No winter bonus, broccolini harvest, snow socks
Winter has arrived in Tokyo.
Vending machines are stocked with hot drinks such as miso soup.
The mornings and evenings are getting colder, so I've started wearing a coat.
My body is warm, but my wallet is frozen.
My company performed poorly, so we didn't get a winter bonus.
In Japan, rising prices are leading to a trend towards saving money.
Products that are not essentials are becoming harder to sell.
A cold wind has started to blow into our balcony.
I covered vegetables that are not tolerant of the cold with clear bags.
The shungiku and broccolini are doing well because they are cold-resistant.
I harvested the central head of my broccolini.
This will encourage multiple side shoots to grow and can be harvested.
Goldfish become less active around this time of year.
The water temperature is only about 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit).
I made a salad using the vegetables I harvested.
Adding cucumbers and carrots made it look much more colorful.
I immediately served the salad for dinner.
I personally love it because it tastes so healthy.
Dinner one day.
I had beef and lamb steak.
When it comes to the imported meats I usually eat, lamb is more expensive than beef.
So, I usually can't eat it, but today it was cheap so I was able to buy it.
It has a unique flavor, but my kids love it too.
On days when my kids have sports practice, I try to include meat in the menu as much as possible to help build their bodies.
Breakfast one day.
I made French toast with leftover French baguette.
I soaked the bread in the egg mixture for about three hours, but there were still some hard parts left.
For dense French baguette, soaking it in egg mixture overnight will apparently make it very soft.
After breakfast, I started planning my ski trip.
I had already booked a hotel in Nagano Prefecture.
However, I found a vacancy at a better ski resort hotel.
The hotel was located in an area where it snowed more.
My car has all-season tires.
They have the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol.
Last year I drove it on the road on a thin layer of snow and had no issues.
I am not very confident driving in the snow, so I got some snow socks.
In Japan, snow socks are officially recognized as a substitute for tire chains.
We are planning to go to a ski resort with plenty of snow at the end of the year.
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