Last week and this week we were hit by a typhoon on two consecutive weekends, and the weather was bad, but today the rain finally stopped. Shizuoka Prefecture seems to have been severely damaged, and I am worried because I know a lot of people there.
On Saturday evening, I went out to walk Konatsu and immediately met HANA, a Shiba dog. Konatsu and HANA are good friends, so we decided to walk together.
Konatsu and HANA are close in age, and when they were younger they used to play with each other when they met, but now they can no longer play like that.
しばらく歩いていると今度はバーニーズのアンジュちゃんがやってきた。
After walking for a while, this time Ange, a Bernese mountain dog, came along.
Yesterday’s rain created puddles of water here and there. I heard that there was a great thunderstorm in the Shonan area yesterday morning, and my wife e-mailed me at work and said, “Konatsu, who is afraid of the sound of thunder, ran around the house, and had an accident on the cushions, and got four cushions wet!” That’s what happened. When she was a puppy, she was fine with the sound of thunder and fireworks, but since she became an adult dog, she has become a terror.
Then Howl appeared on the scene. When I asked his owner about yesterday’s thunderstorm, he told me that Howl was not good at it either. Anne’s owner told me that Anne was totally fine with it. It depends on the dog.
Konatsu usually doesn’t try to join a group of dogs on her own, but this morning everyone gathered around so I was able to take this picture. Even so, Konatsu was watching from afar and not actively trying to play with them.
モアナちゃんは水遊び中!
Moana is playing in the water!
このあとお決まりのコースを1周歩いて散歩終了です。
After this, we walked a lap around our usual course to finish the walk.
足を拭いてるアンちゃんにサヨナラして、こなつも家に帰ります。
We said good-bye to Anne wiping her feet, and Konatsu went home.
I have not written about Shichirigahama for a while, so this morning I went there with my camera. It’s getting hotter these days, so everyone is coming in for a walk earlier and…
5時半過ぎに着いた時には散歩は終わりかけていた。
The walk was almost over when I arrived shortly after 5:30.
Konatsu does not play with everyone and just watches from afar. Until a few years ago, Konatsu loved to run around with everyone, but I wonder if it is because she is getting older. Recently, Konatsu’s decline has become apparent in various situations, and I am concerned, but I hope that time will continue to pass slowly as it has in the past, and that we will still have many more memories to make in the future.
別れ際にみんなの写真を撮ることができました。
I was able to take a picture of everyone when we parted.
ボーダーコリーのハウル君。こなつは彼とは仲良しです。
Howl, a Border Collie. Konatsu is good friends with him.
黒ラブのボビーと白ラブのヒナちゃん
Bobby, a black lab, and Hina, a white lab.
フラットコーテッドレトリバーのバンバン君と黒ラブのポルトレス君
Bam Bam, a flat-coated retriever, and Portress, a black lab.
こういう状況になるとこなつは中に入って行けず、遠巻きに見ているだけ。
In a situation like this, Konatsu could not go inside and just watched from a distance.
足を洗っているアンズちゃん。朝露に濡れて足が汚れちゃうんだよね!
Anzu washing her feet. Her feet get so dirty from all the morning dew!
I made “Kimi to Boku 2022” (meaning you and me) by collecting photos of friends who have become good friends with Konatsu over the past year or two. I feel that the members have changed a lot compared to the “Kimi to Boku” I made in the past. Also, there are some dogs who are good friends of her but did not appear here due to lack of photos, sorry! BGM:”kimi to boku” Song by Suzuki Ranran ,1998
Luna is the only one who is older than Konatsu. In the previous “Kimi to Boku” episode, Konatsu was often joking around with her older brothers and sisters, but I can feel the passage of time.
こういう姿は子犬の頃と変わらないけどね。
Konatsu’s gestures like this are the same as when she was a puppy.
In our town, the generation of dogs is changing, and Konatsu is one of the eldest. I think I’ve seen more small dogs recently, but today I was able to meet some puppies of large dogs.
