November 2015 Archives

I started running yoga classes twice a week at Satoyama Design Factory. Today nobody showed up, so I decided to combine my yoga practice with some much needed floor maintenance. It's amazing how many yoga poses you can do while cleaning the floor. I extended my usual 45 minutes to nearly 3 hours as I swept, mopped, steamed and waxed the wood floors in the main space. In the lower right picture, you get a before/after glimpse. Still not perfect, but much improved. Maybe next week, I'll do window yoga!

This is my friend and neighbor, Corner Cow. She lives at the dairy next door and watches over the intersection from her hilltop stall. From the road below, I greet her, talk to her about the weather, and sing her songs. She knows my voice and turns to watch me pass. She sniffs the air when I bring visitors to meet her.  Yesterday she heard us all coming along the intersecting road, laughing, and turned herself halfway around in her stall to see what we were up to. Good cow.

The dairy is closing next month and Corner Cow will go to another farm. I hope she remembers our meetings.

45 min Yoga

20 min Walk

30 min Bus

90 min Meander in Shops

30 min Walk

25 min Bus

15 min Walk

2 min Bike

...Beer

There you go, that's my day. I had to get out of the house today. My bike's been busted for over a week. I pedalled too hard and broke the crank. Tod ordered parts and tools but they didn't arrive until this afternoon. Tod fixed my bike while I was out and now I am fully mobile again.

So in the shower just now, I was breathing out to clear my sinuses before doing jala neti...and I honked. I sounded like my father blowing his nose. He had a distinctive honking/blowing sound and when it came out my own nose, I giggled and smiled. Thanks, Dad, for visiting and reminding me that everything is always good. My workshops are going to be terrific.  I'm excited to be sharing circus fun with my new world. 

"If you ever have any trouble, like robbers or an accident or anything, give me a call," he told us. "But we don't have too many robberies around here. Do be careful of the wild boars, though. If you see one of those, run away."

Gotta love country living.

Takezawa moved down into town and lives in a nice, new house near the barber shop. He truly did abandon the house with no further thought of it. Kawakami-san, who brokers the informal real estate deals around here, asked if we wanted to rent the ruins. Hmmm....