Asuco's Diary

今日は久しぶりに自由時間。　引っ越しの慌ただしい時間から解放です。
ということで、お友達に誘ってもらって乗馬です。
前回教わったことを復習しながら乗ったら、少し・・・？上達できたかな（笑）　
I had free time today for the first time in a while. I was released from busy days for moving.
So, I went to horse riding with my friend.
I felt that I made a liiiiiiiiittle bit of progress from last time.

とにかく楽しくて、馬のテッペイ君と仲良くなれた気が（笑） 首を撫でるたびに、耳をこちらに向けて気にしてくれるのが嬉しかった。
I enjoyed a lot. Although I think that I could make a friend, his name is Teppei. It was lovely that he turns his ears toward to me when I pet his neck.

癒されました。誘ってくれてありがとう。また行きたいな。　
I was eased very much. Thank you for taking with me. I want to go again. 　午後は、家の一部屋をお教室としてお借りたいという方が来ました。　
気にいってくれたかな・・・。
In the afternoon, I had someone who wants to use a room of our house for lessons come over and see.
I hope he likes the house, too.

今度引っ越してきた家の庭は、大家さんがわざわざ庭師さんを雇う日本庭園。(広すぎず、狭くもない)
The garden in the house we have just moved. The landlord ordered a gardener to take care of it. Japanese style garden.(Not too big, not too small！)

朝、台所に行くと、カウンターの上に種らしきものが。旦那さまに聞いてみたら、昨夜食べた梨の種だそう。
When I went to the kitchen in the morning, I found some seeds on the counter.
I asked to my husband about it, and he said theyare Japanese pear seeds he ate last night.

・・・・・？

植えろっって？・・・
Does he want me to plant them in the garden？

無理だろ。。
I can't do that...

やっとおおよその荷物を運び、新居への引っ越しをしました。
家の中は、段ボールの山。テーブルの上は食器…。
インターネットがまだ。

家の庭が気に入っています。早く庭を眺めながら、ゆっくり食事ができますように…。

Finally, we moved into the new house.
A lot of boxes are around and dishes are on the table. We do not have aninternet connection yet.
I like the garden. I hope that soon we can eat a meal while looking at it.

只今実家で企画展中。
雨の中、今日も沢山のお客様がいらっしゃっていただきました。ありがとうございます。　
We've been holding the exhibition in my parents' house.
We had many costumers today also even though it was raining. Thank you very much.

皆さん、真剣に見ていただけるから、私達も嬉しくてついつい昼食をとるのも忘れてしまうほど。
絨毯の歴史から、モチーフの話、世間話まで（笑）・・時間が経つのもあっという間です。
We forgot to eat lunch because the costumers were taking a serious look so we were happy to explain the history of Persian carpets, about motifs of pattern or general talk, etc. It makes the time pass quickly.

さてさて、実家に来ると、母の日めくりカレンダーがあります。実家に帰ると、今日は何が書いてあるかな・・と、楽しみにもなりました。　
今日の言葉
「生活習慣は　心が刻む ”彫刻” である」
我らは毎日、一時、一瞬の心の持ち方によって生活習慣を形成していく。
そしてその生活習慣は「点滴石を穿（うが）つ」のように人生の形を決定する。

ふむふむ。。

Well, There is my mum's page-a-day calendar in the house which has words for each day. Actually, I enjoy it when I came back the house, 'What does it tell me today?'.
The words for today
-Living habits are the sculptures carved by the mind.-
Living habits are shaved by your own mental attitude each time, each moment, every day. Then, the living habit makes the shape of the life, it is like saying "Constant dropping wears away the stone."

Hm-hum.

はい、いつまでも遊んでばかりいられません（笑）　
いよいよ明日から待ちに待っていたキリム・ペルシャ展 at シェイ・ケイコです。
今日は搬入。毎年すごい数なので気合いも入ります。
Uhhhm. It is time to work for me... haha
Finally, we are going to hold Kilim & Persian carpet exhibition at Chez Keiko. This is the event I've been waiting for. We brought in and set up today. We have to have power because there are so many carpets.

そして今年は助っ人も参上。１歳９カ月の瑛ちゃん。ちゃんと「ﾖｲｼｮ、ﾖｲｼｮ」って絨毯を運ぶのを手伝ってくれたり、掃除機だってちゃんとテーブルの下までお掃除してくれるんです。　
そして、絨毯を広げていくと、なんとその上でテンションあがり、と～～～っても楽しそうにおおはしゃぎです。さすが絨毯屋の子です。
Also, we got help this year. Ei-chan 1 year and 9 months old boy. He helped a lot for as saying oops-a-daisy with us. Although he cleans up with vacuum, even under the table.
He gets hi-tension and frolics on the carpets when we roll them out. That is the son of a carpet shop.

