Heavy rain on Dec.30, unusual !

  Today is December 30, why, it was raining from morning to late afternoon. The temperature was plus 5 to 7 degrees. What an unusual weather it was for the winter time here ! The snow around the house has almost melted. Strong wind blew all morning.
  I stayed all day today, too, thinking of how we should carry out the funeral of Shimizu without religion, who is still alive.

Dec.29 - only three days left in this year's calendar.

  It is December 29, 2012.  There are only three days left for this year. The weather was fine all day, but I stayed at home. Many sparrows comes to the garden, because I scattered seeds for them around the birdhouses.
  I spent all days mostly thinking of how to carry out Shimizu's funeral, because he wants his funeral on Bhudism or any other religion.

Hideki Matsui, a MLB player,announced to retire.

 Today I stayed at home all day, because the roads are slipperly to walk on. In the morning, Ayako went to the hospital to check up her diabetes. The result was not bad, she said.
 Yesterday, I wrote about a rookie baseball player Shohei Otani who joined the Fighters. I hope Otani will become a star in future. Today, a big star in the Major League, Hideki Matsui, announced his retirement. While  Matsui played for New York Yankees and some other teams after playing for Yomiuri Giants, he recorded combined 507 career home runs both in Japan and US Major League.

Otani, the first-round-draft, completed the contact to join the Nippon Ham Fighters.

  On the day before yesterday, Shohei Otani, the ace pitcher of Iwate Hanamaki Higashi High School and the first-round draft of the Fighters, visited Sapporo and completed the contact to join the team. He first wanted to join the U.S.Major League team, but finally changed his mind. I hope he will succeed in Hokkaido Nippon Ham either as a pitcher or a field player.
  I sent an email to Mr.Hasegawa in Nayoro mentioning my situation by which I am afraid I will be unable to go and serve as an interpreter in the International Snow Sculpting Competition.
  I stayed at home all day but going out with Ayako to the supermarket which we went yesterday.

Mr.Shinzo Abe was elected as the 94th prime minister of Japanese government.

  In the morning, I went with Ayako to Hanazono cho, and did shopping. We bought some vegetables, milk, sausage, milk, jam, etc.  for our everyday meals.
  In the Diet, Mr.Shinzo Abe, the chairmam of the Liberal Democratic Party, was elected as the 94th prime minister of Japan. In the evening, Mr.Abe formed a new cabinet. He called his Cabinet  "Get over the crisis" Cabinet. There are a lot of problems now, including economical problems, depromatic problems, territorial problems, etc. I hope they will solve such crucial problems successfully and peacefully.

Takashi & Sachiyo called us on Skype.

  In the morning, I walked to the hospital to check my diabetes. I was releaved to hear the doctor say the result was good.
Today was the time limit to post New Year cards it expect them to reach in time for the New Year's Day. Ayako posted them.
  In the evening, at around 6:00, Takashi and Sachiyo called us on Skype from San Hose. Takashi is leaving for China on business today, on the local time. He said he would stay in Shanghai and Beijin for a week. By the way, in China, people celebrate New Year on the luna calendar, so they work as usual in this new year days on the Gregorian calendar. We hope he will return to US safe and sound.

Christmas Eve

  I  am writing about sixty New Year cards to my friends. I am going to post them at the post office at Sakuragi cho tomorrow morning.
  In the evening, I celebrated Christmas Eve with Ayako drinking wine.