６月５日（金曜日）２０２６
　私の曽祖父は澤田久蔵(1854-1899)といい、明治5年(1872)に学制が発布されて明治７年に多賀小学校ができてから、校長を約１１年間務めていました。当時は多賀のほかに、敏満寺や久徳にも小学校があり、その後統合されて今の多賀小学校になりました。（「多賀小学校百年のあゆみ」より）敏満寺小学校の初代校長は久蔵の兄の澤田醇一でした。醇一、久蔵共に彦根の寺子屋で学んだのちに師範学校を経て教職についたようです。家には久蔵氏が使っていたと思われる書物や書いた物が残っており、明治の人々の教養レベルの高さに驚きます。

　さて、私が多賀の実家に帰って色々整理している中に古い書ばかりの掛け軸があり、見ると最後に「一茶O︎OO︎」と書いてありました。えっ？と思ってネットで調べてみると、小林一茶作と言われる勧農詞であることが分かりました。農業の大切さや勤勉さを説く内容で、当時、道徳心を養う教材としても用いられたとのこと。久蔵氏はこれを学校のどこかに掛けて子供達に教えたと思われます。当時は小林一茶作と信じられていましたが、後に原作者は宮下正岑（まさみね）であることが判明しました。

　いずれにしても珍しいものなので、眠らせておくのは惜しいと思いましたが、掛け軸の下はボロボロで、書の部分もシミがついて、とても掛けられる状態ではありませんでした。修理にはお金もかかるし、結局そのままにしておいたのですが、昨年、野洲で京表具の仕事をしている辻芳弘さんが横田順さんの墨画展に来られたので、掛け軸を見せて、思い切って修理をお願いしました。そして先日それを仕上げて持ってきてくださいました。シミも綺麗に取れて見事な掛け軸として復活しました。

　ネットでは文字起こしはされていますが、現代語訳がないので、私には詳しい内容はわかりません。けれども、美しい文字の流れはいつまでも見ていたい程素晴らしいです。しばらく、我が家の床の間に掛けてありますので、興味のある方は是非見にいらしてください。

My great grandfather is Kyuuzoh Sawada (1854-1899) and he served as principal for 11 years in Taga Primary School since the Meiji government promulgated the school system in 1872. At first, there were three schools in neighboring areas and later they were integrated as Taga Primary School. Junichi Sawada was the first principal in Binmanji Primary School which was one of three and he was the elder brother of Kyuuzoh S., and they both had an education at Terakoya (temple school) and teacher's school after that. Kyuuzoh left several books and papers in my house. I could understand how he was a highly educated person by those books and writings. People in the Meiji era were putting so much effort into learning History, Chinese poetry, Math, etc. They were really amazing.

Well, when I returned my native home ten years ago and cleaned up things which were in the house, I found an old hanging scroll. I saw the name "Issa ....." which is very famous as a Japanese poet in the Edo period. Looking up on the internet, it is "Encouragement of Agriculture" by Kobayashi Issa. It seemed that educators used it as an educational material for developing a sense of morality at that time. People believed that it was Issa's work but actually it was proved later that a different person, Miyashita Masamine, worked for it.

In any case, I thought it was a very interesting and valuable scroll, but I just put it away for years because it was old and ruined the lower part. Last year, Mr. Tsuji, who is a mounting specialist, came to me so I decided to ask him to fix it. He finished the work and brought it to me a couple of days ago. The cloth frame was renewed and many spots disappeared. It appeared totally beautifully.

It was written in beautiful classical cursive Japanese, but unfortunately I can read only a few words.
Even though I understand partially, I am still happy to watch such a beautiful scroll.

５月２８日（木曜日）２０２６
　運転免許証更新のために高齢者講習を受けに彦根自動車学校へ行きました。実は免許証を持ってはいるものの、この１０年間日本で車を運転したことがありません。ボストンでは運転していますが、今年は手術後であったことと大雪のために車に乗ることはありませんでした。それで、ほぼ１年間、私はアメリカでも運転からは遠ざかっていました。

　アメリカでは年齢に関係なく事務的な手続きだけで更新は済みますが、日本では７０歳以上は高齢者講座、７５歳を超えると認知症テストを受けなければなりません。私はどちらも何とか無事に終わりましたが、今回は更に視力検査と運転実技にパスしなければなりません。日本で運転したことのない私にとってはハラハラもの。ブレーキとアクセルは右？左？エンジンスタートはブレーキを踏み込んでからだったっけ？など不安になり、急いで出かける前にネットでチェック。

