29 July 2004
Only two days until our friends Glenn and Chiemi arrive from Perth with their young daughter Erika. We've never before had more than three people sleeping here at the same time. This time we're taking it to five, although Erika is only a fraction of adult size. We have a crib set up and high-chair, courtesy of Kumiko's parents' neighbor, Mrs. Hashimoto. We're looking forward to the squeeze. Should be loads of fun. This has nothing to do with them, but I bought a cool electric fan the other day. I'm a big fan of fans, especially old-fashioned dangerous heavy steel oscilating fans with grills that decorate rather than protect. I used to collect those when I lived in Austin where there is space for such things. The fan I bought the other day isn't old-fashioned, but it's still cool. It's a box fan, but it oscilates by means of a rotatating, louvered grill, much like the fans which are ceiling-mounted on a lot of the trains over here. Like all new Japanese electric appliances, the fan also has a little port which releases negatively charged ions. It's my opinion that this whole "minus ion" thing is a crock of crap. I don't think it has any effect on our health, and I even doubt that they actually are producing any kind of charged ion stream in the first place. How would anyone know? Our fan and air conditioners have indicator lamps which testify to the minus ion production. This might be a question for my science friend, Dae Kim, PhD, who lives in Los Angeles. He's my go to guy for any science inquiry in any field, but this one might actually be up his alley. He used to go to Brownsville or Laredo or something to study air pollution and vehicle emissions from freight trucks along the Texas-Mexico border. He's also an expert on chlorine. Got a cucumber today. First one from the new vines. It begins.26 July 2004
We really enjoyed Tenjin Matsuri last night. I met Kumiko in Umeda at 5:40 and we made our way into central Osaka by subway. We chose to go to the Tenmabashi area to avoid the most sickening crowds at Sakuranomiya. It was a good call. We couldn't see the fireworks, but I wasn't really expecting to see them. We found a good spot at the railing of a bridge over the river (the Ogawa) and stayed there for about twenty minutes. There were barges loaded with people and lanterns and drums and bells making there way up and down the river. Of course there were more people on the bridge and on the banks (1,300,000 people over the two days festivities according to last year's figures), and rows and rows of food vendors and game booths and souvenirs and toys spread out for blocks in all directions. Once we realized we wouldn't see fireworks, we disappeared into the throng below on the street. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the heat wasn't bad at all. We ate giant yakitori (grilled chicken), yakisoba (grilled noodles), a Sri Lankan bread and potato thing, ikayaki (grilled squid), and finally snowcones on the way home. I drank a beer, an orange soda, a watery orange drink, and a coke. I'm ready for next year's festival!24 July 2004
I've started harvesting corn. I'd been dreaming of this, but the reality isn't quite as good as the vision. Yesterday I picked the biggest ear, only to find a lot of small holes bored right through the husk into the corn. When I got it home I unwrapped it and found the culprits: disgusting looking grubs wriggling their ways through the kernels. I picked them all out and tried to kill them by running 50°C water down the drain after them. One of them apparently survived the steaming deluge, because Kumiko found one crawling up the kitchen wall today. This morning I picked three more ears, and luckily haven't seen any sign of the borers. I have no idea when to pick the stuff, but now I feel like it's a race against the insects. Same with my tomatoes. I pick them when they're barely red because I know the birds won't wait much longer. I'm planning to go into Osaka for a huge festival tomorrow night -- Tenjin Matsuri. I haven't been the last four years, but I finally have the day off for it. I'm expecting terrible crowds, a massively obstructed view, and unbearable heat. Good times!22 July 2004
