Great Luck

　
Great Luck
　
　

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Wagashi (和菓子)

or JAPANESE SWEETS






So, Kato, have you brought some wagashi for me?



Yes, you bet.

What kind of wagashi?

It is called "Great luck."

Great luck? ... ummmm ... sounds auspicious. 　Kato, show it to me.

Well ... I'd love to, but I seem to have bad luck.

Why is that?

Read the following mail.

Subj:
Awake for 26 hours without a nap


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From: barclay1720@aol.com
to: diane@vancouver.ca
Thursday, Nov 07, 2013 1:07PM
(Pacific Standard Time)

Hi Diane,

How have you been?
...hope you've been enjoying autumn days, hopping and jogging along the seawall.


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I had good times in Japan.
Although my mom reached the age of ninety, she miraculously survived the cardiac attack.
She seems to have obtained a brand new life---like a real miracle.
It is truly amazing!

I've just arrived in Vancouver with the taste of Japan,
and now sitting at the blue computer at JFS, writing this mail.
I've been awake for 26 hours without a nap in the return flight.
I'm really tired, but still excited with a lot of nice and sweet memories.
Anyway, I'll go to bed after posting some mail.

I'll start working on the blue computer at 10 AM tomorrow and
stay there until 1 o'clock.
Please give me a shout so that the taste of Japan will reach your stomach.
We might as well have a chat while sitting in front of the auditorium.

In any case, drop me a line or two.



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Your skinny traveler, Kato
with a lot of love


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Subj:
I'm happy to see you

From: diane@vancouver.ca
to: barclay1720@aol.com
Thursday, Nov 07, 2013 8:31PM
(Pacific Daylight Saving Time)

Hi Kato,

My skinny traveller,

Well, you sound like a sleep-deprived traveller as well, kiddo.
Holy cow .. I don't think I could go 26 hours without a nap. Probably not 15 hrs.
Amazing, you are.

Glad you're back safe and sound and I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
I'll drop by Joe Fortes Library probably sometime around 11:30-12:00pm.
... will be happy to see you.


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Luv, Diane ~

 

Subj:
Sorry! Overslept!


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From: barclay1720@aol.com
to: diane@vancouver.ca
Friday, Nov 08, 2013 12:36PM
(Pacific Daylight Saving Time)

Hi Diane,

I woke up at 12:20PM.
Terribly sorry!
I'll call you from home.


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Subj:
No problem!

From: diane@vancouver.ca
to: barclay1720@aol.com
Friday, Nove 08, 2013 2:18PM
(Pacific Standard Time)

Hi Kato,

No problem.
I sort of figured that was what happened.
Interestingly enough, I was at Joe Fortes exacting at 12:20pm ... just as you were waking up.
Maybe we could do it on Monday ... same timing .. instead.

Let me know okay.

Luv,Diane ~

p.s.: got your voice message, thanks.

I actually transferred my land line number to my cell phone, so I'm getting by with just the cell phone and saving a heap of money in the process.

 

Subj:
Miss you by jinx!


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From: barclay1720@aol.com
to: diane@vancouver.ca
Friday, Nov 08, 2013 3:35PM
(Pacific Standard Time)

Hi Diane,

I seem to fail to meet you always by appointment---probably by jinx.


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Since your cell phone wasn't available, I write this mail at the main brach of Vancouver Public Library.
Because of the jet lag, I'll take a late lunch at the Safeway on Robson at Denman.


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I made my own lunch with a Thermos of coffee before leaving for VPL.

There is an eating corner right beside the Starbuck Stand.
After 6 o'clock---the closing time, I'll walk to the Safewawy and sit at one of the tables over there.
Probably, I'll arrive at the Safeway around 6:30pm.
I'll bring two tastes of Japan with me.

One is a pack of eight colorful miniaturized dai-fuku (大福), which most of the Japanese love to eat.
Daifukumochi (大福餅), or Daifuku (大福) (literally "great luck"), is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans.


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Daifuku comes in many varieties.
The most common is white-, pale green-, or pale pink-colored mochi filled with anko.
These come in two sizes, one approximately 3cm (1.2in)diameter, the other palm-sized.
Some versions contain whole pieces of fruit, mixtures of fruit and anko, or crushed melon paste.
Nearly all daifuku are covered in a fine layer of corn or potato starch to keep them from sticking to each other, or to the fingers.
Some are covered with confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder.
Though mochitsuki is the traditional method of making mochi and daifuku, they can also be cooked in the microwave.

Mochi and daifuku are very popular in Japan.
Daifuku was originally called Habutai mochi (腹太餅 or belly thick rice cake) because of its filling nature.
Later, the name was changed to Daifuku mochi (大腹餅 or big belly rice cake).
Since the pronunciations of Fuku (腹 or belly) and Fuku (福 or luck) are the same in Japanese, the name was further changed to Daifuku mochi (大福餅 or great luck rice cake), a bringer of good luck.
By the end of the 18th century, Daifuku were gaining popularity and people began eating them toasted.
They were also used for gifts in ceremonial occasions.


