SpongeMania ― 2025/03/03
The other day I found a vending machine solely dealing with washing-up sponges.
Duskin's sponges are cultishly popular among those who conscious about housekeeping for their performance and durability, but their distribution channels used to be quite exclusive: you were supposed to subscribe to Duskin's other cleaning tools, such as mops, cloths, oven filters and so on, in order to buy the sponges, which were delivered to your home by a designated person (long gone are the days when every household had a housewife at home all the time). The Duskin system is not shady, at least by my standards, but it is not a very cost or time efficient way of shopping, either. They are actually good products, but a bit more costly than their supermarket counterparts. With this machine, however, you can get them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without the extra spending and without having to give your personal details to Duskin.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Duskin is the operator of my beloved Mr Donuts!
My New Shopping Heaven ― 2023/12/23
I have found another shopping paradise that seems to have been designed especially for me.
A few meters away from my favorite bakery, there are a Seria 100-yen shop and a clothing store specializing in comfortable and reasonably priced (some might say "cheap," though) casual clothing for women over a certain age, hidden on the top floor of a local MaxValu.
Unlike other Serias, this particular shop was almost empty. I could comb through every rack and shelf without any other shoppers getting in my way.
I couldn't believe it was actually Seria, which is supposed to be always crowded.
Then there is an Obachan clothing shop.
Look at the widest range of thermal underwear
and room trousers. Needless to say, most of them are brushed on the inside.
As usual when I visit a shop for the first time, I failed to get something I really wanted, but to show that I appreciate the shop, I got these items.
Two pairs of slipper socks for 590 yen and a pair of knickers for 390 yen. The lady at the till kindly put my purchases in plastic bags for free, just in case I bought something wet in the food section downstairs. I was grateful for her attentiveness, and at the same time, felt her resistance to charge for plastic shopping bags.
In addition to Yusen-tei Park and the Kanten Shop, I came to have another spot to drop in at in Tomooka area. My bread shopping trip is going to get even busier!
Time to Say GoodBye ― 2023/11/25
I have rarely seen people with fabric masks recently. During the first half of 2020, when we couldn't get ordinary white masks made of unwoven fabric in 2020, fabric masks, many of which were handmade at that time, looked so precious and helpful. I got several myself just in case.
布マスクをしている人を最近ではめっきり見かけなくなりました。2020年前半は不織布マスクが手に入らなかったため、布マスク(当時は手作りも多かった）は救いの神でした。私も念のため、何枚か手に入れました。
I am thankful to them for having given a peace of mind and the courage to go out during the difficult time, but perhaps it is time to say thank you and goodbye. I haven't even touched them since the summer of 2020 when surgical masks began to be widely available again. Plus, I don’t think I would use them even if another infectious disease emerged. I probably would be attracted to new types that would be popular then.
布マスクがあると思うと安心できたし、あの厳しい時期に外出する勇気が持てました。ただ、そろそろ手放してもいいのかな？とも思うようになりました。2020年の後半以降、不織布マスクも普通に売られるようになり、それ以来布マスクには触ってもいません。もしまた感染症が流行ったとしても、そのときはそのときでまた新しいものが欲しくなるような気もします。
In the memories of cloth masks...
My favorite was ones made by Gunze (picture above, top left) . 100% cotton and as made by an underwear manufacturer, it nicely fit my face and was comfortable to wear. Besides, it has pockets in which I could insert a piece of gauze or something as an extra "filter".
布マスクを振り返って…
私のお気に入りはグンゼ製（上の写真の左上のマスク）でした。綿100%で下着会社が作っただけに、顔によくフィットして、付け心地もよかったです。それに、フィルター代わりにガーゼを入れられるポケットがついていたのもポイントが高かった。
Having written all this about the Gunze mask, I began to think that I shouldn't throw away a mask that had worked so well for me. It feels so sinful ...
グンゼのマスクについてこれだけ書くと、そんなに役立ってくれたマスクを捨てるのがなんだか悪いような気がしてきました…。もうちょっと取っておくべきかも...。
Today's Kanten ― 2023/11/13
Made of
1g Kanten
100cc water
200cc milk
1.5 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon beet sugar
(for two 200cc cups)
In attempt to increase richness and milkiness, I added condensed milk and sugar. The result was the best so far. The increased calories for added ingredients should be negligible, I hope.
Selling My Assets ― 2023/11/07
A story of earning a pocket money by selling US and Canadian dollars that I had hoarded for years.
