黄昏 My Twilight Years

In our English conversation club too, the first half of the current year is over. The next session is going to start in October. We attempted to complete one project for a month as an achievement of this session. The project was to write screenplays and to act on the stage, though it is a small stage.

As I wrote about our activities before, we chose two characters freely from the world’s history, movies, manga, novels and something like that. Next, three or four members got together and wrote a screenplay using six or eight characters. Finally, we memorized the part of the conversation and acted on the stage.

Our first, and probably final, cinematic attempt has been completed ,and our plays have been recorded into a DVD by the help of some students in Kobe Foreign Language University. It was my first attempt to think about screenplays.

It was very exciting to play Hillary Clinton and Melanie in the film “Five Women in A Host Club” which we had written. I am glad to have good memory with the members in the English conversation club.



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This is Ishiteji- Temple 石手寺 near Dogo Hot- spring in Ehime Prefecture. This temple has large grounds(境内) and is well- known as a popular scenic spot around Matsuyama. There is a big golden 五鈷 Goko in front of the main temple. The color of curtain(幕) looks like the one in Tibetan temples.



This temple has many interesting things to see.



To my regret, I didn't have enough time to go into this weird cave. I'm sure you can enjoy Mizuki Shigeru's or Miyazaki Hayao's world in it. Children must be very excited.



This cup is Tobe ware (砥部焼), which is well- known nationwide.



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I took part in the 8th bus trip to Shikoku as a part of 88 Temple Pilgrimage on Aug.24 and 25. There were 27 tour members this time. The weather was good and it was cool in the morning and evening, but it was still hot during the daytime. I visited eight temples in Ehime Prefecture for two days. This picture is 岩屋寺 Iwaya-ji Temple, which is said to be the hardest place to visit among 88 Temples. There are many huge rocks with holes around the temple.

It was very tough to go up the mountain to reach the temple. This time, most of the members were younger than my husband and I. Young people could reach the temple in about 20 minutes after getting off the bus, but it took about 40 minutes for us to finally reach the temple. My husband is three years older than I ,and he had to stop going up many times halfway. Anyway, we could pass through the hardest pilgrimage.





To be continued.



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I began to read 速読英単語 several days ago, because my grandson, who is in the second grade of senior high school, was reading the book while staying in my home during the Bon holidays. He was using 必修編.

I became interested in the book and bought 上級編. I make it a rule to read one essay in the book every day. There are fifty essays in it and I will be able to finish reading it in 50 days. It is useful for me to increase English vocabulary and I can make sure if I remember the English words, using red semitransparent plastic board. I feel as if I took a university entrance examination.


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I went to the cinema with my younger grandson during Obon holidays. My older grandson had already seen the movie with his girlfriend in summer vacation. Therefore, he stayed at home and did his homework. I felt a little bit lonely, because he didn’t want to go with us.

Anyway, my younger grandson and I reached the movie theater. We intended to see 崖の上のポニョ. Many people and children had lined up in front of the ticket counter. There was △ mark on ポニョ at 9:20 in the list of the movies. We were afraid if we got the tickets, but perhaps we could make it.

However, my grandson suddenly changed his mind in front of the ticket counter, where beautiful young girls were working. He wanted to see Hana yori Dango(花より男子), which his big brother had already seen. I asked him why he changed his mind. He answered that ポニョ was kind of childish. I liked Miyazaki Hayao’s animatin very much and wanted to see it, but followed him. He has reached adolescence. I felt it was the last time to go see movies with him.


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