一日中、身体を動かし、英単語も記憶

　３月２９日、日の出は５時３５分、太陽高度５７°【因みに冬至は３０°】、日の入りは１８時０３分【いずれも群馬県】です。このため、昼の長さは１２時間２８分で、正午の太陽は冬至の約２倍の高さになります。庭では「源平枝垂れ桃」が、平素の水遣りの成果が出て【？】、例年になく良く開花し、今日から暫く満開です。お近くの方は観賞にお立ち寄りください。駐車場完備です。

　このため昨日は、早朝から一日中よく動きました。起床してすぐにフェイスブックに取り掛かり、書いてるその途中で、上４公園での３０名程の仲間とのラジオ体操会に参加し、帰宅後、再度フェイスブックを書き終え、朝食後はその英訳に取り組み、何と表現するかで四苦八苦し、和英辞典と睨めっこです。新たな英単語は単語帳に熟語と共に記入です。しかし、記憶は難しいです。「記憶とは音読し、書いて覚え、再度使う繰り返し」でしょう。

　午後は、「カッキー、また行ったのか」と言われそうですが、お気に入り喫茶「さんぽ道」でコーヒーと共に1時間ほど過ごし、その後は、久しぶりに長い鏑川の土手をてくてく歩きました。気をつけたことは、速度は普通で姿勢に気をつけ、鼻呼吸で歩きました。これだけ暖かくなるとコハクチョウの姿は見えず、ちょっと寂しさを感じました。

　久しぶりの本格的ウォーキングは途中で休憩なしです。大きな鏑川橋を渡り、ついに藤岡市へ到着です。復路は来た道をてくてく歩き、１時間半ほどのウォーキングは良く歩いたと感じました。今回は母方の親戚である木部の家に立ち寄り、環境はずいぶん昔と変化しましたが、やはり一人暮らしの女性と暫くぶりに話しができ、心が昔に帰り、解放できました。

Dear my friends who are crazy about changing seasons

　On March 29th, sunrise was at 5:35 AM, the sun's altitude will be 57° (for comparison, it was 30° on the winter solstice), and sunset will be at 6:03 PM (both are in Gumma Prefecture). Therefore, the daylight hours will be 12 hours and 28 minutes, and the sun at noon was about twice as high as on the winter solstice. In the garden, the "Bicolored Genpei Weeping Peach" tree, thanks to regular watering by me, is blooming exceptionally well this year and will be in full bloom starting today. Please come and admire it if you're nearby. Parking is available.

　For this reason, yesterday I was very active from early morning until evening. As soon as I woke up, I started writing on weblog and while I was writing, I participated in a radio gymnastics session with about 30 friends at Kami-4 Park. After returning home, I finished writing my weblog and posted, After breakfast, I translated Facebook into English, struggling to find the right words and consulting the Japanese-English dictionary. I'm adding new English words to my English vocabulary notebook along with related phrases. However, memorization is difficult for me. But I confirm "Memory is about reading aloud, writing, and using repeatedly." This will approach to final destination to be a fluent speaker of English during I am alive.

　In the afternoon, I spent about an hour at my favorite cafe, "Sampo-michi," with coffee. I'm sure someone will say, "Kakki, you went again?" And then, for the first time in a while, I took a leisurely walk along the long Kabra River Bank. I made to maintain a normal pace, good posture, and breathe through my nose which is the most essential. With the weather getting warmer, I didn't see any tundra swans, which made me feel a little lonely.

　This was my first proper walk in a while, and I didn't take any breaks along the way. I crossed the large Kabra Bridge and finally arrived in Fujioka-City. On the return trip, I walked the same way, and I felt I had walked an hour and a half. This time, I stopped by the home of my maternal relative, in Kibe-town. The environment has changed considerably since long ago, but it was refreshing to talk with the lady who lives alone after a long interval.

