Today is a federal holiday observed as Columbus Day. Native people don’t recognize as Columbus Day, but some tribes observe as Indigenous Day.

We went to the local mall to browse around. We have one store where we usually buy my daughter’s clothes. They always have something on sale.

For some reasons, I felt like checking other store that we seldom go shopping. This store almost never has anything on sale. Their prices always stay expensive. By just taking a look of their clothes, you can easily tell they are made by high quality fabrics and well-designed.

Once we entered to the girls’ section, my daughter’s eyes shone. She quickly grabbed several items that she wanted to try on.

I was not planning to buy anything at first. When I saw my daughter in a new outfit with a huge smile on her face, I could not say no to her. We ended up buying four new outfits for my daughter.

We paid unexpectedly high price for the new outfits, but both my husband and I were so happy to see our daughter’s pretty winter outfits. My daughter deserves such a joyful day once in a while.     

♬ Any feedback? (^^♪

On weekends, it is my habit to go for a walk alone after eating breakfast. Now it’s our autumn but it was still hot enough for me to stay with a camisole during the days, until yesterday.

This morning was different.

When I went outside with a camisole with shorts as usual, I was covered by goosebumps all over my body. It was winter-like freezing cold.

I quickly went back home and changed my outfit to a set of winter clothes.

Our winter on this land is very short. I love cold weather, so I’d better enjoy every day in this short winter.

♬ Any feedback? (^^♪

About two weeks ago, our treadmill stopped working properly.

My husband figured out the issued part was the incline adjustment of the running belt. He got the part number and the part name of the malfunction area from the treadmill diagram.

The manufacture and other part company sell this part as an assembly set. The lowest price of the assembly set was around $300.

We thought the price of the part assembly was outrageous. We purchased the treadmill in 2011 with $600. The manufacture offers a life time warranty for the motor. In our case, the motor was still working properly.

I told my husband to sleep on it. The great idea might come up to him while sleeping.

Amazingly, it happened. On the next morning he got some great idea. He further disassembled the malfunction area and figured out the main cause of the issue. It was one set of a bolt and a nut.

Last weekend we purchased a set of a bolt and a nut at the local hardware store.

He was so busy with work for the entire last week that he could not try a new set of a bolt and a nut.

This morning he replaced the parts, and our treadmill started working properly.

We didn’t need to buy a brand new treadmill with $600, nor an assembly set of the parts with $300. He fixed it with a set of a bolt and a nut with only $2.70. It was amazing.

So far, he has fixed our washing machine, our dryer, our 50-inch television screen monitor, and our Dyson vacuum cleaner.  

I suggested my husband to write down one of his ability as a “high performance engineering in home electric devices” in his resume.

♬ Any feedback? (^^♪

I want to share about the last procedure of my homemade pickled plum.

Now that I finished the second procedure; sun-drying for three days, my pickled plums seemed to be soften.

Today, I proceeded to the last procedure; sampling.

I ate my first homemade pickled plum with brown rice. It was not too salty; just right salty when eating with rice. It still had somewhat fresh and crunchy texture , compared with the old and matured ones. I look forward to sampling my future homemade pickled plum, six months later and one year later, being matured.

Ideally, I want to buy only some basic ingredients for my kitchen. With the basic ingredients, I want to cook whatever my family and I need.

For example, we successfully stopped buying commercially available breads. We eat my homemade bread. As long as I have some ingredients (whole wheat flour, salt, brown sugar, and butter) in stock, I can bake my homemade bread at home. Previously, there were times when I needed to go to the grocery store just to buy some breads. I am grateful that I don’t need to do that anymore.

I want to gradually reduce buying shelf items such as commercially available snacks and products. They are located in the center isles of a grocery store.    

Slowly, but steadily, I am getting closer to my ideal eating.

I appreciate for this challenge. And, not to mention, I appreciate my friends for introducing me of healthy eating habits, including the recipe of homemade pickled plum.

♬ Any feedback? (^^♪

I have my favorite fast food restaurant in the next city. They sell submarine sandwiches and salads.

I still remember about my first visit to this restaurant. It was about four years ago.

When my family and I entered to this restaurant, we were greeted warmly by the worker with his big and nice smile. By the way he talked, we noticed he was the store manager. He was nice and kind not only to us (customers) but also to his employees. We soon became liking him and his restaurant very much. Since then, we have been often visiting this restaurant.

Today I visited this restaurant again. One old female worker served me for making my sandwich and salad. She was a trainee; she was still new working to this restaurant. She looked very happy working there.

She mentioned she liked the store manager very much. She said the manager always stays positive and cheerful. He makes both workers and customers feel happy.

She said this store manager was the best supervisor in her all life. Her statement was convincing, because she is in her late 50s, seeming to have had many different work experiences. I was happy to hear that.

It is important especially for a restaurant to have all the workers stay being happy. Food observes the energy of a person who cooks and touches. I will definitely keep supporting this restaurant as long as the happy store manager stays at this restaurant.  

♬ Any feedback? (^^♪