tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30183806164031993912024-03-14T16:12:20.039+09:00Paul's in JapanPaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-84402163529181402762016-05-10T22:21:00.000+09:002016-05-10T22:21:48.174+09:00Salming Viper 2.0 Review<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently bought a new pair of squash shoes from Amazon Japan, but unfortunately they won't allow me to post a review in English, and I certainly couldn't do it in Japanese. I tried Google Translate for fun, but realised there would be a problem when "squash" was translated to the Japanese for "pumpkin"...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #363636; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been wearing various versions of the adidas Stabil since 2001 and have loved most of them. The Stabil 7 in particular was a brilliant shoe. The last one I tried was the Stabil 10 which was OK, but I thought it was lacking something. Salming have become the most popular shoes with the university crowd at my club, and are quite visible on the pro scene now as well, so I thought I would give them a try.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So anyway, here is a picture of my shoes, and the review that I wrote for Amazon Japan, although I have amended it for my blog. If anyone does read this and has any questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them.</span></span><br />
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<span class="reviewText" id="moderationReviewStripeReviewTitle" style="color: #363636; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><strong>Really Disappointing</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #363636;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At ¥15300 including delivery, these are the most expensive shoes by some distance that I have ever bought for squash, and I sincerely wish I hadn't. I've been wearing them for a month to give them a fair run, and am not impressed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="reviewText" id="moderationReviewStripeReviewText" style="color: #363636; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />In fairness the soles are excellent and give terrific grip on court. Oh, and I like the colour...<br /><br />The insoles provided offer all the protection and impact absorption of a two-day-old crepe. So... spent another ¥1700 on a new set of insoles, which haven't solved the problem. The balls of my feet haven't hurt so much since I stopped wearing the old Prince NFSII about fifteen years ago. The root of the problem, I believe, is the lack of support provided by the very soft construction of the upper. The shoe stops on the floor, but my foot continues to move inside the shoe.<br /><br />I should point out that I take a 27.5cm in the adidas Stabil, but having seen some Salming shoes at my club thought the sizes looked big, so ordered 27.0cm. With the inadequate insoles provided, they were in fact too big, but the thicker insoles I bought have made the fit much better.<br /><br />Ah, so are the shoes too big and my feet too narrow causing the slip sliding inside the shoes? Nope... another minus is that the laces are really too short to cope with the width of my feet - the shoes fit, but cue another ¥300 to buy longer laces.<br /><br />Terribly expensive experiment, which I shall not be repeating. Come on adidas! It's time for another classic Stabil.</span></div>
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-33369813283070674582015-03-03T00:31:00.000+09:002016-05-10T22:22:40.579+09:00<h2>
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">And Still in Japan...</span></h2>
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After yet another long hiatus, I'm back again. This is me! (at the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh at the end of last summer)<br />
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This post will be brief, and is to tell you that we have a new website! It is still at the very early stages, but it is operational. I hope you find it useful and informative. Click the link and see what you think.<br />
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<a href="http://paulsjp.com/">paulsjp.com</a></div>
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I PROMISE I'll write again soon</div>
Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-58233614685217552572012-06-10T11:42:00.000+09:002015-03-03T00:17:04.824+09:00For KarenGoodness! Once again it has been a little while since I posted anything... How quickly I get out of the habit.
Just as a short postscript to the previous blogs about our new classroom, I can say quite honestly that here is now my favourite place to work. Of course everything is new, and everything works, and it is also bright and comfortable. At times, given that it is so different from how it used to be, I have to remind myself where I am!<br />
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There is a slightly strange reason for this post: Tadashi's Auntie Karen sent him some clothes for his birthday back in March, which were sadly a bit small. I returned them to Karen for her to change them (thank you), and took this photo of Tadashi modelling them when the bigger ones arrived.<br />
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I originally emailed the photograph to Karen, but the technology got the better of me (as usual) and she was unable to open the file to see it. So.... this one's for you, Auntie Karen! Thank you very much!</div>
Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-5377471992291915042012-03-30T20:49:00.001+09:002012-03-30T23:04:10.344+09:00Builders in the House 11 - new furniture chaos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3FhQfe8YNV05R9-eVOPOnO_epxHK5sW76AWpGTurSNdQRV6AhFt39ZDffxeJPFC6jHVKu0L6VEq-NCwFwI0naP-YguZLzXxdxtzFqLn0JDFsZV-Ec2kMH_jCQYa5QK23G093iSLxTus/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3FhQfe8YNV05R9-eVOPOnO_epxHK5sW76AWpGTurSNdQRV6AhFt39ZDffxeJPFC6jHVKu0L6VEq-NCwFwI0naP-YguZLzXxdxtzFqLn0JDFsZV-Ec2kMH_jCQYa5QK23G093iSLxTus/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div>At about 9:30 on Wednesday morning, ten rather large boxes arrived with the new classroom furniture. We just had to stack them up because one of my students was due to arrive. Once that class was over, the foreman from the construction company arrived to help us unpack and assemble everything, and to hang the new whiteboard and clock. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MgYgjcfArjkbw2xN9ijPXzUrGeItwwyUfeNVVfdO3YhsQVKN6UFGe4BON5TNlm-9dheH5liVeynZnBNfYQ1eTFAVkePkftzT_SkIPtLYEtwgSHZePI7bAcaHOJgEd-3QAvR-7PmQYsQ/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MgYgjcfArjkbw2xN9ijPXzUrGeItwwyUfeNVVfdO3YhsQVKN6UFGe4BON5TNlm-9dheH5liVeynZnBNfYQ1eTFAVkePkftzT_SkIPtLYEtwgSHZePI7bAcaHOJgEd-3QAvR-7PmQYsQ/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div><br />
We were literally sweeping the floor and loading all the discarded packing into his truck when the students for my 1pm class arrived - just a slight panic! After the somewhat makeshift class finished, I rearranged the desks to see what the big room would look like, and remarkably it looks just like a classroom!<br />
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Wednesday is always a crazy day for me, as I think I mentioned earlier, so it wasn't until yesterday that I could experiment a little with permutations for smaller classes. This is the room we expect to use the most, although I taught here last night with the partition open, and it felt really comfortable.<br />
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It is so different to how it was three weeks ago that I kept having to remind myself where I was!<br />
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And to finish, the beautiful flowers you can see on the desks above. A wonderful present from the students in that first class with the new furniture. What a lovely thought - thank you so much!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFTFPxZ5AS11Iso6TxMDfokimGRVeKkZyHyDJN7vU2iZaR_Eu9R5mHcksKsSkPG3YXXIssHRdtbFl4KeZ7BxYIwRpNk80VVYCc-VEYd23vYyebHf5cWu7P5cvj4owsd_gi12N10-TZOM/s1600/035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFTFPxZ5AS11Iso6TxMDfokimGRVeKkZyHyDJN7vU2iZaR_Eu9R5mHcksKsSkPG3YXXIssHRdtbFl4KeZ7BxYIwRpNk80VVYCc-VEYd23vYyebHf5cWu7P5cvj4owsd_gi12N10-TZOM/s320/035.JPG" /></a></div>Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-37842006850882265042012-03-29T09:49:00.000+09:002012-03-29T09:49:01.810+09:00Builders in the House 10 - back to work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1MO32oBfaJEdML7sc33X07AIft341PqYKcVYNPSXDLzad6PDJGFHOeVEtOijeEzQ1m_GxgNH38Pgk3DamJH9CaEWcw_waFiYUSXKadTR39uQ4ccXFYy4q2BRAlvV-l54b4BMsDMPQ44/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1MO32oBfaJEdML7sc33X07AIft341PqYKcVYNPSXDLzad6PDJGFHOeVEtOijeEzQ1m_GxgNH38Pgk3DamJH9CaEWcw_waFiYUSXKadTR39uQ4ccXFYy4q2BRAlvV-l54b4BMsDMPQ44/s320/018.JPG" /></a></div>This was back to work on Monday, and as it is the spring holiday, Kayo's elementary school children came first thing in the morning. Of course, the walls are still bare, and, as mentioned before, slightly disappointingly the furniture wasn't due to arrive for another couple of days, so we used the trusty old pine table and chairs that have served us so well.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr896HQchBDAqb9sZ1AR3436b1zTByouGa94Vblbq9yxUv4r4m9rXHcfQH_MUgC5bhvFmVD-PtOIppCa_3IAZN7IMiHxHV_MsfUfyDL8w36QOo4fwlnLT2G18JkYYzxb2iXgVIMVJAihw/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr896HQchBDAqb9sZ1AR3436b1zTByouGa94Vblbq9yxUv4r4m9rXHcfQH_MUgC5bhvFmVD-PtOIppCa_3IAZN7IMiHxHV_MsfUfyDL8w36QOo4fwlnLT2G18JkYYzxb2iXgVIMVJAihw/s320/020.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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The first photo with the inevitable "peace" signs, so as usual I asked them to pose for another one without. Tenma decided in that case that he wasn't going to smile!<br />
