１月２９日（木曜日）２０２６
　手術後７日目（２８日）にT病院を退院して多賀に帰ってきました。
リハビリは手術翌日から毎日１時間弱、優しいSさん（土日は男性のNさん）が付いてくださり、先ずは歩行練習、左足のストレッチ、そして硬く張った筋肉のマッサージ。一日毎に違う動きを、個人に合わせてやってくださいました。車椅子でリハビリ室に向かうもすぐに杖歩行、そして杖なし歩行へと進みました。病室隣には自主練習室もあり午前は少し自分でも宿題になっている動きをし、退院３、４日前には杖なしで洗面所に行ったりもできるようになりましたが、夜中は切開した傷がじんじん疼くので看護師の方からアイスノンをもらって冷やしていました。７日目に傷口のシールを剥がして退院。休暇を取ってボストンから日本に来て多賀の家まで付き添ってくれた娘への感謝は言うまでもありません。

滋賀に入って雪がかなり消えていたのでほっとしましたが、寒さは東京の比ではありません。家へ帰って、まず直面したのは家の中で何かをしようとするも動きはリハビリでの動きと全然違って難しいことばかりで、台所に立って下の引き出しを開けようとしたり、しゃがむこともできない。立て掛けた杖をしょっ中バタンと倒してもそれが取れない、靴下を履くのに時間がかかる、ああ普段の生活に戻るにはまだまだです。少しずつ体を慣らしていくしかありません。

翌日の今日、雪が残った屋根に二匹のお猿がいました。前回、娘が来た時も同じで２階で声がすると思ったら猿がこっちを見てる！と。顔が真っ赤なおサルさん。多賀に戻ってきて初めて見た生物でした。


I came home from the hospital seven days after the operation. The rehabilitation started a day after the operation day and it took about an hour everyday with physical therapist, Ms. S, and Mr. N (Sat.& Sun ) who were both very kind. First I practiced walking with a cane, and next was stretching my left leg, then kneading a massage for the left tension muscle. When I visited the rehabilitation room, I was in a wheelchair, then I was suggested walking with a cane, but soon they wanted me to walk without cane. The next room to my hospital room, there was a self training room, so I practiced moving everyday as the physical therapist suggested. I was able to walk to the bathroom without a cane on the fourth day, but the stitches hurt during the night, so I asked the nurse to bring a cold pack to put the part. On the seventh day after the operation, the nurse came to take off the seal which had covered the stitches, then I was discharged from hospital. My daughter, M, took her days off and came to see me from Boston and came home with me which I appreciated very much.

I was relieved because there wasn't much snow in Shiga, but it was much colder than Tokyo. When I came home, I realized that there were many difficult things for me to do, for example, opening lower drawers in the kitchen, crouching, picking my cane which I often knocked over on the floor, and putting on my socks. All these movements were so hard for me to do at this moment. I really thought it would take time to be able to do in my daily life.

Next morning, my daughter saw two monkeys on the roof which still had snow. She let me know from upstairs. They were Japanese monkeys whose faces were red. They were the first living things which we saw in Taga after we came back home.

１月２２日（木曜日）２０２６
　友人Mさんの温かいサポートを得て２０日にT病院入り、昨日（２１日）に無事左股関節の手術を終えました。
手術着に着替えて、部屋で待っていると、看護師の方が車椅子で迎えに来てくださり、地下へ。両面扉の手術室へ入ると、何人もの人が次々に「麻酔担当の〇〇です」などと挨拶してくださり、その向こうに担当医のF先生。それまでにも病室を覗いてくださり「頑張りましょう！」のお声がけ。