　幸い、試験管が優しい方で、車の中で現在の運転頻度を聞かれた時に日本で運転していないと伝えると、珍しがって世間話をするなどリラックスした雰囲気で色々な指示を出してくださったのですが、最初は右折の方向指示は上手に出せたのですが、その後２度も間違って左のレバーを操作してワイパーが動き出し慌てました。（アメリカでは左側に方向指示レバーがついています。）右側走行に慣れているので右折の時に注意したのは勿論です。終わって試験管の方から「クセのないいい運転」と褒められたのは気分よかったですが、疲れがどっと出ました。

It is the time to renew my driver's license and I need to take a special lecture for drivers who are over 75 years old, so I went to Hikone Driving School. Actually I got a Japanese driver's license ten years ago, but I haven't driven a car in Japan since then because I don't have a space to park a car and I don't need it very much in my daily life. Although I usually drive a car in Boston, when I was there this February, I didn't drive because it was just after the surgery and I was afraid of going out in the snow.

The renewal system is different between the US and Japan. It is much simpler in the US, but we have to take a lecture for the people when we are over 70, and we need to take a Cognitive Function Test on top of that. I passed both of them, but I was very nervous about the practical driving test. I needed to remind myself of the position of the accelerator pedal and brake pedal and other things before the test.

Fortunately my examiner was generous and he asked me how often I am driving. I said that I hadn't driven at all in Japan although I drive in the US. Then, he was curious about me and talked in a relaxed atmosphere and continued to give several instructions. I was relieved of my anxiety but I used the left lever instead of the right lever which was a direction indicator when I turned right or left. In the US, they are opposite. I was panicked to see the wiper suddenly move at the corner of the road while I intended to put the direction signal. I was very careful to run on the left side which should be in Japan. My examiner said that my driving was very good when the test was over and I was glad but at the same time I was very exhausted.

５月２１日（木曜日）２０２６
　気になっていて果たしていなかった実家の墓地掃除とお参りを今日こそはと昨日の門前市で花を買って、夜のうちに父が裏に植えておいてくれた下草を合わせて何組かの御供え花を作っておきました。今朝はモタモタしていたら日は既に昇って結構な日差しになっていました。

　子供の頃は裏道を上がって赤坂山の墓地に行っていましたが、もうずいぶん前から皆さん別の道を車で上がるので、裏道は殆ど行く人がなくなりました。荒れた道は私も怖いので自動車道を自転車で上がっています。しばらくお墓に行けなかったのは私の股関節の痛みがあったからで、手術後ずいぶん回復してはいるものの不安でした。それでも自宅の裏庭の伸び放題の雑草を見ながらもう待てない、早く掃除に行かなければと本日決行した次第です。

　電動アシストのギアを１にして何とか上まで上り切りました。雑草は思ったほどではなく有り難かったですが、それでも持っていった「しまむら」の大きいビニール袋がいっぱいになるまで草取りをしました。供養の花と燈と線香で墓参ができほっとしています。周りは墓じまいをしているところが多く、我が実家もそんな話が出ています。寂しいことですが、私もいつまでお世話できるか自信がないので受け入れるしかないと思っています。

There was a thing which I had been wanting and hadn't done yet, that was going and cleaning my parents and ancestor's grave. But I could do it a few days ago. I bought flowers for an offering at the local market the previous day and prepared a divided bunch of flowers.
When I left home, the sun had already risen high up.

There are two ways to go up to the graveyard where it stays on top of a lower mountain called "Akasaka-yama". One is the way near my house and we used to use it with my family and many others when I was a child but many people do not use it nowadays because it is narrow and became run-down and they go up to the grave on another, wider, well-maintained way by their car. I also don't like to walk the narrow one alone now. However, I hadn't gone up to the grave for a long time because I had a problem with my hip joint and didn't have the confidence to go up the slope even after the surgery. Since I was very worried about the condition of the grave where weeds must be growing, I decided to go there and clean.

I could go up the hill by my battery-assisted bicycle and I was relieved because it was not that terrible with weeds. Cleaning the grave of my family for a couple of hours, I offered flowers and prayed. Many people are closing their family graves these days because younger generations are living in different places and they tend not to visit their graves anymore. It is also our family's problem.

