Author Archives: spikekalashnikov

I am fairly good at housework but I am not meticulous, tiles in the bathroom get dirty, grunge gathers in corners, the floors get grimy, the tatami mats gather dust. You get the idea. I contact a house cleaning agency … Continue reading →

Not much to report really, mainly dentistry and sailing. Former colleague, Natori san, who now works for Medecins sans Frontieres in Tokyo, sorry can’t find accents.comes back for a visit. We go for a very bracing sail. The weather is … Continue reading →

Sunday 19 September – what a beautiful day! The sky is a clear blue, the sea is, well you know, blue too. It is 30 degrees. The only glitch is too little wind to sail meaningfully. I generally clean up … Continue reading →

I love tempura but have never been able to cook it successfully. My attempts have always been soggy as opposed to crisp. So disappointing. I have suspected that the oil is never hot enough. On a recent boat picnic, a … Continue reading →

Tsuru is Japanese for crane, er the bird. It is number 2 in the hierarchy of birds, number 1 is the Phoenix. The cry of the crane is believed to have great authority. https://japanesequizzes.com/portfolio/tsuru-no-hitokoe/ Anyway, as I am coming back … Continue reading →

So I have had my beloved Tokina AT-X 300 since February 2015. She is a fabulous lens. She only has manual focus, which usually I like very much especially if the bird is sitting nice and still. However on my … Continue reading →

You will remember that I am in the middle of transplants, no I mean implants, fun. A couple of days before my appointment for the next major step in the process, I notice that the temporary crown over the implants … Continue reading →

We sail off in the early evening to dine on the boat. We are Arisa san , Alisa san, Harry san and me. It is a glorious evening and the heat of the day has faded. We go on a … Continue reading →

I spend the day on the boat. There is a determined breeze, which, once you get used to it, makes sailing the best fun. Initially it is scary. The Norfolk Gypsy is a strong boat and likes a bit of … Continue reading →

Harry and I set off at about 6:00 pm. I raise sail in the Marina basin. It is not good. I cannot get the the mainsail taught and there is an ugly crease across it. No amount of tugging on … Continue reading →