バーニーズマウンテンドッグの女の子、アンジュちゃん
Ange, a Bernese mountain dog girl
元気いっぱいだね
You’re full of energy.
こなつと仲良くなれると良いね!
Hope you get along with Konatsu!
左はシェパードの女の子・マリアちゃん、この子もまだ1歳くらい。
On the left is Maria, a shepherd girl, who is also only about one year old.
「みんな同じ毛色ですね!」と何となく一体感を共有できたみたい(笑)
The owners were like, “They all have the same fur color!” and we seemed to be able to share a sense of togetherness somehow (lol).
We went to Hakone, thinking that the sightseeing spots would be free on a weekday as the Golden Week holidays were approaching. This time, we went with Anne and her family, but we were meeting locally, so we had lunch in Hiratsuka on the way there.
最近人気の「平塚漁港の食堂」
Recently popular “Cafeteria at Hiratsuka Fishing Port”
月曜日なら空いてるだろうと思いきや、名前を書いて順番待ち。
I thought it would be empty on a Monday, but I wrote down my name and waited my turn.
There were many delicious-looking dishes on the menu, and we ordered a bowl of kaisen-don (rice topped with seafood). It was ¥1,480 and included miso soup and oshinko (pickles), which are not shown in the picture. And it takes almost an hour to get to Hakone from here.
As usual, we stayed in a pet room at Tokyu Harvest Club Hakone Koshien. The purpose of coming here this time was to eat delicious Chinese food at “Taigen,” and with four people, we could order many kinds of food, which is fun. While we were taking a rest in the room, Taigen’s microbus came to pick us up.
この日はあいにくの雨模様でしたが店内はほぼ満席。さっそく次々と注文し
Unfortunately, it was raining that day, but the restaurant was almost full. We quickly placed our orders one after another.
ビールで乾杯していると続々と料理が運ばれてくる。先ずは胡麻豆腐とトマトの冷菜。
After toasting with beer, dishes were brought out one after another. The first dish was cold greens with sesame tofu and tomatoes.
ここに来たら外せない雲白肉(ウンパイルー)。見た目も楽しいし味も最高!
You can’t miss the unbai meat (un pai lu) when you come here. It’s as fun to look at as it is to taste!
酢豚、黒酢の味と香りがとてもいい。
Vinegared pork(stir-fried sour pork and vegetables), black vinegar taste and aroma is very good.
会話も弾み食事も進む。でもこんなのまだほんの序の口。
Conversation is lively and the meal progresses. But this is just the beginning.
ビールの次は紹興酒へとお酒も進み、、、
After the beer, the Shaoxing rice wine goes on and on…
麻婆豆腐。辛すぎず、コクもあって他店ではなかなかお目にかかれない味です。
Bean-curd soup seasoned with red bean paste. It is not too spicy and has a rich flavor that is hard to find in other restaurants.
言わずと知れた春巻
The well-known spring rolls, which are deep-fried meat and vegetables in a wrap.
レバニラ炒め、これで6品目ですがまだまだ終わりません。
stir-fried liver and garlic chives. This is the sixth dish, but it is not over yet.
これは光麺、具が何もなく小皿に香菜が添えられているだけの麺。それを4人で分けた。
This is light noodles, just noodles with no garnish, just a small plate of aromatic greens. One portion was divided among four people.
シューマイ
steamed dumpling (Chinese-style)
〆のチャーハン。ご飯がパラパラになっていて素晴らしく美味しいチャーハンでした。
Fried rice to finish. The rice was wonderfully crispy and wonderfully tasty fried rice.
From here on, it’s dessert, and this is a white bean dumpling. Lastly, I had apricot bean curd, but I forgot to take a picture of it. We had 11 dishes in total, but as you can see from the pictures, all of them were shared by 4 people, so we were full, but not so much that we ate too much.
奥さま達も満足そうな笑顔なのだ。
The wives are all smiles of satisfaction.
翌朝、ようやく雨が上がり、辺り一面霧がかかっている中をこなつと散歩。
The next morning, the rain finally stopped, and I took a walk with Konatsu in the foggy weather.
