Entry 35 : Kameyama

 

Recently, I went to visit Ayumi in Kameyama, Mie Pref. Actually, this is my 3rd visit since she moved to this mountainous village. The first visit was after the end of corona season on 16 March, 22 till 31 March, 22. Then the second visit from 30 Nov. 22 to 13 Dec, 23.

Ayumi came to Okinawa during the school summer vacation 2019. She was in her 5th month pregnant with Kumiko. Then, it was arranged that I go to Suzuka City to help with the kids when she needed to rest for post-delivery time. I think I managed to visit her in Suzuka for 3 times. This trip was the last visit to her Suzuka's house. I was there for about 6 weeks and left with a sciatica painful hip and back. Good thing, she was able to manage the family when I left for home.

Ayumi left Suzuka and moved to Kameyama just before Christmas on 22 December, 2022. Then I made my first visit to the new house on 16 March, 22 till 31 March, 22. This being the second time I met Kumiko since her birth on 7 Jan. 2020 due to nation wide corona prolonged lockdown.

I made my 2nd trip to Kameyama on 30 Nov, 22 and ending it by 13 Dec. 22. For this trip, I'd to wait for Halija & Nurul at Kansai Airport. Then we made our way to her house. Halija stayed in Kameyama for 4 days and we made out way to Osaka for 3 day. Yuriko came along & we stayed at Shin-Osaka Marriott Hotel. After Halija departed for Singapore, I went back to Ayumi's house and waited for Minako & Tomo. Four days later, we left for Okinawa with Tomo, Minako & Myiesha. They stayed in Okinawa for 6 days & made their way again to Kameyama for one week.   

My third visit to Kameyama was from 9 May, 23 till 23 May, 23. This time the purpose of going there is to collect a new passport which would expired on 5 August, 23. This time I processed everything online and it went along smoothly. I decided to choose Nagoya as the collection point since it is nearer to Kameyama. On the day of departure, I managed to meet Ayesha and Saalihah at Nagoya Stn with Ayumi and kids. Ayesha & her sister were having a Japan trip on their own and on that departure day, we managed to meet at Nagoya Stn. It was such a memorable experience, trying to catch less than 10 minutes for a photo shoot and running off to catch the next train to Chubu Airport.

So far three trips to Kameyama and it has been such a memorable and delightful visit. As I'm familiar with Chubu Airport and Nagoya Stn now and feeling more confident in travelling on my own in these places, I would be delighted to meet my grandkids more in Kameyama in the future.

Haiku :

Trains in Nagoya
passing on autumn bamboo
for my sis and niece.

........

Entry : 34

 Sebelum musim panas bermula, saya perlu petik semua daun ulam. Ini saya petik daun kadus, daun pengaga Jepun (mitsuba), pucuk daun kari dan daun pucuk ubi (diberi kawan). Saya jadikan masak lemak pedas tempoyak daun. Beberapa anak2 muda dari Indonesia datang bawa rojak (petis Jawa) dan popia. Saya tambah dgn nasi kacang dan pengat ubi kayu). Tempoyak itu taklah kuat sangat bau durian sebab ada yg tak kuat makan durian tapi akhirnya semua tinggal sedikit. Sengaja saya buat makan ramai2 sebab kalau makan sendiri mesti tak habis dan lauk2 Melayu masak lebih2 baru terasa rempah sarinya.

Haiku :

Having ulam dish
with lots of spicy blacan
Food without borders.

..........

Entry 33 : Kehidupan Senior

 Bulan puasa sebulan tidak keluar rumah, jadi semalam terasa nak makan air batu kacang sirap gula tebu. Lepas beli barang2 keperluan, pergi ke cafe untuk ABC, terjumpa grup senior ini. Mereka semua berumur 80+/90+. Seminggu beberapa kali mereka makan lunch bersama. Semua tinggal sendiri, suami dah pergi dulu. Pakai cantik2, makan2, cakap2 setiap minggu berjumpa. Kehidupan orang2 senior di sini macam best saja.

Haiku:

Even the seniors
gather for long lunch and chat
green sakura tree.

Entry 32: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunfelsia_pauciflora

This flower is blossoming right now. It's called Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. The flower starts as a deep purple bud, then as it opens up, it turns lighter purple. As the evening approaches, the flower turns pale purple, then the same flower turns white by night. The same flower turns from deep purple to white in just one day. Marvellous, don't you think? The smell is stronger than jasmine. The fragrant lingers throughout its blossom. Calming effect.

Haiku: 
Yesterday you came

Today you show your full dress

but gone tomorrow.

Entry 31: Wisdom tooth

 

My teeth have not been giving me any problems at all so far. When I was 13, I remembered taking a bus ride to Tan Tock Seng Dental Clinic with my younger sister, she was abt 8 yo. Both of us need to treat some decayed tooth. We had bronze fillings to top up those decayed tooth. That was when I was 13. I didn't have any problems with my teeth at all in my adult life. I do the normal brushing, then second brushing and flossing every night. 

February 16, 2023, after a sauna session, I came home and while having lunch, one of my wisdom tooth, top right of mouth came off like broken beach sands. I thought there were stones in my food but on closer look, to my shock, it was one of my wisdom tooth.

I panicked. I was thinking of all the treatment to go through and I told myself I need a kind and trendy dentist. I've a dentist in the neighbourhood that I go to every year to do routine clean up but I feel he is a little outdated and not trendy with the latest treatment. So I decided to visit a new dental clinic that is so new and glamorous. Since I wasn't on the appointment list, I had to wait about 4 hrs to have the consultation with the doctor. Before that, my mouth was x-rayed and had a manual check. Since the treatment need proper clinical words that I'm not used to in normal routine Japanese, I told the doctor to speak in English. But no, he can't speak English. Then he recommended a hospital with some English-speaking doctors. I booked an appointment but they only have one doctor who speak English, and his spot come in one month's time. That is impossible as I need to make an urgent treatment.
So I went back to the not-so-trendy doctor, got an immediate drilling and cleaning and happily, the anaesthetic injection was absolutely painless. 

When for 5 treatments that cost me $60 plut cost of bronze tooth $50 (covered by insurance).  It was all done within a month. 
I didn't know that a tooth even without pain can be decayed. 

But the lesson from all this is I should not make judgement on physical front. I've misjudged that humble doctor and I regret that truthfully.

Haiku:

Wilting Mayflower
brown and falling over ground
aging wisdom tooth.

Entry 30: Greens everywhere.

 Okinawa is coming into the vegetable season. I chop & store them in the freezer or stuff them in everything. Btw, it's S$1 per bundle.

Haiku:

Mixer working hard

glasses of celery juice

Even clouds are green.

Entry 29 : Cotton showers

 21 Feb 2023. In several days, these cotton fruits will break and we'll have cotton rain.

Haiku:

Umbrella opens

heavy cotton fruit shower

tracking to my house.