Every once in a while I start dreaming about the Big Bend area in Texas. It's a mountainous desert area on the southern dip of the Rio Grande in the western chunk of Texas. I've been out there three times before - first with my family, then with a friend, and finally on my own when I was about 21. So it's been about 10 years since my last trip and I have a strong urge to go again. Perhaps during our next trip to Texas. I've been doing a lot of internet research, and I've ordered two books from Amazon - "More Tales from the Big Bend" and "Stray Tales from the Big Bend". I read the first "Tales from the Big Bend" 10 years ago when I felt this way. But I read twice as fast and probably four times as much as I did in those days, so I didn't think one book would satisfy me. I love the desert, even though it doesn't love me - I got sunburned during the last eclipse. Next time I go, I won't bother with a tent and sleeping bag. I tried that last time, but I'm just not much for camping. I pitched a tent inside the national park and within a few minutes it started to rain. I hadn't, of course, thought about the direction the tent should face, so water started streaming inside immediately. I couldn't take it. I left the tent there and drove to a hotel. I can't recall if I ever went back for the tent. On another topic, Kumiko and I have decided to try and conserve energy and money by going without air conditioning. We did it last night, and it was really fine. A fan makes all the difference. We'll try again tonight. I'm scared, but I want to save money.19 July 2004
Last night I rode back to where the festival was and found that it was going for a second night. This time I'd brought my digital camera along, so I was able to take a few photos and record some short sound movies as well. It still felt magical the second night, and this time I ran into my mother-in-law, and brother-in-law with his wife Chiaki and baby Daiichi. They were visiting from Kyoto. We watched a taiko drum performance, with amazing sound, and then joined the bon dance around the yagura. It made my arms tired. I made a festival photo and video page in honor.17 July 2004
First of the summer festivals today! After work I rode over to experience the dusk garden, which is always peaceful and nice, not unlike the morning garden. At about 7:30 I left and rode over to Conan Home Center (my favorite store and 2nd home). I wanted to buy seeds for autumn planting. I picked out some carrots and turnips, and then headed home. On the way, I happened upon a very small Bon Festival in our neighborhood. I really think the small ones are the best. There was a traditional "yagura", which is just a decorated platform in the middle of everything. It's designed for musicians to sit on top and play music for the dancers (mostly old ladies), who perform a complex dance that moves slowly around it. This one had no one on top, just recorded music from loud speakers. I love the music. It sounds nostalgic and fun. There were also a few carnivalesque games for the kids: fishing with paper nets designed to break, and ring toss type stuff. I don't pay much attention to those, because the kids who just run around and play fight with inflatable swords and scream and generally go crazy are much more interesting to watch. Bigger festivals have several types of food stalls, but this one had only one - mini croquettes on a stick. I had one stick for 100 yen. I didn't regret it. I noticed that there is a tent set up with an accountant, so people can make donations to support next year's festival. I wouldn't mind doing that at all. Kumiko tells me there's a festival nearer our house as well. If we go to it, I may make a donation. People give on the order of 3,000 to 10,000 yen, so no big deal, but it really made me happy tonight. I think it's worth supporting.15 July 2004
It's payday. I finished training a new batch of instructors today, so I feel like I've earned my bread. This morning Kumiko and I went for a walk with her parents and a neighbor, Mrs.Hashimoto. We walked through Hattori park and then over to the garden to water it. I usually go alone to the garden every morning to water. It's typically a moment of real peace and contentment for me. I don't know why I've gotten into it so much. It was a really hot day today. I think it may have been the hottest of the year so far. When I'm out in the garden or out for a walk, I don't mind the heat at all. It's kind of purifying. But putting on a tie and long-sleeved shirt kills. How did the neck tie come to be standard working equipment? It has no utility whatsoever. Pants and shirts and shoes have an obvious role. They protect. A tie is just senseless decoration, yet...well, what's the point of arguing about it? Here's a positive finish... after 2 dark days, we once again have light in our toilet room, thanks to Kumiko's timely bulb purchase. Thank you Kumiko and Toshiba Electric.12 July 2004
With all the produce coming from the garden, I've started doing a lot of cooking. We have a seemingly unlimited supply of eggplant from only two bushes. I found a website that specializes in eggplant recipes from around the world. Tonight I made an Indian recipe for the second time, because it's so good. We went to Navio Theater and watched Spiderman 2 today. Dr.Octopus is a great villain. The movie was predictable, but since it's based on a comic book, I guess that goes with the territory. We had a good time, and have both decided to become superheroes. We're going to buy the Lycra tomorrow.8 July 2004