５月１１日（月曜日）２０２６
　洗濯と掃除とどちらが好きかと聞かれたら私は間違いなく「洗濯」を選びます。今や殆どの家がドラム式や縦型洗濯機を使っていますが、
私はあえて昔ながらの二槽式洗濯機を気に入って使っています。つまり洗濯と脱水が別々の洗濯機です。家を改装する時に設計士の方にお願いして洗濯機を台所に設置してもらいました。朝、台所でカフェのケーキを焼き、注文のお弁当やいなり寿司作りながら、私の後ろでは洗濯機が回っています。

　今日は定休日なのでケーキ作りもお弁当もないかわりにシーツや布団カバーなども洗濯。洗濯機はフル回転で仕事をしました。天気の悪い日は家の中に干している洗濯物を、今日のような晴れの日には物干し竿に掛けます。洗濯バサミで止めてから、シャツもズボンも靴下もシーツも枕カバーもしっかり並んでいるか点検して眺めると爽快感でいっぱいです。洗濯好きは母ゆずりかもしれません。シーツは糊付けをし、シャツやズボンはシワにならないようパンパンと手で叩いてから干すなど昔は手間をかけていました。時代とともに洗濯も楽になりましたが、よく乾いた洗濯物をいっぱい抱えて取り込むのは今も変わらず嬉しいものです。

お昼すぎに久徳のうぐいすこども園に行って読み聞かせの見学をさせていただきました。建て替えられて４年目とのこと。りっぱな園内にびっくりしました。また、周りの環境の素晴らしいこと！ため息が出るような美しい里の景色です。

If I was asked which one I like better between washing of cleaning, I would definitely choose washing. Nowadays most of the houses are using front loader washers or top loader washers which are both automatic washers, but I have a two-tub washing machine which I like to use. It is a washing machine which has a separate wash and spin. When I renovated my house, I asked the architect to place the washing machine in the kitchen which is not usual in Japan but I wanted it.

It's Monday and the regular closing day. I didn't need to bake Mochiko-cake, so I washed more than usual such as sheets and comforter covers. Since it was a beautiful day, I hung the clothes on the laundry pole outside. After clipping clothes with clothespin, I felt so good to look at all the clothes, sheets and others. I remember my mother liked washing, too. She starched the sheets well and dried them very neatly. Laundry became more convenient with the times, but it is so pleasant to hold the dry laundry which absorbed much sunlight in my arms.

In the afternoon, I went to the local preschool to observe story-telling. It's the fourth year since the building was rebuilt. The facilities were amazing and I was also amazed by the surrounding scenery. It was breathtaking and beautiful countryside scenery.

５月５日（火曜日）２０２６
　端午の節句、こどもの日！昨日とは打って変わって朝から明るい晴れやかな一日でした。カフェはお子さんの姿はありませんでしたが、東京や三重、愛知、京都、大阪など県外の方がたくさんお見えになり、もち粉ケーキもいなり寿司も用意したものは全部なくなり、白玉あんみつや白玉ぜんざいなどの注文もたくさんいただき大忙がしでした。

　数日前に夕方近所の男の子、Hちゃん（４歳）が保育園で作った鯉のぼりを見せにやってきました。お兄ちゃんのS君（６歳）も一緒です。それを見た私は思わず「やねよ〜り」と歌い始めると、Hちゃん、S君もすぐに大きな声で「たーかーいこいのーぼ〜りー」と一緒に歌い出しました。ところが、「おおきーな」まで歌って、次が私自身、あれ？まごい？ひごい？どっち？と分からなくなり、Hちゃん、S君も途端に声が小さくなり「..??... 」それからまた大きく「ちいさい....??...こどもーた〜ちー、おもしーろーそ〜におよいーでーるー」と三人とも歌詞が曖昧なところはごまかして後は大きな声で何回も歌いました。おもしろくて楽しくて、男の子たちの素直で無邪気な声に大いに元気づけられました。因みに後で、大きな真鯉（父）、小さい緋鯉（男の子）と調べたので、次はしっかり歌えると思います。

　カフェに飾った鯉のぼりは、朗読サークルでご一緒のAさんが、毎週ボランティアで行っている高齢者施設で利用者の方に教えた鯉のぼりで、Aさんが作ったお手本と材料の色紙を持ってきてくださいました。S君たちと一緒に作ろうと思っていましたが、しばらく来なかったので1/4だけ私が作りました。

It was Tango no Sekku (originally it was a Boy's day and became to Children's day). It turned out to be a beautiful day in contrast to yesterday. We didn't have children customers in the cafe but we had many people from places such as Tokyo, Mie, Aichi, Kyoto and Osaka. Mochiko cakes and Inari-zushi which I prepared for the customers in the morning were all gone and I also received many orders of other sweets from customers. I almost got in a panic to serve them but I could get through anyhow.