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I love how clean and tidy everything is. All the books are now out of sight in the cupboards which means we don't have four mismatched bookcases in the room - great! The desks and chairs arrive on Wednesday, and we have also ordered some new maps for the walls. My original UK map (thank you Karen!) has been put up and taken down so often to be used in different classes that it is now a bit worse for wear. <br />
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I'll be back soon with some classroom furniture to show off...Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-40411767919620718992012-03-25T11:17:00.000+09:002012-03-25T11:17:06.062+09:00Builders in the House 9 - or not, as the case may be...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5zQNw3d5RPRkD7YYfJsMW486R9c3jPfP0mjH06UCygdpmra0Jwfho5JN3EAkLKj1LIhZBLzLppConNfUf3owKj31Msu-jLmuzr-YAUTbVyPQcXtalNnZJ_zOz5-9RSMPrqpZs-IR_tM/s1600/DSC01993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5zQNw3d5RPRkD7YYfJsMW486R9c3jPfP0mjH06UCygdpmra0Jwfho5JN3EAkLKj1LIhZBLzLppConNfUf3owKj31Msu-jLmuzr-YAUTbVyPQcXtalNnZJ_zOz5-9RSMPrqpZs-IR_tM/s320/DSC01993.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Friday was scheduled by the builders as "cleaning day", and after they had finished this is how our new classroom looks (this is taken from where the new whiteboard will be) and I don't think we could be happier! Everything is so clean, bright and well-finished.<br />
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And this from the reverse angle looking towards the new doors onto the porch. We're not sure if the roller blind is a temporary measure or not, yet. I think curtains would be cosier in winter, so we'll just wait and see.<br />
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This is the room that used to be the classroom, and I guess will remain the room we use the most.<br />
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And this is the new classroom on the other side of the dividing doors.<br />
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Unfortunately there was a bit of a mix up with the company we ordered our classroom furniture from, so it won't arrive until Wednesday now. The builders have promised to return then to put up the new whiteboard and finish off one or two other things. If the walls weren't concrete, I could do it myself, but the job really requires something a little more serious than a DIY electric drill! <br />
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Although I would have liked to have had my first class in the new room with all the new furniture, I think we'll use it tomorrow with the old table and chairs. No ginger, again. Looks like I'm going to spend the afternoon moving books!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-82186828850013976902012-03-22T23:08:00.000+09:002012-03-22T23:08:36.945+09:00Builders in the House 8 - doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL6ojy9f-6EIIqA4Deb-B9stUUsJKx_WX090fzYFUI-I85uOYfoUK2aVcx6B0CR3YiEfEfDhdrzhl9SgaAvQGzs0qdcc1DMYDpc-sqKelJgZJoVOnMTAt2B0FKx3v57O-bTLEfuD21ng/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieL6ojy9f-6EIIqA4Deb-B9stUUsJKx_WX090fzYFUI-I85uOYfoUK2aVcx6B0CR3YiEfEfDhdrzhl9SgaAvQGzs0qdcc1DMYDpc-sqKelJgZJoVOnMTAt2B0FKx3v57O-bTLEfuD21ng/s320/008.JPG" /></a></div>I came in from work last night at around 9:30, but much to my frustration I wasn't able to have a good look at the work that had been done as we still don't have any lighting. Unfortunately my camera work was even worse than usual, but hopefully these give a general idea of what has been done now. Not content with papering the walls, the music-loving wallpaper guy also papered most of the doors! Quite common here, I believe, and I think it is an effective technique. I love all that light coloured wood trim, and what you are looking at here are the three big sliding doors that will divide the space into two smaller classrooms. The wooden door leads into the old hall to the stairs and toilet. The picture below is from a slightly different angle, but again from the<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe8ilmgmiLReHihWb6H6UI5bKdUU7KUn5x7bzrH5Ua_VtzgOx_rgbpz5d8GsOSSXi-VeXnqXfvih_KRi-J1MAKGdm1x0FUAtrEfMw-qsCepKfJlKLOLZ-MuP86-sXHtYFGSLFENGifSY/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUe8ilmgmiLReHihWb6H6UI5bKdUU7KUn5x7bzrH5Ua_VtzgOx_rgbpz5d8GsOSSXi-VeXnqXfvih_KRi-J1MAKGdm1x0FUAtrEfMw-qsCepKfJlKLOLZ-MuP86-sXHtYFGSLFENGifSY/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div>front door. The sliding doors will slide right out of sight to make the one big room. <br />
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After all the preparation everything seems to be happening very quickly, and it now seems to be finishing touches. Today has been another busy day for the builders, but I'll have to wait until the morning for more photographs. Be back soon!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-51333036649726988052012-03-21T11:37:00.000+09:002012-03-21T11:37:39.415+09:00Builders in the House 7 - wallpaper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl6P6YRvshQurXnMUFmwsdVjo92e9fJSvxD-VEoAoYMSNUe3JiFCK0wG8Tu8W6wdfkQAosXqfz8puo77P9AgbtHycofGln3NfSpOph_rAkmrPHym1Bo1IAC5ejplh5kHn0aCRCY_l9v0/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZl6P6YRvshQurXnMUFmwsdVjo92e9fJSvxD-VEoAoYMSNUe3JiFCK0wG8Tu8W6wdfkQAosXqfz8puo77P9AgbtHycofGln3NfSpOph_rAkmrPHym1Bo1IAC5ejplh5kHn0aCRCY_l9v0/s320/005.JPG" /></a></div>This is so cool! My limited experience of hanging wallpaper is, of course, of the DIY variety - measuring walls and paper; trying to cut straight lines; an old table to paste the paper, and then trying to get the stuff to stay on the wall with no air bubbles under it. Now I see there is a very professional way of doing it - a machine that does everything except put the paper on the walls and make the tea!<br />
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Our music loving wallpaper guy worked for about ten hours yesterday, and has comleted about 75% of the papering. I think it looks fantastic, and I wish I could have seen how he papered the ceilings on his own!<br />
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This is looking towards the front door, and you can see what still has to be done. I think the wood on the new white paper is really striking.<br />
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The wallpaper will be finished today, but has to be done while working around four other guys who have come to fit doors and light fittings. It seems a bit chaotic, but... the work is almost done!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-8141169687902787292012-03-19T19:44:00.000+09:002012-03-19T19:44:37.927+09:00Builders in the House 6 - let there be music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0Uw2PYMzmPtNI-c-FNKBHqswwBRkUxKumV_ilGWhSt7DQiZC79ys4jyFo2cvBF_Dst3IQqBz138Ia3aWQ2cY0-MBd2CUJcIUZEZmJnvsg5H5tp78MVM80FhOocYzy31Qr1amr8yCa5o/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0Uw2PYMzmPtNI-c-FNKBHqswwBRkUxKumV_ilGWhSt7DQiZC79ys4jyFo2cvBF_Dst3IQqBz138Ia3aWQ2cY0-MBd2CUJcIUZEZmJnvsg5H5tp78MVM80FhOocYzy31Qr1amr8yCa5o/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div>Not too much to report today. Just one guy working on his own all day getting the walls ready for wallpaper. He has spent the whole day smearing some kind of yellow gunk all over the walls and ceiling. I think he starts on the actual wallpapering tomorrow despite the fact it is a national holiday. Hope he doesn't wake me up when he arrives for work!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63SY6WI6PF8-1w_9HZarof9gXg_ZgPT5FHrqiWQrq6lYlWx8_w-4Az7RmlqLLlrVBcNs7vuo0-KpixKF8TdDqXToUyUwyrVxxTWrLlrsk8qKx8bz-FOTYxw5XEGfr7njO_uHyeaVzdpc/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63SY6WI6PF8-1w_9HZarof9gXg_ZgPT5FHrqiWQrq6lYlWx8_w-4Az7RmlqLLlrVBcNs7vuo0-KpixKF8TdDqXToUyUwyrVxxTWrLlrsk8qKx8bz-FOTYxw5XEGfr7njO_uHyeaVzdpc/s320/012.JPG" /></a></div>It only struck me today, and perhaps it is because it might be a stereotype, but of the eight or nine different tradesmen we have had working in the house so far, today's guy is the first one who listens to the radio while he works. I seem to have an image that in Britain there would be a radio on all the time. Someone correct me, please! Anyway, he brought his own radio and has even trusted us with it overnight. Of course, if it were me or the boy Jones, we would be listening to the cricket...<br />
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And just as an update on when the work will be finished, it seems that we are now back on track, and everything should be completed on Friday. The only hiccough being that although the desks and whiteboard we have ordered will arrive on Friday, the supplier called us to say the chairs won't be here until a week tomorrow. A bit disappointing, but there's no ginger...Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-82683337567306705212012-03-16T10:17:00.002+09:002012-03-16T10:20:19.071+09:00Builders in the House 5 - slowing down?It's been another hectic week workwise, and although I could have written something yesterday I think it was better for my sanity to go and play squash in the free time that I had...<br />