年令を重ねてこそ、人との交流に重きを置く

　３月１５日、今日の日の出は５時５５分、太陽高度は５１°、日の入り予定は１７時５１分【いずれも群馬県】で、昼と夜の時間がほぼ同じになってます。一週間後は「太陽が魚座のすぐ下の天の赤道にある春分点」に達する日で、この日、地球から見る太陽黄経は０°になります。

　庭では5本の梅の開花が終わり、それにバトンタッチして、ご覧のユキヤナギ、水仙、ハクモクレンが満開になりました。この内、上の写真のユキヤナギは亡父がこの地に引っ越して来た前々回の東京オリンピックの年である６２年前に植えたもので、生命力が強く、年々株が増え、豊かになってます。ぜひ、写真をクリックし拡大してご覧ください。

　一方、ユキヤナギの前面にちらほら赤い蕾が見えるでしょう。実は白い蕾もあり「源平枝垂れ桃」の幼木です。２～３日後に開花の勢いで、咲いたら写真を載せます。こちらは生えて１年後に、私が望む形に枝を紐で縛って樹形を作りました。その後はその樹形のまま成長してます。果たして、今春は色彩も形も良く、お見せできるでしょうか。

　ところで、今朝もこれから上4公園で「ラジオ体操会」があるので歩いて行きます。地区の方々と顔を合わせ、談笑するのが結構楽しみです。一人暮らしの私は殊に人との交流が大切で、これが精神面でとても肝心なことと考えてます。では行ってきます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about physical and mental health

　On March 15th, sunrise is at 5:55 AM, the sun's altitude will be 51°, and sunset will be expected at 5:51 PM (all times in my Gumma Prefecture), it means the length of day and night are almost equal. A week from now, the sun will reach the vernal equinox point, located on the celestial equator just below the constellation Pisces. On this day, the sun's ecliptic longitude as seen from Earth will be 0°.

　In my garden, the five plum trees have finished blooming, and have now been replaced by the spirea, daffodils, and white magnolia which you can see in the picture, which are now in full bloom. The spirea in the photo above was planted 62 years ago by my late father, the year of the last Tokyo Olympics 1964 when we moved to this area. It's very vigorous, and the plant has grown and become more abundant each year. Please click on the photo to enlarge it.

　You can actually see some red buds scattered in front of the spirea. There are also white buds, it's a young bicolored weeping peach tree. It's expected to bloom in two or three days, then I'll post a picture when it blooms. This tree was shaped by me its branches with string a year after it sprouted, creating the form I desired. It has continued to grow in that shape ever since. I wonder if it will be in good color and shape this spring, and I'll show it to you.

　By the way, I will walk from now on to the "Radio Gymnastocs Meeting" at Kami-4th Park this morning. I really enjoy seeing and chatting with the people in my neighborhood. As I live alone, I find human interaction especially important, So I believe it's crucial for my mental well-being. Well, I'm off now.

「認知症サポーター講座」受講・・・優しく対応できるようになりたい

　昨日は暫くぶりに学生時代に戻ったように、倉賀野公民館で９０分間の講座を受けました。内容は「認知症サポーター講座」です。講座の後半では、認知症の人に対応すべき方法について、良い対応法と、悪い対応法について、両面の寸劇があり、対応方法についてよく分かりました。

　講座終了時に、高崎市発行による「認知症サポーター」のカードを受け取りました。現在、私の周辺には認知症の方は見受けられませんが、６５才以上になると有病率は高くなるといわれます。今後、すぐに対応しなくてはならないときに、今回の講座で学習したことを思い出し、躊躇せず、やさしく対応する心構えを持ちたいと思います。

　私たちが認知症の人への対応すべき心得は、３つの「ない」が基本にあります。１、驚かせない、2、急がせない、3、自尊心を傷つけない。

  

　そして、具体的な対応には７つのポイントがあると考えられます。1、先ずは見守る。2、余裕を持って対応する。3、声を掛ける時は一人で。4、後から声を掛けない。5、やさしい口調で。6、おだやかに、はっきりした話し方で。7、相手の言葉に耳を傾けて、ゆっくり対応する。

Dear my Facebook friends who are thinking about the measure of senile dementia

　Yesterday, I felt like I was back in my student days after a long interval as I attended a 90-minute lecture at Kuragano Community Center. The lecture was titled "Dementia Supporter Lecture." In the second half of the lecture, there was a skit that discussed both good and bad ways to interact with people with dementia, which really helped me understand how to respond.

　At the end of the lecture, I received a "Dementia Supporter" card issued by Takasaki City. Currently, I don't know anyone with senile dementia around me, but the prevalence is said to increase among people over the age of 65. In the near future, when I need to respond immediately, I will remember what I learned in this lecture and be prepared to respond gently and without hesitation.

　The basic guidelines for how we should interact with people with senile dementia are based on three "don'ts." 1. Don't surprise them. 2. Don't rush them. 3. Don't hurt their self-respect or self-pride.