The other day, young H, who is four years old, and my neighbor came to me to show paper carp streamers which he made at his nursery school. His brother S, who is six years old, also came with him. When I saw his paper carps, I sang a children's song of carp streamers. Then two boys started singing with me. However, there were parts in the song which I was not confident about so I had to make my voice small. Interestingly two boys also made their voices down because of the same reason. But except for that part, we all sang very loud and pleasantly. We had a very fun time. By the way, I checked the lyrics on the internet, so I can sing all parts with confidence.

The paper carp streamers decorated in the cafe are from Ms.A who is in the same Read Aroud group with me and she goes to elderly facility in the town and teaches origami to the elderly people as a volunteer. Ms.A brought origami carps which was the same one she taught to elderly people, and she also brought several colorful origami papers for me to make with the children of my neighbor. Since kids hadn't come these days, I made one of them.

５月４日（月曜日）２０２６
　お天気がコロコロ変わる珍しい一日でした。昨夜は雨風が強かったのに、朝になったら陽が差してお天気。喜んでいたら、昼すぎから雲行きが怪しくなって雨が降る気配。外を見ると雨が線のように降っていて、カフェにいらしたお客様も慌てて車へ傘を取りにいかれたり、しばらくすると、ビショビショの傘を畳んでカフェに入って来られるお客様。やがて、その雨も止んで曇った空の下では冷たい風が吹いていました。
　大型連休中でもあり、定休日を返上してカフェを開けており、県内外から多賀大社へ参拝の方もたくさんお見えになるようで、お帰りにカフェに立ち寄ってゆっくりしていかれる方も結構いらっしゃり、ありがたいことと思いながら今日も頑張って乗り切りました。このところ予約は「いざなみランチ」がほとんどですが、ひとまわり大きいお膳にお皿を並べる「あさひや御前」の注文をいただきご用意しました。愛知県からのカップル。食事を楽しんでくださり、「ゆっくりできました」と喜んでくださったのが何よりの励みとなりました。

Today, It was a rare day which changes the weather many times in the day. We had heavy wind and rain last night, but it cleared up in the morning and had a beautiful sunlight. However, it turned cloudy in the afternoon and looked like it started to rain. When I looked outside through the window, the rain was falling quietly like thread. One of the couples rushed out to take their umbrella from their car. After a while, a customer who was drenched with rain came into the cafe. The rain stopped soon, and later a cold wind was blowing under the cloudy sky.

Since it is a long holiday from the end of April to May sixth in Japan, I decided to open my cafe during this term without taking any closing days. There are many visitors to Taga Taisha from inside and outside Shiga prefecture during this season. Some of them stop by my cafe and relax. By the way, when I have requests for lunch, most of them are Izanami-lunch (Bento style), but I was requested Asahiya-gozen this time and prepared for that. It is served with several classical dishes on the larger tray. The customers were a couple from Aichi. They enjoyed the meal and had a relaxing time in the Japanese room.

５月２日（土曜日）２０２６
　左股関節の手術後３ヶ月検診で玉川病院に行ってきました。受付を済ませてすぐに地下のリハビリセンターで可動域や筋肉の検査をして、次はCTとレントゲン撮影、そして最後に主治医の先生と会って経過状況を話していただきました。順調に回復しているとのこと。先ずはほっとしました。整形外科のロビーは相変わらず患者の方でごった返していました。久しぶりに会うリハビリ担当のSさんは変わらず優しく丁寧に色々測定してくださり、担当医のF先生に「お忙しそうですね」と言ったら「そうなんです」と少々お疲れ気味の返事が返ってきました。本当に皆さんにお世話になりました。
　五月を前に床の間に武者人形を飾りました。

I went to the Tamagawa Hospital for 3-month post-op checkup of my left hip-joint surgery. After checking in at the front desk, I headed to the rehabilitation center in basement to have the range of motion of muscles examined, and I was taken in for a CT scan and an X-ray. Then I received an explanation about the progress after surgery from the doctor. He said I am making good progress which makes me relieved. The lobby area of the orthopedic surgery was crowded as always. I met Ms.S who did my rehabilitation for the first time in three months, she was very kind as before, and I met Dr. F who did my surgery. He looked a little bit tired, so I said to him " you seem busy.". ”That's right." he replied. I am grateful for these people.

Coming back home, I decorated the alcove of the guest room with two warrior dolls for the Tango no Sekku (Boys' Festival) in May.