスの後にピンチあり、ピンチの後にチャンスありで、人生も似ています。人生のピンチに立ったとき、その後にチャンス到来は有り得ることです。大切なことは、諦めてはならないことでしょう。逆境のときこそ、新たな場面が生じることは有り得ることです。今日も暑いので水分補給をしましょう。

Dear my friends who are crazy about life from now on and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.............................................

　I have never looked at hydrangeas as much as I have this year. I have also noticed that hydrangeas have a variety of colors. For us humans, it is hot and humid every day, but hydrangeas take advantage of this temperature and humidity, and all of their flowers bloom with facing upwards. They see a crisis as an opportunity.

　By the way, I like social gatherings with drinking, so I am looking forward to some of the upcoming parties. Also, in 10 days I am going on a bus trip. Generally, nowadays, we go everywhere by car or train, so I am looking forward to being rocked on a bus like in the old days. This is my second bus trip this year.

　What's more, the participants are familiar faces from the Kami-3rd and Kami-4th districts of Kuragano-town, so it will be as peaceful as the hydrangeas. There is also a fantastic lady who used to live near my house, and I think I will be able to talk to her after a long interval. In fact, she is in the same environment now as me. I wonder if the dying embers of our former passion will blaze anew between us. I can almost hear your saying, "Hey, Kakky, what are you thinking?" "Just enjoy the bus trip."

　By the way, in baseball, after opportunities there are crises, and after crises there are opportunities, and it's similar in life. When we find ourselves in a crisis in life, it's possible that an opportunity will arise afterwards. The important thing is to never give up. When in times of adversity, new opportunities can arise. It's hot again today, so make sure you need hydration.

　

学習とは・・・模倣から創造への過程か

　５月下旬に購入した「天声人語２０２５春」を今朝読み終わり、ホッとしてます。約９０日分です。平均して１日に２.５日分でした。次回の発売は８月下旬なので、しばらくの間、この教科書から離れられ、リラックスできます。

　目的は内外の事象に関心を持つと共に、この本は珍しく、同じ内容が日本語と英文で並んで書かれてます。日英両言語でフェイスブックとブログで書く私にとって、語彙を増やすうえで誠に有益な教師となってます。

　気持ちは若くても(？)、高齢に近づきつつある私が英単語を学ぶなど考えてもいませんでしたが、学習に遅すぎることはないとの考えで、「これを英語で何と言うか」という永遠の課題に向き合ってる毎日です。ですから、私にとっては英語の語彙はどうしても必要になってます。諺「必要は発明の母」とはよく言った一つの真理です。今になって必要に迫られ学んでます。

　このため和英辞典を引くことが多いです。英和辞典では関連した例文を調べます。この例文が大いに役立ちます。学生時代に「教育は模倣から創造への過程である」と習ったことがあります。今、この言葉を身に沁みて感じてます。年は取っても、どんどん真似して、日常生活を送るうえで自ら考えたこと、気づいたこと、感想などを表現できればと思います。

Dear my friends who are crazy about way of studying English and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

.....................................................

　I finished reading "VOX POPULI VOX DEI" Tensei Jingo 2025 Spring" this morning, which I bought in late May, and I feel relieved. It's about 90 days' worth. On average, I read 2.5 days' worth per day. The next issue will be released in late August, so I can relax and get away from this textbook for a while.

　The purpose is to know for me in domestic and international events, and this book is rare that means the same content is written side by side in Japanese and English. For me, who writes on Facebook and blog in both languages, it has been a very useful teacher in increasing vocabulary.

　Even though I feel young (?), I never thought I would learn English words as I am approaching old age now, but I believe it's never too late to learn. Every day I face the eternal challenge of "how do I say this Japanese in English?" Therefore, for me, English vocabulary has become absolutely necessary. The proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention" is a well-known truth. Now, I am learning English vocabularies because of necessity.

　For this reason, I often consult a "Japanese-English dictionary." In an English-Japanese dictionary, I look up related example sentences. This example sentence is very helpful for me. When I was a student, I learned that "Education is a process from imitation to creation." Now, I really feel this way. Even as I get older, I hope to continue to imitate others English sentences and express my thoughts, realizations, and impressions in my daily life.

　　

生活に変化と統一が必要

　今日は午後は歌の伴奏で忙しかったですが、４時頃より、喫茶「さんぽ道」で過ごしました。最近は週２回行き、アイスコーヒーなどで１時間ほど本を読んだりしてリラックスです。

　私の場合は、ここへ行くのは単調な生活に変化をつけるためですが、内心、女性と話す機会が少ないためでもあり、心に潤いが必要だからです。また、水色の愛車を動かす必要からも行ってます。

　今度、誕生日に255-35-19のタイヤをはめるので今からワクワクしてます。最も大切な品位は保ちますのでご安心ください。

Dear my FB friends who are crazy about the shape of car and great music.

