Gourmet Quality Kitchenware

１週間程前、久々に美味しい肉マンを作ろうとバーゲンで買ったミキサーで肉マンの皮をこねていた所、突然ミキサーから煙、次いで｢ボン！」という音と共にミキサーは動きを止め、、、とうとう壊してしまった。

About 1 week ago, Kozue was preparing the dough for pork buns with the mixer she bought on sale. During the mixing, she saw smoke from the mixer and then there was a sound "boof" and then the mixer finally stopped... it was broken.

このミキサーで肉マンの皮をこねるのは多分無理だろうと分かっていたが、限界に挑戦してみようというか、どのくらいできるものなのかと好奇心もあり、実験感覚で試してみたが、やっぱりだめだった。このミキサーの説明書には、かなりの量のbread flourをこねる事ができると書いてあったが、弾力のある肉マンの皮には力不足だった。引っ越し前の買い物は控えたいので取りあえずmarketing researchをしたところheavy duty　に使用できるミキサーをみるとやはり、ある程度の投資は必要という結論。

She knew that it would overwork the mixer to make the dough for pork buns. However, she was curious as to the limitations of her mixer or she wanted to try and see how much the mixer could accomplish. So she did an experiment but the result was no good. Disaster! According to the instructions for the mixer, she could use it for large amounts of bread flour to make bread dough however the dough of the pork buns was too strong. As she doesn't want to do any shopping before moving, she did some marketing research for a heavy duty mixer. Then she concluded that she needs a little bit of investment.

それで現在使っている包丁に思い当たった。非常に切れが悪く、かたいものを切る時は、包丁の刃で切るというよりは力で押し切りさくといった感じ。数日前にジャガイモとにんじんを切っていて、人さし指に水ぶくれが出来た程だ。テレビの料理番組で使っている包丁を見ると何の苦労も無く、薄切り、みじん切り等をこなし、さらにうちの包丁の切れの悪いのを実感した。考えてみると、自分で包丁を買った事が無く、現在使用しているのも貰い物。引っ越し前ではありますが、これ以上怪我をするのも嫌だし新しい包丁を買う事に決心！（決心するほど大した事じゃない）良い包丁を買おうと思うとやはりかなりの金額だが、買い物はいつものOUTLETで。見つけた包丁は最高の切れ！料理するのが嬉しくなるし、おまけにlifetime warranty.　やはり名のある会社のものは品質も良ければアフターケアも良いのだ。

The conclusion reminded her about her kitchen knife that we have now. It is very difficult to cut hard materials. As she used the kitchen knife, she felt like she was doing more pushing than cutting or slicing. Several days ago, she got a callous on one of her fingers during the cutting of potatoes and carrots. In addition, the cooking show on TV where the people sliced materials very easily with their cooking knives gave her the impression that her kitchen knife is in a worse condition. Actually we haven't bought any kitchen knife, all knives were given by others to us. So she decided to buy a new kitchen knife to avoid further injuries. For good quality kitchen knives, it still costs more. But she bought a brand kitchen knife at the Outlet. It is super! She' s now happy for cooking and the knife has a Lifetime warranty. The items from a brand company offer good quality and also good after-sale care.

アメリカのレストランではあまり美味しいものは見つけられないので、外食する事はあまりない。この状況を考えると、ほんの少しの投資でこんなに作業も楽になりhappy　気分になれるものなら、gourmet quality kitchenwareは決して贅沢ではなし投資する甲斐があると思う。とギャビンを説得し、stand mixerを買ってもらう約束をした。わっはは。

We don't see much good and tasty food in restaurants in the United States therefore we don't go out often to eat. Considering this situation, a small investment in gourmet quality kitchenware is not a luxury and is worth it to be happy and make easy work in cooking. Kozue said that and persuaded Gavin to promise to buy a stand mixer. Kozue: "hwa hwa hwa..."

Trinity Lutheran Church

引っ越し前にインディアナポリスへの訪問を予定していましたが、幸い日本語礼拝にも出席する事ができました。夏休み中であったため、出席者も少なかったのですが教会の皆さんが暖かく迎えて下さり、沢山のごちそうも用意して下さいました。久しぶりに見る皆さんの顔でしたが、皆さんお元気そうで何よりでした。

We visited Indianapolis before we moved to Montana. Fortunately we attended Japanese Worship at Trinity Lutheran Church. Not many people attended the service because it is the middle of summer vacation. The congregation provided a nice Japanese lunch for us with kind hospitality. We haven't seen the Japanese people at Trinity Lutheran for a while but they seemed to be doing well.