　手術台に乗るやいなや、両腕に色々な器具や注射、酸素マスクが掛けられて3度大きく深呼吸をすると麻酔薬が流れて完全に私の意識は無くなりました。どのぐらいの時間が経過したのでしょうか、「イノウエさ〜ん、終わりましたよ！」と声が聞こえ、目を開けると真ん中にF先生、その周りに数人のスタッフの人が私を覗き込んでいるのが見えたので「ありがとうございます」と言おうとするも、声が思うように出ない。気分はどうかと聞かれた時は最悪の状態。手術中か術後か覚えていませんが、気持ち悪くて息も苦しく頭が混乱状態。「死ぬかも」と暗い深い恐ろしい闇の中で「頑張らなければ」と闘っている自分がいました。初めての経験でした。ストレッチャーで上階のナースステーション隣の回復室に運ばれている時も気持ち悪さで目を開けることはできませんでした。点滴やチューブが体に入った状態で一晩まどろんで朝を迎えるうちに、気分の悪さは次第におさまり傷口の痛みも体を動かさなければそれほどでもなくなりました。

　翌日は車椅子でレントゲン室に向かい、元の病室に移り食事を済ませ、リハビリが始まりました。F先生が回復室に様子を見に来た時に「滋賀は大雪ですよ」と教えてくださいました。東京は上天気。私の病室の窓からは陽が差し込んでいます。

　今回、手術にかかわってくださったF先生はじめ全ての方に心から感謝いたします。また、入院・手術と知って心配してくださり、励まして下さった多くの友人知人に私はどれほど力をもらったかしれません。ありがとうございます。
皆様にお応えするためにも、私は一日も早く回復し元気になります。

Receiving a warm support from my friend、 M, I could get in the T Hospital on 20th, and got surgery of my left hip joint yesterday.
A nurse came and took me with a hospital gown to the operation room downstairs in a wheelchair. When I got into the operation room, five or six people approached me saying like " I'm 〇〇、in charge of anesthesia." and everybody greeted me. I saw Dr. F who was in charge of my operation. He came to my upper room earlier to chair me.

As soon as I laid down the operation table, my both arms were fixed and I was on oxygen, attaching several pieces of equipment to the body. When I took a deep breath, I instantly lost my conscience because of the anesthesia. I don't know how long it has been, but I heard the voice "Ms. Inoue, everything is over!" I opened my eyes and saw Dr. F' and other staff looking into me. I tried to say thank you but I could barely say it. When I was asked how I was feeling, it was the worst in my life. I felt very bad, couldn't breath well and was very confused. I don't remember when I felt that way, but I was in a deep, fearful darkness and it was very scary, and I thought I might die, but I was thinking I have to go through. It was the scariest experience of my life. They took me to the recovery room upstairs by stretcher, but I couldn't open my eyes because I still felt so bad.I stayed in the recovery room attaching several pieces of equipment to my body overnight. Then gradually I got back to the normal feeling.

The next day, afterI taking an X-ray, I moved to the original room and had breakfast. Then rehabilitation started. When Dr.F came to see me in the recovery room, he told me that Shiga was in an awful snow storm. I sympathized with how people in my place were having a difficult time there. Here, Tokyo is clear and has sunlight.

I am grateful to everyone involved in my operation. I also would like to send my thanks to the people who worry about me and send many warm message, and support. I can't tell how much it encouraged me. To respond to all these people's kindness, I will do my best and get well soon.

１月１５日（木曜日）２０２６　
　家を改修する時に、設計士さんがそれまでの古い建具などを上手に再利用してくださり気に入っています。浴室の窓も昔の木枠に納まった古いガラス窓をシステムバス内に素敵に入れてくださいました。けれども、冬はどうしても隙間風の問題があり、それで工務店の大工さんに取り外しができるもう一枚の戸を作ってもらいました。それでも冬の夜は寒いので、外から窓全体をビニールで覆っていました。今年は、それを怠っていたので、やはり寒く、今日は朝一番に窓を覆う作業をしました。

　改修中もお世話になり、もう一枚の窓も作ってくださった気のいい大工のMさんが亡くなったと工務店の方から聞きました。帰省してからお世話になった大工さんが二人も旅立って行かれました。こうしたMさんのことを思いながら窓の作業終えました。

　次は当番に当たっていたけど忙しかったり、天気が悪かったりで行けなかった町内の地蔵堂の掃除とお参り。こちらも何とか終わり、その次は松の内も終わった今日、暮れに張ったしめ縄を外す作業。屈んで中へ入るお地蔵様の掃除も、踏み台に乗ってしめ縄を外す作業も、手術前の私には楽ではありませんでしたが、全部終えるとそれなりに達成感があり嬉しかったです。

