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Tue. 1 April 1997
| April started today. We have beautiful cherry blossoms here and there. The new fiscal year began at our Group of Friend in which I am involved. |
Fri. 4 April 1997
| Today we enjoyed a classical concert of piano and violin. Just after my husband was back from his office, we drove up to Yufuin. The concert, "Schubert Evening", was held at municipal hall of Yufuin in celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of Shubert's birth. The piano was manufactured in the days of Shubert(around 1820) and is called "Forte Piano" with beautiful grain on the surface. The artists were Mr.Michio Kobayashi(Forte Piano), and Toshiko Arai (Violin) . We fully enjoyed the world of Shubert. After the concert, we had a small party surrounding the artists. We talked much and enjoyed tasty wine and delicious dishes. We had a pleasant rainy spring evening. |
Sun. 6 April 1997
| Mrs. Michiko Shimizu, one of YMF staffs, recentlyjoined the Internet but she has had trouble in accessing for pastone month or so. She asked us to check her computer. We were reluctantto respond her request because we had no technical background.But as we were also helped by somebody in taking care of our computerwhenever it didn't work, we ventured to visit her. She is the landlady of Shimizu inn of Yunohirahot spring resort. The computer was on the desk in the back roomof the front. My husband struggled with the gadget with the manualin one hand for long time. She kindly called us for deliciouslunch but we couldn't enjoy the taste. After the lunch, my husbandat last found the cause of the problem; the wrong phone numberand misconnection of the line to the modem. The problem was finallyfixed and we three cheered in spite of ourselves. Then my husbandand I relaxed in the featured "cave" style hot springof the inn. |
Thu. 10 April 1997
| Ten members of our Haiku group, regularly has the meetingat the nearby community hall, made a Haiku making trip to Shidakalake. Cherry blossoms around my house is already over and turnedto fresh leaves, but I enjoy full blossoms of the trees aroundthe lake. Some of them began to scatter their petals, others werestill in buds. I really enjoyed the beauty of nature. On the lakewere swans and ducks, some people enjoy boats.Mt. Yufu and Mt. Tsurumi were towering high just in frontof the surface of the lake, fresh green buds were on every tree. I hada beautiful spring day indeed. My Haikus: "Time paused for a moment to let me play in the full blossomsof flowers" |
Thu. 17 April 1997
| A classical concert was held at Keika-en restaurant of Kamenoi-Besso hotel in Yufuin.As I haven't visited yet the restaurant, a part of the new annex, I went there with a big expectation. Mr.Taro Nakaya coordinated today's concert along with the young employees of the hotel and welcomed us at the entrance with the "welcome drink" glass filled with black tea and a half piece of red natural strawberry. The chairs are already arranged for the concert. The big hood at the barbecue corner has a unique shape. At the corner of the restaurant is a big old gramophone with a huge bugle which makes me feel to hear the sound from it. The players are dear Sawa Quartet I met them four years ago at the Yufuin Music Festival. The program includes Hydn's string quartet no.75, G major op.76-1 and Beethoven's Razmofsky. We enjoyed the powerful performance by the male players of the quartet. After the performance a pleasant wine party was held. I enjoyed the pleasant chatting with many close friends. |
Sat. 19 April 1997
| The morning sun casts the brilliant beam on the trees and flowers of the garden from early in the morning. We have an early summer-like crispy morning today. I enjoyed the sunny lunch at the terrace with spaghetti full of herb and coffee. The pea in the kitchen garden already holds many fresh shells. We gathered them full of a bamboo sieve in the evening. I cooked it with bacon to prepare a dish of saute'. The crispy taste and sweet fragrance of the fresh pea made me happy. I will have pleasant harvests for a while. |
Fri. 27 April 1997
| I attended the April off-line meeting of New COARA. Mr.Ono, the secretariat, is now making a trip in America upon the official invitation of the US government. Miss. Yamasaki , who is usually an emcee, nervously managed the meeting today instead. The meeting started as usual with the "monthly topics" by each attendant. I told that I was making many sample dishes for a herb garden opening ceremony coming soon. My husband next to me smiled wryly saying he was forced to take the sample. The secretariat asked the attendants for voluntary help in making the new membership list in accordance with increased number of the member. The meeting was over at nine p.m. Most members moved to a resort pub "Penniless" to enjoy the "secondary meeting." We enjoy drinking and talking in a pleasant atmosphere that makes people come closer each other. I got acquainted with a new friend who has a common friend with me. We were surprised to find the world was so small. COARA is pleasant indeed. |