early sun, late clouds

when i left for the gym this morning around 7am, it was clear and a brisk 43F. yes, i was the only person walking wearing (or wearing walking) shorts and of course my CANADA sweatshirt. it did warm up by the time i left the gym around 1130am but the clouds have returned and there may be rain tomorrow. after the gym i went to Mitsuwa Market for a few groceries...tofu, miso, ocha. i am still looking for a Toradoshi Fugetsudo Gaufre tin. i am not even sure if they made them for this Year of The Tiger. i will have to check the Fugetsudo main store next time i am in Kobe. and since i was there (Mitsuwa Market area), i decided on some chicken teriyaki from Teriyaki Inn. and when i say i was in the area, i mean it took me two buses to get there from the gym which means two buses to get home. i did have to warm up the teriyaki chicken but it was delicious as always. there goes my 3 hours of cardio workout in one meal. i really need to look up some trips for SAP-ing purposes as i got my 2nd choice for my March work schedule . . . and then call Mike in Holiday as he is the expert on SAP. (no, not the maple syrup kind)(maybe that too). but, i think it is time for a little post-workout post-lunch nap. and then i need to start my Recurrent workbook. and clean my apartment. and get organized . . . tomorrow.

just a hint of the morning sun in the gym parking lot

a few more images from yesterday's walk to the beach . . .

this is the beach i call my beach. can you see the snow on the mountains in the distance?

七転び八置き (nana korobi, ya oki)

back to and from the beach

the game was too good so i didn't start my walk to the beach until around 430p. the sunset was at 6:12pm and here is some of what i saw in between . . .

tree sunstar

eyes the color of . . . waves

that green, that surfer, that's what i am talking about

Lifeguard and that green

which way was he going?

please keep your head and hands inside the wave until the ride has come to a complete stop

shredding sunlight

yes, the sand and water both felt incredible

and what were you doing at 6:35pm?

tony meets Kyle the surfer who has a connection to Japan

purple-ish sunset to end a nice friday

one last look at the beach, the sunset, Palos Verdes and then it's off to Trader Joe's and home again to watch the Angels and the Yankees.

a different path, same destination and a small world

it was so quiet and peaceful at 7am as i started my walk. the destination would of course be the beach and ocean (not so quiet and not so peaceful) but i took a few different streets to get there. and i am glad i did. more on that later and about meeting a California Native Plant Society Outreach Officer who turned out to be a friend of a neighbor as well as having a big connection to Japan. hmmm? here are some images from my walk (still using the little Polaroid)(did i mention i ordered a new point-and-shoot online?)(no word on my Canon dslr)(why do i continue to write in parenthesis)(?).

the first tanpopo (dandelion) of the morning

i think you know why i took this photo and for who

is that a type of torii in between the take (bamboo)?

roses in the mist with sun highlites

my first look at the ocean this morning

rost in transration

i should have stopped for something here but i was behind schedule (like i have a schedule). well, there was football at 10am.

i don't know why but i like em.

ahh, finally the ocean or shall i say the sea or is it the bay

extra foamy sea foam . . . no extra charge

and where does junior sit?

in case you were wondering, it is only $2.6 million not $26 million

is this a type of malvaceae? maybe i will meet someone who knows.

Lavatera assurgentiflora but you can call me Island mallow or Malva rosa as i was told by Sasayama-san

raise your hand if you went swimming today . . . in the ocean . . . on the 1st of October . . . Hai!!!

exactly what i was thinking . . . i am down to one old Polaroid digital camera . . . why take it into the ocean? because, it was there. the waves, the sky, the sunshine,

it was all good. and so far, it is still working.

endless summer in the South Bay

tony using my newest Hello Kitty towel (Sakamoto Ryoma) as a beach towel

traffic jam