Shichi-go-san

Shichi-go-san is a festival celebrated by parents on the fifteenth of November in Japan, to mark the growth of their children as they turn three, five and seven years of age.
Shichi-go-san literally means “seven, five and three”. 
These ages are considered critical in a child’s life. Particularly, at the age of seven, a young girl celebrates wearing her first obi, while at the age of five a young boy celebrates wearing his first hakama pants http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakama in public. 
The age of three marks the first time whereby both boys and girls are allowed to let their hair grow. 
The boys don a haori jacket http://www.kimonosource.com/japanese_kimono_information/about_haori.htm and hakama trousers,while the girls would wear a special ceremonial kimono when making their shichi-go-san visit. In recent years though, an increasing number of children are wearing Western-style suits and dresses.
 

 

                                                                        Cute rabbit Chitose- ame

Following the visit to the shrine, parents buy chitose-ame (“thousand years” candy) for their children. The candy is shaped like a stick and comes in a bag that carries illustrations of cranes and turtles - two animals that traditionally symbolise longevity in Japan. The candy and the bag are both expressions of parents' wish that their children lead long and prosperous lives.

The point of all this?

Kiyoe sent me a photo of Keita at Shichi-go-san last year. He was three.
 He looks so pleased with himself!! 
The formal portrait is also traditional. 

A cute boy

Today I went over to see Bridie and Sean and to check out Dylan, and take Bridie's present over. I had a swift run over not a single red light and no traffic on the freeway! Made it in 19minutes.

Dylan was just coming out of a short sleep and looked a bit dazed , but then he brightened up and was very engaging. 

Bridie and Sean really have no idea how the other half of parents live! Dylan is soooo easy going; a delight. Maybe it's all in their genes!

He can roll over and today grasped his rattle on the Play gym. First time Bride said.

She really enjoyed the presents from NY and Celia's gift and she gave me for Xmas Stephanie Alexander's, Kitchen Garden Companion. based on a TV show (that I've not seen) it's about growing, seasons for, preparing  and use of all vegetables, herbs with recipes as well of course. It is a beautiful book and has a hessian type of cover.

When I got home I did some sweeping up of the fallen blossom from the Pom Pom tree (see earlier entry)that the wind has blown thickly over everything. I also cut the ribbon plant in the drive so I can get out of the car.

Took Spencer for a walk (he seems fully recovered today; I saw some vomit down the back so I think he must have eaten something on Friday night or Sat morning)

On my return I then moved my recliner chair to the back room in preparation for lazing there in Summer  with a view of the garden .

Home Again

Well it's all done! Had a great time in New York with Celia, Sue & Bernadette (and Sally for a short time)

I have more appreciation for Sue and Celia's frequent trips here (though they do go Business class).

                                                              Celia on 48th street

I left the apartment at 11am Wednesday and caught a taxi. Twice now I had got caught out! I hailed the cab as the light was illuminated on top, but then said to Sue " No, they have a passenger" Turned out to be the driver...on the 'wrong' side of the car!

Had a quick trip out to the airport and was dropped at the door where First class people board. Am I not  a first class person? So rocked up to the window and said I had not been able to get a Business upgrade (freq flyer flight! from the very generous Celia!) but wanted to check my Premium economy seat was right (I knew it was). 

She then said I could BUY an upgrade to SFO (5.5 hrs) and Sydney to Melb for $240 so I said yes. So I waited at JFK in the Red Carpet Lounge and had a very good flight, and then waited 4 hours in the Red Carpet Lounge at SFO (courtesy of Celia and Sue) as I had Economy flight to Sydney.

Arrived in Sydney after getting 5.5 hrs sleep then 2 more so not too bad. Only had 90mins to wait in Sydney and then had a seat with the people next to me from SFO flight!

This was the full lie down model, but I only reclined for 55mins. Arrived in Melb with view of the loooong line going through Customs, but once luggage arrived (they must have had only 2 baggage handlers on!) Wendy met me and dropped me home at 830pm Thursday NY time. (12md here) That was door to door, 33+hours. So pleased you make the effort for us Celia!!!

