crumpets, macaroons and cherry cakes






It is maybe too late but....
tomorrow's lesson is on "colours"
I will make a simple and painless lesson on it.

Maybe my scar will still be there tomorrow so you can have a laugh.

Glad to hear the choir did well.
Hokkaido? That seems a bit too far to go.
But it is an excuse for a trip to get "white lover chocolate"
Have they been forgiven for their problem last year?
Must have been.

Scones'R us

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By accident

Hawkshead: Ann Tyson's Guest House. The Queen's Head pub.


Well.....My scar is gradually disappearing.
Hopefully by Wednesday it will have gone.
Last night I was cleaning my glasses and
I noticed two large scratches on the lense so I went to
Odawara to get some new ones. I looked in some shops
but didn't really find any I liked (apart from Kid's glasses!!)
I decided to go back to Zoff and look again. On the way there
I dropped in Daikokuya to get some Granola (it's cheap!)
There was a lady standing in front of the Granola section.
I waited for her to move but she was deep in thought.
I reached out from the side to get a bag of Granola and she stepped back.
and said........................................... "Nick!!"
It was Yoshimi!!! What a coincidence!
She said she was on the way to Odawara Stadium to watch her son's
baseball team play. I hope they won and Yoshimi didn't get too sunburnt.

It's a small world.

Anyway....I got a pair of glasses which are not really "me" ,but I need them,
or so I thought because when picking them up, the shop assistant said I
could buy new lenses for my old glasses for 3000 yen!
Hmmmm

Hope you are all enjoying your long weekend
I am working tomorrow in the afternoon and evening

Be good!
Nick

Sometimes people overdo it a bit with the hanging baskets in the UK.
But it looks pleasant. It must take a lot of looking after.
Have you ever tried it?

It seems we will be doing it next year!!!!

Scarface

Well, the typhoon passed.....................
News? Bending down to pick up my bag in the dark, I bumped my
forehead on the corner of a small shrine.
I now have a cut on my head and look like Rocky Balboa.
Maybe I look "tough" now.
No, not tough, just stupid.
The weekend is near. Do you have any plans?

How To Tidy The Room

Sorry about the "kanji" tests.
The kanji in question was tatsu (dragon) 16 stroke version

The pronunciation is To or Do (toe ,doe)
Dragons moving
It is on page 998 of Nelson's Japanese-English Character Dictionary.

Thank you for braving the rain today to go to the "Lounge".
It seems the weather will get worse later.
I hope not as I have to go to Manazuru.
The Tokaido Line is notorious for having trouble in bad weather around Nebukawa.

I wasn't expecting such an extravagant teatime.!

If you have any requests for a lesson topic, please don't be shy!
Am off to clean the bathroom!!!!
Nick

Rain

We are having a few days of rain. We can't complain, as it has been very dry
until recently.
Here are some words for a rainy day:
The rain is easing up. (getting less)
The rain is letting up (stopping)
The rain has let up (stopped)
It's pouring down. (raining heavily)
It's bucketing down. (raining heavily
The heavens have opened (raining heavily)
It's raining cats and dogs. (raining heavily)
It's drizzling. (slow ,steady rain)
Rain, rain go away. Come again another day!
It's a good day....for ducks!

My home town is said to be the wettest town in England.
The valley of Borrowdale to the south of the town has the most rain in Britain.
They say the people who live there have webbed feet (like ducks)

See you or some of you tomorrow
nick

Brands

Japanese ladies often tend to like certain shops and brands.
Not just women, also men.
Do you have a certain brand that takes your fancy?
(That means "that you like")
Mine is errr, let me see....Reebok and "Shimamura!!!!! (smile)
Well Shimamura is just down the road from here.

I'd like to welcome Tamami to the English Rose page.
Tamami, once you give me your email address I will
input it into the blogsite so you can make a new post.
But before that you can leave a comment on old posts.
Just click comment on the bottom of the post and type a comment.

Today, as I passed the local kindergarten I noticed many wet-looking
children taking part in their sports day. The rain has let up now so
I suppose they are relieved. Do you have any stories related to the
sports days you attended?
I didn't mind them so much and always took part in the PTA event
when my kids were at school . But I always hid behind a tree when
they did "rajiotaiso"
Enjoy your weekend!

Two Days in a Row

It seems an American is being held for "abducting" his own children.
Actually he has Japanese nationality so is really Japanese.
I think it will be news from tomorrow.
I think it will strain Japanese-American relationships unless it is dealt with
swiftly. The Japanese laws regarding this are different than other counties.
I wonder if we will see the new government start to make changes in the
immigration laws.....