Night of 7/21

７月２１日深夜、、、Harry Potter Book #7　発売！
これがシリーズ最後の本になる訳で、ギャビンと二人で行ってきました、midnight party.
普段はそんなに多くのお客さんを見る事のない本屋さんに、夜１１時過ぎにも関わらずすごい人だかり。人を避けて歩くのも大変でした。

July 21st, midnight... Harry Potter #7 book was released!
This is the last book of the series, so we went to the Midnight Party at the bookstore in Perrysburg. Usually we don't see such a crowd in the store, however so many people were around after 11 PM. It was hard to walk around the store.
この深夜パーティーではコスチュームコンテストも行われ、色々な人物に紛争していました。その中で、見つけたのがこの人、Hagridに扮していて、体格も相当大きかった。ちょっとお願いして、一緒に写真を撮らせてもらいました。また、Gryffindor　House　の入り口に飾ってある「Fat Lady」に扮した人がいて良く似ておりました。

At this party, the bookstore had a costume contest. We saw many people were in costume, then we found this man who was in costume as Hagrid. We asked him to take a photo with Kozue. Also we saw a woman in costume as the "Fat Lady" at the entrance to Gryffindor House.

ギャビンは事前に本と引き換えのバウチャー買って興奮ぎみであります。なかなか楽しい夜でした。
Gavin was excited to hold the voucher for the new book. It was a fun night.

Miso Ramen / みそラーメン

もう半年以上も食べていなかったみそラーメン。トレド美術館の帰り道、韓国食品店に立ち寄った所、仕入れたばかりの「札幌みそ生ラーメン」が売っていて、大感激！今年の１月、日本から帰って来る間際に埼玉の友人と食べたのが最後でした。もやし、シナチクと必要なものも手に入り、帰って来て早速作って、食べた〜、美味しかった〜。ギャビンはマルちゃんの即席ラーメンとどう違うのかと聞きます、どうしたってこっちの方が美味しいでしょうが！

Kozue hasn't had miso ramen for more than six months. On the way from Toledo Art Museum, we stopped by the Korean grocery, and we found "Sapporo Miso Nama Ramen" that just arrived in the store. She was so happy! The last time she ate miso ramen was this January with her friend in Japan just before coming back to the United States. In the Korean grocery store, we also got bean sprout and bamboo shoot to cook miso ramen at home. We ate it and it was yummy~! Gavin asked to Kozue how this ramen is different to Maruchen instant noodle. What??! Of course, this one is much more delicious than the instant noodle!

来月モンタナ州に引っ越しますが、一番気になるのがそこで日本食品が手に入るのかどうか。なんせ人口が少ない所なので、日本人いやアジア人がいるのかどうかも怪しい。シアトルやデンバーは買い物に行くには遠すぎる。どうなるのかなあ〜。これがみそラーメンの食べおさめになる可能性も、、、
We are going to Montana state next month, Kozue is worried about if she can get Japanese food over there or not. Because the population is really small, we don't know if even any Japanese people live there or any Asian people live there. Seattle and Denver are so far away to go shopping. So maybe this miso ramen is the last time to eat this dish...

Toledo Museum of Art

この街に住んで約１年近くになるのに、トレドの美術館へは行った事がなく今回行ってみて展示物の豊富さにびっくり。小さな街だからと高をくくっていましたが、なかなか侮れませんよ。私の大好きなゴッホにゴーギャン、もちろんモネにルノアール、セザンヌetc...なかなかのものでした。

We have been living in this town for about 1 year but we haven't been to the Toledo Museum of Art. We were surprised that it had such a great collection for a city like Toledo. You have to pay attention! It has Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Cezanne, etc.

This is the front of the Museum from Monroe Street.
美術館の正面。







それにしても、私が行く所どころで、セキュリティーのおじさんおばさん達がジロジロ見ます。私ってそんなに人相悪く、危ない人に見える？

By the way, security guards in the museum always stare at Kozue wherever she walks around. Does she look like such a bad person or so dangerous?

トレドはガラスシティーといわれる程、ガラス工場が多く、この美術館の通りの向こう側にはガラス美術館があり、実演で作品の制作工程を見学できます。

Toledo is called the "Glass City" where many glass factories are located. Across from the Museum of Art you can visit the Art of Glass Museum and you can see demonstrations of making glass items.



