Written on July 22, 1992 [Permalink]

July 12

No work today (off to visit Yomiuri Land with Tanaka-san (the customer in Inagi City)). The carving of the figure and poem are finished, and all that's left is the boundary line and the aisuki clearing. If I can keep going steadily during the next week, I might be finished in time for heading off to Hokkaido as soon as the kids are out of school on the 21st ...

Baba-sensei and Kato-sensei came over the other day to confirm that they will be wanting their third set each (bonus time ...). It's sure nice to have their support, but I always feel guilty about it costing them so much money. Their payment sure helps, and with Kawawa-san's back-number order also now paid for, we don't have to worry about money until at least October or so ...

July 15

Carving all done, and 70 sheets of paper wet for the first printing. These last few days have been marathon sessions: starting at about 10 in the morning after getting back from the pool, and finishing at about midnight, with maybe a half hour each for lunch and dinner. Surprisingly, my legs don't complain at all, and they are long, peaceful days ...

July 20

The printing last week on Kentoku-ko [4-6] went very smoothly, and maybe 69 of the 70 sheets were OK. I kept the sumi quite thin, and managed to get smooth (if perhaps a bit too bright) colours. The second printing isn't going so well (I'm about half way through, and should be finished by tomorrow night). I'm now using the newest batch of paper from Yamaguchi-san, and it's way, way too thick (for me!). I don't suppose Matsuzaki-san would have any trouble, but I find it very difficult getting a smooth impression on this stuff ...

Ashida-san was over today doing the preparation for tomorrow's wrapping session. We're going to get this one wrapped up and set aside so that she can simply call the Post Office for pickup when it comes time for the August shipment. I've set on this Friday for heading to Hokkaido. In one way the timing is not so good. The guy phoned back from TBS about my appearance on a quiz program, but as this one is not to be taped here in my workshop, but in their studio downtown, I am going to have to pass it up. They want August 5th, and even though they offered to pay a fee, as well as my way back from Mie-ken, and my hotel, etc. I said no. Vacation is vacation! (I suggested David Stones, and I hope they call him ...)

Starting today, the kids are off school, and that's one reason I only got two colours done today.

July 22

Printing finished, wrapping finished, everything finished. Today is just packing and preparing for tomorrow's departure. I wasn't really looking forward to the 14 hour daytime trip using four trains, but we managed to get reservations on one of the night trains. We hadn't expected that there would be any seats left at this late date, but tried anyway ... ! It's great. It leaves Ueno in the evening, and the sun will be coming up just as we reach Hokkaido, giving us a clear view during the trip across the island. A week with grandma and Nozomi and Midori, and then back down to Okazaki for a visit to David Stones. Then its off to Ozato and Okunono. A stop in on Tokimoto-san on the way home in late August will round it off.

Prepared the block for Jakuren Hoshi [4-7], using the 'reversed' hanshita. It looks weird, sitting there face up on the block. I hope there aren't going to be any problems with it, but I'm taking along the 'normal' hanshita as well just in case ...

See you in September!