Furthermore, I believe there are seven key points to specific responses. 1. Watch over them first silently. 2. Respond with ample time. 3. Call out to them alone. 4. Don't call out to them from the rear. 5. Speak gently. 6. Speak calmly and clearly. 7. Listen carefully to their saying and respond slowly.

今日は勉強してきます

　人生は予想外で分からぬものです。退職後すぐに始まった一人暮らしで、私は日々の生活内容が単純な繰り返しにならぬよう、工夫を重ねてるつもりです。同級生たちを倉賀野町で殆ど見かけなくなりましたが、もしかして、同年齢の人より、今では夢中になる趣味にいろいろ興じているとも言えます。これが「精神の充実」につながればよいと考えます。

　娘が二人います。独立し、毎日が会社勤めであり、比較的近くの前橋市に暮らしてる次女も、二人の女子小学生の子育て中で充実してるようです。特に最近は、土日と言えば、娘たちのバスケットの応援に燃え、私の家に来るのは用事があるときのみです。私も用事があるときこちらから届け物をする時くらいです。でも、二人の娘が元気なので私は寂しく感じてません。このため、今の私は彼女たちに「何々をしてもらいたい」という気持ちはなく、ちょっと離れて見守ってます。

　ところで、今日はご覧の「認知症サポーター養成講座」が公民館で開かれ、私は受講します。認知症に罹る可能性は誰にもあり、現代ではその問題から離れることはできません。先ず、自らが認知症にならないように日々の生活を工夫し、改善し、充実させ、もし、周囲に罹ってしまった人が生じたら、適切にサポートできなくてはなりません。また、将来、自らがその対象になっても優しい社会であってほしいと思います。では講座に行って参ります。

Dear my Facebook friends who are crazy about real happy life

　Life is unpredictable for us. Since I started living alone soon after retiring, so I've been trying to make sure my daily routine doesn't become monotonous. I hardly see my classmates in Kuragano-Town anymore, but perhaps I'm enjoying a variety of hobbies such as caring plants, piano and driving more than people my age. I hope this will lead to spiritual fulfillment.

　As you know, I have two daughters. They're now independent and work every day at companies. My younger daughter, who lives relatively nearby in Maebashi City, seems to be enjoying her time raising two elementary school-aged girls. Especially recently, on weekends, she's so excited to cheer on her daughters' basketball games. Therefore, she only comes to my house when she has something to do. I only go to her home when I have something to do, sometimes to deliver fruits. But because my two daughters are healthy, I don't feel lonely. For this reason, I don't feel I want them to do anything for me, and I just watch over them from a distance.

　Not change the subject, but today I will attend the "Dementia Supporter Training Course" at the community center. Anyone may develop dementia, and in today's world, we cannot escape this problem. First, we must devise, improve, and enrich our daily lives to prevent ourselves from developing dementia, and if someone around us does develop the disease, we must be able to provide appropriate support. We also hope that society will be kind to those who become senile dementia in the future. Well, I'll start to go.

何才になっても新たな事に挑戦・・・私の認知症対策

【画像をクリックし、拡大すると臨場感が出ます。】

　剪定と水遣りなど、年間の花梅への世話が実を結び【？】、今日の玄関前は紅白に彩られ、一際、穏やかにして華やかな春の佇まいになってます。室内からは時折ピアノの音色が響きます。これで、玄関から和服姿の女将が「お待ちしておりました。」と笑顔で姿を表わせば、言うことはないのですが、おっと、私は今、夢を見ていたのでしょうか。

　実をいうと、この植物たちのお陰で私自身も健康を保っていると考えられます。平素は汚れた私自身ですが、どうしたことか、植物たちを目の前にすると、純粋になり、良い枝ぶりとなって色彩豊かに開花することを目指します。このため、暫く我を忘れ、自然のうちに必要な動きとなり、作業に没頭すると１時間くらいはすぐに経ちます。結果的に空腹になり、健康につながればと思ってます。

　ところで、現在、二十四節気の「雨水」です。今日の群馬県南部は珍しく曇りです。ずっと、カラカラ天気が続いて来たので、その名の通り、雨が欲しいところです。風邪は昨日あたりから、回復傾向ですが、未だ、声が少々枯れてます。明日は「認知症サポーター養成講座」を受講することになっており、これも一つの挑戦です。体調を万全にして取り組みたいです。そうだ、今日は新たな「日帰り温泉」に行き、身を清めてこよう。

Dear my friends who are intended to new challenges

　The yearly care for the flowering plum trees, including pruning and watering, has finally effective [?], and today my home entrance is decked out in red and white, creating a particularly serene and gorgeous spring atmosphere. Occasionally, piano music can be heard from inside the house. If the proprietress, dressed in Japanese traditional kimono, appears at the entrance with a smile and said, "We've been waiting for you," I'd have nothing to complain about, but oh no, maybe I was dreaming now.

