We eat rice cake with "kinako". No3
What is "kinako" ?
Unnn, Kinako is made of soybean which roasted and smashed.

Kieran, that is not Weetabix . I wanted to post about Japanese food. But I thought it is difficult to explain it.

Rice cake No2

Chimaki No1
These are "Chimaki", which are foods. My relatives who live in Nara, sent "Chimaki" for us every year. These are very toraditional foods in Japan.

Why did I post this picuture?
Recentry my relatives are getting old. Mayby they will not send "Chimaki" some day. I just want to keep this piuture. (Because I can't cook "chimaki".)

Open school
Last saturday, we went to our older son's elementary school which, was a open school. Japanese open school is that waching chaildren in classes. Last saturday, they have been learning mathematics and Japanese.
My American friend said parents don't watch their children who learn in their children's class in the USA.

In Japan, parents have some chances to watch their children in year.

My older son has never put up his hand in the open school . My older son is very shy. He is always time afraid of his mistakes . I understand his feeling. I think he should do as he wishes .

Watermelon
He was just hitting a watermelon. In summer, children did this. This picture was taken 6 years ago in my older son's pre-school. They were boys, who were not my older son, wearing glasses. The other boy is my son, who just stood and watched.

Of courese they ate watermelons after this event.

Today, my younger son did it in his pre-school.

Swimming pools have just opend in my son's school today.
Swimming pools are openning on June, which is rainy season in Japan.
Unfortunately it was bad wether today. My older son swam in thier pool only 5 miniutes. My younger son couldn't swim in his pre-school .
They hope good wether for swimming. Anyway it has been bad weather for a long time in Japan.

Lego Lego Lego
My sons like to play with Lego. I think Lego is a nice toy for children. But Lego makes me always annoyed . I don't think I like to be tidy. But if I step on Lego parts, I feel pain. And I am upset with my sons. And I nag them. "Clean up!!!"

When I vacuum our room, my cleaner inhales Lego parts. And I have to seek it in the cleaner.
Oh, that is so terrible.

I wish I had a big house and a lot of money. I always think American, Australian and the other country's people have much bigger houses than Japanese.
When I read their blogs, I am very envious of theiri lives. Anyway the land is considerably more expensive than their country.

Lego Lego Lego

The rainy season
It is the rainy season in Japan. It is humid and hot. I don't like Japanese the rainy season.
Our laundry can't be dried.
I lose my umbrellas in trains or buses.
Our sons can't go out.

Perth station

A yeallow ramp
When we went to Australia, we found a yellow ramp on the doors. Trains arrived at Perth station, so doors opened. At the same time, yellow ramp came down. I thought it was a very nice system. It is easy to run wheelchairs and baby byggies. Australia is more Barrier-free than Japan.
I sometimes saw people who drove wheelchairs by themself in Perth.

Satuday diary (Friday night)
Today is Saturday. I was so busy this week. I want to go to my bed early tonight.

By the way, do you know Schindler Management Ltd , which is a maker of elevators. I heard this company is a very famous company in the world, Especcially Europe. But last week a young Japanese student died in Japan. So he was killed by Schindler's elevator. We found there are a lot of Schindler's ekevator accidents in the wolrd.
Why do these elevators No2 share in the world?

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060609/kyodo/d8i4laj80.html

If we get on a elevator with our children, we should take care of their safety.

Today's meeting
I was very tired today, because I went to Chiba on business. It takes two hours by train. And I had meeting for our project. It began at 1 P.M. And it finished at 8 PM, and I came back at 10:30 PM.
Usually I can't attend a meeting which takes a long time. Because I have to pick up my son from his preschool. But my husband did it. (My husband is busy every day.)
Why does it takes so long? A manager can't understand this situation. Every time he ask the members same questions.

Tug-of-War for children
Sports day in my older son's elementary school
Japanese schools have a sportday, which is Japanese way and culture. Students, who make up to red and white groups do battle.

We always doTug-of-War in sports day. When I was a student, I used to do it. My husband told me "Tug-of-War is global sport." I found " the International Tug of War Federation (TWIF)" web site. I think Japanese are less powerful than than European. Japanese do not generally have power.

Tug-of-war for parents

Scrum ball??
I heard my American friend, does not like sports day, who is a teacher in Japan. Students are suppose to practice for sports day. And they have to practice every day. My American friend said sometimes her child was fed up with doing the having the same practice. I agree with her view.

Younger son
He is my younger son, when he was about 6 months old.
This picture is diffrent of previos picture, which is my older son. My friends said my younger son is simillar my older son. But my younger son's skin is very blond. And he is very naughty.
They were born from same mother. (Of course)
But they are diffrent character. I think it is funny.