British weather and one thousand paper cranes

As soon as the half term holiday started, the weather turned into a mess. This is probably the reason why people say a day with four seasons in England. In the morning a day starts below 10 degree with thick crowds above, and the temperature goes up to over 20 degree with burning strong sun. Then rain falls down before sunset. Through the day, we keep taking off as soon as putting on clothes over and over...

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This bank holiday monday was a really fine day... from morning to the evening. It was really rare.

My friend visited us will her family, so we decided to have a small picnic in my garden. It had been very cold spring during March and April. This was the first day we can sit outside comfortably.

Although our house is on the South coast, it is still as north as Hokkaido. The day is very long during summer.

The sun stays in the sky till 9 pm.

This photo was taken about 8 pm.  Still blue sky...no sign of sunset, yet.

The day after we enjoyed summery sun shine in the garden all day...

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Today with CATS AND DOGS...(the highest temperature 11 degree)


It's not unusual. We got used to... but what is this difference? Because kids cannot go out in this rain, they started their paper works again...

This time, they found 1000 paper cranes, which I made two years ago. I did not finish as I run out time. The wish had been completed before I finished this. 

My children have started Domestic Industry again.

Any enquiry, please contact to an-an. ww

Guide to the ancient country of Persia Part2

We arrived at the parents-in-law's flat, located in a large group of blocks located the end of North side of Tehran. On the hillside leading to the high mountains...the flat has a view towards the city centre. 

It was just after 4 am. I gave up sleeping as I felt slightly dizzy and had a light headache.

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Here is a tip for when you stay in Iran.
Most strangers will be amused by toilets in Iran.
There are two styles, Western "sitting" style and Persian "squatting" style...with a hose without shower head hung at the side on the wall.
Toilet paper is normally nicely soft and thick.

NEVER FLUSH THE LOO PAPER INTO THE TOILET!!!

It will block the toilet. This time, may be not, but one day it will. (I experienced it a few times....(>_<) )

How to use toilets in Iran
1) Do your business
2) Wash your bottom using hose* **(needs some technic not to spill water outside of the bowl.)
3) Dry your bottom with the loo paper.
4) Discard the loo paper into a bin (no lid, so just throw it in.***)

note* the hose might be swapped by a watering can or a milk bottle...
note** adjusting temperature with hot/cold knob. Caution, hot water can be really hot, which will burn your...
note*** please never feel ashamed. everybody does it.  

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The next day in Tehran was spent in a department store with amusement centre on the top floor. As soon as we arrived, children and big boys disappeared to the top floor. Sister-in-law and I enjoyed window shopping. 

It was an important time for me to examine how Tehran girls dress these days.

You might have an impression of Muslim ladies as dressed in total black with only eyes shown through a hole. That would be very serious Muslim ladies. You can see more relaxed style among young Iranian ladies.

This time, I saw so many girls in colourful scarf around head, fringe is well shown, and their coats are only covering up to the bottom. It can be just a colourful tunic top, too.

Hiding the curves of ladies??? ...Never.

It's belt are rather emphasizing their curvature even more. Slim jeans or leggings under the coats...and vivid coloured pin-heel slippers are on fashion, too.

I would say this style is sometimes sexier than tank-top and a pair of hot-pants.

Girls are really beautiful. They know how to dress up themselves in the limitation. Persians are basically mixed race, among European, Arabic and Indian. Their faces are very exotic. Their makeup is very good, too.

The weather was not so hot at that time, but even if it became hotter, I felt I can get through this stay in Iran as I can dress down quite a lot.  

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It was almost supper time. We were expecting a dinner at home with aunties. So we headed towards the exit of the department store...
However, we were attracted by something familiar sweet smell near the exit.

Something like...Dorayaki pancake...

Then, we found...!

"DELIMANJOO"

Ma, Manjoo?

They were baked there on the counter. The counter looked very familiar in Japan.

I could not resist to try.

Mini corn cob shaped sponge ball has custard cream inside. 
Nice!
I did not expect to see Wagashi here!!!

You might know that Japanese government accepted a lot of Iranian labors when the economy was still on the top. I guess some of the labors tasted the Wagashi during the stay and brought back the business.