　お茶を飲んで一息した後は、Gスーとホームセンター、そしてフタバヤ行き。２月にうちで皆さんでする味噌作りの塩や漬物袋の買い物も終了。３時すぎに地元農家のNさんが味噌作り用の大豆を７升（７人分）届けてくださり、あとは来月味噌作り直前に届く麹を待つだけ。夕方は地元の北村接骨院に飛び込んで、ゴチゴチになった足腰の骨周りの筋肉整備をしていただきました。

When I asked for renovation of my house, the designer reused old doors and windows brilliantly, and I liked his way. My bathroom window is one of them. It was set in a modular bathroom nicely, however, since it is a single-pane window, the cold wind comes from the crevice during the winter. A carpenter from a construction company made a removable cover outside the window. Even though, I still felt cold, so I covered it with a big plastic sheet. I did it this morning because I haven't done it yet.

A few months ago, I heard the sad news that the carpenter who was working during the renovation and made the removable cover for the window, passed away. He was a kind and good man. I felt very sorry and was thinking of him while I was putting the plastic sheet over the window this morning.

The next thing I did was cleaning up nearby Jizo-do (small hall for guardian deity who protects the souls of children). We took turns doing this work in my neighborhood and it turned to me but I didn't have time to do it since the new years day. I have been thinking about it and feeling so bad because I haven't done it yet but finally I could finish my duty and it made me happy. After coming back from Jizo-do,
I took off Shimenawa (sacred Shinto rope which had been decorated until 15th of the new year. I had to step on the footstool to do this work and it was hard for me whose joint was a problem. I could finish this work anyhow and I was relieved.

After taking a short break, I headed for two supermarkets and homecenter by bicycle. I got special plastic bags and sea salts for seven people. These are necessary things for making home-made miso which we will work together on February 5th at my place. In the late afternoon, Ms. N brought her soy beans (1.5kgx7) and those are also ingredients for miso. The remaining ingredients are rice malt and it will arrive in February.

 

１月８日（木曜日）２０２６　
　年末から気になっていた髪を何とかしたいと美容院に電話して聞いてみたら、空いてるとのこと。ラッキー！とすぐに美容室に向かいました。歩いて２、３分ですが、今朝は足の調子が悪く自転車で。

　その後、お天気が気になりながらも買い出しなら今しかないと、自転車をだしてGスーまで。途中、ミゾレのような雨がふったり止んだりで、サングラスに水滴がつくも気にせず目的地で買い物を済ませて、帰りにV.Cityへ。理由は毎年平和堂が年賀状で当たる割引券を発行していて、運良く３０％引が２枚、２０％引が数枚当たったので、その買い物のため。雨がかからない駐輪所を探して自転車を止めたところまではよかったものの入り口から遠かったので、ゆっくり歩いて入口に近づくと、何と「本日休み」の張り紙。「ついてない、また出直しか」と元の場所へ戻り、帰路へつくも、フタバヤへ寄り道して、お刺身を購入しました。駐輪所で電話をかけていたメッシュ髪の若い男の子が「ゴメンやけど俺の彼女の方が可愛いでぇ」と何回も言っていたのが妙に頭に残りながら家まで帰った時は、コートもズボンも濡れてヤレヤレという感じでした。

　残りご飯で酢飯を作り、買ってきたお刺身を乗せて海苔をちぎってかけると海鮮丼の出来上がり。熱いお茶でほっと一息ついていると電話が。「フタバヤ」からでした。えっ、何か忘れ物？と思ったら、その通り。「お財布をお忘れです」とのこと。ああ、やってしまいました！！新年１週間目、何もこんな日に.....。寒いし痛いし面倒臭い....。歳とは関係なくこんな失敗を今年も早速しでかしてる情けない自分を笑うしかありません。

　思い直して、身支度を整えて、財布を取りに自転車を出して走り出すも、みぞれが雪になってさっきよりも大降りになってきました。これでは無理と判断。引き返してフタバヤに電話して、明日まで取っておいてもらうようお願いしました。
「書き初め」ならぬ「ドジ初め」の一日でした。

I have been thinking about having my hair cut since the end of last year, and I called a nearby hair salon if they have a space for me. Luckily the answer was yes, so I headed there by bicycle even though it takes only a few minutes on foot, but I chose a comfortable way for my legs.