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I'm not an unusually tall person, but at 183cms (six foot one and a bit in old money), I'm three centimetres taller than the doors and beams in our house, something that causes me to stoop somewhat. This beam is going to be in the middle of our big classroom when the partition is open, and although it couldn't be removed without the house collapsing, I'm pleased to say that it has been raised just a tad, and I can now walk under it without banging my head (Yes, yes, I'm on my way to play squash...)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21f0DPj64cgrpYYjouyAQ-kNTtTy2sHydZ1IOBrd0-vYdOTL_o1TLxqmGn6S8tIFDKIu4iWC0yo0axjIED2lM8Zetvqn_1YCkmJfHshFe_8D2Q06851iD3k7gLO9E1NY7-Kc_obGc9wY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21f0DPj64cgrpYYjouyAQ-kNTtTy2sHydZ1IOBrd0-vYdOTL_o1TLxqmGn6S8tIFDKIu4iWC0yo0axjIED2lM8Zetvqn_1YCkmJfHshFe_8D2Q06851iD3k7gLO9E1NY7-Kc_obGc9wY/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div>We seem to have done a lot of decison-making this week, and there has been a lot of builder activity, although on the face of it, not much seems to have changed since the beginning of the week. This cupboard has required the most thought. The large space in the middle will eventually hold a new television, and then it was a case of deciding how we wanted shelving arranged. Once we had done that, a couple of guys came and took a lot of measurements so they can prepare what they need to complete the job.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxsm4tsp9tieC0fjmdK7ajhjZHgC7i74Y798RsbUl4P3B-vXgtuMJ41j0Xts5r-Efn9A7vCBOFh3soyiBFfZrRBLGTtfIQpdNZioB-w7TGyXKYQQGM9LLT6EqwutprGkyASM38BrmpwI/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxsm4tsp9tieC0fjmdK7ajhjZHgC7i74Y798RsbUl4P3B-vXgtuMJ41j0Xts5r-Efn9A7vCBOFh3soyiBFfZrRBLGTtfIQpdNZioB-w7TGyXKYQQGM9LLT6EqwutprGkyASM38BrmpwI/s320/005.JPG" /></a></div>Other than that, much to the delight of our son Tadashi, a plasterer called Tadashi came to fair the walls. Anyway, it seems that this was a bigger job than anticipated, and the now smooth walls are going to take several days to dry sufficiently for the next stage to begin. The last couple of days have been rather eerily quiet.<br />
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And one last picture today. You can see the wooden frame that will hold another sliding door. This time between the classroom and the front door.<br />
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Other decisions this week have been the size, colour and number of new desks and chairs, and I'm just about to go and measure up for a new whiteboard... And this weekend? Squash, of course, and then a midnight appointment with the TV on Saturday to watch Wales secure the Grand Slam againsit Les Bleus.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-7305180810354479052012-03-11T14:09:00.000+09:002012-03-11T14:09:42.035+09:00Builders in the House 4 - a "new" window and signs of crookednessIf you go back to the first Builders in the House post, you'll see a photograph of some cupboard doors (one of which has my squash poster on it). From later photographs you will see that the cupboards have been completely removed.<br />
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The "missing" materials from the previous post turned out to be wood to make the frame of the new cupboards. We are now trying to decide exactly where to place shelves and partitions.<br />
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I thought I would just return to the "crooked house" theme of earlier, too. The big wooden beam you can see is parallel to the ground (even if I haven't held the camera as level as I could have!) Look at the space between the beam and the top of the concrete door frame.<br />
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Now look at the same space at the other end of the door frame. There is a difference of between two or three centimetres from one of the door frame to the other. I'm hoping it won't be so apparent when all the work is finished!<br />
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Sunday today, so no noise from the builders to contend with, but one of Tadashi's friends has come round to practise singing a Queen song which they are going to perform for their class. I'm not sure which is worse...Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-55591032094374543052012-03-08T21:23:00.000+09:002012-03-08T21:23:49.221+09:00Builders in the House 3 - the new floorI've had a hectic couple of days, so things have moved on quite a bit since Monday's post, and I'm glad to say that the house, although noisy at times, isn't anywhere near as dusty.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3uleZfy9XgDJNsaXImucVJHZtvD60QUEpUMz2XZLjz7_Cfjvx4_iwjjCaF3ihUFJDPUr8zQzF0TBefVJjhUuK3jDPWnFWns3hDpzWrgY4JJFUyM03seE6366E5PNb8RC58vYUCUQIFQ/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3uleZfy9XgDJNsaXImucVJHZtvD60QUEpUMz2XZLjz7_Cfjvx4_iwjjCaF3ihUFJDPUr8zQzF0TBefVJjhUuK3jDPWnFWns3hDpzWrgY4JJFUyM03seE6366E5PNb8RC58vYUCUQIFQ/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div>I missed this part of the floor process when the other side of the room was done. A kind of polystyrene slot-together insulation... definitely didn't have that before, and I wonder if it will make the room warmer in winter. I certainly hope so! It is held in place by dint of being just slightly wider than the space between the beams.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_YVzc1bHhbFDM_bg0vUKOReosXM06xy1aXvyixSyv1Yuf2CfYCbwfYMyeEJTqXfIvvCMiyzL2URK0ATumWmRsvCapNzIIqBeiNvxE9sT4qQ2t0P6AuGvWbXZv9jT6-dJtSq_5Msv3WA/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_YVzc1bHhbFDM_bg0vUKOReosXM06xy1aXvyixSyv1Yuf2CfYCbwfYMyeEJTqXfIvvCMiyzL2URK0ATumWmRsvCapNzIIqBeiNvxE9sT4qQ2t0P6AuGvWbXZv9jT6-dJtSq_5Msv3WA/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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The beams all covered, and a shot of our new step.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TGqoBQmtUHHCov5kmmnblmrlaSiolTWyQfaCgzNfyqpK-pUVnNkUzbInFiuzvhjkYDa4k5RY-0-pxiDZdlXiGsDsAXHZHgIU3TMLP9ZgQkrx_H99od_0LunTyUqKz-OFc02fXKYFEZk/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TGqoBQmtUHHCov5kmmnblmrlaSiolTWyQfaCgzNfyqpK-pUVnNkUzbInFiuzvhjkYDa4k5RY-0-pxiDZdlXiGsDsAXHZHgIU3TMLP9ZgQkrx_H99od_0LunTyUqKz-OFc02fXKYFEZk/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div>And the new floor being laid. It is quite a light colour, which we hope will make the room bright, and much as I enjoy polishing the other floors we have upstairs, I wasn't particularly upset to hear that the new floor is a "no polish" type. I confess I was a little surprised that our beautiful floor was completed first given that there is still so much else to be done, and I had fleeting images of all kinds of damage being done to it. However, of course it has now been covered with cardboard sheets.<br />
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And so to the ceiling...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvCkLghOK8fOFBNl2TNm3O8ze5Hl0HEymdtYKf_0HJ0tf9kCCEGE3MFPvN6vFLNSd5EFksYXRLabvgGO-yK6shozF4-qrAj9eXX95GggXJCDgLcIwwnh1YoktXD0QDugkKjBGt6q6mg4/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvCkLghOK8fOFBNl2TNm3O8ze5Hl0HEymdtYKf_0HJ0tf9kCCEGE3MFPvN6vFLNSd5EFksYXRLabvgGO-yK6shozF4-qrAj9eXX95GggXJCDgLcIwwnh1YoktXD0QDugkKjBGt6q6mg4/s320/016.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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Aimi was so excited when she saw that it was pink... and she is going to be so disappointed when she finds out that it isn't finished, and won't be pink when it is. Poor thing!<br />
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I went to Hiroshima this afternoon to play squash, as I often do on a Thursday, and was told on my return that the carpenter had knocked off at 2 o'clock because whatever materials he needs for the next stage won't be here until tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what they are. More as it happens.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-21423248190703320632012-03-05T23:00:00.000+09:002012-03-05T23:00:09.948+09:00Builders in the House 2 - ...And they all lived together in a little crooked house..The builders were planning to have a day off on Saturday, but what they uncovered on Friday (see above) gave them some unexpected extra work to do. They told us that the house looked as if had originally been built by someone used to laying roads rather than building houses - safe enough, but a bit strange! <br />
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This morning the carpenter arrived to put down a frame for the new floor in what was the classroom. He discovered that because of the aforementioned road laying techniques used, there would be something like a two-centimetre difference in the level of the floor from one side of the house to the other. (He had a really cool laser thing like something out of Mission Impossible, except this one showed exactly what the problem with the floor was) Perhaps the road layer had built a camber into the floor... The carpenter said that he could compensate for the difference in level, but it would always be a little odd. I had visions of our new desks (on castors) rolling down the hill! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAwMfgWj2UJvD7e1DyAm1GhUklWj0B1OKht9sNDUf_onw2JdIdHS3vzf5t281bKcOwvv46U5tCVOOiAVrmsyH22hkld1VypN6W-31_P1e_xzGfTL8vnm8KElfmERkZPbFwWaILhieqNo/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAwMfgWj2UJvD7e1DyAm1GhUklWj0B1OKht9sNDUf_onw2JdIdHS3vzf5t281bKcOwvv46U5tCVOOiAVrmsyH22hkld1VypN6W-31_P1e_xzGfTL8vnm8KElfmERkZPbFwWaILhieqNo/s320/012.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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We decided to let him do the job properly and he promptly pulled up the remaining floor that used to be the hallway and cloakroom, and set about raising the whole thing by the two centimetres which will allow him to complete the floor so that it isn't on a slope.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksQyYPmyooPhuwRg2M72wIQSoGPH3hV-1XG6SYWgSBL8swbE__bAjaP6wmfTDl8GCh-Jj9QL8ijIqCbyNQ27U7bP14wpVoW7hj00v5rh-IViSU_Cy4DDxpfn0DUmPdVBywRWmAIqR7CM/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksQyYPmyooPhuwRg2M72wIQSoGPH3hV-1XG6SYWgSBL8swbE__bAjaP6wmfTDl8GCh-Jj9QL8ijIqCbyNQ27U7bP14wpVoW7hj00v5rh-IViSU_Cy4DDxpfn0DUmPdVBywRWmAIqR7CM/s320/015.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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More rocks holding up the floor.<br />