長年放置していたUSドルとカナダドルを売ってお小遣いを稼いだお話。
The other day I found some foreign currencies sleeping in my drawer when I was decluttering around my desk.
先日机周りを片づけていたら、外貨が引き出しの中に眠っているのを発見しました。
I tend to bring some cash in the local currency of the destination from Japan when we travel abroad. Although my husband insists that we don't have to do so, I think we still need a small amount of cash so that we could have a quick break with a cup of coffee just after getting out of a crowded plane, frightening immigration, and finally arrival gate. We also need to leave some tips for shuttles. The problem however is, I almost always can't use up the cash. And I don't think we will travel abroad in the near future.
I then came up with an idea that I could earn something called "capital gain" by exchanging them back to Japanese yen as the yen is extremely weak now.
海外に行くとき、私は行き先のお金を現金で持っていくタイプ。夫はそんなことする必要がないといいますが、混んだ飛行機を降りて、おそろしい入国審査をパスして、やっとのことで到着口から出てきたら、コーヒー飲んでちょっと一息入れたいですものね。シャトルバスにチップもいるし、ちょっとお金を持っていたいと思う方です。問題は、だいたいいつも外貨があまることです。近いうちに外国旅行しそうにもありませんし。
思いついたのが、このお金を日本円に替えたら為替差益ってやつでちょっとは儲かるかも？ということでした。何しろものすごい円安ですし。
At a branch of Mitsubishi UFJ bank, they were bought at 147.1 yen per USD and 100.46 yen per CAD. The 33 USD and 75 CAD I had became 12,388 yen altogether.
三菱UFJ銀行に行くと、1USドルを147.1円、1カナダドルを100.46円で買ってくれました。33USドルと75カナダドルを持っていたので、締めて12,388円になりました。
I bought them in 2017 when 1USD was 115.4 yen and 1CAD was 98.82 yen. Therefore, the profit of this transaction should be:
12388-(115.4*33+98.82*75) =1169
...Better than nothing... There is an astronomical distance between "Mrs Watanabe"s and myself. But how about thinking like this? This money hadn't existed at all for years, why don't I consider this as a gift from my drawer... I know this way of thinking is one of reasons why I can't save money.
このお金を買ったのは2017年でした。当時は1ドル=115.4円、1CAD=98.82円だったので、この両替で私が得た利益は
12388-(115.4*33+98.82*75) =1169
...となり、まあないよりまし、という程度でした...。「ミセスワタナベ」とはほど遠いです。
まあ、このお金は長年ないことになってたわけで、引き出しからの贈り物、と考えることにしましょう...。こんな事を言っているからおカネがたまらないのでしょう。
By the way, during this operation, I felt as if I was a fallen aristocracy who sells her assets piece by piece to survive day by day. Or rather, Japanese people as a whole might be the fallen riche. Long ago is the time we enjoyed lavish overseas tours. Now Japan became a cheap country where everyone can casually travel around.
こういうことをしていると、お宝を売って食いつなぐ、没落した家の令嬢の気分になりました。というか、日本人全体が落ちぶれたお金持ちなのかもしれません。豪勢な海外旅行ができたのも、昔の話になりました。今の日本は誰でも気軽に来れるやっすい国です。
NOTE: Ｉ have found that Post offices are no longer dealing with foreign currencies. Instead, money exchange sites with less favorable rates can be found here and there around the city center.
メモ：郵便局はもう外貨の取り扱いをしていないそうです。その代わりといっては何ですが、レートが厳しい両替所が繁華街のあちこちにできています。
My Little SDGs Project ― 2023/11/06
Today I removed the worn-out collar from my 32-year-old shirt, hoping I could wear it another 32 years(≒the rest of my lifetime). This shirt used to be my own, then my husband wore it for a while. After he got enough number of shirts he handed it back to me, after which it became my winter home wear. As it got a fresh look, it may make its comeback as a town wear.
今日は、買って32年になるシャツから、着古した襟を外しました。さらに32年間（≒私の寿命の残り）着れるといいなあ。
このシャツは最初は私の持ち物でしたが、その後夫が着るようになり、また私の手元に戻ってきて、私の冬用部屋着になったという代物です。襟を外しただけで見違えるようになったので、また外出着に復帰するかもしれません。
BookOff and I ― 2023/11/04
This is a story about professionalism and selflessness BookOff demonstrated when the book I ordered was in an imperfect condition. This is partly why I haven't abandoned this second-hand bookstore for other online stores, such as Axxxxn where everything is jumbled up.
