I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and if there’s one thing we love to talk about, it’s the weather. Honestly, we’re kind of insufferable. However, you’re reading my blog, so you kind of signed up for suffering. It’s your own fault, really.

My favorite weather, without question, is foggy weather. I also love snowy weather and rainy weather and cloudy weather (not so much sunny weather), but foggy weather is my absolute fav. It’s the dreamiest of all the weather patterns. Fog softens the landscape, cools the air, muffles sound, and makes even the most mundane areas you’ve seen a thousand times before look mysterious. I love it.

Unfortunately for me, for whatever reason, there’s never fog in Ogaki. I’ve seen brief, thin fogs in Gifu City and out in Ginan, but that’s it. Otherwise, I’ve been bereft of my beautiful mist.

To get my fog fix, I like to scroll through my old photos. We got fog often in the Pacific Northwest, and I loved taking pictures of it, so I have a lot to choose from. Please enjoy this brief selection from my collection.

バレンタインデイです。

日本では、女性から男性へ渡す習慣プラス、友チョコが主流になっていますが、

チョコレートはみんなが大好き！なのでいっそチョコレートデイにしてもよいのではないかと

思います。今年は、初めてチョコレート型ロリポップを買ったので作ってみるつもりです。

子どもの頃からののチョコの思い出は・・・

ベビーチョコ（小さなチョコがいっぱいプラスチックのケースに入って、ちまちまと

食べたりしていました）

ペコちゃんの傘の形のチョコ（透明でキラキラした傘の柄含め子供の私には素敵すぎた）

イチゴの味が入ったアポロ（形がロケット型？でゆめがありました。）

そして外国人に人気のあったＬＯＯＫ（チョコのいろんな味の入ったのをホームステイの子に）

お酒の入った板チョコも大好きなチョコのナンバー５入りです。

いまはだんぜんリンツのチョコにとろけています。

カカオの含有量の高いチョコは、血圧をさげ体に良いと聞きますが、

甘いチョコでも薬代わりになったらとてもハッピーですね。

HAPPY CHOCOLATE DAY!

For the past 9 years, I’ve really enjoyed the mild winters in Japan.  Even when it’s cold it’s not TOO cold, and when it snows the snow doesn’t stick for very long.  Before moving to Japan I was used to really harsh winters.  Chicago is well known for its extreme weather, especially its winters.  Temperatures regularly plummet into the negative – today it is -23 degrees Celsius – and it snows…a lot.  

Snow is very pretty and it’s a lot of fun to play in, but regular snow can be a real pain.  Shoveling snow is hard work, especially when you have a long driveway and an alley.  And there are times when you shovel but by the time you’re done, more snow has fallen and you have to start all over again.  It’s hard to keep up!  It is also difficult when you have to drive to work in fresh snow.  Though in Chicago many people are accustomed to driving in snow, conditions can still be quite dangerous.  

Of course, I only experience Chicago weather through photos that friends and family post on social media pages, but the photos are enough to convince me to never visit my beloved hometown in the winter (summer, while quite hot and humid, is a much better time to visit).  Here’s one that my father sent me today.  This picture was taken from the front porch of the house that I grew up in.

新型コロナウィルスのせいでこんなに世界が変わってしまったというのに、自然を見渡すと何も変わらず平和に見えてしまう。と思うこの頃です。春もすぐそこに。「(just) around the corner」は「すぐ角を曲がったところに」とそのままの意味と、「すぐそこに、間近に」という意味があります。2001年の12月にはじめてホノルルマラソンに参加した時、ゴールの手前３，４キロの地点。死にそうなくらいで走っていた時、すでにゴールした人がまだ走りを続けている我々に、「The goal is just around the corner. You can smell it.」と言って励ましてくれたことを今でも覚えています。コロナの向こうの世界も just around the corner と思って頑張っていきましょう！

Hello everyone! There is a new campaign at 7-11 celebrating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario! Like I’ve said before in the chocolate egg post, I really love playing Super Mario games! It makes me very happy to see Super Mario themed products in many different stores. 

What I liked about this sandwich, was that it was very spicy! In Japan, I have had a difficult time finding food that is spicy to me. Even though the menu, or packaging says spicy, I always think it’s mild! It made me happy since Bowser, or Kuppa in Japan, is known to live in a fire castle and have fire breathing abilities! It’s perfect that a sandwich representing him is so spicy and hot!

Have you seen any of the Super Mario themed food at 7-11? If you have and tried any of them please let me know what your favorite is!