My wife prepared a light breakfast of bread and salad, so the four of us and our two dogs took our time to relax and enjoy the afterglow of last night. Below you can see Konatsu and Anne enjoying themselves.
こなつが元気なうちに出来る限りあちこち旅行に行きたいと思っています。
I would like to travel here and there as much as possible while Konatsu is healthy.
Railroad crossing in front of Kamakura High School. This is a famous photo spot, and there were already a few people coming to take pictures at this hour.
広場に到着
Arriving at the park
まだみんな居るね、間に合って良かった。
You’re all still here, I’m glad I made it.
さあ、ご挨拶に行こう!
Now let’s go say hello!
オーストラリアン・ラブラドゥードゥルのアンズちゃん
Anzu, an Australian Labradoodle
黒ラブのボビーちゃんと、白ラブのヒナちゃん
Bobby, a black lab, and Hina, a white lab
バーニーズ・マウンテンドッグのルフナちゃん
Rufna, a Bernese Mountain Dog
BMDのルフナちゃん、水を豪快に飲む!
BMD Rufna, drinking water with gusto!
最後にキレイに足を洗って、これで朝のお散歩終了です。
Finally, the doggie’s feet are washed clean, and this concludes the morning walk.
Fuji, which is usually clearly visible, is only faintly visible due to the spring haze. Fuji at the top of the cape on the right, but you can hardly see it.
Konatsu went to the veterinary clinic yesterday for a shampoo cut and tartar removal. When I got home, I could smell the good smell of shampoo on Konatsu’s body, and I’m sure she feels great.
I always have Konatsu’s tartar removal done without anesthesia, but this time, since it had been about four months, the doctor said, “There was so much tartar on her teeth that she needed anesthesia, but she was able to do it without anesthesia because she was so quiet even with the ultrasonic scaler. The doctor said. Oh well, I’m glad. ※The black part at the root of the tooth is the discoloration of the gum. It was not left behind.
It’s been about ten years since I got to know HANA. The other day, I had just made a copy of HANA’s old pictures on a CD and gave it to her owner, so we walked together for about half an hour while talking about the old days.
上の写真は2013年のこなつとHANAちゃん。2頭ともスリムだった。左端はアッ君。
The photo above shows Konatsu and HANA in 2013, both of whom were slim. On the far left is Alex.
Now she has the dignity of a Miss (lol). And this morning, Konatsu came to wake me up at a little past five o’clock. She usually doesn’t do that, but for some reason this morning she was in a “take me for a walk early” mood.
At Shichirigahama park. Usually Anne is the first to arrive, but this morning Konatsu arrived too early, so Anne appeared just as Konatsu was leaving. After this, we decided to go to Enoshima…
橋を渡る頃に陽が上り始めた。
The sun began to rise as we crossed the bridge.
このあと片瀬漁港をもう一度散歩です。
After this, we went for another walk at Katase Fishing Port.
直売所はまだ開いてませんでした。
The market was not open yet.
たまには早朝の江ノ島散歩もいいものです。
It’s nice to take an early morning walk once in a while.
When Konatsu found someone over there and approached him …
甲斐犬の信玄君だった。今、4歳か5歳くらいだったかな。
It was Shingen, a Kai Ken. He is about 4 or 5 years old now. Kai Ken is a Japanese dog. It is said that he is faithful to his owner and does not bark in vain.
歩いているうちに辺りは薄暗くなり、、、
As I walked, the area became dim …
家に戻った時には日没直後、キレイだね。そして、その翌々日の今朝はとても寒い。
When I got home, it was beautiful right after sunset. And it was very cold this morning the day after that.
朝の散歩からもどったこなつは毛布の上が気持ちいいようで、ここから動こうとしない。
Konatsu, who returned from the morning walk, seems to feel comfortable on the blanket and does not move from here.
歳を取って寒さに弱くなってきたのだろうか。。。 それともここの居心地が良いだけのこと?
I wonder if Konatsu has become vulnerable to the cold as she gets older .. Or is it just a cozy place here?