I've had lots to do in the garden recently. A lot of the other gardens are looking much healthier than my own. My bell peppers are turning brown and haven't grown much at all. My tomatoes are yielding plenty, but the leaves are turning yellowish. Seems like a case of poor soil, so I've started fertilizing. I dropped some pellets around the base of all the peppers and tomatoes, and I've been watering with plant food mixed in. Another problem was that the tomatoes have outgrown their cages, so I put up a trellis which keeps the cages from toppling over and gives some extra climbing room for the vines. The Mexican sage plant I had growing near the peppers was huge and healthy, but flavorless. It just isn't worth the space. Kevin told me that Mexicans use it for incense, but that wasn't my purpose, so I pulled it up. In its place I planted okra from seed, and it didn't take long to sprout. Only 4 days. I'm pretty excited about okra. I had to pull up and untangle all of the cucumbers but one, as they were just about dead. They had a good run. I've replanted some cucumber seeds, as well as some goya seeds. Neither have sprouted yet, but I live in hope. The fertilizer treatments appear to be working. It might be wishful thinking, but I believe the peppers and tomatoes are looking better. I harvested 7 beautiful tomatoes this morning, as well as a gorgeous eggplant, and two vuluptuous hot red peppers (some Korean variety) from the balcony garden. It's Kumiko's turn to cook for lunches tonight. She's goin' at it now!6 July 2004
Wow, it's been a year! Today is the 365th day of our marriage, so tomorrow, the 7th, is our official City Hall anniversary day. We had two weddings, as anyone reading this probably knows already, and we count September 21st as our real wedding day, but we can celebrate July 7th as well, being the official day. Since we both had the day off yesterday, we decided to mark our official anniversary last night. We went to a beautiful Chinese restaurant on the 27th floor of the Hankyu Grand building. We enjoyed a spectacular view of Osaka at dusk, with the top of the Hep 5 ferris wheel in the foreground, and a vast, unknowable expanse of buildings all around us, stretching all the way to the low mountains which surround the city, but probably fail to contain it, if we could have seen beyond. We had much more than enough gourmet Chinese dishes, while still maintining our dignity and not becoming disgustingly bloated and groaning and unzipping our pants. Afterwards we went over to the Maru Building and climbed a little higher, to a nice, but expensive bar on the 30th floor. Here, we had a completely different kind of city view, much more hemmed in by other tall buildings, but affording a look into the lives of Hilton Hotel guests, who we could see in their rooms. Unfortunately there was no nudity, just some family life, and a woman watching tv, and a guy sitting in a chair. We calculated that Kumiko's marguerita and my gin lime cost about 2,600 yen each, if you figured in the table charge. We only had one drink. It was a wonderful evening, coming in on the heels of an early morning of soccer, and a lazy afternoon of napping and gardening and cooking. I'm looking forward to the next year of married happiness.4 July 2004
Our friends from Perth, Australia, Glenn and Chiemi, are coming to visit us at the end of the month. We're excited about seeing them and their daughter Erika. They'll stay with us for a week or so. Kumiko and I are considering the necessary arrangements to the apartment. This will be our first time to host more than one person while we're both living here. My friends Mike and Jonathan stayed here last year, but that was before Kumiko had moved in. It's going to be fun. I've put up a new Perth 2002
photo gallery in honour of their visit. Last night I made an Okinawan specialty called "Goya Champuru". The main ingredient is goya, which looks like a blistered cucumber, but tastes amazingly bitter, like penicillin, until you soak it in salt water and fry it. After that treatment it tastes merely very bitter. But the bitterness is nice in contrast to the mild tofu, egg and pork which also goes into it. I started making it while Kumiko's girlfriends were at the house, and I was spurred on by lots of encouraging comments like "What a good husband!" and "Matt is great!" (my translations). After tasting my successful goya champuru, I must agree that I am indeed great, and a good husband.Happy Independence Day today! I believe Americans have a lot to be proud of, and an honorable past. I feel that we're at a really crucial time now, following a dark, self-absorbed, and self-destructive path. We have to make some big changes before we go too far. I think we're coming to our senses. Now, go shoot off some bottle rockets, and grill up some hot dogs!
