１月４日（木曜日）２０２４
新年が始まって、いきなり能登での大地震と飛行機事故のニュース。世界も日本も決して穏やかな幕開けではありませんが、お天気だけは穏やかで表通りは多賀大社参拝のかたで賑わいました。
暮れからずっと営業を続けて、元旦と二日のカフェは目の回るような忙しさでした。３日目は随分落ち着きカウンターのお客様とも余裕でお話しができました。四日目の今日も好天で絵馬通りは人通りが多そうでしたが、週末のことを考えてカフェは休ませていただきました。
買い物に出ようと表にでてポストを開けると、多賀大社の延寿すずの箱が入っていました。毎年、新年にいただくN様からの贈り物です。せっかくお出でくださったのにコーヒーもお出しできず失礼してしまいましたが、早速記念写真を撮りました。
十二支の５番目の干支である辰は唯一空想の動物。「昇り龍」と言われるようにあらゆる物事を上昇させて良い方向へ導く力があるそうです。どうかそうであってほしいと心から願います。
Just soon after the new year started, we had a big earthquake in Noto Peninsula (Japan sea coastal area) and an awful airplane accident at Haneda airport in Tokyo. It is not an easy start of the year in both domestic and the world, but only the weather was fine and many people went to the shrine passing by my cafe.
I had been opening my cafe without a break since the 29th of last year and the first two days were the peak of busy days. The third day of January was easier than previous days and I could enjoy a little talk with the customer at the counter. Then I could take the day off on the fourth day.
I found a little white box in my mailbox. Earthenware bell shaped dragon from Taga-Taisha, which is a symbol of this year, was inside the box. Instantly I knew that it was a gift from Mr. N who is honorary chief priest of Taga taisha. Every year, I receive his kind gift of the earthenware zodiac bell. I felt sorry for not serving coffee to him because of closing the cafe.
Dragon is the fifth symbol of the zodiac and it is the only one which is an imaginary creature. "Rising dragon" has the power to lead everything to good fortune. I sincerely hope that this is the case. 
