Just a few odds and ends...
Saw this vegetable vending machine and hadn't ever seen one in the U.S., so I snapped a picture. I have seen a couple of them around--I guess it is like those little stands I saw in Tremont--without the honor system! The veggies always look fresh and good--I assume they come from the neatly-tended garden nearby!
Today as I was loading up my two long laundry poles (as full as they can get--finally a day with no rain that I am home), I heard footsteps below me. I looked down and saw a buddhist priest hurrying along. I was suprised to see him turn in at the neighbor's house next door and start a little speech/chant thing. He went on for a while until the lady opened the door and handed him something (I assume money). Then he went on to the next house. I heard his little chants make a circle around our neighborhood. Akihiro said this is an old way that the priests collect money for their living expenses (hopefully just living expenses!). He said that the priest probably didn't stop at our house because we are on the second floor. Whew! I wouldn't have known what was going on!
And last, but certainly not least....here is a picture of the best sunset I have seen from our house. It looks out our kitchen window. As you can see the houses are very close. I could watch the neighbor's TV if I wanted to from our house and can hear conversations easily with the windows open. If they would speak a little louder, maybe it would help my Japanese! Oh well!