It was about 5000 Toman (50,000 Rial) for 10. It's about £1.00. It is not cheap in Iranian market. but still there was a queue behind of us...

I wanted to take them to my parents-in-law!!!
(In the end, all were eaten by my children, though... )

**************************************** As soon as we got home, aunties and an uncle arrived. They are brother and sister of my husband's mother's side.

The Kebabs were piled...yes, piled on the table.

TOO TASTY!!!!!!

Kubide, Juji kebabs, and handmade kuku sabzi (a round omelette with herbs. normally eaten with flesh yogurt).

What is Diet???

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It was already after 12 midnight when we say good-by to them.
Then I was told we were going to visit the aunt's house on the next day....no, it was just in 12 hours.

Children were uncontrollable at that time. They were too tired to think what they were doing.
We struggled to put them into bed, and my husband and I pleaded to his parents not to have any occasion or party in the evening. 

Later on, we broke the pledge ourselves and regretted it... 

to be continued...

My Excuse and Announcement

Some of you have read my blog series, "A Guide to the ancient country of Persia".
This is a translation from what I have written in Japanese on another social network.

I have to say, this is unexpectedly...

HUGE JOB.

By this, I realized my English skill is not up to writing anything longer than 200 words...

So, I tried to use Google translation. Well, I input whole sentences and the out-put was totally not understandable.

When I asked my husband to read my first blog after I translated, he told me to re-write most of them as he did not understand.

(°_°) .......

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If I look back, my language skill of English achieved at the peak when I was working as a graphic designer nearly 10 years ago. 

At that time, I read weekend newspapers constantly. The best of all, I was the only Japanese parson in the office  so I was forced to use English all the time. In fact, I had some occasions to struggle to speak Japanese with the client...  Vocabulary disappears from my head gradually... 

Now, I am trying not to speak English at home due to teaching Japanese to my children. It's not too much to say just 10 minuets conversation with children's parents at school run is the only chance.

I read newspaper online in Japanese. It's too easy to purchase Japanese literature online recently.

No doubt my English skill rolling down the hill. 

I made up my mind.

I am going to take this chance to brush up English again!













Here is something I found when I was tidying up my home library. A text book I learnt English when I came over to UK first time.  It's a sing of "hey, it's time to study!"

Ok, I announced. You have to watch me out.

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Oh, ok, Sweets...
There is not that notable event in June.
The temperature is struggle to climb up, so I am not tempted to make Summer sweets, yet.

I wonder when British summer comes.


Is there any request for next month?

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Redecorating my home library

Now rearranging my home library has almost done, and putting the refuse together to take to recycling centre.

But, but, buuuuuuut!!!!  

 It is not so easy....




I have a 9 years old son and a daughter who is going to be 7 next month.

Everyday, they fight each other and I need to lock myself out from the noise.

Well, they are extremely quiet.

Lovely.........

I immediately took the advantage and started cocking their supper.
Then I went to peep what they were doing after 30 min.


I lost a word...

Can you guess what it is?

Before they became quiet, my son asked me if he can use the unwanted magazines after I tidy up the bookshelves.

They sliced them....！

Then, they started to weaving...！







Let's zoom out...

Here you can see.

They seem to make a lag sized 2m x 1.2m. You can compare the size with my slipper on right top of the picture. My shoe size is 5.

Awwwwwwwwwww.

Is it only me that my untidy house is getting messier and messier...

T-T

Guide to the ancient country of Persia. Part 1

As I am taking so much time to re-design an-an homepage at the moment, I would like to introduce some of my past diary which were written for a Japanese Social Network site. 

You need to register with the Japanese Social Network, but they started to require mobile billing mail address in Japan to register with them. Of course, an-an has a lot of customer who cannot register because of this.

"Why can't we read it???"

There were some strong voices asking for access to the diary.
Frankly speaking, that's the main reason of me starting this blog.

So, I also extended my ambition to do blog in dual-languages.
Well, it makes me very worried to think about the amount of translation.

Are you ready? 
Here comes the diary written just after I came back from Iranian Trip in Easter 2013.