　As a fact, I believe these plants are also helping me stay healthy. As you know, my heart is normally quite dirty, but for some reason, when I see the plants, I become pure beyond description, striving to develop beautiful branches and bloom colorfully. For this reason, I lose myself for a while, becoming natural movement I need. I immerse myself in my work, and an hour or so passes quickly. Ultimately, I feel hungry, which will lead to better my health.

By the way, it's currently "Rain Water" one of the 24 solar terms in Japan. It's unusually cloudy in southern Gumma Prefecture today. It's been dry and dreary for a while now, so as the name suggests, We are hoping for rain. I've been feeling better since 　yesterday, but my voice is still a little hoarse. Tomorrow I will take a "Dementia Supporter Training Course", which is also one of my challenges. I want to be in top physical condition. Oh, I'll go to a new "day spa" today and cleanse myself.

認知症の人に優しい倉賀野作り

　今日は２月２２日です。ご覧の通り、愛車のナンバーは２２２２で、私は２が好きなのでしょう。あるいは二人が好きなのでしょう。と言う一人暮らしの私は「エック、ドー、ティン、チャル」と言う言葉を「一日に少なくとも３回」は声に出して発してます。多い日は数回発しているでしょう。この言葉の意味は何でしょう。また、何のためでしょう。

　これはインドにおける１、２、３、４の数字の読み方です。答えはキッチンで食事作りを朝昼晩３回行った後、食べ物を二階の居間へ運ぶときに、ガス台から離れるので、４個あるガス栓をきちん閉めたか再点検してるとき、この「エック、ドー、ティン、チャル」と言ってます。

　平素から「安全確認は私にとって最重要課題」です。今や、社会問題である「老人性認知症」にならぬよう、あるいは、遅らせるよう私たちは日々、生活行動を通じて学ばなくてはなりません。認知症にならない対策の基本は「してもらう気持ち」からの離脱が第一歩で、自らやり遂げる強い意志が基盤です。「何でも、してもらう習慣」になると、それが当たり前になり、頭を使わなくなり、いつもと異なると不平も生じるでしょう。

　実は、この件について、２月２５日(水)午前１０時より、あんしんセンター倉賀野主催による「認知症サポーター養成講座」が開かれます。場所は倉賀野公民館です。このため認知症対策について関心ある私は受講を申し込み済みで、認知症について、介護する側、介護される側の心理を学びます。そして、何より認知症の人に優しい倉賀野を作るためです。果たして「認知症サポーターカード」を取得できるでしょうか。頑張ります。

Dear my Facebook friends who are anxious about senile dementia

　Today is February 22nd. As you can see, the license plate number of my Audi TT Quattro is 2222, so I like the number 2. Or maybe I like two people. I who is living alone, say the words "ek, do, tin, chal" out loud at least three times a day. On busy case, I might say them several times. What do these words mean? And what are they for?

　This is the pronunciations of the numbers of 1,2,3,4 in India. After cooking three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), I step away from the gas stove to carry the food to the living room upstairs, therefore as I double-check to make sure all four gas valves are properly turned off, I say "ek, do, tin, chal."

　Safety in daily life has always been my top priority. Senile dementia, a societal problem, is something we must learn through our daily activities to prevent in advance. The our first step in preventing dementia is not given by others, and it based on a strong will to accomplish things ourselves. If you get into the habit of do everything for you, it becomes second nature, you stop using your brain, and complaints will arise.

　In fact, regarding this issue, a "Dementia Supporter Training Course" will be held on Wednesday, February 25th at 10:00 AM, sponsored by the Kuragano Anshin Center. The course will be held at the Kuragano Community Center. As I am interested in dementia prevention, I have already signed up to take the course, where I will learn about dementia and the psychology of both caregivers and those being cared for. The purpose is to make Kuragano a dementia-friendly place. I wonder if I will be able to obtain a "Dementia Supporter Card"? I will do my best.