Upon returning from the hair salon, I decided to go to the grocery store by bike. The weather was not good. Amidst the cold wind and rain drops, I could reach the store and finish shopping. On the way back home, I stopped by a shopping mall to use a couple of 30% and 20% discount tickets, but I saw a Closed sign on the door of the entrance. It was very disappointing. I rode my bike again, and I stopped by another smaller supermarket and bought Sashimi.

When I came home, my coat, pants and cap were wet but I was relieved to be able to come home safely. I made a Sashimi Rice Bowl for myself. It was good and I enjoyed a hot tea after that. Then suddenly my cell phone rang. It was from Futabaya (supermarket). I wondered if I left something. As I feared, the woman over the phone checked my name and said that I left my wallet at the store. Oh my god! This was my first huge mess up in the new year on such a cold snowy day. I really felt so ashamed of myself.

Putting on my winter coat again and I got on my bike to head to the market to receive my wallet. However the rain turned to snow and it fell heavier than before. I thought I should stop going and return home. I called the store and asked to keep my wallet till the next day.
I faced many unfortunate things on this day, but finding my wallet was a super fortunate incident.

１月４日（日曜日）２０２６
　お正月の三日間、床の間や神棚に飾っておいた鏡餅を、昨日のうちに下げて、今朝は「鏡開き」をしました。
カチンコチンになったお餅を切るには「注意と気合い」が要ります。先ず、深鍋にお湯を沸かして包丁を温めて布巾で包丁の背を抑えながら怪我をしないようにゆっくりと切っていきます。すぐに食べないお餅は袋に入れて冷凍室へ。Fさんから自家製豆乳を頂戴したので、夕食は餅入りクリームシチューでいただきました。

　多賀大社の干支の「延寿すず」は、N様が毎年年始にお持ちくださるもので今年もありがたく頂戴しました。
「多賀あさひや」と書いた小さな徳利は、骨董好きの幼なじみのSNさんが以前、京都の骨董屋で見つけたものらしく、カフェを開業して間もなく、うちのものではないかと持ってきてくださったのです。昔一時期、曽祖母や祖母が「多賀あさひや」という土産物屋をしていたことがあって、その時、「延命酒」なるものをこの徳利に入れて売っていたようで、それを誰かが買って、それが巡り巡って販売元の我が家に戻ってきたという数奇な運命のシロモノです。

　令和８年（２０２６年）が順調に滑り出しました。数々のご縁に恵まれていることを感謝しながら、新しい日々に挑戦できればと願っています。今年もよろしくお願いいたします。

　On the evening of Jan.3rd, I took the round rice-cakes offered to the deity from alcove and cut them into pieces for eating.
They became too hard to cut in a regular way, so I prepared hot water in a deep pan. I put a knife in it to make it warm, then cut the rice cake slowly holding the top of the knife with cloth. You need to pay attention not to cut yourself with knife. I put most of the slices of mochi into plastic bags and put them in the freezer.

I received a zodiac bell for the New Year of the horse in Taga Taisha from Mr. N who has been bringing it every year since I opened the cafe. I thank him a lot for this. The small bottle with the letter of Taga Asahiya on it is from my childhood friend who collected antiques.

When he brought it, he said that he had found it at the antique shop in Kyoto before and when he knew that I opened a cafe of the same name, he wondered if it was a selling item of Taga Asahiya a souvenir shop which my great ground mother and my grandmother opened around 1915 for about ten years. Somebody came to the shop and bought it around the time, and I don't know why but it came back to the original place. It is a sake bottle which went through a strange and mysterious fate. I was very surprised when I received it.

The days of 2026 have already started. Thinking of how fortunate I am to meet many precious people, I would like to challenge myself in the new days of this year.