The only criticism I have is that United food is awful. The Business class lot was better, JFK to SFO but not great.

Managing meals is one of the biggest challenges of international travel.

I arrived at airport 1145 and flight wasn't till 230. So I had lunch at a bar recommended by C & S. Delicious Steak strips and avocado on lettuce and salsa. Lovely.

Then when we took off they offered lunch at 3pm!! After some discussion I was told I could have it when I wanted as long as it was 45 mins before landing. So I watched a movie "Animal Kingdom" till 5pm then asked for a glass of wine and some nuts "certainly ma'am" and watched an episode of Monk to cheer me after the movie.Then had dinner Roast chicken breast and veges rated 7/10 and ice-cream and hot fudge 10/10 at 6pm. 

We landed at 730 pm (NY time) So perfect. If I had been in economy I guess I wouldn't have eaten at all.

Then I had to wait for a flight at 10 pm but it was only 5pm SFO time. So I had a snack in the red carpet lounge but didn't need another meal.

Once we boarded at 1050 they served dinner. I had some water and watched some TV then went to sleep. My relaxing pills worked OK as I slept for 5.5 hrs then had some water (resisted the turkey sandwich being handed out) and then napped again for 2 more hours. Lost track of time now (flight was 13+Hrs.)  but we had breakfast pancakes and a Danish at 7am before we landed at 8am Sydney time.

On the trip to Melbourne 10am to 11am I had some iced water and a small pkt of pretzels. They only had coffee or ordinary tea, no food service offered. Would have killed for some bickies and cheese!

              Flying in to SFO I was amazed at what looked like a flat sea of snow, but too big to be that.

It was too low to be cloud (see land mass in photo)

I think it must have been fog or VERY low lying cloud.

Tried to sleep when I got home as I felt awful, but after 45mins was still awake so got up and had a cup of tea and some English muffin and vegemite. It was 33 degrees as well so heat may have been a factor.

I went to Wendy's for dinner to pick Spencer up . He was very pleased to see me, but I am a bit worried about him today. We ate about 730 so I had really had nothing from about 7am. and before that 15 hours No wonder I was feeling a little light headed!!

Wendy was thrilled with the black and red satin PJ's I bought and loved the poster of Martha's that she immediately hung in her room.

I had  a great visit and so grateful to Celia's generosity and her and Sue / Bernadette hospitality.

Must go again!!

Re Spencer; when I got back from the hairdresser at 1pm he was waiting patiently at the back door! and has been just lying around all day. Even when I was getting his dinner he just waited  and then ran out to the verandah.

Maybe Wendy has done some serious training, but if he's still the same tomorrow I will take him to the Vet. It is 33 again today and windy but that never stopped him!

Just went out to bring the washing in and a big branch has come down from the Wattle over the clothes line. Need to check the rest is safe.

City of New York History

Today I went up to the Museum of the City of New York to see and exhibition of furnishings, painting and cartoons.

"_and besides, they say Washington never told a lie,
neither, but I guess the cops never usta ask 'em
in those days "Whatcha hangin' around here fer?"

The cartoons were great!  For thirty years, six days a week, Mr. Wortman produced a new drawing for "Metropolitan Movies", his newspaper cartoon depicting episodes in the lives of an assortment of colorful characters, the most notable being "Mopey Dick and the Duke", a couple of lovable vagrants who commented on life in America from the Depression through World War II and into the early fifties.  

I then walked again through Central Park,  saw a squirrell, and paths still decorated with snow.

Also took a photo of some graffiti on Lexington near 103rd when I headed off in the wrong directions to start.