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This is the base for the new floor after the level had been raised. This morning there wasn't a two-centimetre gap between the big wooden beam that is the step up to the room and the black ceramic tiles under it.<br />
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And this is where we are tonight. I think the "under" floor will be finished tomorrow, and then hopefully things will really start to take shape.<br />
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And the title of today's blog? When we were told about the problems we had because of the way the house was originally built, I was reminded of a very old nursery rhyme:<br />
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There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile,<br />
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.<br />
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse.<br />
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.<br />
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Google it if you are interested in finding out how old it is. I should point out that despite my advancing years, it was already very old when I first heard it as a child!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-12228465172690852592012-03-03T11:38:00.001+09:002012-03-04T00:01:54.143+09:00Builders in the HouseOnce again I find myself having to apologise for the length of time it has taken me to write something since my last entry. Sorry! My wife, who somehow finds time to write something most days, puts me to shame.<br />
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For those of you who don't know, Kayo and I work mainly in a room on the ground floor of our three-storey home. It isn't that big, but we have managed for the eleven or so years that we have been self-employed. Of late, though, there has been an increasing need to have another classroom and also a bigger room to accommodate larger classes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAARyWaD3Un8cFiXQM9bZLhWG8PbQuWGJnrH9R2fEp1m_Gct1231aIusDgOi4AT1x35m4xNmUB0zTNqxiZAnN3Xl3AEAlravxnLNR7GZfEbt3pLsAIb4ECmGH1Bwjqju3IFBToz_cJu8/s1600/815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAARyWaD3Un8cFiXQM9bZLhWG8PbQuWGJnrH9R2fEp1m_Gct1231aIusDgOi4AT1x35m4xNmUB0zTNqxiZAnN3Xl3AEAlravxnLNR7GZfEbt3pLsAIb4ECmGH1Bwjqju3IFBToz_cJu8/s320/815.JPG" /></a></div>I wish I had a wider angle lens, but here are some photographs of our ground floor. This one was taken from the front door. The door on the left in the immediate foreground is a floor to ceiling shoe cupboard, and the white wall on the right is part of the cloakroom/boxroom. You can see into the classroom, and a little way up the hall that goes to the stairs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngUpBe_jZauKXb2opk5gjpCIjqHf0leXVtsgpiZMUEutdBAt0ui-mMJM05F4gAeac2CM3eAsl5rvhIAC8qILnMwa6-ebTPFUUzEsQGY-AVQW2pqj6kVcvVoJrKvEACfORoVtajmCwIe4/s1600/817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngUpBe_jZauKXb2opk5gjpCIjqHf0leXVtsgpiZMUEutdBAt0ui-mMJM05F4gAeac2CM3eAsl5rvhIAC8qILnMwa6-ebTPFUUzEsQGY-AVQW2pqj6kVcvVoJrKvEACfORoVtajmCwIe4/s320/817.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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Inside the classroom, which, for sure, looks a bit cluttered! Of course, I have to have a map of the UK and a picture of Glencoe; and all the postcards are from friends, family, and students from wherever they have been on holiday.<br />
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The reverse angle showing about half of our textbooks, and some cupboards that conceal all manner of things including a television which we sometimes use in class. Yes, yes... that is a squash poster on the cupboard door!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNFW9Y9dqxmNf1ou0tWivf2-TTliS2VuGPUNVMLGltYeTwGckhzH_CfvaSn3-XxuM_z4SOJcydjfXky4XCwhkhhgcsyGRLbdVutBnGiD0UTRa9qdFw-ClEqC509I66l6xwn8zklpp_z4/s1600/814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNFW9Y9dqxmNf1ou0tWivf2-TTliS2VuGPUNVMLGltYeTwGckhzH_CfvaSn3-XxuM_z4SOJcydjfXky4XCwhkhhgcsyGRLbdVutBnGiD0UTRa9qdFw-ClEqC509I66l6xwn8zklpp_z4/s320/814.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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This is looking across the hall into the cloakroom, or perhaps I should say storeroom. You can see a stack of winter tyres, and I keep all my squash kit in here, too.<br />
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So... that was how it all looked until Wednesday of this week. We had decided it was about time to take some drastic action, and had spoken with a local company to see if it was possible to "rearrange" things to give us both a second room and a bigger room. "Oh, yes" they said, and on Thursday they arrived...<br />
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This was taken just a few hours after they arrived, and from pretty much the same place as the first photograph above. Most of the doors have been taken away, the cloakroom gone(!), and the hall temporarily blocked off to stop too much dust getting into the rest of the house.<br />
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A somewhat bemused Tadashi arriving home from school. But that was Thursday...<br />
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That is where we are at the moment. It is all very exciting, and we are really looking forward to seeing how things develop. The work is scheduled to take about three weeks, and I hope to be able to keep you updated on an almost daily basis. Come back and see how we are doing!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-46169459761975518712012-01-05T20:44:00.001+09:002012-01-05T23:03:22.363+09:00The 56th Kurashi-no-bunshuFirst a very Happy New Year to you, and my apologies for taking so long to write this. I promised a few people quite some time ago that I would "do it in the next few days", and I think I've been using the festive period as an excuse not to find time to do it. Anyway, here we are, and here we go...<br />
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Every summer the Kure Education Department along with the Chugoku Shinbun (newspaper) and Momiji Bank sponsor a composition competition - Kurashi-no-bunshu - for the pupils of the forty-four primary schools in the Kure area. In the first instance the teachers of each class choose the best compositions to submit for judging. <br />
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It is probable that every child in Kure has to write a diary entry every weekend, and for most of the children the writing tends to be along the lines of "We went here, we did this, and we had a good time". Our son Tadashi seemed to be developing his own style - his diary entries almost always start with a sound he has heard, and then he explains what is behind the sound.<br />
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Thousands of children write compositions for the Kurashi-no-bunshu, and there is an award for the top composition, four runners-up awards and around fifteen third prizes for each grade, and over a hundred "honourable mention" awards. Every story that receives an award is published in a 280-page book.<br />
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In 2010 Tadashi received an honourable mention in his first year at primary school, and obviously we were delighted. <br />
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And then in the autumn he pretty much knocked our socks off by winning the top prize for primary two pupils. My wife called to tell me while I was driving home from Hiroshima, and I immediately had to phone my parents. Thrilled to bits might just described how we felt.<br />
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I'm lucky enough to have a group of very high level English speakers in a weekly class, and of late they have been translating articles from the Chugoku Shinbun. Tadashi's composition was printed in the newspaper, so my class said they would translate it for me. Here it is, complete with the judge's comments...<br />
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Sharpening Pencils with a Knife<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNm7iVvKdp3wWAphB7IgPsh6nlW1926_dnLr8crUiMKfsWRSChb0TXlGyld_b3gX8SLO2t3CFWRr68rk45mZCJiAVL5To8IFit4Bde9b8U1_P5Lvs25cO3sBp9NXN1wNTSCgdR2CnLjU/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNm7iVvKdp3wWAphB7IgPsh6nlW1926_dnLr8crUiMKfsWRSChb0TXlGyld_b3gX8SLO2t3CFWRr68rk45mZCJiAVL5To8IFit4Bde9b8U1_P5Lvs25cO3sBp9NXN1wNTSCgdR2CnLjU/s320/001.JPG" /></a></div>“Oh, no, it’s broken again!” And we don’t have a pencil sharpener. <br />
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Last year, when I was in primary one, my mum used to sharpen my pencils every day. When I started primary two I decided to sharpen my own pencils with the sharpener in my pencil case. But the points often broke when I was sharpening the pencils, and the sharpener was difficult to use. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRExgBX9iBgAw-WgUZAmbaqMg7IsOksHHL6pzzi1W8taNPXXxJv4TMpE8kQeoereZ-WLBF2pGKB2dupFo-JURv5ElQfP65YqNLnJrYslwS5yg8VuaHgoHFZhAu6pgnMEUjJxpFjNM_vQI/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRExgBX9iBgAw-WgUZAmbaqMg7IsOksHHL6pzzi1W8taNPXXxJv4TMpE8kQeoereZ-WLBF2pGKB2dupFo-JURv5ElQfP65YqNLnJrYslwS5yg8VuaHgoHFZhAu6pgnMEUjJxpFjNM_vQI/s320/008.JPG" /></a></div><br />