ガラスを高熱（２１００F度）で溶かしたものを加工用のステックにとり、作品を作っていきます。観客は離れて見ているのですが、それでもかなり熱く感じました。

He picked up the molten glass from the high temperature furnace (2100 °F) with a stick. The audience are some distance from the furnace but still felt hot.


ステックの端から息を吹き込みガラスを膨らまして行きます。と同時に、形を整えるため、ぬれた新聞紙の上で転がしていきます。
He was blowing into the tube to make the glass bigger. At the same time, he rotated the hot glass on the wet newspaper to shape the bulb.


作品にアクセントを付けるため、バーナーで両サイドに穴をあけている所。全ての工程はタイミングが大事で、複数の動作を同時にこなさなければなりません。大変.

He was making holes on both sides of the glass vessel as an accent. All procedure is dependent on timing, multitasking is necessary. It's very difficult.

Erie in Pennsylvania

ナイアガラフォールからの帰り道ペンシルバニア州のエリーに立ち寄りました。ここは去年ギャビンが仕事の面接を受けに来た事があります。残念ながら、仕事は決まりませんでしたが。

ナイアガラフォールからバッファローの街を通り抜け、ペンシルバニア州に入って行きます。

On the way home from Niagara Falls, we stopped by Erie in Pennsylvania. Last year, Gavin came to this town to have a job interview. However, he couldn't get the job.

We drove from Niagara Falls to Pennsylvania through downtown Buffalo, NY.

This is downtown Buffalo.

バッファローの街

エリー市内にあるPresque Island Parkにあるペリー提督の記念碑です。私たちが住んでいるPerrysburg にも彼の銅像が建っています。

This is the monument of Commodore Perry in Presque Island Park in Erie. Perrysburg, Ohio, where we currently live, also has a statue of Commodore Oliver Perry.

この公園の奥には今でも現役で活躍している灯台がありました。残念ながら、中に入ってみる事はできません。今までに幾つかの灯台を見て回りましたが、湖に建つ灯台は海岸ぞいに建つ
ものより背も低くこじんまりしているような気がします。ここも、愛らしい灯台でした。

We saw a lighthouse in the Park which is still active. Unfortunately we cannot get inside the grounds. So far, we have visited several lighthouses but it seems like lighthouses on the Lakes are smaller than those on the seashores. This lighthouse is very cute and pretty.
中西部にある５大湖はどれも向こう岸が見えない程大きなものですが、この写真を見ても海岸を歩いているような錯覚を起こします。
The 5 Great Lakes of the Midwest are so huge that you cannot see the land on the other side. As you can see in this photo, it is as if Gavin is walking on the seashore.
前日に訪れたナイアガラフォールでもらったサンダル、砂浜を歩くのに非常に重宝しました。
The sandals we got from Niagara Falls the day before was very useful for walking on the beach.

Niagara Falls

行ってきました、念願のナイアガラフォール。

この所暑さが続き、引っ越しの荷造りにもくたびれ、少し息抜きをしようという事で、１泊旅行に出る事にしました。アメリカに住んで随分になりますが、今まで行った事のなかったナイアガラフォール。車で約５時間の距離なので、日帰りも可能ですが今回は一泊。毎日９０度以上の気温で参っていたので、涼しい場所をと選んだ訳です。
朝７時半に出て、午後１時頃現地に到着。ホテルのチェックインが４時なのでそのままお目当てのアトラクションのあるGoat Islandへ。そこで体験したのが Cave of the Winds. このツアーは American Falls & Bridal Veil Falls を間近で体験できます。ツアー参加者は黄色のレインコートとサンダルをもらい、エレベーターで１７５ft下がります。エレベーターを降りると涼しい風がトンネルを吹き抜け、９５度以上の気温があるとは思えない程の心地よさ。by Kozue