今回は、ブックオフについてお話します。ブックオフは、注文した本が美品ではなかったとき、非常にプロらしい、損して得取れの態度を示してくれました。私がアXXンではなく、ここで古本を買う理由はここにあります。
The other day, I ordered online two books at BookOff online store, specifying that I would collect them at one of its brick-and-mortar stores.
ちょっと前、本2冊をオンラインで注文して、店頭受け取りを指定しました。
To my pleasant surprise, one of them, the big and heavy photobook, priced at 950 yen, came free as the quality of the book didn't meet the store's standard. Actually, the spine and cover were slightly faded and aged.
そのうち、大型本の写真集（950円）を、店で売れる状態ではないので、といって無料にしてくれました。これはうれしい驚き。実際には背表紙とカバーが若干日焼けしていた程度だったのですが。
I was informed this (the book was free) three times; first by an e-mail, then a store staff member who handled my order, and a note put in the book.
このこと（不良品だからただだよ）を、今回は三回聞かされました。まずメールで、それから店頭の販売員の方から、さらに、本にもメモがはさんでありました。
The degree of the sunburn looks nothing for me. Or rather, considering the fact this book is forty years old, I would say this book's condition is quite good.
日焼けは気にならない程度だったし、実際、40年前に出版された本としてはけっこうキレイなほうだと思います。
I have come across a number of books in much more horrible condition than this at libraries. Some books had its pages stuck together, some with a lot of lost (or stolen) pages, or countless slashes on pages. Some books carried numerous silly and pedantic notes directly written onto pages and dog-ears. The most disgusting ones (not one) were those with something seemingly produced in someone's nostril rubbed on inside. I'd better stop here.
図書館にはもっとえげつない状態の本がたくさんあります。ページがくっついてたり、ごっそりなくなって（盗まれて）たり、切り刻まれていたり。あと、知ったかぶりの書き込みがめちゃくちゃたくさんあったり。一番いやなのは、ページに鼻から出てくる何かが擦り付けられた事例です。しかも一度だけじゃなかったし。もうこの辺でやめときますが。
Coming back to the free photobook, despite the decently aged cover, the inside of the photobook looks almost new, as if they had been printed yesterday.
By the way, I haven't seen books made of this thick and quality paper for ages. Books of these eras may have already been becoming "vintage."
タダでもらった写真集に話を戻すと、カバーはまあこんなもんかなという程度に古びていましたが、中は新品同様。昨日印刷されたみたいでした。
話は変わりますが、ここ何年もこれほど厚い高級紙を使った本はみたことがありません。この年代の本もすでに「ヴィンテージ」になりつつあるのかもしれません。
My First Obachan Bag ― 2023/10/16
About 10,000 yen at an outlet store
You will find many middle or advanced aged ladies carrying their Kanana Project bags in tourist places across Japan. Bags from this bag label are very functional, durable, lightweight, and relatively accessibly priced （and you can find old models sold at discounted prices quite easily).
日本のあちこちの観光地では、「カナナプロジェクト」のバッグを持っている妙齢のご婦人がたが大勢おられると思います。カナナプロジェクトブランドのバッグは非常に機能的で丈夫、軽量、
お値段も比較的低めに設定されています。しかも、値引きされた型落ち品も見つけやすいです。
Especially designed for travels, it serves as a tote as well as backpack. 旅行に特化した仕様になっており、こちらのバッグはトートバッグとしてもリュックとしてもご利用になれます。
Has lots of pockets inside and outside.
内側・外側ともに多数のポケットを備えております。
You can keep valuable items in the back pocket, feeling at ease.
貴重品はバックポケットに入れれば安心。
I spent most of my time travelling in September and this bag has been together during all the way. I could keep everything I needed in one bag and throw everything I got on the way into it. Very reliable buddy.
9月は旅行してばかりでしたが、このバッグはどこに行くにも一緒でした。必要なものを全部1つにまとめて、道中で手に入れたものもすべて放り込んでおける、頼りになる相棒になってくれました。
So I know there is nothing wrong with this bag. Or rather, this is made extremely well, having every characteristic that attract an obachan. Having said all that, to be honest with you, there is nothing exciting with it, either. ...Well, maybe I am too demanding hoping a bit of fanciness for this type of practical items.
というわけで、このバッグには非のうちどころがないのは分かりました。というか、おばちゃんのお気に入りポイント満載の、すごくよくできたバッグです。とはいえ、申し訳ないのですが持っていて楽しくないのも確か。この手の実用品にオサレを求めるのは用きゅしすぎなのかもしれませんが。
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