ママは私の古くからの大切な友人。イギリスにいた時に出逢いました。留学したばかりで、泣きべそをかいていた私に声を掛けてくれたのも彼女。
ロンドンにある、某有名アンティーク美術学院で学んだ彼女は、一緒に美術館に行っては色々教えてくれました。今は直接イランに買い付けに行き、確かな自分の目で、一枚一枚を選ぶ、最も信頼のおける絨毯屋さんになりました。
His mum is one of my good friends. I met her when I was in England. She talked with me and was kind when I was whining since I was just started to live in London for first time abroad to study.
She taught me many things when we went to museums since she was studying hard at an antique art school in a famous auction company in London at that time. Now, she goes to Iran for selecting carpets with her reliable eyes for purchasing and becomes a definitive carpets seller.だから彼女の話を聞きたくて、毎年沢山のお客様がこの企画展を楽しみにしていらっしゃてくれます。本当にありがたい。
That why many customers come and enjoy this exhibition every year for listening to her talk.

企画展は明日１４日（金曜）～１８日（火曜）まで。私は期間中、何度も絨毯をめくりますが、それが楽しみになりました。月曜以外、私も在廊です。
さてさて、今年の準備も整いました。ホットコーヒーと、暖かい絨毯を楽しみにお寄りください。
The exhibition will be held from tomorrow 14th until 18th. I will turn over carpets during the exhibition days although I enjoy doing it. I expect to be there every day except Monday.
Well, we are mostly done for preparation for the exhibition this year. Why don't you come and enjoy hot yummy coffee and warm carpets with us!!

シェイ・ケイコ　Chez Keiko
キリム&ペルシャ展　Kilim & Persian carpet exhibition
2011．10．14(Fri) - 10. 18(Tue)

ということで、やってきたのは紅葉も始まった日光ハイキング
So, we went to Nikko with our lunch boxes, and hiked there where the leaves are just beginning to turn red.

旦那さまと日本に滞在中の友達ブライアン君を誘って。　湯元～戦場ヶ原近辺。言葉よりも写真で語れるかな。
My husband and I took Bryan with us, he is staying in Japan for these days.
Nikko Yumoto-Senjougahara. Maybe I can tell the story with beautiful pictures better than words.

やっぱりいつものこの距離・・・縮まらず。
Yah, always have distance like this... as I suspected.
温泉の源泉、初めて見ました。湯気が出ています。もちろん帰りは温泉でまったり。
This is first time for me to see a source of hot springs. You can see the steam. Smell of sulfur is hanging in the air. Of course we enjoyed hot springs for relaxing time.
普段家族や友達が離れている旦那さまにとっては、こうして友人と会えることが、とても嬉しそうです。ブライアン君は私にとっても大切な友人。上海を拠点にしながら、世界をまたにかけて仕事をする彼の話は知的で聞いていて楽しい。またすぐ会おうね☆
Seems like my husband is having a good time with friends since my husband is living far from his family and other good friends. Also Brian is a good friend of mine, too. It is interesting and enjoying to listen to his intellectual story since he is traveling all over the world with his business based in Shanghai. Thanks and see you soon!!

今朝は久しぶりにお弁当を作ってみました。
久しぶりだからか、あまり手際もよくなかったのか、あるもの材料で作ったから？・・・見た目が。　
でもいいよね。”愛情”が入ってれば。。ｳﾌﾌ。
This morning, I made lunch boxes after a long interval.
Looks...weren't so great. Might be because of lack of finesse since I haven't been making lunch boxes for a while? Or didn't prepare enough for ingredients? But it will be OK, if it has lots of love inside. hahaha

”料理は愛情！” 子供の頃から大好きな言葉の一つです。
I like the word "Cooking is feeling of love (passion)"

今回は、いつものベジタリアン（ビーガン）スタイルに加えて、食べてくれる方がアレルギーのため小麦粉不使用。　「えっ、お肉、お魚、卵、牛乳、小麦粉使わないのっ？！？？」　なんて言わずに、フランス料理、和食があるように、レパートリーが一つ増えたと思って、楽しんでしまいます。
This time I made vegan style as usual and gluten-free style for a friend who as an allergy. 'Wao!! No meat, fish, eggs, milk and wheat ?!?!!" someone could say that, but actually I enjoyed to do with thinking as have other repertories like french, or Japanese, etc.

・前日から煮ておいた湯葉
・Yuba steamed soy milk skin.