１２月３０日（火曜日）２０２５　
　毎年、１２月３０日は絵馬通りのしめ縄張りの日で、今朝８時すぎに表に出ると近所の皆さんがしめ縄を括り付ける青竹を家の両側に建ててかけていました。

　青竹が配給される場所に行くと私の最年少６歳の友達のS君が向こうから竹を抱えて元気に持ってきてくれました。それを２本受け取って、持ち帰り立てかける作業からスタート。踏み台に乗って固定し、次は縄に御幣（ごへい）と呼ばれる神社の白い紙と藁（わら）を交互に挟み込んで、縄を軒下に張りました。何でもないこの作業も今年はやっとの思いでした。しめ縄張りを終えると一気に新年を迎える引き締まった気分になるのが不思議です。

　頼んでおいた鏡餅がお昼すぎに届き、床の間に飾り、三幅対の掛け軸と友人のHさんが活けてくれた若松で、こちらもお正月の準備が整いました。

Every year, December 30th is the day of decorating Shimenawa (sacred Shinto rope) along the street in my neighborhood. When I went outside after eight o'clock this morning, some people had already started working to place bamboo trees around which a rope will be tied.

When I went to the area to get bamboo trees, six year-old S was there and he brought two bamboos to me one by one. S is living in my neighborhood and he help me tie them to the eaves while I stood on a step. Then I inserted white Shinto paper called Gohei and straw into the rope. After that, I pulled the rope and tied it to the bamboo trees. It is not difficult work, but it was hard for me as I am having trouble with my hip joint. Anyhow, I finished it and felt very refreshed and ready to welcome the new year.

　　Local rice cake shop owner delivered two round rice-cake offerings to the deity. so I decorated specially for the alcove in the guest room. I already hung three beautiful scrolls and my friend, H, put fresh pine branches in a special way. It seems we are ready to welcome the new year.

１２月２５日（木曜日）２０２５

　手術入院前の検診で東京へ。念のためにとお世話になっている方から杖を貸していただき駅の構内を歩いていると同様に杖歩行の人が何人も目に入ってきます。電車に乗るとさっと席を譲ってくださった若い女性。初めての経験でした。

　さて、泊めていただいた友人の家にはクリスマスツリーが飾ってあり昔を思い出しました。ボストンにいた頃は生木をマーケットで吟味するところから始まり、それを車の上に括り付けて家に持ち帰り、杉の良い香りの中でクリスマスの飾りや小さな電気をつけて作業していると、それだけでクリスチャンではない私たちでもワクワクしてきたものです。一昨日は冬至で運がドンドン溜まるようにと友人のお宅ではうどんすきを頂き、柚子湯にまで入れるという幸運に恵まれました。

　検査が終わっての帰り道、エレベーターやエスカレーターのお陰で階段の上り下りが必要ないのに感謝、感謝。夕方の近江鉄道に乗ると、そこにも可愛らしいクリスマスの飾りがしてありました。

　今年もあと一週間足らず。色々ありましたが、あっという間の１年。この加速感に驚くばかりです。

I went to Tokyo for the medical examination before the operation for my left hip joint at the hospital. I brought a cane which my friend said was just for helping me walk, then I saw many people using a cane in the station like me. When I got on the train, a young woman stood up and let me sit instead. It was the first experience for me.

Well, there was a pretty Christmas tree at my friend's house where I stayed overnight. I recall the day when I was in Boston in the same season with my family. At the market, we selected the appropriate tree and put it on the roof of the car, tying up with rope to bring it home. Even though we are not Christian, we were excited to decorate the tree with some cute ornaments and little lights in the living room which had a nice smell of fresh wood from the tree. My friend served hot pot for dinner and Yuzu bath (Citron bath) which was a special bath for the day of winter solstice. I enjoyed them very much.

On the way back from the hospital after finishing several examinations, I could use the elevator and escalator at the station without using stairs. I really appreciate those. I saw cute Christmas decorations on the local train.

We have only a few days left before the end of the year. There were a lot of things in this year as well, but I feel it passed so quickly, and it's surprising.