WIP/UFO Update

Before my Golden Week Holiday, I posted about my WIP/UFO's (here). I thought I would check up on how I'm doing with them.  I worked on some of them and finished a few things, but then started a few more things. I've kept this list in the same order, taking out the finished projects and adding the new ones at the end.

Year 2 of the Temperature Quilt 

Year 3 of the Temperature Quilt 

The House Quilt

The Midnight Mystery Quilt 

Flower Applique Wall Hanging

Hexagon Block Wall Quilt

The Hexie Tree Wall Quilt 

Miscellaneous Hexie Shapes (I used some of these)

Ribbon Album Wall Quilt

Mary Queen of Scots  

Bess of Hardwick 

Canvas Vacation Ornaments (need Finish/finishing)

Paisley Purse

RSN Knot Garden 

RSN Rice Fields

Cruise Bracelet

The Miniature Rug 

Miniature Chair Cushion 

Silk Gauze Cat 

EGA Drawn Thread GCC

Blue Hardanger 

White Hardanger

Kogin 

Dogwood Afghan 

Winter Banner

New Year's Eve Mystery

Sashiko Table Runner

Fashionable Ladies 

Fairies Hiding

Redwork Girl

Little Dragonfly Stumpwork Project

Pansy Stumpwork

Sardinian Filet

Flapper Bear Ornament

December Ornament

Sneek Sampler 

I did finish a few things.  Really.

No Screaming Please

photo from the internet

Tokyo Disney Parks and other theme parks in Japan closed in late February due to the coronavirus. Now that infection numbers are decreasing in Japan, the amusement parks are deciding what precautions they will need to welcome guests back safely.  The East Japan and West Japan Theme Park Associations have prepared guidelines which are titled "Guidelines to Prevent the Spread of Infection of the Novel Coronavirus". 

You have to understand, in Japan, guidelines mean polite requests.  The thing is, requesting politely works.  No one argues or protests, they just do it.  I love living in Japan. No lockdowns, no fines or punishment, people get that not following the requests will be dangerous for everyone.

So, back to the guidelines - - - Some are pretty straight forward, like limiting the number of people in the park, checking temperatures and denying entry to those with fevers, asking guests to wear masks.  The guidelines also ask the facilities to encourage cashless payment systems and use advance purchase tickets in order to shorten the time standing in lines and handling cash, in addition to keeping doors and windows open for better ventilation in indoor attractions. 

Then we come to - - - Urge guests to refrain from shouting or screaming on roller coasters and other conveyance-style attractions. Because coronavirus is spread by airborne particles, the associations would rather not have riders' saliva or other particles from the mouth flying around. This guideline also applies to indoor attractions and character shows, as well as haunted houses. This one might be difficult, but I feel sure people will try hard not to scream.  

Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea are set to reopen on Wednesday, July 1st. Ticket prices for one day range from 4900 yen for young children to 8200 yen for adults.

Friday Finish - Home for the Holidays Ornament

This is a free chart from The Drawn Thread.  I stitched it over two on 28 count linen, with two strands of DMC cotton floss. The backing is kimono fabric and I made the cording using #8 DMC perle cotton.

Pocari Sweat

Would you drink something called "Sweat"? 

In 1980, the Japanese company Otsuka Pharmaceutical launched a new beverage called Pocari Sweat.  "Pocari" has no meaning, it was chosen because of its cute sound.  "Sweat" was chosen for the purpose of replacing water and electrolytes lost by perspiring. It contains water, sugar, citric acid, flavoring and salt. I've known about it since first moving to Japan, but I haven't tried it. People say it has a grapefruity taste and is refreshing.  For native English speakers, a drink called sweat doesn't sound very appealing.  The sports drink, Pocari Sweat is sold across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia in bottles, cans, and powder form.

Work In Progress Wednesday - The Bear Parts and More of the Sampler

The Flapper Bear's stitching is complete.  Next, will be to finish it into the ornament.

The sampler is keeping me entertained. I'm counting carefully.

Japan's New Passports

Japan's brand new passports are probably among the most beautiful in the world. The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji were painted between 1830 and 1832 by artist Katsushika Kokusai.  While the series actually consisted of 46 paintings, the best known 24 are featured in the new passports. Summer would normally be the time people would be using their passports, but this year overseas travel is on hold because of the pandemic. I think these pages are gorgeous and would just look at them this summer, if this was my passport.

Does your passport have some interesting pictures or pages?

Monday Morning Star Count - Week 7

Year Four of the temperature quilt  

Week 7 

June 7 - 13 

79, 81, 86, 88, 86, 86, 73

I am reporting the high temperature each day.  My Year Four temperature/color (Fahrenheit) scheme remains the same: 

100 + Brown 

90-99 Red  

80-89 Orange 

70-79 Yellow  

60-69 Green  

50-59 Blue 

40-49 Purple 

30-39 Pink 

20-29 White 

10-19 Black  

You can see my finished Year One Quilt here.

Abenomasks

Photo from the internet

This week (June 17th to be exact), I received my Abenomasks. If you are not in Japan, you might be wondering "What are Abenomasks?"

"Abe" refers to Japan's Prime Minister Abe, "no" is the possessive in Japanese (like   's   in English), and masks are, well, masks. This may also be something like the prime minister's economic policy, which is refered to as "Abenomics".

Prime Minister Abe 

At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, everyone wanted masks, but they were in short supply.  The Prime Minister announced every household would receive two washable, reusable masks from the Japanese government. It sounded like a great plan a few months ago.  The government said the plan was reasonable in that it would help reduce the demand for disposable masks and ease public anxiety.

Many people complained about the cost (46.6 billion yen) and the small size and that two per household doesn't work for families.  In addition, they took so long to be delivered that people made their own masks and now, masks are back on the store shelves, so the timing was a little off. I'm not complaining, although I don't think I will wear them. They are kind of small and they are thick (five layers), so I think too hot for summertime. I'm planning to put mine in my scrapbook as a souvenir of 2020, the Year of the Pandemic.

Edamame

My friend gave me some edamame.  People around me are very generous and share things, so I am frequently the recipient of something delicious.

As you may know, I don't like to cook, but these beans are very easy to prepare.  After boiling them in salt water about five minutes, the beans are ready to pop out of the pods and eat!

Yum!

Friday Finish - Butterfly Coaster

This is the little cross stitch kit I've been working on.

Throw Back Thursday - June 18th

I enjoyed looking back on my blog last month and decided to try it again. 

On June 18, 2019, I posted about eating Indian food with a friend.

 In 2018, June 18th was a Monday, with a report on the temperature quilt.

 

In 2017, I wrote about the next week's gubanatorial election.

June 18, 2016 was a photo post showing pictures of bird reflections in the stream near my apartment.

The June 18, 2015 post was about scary birds and a cute boy catching bugs.

June 18, 2014 was Work In Progress Wednesday.  That week, I was working on a cross stitch table cloth, a blackwork alphabet piece, and my crazy quilt hussif.

On June 18, 2013, I posted about the progress I was making on a bag that became my slipper carrying bag.

 My June 18, 2012 post was about walking to the garden to water and do some weeding.

Looking back reminds me that in my ordinary life, there are extraordinary experiences. I'm thankful every day.