・オレンジズッキーニとナッツのサラダ　
　リンゴ酢/塩/ドライフルーツ
・Orange zucchini nuts and dried fruits salad
apple vinegar/salt

・こんにゃくのピリ辛
・Konjac food
stir-fried with hot soy sauce 　

・米粉のペンネ　
　ﾄﾞﾗｲﾄﾏﾄ/手作りﾊﾞｼﾞﾙﾍﾟｰｽﾄ　
・Rice flower penne pasta
dried tomato/homemade basil paste

・大豆ﾐｰﾄとピーマンのサルサソース和え
・Soy meat and green bell pepper with salsa sauce

・デザートに梨　
・Japanese pear

・ひじきご飯のおにぎり
塩/酒/昆布/梅干し炊いて、ごまを振る。
中は、手作り青唐辛子味噌。
・Hijiki rice-ball
rice cooked with salt/sake/kombu/umeboshi/sesami on top
inside: homemade green pepper miso-paste

醤油は小麦粉のはいっていない醤油を使用。結構美味しいです。
Soy sauce, I used gluten-free soy sauce. I like it.

さてさて、お弁当持って出掛けましょうか。。。
Well... now, shall we go for a picnic?

昨日は１日鎌倉散策。
といっても、一番の目的は・・・。写真で見てはとても気になっていた陶芸作家の実作品と、ご本人に会いに。
そして、ついでに上海から今日本に仕事で滞在中の、旦那さまのお友達ブライアン君を誘って鎌倉観光。
Yesterday, we went walking around Kamakura all day. Actually, my main reason was meeting a ceramic artist which I found on pictures and was thinking about for a while. And another reason is taking out Bryan for sightseeing in Kamakura, he is an American friend of my husband living in Shanghai, but he is staying in Japan for a few weeks in Tokyo for his work now.

まずはあるギャラリーへ足を運ぶ。や～～～～～っぱり。狙いどおり、というか、命中。どの作品も私の心を射抜いてくれました。
数枚の写真で気になっていたものって、実際はどうなんだろう・・って思っていたのですが、１点だけではなく、どれも「あぁ・・欲しいなぁぁ」と思わされてしまう作品達でした。　
そして、作家ご本人。行って良かった。会えて良かった。話せて良かった。　そう思える方でした。勇気出して訪ねてみてよかった。
At first, we stopped at the art gallery. Weeeeeeeell!! That I was expected and could say that is a hit!! Any of his ceramic art works are shooting and striking on my heart!! I was wondering if I really like the work when I saw on some pictures, but how would it be in reality? But any works make me think 'I want to have it'. Furthermore, the artist, I could think that, I'm glad to come, glad to meet him, glad to talk with him. I'm glad to have the courage to visit there.

そして鎌倉散策。
鶴岡八幡宮では花嫁さんに拍手を贈り～
鎌倉の市場「レンバイ」で鎌倉野菜を買い～
由比ヶ浜～では久しぶりの波の音と海からの心地よい風を楽しみ～
大仏では豆乳ソフトを頬張りながら、秋の大仏さまをしばし眺めて一息。
And then, we start to walk around Kamakura.
I gave applause to a bride at Hachimangu shine.
Get Kamakura local vegetables at Kamakura local market.
Enjoying listening to roar of waves and comfortable breeze from the sea at Yuigahama beach.
Walking and eating soy milk soft cream at the temple and had rest in front of the bronze statue of Amida Buddha.

帰りは恵比寿で飲んでほろ酔い（？）気分で電車で宇都宮まで。
たまにはこういう日帰り散策もいいものです。　
In the evenig, we went to Ebisu in Tokyo and had drinks. Then came home to Utsunomiya by train with feeling a pleasant buzz. It is good time to have a one-day train trip like this.

大仏さまの写真（上）は、最近だんな様が玩具にしているカメラで撮影したもの。
中古の安いカメラを買ってきて、カメラ内部のソフトを変えています。ちょっと絵画っぽくっ撮れて、楽しいです。（下）は私の普通のカメラ
This picture(upper one) of Amida Buddha was taken by my husband with the camera which is a his toy recently. He got a used cheap camera and used special software inside. It is little bit like a painterly picture, I like it!. The picture below I took with my normal camera.

月末にお家の引っ越しをすることにしました。
今日は新居の様子を見に行ってみました。　ここちらが玄関の軒先電灯。

実は新居・・といっても、築８０年以上の家。はい、かな～～りオールドです。でも惚れ込んでしまったので仕方なし（笑）

We have decided to move house at the end of this month.
We went to the new house for just checking today. This is the entrance light.
Actually, the new house was built over 80 years ago. Yes, veeeeery old!. But, we found that we like, so it was no choice. haha

そこで気になっていた、畳。家の殆どの部屋が畳なのです。畳に対しての知識がなく、きっと表替えか、新物に交換かな・・・、でもあまりお金もかけられないし・・・。どうしよう。と不安を抱えていたので、畳屋さんに見てもらって相談することにしました。
信頼のおけそうな畳屋さんを探して問い合わせしてみたら、すぐに来て畳を上げて見てもらえました。
私は診断を待ちながらも、見積もり費用がいくらになるか心配。。
We were concerned about the tatami mats (straw mat). Most of rooms are tatami mats. We don't have any knowledge about tatami, so we were worried that 'do we have to change all of them? or change the outside covers?' but we can't pay so much money on tatami... We decided to ask to tatami shop. I searched for reliable tatami shop and asked, then a tatami shop man came to the house and checked the tatami mats for us. During that time, I was waiting for his diagnostic and was nervous about how much the quotation going to be.

