Hi there. I visited Michigan last month.

Dear all who visit my blog from time to time,

I am sorry I can hardly update a blog now. I got very busy and am working more than half a day, almost every day. On the weekend, I need to take a break from all the stress of my present life. But I want to write a short blog before I write about my trip to Michigan in June, 2023.

I went to Michigan for the first time after 5 years. I was finally able to fly back to Michigan since the pandemic began.  Fly "back"....  My heart was still in Michigan even if I am in Japan.

Should this blog return to a Michigan blog as it used to be? I am thinking about changing a blog name. How about "Charmed by Michigan" ?

Before I start writing about my new experience in Michigan, let me upload selected pictures taken during Oct. 2021 ~ May 2023.

I just wanted to tell you what I'm up to these days. See you soon, Rose

a graceful photo studio EASE MEGURO & a small cafe wellk

The time seems approaching when I must leave my company. I have quite a few coincidences one after another, like, letting me sense the right time, and it's about time to live, not for the conpamy, but for myself in the near future.

A graceful photo studio EASE MEGURO along the railroad tracks

I don't know if it's from I've been so many years at the head company including years at the subsidiary, but it doesn't feel real yet about leaving my company soon. It's no wonder I feel that way because if the situation at work is good, I also wanted to do my best there another year or possibly more.

a small cafe wellk

I plan on quitting work at the end of December.

Yes! I can organize my thoughts through writing my schedule. Though I might have stayed longer, I shouldn't keep being there for an unfavorable situation at the company. 

Leaving my present working place in an early stage leads to taking good care of myself, and making my dream come true that much earlier.

I still have a dream to stay connected with people at work living in U.S.A.

Instead, here in Japan, I can devote my time to writing in English. I can improve my English skills by myself. I don't have to work until I die from overwork any more.

I will discover the beauty of Japan and introduce it to the world. How fortunate it would be to be able to devote my time to writing!  

I'll be happy if you warmly cheer me on,  Rose

Michigan has Northern Lights! Great ones from Mackinac City, Michigan.

Collie took a 4 hour drive to see forecasted Northern Lights. It was an unplanned trip after work. There was a forecast for Northern Lights, then, he decided to get to Mackinac City.

Great lights he never saw. 

Iceland, Norway, and Alaska have these Lights often.  Michigan does, but they are not as bright usually.  He told me that way.

He stayed at the hotel one night there and drove back to the south next morning. He must be sleeping right now. While he was laying down, I am uploading pictures photographed by him. 

a restful walking route between Gotanda and Nakameguro alongside Meguro River

I am longing for the weekend. "Which route do I want to enjoy this weekend?"  "What kind of food shall I get?"  I talk to myself when it's almost the weekend.

I was heading to Nakameguro from my town along Yamate-Dori Ave one road away from Meguro River. I seem to prefer walking in the city to nature!?

This restaurant is one of my list to visit. Now, I will change my course to a riverside road to show you how this restaurant looks like from the nature side.

How's that? It has a pretty good taste with a quaint atmosphere. Alright, I will walk along Meguro River from now.

I am at HUIT I wanted to check out!  I'd be glad if you remember I wrote about this restaurant at my previous post.

Unfortunately, I couldn't relax because girls sitting next to me were chatting loudly. The inside of HUIT nakameguro is quite spacious, but the girls are the only ones who talk incessantly... Looking back, I should have asked a waitress if I could change my seat. Actually, the place where so many people were waiting in line wasn't really good.

This is a stylish sandwich house where I made a toast on the day I signed the sales agreement of my condo.  My real estate agency is in Nakameguro. 

There is a German beer restaurant on the same side of the street where I had a lunch on the day my real estate agent took me to my condo I'd been checking online for months. Everything was done in one day, however, it happened because I asked him about my present condo apart from his choices.

Now let's go home walking on the other side of Meguro River. 

When I feel like giving up, I should just look back on how far I've come. "No rain - No flowers." 