いつまでも「在宅で自立」を目指す

 

　群馬県の今日のの出は６時３１分、正午の太陽高度は４１°、日の入りは１７時２５分で、昼の長さは１０時間５４分です。因みに冬至の太陽高度は３０°で、昼の長さは９時間４１分でしたから、昼の長さはすでに１時間１３分も伸びており、太陽高度は１１°も高くなってます。これから三寒四温を繰り返しつつ、ご覧の通り、梅が本格的に開花しつつあり、希望に満ちる早春です。

　日本でも、明治５年まで使われてた太陰太陽暦(旧暦)では今日は大晦日ですから、明日は新年です。このため明日は月が出ません。今の時季は誠に新春という名に相応しく、梅に限らず、廊下の君子蘭も本格的に咲き出しており、築山では水仙があちこちから一斉に芽を出してます。

　ところで、肝心の私については、育ててる植物から学ぶことは多々あり、特に、いろいろの色彩です。５本の梅はすべて異なる色の花を咲かせ、庭のバランスを取ってます。同様に、楽しみな音楽演奏でも、透明性ある音色ほど「心を打つものはない」と感じてます。これからも趣味である植物の世話と、ピアノやソプラノサックス演奏で良い音色を求め、時には友人に聴いて戴いたりし、生活を充実させたいです。

　そのためには、今後いつまでも「在宅での自立」を目指さなくてはなりません。健康の基盤は「適度な運動と食材」と捉え、トマト、大豆製品、魚、新鮮な野菜類、海藻類を毎日食し、日々の生活を面白く、愉快になるようトライしてみます。

Dear my friends who are researching into pleasant longevity.

　In Gumma Prefecture, sunrise today was at 6:31 AM, the sun's altitude at noon will be 41°, and sunset will be at 5:25 PM, therefore it makes the length of daylight 10 hours and 54 minutes. Incidentally, on the winter solstice, the sun's altitude was 30° and the length of daylight was 9 hours and 41 minutes, so the length of daylight has already increased by 1 hour and 13 minutes, and the sun's altitude became 11° higher. We'll be experiencing three cold and four warm climates repeatedly from now on, and as you can see, the plum blossoms are beginning to bloom in earnest, so we feel an early spring filled with hope.

　Not change the subject, but in Japan, too, according to the lunisolar calendar (old calendar) used until 1872, today is New Year's Eve, so tomorrow is New Year's Day. So the moon won't come out tomorrow. This time of year truly deserves the name of New Spring, and not only are the plum blossoms, but the kaffir lilies in the hallway are also in full bloom, and daffodils are sprouting on the artificial hill named Tsukiyama all at once.

　By the way, as for me, I learn a lot from the plants I grow, especially about the variety of colors. All five plum trees are blooming with different colors, that is balancing the garden. Similarly, I feel that there is nothing more moving than the clarity of a musical tone quality by performance which I enjoy. I would like to continue to enrich my life by caring for plants, and by pursuing beautiful tone qualities through playing the piano and soprano saxophone, and occasionally I want Ms. Run-chan to listen to my performance.

　For this reason, it is important that I continue to aim to be "independent at home" in the future. I believe that the foundation of health is "moderate training and ingredients," so I will eat tomatoes, soy products, fish, fresh vegetables, and seaweed every day, and try to make my daily life more interesting and enjoyable.

脳のための栄養を今後のテーマに

　つい先日、新年になったと思ったら、もう２月で土日が８日、祝日が２日あるので今月は２８日のうち休日が１０日間もあります。名歌「早春賦」の通り、「春は名のみの風の寒さや」の季節ですが、徐々に温かくなるでしょう。嬉しいことは屋外での活動時間が次第に長くなります。

　今日の日の出は６時４５分、太陽高度は３６°、日の入りは１７時１０分【群馬県】で昼の時間が１０時間２５分と伸び、冬至に比較して４４分も長くなってます。因みに、冬至では昼の時間が９時間４１分で、太陽高度は３０°だったので今日は太陽が６°も高くなります。

　人生の第３コーナーから第４コーナーへと差し掛かってる私にとって「身体の健康づくり」、及び「脳の若さを維持すること」が最も大切であり、最近、私は身体のみならず、脳の若さを保つにも、日々の栄養補給が関係すると考えてます。このため、繊維類を含み、バランスのとれた栄養摂取が今後のテーマです。適度な運動と共に、日々、低栄養になるぬよう、美味しさより、身体にプラスになる長寿食の研究です。同時に、体内の水分を常に６０％に保ちます。