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It must be jet-lag. My head is very foggy, so I need to apologise for my poor expressions.
However, this time, I am eager to publish this entry as a travel essay, so I need to write this seriously. (  ← such blah　XD)

First of all, before going to Iran, you need to go to another country to get visa. It's because neither U.S.A. nor the U.K. has an Iranian consulate.
 
Those living in the U.K. may remember, the British consulate of Tehran was attacked last year by the youths who got angry at the economic sanctions from the west countries. At that time, the Iranian consulate of London was withdrawn, too, and the diplomatic relations between Iran were suspended. 


We were thinking so easily as we had Iranian passports, however, we soon realized we needed to renew our passports! As the result, my unlucky husband alone flew to Hamburg where the Iranian consulate can deal with the renewal of passport in a day. 

Although we spent some unexpected money, everything was fine.

Flight tickets of Turkish Air was the cheapest at that time. we were too poor to stopover at Istanbul, although it attracted me so much. We had a taste of Turkey in the two hours transition time at the airport.

Pistachio Ice cream!!!!!  

And this is a man at the ice cream counter; he really entertained us ...
《He is a cruft man. Controlling a long handled ice cream scoop, he never let us grab the ice cream he is supposed to sell us. VERY irritating. Finally my daughter crushed off the cone by grabbing it so hard. ww》
I think I wrote about the journey a bit  too easy.
Well, it's very wrong. The timing was completely wrong, especially for the traveler with young children.

At 4pm GMT the first flight from Gatwick left. At 9pm GMT arriving at Istanbul. 
Leaving Istanbul at 11pm GMT, we arrived at Tehran at 3am next morning!!!
I did not know how heavy my daughter (6 years old and specially pettit in her class) was! She was on my back all the time from the airplane to brother-in-law's car.  I was literally DEAD when I arrived at the flat of parents-in-law.
 
So we landed on the ancient land of Persia to make up the promises we made three years ago. 
One is to visit Iranian traditional sweet city of Yazd.
The other is to have Yakiniku Party at my friend who live in Tehran.

My journey will continue...

Thank you----!

Saturday was the busiest day, as I expected. 

On top of my Wagashi job, I was given a task of a chief librarian in my daughter's class at Croydon Japanese School...I have done the first mission in the class parent's meeting. Greeting and reporting some points of using the library there.

After my daughter's class, I needed to dash to my son's class immediately.

They are all nice people.


I found some new tendency in the new year 1 class...which is my daughters.

There are so many children who live in trilingual environment. Children with Japanese and non-English speaking parents live in English environment. It's not rare case any longer.

Most of them has another European language as the third one. If I include Russian.

At least I know there are two more family with Japanese wife and Iranian husband at Croydon Japanese School. So I guess this combination is not so rare any longer, too.


While children are working hard in their classrooms, we three Japanese/Iranian mothers get so excited talking about Iranian/ Persian culture. It could be the same as British men who have Japanese wives get soooo excited over pints of beer in a pub.

(No, I don't say they are moaning about Japanese wives!)


Multi-cultural Informing session.


It's so fascinating.




Oh, thanks a lot for those who complimented my V-kei make up. I cannot do it every day, as it takes far longer than usual make up time. But I will try again, some time.

Never give up for any improvement!

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Strawberry Daifuku!!!!!

It's so popular. As long as Strawberry Daifuku is still on the shelf, no one looks at other wagashi...
Please don't forget about others!!!

So I shall stick Sanshoku Dango photo here to celebrate snowflake like the end of late cherry blossom out side of my front window. 

I will be busy for pickling the leaves as soon as they are large enough. There is a huge organic cherry tree in Namayasai LLP, where I normally buy fresh cherry leaves.

Come on, Cherry tree! Grow leaves faster!

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Days for an-an sales.

Saturday 6th July 
at Croydon Japanese School in Seldon. Second hand Book sales has some Japanese food stalls. Open to public. As soon as more information is announced, I will put more detail here in my blog.

Saturday 13th July
at Acton Maeda Gakuen Nursery. Annual event "Natsu-Matsuri" is held on this day. Very traditonal Japanese Summer Festival. Open to public. Detail is coming soon her in my blog.

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V-kei (Visual Kei)

It was on Friday. I had a bad frozen shoulders, head aches and tummy pain.