Two entries in two days.....
I wonder if I will be a 3-day-wonder!!

Well. Today was the first rainy day for a long time.
It was welcome although I got wet feet and the dogs became dirty after their walk
5 ladies attended today and were very active as usual..
As Akiko suggested, why don't you request a lesson topic or make a request for the class on this site for the next lesson.
It would be helpful for me , as I am always thinking of something to do that might be of interest.
So....let's start using this blog again!!
I will try not to be so lazy with it
Nick

It still works!!!!
After such a long absence, the site is active again ( I hope)
Please make some comments if you like.
I hope you can remember how to do it.
If not maybe I can help you out.
Back later
nick

Hello one and all.

It was St Valentines Day yesterday...

Did you have to get the usual obligatory chocolate? Or maybe it was the other kind.

It is a strange custom.

Actually, I think the custom originates from Britain.( That's why!)

But of course it is the other way round.

Men give a gift to their loved-ones. I wonder why it is vice versa in Japan...

Not to worry..I like chocolate very much

Recently many ladies are talking about the movie Mamma Mia.

Are you interested in such musicals?

Do you llike Abba? Not my cup of tea, but they do sing some catchy songs.

Well, the last 2 days have been like an Indian summer.

I wonder if this warm weather will continue.

See you all soon.

Nick

Hello one and all.

It has become a bit chilly in the last few days. I hope you are all well.

Thank you for coming all the way to my house at Christmas.

It was good to see you all here. I hope we can do it again some day.

It seems the government has decided to go ahead with its plan

to give most people a 12,000yen pay back.

If you get it, what will you do with it?

Maybe everyone should give it to the oppostion party!

There will be a class on Wednesday, same place ,same time

Hope to see you there!

Nick

The Year Of The Cow

Windows 2009

Happy New Year to one and all.

Any new year resolutions?

I have one but I can't really tell you as it is not so kind.

It does not involve you kind ladies.

What did you get up to in the winter break?

Ate too much?

Watched the usual TV programmes?

Me?

I joined Sky Perfectv for 16 days free and went crazy recording

movies on Star Channel, I was going mad doing it.

Maybe I watched over 25 movies and still have another 20 to watch!!

The trouble is they all seem to blend in to each other and I can't really

remeber any of them clearly.

There will be a class at the International Lounge next Wed.

Hope to see you soon

Nick

Do you know how to cook?

Hello , everyone!

Today, I picked these tometoes.

I'd had been waiting to pick them until they would turn to red.

But time's up. What should I do these green tometoes?

Your Autumn

I cooked sweet potetos. These are my favorite. What 's yours?

Report

Today at the Int. Lounge there were three very lovely ladies.
The lesson was a bit heavy. Maybe too much vocabulary and
double negatives!
It is not uncommon to......
It is not impossible to ....

The air pressure seems to be a bit low today. That typhoon is passing.
It makes me feel a bit lethargic and uncomfortable.
Thank you Akiko!
I tried the Baking Soda and vinegar mixture in the kettle
The plastic smell almost disappeared.
It was useful information
Take care everyone.

How are you all bearing up in this cool weather?
It seems the typhoon will miss us...narrowly. I hope.
I have no big news to tell you.
That is maybe a good thing.
There is a very depressing programme on TV at the moment about
illnesses. I am not watching it , but it is hard to avoid the melodramatic voices and
dramatic music. People seem to like watching programmes about other people's
misfortunes.
Ah, well. Will be at the International Lounge tomorrow morning.
Maybe see you there.
Nick

The Last Day of Summer?

It seems it will be another hot day tomorrow. After that we can expect some cool days.
On Sunday, Akiko could be seen performing on the streets of Odawara.
Odachika to be more precise. Her choir was limited to 30 minutes on stage.
They were very lively and seemed to be "crowd pleasers" with everyone.
This time Akiko was near the front and in the middle.
I wondered if she had been promoted.(Last time I saw her perform she was at the back )
Anyway, very enjoyable.
Sorry I didn't take any photos.

I walked past the old Nova.....kicking the door as I passed.
I forgot that there was a new tennant ( a cheap cabaret)
I regretted it.

I just remembered ..I forgot to light a mosquito coil for Shep.....Maybe it is too windy this evening..
Take good care of yourselves and see you soon.
Nick

I was wondering when Nick would make a post.

Today's lesson was on shopping. Something I am poor at.

If I had more money and was obscenely rich I am sure I would get better.

Try and use "I was wondering. Do you......"

or "I was wondering if you have any........." when shopping.

You can also use it like this.*

"I wonder if it is raining." if you don't know.

or

" I wondered when you were coming" when you find out what you didn't know.