　そのためには、可能な限り「在宅での自立をめざし」、知り合いや近所の方々との交流の機会を心掛け、明るく、よく笑い、よくお茶を飲む日々にしたいです。一方、脳に大切なことは天体の動きや植物など自然に対し、好奇心を持ちたいです。

Dear my Facebook friends who are crazy about activation of brain

　Just the other day, 2026 year began, but it's already February. Due to eight weekends and two national holidays in Japan, there are 10 days off out of the 28 this month. As the famous poem "Shoshunfu" (Poem of early spring) says, "Spring is only in name, but the wind is cold," actually the weather will gradually warm up day by day. The good news is that we'll be able to spend more and more outdoors.

　Today's sunrise was at 6:45 AM, the sun's altitude will be 36°, and the sun set will be at 5:10 PM [Gumma Prefecture] Japan. The daylight hours have increased to 10 hours and 25 minutes, it becomes 44 minutes longer than the winter solstice. Incidentally, at the winter solstice, the daylight was 9 hours and 41 minutes, and the sun's altitude was 30°, so today the sun's angle is 6° higher in the sky.

　As I approach the third to fourth corners of my life, "maintaining a healthy body" and "maintaining a youthful brain" are of utmost important elements. Recently, I've come to believe that daily nutrition plays a role in maintaining not only the body but also the brain's youth. For this reason, a balanced nutritional intake, including fiber, will be my future focus. Along with moderate exercise, I am researching longevity foods that are beneficial to the body rather than tasty, so as not to become malnourished on a daily basis. At the same time, I must keep my body's water content at 60% at all times.

　To achieve this, I will aim to be independent at home as much as possible, make efforts to interact with acquaintances and neighbors, and live a cheerful life, laughing a lot and drinking plenty of tea. At the same time, I would like to have a curiosity about nature, such as the movement of celestial bodies and plants. This is indispensable for the brain.

希望と実践を生活の柱に

　これから冬本番を迎えるというのに植物は春を先取りしてます。紅梅は年末のうちに蕾が膨らんでましたが、昨日の元日に君子蘭も「もう蕾が出てる」と気づきました。生育が順調なのでしょう。日当たりの良い廊下で育ててる６鉢のうち２鉢に、まるで赤ん坊が笑ってるかの如くの蕾を確認です。私の仕事は、表面の土が乾いたら鉢の底から水が出るほどたっぷり水を与えてるのみです。蕾を見ると今後に希望が湧いてきます。

　ところで、昨日・元日の朝食では娘たちの作ってくれた「お雑煮」を久々に６人の大家族でワイワイ言いながら美味しく食べました。「何もしなくても食事が出て来るっていいものだ」「家族のおしゃべりはいいものだ」と感じつつです。果たして「今後、私にこんな環境の日々来るだろうか」と内心思いつつです。

　ところが、娘たちが帰った後、どうしたことでしょう。１１時過ぎに、今まで経験した事がないほど物凄くお腹が空いた状態になり辛くなりました。急遽、昼食のご飯を早めに作り、やっと落ち着きました。よく考えたら、雑煮の中の餅とは「消化が良く」いつもより早く空腹になったのです。

　一方、バランスのとれた食事【ゆで卵はほぼ毎日】と適度な筋トレ【ウォーキングとダンベル、テッポウ】を心掛ける私は、今年も早朝の空腹時に抗酸化作用の強いリコピンやβ―カロチンを含むトマトジュースか、ニンジンジュース、あるいはグレープフルーツジュースをコップ一杯を飲みます。そして令和８年も、新たな事象、新たな人との出会いを通じ、脳に新鮮な刺激を与えたいです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about new encounters

　Even though a cold winter is approaching in Japan, plants are already anticipating spring. The buds of red plum had already begun to swell at the end of last year. On the other hand, yesterday, on New Year's Day, I noticed that my kaffir lilies were already budding. They must be growing well. Of the six pots I have growing in the sunny hallway, and two pot's buds that look like smiling babies have appeared . My only job is to water the pots thoroughly when the top layer of soil dries, water seeps out from the bottom. Seeing the buds gives me hope for the future.