　This afternoon I was busy accompanying songs, but from around 4 o'clock I spent some time at my favorite cafe "Sampo-michi". I go there twice a week these days, and relax by reading a book for an hour or so while drinking iced coffee with thinking of you.

　In my case, I go there to change up my monotonous daily life, because I don't have many opportunities to talk to ladies and I need to nourish my soul. I also go because I need to get my light blue car running.

　I'm already excited because I'm going to put on 255-35-19 tires at my birthday. But rest assured that I will maintain the dignity that is the most important thing for me.

今後、ソプラノサックスを演奏する機会を増やします。

　写真はソプラノサックスです。１６才から始めました。音域は通常2オクターブ半ですが、フラジオを使えば,オクターブ上まで出ます。現在、この楽器を吹くことがめったにありません。ピアノと異なり、メロディーのみを吹くことになるからです。私は笛の音というより、人の声のような音色をめざしてます。練習を開始し、これからは人に聴いて戴く機会を作りたいです。 

　フランスのセルマー製で金メッキのコーティングがしてあり重いです。このため、首から紐で吊るして演奏します。歌の曲を演奏すると、多少のビブラートも含み、表情豊かに響きます。一方、正しい腹式呼吸法を身に付けて演奏を心掛ければ、健康にもプラスすると考えてます。この道の神様的存在であるフランスのミュールという大先生は１００才まで現役でした。

　ところで、指使いはピアノと全く逆で、ピアノは左からドレミですが、サックスは右からドレミが始まります。しかし、不思議なことに頭は混乱せず、ピアノの前に座れば、指はピアノの動きになり、サックスを持てば迷わずにサックスの指使いになります。

　本来、音楽とは、嬉しい気持ち、悲しい気持ちを表現するものです。コンクールと称し、人と優劣を競争するものではありません。このため以前は機会ある度に儀式の中で演奏しました。それは友人や娘の結婚式、また、妻の葬儀での演奏は弔問客に強烈なインパクトになったようです。今でも、会葬された人に会うと、その印象を話されます。今度から、パーティーがあれば、ソプラノサックスを演奏するようにします。音色を聴いて戴ければ嬉しいです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..............................................

　The photo shows my soprano saxophone. I started playing when I was 16. The range is usually two and a half octaves, but if I use a flageolet, it is possible to play octave higher. I rarely play this instrument now because, unlike the piano, it plays melodies only. I am aiming for a beautiful tone quality like a human voice than a flute. I will start practicing and would like to have people listen to it from now on.

　It is made by Selmer company in France and is gold-plated , so heavy. For this reason, I play it by hanging by a string from my neck. When I play songs, it has a slight vibrato and sounds expressive. On the other hand, I think that if I play by the correct abdominal breathing method and pay attention to playing, it will also be good for my health. The great French teacher, Marcel Mull, who is a god-like figure in this field, was active until he was 100 years old.

　By the way, the fingering is completely opposite to that of the piano. As you know, the piano starts with do-re-mi from the left, but the saxophone starts with do-re-mi from the right. However, strangely enough, my mind does not become confused, so that when I sit at the piano, my fingers move like a piano, and when I pick up a saxophone, my fingers move like a saxophone without any hesitation.

　Music is originally meant to express happy or sad feelings of human. It is not to compete with others in, such as in a competition. For this reason, I used to perform at ceremonies whenever I had the opportunity. Performances at my friends' and my daughter's weddings, and particularly at my wife's funeral, seem to have made a strong impact on mourners. They tell me about the impression. From now on, if there is a party, I will play the soprano saxophone. I would be happy if you could listen to my sound of it.

