Category: Strine Strife

Daily Life, Strine Strife, Strine Tucker

by Kangaeroo • May 3, 2023

Possibly the most meaningful part of my Australian seeds experiment arose today when I transplanted my kangaroo paw seedlings.

The great experiment, which I expected would result in me proving to have a green thumb and presenting all my gardening mates with exotic plants has proven only that I am all thumbs.

I’ve killed nearly everything I planted, even the everlasting daises and golden everlastings that appeared to be growing so well.

I bumped them off by putting them in a hothouse on a boiling hot day, then giving too much fertilizer to the plants that survived.

A desert pea also looked promising, but I over-fertilized that, too.

I have a tray full of dwarf wattle ready for transplanting, a single honeysuckle banksia that can probably be nurtured under growth lights a little longer and a heath banksia that appears doom after being affected by mold.

Given the nature of my blog persona and the role of kangaroo decorations in the garden, though, it was the kangaroo paw that I most wanted to succeed.

It’s a pretty ominous role to be assigned, actually, because every plant in Kangaeroo Corner that I have most wanted to thrive–tree fern, jacaranda and mature versions of kangaroo paw planted when the garden was started–have all died or struggled.

Anyway, I started today by placing a layer of stones at the bottom of a pot, covering it with a layer or nutrient-rich potting mix bended with peat moss and then covering that with soil especially for Australian native plants.

I then gently removed the kangaroo paw seedlings from the growth pods where they had thrived over the past few weeks.

With customary clumsiness, I managed to kill off a couple of seedlings along the way, but eventually planted them all in the same pot.

I then gave the pot a good dose of water and left it in the sun with lots of prayers for success.

Last year, I killed the kangaroo paw in the garden through over-watering amid the summer humidity, only learning later that my treatment was almost the guaranteed method for ensuring the lovely flowers from Australia’s arid regions would wither and die. Oh, well. Live and learn and sorry to the adorable plants.

Potting the kangaroo paws topped off an absolutely outstanding day that would have been perfect had I been able to spend it with Mrs. Kangaeroo, but it still came bloody close to perfection anyway.

I woke early, cleaned and oiled my bike and headed off at a fierce pace, backed by a gentle tailwind.

I made it to Tokyo Tower where I met many old friends for the first time in years and had a wonderful surprise of having a packet of Iced VoVos waiting for me: a gift from a Melbourne friend who has since headed off to a separate part of the country.

Later, a group of us went off to the nearby ANA Intercontinental Hotel and had an enormous buffet breakky, where the interesting and enjoyable conversation continued.

We spent a couple of hours reminiscing, but then had to go our separate ways.

I wanted to get home quick as the dinosaur was in her cage and was probably itching to get out and about, and I was still a couple of hours away.

I rode back in the delightful spring sunshine.

Fortunately, there was almost no wind, which was a blessing as we have had strong winds daily for weeks now.

As I rode along Koshu Kaido, headed for home, I realized I was looking at a record unique for me.

My average speed for the ride was exceeding 30 km/h.

It’s not unheard of for me over short distances, but I was still over the 30 km/h mark with more than 50 km ridden.

I only had 20 km to go on terrain I knew well and felt confident I could maintain the speed.

I’ve never maintained such speed over such a distance, my most notable record of sustained pace being a 180 km-ride at about 28 km/h a few years ago.

But that was when my cycling was thriving.

The past couple of years, my cycling ability has declined thanks to injuries, illness, aging, priorities, weight gain and opportunities, to name a few factors.

So I felt chuffed to be presented with this chance.

And the glorious sunshine was making it even more appealing.

An amazing, unseasonably clear view of Mount Fuji threatened to thwart my attempt at this record, though.

As I hit the Tamagawa Cycling Road for what I regarded as the home stretch, I stopped to take a photo.

There will be other chances to create cycling records.

Seeing Mount Fuji with the opportunity to take a photo is a rare blessing that demands addressing.

So, I stopped and took some shots.

It was totally worth it.

And when I got back on the bike, I got to maintain the speed I’d been looking for.

It was a delightful reward when I got home.

But not as delightful as the pleasure-filled greeting the dinosaur gave me when I got back and let her loose.

We spent the next few hours playing together, vegging out and eating.

I’ve even managed to save a couple of Iced VoVos for Mrs. Kangaeroo (but probably only because I managed to pick up some Choco-Chip GariGarikun, which I hope might be the seasonal flavor for the early summer).

She should be home any minute now and I am looking forward to seeing her.

Daily Life, Strine Strife

Where’s the Whist Amid the Wisteria?

by Kangaeroo • April 26, 2023

Being greeted by the sublimely serene sight of fully blooming wisteria in the outer suburban wonderland of Yakushiike Park only to have the calmness crushed by the piercing squeal of a little prick abusing and haranguing me for riding a bicycle in the park wasn’t really what I had been expecting at 5 a.m.

