Things I like: My cat

the picture was taken from www.hisgo.com

I thought I like dogs better than cats. But my thought changed recently. A stray cat came to my house from my friend two years ago. 

I named him Brownie. His face was not so handsome and I didn't know his real age. His movements were also slow. He didn't show his teeth and didn't scratch me with his nails. 

Now he is my family member. When I worked in the dining room, he sleeps like a bowl on the table. I can stroke Brownie kindly. It's a comfortable time. 

So I found that I like both dogs and cats. 

By Hiroko Miyazawa

The Railway Children - Steam trains in Japan

My mother's hometown is in Akashina, Azumino city. There're lots of things about a steam train. Then I always went Akashina, I would get on a train with my mother and sister. The steam train had run through the Shinonoi line from Shiojiri to Nagano until I was about ten years old.

It takes 20 minutes to get Akashina station from Matsumoto. My mother told me not to open a window widely. Suddenly the smoke entered in the train depend on the wind direction. The seats were made of wood, so it was not comfortable to sit. But it was a cozy space with my family.

My grandparents house and rice fields were by the train line.  The house was on the higher place than the Shinonoi line. So I could see the magnificent figure of the steam train, when I went out of the gate. In front of the rice fields, there was a small crossing, then the train whistle blew. I liked to watch the steam train at that time.

In early summer, I played with my younger aunts while grandparents planted rice. In fall, the season of rice harvest, I always waved the passengers in the train from the rice fields. They waved back from the windows. I wondered where people were going? At that time, the train was not so fast, I could see the features of people. It was really interesting.

Posted for Hiroko

The Brontë Story - Jany Eyre explained

To editor of Smith and Elder pubishing company,

I'm so glad to give me your sinsire advice. Along with your advice, I've written "Jane Eyre" in 3 volumes.

In volume one, Jane Eyre lives with an unkind aunt, and then goes away to a school called Lowood. She has lived eight years in this strict school. Enduring a miserable and poor life in this school, she becomes a strong woman.

In volume two, she puts an advertisement and then she gets a job of governess in Thornfield House. The master in Thornfield house falls in love with Jane, and tries to get married, even though he already has a wife who has been mad. Jane runs away from her master.

In volume three, a rector in Moor House helps Jane Eyre while wondering Moors. Coincidentally a rector and his two sisters are Jane's cousins. For the first time, she can gets true family. At last, the story is happy ending.

Jane Eyre is an independant woman. She always says her thought by herself, even though in front of the nobles. She says a genuine affection to the man. This is sensational, but her life will move women in the world.

I want to change my name "Currer Bell" No one thinks women can write good books, so I would like to use man's name. My sister's books, "Agness Grey" and "Wuthering Heights" are dicided to publish from Thomas Cautley Nawby publishing company. Please think about my book "Jane Eyre"

Posted for Hiroko

Goldfish - A police Report

The old man Sype was at Westport. He was a train-robber who had stolen the Learnder pearls. He had got a nice home, a wife and lots of goldfish to sell, and money for both of them. I offered the deal. Insurance will give Twenty-five grand reward to get the Learnder pearls. Five grand to the girls who gave me the lead. Ten grand for me. Ten grand for Sype. But Sype turned down my deal and pointed a gun at me.

At that time, Mrs Sype and the nasty people Carol Donovan, Rush Madder came into Sype's house with guns. So Sype put down his gun. While I grinned at Carol, Mrs Sype was moving across the floor in order to get her husband's gun, which was near the middle of the room. As I hit Carol's head, Mrs Sype shot her back. She was dead. Madder shot Sype twice, so he was falling to the floor. I didn't want to kill Madder so I shot him in the back of the knee. I took the gun away from Mrs Sype. Then I heard Sype's voice. Although he was dying, he smiled at his wife and told her to remember the Moors.

At last I found The Learnder pearls from the black Moors body. I held them- each of them was two centimeters across heavy, round, milky white and shining. Mrs Sype said hiding the pearls in the fish was a way of remembering and the best way of punishing himself. But that idea was too hard to me.

Posted for Hiroko

The Wind in the Willows - A thank you letter

Dear Mrs. Keeper's daughter,

Sorry l haven't written for a while but I've been spent very tough days. I hope you're well. I have no words to express my gratitude. I am writing this letter in my Hall now. I think I was saved by the grace of you.

