Washing Curtains ― 2023/07/29
Following yesterday's range hood cleaning, today I washed the bedroom curtains.
前日の換気扇掃除に続き、今日は寝室のカーテンを洗いました。
I tend to be eager at this kind of works once I get a motivation. The problem is, I can't forecast when the motivation arises. I wish I knew how to whip myself up to do something productive.
こういうことはやりだすと面白くなるのですが、いつやる気が出るのかが分からないのが問題です。建設的なことにやる気を出す方法があれば知りたいです。
Compared to yesterday's job, it was much easier. I didn't even need to use a washing machine. I did all job by my own hands: washing the curtains in soapy water twice,
昨日の作業に比べると、カーテン洗いは楽でした。洗濯機も必要なく、9リットル入りの洗い桶で用が足せました。。洗剤液で2度洗いして、すすぎも2回（そのうち1回は流水）、静電気が起きて埃を寄せ付けたりないよう、柔軟仕上げ剤を少し使いました。
embarrassingly dirty...at the first wash
rinsing them twice, one of which with running water, and applying a little fabric conditioner in hope that this process would help to reduce statistic electricity and not to attract dust and dirt. My 9-litre washing bowl easily took this task.
Polyester curtains dry extremely quick. Hung outside at 9 a.m. and it dried up by the noon without being wringed.
ポリエステルのカーテンは乾きが早く、脱水なしで朝の9時に外干ししたら、昼前には完全に乾いていました。
Today's Achievement ― 2023/07/28
This morning I cleaned the inner parts of the kitchen ventilator, for the first time in several years (Don't ask me what I have been doing for these years, turning blind eyes to the grease and dirt piling up.)
今日の午前中、数年ぶりに台所の換気扇の内側を掃除しました（その間、汚れを放置して何やっとったんじゃというのは聞かないのがお約束）。
As I decided to do so almost out of blue, I didn't have any special detergent or tool at hand. But I somehow managed it with the following items;
- Ordinary washing up liquid,
- an old toothbrush,
- some waste cloth,
- used plastic telephone cards or book token to scrape hardened grease
- hot water (mix with the detergent and scrub the washing items in the mixture-- very damaging to the hands) and
- a plenty of time and patience. I started working at around 8:30 a.m. and got a reasonably satisfying result just before noon.
突然思いついたので専用の洗剤も道具もありませんでしたが、結構何とかなりました。使ったのは次の道具。
- 食器洗い用洗剤
- 古い歯ブラシ
- ウエス何枚か
- 使用済みテレフォンカード（図書カードでも。固まった油をかきとる用）
- 熱湯（洗剤と混ぜてその中で洗う。ものすごく手が荒れます）
- 時間と根性。午前8時半ごろ作業をはじめて、まあまあいいか、ということになったのはお昼ちょっと前でした。
At the end, the hard-working toothbrush looked like this.
Completed its role in every way.
歯ブラシは大活躍の結果、こんなことに。十分に使命を果たしてくれlました。
And under my fingernails became black with grease-- a proof of my three-hour struggle!
そして爪には油がみっちり。努力の証明。
My back hair also got greasy because I put my head into the grease-covered range hood.
あと、油まみれのフードの内側に頭を突っ込んでいたので、後頭部の毛が油でギトギトになりました。
A Day without Air-Con ― 2022/08/27
Image retrieved from 日本気象協会 tenki.jp【公式】 / 天気・地震・台風
Today I spent a whole day without air conditioning for the first time since this summer begun. Which means I spent a day feeling less pain in my conscience and my knees. So nice!
I could achieve this due to the lower temperature; the highest was 31 degree Celsius, which feels relatively cool in these years. In this condition I could go shopping or even walking during the daytime - if the COVID-19 was not outrageously assaulting this area.
I think in the 20th century 31℃ was the top temperature in the height of summer. We used to be allowed not to do anything but taking a nap. The whole family and all the cats used to take refuge in the 'air-conditioned room' (my family house had only one air-conditioned room).
今日は久しぶりに一日中エアコンなしで過ごせました。エアコンを入れないと良心と膝が痛まなくていいわあ。
今日は気温が31℃までしか上がらず、比較的涼しかったからこんなことができました。このくらいの気温なら、買い物にも行けるし、何ならウォーキングにも行っちゃう？というくらいの勢いです。でもコロナで全部だめ。
20世紀のころは、31℃は夏の真っ盛りの真昼の気温だったような気もします。何もしなくて、もう昼寝だけしてればいいよ、という感じだったような。家族全員と猫一同が「エアコンの部屋」（私の家にはエアコンのある部屋は一部屋だけでした）に避難してきたものです。
Winter Wonderland ― 2020/12/28
Today I found my bed becomes heaven's bed only during this particular period of the year.
I would look like waiting for angels to pick me up when I take a nap here.
Winter Task ― 2020/12/21
As we layer more clothes, more cloth care is needed in winter and more detergent and water to wash them(particularly this year).
Followed by hanging the washing outdoor in 5 Celsius, the most annoying task of winter cloth care for me is removing pilling from wooly (or imitation wool)clothing.
Most, if not all, of my newly acquired garments are made with advanced technologies (in other words, cheaply made) making the most of mixed materials or entirely synthetic materials, such as wool-like acryl, down-like polyester, which seem to pill more often than 100% cotton or wool.
I used to use this electric pilling remover
to get rid of them, but at this level, ↓
it is useless and good old scissors and brush do a better job.
After a 30-minute labor, the surface of my favorite 2019 Uniqlo/Ines coat looks a bit better.
In fact, the hip region of this coat became thinner as a result of repeated pill-removing operations it went through last season.
Today's Cat ― 2020/12/20
A pretty beast.
A Bright Sunny Day ― 2020/11/15
I felt blessed to be able to walk under the beautiful sky today.
Eat Up the Eggs ― 2020/05/10
We finished the monster (by my standard) tamagoyaki by adding it to lunch soba.
At the age of 50++, I came to know homemade tamagoyaki can last for a couple of days in fridge and take place of kamaboko as a source of protein (if you don't care much about the nutritious compositions).
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