Quiet Mohammed comes down to our living room once in a while. Every time he comes down, he holds Sam. He and his fiancee cannot see each other again until their wedding day. (not even skyping is allowed!)
Their wedding is in August. His soon-to-be wife will join him here in Columbus. It won’t be too long before they have their own babies. I am looking forward to being a “grand-ma” soon!
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宮本様
Dear Ms. Miyamoto,
お忙しい中、ご丁寧なお返事をどうもありがとうございました。
親身になってご回答下さり、感激いたしました。
I understand that you are busy, so I really appreciate your kind reply.
長年コレクションをしてきたものの、自宅のスペース的なこともあり
また人生の折り返し地点をとうに過ぎて、このままでいいのか
考えるところもあり、問い合わせをさせていただいた次第です。
I collected many Raggedy Ann and Andy over the years. After I’ve already lived more than half of my life and thought about my living space, I decided to write to you.
我が家でずっと棚の中で飾られているドール達は、
それぞれに思い出があり、また私の手元に来る前はきっとアメリカの女の子達に大切にされてきた歴史があるのではないか、と考えると
やはり大切に思って下さる方達に引き取っていただきたいのです。
I have many memories with each of the Raggedy dolls that are displayed on my shelves. I know these dolls were also loved by girls in U.S.A. before they came to my house. I would like to pass these dolls to someone who would take good care of them.
—————————————————————————— 昨年の終わりにこんなお手紙をHiromiさんから頂きました。私はライフワークとしてこのファンサイト【ラガディメニア】を運営するにあたり、アンとアンディにどれだけの歴史があり、どれだけ多くの人に愛されて来たかを伝えるのに、これまでに制作されて来たドールやグッズの品数を見て頂くのが一番だと思い、『アンティークランド』というコーナーを開設しました。
I received this letter from Hiromi at the end of last year. I manage this Raggedy-mania fan site as my lifework. I believe showing the number and variety of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls and collectibles created over the years best describe how long and widely they have been loved. That is why I added this “Antiques Land” section to the fan site.
There are many precious, hard to get dolls in Hiromi’s collection that I’d love to include in the Antiques Land. I will be adding her dolls one by one to the Antiques Land this year.
My 73-year-old mom from Japan visited us over the New Year’s. She flew all by herself from Tokyo to Columbus even with a transit in Detroit. You may wonder if she speaks English. No, she doesn’t, but a plenty of traveling experience and a will to see her grandsons make it possible. I bet I can go see Calder and Sam’s kids anywhere in the world when I turn 73. I wonder where they will be then. It will be nice if it will be somewhere warm… you know?
我が家のホームステイ、サウジの子では古株２番目のモハメッド。
「25才になったからお見合いをしろって言われているんだ…まだ結婚したくないんだけど。」と夏に言っていた彼。ついにこの日曜日、お見合いにサウジに帰りました。 Mohammed is our second longest homestay student among Saudis. “My father wants me to get married because I am 25. I do not want to get married yet…” said Mohammed this summer. He left our house for his home town to meet his future pride this Sunday.
お見合いは15~30分ほど。相手のお家にお相手とお父さんを訪ねます。断る権利は双方にあり、見事双方結婚を承諾した場合、結婚式当日まで、二人はまたバラバラ。
The meeting takes place at her house among her, her father, and Mohammed for about 15-30 min. Either side can say, “no” to the other. Even when both successfully come to an agreement on a marriage, they will never meet again until their wedding day!
つまり…第一印象で人生を決める訳です、よね？
So the first impression decides your life, correct?
ちなみに私。この四十数年の人生のうちで「この顔、好みかも」と初対面で感じた男の人が二人いました。一人は金髪で色白のスェーデン人のカメラマン。で、もう一人は、今のパパ（笑）少なくても１万人くらいの男の人には出会っているはずなので、顔の第一印象ってかなり行けてると思いません？
As for me, I’ve had two occasions in my forty plus years of life when I felt “he is my type” at the first impression. One was a blond Swedish photographer and the other was the man whom I am with today! I must have met at least 10,000 men in my life, so the first impression does something, don’t you think?
I had a chance to listen to Hirofumi Konishi, a Japanese mountaineer who has conquered the world’s six (out of 14) 8000 meter peaks oxygen-free. When he has to select his sherpa at first sight, he told us that he looks at their faces. According to him, a face tells not only what kind of thinking pattern one possesses, but what kind of situation he is under. After his talk, we met him in person. He was giving great advises to people in front me and I was looking forward to my turn. When he saw me or my face, he just said, “You have a face of original species with vitality!” Huh? What happened to insightful things that you were telling all the other people???