　By the way, for breakfast yesterday, New Year's Day, my daughters made "ozōni," which is Japanese new year's traditional cuisine, after a long interval, our big family of six enjoyed a hearty meal together, chatting and enjoying it. I thought, "It's nice for me to have a meal without cooking anything," and "It's nice to chat with family." I wondered to myself, "Will I have days like this in the future?"

　But what happened after my daughters left? Just after 11 a.m., I found myself incredibly hungry, more than usual, and it was unbearable. I quickly made lunch early and finally calmed down. Thinking about it, the mochi which is Japanese rice cake in the zoni soup is "easily digestible," which is why I felt hungry earlier than usual.

　Meanwhile, I strive to eat a balanced diet (boiled eggs almost every day) and do moderate strength training (walking, dumbbells, and teppo which is one of pushing ups by sumo wrestler ). This year, too, I'm drinking a glass of tomato juice, carrot juice, or grapefruit juice early in the morning on an empty stomach, which contains powerful antioxidants like lycopene and beta-carotene which is effective against cancers. In 2026, I hope to continue stimulating my brain through new experiences and encounters with new people.

期待感、集中力をめざす生活

　すべての人に共通することは「意外と早くやって来る高齢期をどう過ごすか」です。増してや、一人での生活も起こり得ることです。子供の独立や、人生途上では、仲の良かった友人と永遠の別れも起こり得ます。しかも、この境遇になってからの生活は意外と長いです。それであっても、心身ともなる充実した生活が基盤です。生活の基本である掃除、洗濯、入浴、食事の用意は男性でも慣れれば難なくでき、想ったより大変ではなく、むしろ楽しさでもあります。

　ところが、身体を健康に維持する「日々の実践」ほど大切なことはありません。この点について、私は「筋肉の維持と増進」が基盤であり、人と競争しない適度な運動こそがストレス解消に繋がると考えます。それは３０分ほどのウォーキングや、脹脛を鍛える「キャフレイズ」です。これは心臓に負荷を与えなくなると実感してます。例えば、段差のある台の上につま先を置き、踵を大きく上下する運動です。一セット１００回ほどですが、時間的に２～３分ほどで、いつでもどこでもできます。「キャフレイズ」は足先など下半身の血液を心臓や一番高い頭にまで循環させる有効な方法と考えられます。つまり、血液循環を心臓だけに負担させません。

　一方、一人暮らしになっても時間を忘れるほど夢中になれる趣味が大切で、私にはガーデニングを通して樹木の成長があり、今度こそよく咲かせようとする「期待感」が生じます。実は写真の築山は二階の窓から撮ったもので、石垣も昨日でほぼ完成し、黒土を被せて花の種を蒔く準備が整いました。どんな分野でもよいから、この「期待感」、及び「集中力」ある生活をめざしたいです。その点、音楽は鑑賞でも演奏でも美の分野に集中できます。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the sense of anticipation and concentration to avoid senile dementia.

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

The question of how to spend our elderly years is we all share, which comes surprisingly quickly beyond expectation. What's more, we may live alone. Children may become independent, and we may have to part ways with close friends forever. What's more, the life we ​​live in this situation is surprisingly long. Even so, fulfillment in both body and mind is essential. Even men can easily master the basic tasks of life, such as cleaning, laundry, bathing, and meal preparation, once we become accustomed to them. They're not as difficult as we might think, and can even be enjoyable.

　However, there's nothing more important than "daily maintaining" a healthy body. In this regard, I believe that maintaining and increasing muscle mass is the foundation for our senile life, and that moderate exercise that doesn't compete with others is key to relieving stress. Examples include 30 minutes of walking and Calf-raise. I've found that this exercise puts less strain on the heart. For example, place our toes on a stepped platform and raise and lower our heels. One set involves about 100 repetitions, which only takes 2-3 minutes and can exercise anytime, anywhere. "Calf-raise" is thought to be an effective way to circulate blood from the lower body to the heart and to the top of the head. This means that blood circulation does not load down with the heart only.

　Meanwhile, even when living alone, it's important to have a hobby that we tend to forget time. For me, gardening helps me a sense of anticipation that they will finally bloom beautifully next spring to summer. The artificial hill Tsukiyama in the photo was actually taken from my second-floor window, and the stone wall was almost complete yesterday. I've covered it with black soil and is now ready to sow flower seeds. Generally we would like to aim for a life filled with this sense of anticipation and concentration, whatever any field. In that regard, music, whether listening to it or performing it such as piano, allows us to focus on the realm of beauty.