A day alone

The team were back at work today so I had a day to myself. I stirred when Sue came into her room to collect some stuff but went back to sleep and woke to a sunny day, but I learnt my lesson and checked the temp before heading out. The last 3 balmy days are over and it was to be 2 degrees only, so dressed appropriately.
I started off with a trip on the C line to travel down to Prince Street to shop at Dean & DeLuca as I wanted to see if I could find something for my elderly Italian neighbour, who is collecting my mail and keeping an eye on the house. I found the store (actually exited on the correct SE corner) I decided on some coffee as she invites me in for a coffee, proper Italian infusion stuff! I also stopped for a Cafe latte, small. However in true USA style their small is our large. My theory is that they give you big things, food serves esp. that are not hard to give, but cut back on stuff that matters like health care, unemployment benefit and social support. 

After a browse I bought Sue and Celia some food tongs (they only have the crappy mini lot I gave them 2 yrs ago!) It took me and them several minutes to work out how they work, well not HOW they work but how TO work them. It is impossible to open them if they are pointed up, but open when squeezed when facing down! Magic! (We can't work out HOW they work though.)

I then went to UNIQLO on Spring to buy these Japanese design Heat Tech garments. Magic technology thermals that are soft and thin and warm from your body heat.

I then walked over to Bleeker St ( a favourite Simon and Garfunkle tune) to subway up to the Nueue Gallery. There was still a lot of snow around (at Central Park and 5th Avenue as well) so we are lucky here.

The Nueue gallery have the lovely Klimt Picture of Adele Bloch-Bauer, but I went to see an exhibition

of sculptures of Franz Xaver Messerschmidt from Vienna. But in 1770 he was thought to have a mental breakdown and retreated to his native Bavaria and for the rest of his life worked on his 60 "character heads." To produce these works, Messerschmidt would look into the mirror, pinching his body and contorting his face. He then rendered, with great precision, his distorted expressions. Messerschmidt is known to have produced more than 60 of these astonishing works before he died in 1783 at the age of 47.

                                             Snow clearing on 5th Avenue near the MET

I then walked through Central park where they were still clearing snow at edge of park but still large expanses in Sheep Meadow.

On the walk home I stopped in at Advanti Nail Salon and had a manicure and pedicure. A novel but New York experience. N booking needed and people just walking in all the rime I was here including a guy to have manicure and another a pedicure.

Sunday Jan 2nd

Today Celia and I planned a visit to Michael's. A craft and hobby store that has 5 aisles of Scrap booking things. Did we have a ball!! A lot was 50 % off as well as a voucher from the paper for 25% off, so we were happy to buy up. And when we finished it printed a 25% discounts voucher use by end of month.

After we went on to see Bernard who spent New Year's Eve with us: he sells his  work on Broadway at 79/80th . I bought an etching titled Blue Bottles and he was pleased (and surprised) when I said "Oh Blue Poles!" You have to see it (and maybe be Aussie) to get it. A lot of his work was ironic humour.

We then headed back and came across what looked like dueling snow ploughs! Two vehicles racing across the intersecting corner  dumping loads of cleared snow We think they were to sprinkle salt on it to melt rather than drive it away. But the pace they were moving seemed to completely disregard the cars trying to cross and negotiate the intersection. At one point I thought he was going to dump it on the car approaching. Maybe the driver did too!!

Also the end of Christmas is evident as people are putting their trees out for collection. Celia said they have a big muncher to recycle the trees to mulch

Warm Weather

Found it quite warm wandering around today.

Yes, a wool coat, but no scarf and no gloves and no silk thermals! 

After all it was 53 degrees 12 C.  After -2C that's pretty good; Forecast is for cooler as the week goes on and  2 degrees when I go home on Wednesday.

We went for  walk up to MoMA to see Martha's work on  the street and had a good chat as she and we, did business. 

Even in a short stroll there seems always to be something different or unique to see and snap!

We had lunch at Hurley's over the road (now free of snow) and chatted with the friendly Irish barman.

We had a quiet afternoon then headed off to 42nd street (note the Chrysler building?) to see The King's Speech, only to find that the session was booked out.  So we bought tickets for tomorrow and had a drink at another Irish bar called The Glass House Tavern.