Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

Air temp: 85 F
Water temp: 85 F

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Yokohama+Japan+JAXX0099

Since no one guessed regarding my "lake" question, I will tell you.

Janet and I had a wonderful week end in the Birkshires visiting with Steffi and her husband ! It was a 5 hour slug fest out against traffic but a quick 3 hrs back. Steffi et al have a wonderful cabin right on the lake, and we swam, ate, laughed and talked until 2:30 am. I consider this my "summer vacation". I even got to sample a mini-concert at the music venue Tanglewood. It was wonderful !! I am trying to convince Steffi to write down her memiors of Japan, as a child in that war torn country. She has some photographs, which I have not seen and this would make a fine article for American Heratige magazine.

We consider ourselves to be so very fortunate to have "new" friends that are the most interesting conversationalists, that I have ever met. It is my hope that at some time in the future that another member or two of our little party might be able to join us. Alas that might never be, but one could hope.

Returning home it was very hot and muggy, but no complaints.

Hope you are all well. It might be a few days before Steffi joins us, as her computer has caught a case of rabies and might have to be shot.
Wally-san..you may eat your heart out she is as delightful in person as online.

I lived in the first house on the first street and could see Byrd Elementary School from my back door. At the time I lived there most of the military was in the Gulf at Desert Storm, or at Mt. Pinatuba when it erupted. So life was mostly females and children and had a wonderful time. The community was so close and the people really enjoyed each other. I remember it as the "best of days."

Were you in the service, a military dependent, military wife ?

I was born Negishi 1-27 in Oct. 1959. A big apartment now.

At that time, the racetrack was a golf course. The manager at the clubhouse was Japanese. Father and I often went there. Negishi was coast. Afterwards, the oil industrial complex was established in Negishi. I was playing on the beach of there at kid days.

There is a restaurant called a Dolphin near house where I lived. An originally ordinary restaurant. The Japanese woman sing song about this restaurant, became famous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar_twSQbTlc

The song is very beautiful. What is the title of the song ? Thank you for finding this for us.

Kaoru, thank you for the lovely song -- sung by Yumi Matsutoyta? Is the title translated as "The Afternoon Seeing the Sea"? Even though I don't understand the words, the song is very relaxing and peaceful to hear and takes one to a faraway place.

. . . takes one to a faraway place -- sort of like Peter's haiku!

Yes, this is Yumi Matsutoya's song. To our regret, English translation of this song was not able to be found. I think that the translation of Barbara san is right. I stay in my mom'house. Today is her BD. The key is small though I am using the laptop computer of mom.

Her nickname is Yumin.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yumi_Matsutoya

Arigatou

A faraway place..
in word or thought..
The dew on a cold glass..

Good to hear this familiar sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnL4fjMzsSU&feature=fvw

Thanks, Peter, for that nearly instant "faraway" haiku. How and where did you learn to write haiku? I always enjoy your thoughtful contributions. I'm a book reviewer for an academic publication and often review books about poetry. Are you saving your poems in a drawer somewhere? You could put them together in a book, even if only for your family and friends.

And, Dave-san, tell us how and why you found that interesting bike bell video. I ride my bike everywhere -- haven't driven a car for two years -- love the freedom and flexibility that a bike provides -- no parking problems -- no stopping for gas -- and no frustrating, madhouse freeways. I need to buy one of those old fashioned bells -- brings back memories!

Barbara..ooopps if I had known you were a professional in this field i might have been more careful.
I never "learned" Haiku except for the number of syllables, and most reciently the "seasonality" or kigo.Neither rule I observe much. It just comes to me in a picture and then i refine it with words. I did read a book when in Japan called Zen Flesh-Zen Bones which had some koans in it and some Haiku if I remember correctly. Sometimes it comes in a flash and other times I have to refine a picture in words hundreds of times before it "feels" right, about half of the time I discard it as unworthy and the other half
I am never totally happy with it. Rarely I am pleased with just the right result.
I have not saved them, they are snowflakes that melt and are gone. I have no family except my wife and you guys are my friends.
I make them up all the time.

Haiku in the mind..
rolls like wheels
a blessing, or a curse..

[ I will be happy to speak at your next convention..I am cheap !!..??]

ps. Since my operation last fall some mental faculties have changed. Curiously Haiku has been enhanced..as for my spelling..oh well

Peter is really alert and has a quirky individual slant on the world. He's a poet at heart - and notice that his spelling is just fine when he's composing them. He's also a darn nice guy! He and his wife are a terrificspecial couple.

Keep those poems coming, Peter. And don't throw any away. Listen to Barbara.

As you can see, I'm back on line. It wasn't a virus after all - my computer just needed a little cleaning up - provided free by Staples for those like myself that don't know how to do that themselves.

Barbara-san, good to hear from you. The video was posted on a friend's facebook page and I liked it and thought I should share it here. You should get a bicycle bell. I don't know what the typical bicycle shop has in stock but if you google 'Japanese bicycle bell' you will find a beautiful selection of reasonably priced bells.
Peter-san, you have a gift for Haiku. Take Barbara-san's advice and start writing it down.
Steffi-san, good to hear your computer has recovered. Staples is becoming the premier computer store. I bought my current HP there, to replace the lemon I had previously bought direct from Dell.
Kaoru-san, thank you for the beautiful song and video. I found a link to the Dolphin.
http://www.travelchannel.com/Places_Trips/Destinations/Asia/Japan/Yoko...

Here is a better link to the Dolphin. You can see it in street view and there are two pictures.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Enter : Dolphin Restaurant Yokohama Japan
Go to marker ''A''

Dave-san

Thank you for the map of Negishi. You have a very good computer's skill. Yokohama is very hot. How about the weather of the town where you live? I heard that there is a big storm in the Gulf of Mexico.

Kaoru
Dave-san lives in the DC area today it is going to be verry verry hot, maybe 100-110 F. I expect Dave-san will be inside by the air conditioning system.
Dave has great computer skills, thank you Dave-san for comming up with some cool stuff..

http://weather.weatherbug.com/VA/Alexandria-weather.html
Hot - but it sure beats snow.