One place that we both wanted to visit was Niagara Falls, one of the top attractions in the US. As we had time and very nice summer weather, we decided that it would be a good opportunity to drive there with the new car. After all, once we move to Montana, getting to Niagara Falls would be more troublesome.
Our road trip mostly followed the southern shore of Lake Erie, passing through downtown Cleveland, past Erie, and onto the New York Thruway. We had a rest stop at the Angola travel plaza, then proceeded to downtown Buffalo and following Niagara River. It was incredible to cross the bridges and Grand Island before arriving at Niagara Falls, seeing the mist and the hotels in the distance.
We first arrived at Niagara Falls State Park, crossed over to Goat Island and parked there to view the falls. The first attraction we visited was the Cave of the Winds. There, we changed into yellow raincoats and souvenir sandals, knowing that we'd get very wet at the bottom of the falls. We waited at the top of the elevator (getting rather hot in the sun, since it was around 95 °F outside).
We descended, then arrived at the docks at the foot of the waterfalls. The view of the Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls at the base was incredible! Lots of mist and the thundering sound of thousands of gallons of lakewater crashing into the rocks. We went as a group to the base of the Bridal Veil Falls, and Gavin stood right on the Hurricane Deck to be blasted by plenty of water of rushing wind. His jeans got really wet (he should have had shorts like Kozue told him to).
After getting back to the top of the island, we went along the paths to Luna Island to see the Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls up close. Also, we had a great view of the rapids. Also we had a nice view to the Canadian side and all their new hotels and casinos. We drove around Goat Island, and stopped to have a look at the Three Sister Islands. Kozue went to wade in a little bit into the Niagara River (but not too far, of course!).
We went back into town and checked into our hotel, really close to the casino (run by the Seneca Indians). We explored town a little to find late lunch, then found out that we could go on the Maid of the Mist without having to go through Canadian customs. So we bought tickets, and ventured out onto the huge Observation Tower platform for a spectacular view of all the Falls and Canada. We descended down the elevator to the docks to board the boat and each grab a blue raincoat. The boat took us by the base of the American Falls, then into the basin for the huge Horseshoe Falls in Canada. The mist and wind were incredible! Plenty of rainbows could be seen from all the mist. We could even see a whirlpool. After the boat trip, we could explore near the American Falls, again getting very wet from all the spray.
We rested a little at the hotel, and then ventured out again into the park in the evening to see the falls lit up in colors. The views are just as spectacular in the evening, especially seeing the rapids under lights.
This is one place that you must see when in the US or Canada. Next time, we'd like to see the Canadian side and explore more of Ontario. by Gavin.

（写真をクリックすると拡大できます。）
(Click on the photos to enlarge.)

"Cave of the Winds"

ツアー参加前にレインコートを着てサンダルに履き替えます。
Here is Gavin dressed in the raincoat, ready to explore the Cave of the Winds.


The spectacular Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls from the Cave of the Winds.



Hurricane Deckにて。ギャビンのジーンズもグショグショ。
Gavin on the Hurricane Deck, and Gavin at the top of the American Falls.


「カナダに行きたいなあ〜」とギャビンが言っているように見えます。川の向こう側に見えるのがカナダ側にあるタワーやホテル。向こう側からみる景色の方が断然美しいと聞きますが、ビザの関係で私たちはアメリカ側から出る事はできず、今回はアメリカ側だけの観光です。こんなに近くにカナダが見えるのに行けません。
Here it looks like Gavin is saying "I want to go the Canadian side". We heard the view from the Canadian side is much prettier than from the American side, which seems to be why many hotels and towers are built over there. However, we could not go to Canada because of the visa issue. One day we hope to visit there.



A sign in the Park close to Luna Island. Can you believe that water flow over these two falls is over 75,000 gallons per second? Really impressive thinking that most of the water of the great lakes goes over the cliffs here.
American Falls は一秒間に７５０００ガロンの水が滝から流れるそうです。すごい水の量で、アメリカ国内は水不足になっている所も多いのですが、ここだけは干ばつになる事はないと思います。



"Maid of the Mist"

ウェブサイトで検索した時は,カナダ側しか船は出ていないと書いてあったのですが現地出はアメリカ側からも船が出ており、Horseshoe Falls も間近でみる事ができました。船はこの大きな展望台の下からでます。
Here is a photo of the Observation Tower and platform from the bottom. It is here that you board the Maid of the Mist boat to see the falls up close, especially the Horseshoe Falls for the Americans.


Here we are on the boat, travelling into the Horseshoe Falls.
巨大なHorseshoe Falls.
おまけにすごい水しぶき、私のズボンもグショグショになってしまいました。


Views of the American Falls from the boat. Can you see the rainbow?
船から見るAmerican Falls, 虹がかかっていました。


When taking the photo of the American Falls from the State Park, we found ...
ギャビンの写真を撮っていて見つけたのが、、、


this sign.
このサイン。