As Akiko pointed out.

You can also use " I am wondering if it is going to rain."

This means you are thinking about it now.

" I was wondering..."

This means you were thinking about it before.

After the class today I was wondering if Akiko had to pay comission on her 24yen bill.

I was wondering if Yoshimi got a cheap or expensive Suica pass case.

I was wondering if Tomoko ate the sweets from Shiga after she got back.

I was wondering if Kie could finally get the multiple tickets finally.

Now, I am wondering if to add a picture to this post.

Maybe not this time.

On second thoughts...why not

Big Panic in Tomizu

Tomizu on the national news?

It's hard to believe.

Ninomiya Sontoku lived on the other side of the railway track.

Ceolcanth (Alias Seaurchin ) Kie and I live nearby in Kayama.

But hardly a famous landmark

Until!!!!!

Someone changed to expiry dates on some fish at Sotetsu Rosen!

This sort of thing happens quite a lot these days.

I am sure it happens at many places that have not been found out about.

It is hard to trust people these days,isn't it?

Another Downpour!

I hope none of you got caught in one of these downpours we have been getting recently.
The electric storm this evening caused a power cut on the Odakyu Line. The same thing
happened yesterday.
Today was the local sports festival for this area. Less and less people seem to go there
as years go by. Few seem to want to take part in the same events. They are obliged to
as they are kumicho or they are pressured into it by the organizers.
Have you ever taken part? Did you want to?
I think since I have lived here in Odawara, someone from my family has taken part.
I think we just do it for the free Odawara Shi 45L garbage bags and the free lunch.

My hobby

I introduce my hobby!!!

These are my recent works. They are not finished yet. After I finish them, I'll show you another photo.

Cats take over ....Beware!

At last I could be......

a contributor of English Rose.

It was a l---o----n-----g way for me .

Thak you very much for your help.

Hi, Nick

I've also enjoyed Olympic Games on TV.
There is difference time of only one between Japan and China.

My doughter said "I'd like to go the Olympic field and cheer ".
Next game?
To go London?! Wow! good idea.

tommy wrote

Rather cool today,wasn't it?
Do you sit in front of the TV watching the Olympics these days?
I do. I know it is not a good way to spend my time but I hope that there will be
something interesting on. Sorry to say, there isn't much of interest to me although the
swimming was interesting. But table,tennis and wrestling aren't up my street.
What sports have grabbed your attention at the olympic games?

Great News! Our very popular friend, Eri Eri is now married .

Congratulations!!!

I hope you will be very happy.

Our class is always there if you want to return some day!!

congratulations!! eri eri! from Elizabethswan and runrunmarimo

Typical English Workers

Congratulations to the first post by Ms Swan
I hope other people figure out how to do it. I will send the invitations again.
The password is "Scottydog"

The BBQ was a resounding success.
A few people turned up late and few had to leave early but I think everyone met everyone else.
A big thanks to Kie and family for doing all the hard work. Also thanks to Akiko for supplying and cooking some of the food and for working hard. Also thanks to Akiko's husband for the watermelon!! And a big thanks to all of you who came.
It was a big chance to see some of the "old faces" from Nova.
Kumiko couldn't drink as she was driving but made up for it with a "cold one" when she got home...maybe.
Tomoko was covered with a "hot daughter" for much of the time.

Other News: Ms. Swan's daughter took part in the JHS English speech contest and
gave a good speech with no mistakes. She did not win it. Hmmmm! (These contests are sometimes fixed anyway. I once judged in one and they took no notice of my opinions. They had decided before -hand it seems)But she took part in it and did a great job. I saw the video!

Akiko's dog has a fantastic vocal range and can speak English.

And the Olympics started!!!! The opening ceremony......was......lonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg!
Look out for the 14year old British boy in the diving. Maybe he has a chance of winning a rare medal for GB.

Keep cool and see you soon. Nick

dress dress dress which one do you like?

Olympic fever! Have you got it?
Sorry to say , I haven't.
But am sure once it begins I will be glued to the TV watching things that I have had no
interest in before. (And still don't have any interest in)
Like all things connected to sport, the same people are highlighted. Usually the ones
who have a chance of "Olympic gold" I always think it is unfair on the other Japanese
competitors. But that's the media! Maybe they feel smug when the person they
pick up on wins the gold medal. I was right!
I tried to find some information about the British olympic team. Is there one?
I couldn't find anything at all.
It seems that no one is interested in it in the UK. London are the hosts in 4 years time!
What are they playing at? It seems it is deemed to be a big failure.
Maybe they should do it Asia every year where it is highly popular.
Anyway..................enjoy it and then get a Laser Racer like me!