But it was Friday. The day I need to be very active. 

Weekly shopping needs to be done. The preparation for the Saturday sales needs to be done...

So, Waiting for the washing machine to do one lot, I was checking Youtube.

I suddenly came up with an urge to transform myself. 



Transform = V kei.


V kei is a genre of Japanese bands. Normally, boys dress up in a special way and have tons of make up on their face. Some of them look more beautiful than girls. 


Yes, I am VERY interested in one of the V-kei Band.
(Some people say, they are not V-kei. They are a comic band looks like V-kei.)

Yes, I did.

Yes, I did the V-kei Make up♪

So, who's make-up I copied???

Mr. Durvish Kenji from Golden Bomber!!!!!
(If you don't know them, please check this site. And, if you, just in case, want to buy their CD, you can get from Amazon UK!!!)

Haha, never.

Anyway, I tried the Guita- Kan Yutaka's Make up.





As I don't have any foundation, not so much transformation happened, I guess.

I coloured around my eyes really well, though. As they say make-up "colouring picture".

So, only my eyes. But I feel it's not enough. I needed to put more eye lines. My eye blows are still too thick...

Why, Why, Why?

Why can they do better make-up than girls???

I shall try better next.



However, my husband seems like it. He says, "Can you do more V-kei?"

I cannot be simply happy.

Does he know what I did in this make up methods was for Men!?

Well, I don't need to mention my work was far behind after this session.... T-T

walking alone in Brighton

On last Wednesday, having a delivery in Brighton, I walk around Brighton City centre alone.

It was in the middle of Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe. I was curious to come across with something interesting. I visited Churchill Square Shopping Mall and South Lanes.

Well, just as usual... 

As I worked so hard to make the number of Strawberry Mochi on time, I just did not want to do anything. Too lazy to visit artist's open houses or art galleries.

I don't want to do shopping. (I don't have money, anyway.)

I don't want to meet up anybody. (I don't have patience, at the moment.)

I don't have time. ( I needed to pick up my daughter earlier than usual because of after school was cancelled.)


So, just walk around as I felt.


First, I popped in to the Farmers  Market at Churchill Square Piazza. There was about 12 stalls... Smaller than I expected.

Then I thought. Is anyone will stop and buy an-an's sweets when they are shopping for cool clothes?
The answer might be there in Cup cake stall. Not a lot of people would take away any cakes or sweets first in the morning. They will sit in a cafe and have coffee and a slice of cake...maybe. 

So, there are cafes every 10 steps in Brighton.

Then, I visited the Suchi restaurant, opened last year, in South Lanes. It was the restaurant which asked me if they could put my sweets in the menu...
I was a bit hungry, so I went there for my lunch.

Lovely looking shop. Small counter and small kitchen. But it had everything it needs. Sushi and Donburi and chicken on skewers... Most of Donburi menu are under £5.00. reasonable! I see, they have Drayaki from Wagashi Japanese Bakery for their sweets. 

As I normally choose something not ordinary food, I chose Spicy Tuna Don this time. It was £6.60 with a can of Japanese Green Tea (cold). Yes, this is just a research for an-an.

I took photo of the Clock Tower in T-shirts on the way to the station. Ok, this is the only thing I thought about Brighton Festival...well, Fringe? which?

In the train to home...

Ittadaki ma-----su!

munch munch... It's quite spicy...

munch munch... It's could be Very spicy...

munch munch...

It's tasty. The combination of marinated Tuna and spicy Korean paste (Kochi jan) gives lovely flavor and kick. 

But... the problem is the ratio of Tuna and rice...

In this extra large deep cup, there is deeeeeeep rice under the layer of Tuna.

Here is a suggestion. Because the Tuna was quite spicy, it would be nice if there is a thin layer of shredded sweet egg omelet or Sakura-Dembu. They will add some colour and flavor.

Well, never mind...

Sorry...

This Weekend Wagashi

Thanks for some of you already ordered an-an wagashi. 

So I will bring some sweets to Croydon and Brighton on this Saturday 18th May.



It's time for...

As soon as I start talking about this Strawberry Mochi, I have received so many orders. 

There are lovely strawberry is on market and privileged to use these cute Kent's and Sussex's strawberries.