And “snap!” - the pencils often broke while I was writing. I thought it was really annoying.<br />
One day I wondered if using a knife would be better. I told my mum that I wanted to use a knife to sharpen pencils myself. My mum said, “Watch and I’ll show you how to do it.”<br />
Snick, snick. In a flash she had sharpened a pencil. She was so good at it, and I <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bqyh5zjgokNGRJc6zQJATta7YQTNL73J9VbQkHtro0B9N8wE7boYzidbr0PsqW8Ml0qZnYV0GYbSAkzh7i7shEWTcWCDfODMBW-_ulUGT8-EVFWSiXnE1xP4k27WqqgaEBkoLuR8DXo/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bqyh5zjgokNGRJc6zQJATta7YQTNL73J9VbQkHtro0B9N8wE7boYzidbr0PsqW8Ml0qZnYV0GYbSAkzh7i7shEWTcWCDfODMBW-_ulUGT8-EVFWSiXnE1xP4k27WqqgaEBkoLuR8DXo/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div><br />
wasn’t sure if I would be able to do it. I tried, but either the point was too long, or I nearly cut my index finger. However, I didn’t think I should give up, but do my best like I do when I eat mini tomatoes, which I really don’t like.<br />
I sharpened pencils every day, and slowly I learned to do it as my mum showed me: don’t hold the pencil or knife pointing upwards because it’s dangerous; <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeZEir6SZdmUIDxF9nnGhcsYtfcqKhoy4ZZyAa8xQAl87sUOKiWV7_Vw0ddBk7bHnfMZnlDIDG_qTxVG5yEpuBZz3p0c7tMgBf1WiPXN-Qk012wm53Rc8GWlH8FalXgCZz3jIdIWo7-I/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibeZEir6SZdmUIDxF9nnGhcsYtfcqKhoy4ZZyAa8xQAl87sUOKiWV7_Vw0ddBk7bHnfMZnlDIDG_qTxVG5yEpuBZz3p0c7tMgBf1WiPXN-Qk012wm53Rc8GWlH8FalXgCZz3jIdIWo7-I/s320/011.JPG" /></a></div><br />
move the knife slowly and gently, and keep your cutting hand steady. I learned that knives are dangerous, but also useful if I follow the rules. <br />
Today, just like every day, I’ll sharpen my pencils with a knife.<br />
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[Comments] <br />
Tadashi’s mother responded very well when he asked about sharpening his own pencils. This topic is interesting because these days very few children know how to sharpen pencils with a knife. After reading this story it is easy to imagine Tadashi doing his best even when something is difficult, like eating the mini tomatoes which he doesn’t like. The story ended with his determination to continue sharpening pencils every day and I wanted to shout out, “Yes! You can do it!” It’s a lovely story. <br />
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And so to the award ceremony (I wanted to say "prize-giving", but it conjures up completely the wrong image) held at a splendid venue in early December, and for me, what a monumental let-down. Given the excitement that news of Tadashi's achievement was met with, I hoped that the award ceremony would be a joyous celebration, but it was so far from that I could hardly believe it.<br />
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Of course the sponsors' dignitaries were there to make speeches and present awards, but what, to my mind, a strange way of doing things. The main prize winners had to sit across the stage from the dignitaries and listen to the speeches and be given their awards while some ghastly funereal music was playing in the background. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya1QJZ78bNeuiD5NzJE_p530bLVjoK4Is5AjTfVM3g3M8ZYCrQsok8NTJvvedbFtJpseUhk_WXDvoSDnTC3D4sA6UvIDdajrMJSGDhdbUpYCixKGrnFr96nmNHeIPUl5jhL3l9hKjcHc/s1600/Award+ceremony+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="214" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiya1QJZ78bNeuiD5NzJE_p530bLVjoK4Is5AjTfVM3g3M8ZYCrQsok8NTJvvedbFtJpseUhk_WXDvoSDnTC3D4sA6UvIDdajrMJSGDhdbUpYCixKGrnFr96nmNHeIPUl5jhL3l9hKjcHc/s320/Award+ceremony+001.jpg" /></a></div>When Tadashi's name was called, he marched out to the middle of the stage, bowed to his dignitary and was given two boxes, both of which he was immediately obliged to hand to a lady standing next to him for that purpose. She left the stage with his "prizes" and he returned to his seat empty-handed. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like it.<br />
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Look at the happy, smiling faces in this picture! The lady standing in the background is the one who is about to whisk away Tadashi's "prizes". And that isn't a medal around his neck... it's an ID badge.<br />
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When the event finished Tadashi was given a bag with his "goodies" in to take home. They were: an engraved plaque, a certificate, a medal in a box with no ribbon, and a copy of the newspaper with his composition in it.<br />
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Couldn't the whole event have been conducted with just a little razzmatazz? Couldn't they have played music that might appeal to primary school pupils? Couldn't they have put ribbons on the medals and presented them Olympic-style rather than popping them in those bags like an afterthought? Couldn't they have given the winners some kind of "literary" prize like dictionaries or book tokens? <br />
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Ah, well...I had a sneaking suspicion that the day wouldn't be what I hoped, so we had a "prize-giving" at home, <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqFKKghQ-mSJQ-fp_FfpJWrWYq_g-Hiy7ZH0yCZYLzE27tp1Bntyj7Vj5V6xr1GQe9kFb8SDZ1Ka-P8B17Ajr7BO_Si1RMQKkCKI93mMh5BIWv4aDXkfG7vwu5-QsDYJuTNSUT6AXE4I/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqFKKghQ-mSJQ-fp_FfpJWrWYq_g-Hiy7ZH0yCZYLzE27tp1Bntyj7Vj5V6xr1GQe9kFb8SDZ1Ka-P8B17Ajr7BO_Si1RMQKkCKI93mMh5BIWv4aDXkfG7vwu5-QsDYJuTNSUT6AXE4I/s320/034.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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and I think Tadashi was delighted with the new Lego set I bought for him. <br />
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Later on it also only took me less than five seconds to attach a ribbon to his medal so he could wear it.<br />
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Of course, the competition isn't really about prizes, but I can't imagine anyone who was at the award ceremony will look back on it as a great day.<br />
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The plaque and certificate, by the way, had to be taken to school so the headmaster could display them in his room, and weren't returned to Tadashi until the winter holidays.<br />
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In fairness, Tadashi didn't seem bothered by what I thought was at best a very disappointing event. As we were leaving the award ceremony he was already wondering out loud what he would write about so that he could win the award again next year!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-35255896773498485362011-10-03T15:44:00.000+09:002011-10-03T15:44:34.959+09:00Grabbing a Bite?The ladies in one of my classes have, for some time, been inviting me to grab a coffee with them after class. Unfortunately I usually have another class starting shortly after we finish, so I have been unable to join them. The class is now having a short break, and the ladies decided that instead of coffee we would meet for lunch at the time the class is usually scheduled at. As I said to them, I'm not sure that this level of organisation could really be termed as "grabbing a bite"!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD5CiV9YjIf1iiv6y4Ikd8sfQly6mYee-bPFbtJgBYh_QlaMCkl1b0ZRJHwAq6ViPTfYrLDjiNUmASug_l8x2MbWAtK1APQkB0tskteIeSwdTwYd-ea8zTXl6PI6l-RtVpRGNn5-Nokc/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD5CiV9YjIf1iiv6y4Ikd8sfQly6mYee-bPFbtJgBYh_QlaMCkl1b0ZRJHwAq6ViPTfYrLDjiNUmASug_l8x2MbWAtK1APQkB0tskteIeSwdTwYd-ea8zTXl6PI6l-RtVpRGNn5-Nokc/s320/012.JPG" /></a></div>We met in the French restaurant on the 14th floor of the Kure Hankyu Hotel. Here we are from left to right: Yoshiko, Yumi, Takako, me, Toshie, Akiko, and Kuniko. <br />
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Lunch for me is almost always a sandwich at home, so this really was a rare treat. Apart from eating a proper meal at lunchtime, I also found myself a bit disorientated by my surroundings. Everything felt so western, that when the staff spoke to me I wasn't sure whether I should reply in Japanese, or try out my very rusty French! And, of course, the ladies were keeping up some really interesting conversation in English.<br />
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And lunch? Very artistic and very good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF2I3n-sAFtpP7r7lVwhEWTFFAKqzOKGFEvN4tXe6ULlE7-bpOm_ERas-3xLlefxRIzLUzmxGPvd7jUCytPWfbtLTAQdiooHFyS1DVEiD_wVeSa4mp0cOlRx8wOwbNWc0TTfakbE3aTk/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF2I3n-sAFtpP7r7lVwhEWTFFAKqzOKGFEvN4tXe6ULlE7-bpOm_ERas-3xLlefxRIzLUzmxGPvd7jUCytPWfbtLTAQdiooHFyS1DVEiD_wVeSa4mp0cOlRx8wOwbNWc0TTfakbE3aTk/s320/009.JPG" /></a></div>Whenever we go abroad, my wife takes out the camera and photographs whatever we are eating... My turn, and although the camera can't as yet give you a taste of the food, you can at least see what I mean by "artistic". This was the starter, and you'll forgive me if I can't remember the French name. It was, if I am correct, a kind of nut pate. This was followed by a very tasty corn soup - no photo... it was corn soup!<br />
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I started getting confused again when the main course arrived. Roast beef... surely that is a quintessential English dish? Anyway, it was very good, although being from the other side of the Channel, I would have preferred to have seen a potato or two and some Yorkshire puddings!<br />
