Pasta machine

The day before yesterday, I cooked pasta. I have always used dried pasta but hoped to make fresh pasta someday. I bought a pasta machine and tried making fresh pasta.

The first I mixed flour, salt, egg and oil, and I kneaded them just until it came together. The next  I flattened the dough with a bar. Finally I putted the dought in a pasta machine, then cutted pasta was made.

Making fresh pasta was fun and the fresh pasta was better taste than dried pasta!

Shopping

If it had been fine today, I would have gone hiking in Okutama,
but weather forecast said it was going to rain today,
so I decided not to go hiking.

Instead, I went to shopping moll.
I enjoyed shopping all day because the shopping moll where I went was very big.

The first I went a pet shop and bought my pet's toys and Actinidia called "Matatabi" in Japanese. My pets Basil and Yuki like Actinidia very well, and I always feed them Actinidia when I am too busy to play with them.
In the pet shop there were many lovely puppies and kittens. I remembered when Basil and Yuki were small and lovely kittens.

The second I went a motor shop. I already have had a car but I want bigger one. Unfortunately I didn't like any cars I tried riding, but I spended a fun time.

In addition, I went a outdoor shop and interior shop.
On the way home I bought beer, so from now I am going to making 'Takoyaki' and drinking beer!

I had been busy last week

Last week, I had been busy, because I had to practice a presentation.
A coworker checked my presentation, and if it was good, I could make it in front of customers.
I made it in front of a coworker for the first time on Tuesday.
But I couldn't do too well becasue I hadn't practiced well.
It had taken me a lot of time to make a document of the presentation and I had not too much time to practice it.
As I thought, the coworker said I needed to practice more hard.

I retried to do on Friday.
I had done my best in order to get a coworker's approval.
After she listened to my presentation, she allowed me to make it in front of customers next time.

I was happy and on the way to home I ate delicious foods for celebrating me.

Gift flowers

Last month, when I was transferred to a new department in my company,
cowokers of an old department gave me flowers.

Because I have not ever been given floweres so much,
it was really pleasure for me.

When I came home, I started to arrange the flowers.
It was a big buquet that I gave, but I didn't have a big vase.
So I separated the buquet and arraged them in three small vases.

It looked very cute and I had been happy to look at them.

Thank you for being so thoughtful!

Listening to English

The month before last, I visited Paris with my family on a pleasure trip.
Before this trip, I studied English, especially listening to English,
because our trip was a personal trip, not a package tours.

I listened to pod casts and went to English lessons.
I thought if people speak slowly, I would understand what they say.

But actually it was more difficult for me to listening to English in Paris than I thought.
In my opinion, the most important reason was that English speakers weren't native.
I was used to American or British English, but not non-native English.

Last day, I participated in a conference in my company,
and there was a Chinese speaker.
Though his English was very fluently and everyone understood his English well,
it was very hard for me to listening to.

Learning English is harder than I thought.

Studying English

I'm Japanese.
I had studied English for 6 years in junior high school and high school.
And in addition, for 4 years in college.
But I can use English a little.
I am too bad.

When I went to Syanhai for a trip,
there were some variety programs on TV.
In one of them, all Chinese talents and guests spoke English.
I have never seen such programs in Japan.

I think there are more people who can speak English in China than in Japan.

Globalization is progressing fast, so we should learn English.

Good luck! Japan!

London Olympic

The week before last, London Olympic had finished.
Everyday I enjoyed watching many plays.
I cheered for Japanese players, because I am Japanese.

How about Basil?
I asked for him.

'Hey Basil! Which country do yo cheer for?'
He said, 'Hmm. I am a Scottish cat, so I back up England.'

But Basil has been in Japan.
So I asked him to cheer for Japan.

Yuki & a cherry

Last month, I found very unique cherries.
We somtimes see two pairs of cherries, but
we rarely see three pairs of cherries.

I was happy to find them, so I showed these cherries to Yuki.
But she made a strange face.
Cherries taste good for me, but a cat doesn't like its flavor.
She didn't eat them, so I ate them.
It tasted delicious!

I had a cold

I have had a cold for the last week or so.
I haven't had a fever, runny nose, and a cought,
but had a sore throat and no voice.

For a whole week, I couldn't speak.
I had 5 days summer vacation, so I wanted to go to English lessons, hiking in mountains, and eating delicious foods,
But I could do nothing.
I spent all of my vacation on staying my home.
I was very sad.

But today, I recover my voice a little.
I am reassured that I can go work tommorrow.

