ChanomiTalk

Since moving to Chicago, my life has gone through many changes. One of the changes that I have really enjoyed is owning a new car. This was my first NEW car purchase and it was quite an experience. I never knew that buying a new car could be so difficult, exciting, nerve wracking, and confusing. It was one of my first big decisions in my life and I definitely learned a lot. After visiting many dealerships, I finally decided on a Volkswagen Jetta. After driving the car for a couple months now, I definitely feel like I made the right decision. The car looks great and I feel good riding in it. More to come…

While waiting for my food to be cooked at a Korean restaurant by Walmart, I spoke with the owner. She is Korean and lived in Korea for 30 years. She came to Hawaii ten years ago and has been running the restaurant for two years but only the last year full time. She works everyday about twelve hours a day. She said it is such hard work but not just because the restaurant business is tough. It is because she has to call the police all the time in Hawaii! She never had to do that in Korea but she said she is used to it now. She said that homeless people often cause problems by bothering her or the customers. Sometimes, they sleep all day by the restaurant. They also put trash in the post office mailbox so even the mailman complains. Also, she was recently hit by a car and the car turned out to be stolen! Last but not least there have been teenagers that steal soda from her store all the time. She caught one and got hit on the head! I never knew Hawaii was so rough!

It’s a topic I am heavily opinionated about. I can understand the other points of view that are against it. But I wont be swayed. I know some arguments are, it will ruin Oahu’s scenery. Or, why should the sides of the island that have no need for it be taxed?Or it wont reduce traffic. Well, it’s too late for scenery. If you Want to see pretty visit the other islands. If we wanted to stop ccongestion we should have stopped building so many new homes. And for the other sides being taxed? It is an extremely selfish point of view. If the other side needed work done. I would not mind being taxed at all. We are all in this together. And honestly I don’t care if it reduces traffic or not. If I can get from home to town and back and not have to sit in deadlocked traffic. I’m all for it. Everyone else can sit in there cars for all I care.

夏の間楽しんだひまわりは今種がびっしり。
リス達が食べてくれるのを期待していましたが、どうもひまわりが咲いていた東側の庭が気に入らない様子。
それならばと、種を掻き落として植木鉢の受け皿に入れ西側の庭の大きな楓の根元において置きました。
この案は当たりだったのですが、今日はたまたまヌービーが根元近くで昼寝中（気に入りのサッカーボールの監視もしつつ）。

行くべきか　去るべきか

まもなく、うるさく感じたのかヌービーは根元からは離れていき、リスは安心して食事をする事ができました。

このJade plant（ゼイドプラント、金のなる木）は１７年前にアイダホ州のナンパ市に移ってすぐに買いました。その後ネブラスカ州への引っ越しにも拘らず（州内で更に３回引っ越し）毎年１１月になると花を咲かせていたのですが、とうとう昨１１月には花が咲かず、これは大変と、大きな鉢に植え替えたり、夏の間にはしっかりと陽に当てました。それが効を奏したのかこの１０月末にはつぼみがついてほっとしました。ところが、これまで花の色が白であったのに今年はピンク？？　１７年前に買った時、既に花を咲かせていましたから、おそらく樹齢１０才以上だったとすると、そろそろ３０才になりますから、花の色が変わるのも自然の成り行きかもしれません。

どんどん寒くなってきています。
Gradually it is getting colder.
It is rapidly becoming colder.

夕方からは、ダウンが必要なくらいでした。
From the late afternoon on I need to wear a down coat.

寒いと、朝、目覚めても、なかなか布団から出ることができません。
If it is cold in the morning, even if I get up, it is hard to get out of the futon.
When it is cold in the morning, even if I am awake, I cannot get out from under the covers.

ついつい、二度寝してしまいます。
Unintentionally, I fall asleep again.
This makes it easy to fall back asleep.

寝坊に注意！
Have to be careful not to oversleep.
So, I have to be careful not to oversleep!