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I do enjoy sweets, but I don't often get as far as dessert, as I much prefer savoury food. Having said that, I really enjoyed this small cranberry tart. I'm afraid I had to ask what the fig was, and was surprised to hear that Hiroshima is quite well-known for them. The ladies were then quite surprised when I opted for coffee to finish and not tea! As much as I like tea - a must in the mornings - it has to be coffee after lunch, doesn't it?<br />
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I think we all had a good time, and when the class starts again next week, I shall be the first to suggest that we do it again.<br />
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Thank you ladies!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-76391873298054717192011-08-30T19:01:00.001+09:002011-08-30T19:51:24.575+09:00Chu/Shikoku Open Squash TournamentIt doesn't seem like too long ago since I wrote about cottage pie, but here we are and the summer is drawing to a close. This also means that another eagerly awaited annual trip has come and gone. Yes, another squash tournament, but this time a little closer to home - the Chu/Shikoku Open in Kurashiki - and this time with Kayo and the children.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr6l5Z_3sYRmfgfwNyqWdyPrXsD8Od2DhHxaUcCvUy07Wc1Nyw3DdilE34aV92lJvQCaMvGEBE3U4TjoluAqXzXkNinpoyNEmurcORiDrVT7jR9alUSMK1RVqUdotYPALkfnvT9YePaw/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr6l5Z_3sYRmfgfwNyqWdyPrXsD8Od2DhHxaUcCvUy07Wc1Nyw3DdilE34aV92lJvQCaMvGEBE3U4TjoluAqXzXkNinpoyNEmurcORiDrVT7jR9alUSMK1RVqUdotYPALkfnvT9YePaw/s320/007.JPG" /></a></div>This tournament is a favourite because of the venue - great courts, great showers, and a wonderful place for the children to play - and a hotel I have stayed at so often that I'm definitely a regular. This picture was taken in the adventure playground - Tadashi and I on the "ferry", and Muscat Stadium, the venue, in the background. We've always done this tournament as "a family", and until this year I think Kayo has had a harder job looking after the children than I have had playing squash! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i8ygMrLDHEI7oJbjHKpiM9wFp3aVgsItDaj13whtZYdlQo4zd4LP_hR0NHDIcAFdXztn9z1hOyzt5G29jlxYDtjjmvu-RccjiSR2UsApt5MVDas7mYYm3_KhihnKW00qqkgsGI05xPY/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i8ygMrLDHEI7oJbjHKpiM9wFp3aVgsItDaj13whtZYdlQo4zd4LP_hR0NHDIcAFdXztn9z1hOyzt5G29jlxYDtjjmvu-RccjiSR2UsApt5MVDas7mYYm3_KhihnKW00qqkgsGI05xPY/s320/004.JPG" /></a></div>This year, though, because they are older, they pretty much just got on with things themselves. There seemed to be no end of other children to play with, and they had a great time. Here is Aimi "risking" a ducking on whatever this kind of slide is called.<br />
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The format of the tournament is actually a little different to the other regional events I go to, inasmuch as I play in both the Open event and the Masters event. The Masters is a handicap tournament for players over 30 - I just qualify! My targets for this tournament were to reach the main draw of the Open event, then hopefully beat Taro Sakamaki (remember him from the Kyushu Open?) which would put me in the Best 16 round, AND to win the Masters.<br />
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Greg and Richard also entered the Open. Greg with an eye on playing and improving his result of last year against the three times and current All Japan champion, Yuta Fukui, in one semi-final, and Richard, I think, hoping to have a good time and make it to the other semi-final.<br />
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Neither Greg or Richard had to qualify for the main draw as their rankings are high enough to ensure they were seeded. For me, there was a nice warm-up early on Friday afternoon, and then later on the qualifying final against one of the rapidly improving Hiroshima Shudo University students, Horino. He is very fast around the court, and I had to be very patient to finally win through 2:1 (the qualifying rounds and the Masters are both best of three games matches). I'm usually nervous early in tournaments, but I'm glad to say that I felt I played OK, and kept the nerves under control.<br />
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On to Saturday, then, and a much better, if rather tempestuous (on my part) match with Taro. I'm afraid that I had a couple of quite loud outbursts directed at the referee. In point of fact I think the frustration I show is actually because of how I am playing, but I think I would look even more ridiculous shouting at myself! Having seen the match again on video, I rather reluctantly have to agree with Greg and Richard when they pointed out that when I was ranting, I looked less like John McEnroe and more like Basil Fawlty! Ah, well, best just put a stop to that silliness... The match ended in a 3:1 loss, but I really felt as if I lost it rather than Taro winning it. Next time!<br />
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Greg and Richard both progressed smoothly to the quarter-finals which, along with the Masters, took place on Sunday. Richard played very well against Japan's number 6, Kimihiko Sano, and was actually 2 games to love ahead. Sano then increased the pace of the game a little, and put Richard under a lot more pressure. I think the match could have gone either way, but sadly Richard had to bow out with a 3:2 loss. Greg meantime was getting ready for his big encounter with Fukui. Although I haven't seen all of the match yet - I was getting ready for my own match - from what I saw of it Greg certainly gave Fukui more to think about this year. He wasn't able to win a game, but if he can spend more time practicing with players nearer his own level (than me!), I'm sure he will do even better next time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKDBW6JA7DzHsIARZH37xLG3Eh0yRlSXXRsIZDN3yvTpo9x_LBqQd_-XsaRWv7xkcML8IDCWfHBQLC1BoUt6gAbq4EPbKYLMGiV9yASIMYreeBy2XjjLDdMNcEtyId2DWZS_6aogtYFM/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKDBW6JA7DzHsIARZH37xLG3Eh0yRlSXXRsIZDN3yvTpo9x_LBqQd_-XsaRWv7xkcML8IDCWfHBQLC1BoUt6gAbq4EPbKYLMGiV9yASIMYreeBy2XjjLDdMNcEtyId2DWZS_6aogtYFM/s320/010.JPG" /></a></div>As for me, after a very close semi-final I made it to the final of the Masters where I played against Masahiko Hasunaka, a practice partner from Hiroshima. The handicap system meant that he had to give me 2 points in each game, but as he played one less match than me that day, I didn't feel too bad about that. This is an "action" shot from the final, and that's me in green almost looking like I know what I am doing! Again, it was a very close match, but I'm delighted to say that I clinched it 2:1 in the end.<br />
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Greg, Richard and I just after the Masters final. If you think I look tired, you should have seen the other guy!<br />
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Receiving my prize from the other finalist, Masahiko Hasunaka, who also happens to be the chairman of the Japan Squash Association Chugoku-Shikoku Branch.<br />
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The "real" winners. Yuta Fukui in red with the trophy, and Greg doubtless thinking about their next encounter...<br />
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After the prize-giving.<br />
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Final photo before heading for home. This time with Sachi, a good friend, and former Japan number one.<br />
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I'm still pretty much elated after the success of the weekend, but as Greg pointed out, there is a lot of training and practising to do before we head off to Wakayama for the Kansai Open which begins on September 17th. I can't in all honesty say I'm looking forward to the training, but I can't wait for the tournament!<br />
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If you are interested in seeing the full results of the Chu/Shikoku tournament you will find them here<br />
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http://www.squash-japan.org/area-event-report/files/2011/08/f39dbb4324d006d551ff00f2c18a43ea.pdf<br />
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Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-7488402996282919902011-07-08T20:59:00.001+09:002011-07-08T23:07:24.558+09:00An Unseasonal Cottage PieLast week we were rather unexpectedly invited to address the Kure Film Circle. Their film this month is "Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont" which is set in London, and they wanted a British person to come and talk to them about Britain, and also answer any questions they might have. "Oh, and by the way, please could you cook something typically British and bring it along to the small party we are having after your talk?"!<br />
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I am not much of a cook, unless it is Christmas and Jamie Oliver is helping, or if I can be bothered to make a lasagne - my absolute favourite. The problem was compounded by the Film Circle saying that they didn't have an oven, something that is not that unusual in Japan. <br />
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So... something in one dish, which has a chance of staying hot for three hours (I cannot abide cold food if it is meant to be hot) and will be deemed passably edible.<br />
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And here is the solution - a cottage pie.<br />
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The weather is moving towards sweltering in Japan, so this is not really the ideal food. I would prefer to eat this on a cold winter's day, but my culinary skills meant my options were limited!<br />
