Sunday, July 12, 2009

Tanabata

On July 7, tanabata day, everyone in Japan wish upon two stars: Vega and Altair.
Ken wrote his wish on a "tanzaku" paper. It says, "I want to be strong like a robot!"

Anything your heart desires will come to you.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Kanbara-matsuri

Ken had a bad cough and was diagnosed as childhood asthma. He went to the hospital again on Thursday, but it was its nonconsultation day. So we went to Kanbara-matsuri, a festival held near the Niigata station.

There was over 500 "yatai" stalls along the street. Ken enjoyed playing "wanage", water-balloon fishing, and having "okonomi-yaki" and poppo-yaki.
He was very tired and had fallen into asleep as soon as he got home.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Digging stump

We did it!

I cut any of thick, radiating roots, divided the trunk lengthwise, and then cut the root extended downward. It was a very heavy job. Maybe I should have used potassium nitrate, a compound known as stump remover.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Kameda Park

I took Ken another park, Kameda Park, on Sunday.
The park has a large playing ground, big play forts, cooking place for BBQ, and a stream for playing in the water. We are fully satisfied and loved the park so much.

A fort with sliders.


Another play fort. It has spiral chutes and a rope slide.


Stream in the park. It flows into the pond near the entrance.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Yamano-shita Park

On Saturday, I and ken went to the Yamano-shita Park near the West-Niigata port.
There is a huge play system, which has over 70 of equipments, in the park. Ken was very pleased and played on all equipments, in particular long slides and rope bridges.




Spiral and roller chutes.



(Left) Ken ate "poppo-yaki", a kind of sweet bread. He did not like it very much.
(Right) He played on the pirate ship. He fell the net and knocked his back on the floor.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

New refrigerator

Mari got new refrigerator in this June. In the previous June, she bought an automatic washer-dryer. It seems that June is the month of shopping for Mari.

That is the most recent model of eco-friendly fridge from SHARP. Though the price will drop down in autumn, she could not wait until then. I set the old one in my laboratory.

The new fridge is too big and heavier than me. Will I be able to carry it to next place?

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Best dads

FATHER'S DAY PICTURES: "Best" Animal Dads

The "best" fathers in animals are: seahorse, giant water bug, marmoset, South America's greater rhea, barking frog, cockroach, emperor penguin, and me.

The word "cockroach" implies deadbeat dads, but some kinds of cockroach fathers nurse their young. Male seahorses carry babies in their specialized pouch during their "pregnancy". Male marmosets in South America act as "midwives" during birth, and carry, feed, and groom their twin babies. Emperor penguin fathers endure below-freezing temperatures and forgo food to incubate their eggs for several months. Finally, I dedicate myself to care for Mari and Ken and feed them for some decade (probably).


Ken drew a picture of my face on father's day at his daycare. He points the picture and says me everyday, "dad, you are so small!" What's that all about?