2 July 2004
The Czechs finally went down in the Euro 2004 tournament. They made it to the semi-finals, but lost to Greece this morning. They've earned me 1000 yen on my 500 yen investment though, for securing 3rd place. And Milan Baros has probably given me another 500 yen for scoring 5 goals, probably the "Golden Boot" award of most goals scored, but I'll have to wait until the final is over to see if that sticks. Now I'll present day two (and three) of my Okayama trip. The writing is much bigger and messier than day one, and I can see each point where I faded out of wakefullness as I wrote. It was a tiring day.Day Two (Monday the 28th)...I saw stars, but only a few. The moon was about 75% full tonight, so the sky was pretty washed out. Still more stars than in Toyonaka of course. It was nice to see the sun this morning. No sign of rain when I woke up. I had a tuna sandwich, and lolly-gagged about for a while, then chose a different bicycle to head down to town with. This one was much better, while still managing to be aweful. Once in town, I really didn't have anything to do, so I went for an exploratory ride, stopping at a few places. Once at the seaside, where I saw some crabs and tried to take pictures before they ran away. Eventually I found an interesting road and followed it for some time. I came across a fruit stand and stopped to have a look. There was a friendly old man there who spoke to me as if I were 30 yards away. He immediately offered me a free melon, owing to my foreignness. I accepted graciously and bought a small watermelon just for the heck of it. There was an even older woman there who handled the physical task of bagging the fruit. She maintained silence though, and I didn't attempt to draw her out. On my way back to the villa, I stopped for provisions, so I had a lot of weight to push up the hill (riding up is impossible). I had to take a shower when I got back. I ate another tuna sandwich for lunch, then planned my afternoon: first the "olive garden" (not an Italian restaurant, but a few acres of olive groves with a lousy gift shop in the middle), and then the birthplace of turn-of-the-century graphic artist Takehisa Yumeji, whose style I really admire. The ride/push to these places was beautiful and exhausting. My tourist map described the route as "easily accessible by bicycle". They obviously had a much better bicycle, perhaps one with a motor. Each of the 4 times I stopped to ask for directions, the reaction was that bicycling there was nuts. They were right. As the crow flies, it couldn't have been more than 6 kilometers, but this was over mountainous terrain, and it took hours to get there. Eventually I made it to the birthplace/museum, which was closed. The gift shop was of course open, and I bought a bunch of cool stuff, and the shop lady gave me a bag of plums on the house, which made the return trip more pleasant. I saw some birds that looked kind of like chickens running along the mountain road. I think they may have been quail, but I was unable to get close. It was 4:20 when I got home again, and that was the end of my adventuring for the day. I was hot and tired and happy to take another shower before chomping down on some cold watermelon and corn on the cob for dinner...
That was where I fell asleep. In the morning I had to get up early to leave for Osaka. I took some time to make a comment in the guestbook, and as I started I was surprised by a sound and figure flashing past the windows of the villa. I ran over to see what it had been and saw a little dog-like animal (called a tanuki) standing nearby and looking nervous. He had a bloody patch on his thigh. He ran around the other side of the villa, close to the windows, so I had a great show. Tanuki is translated as "Asiatic raccoon dog", and they're possessed of special powers in Japanese folktales. Like foxes, they can change their shape to any form, so you must be wary of them. My tanuki was very cute, and dissappeared into the grass up the hill after giving me about half a minute of its time. I feel lucky to have seen it. What a nice send-off from Ushimado!