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Dead easy to make if you want to try. This is how I make mine.<br />
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First brown some minced beef, then add some chopped garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add some coarsely chopped onions, carrots and mushrooms, and pour in some beef stock (consomme if you don't have any), and leave to bubble away for around about an hour.<br />
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While you are waiting, peel and chop up some potatoes, put them in some lightly-salted water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. When they are ready, drain off the water, then add some milk, butter and more of that black pepper, and mash them until smooth.<br />
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Put the meat and vegetables into an ovenproof dish, and then put the mashed potatoes on top. Smooth out the potato with a fork to get those lines, put some dabs of butter on the top and then put in the oven at about 190 degrees for 25 minutes. The potato will turn crispy and golden.<br />
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That's it - easy!<br />
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You'll notice I haven't given the amounts of any of the ingredients. That is because I think this is very much a "personal taste" dish, so you need to find the taste you like. My mother, for example, doesn't like mushrooms so she doesn't use them. I saw one recipe that included a tin of tomatoes - good heavens! What a terrible idea! But each to his own, I suppose.<br />
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Back to the Film Circle, and how to keep it hot for three hours... Again, easy as it turned out - a couple of sheets of tin foil, a towel, and an old biscuit tin, and it was still piping hot when we finally got around to eating it. I THINK it was well received!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-84972190108914034402011-06-20T23:01:00.000+09:002011-06-20T23:01:18.597+09:00Fathers' DayOh, goodness... even the title of this blog has had me checking for the spelling. Despite what Wikipedia has to say about it, I'm sticking with the apostrophe where it is, thank you very much! <br />
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So quite the lie-in yesterday. I think it was about 8 o'clock when I got up. Although Kayo gets up early with the children through the week, it comes round to me to get up at the weekend - usually around 6:30...ouch! I don't mind so much on Saturday, as I often head off to the squash courts quite early anyway, but it is a rare treat on a Sunday. It did cross my mind to ask the children to stay with their grandparents on Saturday night, ensuring the lie-in, but then thought that having NO children was hardly the right way to go about celebrating Fathers' Day...<br />
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So here we are caught in the middle of the rainy season, and for sure it was a "Cat in the Hat" kind of day, sitting around not doing too much, however my presents were a highlight.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5ekeLwaMecaGhba1y91AD_hxmIczbMsTrbOCGvI9Pwx0EMPctkISQkVGgMaEsl35zaUqPRx6bSi8YC2XHbaCct7cAtNB-53cKUTIFGbgc7GjzDmeOhkktIClc7eCt-Lu-x04lHOdWl8/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5ekeLwaMecaGhba1y91AD_hxmIczbMsTrbOCGvI9Pwx0EMPctkISQkVGgMaEsl35zaUqPRx6bSi8YC2XHbaCct7cAtNB-53cKUTIFGbgc7GjzDmeOhkktIClc7eCt-Lu-x04lHOdWl8/s320/008.JPG" /></a></div>First I should tell you about some gardening Aimi and I have been doing. Come Christmas (especially) there is one vegetable that I miss, and have been unable to buy in Japan, namely, runner beans. My mum came up trumps this year and sent me some seeds, and here is the result thus far. Aimi helped me plant them although when I told her how quickly and tall they would grow she was initially concerned about attracting giants... Anyway, they certainly seem to be coming along OK, and I'll keep you posted when we start picking them. The T-shirt I am wearing, also shown here,<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hiqtccsYrb0qew994WXTYaFIVO5fUAhQasGWmTico0wbeeXO6NP_n-HW2b2YxYBa5Rf_oADZw8n3RGftXl4Ib-ebCZeGxYR_EK6WOzVKPLMPFcKiQ35BdDACkTzSDM3GKpj06UrYV-0/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hiqtccsYrb0qew994WXTYaFIVO5fUAhQasGWmTico0wbeeXO6NP_n-HW2b2YxYBa5Rf_oADZw8n3RGftXl4Ib-ebCZeGxYR_EK6WOzVKPLMPFcKiQ35BdDACkTzSDM3GKpj06UrYV-0/s320/004.JPG" /></a></div>is Aimi's picture of herself with the beans, and they are obviously much bigger than her. This is the latest in a growing line of quite unique shirts that I have been given by my children, and they are all terrific.<br />
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My other present was a couple of cans of "draft" Guinness to have with dinner. A welcome change from the ice-cold fizzy lager (bleugh!) that is the norm here. Obviously Kayo had arranged for there to be two cans so that I would share them with her, which, much to my surprise, I did!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylF0v9aQaB-2nG2VdLGoPRxOM9d4r8nka0LFd-RxsG9I5Ui_vXezmHxyrzwCSVXMlJUB376yhTqaZTmb0eyVPduHlsNQP1tmp7oZqRO0PCuUWRTKOAFwpBox8qrwf321hLK4qZAi3vtw/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylF0v9aQaB-2nG2VdLGoPRxOM9d4r8nka0LFd-RxsG9I5Ui_vXezmHxyrzwCSVXMlJUB376yhTqaZTmb0eyVPduHlsNQP1tmp7oZqRO0PCuUWRTKOAFwpBox8qrwf321hLK4qZAi3vtw/s320/001.JPG" /></a></div>Here is the back of the shirt as drawn by Tadashi. It is, apparently, and I am no expert, a Dragonball character. I suppose I should take more of an interest... In the background, the computer is displaying the ball-by-ball update of the third cricket test match between England and Sri Lanka. If I could, I would sit up and follow the cricket until close of play at around 2:30 in the morning Japan-time, but work and early-rising children don't allow it. <br />
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Oh, the joys of fatherhood!Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-29878261905737568512011-05-24T17:31:00.000+09:002011-05-24T17:31:08.669+09:00Kyushu Open Squash Tournament<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBOYRJBgYY_Y8HxblTiDnkqdo9_YvWVtRLmZ1BM65kETgSLlgdETJdoVV1rzY9uZd193jde4QpluW7z8zO6MweKJzPD0id3SwIkcNhWQKsrPZHhMt6DLHFO8BPCrPTpW5rVwZpLHb5lI/s1600/Kyushu+Open+2011+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBOYRJBgYY_Y8HxblTiDnkqdo9_YvWVtRLmZ1BM65kETgSLlgdETJdoVV1rzY9uZd193jde4QpluW7z8zO6MweKJzPD0id3SwIkcNhWQKsrPZHhMt6DLHFO8BPCrPTpW5rVwZpLHb5lI/s200/Kyushu+Open+2011+3.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Since living in Japan, what used to be something of a passing interest has become more of an obsession - namely, squash. At the weekend I made what is an annual trip to Fukuoka, where I once again played in the Kyushu Open. If truth be known, I am far too old to have any hope of playing at the top level in Japan (arguably the best player in Japan is only 23!), but I love the game, and even though I have been playing on and off since I was 14, I think I am still improving, and I still have goals to fulfil.<br />
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So on Friday, Greg and I set off to Fukuoka on the kodama - the slowest of the shinkansen, which stops at all the stations en route. This was a money-saving measure as there was quite a big discount for buying our tickets together. Here I am at Hakata station in Fukuoka. Am I very small, or is the station very big?! (A brief break here for a bowl of Hakata ramen - a must for any visitor)<br />
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Greg, in fact, wasn't scheduled to play until Saturday, but we rather fancied the idea of arriving in plenty of time, and warming up on one of the courts at the tournament venue which has an idiosyncracy that can cause problems if you aren't used to it. <br />
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As much as I enjoy the squash, a big part of the weekend is meeting up with friends. Once we arrived at the sports club we hooked up with Richard who works in Tokyo, and Joakim who is based in Seoul at the moment - he was able to arrange a business trip to coincide with the tournament. The banter for the whole weekend was terrific!<br />
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Richard, Greg and I warmed up for an hour and a half, before checking into the conveniently situated hotel next door to the sports club, and having a bite to eat. Richard, Joakim and I then got ready for our first matches in the evening. Sadly Joakim had a very tough first match and lost. The only consolation was that the guy who beat him went on to have a very successful tournament (...until he played Greg in the Best 16 round!) Richard had no problem, and I was pleased with the way I played, and we advanced to the Best 32 round on Saturday morning. I finished in the Best 64 last year, so this was already an improvement, and my first goal for the weekend.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY76fbqn3idMNPs2ObhQGNNCNILSuuP6yc166Z9Q8EU3bqkVlLrXekYzfKMQoq6WdPE46o5FNky0wl9q4D12x7a0m5uPMuPUP8ysC18mYzVA1dYVhYXYAa7cQPn2oUkSIfs6yD9J4GBzU/s1600/Kyushu+Open+2011+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY76fbqn3idMNPs2ObhQGNNCNILSuuP6yc166Z9Q8EU3bqkVlLrXekYzfKMQoq6WdPE46o5FNky0wl9q4D12x7a0m5uPMuPUP8ysC18mYzVA1dYVhYXYAa7cQPn2oUkSIfs6yD9J4GBzU/s320/Kyushu+Open+2011+2.JPG" /></a></div>Interestingly on Saturday I played against the same player who beat me last year (Taro Sakamaki), so I was eager to have another shot at him. I thought I gave him a much better game this year, but unfortunately lost again. Nothing to do now but watch and chat! <br />
