June Birthdays

Wednesday, 19th June, 2013

Happy Birthday. 

83 years old today.

Congrats ! 

June 8th

Saturday, 8th June, 2013

It was Chikako_san`s birthday ! 

She was sent a bottle of French Champers 

from my Mother.

It tasted as good as the bottle looks. 
Served with chilled glasses. 

I prepared a special dinner for her birthday. 
Garlic shrimp and scallops with salad.

Card and present "slip" - valid for use in Australia in August. 

The table as it looked before we sat down to eat...... 

Birthday cake from Nakago.

Some additional strawberries........

I got some bottles of Chikako`s favourite Oz beer, the mighty VB. 

Sunday, 9th June we drove to Sendai to go to Church. 
It was a very good service with both a Japanese minister and a visiting 

American minister from Mill Valley, California. 

There was a cool jazz band playing in the middle of the street. 

After the night before, which included a late night visit
to Bar Suzuki, we elected for simple fare for Sunday luncheon. 

The herb bread was especially good. 

Just some random shots taken from the car as we drove around Sendai. 

Blast from the past - a somewhat boring mini-video I took

back in May, 2007 as I was going from Narita to London Heathrow. 
Virgin Atlantic Flight taxiing from the terminal to the runway. 

Maybe only of interest to me. 

Queensland Day

Queensland Day

6th June, 2013

From Wikipedia: 

Moves towards statehood began with a public meeting in 1851 to consider separation from New South Wales. As the push for separation gained momentum, Queen Victoria was approached to consider establishing a separate colony based at Moreton Bay. The Queen gave her approval and signed the Letters Patent on 6 June 1859. On the same day an Order-in-Council gave Queensland its own Constitution. Queensland became a self-governing colony with its own Governor, a nominated Legislative Council and an elected Legislative Assembly.

Now 6 June is celebrated by Queenslanders as the day when the new colony of Queensland was established.

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Chikako prepared an Australian / Japanese dinner to mark the celebration. 

Very delicious...... 

June, 2013

It is June, 2013 already. 

Where has the time gone ??

Saturday, 1st June

This City held a BIG festival. 

We are very interested in roses at the moment; Chikako-san took this photo.

She also took these photos of BLUE IMPULSE
who came to town and put on an amazing aerobatic display. 
Everyone enjoyed  !

She also took some street shots to show how crowded it was. 

Sunday morning, 2nd June, 2013
The paramedics arrived next door - an old lady had collapsed by the river. 
Our Sunday morning excitement, if you will....... 

We decided to leave This City and its festival crowd to motor
to Yonezawa City in Yamagata Prefecture. 
Ganbatte, Demi-chan ! 

The mountains were misty and slightly cool.

We went through tunnel after tunnel - they were so long. 

Building a new, complex highway system. Very impressive. 

A popular ski resort. 

Coming into Yonezawa City.

A really beautiful climbing rose.

We had famous Yamagata Beef for lunch - it was very good.

Thanks for making us lunch.
Can you see our reflection in the door ?

We walked around the corner to check out this place. 
Really wonderful things for sale.

Old wooden windows instead of glass; very authentic. 

This was such a beautiful, so very old, takizakura.
I have no idea of its age.

They made me smile back at them. 

Work, always work........ 

Very hi-tech for such an old building.

Demi-chan waiting patiently.....

Apples.

Coming down from the mountains towards This City. 

A nice day`s drive to Yonezawa. 
We enjoyed together.