In prison you heard my rubbish story. At that time, I thought I hadn't been silly at all. Although I was in prison, I had such a foolish thinking. How foolish I was! Now I know I was silly, dangerous and boastful. I want you to know the reason of changing my thinking. Please read my story about escape.

I wore an old washer woman's dress which you bought and I passed the guards of the castle entrance easily. Then I got on the train. In the morning I met a barge -woman who said I was a fat lazy little toad. I stole her horse which I sold to a man later. At that time, I said to myself. What a cleverToad I am! I am ashamed of me in that time. I was just a criminal and an escaped prisoner. How silly I was!

I came to a road and began to walk. Then a terrible thing happened. The person whose car I had stolen recognized me. They chased me through a wood. I dropped into the deep water. When I was too tired to pull myself out of water, the Rat helped me.

The Rat told me about my Hall. The Stoats and the Weasles and the Ferrets - they had taken my Hall. They had been living there.They had got guns knives and sticks. They kept guard round the house night and days.They said they were going to stay there for ever. At first I couldn't believe it. But my good friends, the Rat, the Mole, the Badger and I made a plan to get the Hall back.

When they held a big birthday-party we run into dining hall. W could go there because there was an underground tunnel. They didn't have any guns or sticks with them at the party. So we could chase them and beat them and hit them with our weapons. What a battle it was! But we won the battle. Our attempt was a great success.

I have fortunate to have good friends. I changed my ways and became a sensitive animal. Still now I love to talk. But it isn't only about myself. It is about my likable friends. I am a very different Toad. I'm going to talk if you will visit our river under the Willows. Of course you had better come here in spring. It will be very peaceful and beautiful. Maybe you will like here.

See you again next spring!

Toad

Posted for Hiroko

Rabbit-Proof Fence - A survival journey

His name was Junichi Toda. He was an ordinary office worker. But he didn't succeed his job. And even though he had been seeing a girl friend for five years, he didn't get along well with her. He wanted to change his life.

One day he climbed a mountain in Saitama prefecture in August. That was not a dangerous mountain. His climbing experience hadn't been even for one year. When he went down the mountain, he lost the way and fell down the cliff. He broke his left leg badly. He tried to stop the wound with T-shirt and an umbrella without panic. Then he covered with a plastic bag. But he couldn't go home. No one knew where he was climbing.

The food he had was the only seven candies. The second day he poured out his belongings in the mountain stream. He hoped that someone would find them.

Next day, he ate all of candies. He was't thirsty, because he was by the mountain stream. But he didn't have any food. So he ate ants and earthworms. On the other hand, his family had given out leaflets to the people in Chichibu area.

The ninth day they found the eyewitness. They asked the search party to find Mr. Toda in Mt. Ryokami in Chichibu. Two weeks later, he was rescued.

After he was operated on his left leg nine times, he could walk and got married his girlfriend and became a father of two children. Now he thanks everyone supporting him. I think it is wonderful that no one give up all hope.

Posted for Hiroko

The Last Sherlock Holmes Story - Final words from the 'protagonist'

April 1891 Switzerland

I had enjoyed my life with my best friend Watson for a long time before we left England. I always fought against crime. I always investigated the truth of crime.

Recently I have had some suspicion against Watson. When a woman called Flora White was killed with a knife in Whitechapel, the suspicion became a true. When I found my bedroom door was locked in Watson's house, I tried to hit the man who came in, but he jumped away. And then there was the letter telling Lestrade that I was the Whitechapel murderer. What rubbish! How Scotland Yard would laugh!

I took it from the cook's hand while Watson was calling the cab. Because it wasn't Watson. Moriarty had killed my friend and taken his place. Moriarty is very clever. He looked almost like Watson. I knew this man was Moriarty since I had seen him injecting himself with cocaine. My dear friend Dr. Watson would never, never take drugs.

Moriarty has asked me to walk with him to the Reichenbach Falls, which is a wild and lonely place. Since taking cocaine, Moriarty will be getting weaker and weaker. I know he will try to shoot me there, but he will not kill me because I have put blanks in his gun. He is very clever but he always takes drugs. I can kill him. I must kill him. This is the best way for my life.

Posted for Hiroko

Current Magazine - Nujeen Mustafa

Inspired by reading a snippet of Nujeen Mustafas's 'Nujeen: One Girl's Incredible Journey from War-Torn Syria in a Wheelchair' in Mary Glasgow's Current magazine, some students wrote about the toughest journeys they've experienced in their lives.