As the angry man hurled invective at me, I felt my blood boil and the urge to smash him in the face was becoming almost uncontrollable.

He screamed loudly, fiercely and incessantly as I tried to take photos of La Cangura amid the flowers.

I envisaged punching him and using my mountain bike shoes to kick him in the face while he lay on the ground. I was utterly infuriated and the prospect of clobbering this bloke was made even juicier by the fact that he was only about half my size and at least close to my age, so he was not immediately apparent physical threat, attracting the bully boy in me. Add in the self-righteousness of having done nothing to this person other than strenuously avoided coming into close contact.

Thankfully, my life is enough of a mess at the moment to not need to add charges or jail time, let alone endure starting over again from scratch and, most importantly, having to live with having severely hurt someone, so I took my bicycle and walked away.

Honestly, though, rather than those quixotic ideals, the little prick’s saving grace was that he appeared to be carrying what I thought was a small dachshund unable to walk for itself, and I didn’t want to do anything that might lead to harming the pooch.

Anyway, I strolled around the park, trying not to get too mad and focusing on getting some good shots in the rain before I would have to rush home in time for a 7 a.m. meeting.

As the gallery shows, my efforts were resoundingly successful and I was blessed. The spitting rain that stopped me going on a real ride was proving a blessing as it accentuated the greenery of the park.

And it was as I came to this realization that I made another discovery: the bloody dachshund the angry little prick was carrying wasn’t a dog; it was a bloody telephoto lens. He had been screaming at me because the bike had given me the speed I needed to get to the best photo spots ahead of him. For some reason, that made his anger a little understandable and I soothed significantly. Knowing I had a camera full of good shots also helped.

Today promises to have some more wonderful moments. I’ll meet my brother and sister-in-law for the first time in several years, albeit briefly as they are flying out. And get to be joined by my youngest daughter! It has already been a magical day and will get better, too.

Big Australia, Strine Strife

The Times, They Are A Changed

by Kangaeroo • September 24, 2022

Japan will finally re-open its doors to unrestricted travelers in October 2022, over 2 1/2 years since imposing strict entry requirements (especially on foreigners) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the yen at its weakest against most major currencies since the early 1990s (and effectively even weaker still in real terms as the yen of the early 1990s carried far greater purchasing power than the yen of the 2020s), tourists are predicted to flock back into Japan.

Japan is one of the world’s great tourist destinations and it is Kangaeroo’s belief that the hospitality of many Japanese people show toward tourists make it this way. Japan has an extremely well-deserved reputation for being hospitable toward visitors, and that was also Kangaeroo’s experience.

People are expected to come to the Japanese wonderland to see such treats as the mix of ancient and modern traditions, the neon-lit cities, the amazing food, incredible trains, anime, manga, J-Pop and all sorts of delights.

Not a tourism ad, but an example of the exoticism and sexualization used to deal with Japan in the olden days when Boomers were still young

Things have kinda changed since Kangaeroo first came here, though. In those days, the selling point was the exoticism of Japan, especially its women, and the marketing was highly sexualized in a manner unthinkable in today’s prissy age of political correctness. Back in the day, Japan was plugged as being the homeland of topless pearl divers and geisha girls.

MSA Airlines, the forerunner of today’s Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines, tried in an October 1968 advertisement to entice tourists to the Land of the Rising Sun by saying, “Imagine yourself…in Tokyo, where extravagant floorshows are staged in lavish nightclubs and the precise rituals of a geisha part can be seen in many restaurants.” Imagine yourself nowadays if you tried to sell travel with a line like that? (Or even worse, what they said about Hong Kong, where you could be: “Wandering ‘the world of Suzie Wong’ with its brilliant neon lights beckoning you to sample the exciting nightlife.” Definitely a case of mixing up what’s Wong and what’s right.)

Strine Strife

Enough of the Rain, Already!

by Kangaeroo • September 24, 2022

Kangaeroo is on holiday.

Has been for 37 hours now.

And it has rained almost that entire time.

And due to continue falling for almost the next 24 hours, too.

Ah, well…not much that can be done about it.

Strine Strife

クロス・コーヒーに感謝

by Kangaeroo • February 25, 2022

　クロス・コーヒーは、東京多摩地区の矢野口にあるサイクリストに大変人気なコーヒーショップである。

　昔は常連だったが、引っ越ししてあまり行かなくなった。

　正直に言うと、最高な評判ほどいい店だと思わなかったです。

　値段が割高で食べ物が美味しくても微量で食べても食べても食べたりない気持ちだけでいっぱいになった。

　でも、スタッフもいいし、仲間もそこで集まるので、とってもいい面もあった。

　だが、今日は、考えRooがクロス・コーヒーに大変助けられ、心底から感謝しています。

　昼のライドはデスマシンであるタイガー車で乗ることにした。ちょっと春らしい天気となって、スピードが出せないリカンベントに乗れる時間があったので、行こうとした。「ツールを持っていけ」と自分に何回も言い聞かせた。ツールがいつもタイガー車となりに泊めているチャリにおいてあるので、わざわざ前に持っているバッグを持ってツールを入れようと思ったが、忘れた。よくあることなので、意識もしなかった。