It's still the early season, so I am looking for to taste lovely strawberries this coming months.Here is the list of sweets this week.

-Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry Mochi) £1.25/each -Koshi Daifuku Mochi (with smooth adzuki paste) £1.00/each-Tsubu Daifuku Mochi (with coarse adzuki paste) £1.00/each-Kusa Mochi (Yomogi mochi with coase adzuki paste) £1.25/each-Sanshoku Dango £1.25/each

9:30-12:30 at Croydon Japanese School (High School)14:00-16:30 at Brighton Japanese Club (St. Paul's Primary School)

Note: Please make order for Strawberry Mochi. 

Please make an order to;order@an-an.co.uk

with; 

name and number of sweetsYour namePlace to pick up (Croydon? or Brighton?)Mobile number

Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Tomorrow, I go to Brighton City centre by myself. 

It's my business visit, though.

However, it has been long time since I was in Brighton by myself.

I will check the Churchill Square Farmer's Market. Is there any chance for an-an to have a stall there? Let's see.

Anyway, I will enjoy and eat something tasty!! 

Hyahooo!

Sudoku

Cherry blossom and Bluebells...Looks like soooo Spring♪. But, in fact....

What a storm!

and...

Highest temperature is 11℃。

So, I stayed in my house all day on Sunday.

I think I had too much time on my hand. 

I don't know what came across to my mind...

I started moving the largest bookshelf in my house.

The bookshelf holds all my arty books, which are over-sized, and my husband's computer books, which are normally heavier than Oxford dictionaries.

Then, suddenly I found an old Sudoku magazine I brought back from Japan.

Issued in Spring 1998!!! Well, you might have be able to apply and receive MD player or CD Walkman if you could solve the puzzles. They are not easy, though.

Believe me, it grubbed my heart again!

Never mind, even if I could not win any MD player nor CD Walkman.

I recalled the satisfactions of solving the puzzle!!!!

When I realized, it was time to pick up my children from school.

My house look like....

here...

and there...

No place to even put my foot!

Telling children not to go close to the piles, I helped children's home works, cooked supper and solved 3 or more puzzles from the magazine.

Now I found another task. 

Organizing cooking magazine, I kept buying for 11 years, needs to be done. 

Cutting off the pages and filing.

I can see this mess will last for weeks...or months.....

Somebody help meeeeeeeeeeee.....

Saturday Night Out (Chinese Russian Roulette)

It's getting a bit old story, but it was such a fun.

Last Saturday, as I mentioned in the last blog, I went to have girl's night out to Chinese restaurant.

Eight of us, all Japanese. Non stop talking, joking and laughing so much as 5 of us are from Kansai Area. (Kansai people are regarded as funny people. Other Japanese say Kansai people are always life of stand-up comedy.)

Anyway, it had been such a long time since I had a decent Chinese meal as my son has sesame and nuts allergy.

I was ready to stuff myself.

What is a diet???

Here is the starter...

How lovely!

Next course is.....

Crispy Peking Duck and pan cakes!!!

Sorry, I forgot to take photos. There was no time to think about camera any moment.

However, in the middle of the pan cake session, everybody's tummy were almost full.
So, we decided to ask for a doggy bag.

AAAAAAAAAND,

*Main!*

We ate, and ate, and ate, and ate....

But the amount was just too much for Japanese sensitive small stomach.

Then we ask for more doggy bags.



When we realized, not a lot of customers were around. So it's .....

Time for the Chinese Russian Roulette!!!! 

(Did you wonder if it was Chinese or Russian??? ha ha)

we were given 8 containers of doggy bags (boxes?). They are all covered and we cannot see the contains.

Place the 8 containers in a circle on the lazy Susan and started rolling...

My hearts beats so hard....

One by one pick up one container. I also picked up....Awww, it was so heavy.

My guess was right. I got a container full of special fried rice.
I don't eat a lot of carbs for my diet. NO Rice, of course!
Others don't eat fried rice in my family.

So, it was not my lucky pick.

But my friend was so kind and exchanged with her Sizzling Beef & Chicken for me.
Everyone was Happy, after all.

Thank you!  It''s good to have lovely and kind friends　<3　<3　<3