When I was a university student, I sometimes had a part-time job. The university was in Kyoto, so there were some special part-time jobs.

One day, I found the notice of the job with my friend at the student affairs office. It was an extra of a period play. It looked fun and payment was not so bad. We were willing to apply that job. On the day, it was really heavy rain early in the morning. I wonder whether I go there or not. I decided to go there.

The bus was waiting for us at school. After leaving there, it stopped raining. Because of the heavy rain, my friend hadn't come. I went to Uzumasa film studio to wear a peasant costume. I was unhappy.

Everyone got on a bus again for an hour, and arrive at Ado river ibn Shiga prefecture. Around the river was lonely place. There were just only a field and a river. It was a good place to shoot peasants riot. Some professional extras involved in our group. s making a sign, everyone began to run. We did it again and again. Lunch box was served on the bus.

Then we ran in the different field. In the evening another scene was shot. This time we ran with torches. There is no place to go to the restroom. So I gave up to go there. After shooting, they gave dinner box. When I got to my sharehouse, it was nine. It was a unique experience, but I didn;t want to do it again. It was the toughest day trip.

Posted for Hiroko

A letter of gratitude - after reading A Christmas Carol

Dear Jacob Marley

I'm really thank you for coming to my bed at Christmas night. You have been travelling on the wings of wind for seven years as a ghost. You said there was no peace and rest. At first I didn't understand what you say. But the three spirits came by my bedside at Christmas Eve.

The ghost of the Past came and showed me my lonely life.My father was a cold, hard man who didn't love me at all. I always stayed at school in Christmas holiday. After I started work, I showed an interest in money. Once I had a girl friend who loved me. But I always love money more than her. So she married another man.

The ghost of the Present took me to the people I know. I understood the thought of Fred and Mr. Cratchit. The ghost of the Future showed me the last miserable life of me. So I changed my thinking. 

When Christmas comes, I always "Merry Christmas to you!" In the morning I go to church and give children money for sweets. In the afternoon I stay Fred, nephew's house. We enjoy a wonderful dinner, party games, every time. I feel wonderful happiness. Of course, I've never forgot Bob Crachit's family. Eapecially to Tiny Tom I become a second father. I always care of him.

If I keep Christmas cheerfully and do a lot lf good things to people, you might escape to travel with chains. See you as a ghost.

Sincerely yours.

Posted for Hiroko

A letter to your music teacher

Dear Mrs Lark,

How are you doing now? Once I was a student on Tuesdays. Do you remember my name? I'm Tony.

I left school when I was thirteen. Fortunately I worked on a farm. A farm's work was better than the shops and the factory work. I worked very hard at Mr Wood's farm. Mr Wood was like a father to me and taught a lot.His wife cooked avery good country food.

One day I found the old piano in a garage. Nobody taught me, but I could make music. I rememberd those wonderful Tuesday mornings. Your fingers flew like birds up and down the keys of the piano. We sang like birds, too. The piano changed my life.

Linda, Mr Wood's daugther taught me to read music. Mr Gordon, the teacher at the little village school also taught me hou to play the piano. And then I won the music competition. I was happy everyone supported me. I'm going to the College of Music for three years.Mr and Mrs Wood will send me there.

I'm really appreciate that I had wonderful Tuesday mornings.

Sincerely yours,

Tony

Posted for Hiroko

Seasons and Celebrations - Most famous celebration

New year's celebration is the most famous celebration my country.

After Christmas, my family sent new year's cards to friends and relatives.

When I was young, I made rice cakes with a mallet and a mortar at my grandparents' house, and hung pine decorations in front of the gate to guard a house from bad things in December 28.

My family did the house cleaning in December 30. After that we went shopping to buy some groceries to make special foods.

Each special foods had a meaning of good luck, for example ,family's prosperity, long life, and good health.

In new years eve, we finished making special foods before NHK's songs festival on TV. We enjoyed dinner and programme untill midnight.

New years day came, children began to get excited because of new year's handsels. After eating special food on January 1, We went to the shrine to pray for family's good luck.

For three days, I could get handsels. Besides my family spent very relaxed time, playing cards and playing board games. It was my wonderful memory.

Posted for Hiroko

After-reading - a letter to one of Henry's wives

Dear Katherine

Thank you for sending me a letter. When I read your letter, I remembered our wonderful times.After my brother Arthur died, I became your husband. I was so happy because you were graceful and dignified. I enjoyed horse-riding, playing teinnis,writing and playing music together.