　しかし、約10キロ走ったら、前輪が揺られはじまった。

　「くそ！」

　すぐに分かった。パンク。また、面倒くさい前輪だ。

　「くそ。本当にくそ！」

　しかし、クロスが近かったので、道具も空気入りも使えると思って、押し歩いて。

　店につくとタイヤレバーを借りようと思ったが、販売品しかなかったので、買わされた。金欠なので、ちょっと不満だったが、気持ちよく支払った。

　ここからクロスのすごさが表れた。

　持って行ったインナーチューブが別のサイズのホイール用だった。クロスが求めているサイズを売っていない。おまけ、前輪を外したが、また取りけられない。リカンベントの難しいところの一つ。

　でも、クロスの店長であるトニオさんがその時間を上手く活用して頂いた。

　あっちこっちの自転車屋に電話しまくって、チューブがるところを探していただいた。

　場所を地図上で教えて頂いて歩いた。遠くないはずから歩いて10分のところ自転車屋を探してが見当たらない。

　「この辺にあるはずだ」と思いながら、可愛くて若い女性に声をかけられた。

　「すみません。クロスのものですが。自転車屋を探していますよね。」

　「ええ」

　「あの、すみませんが、多分方向が逆だと思います」と礼儀正しく言われた。

　その方がわざわざ考えRooをおっかけて、ちゃんと探していたところまで誘導して頂きました。

　その自転車屋さんはアトリエフルーブでした。珍しいサイズのチューブもスペースをよく食うリカンベント修理できる場所も空気入り貸して頂きました。今度、ゆっくりと店を見ます。

　数分立ったら、タイガー車がちゃんと治って急いで帰ることが出来た。

　とっても感謝しています。さすがに日本人のサービス精神も優しさをさらに実感出来ました。

　天気も良かったので、恵まれた一日となった。サイクリングが最高！

Strange Strine, Strine Sports, Strine Strife

No Wonder the Wallabies Were Wallies in RWC2019

by Kangaeroo • October 25, 2019

Australia’s rugby team, the Wallabies, were ignominiously dumped from the 2019 Rugby World Cup that Japan is currently hosting (and being lauded for both its organization skills and the rousing performance of its unfancied team).

The Wallabies lost badly to England in a quarter final, mostly because they were not good enough as a team.

But Kangaeroo.com has also discovered another reason for the Wallabies’ woes.

Gorgeous Jindaiji Temple, which supported the Wallabies’ woeful World Cup, is situated in the Tokyo suburb of Chofu, location of the Aussies’ group stage loss against Wales on September 29 that effectively derailed their campaign on the field.

Jindaiji had proudly displayed Wallabies jerseys (alongside a Brave Blossoms team shirt, too, it should be noted) and supported the Australian team as it tried to regain the William Webb Ellis Trophy it last won in 1999.

The temple also displayed a daruma, a doll traditionally used to pray for good luck in Japan, as well as a message wishing the team well. Here is that message, reproduced in full (with spelling and grammatical errors intact):

The conetents the priest preached when he visited the camping place for the match

Daruma is a Japanese style a bringere of good luck which you can find at restaurants, in the houses and so son. This Daruma is representing a monk who was meditating for 9 years. When you think about meditation, you might think it’s static, but actually during meditation we are fighting against and enduring something like weakness or anger or worldly desires. Meditation is not just static, but also conflicting against ourselves. that’s the training of Buddhism and that’s the spirit which Daruma is showing to us. This spirit is exactly like the spirit of Rugby. It’s very dynamic in contrast, but you play desperately for one goal with focused. In Japan, there is a proverb associated with this Daruma. that is “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” It is a saying about never giving up no matter how many times life knocks you down because Daruma always comes back after falling down. The important thing is same in Sports. The high spirits touch people’s hearts. So, like this daruma, attend to the spirit and concentrate on the game and play a good game which touches people. I believe that this Daruma which you team put strong wish will bring good result. Today we want you to put one eye into Daruma. Putting an eyes means that you swear to start the mental training and achieve the goal. This ceremony is for the time which you have strong wish, so please don’t fool around make a wish.

Clearly, then, in spite of rumors of a rift in the Wallabies camp, the reason for such a dismal showing by the two-time champions and reigning runners-up was that they fooled around to make a wish.

At least the Wallabies retained the team’s excellence in selecting players with hyphenated names, the squad’s Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Dane Haylett-Petty continuing the Australian tradition of picking lads with monikers like Massy-Westropp, Comrie-Thomson, Farr-Jones, Scott-Young, Kenny-Dowall, Waerea-Hargreaves, Tuivasa-Sheck, Asofa-Solomona, Polota-Nau, Feauai-Sautia, Mann-Rea, Paenga-Amosa and Johnson-Holmes.