1 July 2004
I had a great trip to Okayama. I took more showers per day than any other time in my life. I saw a lot of interesting pokemon (Japanese for "animals"). I used several ounces of sunscreen. I went to bed early each night, but not before writing out a journal entry. Here's the first day...Day One (Sunday the 27th)...I woke up early this morning so I'd have time to check on the garden before heading out. I picked 6 eggplant, 2 cukes, and 2 red-green tomatoes. I brought them home and then got out of the house by 10am. It was overcast, but I didn't need my umbrella today. At Shin-Osaka (shinkansen) station I picked up a bi bim ba (Korean-style vegetables, meat and rice) bento (boxed lunch) before boarding the 11:11 Nozomi No.45 bound for Hiroshima. My ticket to Okayama cost 6600 yen. The first time I went to Okayama (2 years ago) was with a large group and we decided to save money by taking regular express and local trains the whole way. That way took forever though. There was one leg which was 25 stops on a local train. That's 2½ hours in itself. So since then it's been first class all the way. I'll always choose the shinkansen whenever possible, unless I go poor. Somehow, without trying, my timing was perfect at every stage. I wited only 12 minutes for the shinkansen, 20 minutes for the local Ako line, and 8 minutes for the bus to Ushimado. Not bad at all! All said, it was 4 hours from door to door. It's a heck of a hike uphill from Ushimado Town Hall, where I checked in, to the villa. It was also very humid (perhaps 100%), so I was soaked when I finally unlocked the door. I immediately took a coolish shower and threw my clothes into the washer. I unpacked my stuff, then chose a bicycle and went out again. Choosing a bicycle isn't easy. They're all equally horrible (and dangerous). The bike I eventually chose was once a 3-speed with 2 excellent hand brakes and a smooth, quiet ride. That must have been about 80 years ago. I managed to survive the downhill journey and rode through some small streets along the waterfront. It's a nifty, old-looking little town. At one point I happened upon two guys standing outside a house next to two very well-restored classic motorcycles (a '71 Honda and a '75 Kawasaki). I stopped to admire the bikes and say hello. We had some common ground in that one of the dudes has been through Dallas-Fort Worth airport. We talked for a while, in my limited capacity, concluding that the airport is very big, then moving on to motorcycles, scooters and classic cars. They were surprised at my knowledge of the Super Cub and the Daihatsu Midget. For some reason I didn't take a picture of those guys or even the bikes. That's one of my weaknesses as a photographer. I have a hard time getting the nerve to ask people if I can take a picture. The Kawasaki was a real beauty though, with a metallic olive green gas tank pinstriped in bright yellow. It's odd that the constant buzzing and screaming of motorcycles near my apartment was a major factor leading me to make this trip, yet there I was in the midst of scenic, country Ushimado, checking out motorcycles and scooters (the younger of the dudes also had 3 Super Cubs ranging from the early 1960s, in various states of suspended restoration). After taking my leave I decided it was time to shop for dinner. The supermarket Mike and Jonathan and I used when we visited Ushimado last year was closed, so I rode along and asked an old lady on a bicycle where to buy groceries. I followed her to a little shop called Kimura no Pan-ya. I bought spaghetti and sauce as well as stuff to make tuna salad sandwiches. I also bought some pickled ginger spears which turned out to be 4 months past their expiration date. I ate a few, but they tasted like really strong vinegar, so I dumped out all the juice and refilled the bottle with plain water. I'll try them again tomorrow to see if they've mellowed out. They cost 440 yen, so I don't want to waste them. While I was working on the ginger I heard a strange sound from the kitchen window, like a girl moaning. I looked out and saw a huge green frog with webbed feet. He was just hanging out in a pool of water, looking silly, like big green frogs do. Eventually I sat down with my tuna sandwich and Kirin lager, and then it started to rain. It was a steady, peaceful kind of rain which made the villa feel cozy. I read some really nice chapters from "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell. After the rain had stopped I went outside freshly showered in my Japanese robe and watched the already charcoal grey landscape get a little darker as the moon was swallowed up by dark clouds. You can hear lots of animal sounds at night and it was very pleasant looking out at the sparse lights lining the shores of all the little islands out in the sea. I hope the clouds move off tomorrow night because I want to see stars.