　

高齢者に大切・・・体操と歌

　今日、私には楽しみがあります。何だと思いますか。それは、午後、私の家の前の上四集会所「ふるさと」で行われる「あんしんセンター倉賀野」主催の「体操」と「前奏を聴いて曲を当てるクイズと、その歌を全員で歌う」ピアノ伴奏の役割が私にあるからです。ですから、前奏も正しく効果的に弾く必要があります。

　ピアノ伴奏で「全員で歌う」と、カラオケとは一味違う、そこにいる仲間との一体感が生じ、皆さんとても幸せそうな表情になります。曲は昔から誰でも知ってる歌です。仲間の中には普段、コーラスをしてる女性もいて自然と二部合唱になるので響きも本格的です。私としては、歌いやすい高さの調性で弾く必要があります。一応、何調でもOKです。

　私たちは人間に生まれたことで、幸せにも音楽を楽しむ世界があります。昔から歌い継がれてきた音楽文化である世界の歌、日本の歌には素晴らしい曲がたくさんあります。もし私のピアノ伴奏で好きな歌を思い切り歌いたくなったら、ぜひ、私の家においでください。もちろん、歌を歌った後は懇親会をしましょう。

Dear my friends who are crazy about singing songs and listening to great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for your understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

..............................................

　I have something a pleasure today. Please guess what it is? It's because I play the piano accompaniment for the "Anshin Center Kuragano" quiz, which will be held in the afternoon at the Kami-4th Community Center named "Furusato" in front of my garden, where everyone will sing after the introductory quiz. Therefore, I need to play the intro correctly and effectively.

　

　Singing together with piano accompaniment creates a sense of unity with the friends there, which is a little different from karaoke, and everyone looks very happy. The song is one that everyone has known for a long time. I'll keep it a secret, but I'll let all my Facebook friends know.

　This opportunity is already the third time today. The first song today is "Yuki no Furu Machi o" to blow away the heat, followed by "Gakusei Jidai" and "Tsuki no Sabaku". Some of the friends are ladies who usually sing in the chorus, so it naturally becomes a two-part chorus, and the sound is also professional. For me, I need to play in a key that is easy for everyone to sing. In any key, it's fine.

　We are blessed to be born as humans and live in a world where we can enjoy music. There are many wonderful songs from around the world and Japan, which are part of the musical culture that has been passed down since ancient times. If you want to sing your favorite song by my piano accompaniment, please visit my home. Of course, shall we have a pleasant party after singing?

今宵は心が燃えそうです。

　友人「時計屋の隣りさん」の投稿文が、今日、上毛新聞に掲載されました。このため、県外の方々にも私のブログを通じて紹介したところ、彼から今夜、某所で一杯とお誘いがありました。

　毎日、孤食の私はこんな機会はあまりないので彼の喜びを分かち合い、お供することにしました。このため、猛暑で汗もかいたので、これから愛車で日帰り温泉に行ってきます。そして、さっぱりしてから高崎の街中に行きます。今宵は燃えそうです。

Dear my friends who like "Bottoms up" and great music

　A post made by my friend "The Watch Shop Neighbor" was published in the Jomo Shimbun today, and after I shared it on my weblog with people from outside Gumma prefecture, he invited me for a drink at "Baku" tonight.

　As you know, I eat alone every day, so I don't get many opportunities like this, so I decided to share his joy of today and accompany him. As I've worked up a sweat in the scorching heat, I'm going to go to a day spa from now on. Then, after freshening up, I'll head into downtown Takasaki through Kuragano Station. This evening looks like it's going to be a fulfilling time.

愛すべき「しゃいなし」・・・上毛新聞「みんなのひろば」より

　今日の群馬県・上毛新聞の読者投稿欄「みんなのひろば」に、このブログのコメンテーター時計屋の隣りさんの文章が掲載されました。誠におめでとうございます。つきましては、県外の皆様にもお読み戴きたく、ここにご紹介いたします。

　　　　タイトル・・・愛すべき「しゃいなし」・・・

　
　「しゃいなし」という言葉をご存じでしょうか。群馬の方言で「たわいない」「余計なこと」「くだらないこと」を意味します。その響きはどこかユーモラスで、温かみと親しみを感じます。

　子供の頃、ごみ袋を振り回し、結び目がほどけて中身をぶちまけたことがありました。母親から「ばかなしゃいなしはやめな！」と厳しくたしなめられ、泣きながら片づけた苦い思い出があります。「しゃいなし」は時に叱咤を含めた愛情を込めて使われる、そんな不思議な言葉です。

　また、使い方によって微妙にニュアンスが異なります。「しゃいなしに投稿したら新聞に載った」は、「気まぐれ」や「何げない」という意味が伝わります。この多様な使い方がこの方言の魅力の一つです。

　『広辞苑』には「しゃいなし」の意味に近い「差異(しゃい)もない」や「仕様(しょう)もない」が載っています。石川啄木が詠んだ「たはむれに母を背負ひてそのあまり軽きに泣きて三歩あゆまず」からは、母の軽さに涙した瞬間の切なさとともに、「たはむれに」に「しゃいなし」を感じます。