New Playground

There is a new playground at this elementary school. During the summer they did a lot of construction.

The old playground was very uneven and muddy. The new playground has lots of drains and is very, very flat. Most people like it a lot, but one teacher thinks it is too hard.

On Sports Day, I think everyone will be very happy.

Today is very hot and sunny, so I walked around and looked at the new playground.

Big Party

Today we had a party at my brother’s house. I wanted my family to meet my special friend from Japan. We think about 70 people came to the party. We had to greet each guest and give them presents.

We arrived at 1pm and left at 10pm. Now we are very, very, very tired.

My brother barbecued hamburgers, turkey burgers, and salmon burgers. Many people made cakes and cookies. Also we at lots of salad and fruit. There was a lot of watermelon. Yum!

Recently, it has been rainy, but today it was sunny and warm. Yay!

Snoqualmie Falls

We are having fun in Seattle. Yesterday we went to Snoqualmie Falls. It is a waterfall near Seattle. It is 30 meters taller than Niagara Falls. The air was very cold and fresh. The fir trees and cedar trees are much bigger than the trees in Japan.

Tonight we will have barbecued pizza at a friend’s house. It will be very tasty.

Rain Delay

When I left Ise on Saturday it was sunny. I didn’t bring an umbrella. When the train went through Matsusaka, it was raining cats and dogs. I got off the train in Tsu. A friend offered to lend me an umbrella. Because the rain stopped, I returned the umbrella.

Five minutes later a rainstorm started. I stood under a store awning for about 20 minutes. When the rain stopped, I continued walking.

I felt very silly for not borrowing the umbrella.

Bicycle Repair

I bought a cheap bike to park at the train station. I don’t want to leave a nice bike at the station, because it could be stolen. Also, it will get rusty from all the rain.

However, the cheap bike keeps breaking and needing repairs. It is a dilemma! I don’t know what to do.

Delayed by Lightning

Yesterday my train was late. I wondered why. Apparently lightning struck the power lines in Yokkaichi.

I was glad that I could get home safely. We were delayed about 10 minutes.

Horseplay

One of my hobbies is photography. I am a member of a photo society in Hisai. Today we had a photo shoot at a stable. I took more than 400 photos of horses. I think I got three good photos.

It was rainy in the morning, but sunny in the afternoon. The horses seemed to have a good time too.

Our boxed lunches were a bit fatty, but they were good. I drank a lot of tea because I am worried about getting dehydrated during the summer.

Train Commuter

Since I moved to Ise, I have been commuting to Tsu by train. I bought a commuter pass. It is very convenient. I don’t need to buy tickets. I can go directly to the train.

Using a commuter pass saved me about 42% off the normal ticket prices.

Because I get on the train at Ujiyamada station, I can usually find a seat.

Many people who want to speak English sit or stand near me on the train. Maybe I should teach a class on the train.

The weather is getting very hot, but I will continue to use the train. I have lost a lot of weight since I stopped driving.

Rainy Ride

Last night it rained a lot in Ise. This morning we had light rain, but I went for a bike ride. I rode up the Miyagawa river to Watarai-cho Makae. The scenery there was beautiful. Mist was hanging around all of the forested mountains.

Not Rainy

Officially it is rainy season in Japan. We have had some rainy days, but today was very hot and sunny. I bought expensive rain pants and a rain cover for my backpack. I think they are acting like a charm to keep the rain away.

Sometimes we joke in America that washing your car will cause it too rain.