Restart my blog

I have blown off posting my blog for about 3 months.
But from today, I restart my blog!

The end of the last month, I moved the department in my company.
Until then, I had used only Japanese at work,
but in my new department, I have to use English for writing or reading e-mails,
making telephone conferences, and making reports to my boss.

Now, I am very hard to do them.
But I study English everyday,
and I hope in the near future to get used to my job.

Shirahama in Wakayama prefecture

Yesterday, I went to Shirahama in Wakayama prefecture.
Shirahama is popular beach among people in Kansai area.

It was sunny day,
and a white sand beach, a blue sky and a blue sea were very beautiful.

The swimming season had just started in this beach since 3th May.
Some people swam in the sea, but they looked like cold.

I didn't swim but enjoyed bathing my feet in the sea.

Kirishima azalea in Nagaoka tenmangu

Since the day before yesterday, I have been in Osaka, my hometown,
and I have been staying with my parents.

Yesterday, I went to Nagaoka tenmangu in Kyoto with my parents
which is a shrine famous for Kirishima azalea.
My mother said Kirishima azalea was designated as a protected species
and it was in full bloom.

As she said, it is now in full bloom.
In this picture, it looks like a deep red tunnel.

When I arrived there, it was early in the morning,
and there were only a few people around.
So I enjoyed looking at flowers for a long time.

I like turtles

This is a turtle in Rikugien where I went last Sunday.
I like turtles very much, because they are so cute.
It swam and looked so comfortable.
Look at its short arms and legs, it looks so cute doesn't it?

I would like to have a turtle in my house,
but my husband doesn't allow it.
Actually, we already have two cats and we can't afford to have any more pets.
I know that.

So I have enjoyed looking at turtles in parks, pet shops, sea, and so on.
The turtle which made the strongest impression on me was a marine turtle in Hawaii.
(The best turtle I ever saw was a marine turtle in Hawaii.)
I had never seen such a big turtle before.
I touched its shell, it was so hard.

Someday I hope to see a marine turtle again, and swim together.

Shidarezakura in Rikugien

Today, I went to Rikugien garden in Komagome to see Shidarezakura.
Shidarezakura is a cherry blossom which branches fall down from its trunk like Yanagi.

I like Someiyoshino which is the most famous cherry blossom.
That is cute and gorgous.

And I also like Shidarezakura, which is lilly and elegant.

It was fine today.
While I was walking, I felt so good.

Spring has came to Japan!

I enjoyed skiing in winter.
So I was sad to finishing winter season.

But in spring, I can enjoy hiking.
Next week I hope to go hiking in Chichibu or Okutama.

YOGA

Every Sunday, I go to the gym.
But this Sunday, I am going to the park to see cherry blossoms,
so I won't be able to go to the gym.
Which meant that I had to go there today.

While I was there I joined in the YOGA class.
This was my second time.

I have to sit for a long time at work everyday,
and I don't move much.

So once a week, I enjoy YOGA and relax.

When I came back home,
I found Basil holding a YOGA pose.
He has a flexible body, but my body is stiff.
I wish I were him.

Spring typhoon

Today, it rained so hard, and the wind blew so strong
that I had to go home earlier than usual.

I left my office at 2 PM,
and so I arrived home at 3 PM.

It sounds good but I was unhappy,
because I had a lot of work to do.
Which meant that I worked at home.

I have just finished.
I am so tired.

Every year, typhoons come to Japan in summer,
but this year it came in spring!

It's very unusual for this time of year.
YUKI is hiding in her cardboard house.

I hope weather gets better tomorrow.

This is YUKI

Today, I'll introduce YUKI.
This is a picture from when she was only 2 months old.
She came to our house when she was 3 months old.
Now, she is three years old.

She is BASIL's sister.
They have the same parents, so they are true siblings.

But they have quite different characters.
BASIL is peaceful, but YUKI is spoiled.

She is always scratching the walls in our house everyday.
So, we are not happy about this.

But she is very cute, so I love her.
I am happy to have her.

Start my English blog

My English teacher Marcus advised me to write an English blog about three months ago.
But I couldn't start, because it seemed so difficult.

Today, I had some free time, and so I tried making a blog.
It was easier than I thought.
Finally, I could start my blog.

I am going to Paris in May.
Until then, I will try to continue making this blog.

My blog's title is my cat's name.
I have two cats.
One is BASIL, and the other is YUKI.
The cat in this picture is BASIL, a three-year-old male,
and tommorow, if I have time, I will introduce YUKI.