Written on December 9, 1992 [Permalink]

December 1

Nothing much to report these days ... Carving continuing, and nearly finished the kimono pattern. Newsletter still not back from Sakazaki-san. Got a copy of Tokyo Today ... the article tucked away at the back of the magazine. A little disturbing that they 'stole' one of the prints for an illustration on the title page. That's not how I want to use them ...

Got a surprise package from Usui-san in Niigata ... two carving blades. The note says they're made from some ridiculously expensive kind of steel, and he wants to know how they turn out. Unfortunately, he's already sharpened them ... for a right-handed person of course, and I'm going to have to waste the first centimeter or so putting the bevel the other way round ... They look fine, way more neatly made than the previous ones he gave me ...

December 9

I see that last time I updated this journal more than a week ago, I was nearly finished the kimono pattern ... well, I'm still not much further along than that! A day off to visit Yuko-san in Zushi, a day in Tokyo visiting the CWAJ ladies and also the gallery, a day off to print 30 or so New Year's cards for those ladies (for the 'print exchange'), Sunday off at the local museum with the kids, a half-day with a reporter from the Japan Times Student newspaper ... etc. etc. Actually, the kimono is finished, and I'm on the poem now.

Ashida-san came over today to return the corrections for the winter 'Hyakunin Issho' copy, (Sakazaki-san was just too busy this week to do it ...) and I'll try and get it all pasted up tomorrow for the printer. He's not going to be too overjoyed to see me this late in December ...