chibi


chibi, originally uploaded by renfield.

kuroda


kuroda, originally uploaded by renfield.

kuroda jiichan


kuroda jiichan, originally uploaded by renfield.

sayonara jiichan


sayonara jiichan, originally uploaded by renfield.

grandpa kuroda

Hiroko's grandfather (dad's dad) passed away in his sleep last night.
We had just seen him and everyone a couple of weeks ago when we went home for the new year's holidays. We brought a box of taiyaki, the really good ones from Naniwaya, and he was happy to receive. I think he ate two. Even after his stroke, he would still putter about in the yard, trimming the immaculate garden leaf by leaf. I think he finally just got tired, when to bed, and didn't wake up.
Wake is on Thursday and cremation on Friday, so Hiroko and I will go home for a long weekend.

machida

Big turnout for the dan-ranked training seminar -- over 60 people!
After that, went down to Machida again to have Hataya-sensei switch out the tsuba on my cutter. The tsuba I bought last time I was down there but that he forgot to switch out for me. Hataya-sensei is a great, kind, and talented man. But he has a memory like a sieve.
Met Florida at the shop and walked back to his newly built home. Had dinner and marvelled at the droopy-eared pair of sausages running rampantly back and forth across his floor. Cool house, too. Heated floors and central air-purification are sporty!