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The other is a small bottle of Mt. Fuji's vanadium natural mineral water bottled by Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd.
You should be able to taste the world-famous Mount Fuji. :-)
In 2006, Asahi Soft Drinks published results of a study on naturally occurring vanadium in drinking water and its effect on mice with diabetes.

The study was done in conjunction with Asahi Breweries, Nihon Pharmaceutical University, and Tokyo Medical University, and found that it prevented weight gain and allowed the mice to use glucose more effectively.
You see, although you might gain some weight by easting some dai-fuku (大福), you should be able to prevent weight gain by drinking the bottle of Mt. Fuji's vanadium natural mineral water.
I'll check mail before leaving for the Safeway.

The dai-fuku has NO preservatives.
So, the sooner you eat, the better.


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Your skinny and happy gourmet, Kato
with a lot of love

I see... The dai-fuku has NO preservatives, huh?



That's right! Do you think we'll be able to see each other this late afternoon?

Well... I'll do my best to see you.

【Himiko's Monologue】



Japan has been suffering from a lot of natural disasters.
However, there are many other disasters in the world.

Natural Disasters

National Geographic Classics

This is a nearly six-hour-long documentary about natural disasters.
Disc One contains two programs: Storm of the Centry and Violent Earth.
Disc Two has two programs: Drowning New Orleans and Tornado Intercept.
Disc Three also shows two programs: Avalance---The White Death and Tsunami---Killer Wave.

It is such a fascinating and informative film that you should be able to prepare yourself for all those natural disasters.
The "Tornado Intercept" is quite thrilling and interesting because an enthusiastic twister chaser has created a huge tank-like vehicle so that he could get into the center of tornado to film an unprecedented inside look.

---

SOURCE: "Kato's comment on the DVD"

It really sounds thrilling and exciting!

In any case, I hope Kato will write another interesting article soon.
So please come back to see me.

Have a nice day!
Bye bye ...


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If you've got some time,

Please read one of the following artciles:



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■"Bliss for Diane!"

■"Romantic Bohemian"

■"TD Bank or Mozart?"

■"Diane@TD Bank"

■"Tear Jerker"

■"Diane in Chorus Line"

■"Pork or Friend?"


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■"Easter Bloopers"

■"Beauty is Heart-deep"

■"Romance@South Pacific"

■"Art Gallery"

■"Diane Hypatia"

■"Cherry and Silk"

■"Price of Your Life"

■"Elephant Cries"

■"Banana @ Eden"


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■"Go Bananas"

■"Manwatching"

■"Stanley Boardwalk"

■"With Your Tiger"

■"A Second World"

■"Asexual Thought"


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■"Stanley 125 Years"

■"Sushi @ the Globe"

■"Peace@Syria & Pentagon"

■"Sweet Memory"

■"Unforgettable Movies"

■"Typhoon 26"



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Hi, I'm June Adams.

There have been at least five mass extinctions in the history of life on earth, and four in the last 3.5 billion years in which many species have disappeared in a relatively short period of geological time.

The massive eruptive event is considered to be one likely cause of the "Great Dying" about 250 million years ago, which is estimated to have killed 90% of species existing at the time.

There is also evidence to suggest this event was preceded by another mass extinction known as Olson's Extinction.

The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event occurred 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period and is best known for having wiped out non-avian dinosaurs, among many other species.

Cause of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction?

Many scientists believe that a comet or meteor triggered the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

You might wonder if another comet collides with the Earth in the near future.

Super Comet After the Impact

This is a 2007 speculative documentary produced by ZDF and the Discovery Channel.
It was directed by Stefan Schneider.
The 84-minute film hypothesizes the effects on modern-day earth of a large comet impacting in Mexico near the same location of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, the ancient impact of a comet or meteor that is believed to have triggered the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.

It alternates between interviews with climatologists and researchers and dramatized scenes following several groups of people as they attempt to survive in the days and months after the disaster: a separated family in France, a pair of scientists in Hawaii, a man who manages to survive for a period of time near the ground zero impact in Mexico, and a tribe in Cameroon.
It is such a thrilling, exciting and profoundly astounding docu-drama that you would forget to take a pee during the show.

---

SOURCE: "Kato's comment on the DVD"

The film seems quite fascinating and interesting.
If there is a rental shop around you, why don't rent the above DVD?

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ところで、愛とロマンに満ちた

レンゲさんのお話をまとめて

『レンゲ物語』を作りました。

もし、レンゲさんの記事をまとめて読みたいならば、

次のリンクをクリックしてくださいね。

■『愛とロマンのレンゲ物語』


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■『軽井沢タリアセン夫人 - 小百合物語』

とにかく、今日も一日楽しく愉快に

ネットサーフィンしましょうね。

じゃあね。



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