He will not let your foot slip － he who watches over you will not slumber     Psalm 121:3

 

Rose seeds with the sun's love far beneath the bitter snows

The Rose  https://youtu.be/ISjEYji-jIA

St.Joseph Catholic Church, Lake Orion, Michigan

God, in the tensions and risks of life, may we choose you and happiness rather than sin and death. Give us a firm trust in you that we can always count on you and that your Spirit will guide us to go the faithful way to you shown us by your beloved Son. Grant this through Christ our Lord. 

Rest In Peace, Fr.Callistus. You are forever in our hearts as our Father.

Yesterday, I knew Fr.Callistus passed away about a month ago. There was a message in my smartphone, but it hadn't popped up. When I saw a different latest pop-up on my phone and opened my SNS yesterday, I found the message that he passed away which was sent to me a month ago.

I lost my biological father in December. About 2 weeks later in December, Fr.Callistus passed away, too. Had I known, I wouldn't have been able to bear losing two precious persons at the same time. Yesterday was February 3rd. The forty-ninth day ceremony after my father's passing had been over.

I am very saddened by my loss. I feel really sad. However, did God let me know Fr.Callistus's news later to reduce my shock?  He has made everything beautiful in its time.

It's my comfort that Collie met him when we went to the New Year's Mass at Franciscan Chapel Center in 2018 as he visited me in Japan.

Next Sunday Mass, I went to Franciscan Chapel Center alone as usual. Fr.Callistus said to me, "Ohhh.. Collie is gone..." I answered to him, "But he will come back again."  He nodded. 

After a long time, I showed up at Mass. He asked me anxiously, "Are you happy?"  Also, he was encouraging me with a firm handshake. He knew I was still living in Japan alone while my hope was being married with Collie in Michigan. He knows my heart. I answered, "No... Yes!"  I was almost in tears.   Looking back －

The "No" was  : I am feeling sad.

The "Yes" was : I should find a way to be happy with hope.

Fr.Callistus was really a kindhearted person. Still now, I can imagine how he would say if I opened my mind and said my hope to him. 

"Just pray."

He would say gently with a gentle smile like he did before. 

God, I am tired.... I am tired of living.  Could you let me die?  Let me die right now?

Father...  I am sorry I couldn't go to Mass during corona pandemic. I sent you an e-mail to say I was looking at you joining YouTube Mass, and to say I was always praying for you. Please forgive me....

Father... May you rest in paradise with eternal love of God... We will miss you forever. Please stay with us and watch over us from Heaven. 

God, I will live because I know Fr.Callistus hopes I will live on this earth until the day. So please let us with him in our hearts. We are hoping that he shines down on all of us as he was doing to us at Franciscan Chapel Center. 

We are praying forever for our beloved Fr.Callistus,

Raphaela, my baptismal name.

Saint Maria of Catholic Meguro Church & a small cafe wellk on a calm street

The closest Catholic Church from my condo is Catholic Meguro Church. I can't attend Mass there because it's limited to Catholics who belong to the church itself to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Oh, well, I'm sick of it!

Instead, every time I pass along Catholic Meguro Church, I stop to look at a statue of Saint Mary. 

This time, I walked to Meguro-Mita Street, where I tried to find my living place before. Once, and still now, I am charmed with a sophisticated and calm atmosphere of the street. Diagonally in front of this charming brick shop (also a house? How pretty!), there is a small cafe called wellk.

Likely to miss such a quiet entrance with a small letter "wellk"., however, I got interested in what the place was. 

I taste acidity in this coffee and the Carrot Cake is more of a meal than a cake. Personally, I prefer plenty whipped cream to ice cream on the side. 

It's a unique concept to taste a cake with pepper & salt. The cake must be great because it looks very nutritious with a lot of nuts, but it was not my kind of Carrot Cake.

This is a small cafe like a room of an apartment. It's located in a peaceful residential neighborhood that is a midpoint between Meguro and Ebisu. The two-story building across the way is impressive. I visited here again to have a Cheese Cake. I'll let you know how it goes.

＋+＋

Today, I knew Catholic Meguro Church removed the restriction and it seems like non-members can also attend the Mass unless over 120 people. I could try to attend English Mass in the near future. If I am asked "Why English Mass?", I wish I could answer, like, "Because my 'husband' is American.". Sigh..I'm single... An alternative plan is, "Because my 'partner' is American.".

All the best, Rose