A rainy Sunday in August

Warning: This blog entry is no more than a simple description of an average Sunday in our lives.

”A rainy Sunday in August” might sound a little depressing to most people. It does not have to be though. A rainy Sunday in August can also be just to live and enjoy life. So how does a rainy Sunday in Koriyama look like? In this case it starts 7am with H going out for his daily run, in his preparations for Honolulu marathon in December.
It might seem a little harsh to begin a Sunday morning at 7am, but it pays of when we arrive at the JA (Japanese Agriculture) market where the fresh fruits and vegetables awaits at 9am. It is the season of the huge peaches which are perfect for our morning smoothies. Approaching the end of the blueberry season brings us to Miharu where it is with disappointment we realize that we must leave empty-handed. The upside is however that we would not be able to fit much more in the freezer anyway, since it is almost full of containers with pineapple, peaches, chickpeas and a few with blueberries from our last harvest there. Having decided to eat the Herb Garden’s lunch buffet in Miharu we had 1½ hour to kill before it opened. We chose to cruise around in the hilly region and enjoy the rice fields where the rice now actually is visible. We also visited a hermitage (cottage) on a small hill surrounded by huge bamboo while covering from the rain together under one umbrella. The hermitage used to belong to a poet (or was he writer?). He had chosen the location because of its solitude and rich nature and had a small rock garden for meditation. Being at the hermitage alone gave us a sense of peace and privacy. This feeling stood in contrast to the experience at the lunch place, where the eyes constantly were on the two tall gaijins. The feeling of being the odd one out will probably continue to appear in the remaining time here in Japan.
The lunch buffet was great though. Herb Garden is actually a big farm catering the region with herbs, vegetables and plants. The food was organic and there was a huge variety to choose from the viking. which is was an "eat-all-you-can-buffet"is called here in Japan (makes you wonder as a scandinavian).

Full and happy, we returned to Koriyama City via Koriyama’s Art Museum where we saw the Dutch exhibition of drawings from various cartoons, which our neighbour recommended to us some weeks ago. After an hour in the company of various cartoon characters we left the museum light-hearted and smiling.
With the weather still only suitable for indoor activities we chose to spend some time in The Mall, like many others. One of the routine activities is to take a short look at the poor puppies that simultaneously breaks and melts our hearts. The outdoor event on the parking lot with live music and food stalls also had to be checked out, but it was not more than a “been there done that”.
Having made a plan of using this Sunday productively brought us to Excelsior Café in Tsutaya bookstore with our laptops and two soy latté in big mugs. All set for blog-writing. Being hopelessly behind writing about what we have been doing the last couple of years, it has become essential for us to dedicate time for this. The time was also spent talking about the final details of the upcoming visit from B´s sister and brother-in-law whom we are very much looking forward to receive here in Koriyama.

Very characteristically of our lives, we are frequently planning the next adventures, which very naturally brings us to the 2009 calendar hunting. Having started the discussions on what to do for Christmas… in 2009… - it does not seem weird at all to look for the 2009 calendar. You might wonder if it is sane to think about Christmas preparations for 2009? Why plan so much? Why not just cherish the moment? Luckily, it seems like it is possible to manage both. Treasuring the moment gives us happiness in the daily life, where the plans and dreams are what add the extra spice.
Being on our way home, in that moment, we sent our thoughts to Henrik’s dad who is running in the Villa Gallina race for the first time in more than 10 years. With the time difference of 7 hours, he should be finished by now.
It is thus in a mixture of being in the moment and dreaming about travels and the opportunities in life, that we close the chapter of the Olympics by watching the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games before bedtime. We cherished the moment of the spectacular Grande Finale of the Games, while at the same time recalling the unforgettable experience in The Nest, and simultaneously sharing the feeling of the beginning of a new chapter.