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Rchard kept winning until he came up against on of Japan's top juniors, Hayate Gunji, in the Best 8 round. He enjoyed his match, but Hayate prevailed. Greg meanwhile was marching on unhindered to the final on Sunday afternoon, where he triumphed over Hayate. (Here he is with his winner's medal!)<br />
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We had so much time to kill before our train home that I half-jokingly suggested to Greg that we have a game. He was all for it, so, much to the disbelief of the tournament organisers, we went back on court for almost an hour and did some practice routines, joined by Kazuko Michishita, one of the top ladies players in Japan. We got so involved that we ended up having to run for our train! The journey back allowed for some relaxing reflection on an enjoyable and, for Greg, very successful weekend.<br />
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If you are interested in learning more about the tournament, and seeing the full results, please follow this link - it's in Japanese!<br />
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http://www.squash-japan.org/jsa-event2010/archives/508Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-66235412579025758242011-05-16T20:20:00.000+09:002011-05-16T20:20:44.622+09:00Azaleas at Ondo BridgeSlightly later than I expected, but here, as promised in my last blog, are the famous azaleas at Ondo Bridge - the cause of many a traffic jam in and around Golden Week! On the far side of the bridge you can just about see the "multi-storey car park" approach road. As much as I like this bridge, I am looking forward to the convenience of the new one.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oYOHfjwB8QutGwi2OvEh3XeiFCm5-MDw0pIcsgS3bMkDC-fhwjTfjhdCecg7aTv2ij5qZLuc9khZnYZk9l_bh6TjCQXH5z-ZVTweaehKn2TIiLH_ImoDibCjj3dmggIzYjkr8c7KJ60/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4oYOHfjwB8QutGwi2OvEh3XeiFCm5-MDw0pIcsgS3bMkDC-fhwjTfjhdCecg7aTv2ij5qZLuc9khZnYZk9l_bh6TjCQXH5z-ZVTweaehKn2TIiLH_ImoDibCjj3dmggIzYjkr8c7KJ60/s320/042.JPG" /></a></div>It will also mean that we won't have to plan alternative routes to get home when the azaleas are in bloom - the tailback from the bridge often stretches the three miles back to where we live. Hopefully we didn't add too much to the traffic congestion this day, as Kayo and I took advantage of some time without the children and went on my bike - the only way to travel at this time of year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsUm1CL3gmMc5uacsn8XzwLNDFYqcdlwQkp653nsHBmLTe-knn97e-oqntjvy0J9amAIwGKitvW-Gv11tnRImvPedLXo6irX0du3R46l_uQx-OwVo8uTcOT9DUvq-Fph6SUIDrKRVPQQ/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="150" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsUm1CL3gmMc5uacsn8XzwLNDFYqcdlwQkp653nsHBmLTe-knn97e-oqntjvy0J9amAIwGKitvW-Gv11tnRImvPedLXo6irX0du3R46l_uQx-OwVo8uTcOT9DUvq-Fph6SUIDrKRVPQQ/s200/051.JPG" /></a></div>I've had this bike for over twelve years now and we made quite a few memorable trips on it before the children came along - Shimane, Tottori, Kobe, Shikoku... Having said that, I don't think Kayo has quite forgiven me for classing a bike trip to Kyushu and the the Oita Squash Open as our honeymoon... Apparently I still owe her one! There's just no pleasing some people...Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-53284610015253954032011-04-24T18:21:00.000+09:002011-04-24T18:21:42.764+09:00The new Ondo BridgeNot far from where we live is the Ondo Bridge, most notable, perhaps, for its multi-storey car park-like approach roads, and the fabulous azaleas that can be seen in full bloom in a week or two - I'll do my best to post a picture if we can beat the traffic and find a good vantage point! <br />
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As of today there is a new bridge which should eventually alleviate the traffic problem that the original bridge sometimes suffers from. The bridge won't be open for another couple of years, but today we got up (quite!) early to watch what I think is the largest floating crane in Japan lower the centre span of the bridge in place.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2PnFiwUscDbsJ9Oep0_zAIp26-1HYvq7Pt0qujNKyOvoPMacli09LAwlH9T2mu5M7fDJxEYWUjP6m_-KEneV09UhrUTDwpH1g25v2GsqefmOs4KgxYFTJmw3Um2P6GCfaVvN_jo8mz4/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2PnFiwUscDbsJ9Oep0_zAIp26-1HYvq7Pt0qujNKyOvoPMacli09LAwlH9T2mu5M7fDJxEYWUjP6m_-KEneV09UhrUTDwpH1g25v2GsqefmOs4KgxYFTJmw3Um2P6GCfaVvN_jo8mz4/s320/004.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Fortunately one of my students lives within sight of the bridge, and we were able to park at her place and have a perfect view of what was going on.<br />
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I think work began at 5:30 this morning, and we watched the crane being hauled back to the dock at around 3 o'clock this afternoon. What struck me as the most extraordinary thing about the whole operation was the apparent pinpoint accuracy with which the crane was able to position the bridge. It looked like a tremendous team effort.<br />
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Now we are looking forward to the bridge opening. The new bridge will take us to a hot spring that we regularly go to, and the old one (visible in the background of the photograph) to the swimming pool... Cool!<br />
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Many thanks to my student, Hiromi, and her family for a great afternoon at their barbecue, from where we were able to watch the end of what I suppose is quite a historic event.Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-84247565794528101172011-04-11T12:03:00.000+09:002011-04-11T12:03:21.572+09:00bus or bath?One of my students told me that he had a bad back after playing basketball. At the end of the class we had this conversation:<br />
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Paul: You should go home and have a bath.<br />
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Student: No, I came by car.<br />
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I think what he heard was, "You should go home by bus". Of course, we laughed about it, but it does show how important pronunciation is to your listening skills.<br />
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So, here is a challenge:<br />
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How many pronunciation differences are there between "bus" and "bath"? And what are they?<br />
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一人の生徒さんがレッスンの中でバスケットをしていて腰を痛めたという話をしてくれた。そして、英語のレッスンの終わりに私たちはこんな会話をした。<br />
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Paul:家に帰ってお風呂に入ったらいいよ。<br />
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生徒さん:いいえ、いいえ私は車で来ました。<br />
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彼にはたぶん「バスで家に帰った方がいいよ」と聞こえたのだろう。もちろん私たちは大笑いをした。でも、この中からリスニングの重要さがすごくよくわかる。<br />
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では、トライしてみてください:<br />
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「bus」と「bath」のこの二つの中でいくつ違う発音があるでしょう?そしてそれらは何がどう違いますか?Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-54643957498003782222011-04-06T22:30:00.001+09:002011-04-11T11:41:43.708+09:00Pronunciation IS ImportantI am always impressed by anyone who tries to communicate in a language that is not their own. In Japan most of the people I meet have to, or have had to, study English. The focus at school is very much on memorising pointless vocabulary and passing exams. Students are seldom required to produce any English.<br />
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It seems a shame to me that despite how much effort is expended in studying, so many people have difficulty communicating in English. It may well be that they have studied the grammar that a native English speaker is using, but because their listening skills are not very good, conversations often break down before they have started.<br />
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I firmly believe that good pronunciation will improve your listening and thus improve your ability to communicate.<br />
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外国語でコミュニケーションをとる人たちにいつも感動する。日本で私が過去あった人のほとんどが英語の勉強をしなくてはいけない、またはしてきた人だ。学校が焦点を当てているのはあまり要領を得ない語彙を記憶することと試験に合格すること。学生たちは英語というものを作り出すということはほとんどしない。<br />
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たくさんの時間を英語に費やしたにもかかわらずあまり効果が見られなず、結局多くの人がコミュニケーションをとる事を問題としているのは残念でしょうがない。たぶんネイティブスピーカーが使う文法はちゃんと勉強してきているのだと思うが、リスニングスキルがよくなくて、会話が始まる前に会話が進まない。<br />
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私は確固として、リスニングがよくあんればコミュニケーション能力が上がるものだと確信しています。Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3018380616403199391.post-78450655414068414392011-03-28T11:46:00.000+09:002011-03-28T11:46:17.375+09:00Coffee morning at Paul's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81xX4GU6jtAgiGiXX4GQmrhe0FZjUBtSB9rWgQid7awTcjhKZKJjVUqqU8ie2CQO9uICd48qojyOEGvzzuc0nLtYlW9noDmqS3VOk0swYrmvxPcHlk08N_TikX8Xg6dZ9M5qjx52jCis/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81xX4GU6jtAgiGiXX4GQmrhe0FZjUBtSB9rWgQid7awTcjhKZKJjVUqqU8ie2CQO9uICd48qojyOEGvzzuc0nLtYlW9noDmqS3VOk0swYrmvxPcHlk08N_TikX8Xg6dZ9M5qjx52jCis/s320/007.JPG" /></a></div><br />
This seems a little after the event, but the disaster in the Tohoku area later in the same day has overshadowed everything that we are doing. However, I thought I should just report that the people who came had a good time chatting, and I think they enjoyed all the goodies! We had a very short "class" on pronunciation and how to spell out words in English. Please look out for news of the next coffee morning at www.paulsjp.comPaulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493247804618383027noreply@blogger.com0