そこで畳屋さんから出た言葉。「いや～、この畳。手を加えなくて良いと思います。」
Then, he said "Uuuummm, I don't think you need work on these tatami"

Ｍｅ:　「えっ？古くないのですか？」　
" What?!? Are they not old?

「かなりの年数が経っているのでやはり老朽化はしています。ですが状態も良いし、品物が最高級の畳で作られていますね。勿論取り替えもできますが、これと同じものにするとなると、かなりの金額にもなります。それよりも、表面の傷みも少ないし、まだ大切に使えます。なんといっても、今では見られない、手縫いのものなんです。博物館級です（笑）　大切に使われてきたから、もう少し使ってみましょう。畳下の床板も、家の保存状態も良いですね。」写真は手縫いの裏面。
'Yes, they are very old and of course getting run down, but conditions are good and made with high quality straw. Of-course you can change new, too, and will be good. But it will be a high cost if you want to have same quality with now. Rather they could use with good care since they haven't had big damages. And like I said, these are made by hand so these are not common now. It is like a museum piece. How about to use for a while and will see, since they have been cared well. Although flooring under the tatami mat, they seems fine since the house is well preserved."　Picture of the back of tatami, you can see it is hand made.

あららら・・・。博物館級？　ooh-la-la...like a museum piece?!

ということで、防虫処理等のクリーニング処理のみをしてもらうことに。
So, finally we decided that the tatami will have just treatment for protection from insects and cleaning.

なんだかホっとしたというか、なんというか、意外な展開に驚き。　
I feel like I was relieved or something and surprised at the unexpected development.

なんとも良心的、知識豊富な畳屋さん。きっと、「はい、古いから全部交換です」と言われても・・・チ～～ン・・知識の無い私達には分からなかったでしょうね。
この畳屋さんとの出会いにも、ホッとしました。　
ちなみにこちらの畳屋さん、畳ドクターや、一級技能士、全国選手権で最優秀賞受賞経歴もある方でした。
畳と畳屋さんに、ほっこりな日でした。　
How conscientious and well-knowledge the tatami shop man. I probably worry or paid money if he said ' These are very old and you should change all of them immediately!' because of we have no-idea about tatami-mats and how to care of them.
So I was relieved to have met this tatami shop man. Actually, his name-card inscribed with the title, tatami-doctor, first-class technicians and career of highest award at national title.
It was helpful and a warm day with tatamis and the tatami shop man.

ブログの更新ができていませんでした。
最近はなんだかんだと・・・。あっちに呼ばれ、こっちに呼ばれ。ありがたいことです。
I couldn't update for a few days.
I had busy days recently... I got called here and there. It is appreciated.

先日は毎年いただくＭｏｔｏＧＰのお仕事。４月に開催を予定していましたが、震災の影響で１０月に延期。開催が危ぶまれたものの、多くの関係者の熱意ど尽力で開催につながりました。
The other day, I got work with Moto GP (Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix). It had been planned for last April but postponed to October because of the earthquake. It was feared to hold the race in Japan but finally was led to convening by ambitions and effort of many participants.

会場のあちらこちらにには、’がんばろう日本’の応援は旗がみられ、ドルナ社からは多額の義援金が贈られ、茂木が世界からのライダーやゲストを迎えられるという証につながり、感慨深いレースとなりました。
There were many flags showing "Gambaro Nippon"(meaning encouragement for Japan), sending substantial amounts of donations from Dorna, although it becomes proof that Motegi is able to invite riders and guests from around the world. The race makes me deeply concerned this time with emotion.

今年は、ＭｏｔｏＧＰを運営しているドルナ社（スペイン）との通訳の仕事。スペイン訛りに怯みましたが（私の能力がﾀﾘﾅｲ？笑）、ドルナ社の方、皆さん陽気で親切なジェントルマン、楽しくお仕事させていただきました。出会いに感謝。　
This year, I worked for Dorna company as an interpreter. I was slightly troubled by the Spanish accent at first but I enjoyed working with people from Dorna. Warm, cheery gentlemen! I'm grateful for meeting them. Thank you.