But you were religious Christian.So you were too strict to your life. And then you miscarriaged mamy times.We have only a daugther.

Once there had only ever been one Queen in England and that was a terrible time, with a lot of fighting and killing. I don't want that to happen again after my death. If we have had some sons, our future would absolutely change.

I really want to have a son in this terrible time.

Even the Catholic Church and you will never agree this dovorce,I won't care this. Because I am the King of England. I can do everything.

I'll send this neclace with a gold cross to my daugther Mary.

King of England

Henry VIII

Posted for Hiroko

Death in the Freezer - after-reading

Do you have any brothers or sisters? Do you get on well with them?

I have a sister. She's two years older than I. When I was a child, I always wanted the things my sister had. So then my parents gave us two dolls, two bags and so on. And I don't like hand-me- downs. I sometimes had a quarrel with my sister about clothes. So my mother prepared different colored dress and skirt.

We've thought rivals each other for lots of years. Then I didn't get on well with my sister while we stayed our house. But when we became adults, our relationship was good. Coincidentlly I lived near her house after my marrige.We helped each other about child raising. Recently when I felt down my sister helped me. I 've given thanks to my sister.

Posted for Hiroko

After reading - Did Edward do the right thing?

Yes, he did. I thought Wallis was a very attractive woman. So even she already married Edward loved her. I thought they were wonderful lovers. If they met in London of course Edward would be a King and Wallis would be a Queen. But before World War Second, she wasn't a suitable person for him to marry. Wallis was from the USA. She divorced her husbands twice. Her husbands were alive. The British people wanted the Royal family to be an ideal family. So they couldn't accept Wallis as a Queen. It was sad for them not to live in London. But they got a free lifestyle. I think no one gets everything. For Edward it is a wonderful life to live with the true lover. I hear there is an interesting thing. British people don't like American lineage But Princess Diana's grandmother is American. So now there is an American lineage in Royal family. The time is changing.

Posted for Hiroko

Luna's anchor ladies - Naoko & Hiroko

Driving story - parking problems

A multi-story car park (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have driven a car more than 30 years. But I haven't had serious accident yet. Until now I've had some experience to make a scratch and a damage on my car.

It was one of them.

When I went shopping, I drove a car into a parking lot. It was under the park near Hotel Vuena Vista.

That parking lot was called the method of puzzle. When the car was put the parking space, it moved it back by machine. So there was the edge around the space. I didn't know it.

There were always some staffs. One of them said turn right slowly. So I did it as he said. When I was driving my car, a strange sound was occurred. But I didn't know where the sound was from. I didn't care anything.

But when I got home, I found the damage in a part of the bumper. So I was shocked.

Hiroko

E-mail is necessary in the modern world

Quick and easy

Before E-mail, we had to write a letter or call to communicate other people in a long distance. Writing a letter is a good way to communicate, but it takes time to write and we have to buy a stamp (cost a lot) and go to the post office. And when I call someone, I have to consider what time is it there when I call to other country and if it is a good timing for them.

But E-mail, it cost low and it doesn’t bother people’s life, they chechk mail-box when they have time, so it is very convenient.

With E-mail, we can communicate other people equally even though they live in the opposite side of this planet.

Written by Yasumi

It is necessary for me to use cellphone E-mails when I want to meet friends and to send student’s parents information at work.

I can send some friends same contents at the same time. It’s really convenient and I don’t care the time besides.

But I sometimes send summertime letters and new years letters to old friends. While I write letters I think them. It’s a good time for me.

I think each way has each good point.

Written by Hiroko

English: Telex machine Svenska: Telexmaskin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
What the heck do you do with one of these!?

When I had been worked for the company, about thirty years ago actually, we had used telex. Our company’s head office is in Massachusetts so we had to contact them everyday.

To send telex, we had to use the special machine and spend time. Sometimes it failed to send. Those are terrible memories for me.

But, one day, the head office decided to use the electric mail, and it made us surprised. It was easy, beautiful and spend short time. But, those days, electric mail was still unstable ways to send important letters.

Now, we call it e-mail and it is easy and quickly to send our situation, opinion, or many other things. We can’t back to telex age. Because we can’t have the telex machine each of us. It’s not easy and it will make us to waste time and money.

Written by Naoko