さて、モハメッド。無事に初対面の彼女のお眼鏡に叶って帰って来るのかな？？楽しみ、楽しみ…
In any case, I am looking forward to Mohammed’s return to hear all about his visit!!
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それでは、今日もラガディ原作絵本の続きを読んで行きましょう！
Today is a day to read Gruelle’s original books in Japanese.
1925年に出版された５冊目の『ラガディ・アン ウィッシング ペブル』のお話の続きです。
We will read Gruelle’s 5th Raggedy book, “Raggedy Ann’s Wishing Pebble” published by M.A. Donohue & Company in 1925 today. (I am translating/reading the original books since they were never published in Japanese until today…)
Our longest staying homestay student, Mazen. He come downstairs everyday, really everyday he comes down to hold Sam. “My mom asks me if I hold and play with Sam everyday…” he says, but if he really does not like babies, would he really do that everyday?
Sharon is an only child. She had never held a baby. Mazen put Sam in her arms.
Sharon “Oh, he is about to cry..”
Mazen “That’s OK. A baby sometimes cries. So don’t worry.”
こんなマゼンなら将来、何人もの子供達を上手に束ねて楽しく遊んでくれるパパになりそうじゃない？！
You can imagine what kind father figure he will be some day?
イスラム教の国、サウジでは結婚はお見合い。自分のお母さんや姉妹が知り合いの中から、結婚相手を見つけてくるの。デート期間はなし！ちょっとそんな慣習、ピンと来なかったけど、マゼンを初め沢山のイスラム圏の男の子達と暮らしてみて、それもありかなーなんて思うようになりました。
In Saudi Arabia, all the marriages are arranged. Usually their mother and sisters chooses a bride from the women they know. No dating! I couldn’t understand the custom before, but after living with many Moslem boys like Mazen, I can kind of see how it might work.
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手作りがとっても上手なお母様をお持ちのHisakoさんからプレゼントして頂きました！
Sam received a present from Hisako and her handy mom!
Hisakoさん、お母さんどうもありがとうございます！サム似合っていますか？？
Thank you Hisako and her mom! How does it look on Sam??
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それでは、今日もラガディ原作絵本の続きを読んで行きましょう！
Today is a day to read Gruelle’s original books in Japanese.
1925年に出版された５冊目の『ラガディ・アン ウィッシング ペブル』のお話の続きです。
We will read Gruelle’s 5th Raggedy book, “Raggedy Ann’s Wishing Pebble” published by M.A. Donohue & Company in 1925 today. (I am translating/reading the original books since they were never published in Japanese until today…)
Halloween on Monday and Papa&Calder’s birthday on Thursday. There were two major family events within a week and last week just blew away.
その忙しさの合間を縫って、最近コールダーに気になることが二つ…
あまりにも日本語が出来なくなったこと。空手のレッスンの見学に連れて行ったら”I am shy…”と言ってドアも入れなかったこと。でも、ちょっと待て。サムを産む前と同じように仕事を請けて、週末に仕事がずれ込むこともしばしばなこの頃。赤ちゃん返りはしてないけど、毎日てんてこ舞いでコールダーと過ごす時間は減ってる..手をつけるのは、まずそっちからだよな…
There are two things that concern me right now… Calder’s Japanese deteriorated so much and he couldn’t go beyond the door when I took him to a trial Karate lessen. Before I work on these issues, I have something else that I need to work on… I haven’t had much chance spending “quality” time with Calder since Sam was born.
Thank you very much for many many congrats messages for Sam. I love you all whom Raggedy Ann and Andy connected me to!
☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★-☆-★
それでは、今日もラガディ原作絵本の続きを読んで行きましょう！
Today is a day to read Gruelle’s original books in Japanese.
1925年に出版された５冊目の『ラガディ・アン ウィッシング ペブル』のお話の続きです。
We will read Gruelle’s 5th Raggedy book, “Raggedy Ann’s Wishing Pebble” published by M.A. Donohue & Company in 1925 today. (I am translating/reading the original books since they were never published in Japanese until today…)
PR Producer, Raggedy Ann&Andy Japan. Producing many licensed Raggedy products in Japan since 2000. Now resides in Columbus, OH with her family connecting American & Japanese Raggedy Worlds!
本年もよろしくお願いいたします。
お見合いにサウジアラビアに帰っていたモハメッドが婚約して戻って来ました！
宮本様
昨年の終わりにこんなお手紙をHiromiさんから頂きました。私はライフワークとしてこのファンサイト【ラガディメニア】を運営するにあたり、アンとアンディにどれだけの歴史があり、どれだけ多くの人に愛されて来たかを伝えるのに、これまでに制作されて来たドールやグッズの品数を見て頂くのが一番だと思い、『アンティークランド』というコーナーを開設しました。
お世話になります～～近頃BEPさん...