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英語だよ全員集合! Jazz in America Page 32013/05/27

by sandwich " my memories of Jazz in America"

I loved to wrap my arms around Jazz and hug and kiss him.

He was very tolerant of being hugged and kissed so much.

our Jazz
we will always
love you

It is so lonely with Jazz gone. 

He was always here when we were at home. 

He was really a special unique character and living being. 

He was Jazz and had his own personality and habits different

from any other person or animal. And he lived with us and loved us  

and we lived with him and loved him.  

I miss him so much and it hurts so much to know I will never see him or be with him again.  I am happy that I was with him and I am happy to think about him and have so many memories of him.  But now he is gone and he is gone forever.   

We will never see him again and it makes me so sad.

I keep feeling that Jazz should be here in the apartment now. 

I remember how he always was sleeping or any of the things 

he would do. Even if he didn't do anything we was here. 

He was alive and present in our life. 

It is so hard for me to feel that big big loss and to know that he is gone forever.  I really keep wanting him to be here. 

So, I am very sad.

ボストン発→里帰り -visit my parents at my old home-2013/05/24

実家の居間にあるコタツが大好きだったね。

成田空港からビジネスホテルへ直行して、チェックインしてから夜通し机の前に座って、心身強張ったまま3月26日の朝を向かえた。

マサチューセッツのHaverhillのアパートでは25日の夕方までジャズは毛布に包まれて眠っていた。ジャズを火葬するために獣医クリニックへ連れて行く前にやっとサンドイッチとスカイプで会うことができた。すぐにジャズはと聞いた。もう車に置いてきた後だった。まだジャズがそこに居たら見ていたかもしれないが正直もう息を吹返すことがないジャズを触れることなしに見るだけではあまりにも辛かった。サンドイッチは電話でもスカイプでも泣いて、学校でも泣いてしまったという。彼が泣くのを見るのはこれが初めてだった。彼は一転して変わり果てたジャズの姿を直に見ているのだからその心の衝撃は計り知れない。

この画像はサンドイッチのパソコンの壁紙になっていた。

朝食開始7時前にフロントへ出向いてみた。 楽しみにしていた日本の朝食だったがやはり食べられなかった。もうこれ以上狭い室内に留まるのは限界だったので早々にチェックアウトした。 沈痛な面持ちのまま市役所へ向かった。まだ職員の人たちがようやく出勤してくるころの時間帯だった。 早過ぎるのは分かっていたが開いている入口から入って尋ねてみたら親切に受け付けてくれた。国民健康保険を受け取って予約していた歯医者へ向かった。限られた日程内に予定だけはきちっと果たさないことにはアメリカへも戻れない。

里帰りと言っても両親の家は去年の6月以来9ヶ月間の空き家状態であった。

ガス屋さんと電気屋さんに再開手続きをしてもらわなければここでの生活はスタートしないのだ。寂しい限りだけど、もう誰も待つ者はここには居ない。 留守の間にネズミとハクビシンが侵入した形跡があった。 日本で過ごす一か月足らずの期間はご飯炊いて納豆と焼き魚と豆腐で日本食を繰り返し食べるつもりで楽しみにしていた。しかしネズミ、ハクビシンとジャズのことで到底自炊する気になれなかった 。胃痛が伴って食べられない状態が2日続いた。散歩で知り合った犬友が心配して元気が出るスープを持って来てくれた。彼女とは散歩コースでたまに会った時にだけ互いの犬の話しをするだけの関係であったが、渡米する前に携帯メールを教えてもらいそれからメール交換をするようになっていった。

元気が出るスープの後にもスペシャルライス、スペシャルカレー、スペシャルサラダ、スペシャルブレットを作って持って来てくれてポロポロ涙流しながら食べていたっけ。大きな感動が大きな喪失感をうめてくれたこの時のこと生涯忘れられないな。あなたが言ってくれたように、次に誰かにこのお返しが出来たらいいなと思っているよ。


サンドイッチは毎日ジャズのことを書いてメール送信してきた。最初のメールを読んだとき涙がいっぱい溢れてきて泣けた。泣けるようになってからご飯も食べらるようになった。 悲し過ぎて怖くって眠れない日が続き、昨夜は少し寝れた、半分寝ながら涙流しながら寝ていたなどを繰り返しながらの日本滞在だった。その間、京都の親友、犬友、サンドイッチが日本在住中にお世話になったボーイスカウトの団長さん+女性3人などに励まされた日々だった。

母のグループホームに4回くらい面会にも行けた。お墓参りにも行った。ゆくゆく決めなければならない永代供養の見学もした。実家の庭の植木の伐採もシルバーさんに予定通りにやってもらった。 当初20日のアメリカへの帰国予定を12日に変更してサンドイッチとジャズが待つマサチューセッツのHaverhillへ予定より1週間ほど早めて帰っていった。

”あれ〜ここはどこ?”

こんな風にタイムスリップしてまたこっちへ戻ってこないかな。

Jazz in America Page 22013/05/23

by sandwich " my memories of Jazz in America"

英語だよ全員集合!

We also had a double futon folded on the floor in the second bedroom, Rice ball's room. Jazz would often sleep on this low futon and stay with Rice ball if she was in her room using the computer at night even if I was in the living room (with the futon couch) using my computer. Jazz alternated between mostly sleeping on one of these two futons/couches in our apartment depending at least sometimes on where Rice ball and I were.

Jazz loved to lay in the sun during the day. He did this in Japan too. So he usually stayed on the carpet (not futon) in Rice ball's room in our apartment and would move around to get the sun through the big windows in that bedroom as the sunny spots shifted in the course of the day. He would often come into the living room to be with one of us only after he was done laying in the sun.

Jazz did not like the rain this was true in Japan too. But in America he got a lot of snow his first and only winter here. And he did not like the snow either. It was cold and he could not easily do his number 2 with so much snow on the ground.

Jazz was really such a good dog. He had a really nice disposition. He was quiet. He would only bark if someone came to the door. He did not cause trouble or make messes really. I think in 8 months in our apartment in Haverhill he only had one or two pee pee or number 2 accidents. Several times he stayed for 8 hours alone and did not go to the bathroom.

He did like to check the wastebaskets in the bathroom or the paper and plastic waste in the kitchen when we were gone for a long time. He did this in Japan too. And Rice ball always scolded him. He knew that he did a bad thing and he would hide behind my legs when we came home. Rice ball would make him come in the bathroom and show him the spilled wastebasket. She would say "gomennasai wa" and he would crawl to her and kiss her to say he was sorry. Then she would tap him on the head and say "finished". It was kind of his job to check the waste baskets because he is a dog.

Jazz drooled sometimes and he liked to lick us sometimes. Rice ball was ok with Jazz licking her on the face but I did not like it too much. It smelled bad a little and I always would wash after. Because of his drooling and licking I called him "slobber face" and "slobber dog".

Jazz liked to go in the car and if we were getting things ready to go to mom's and bringing many different things Jazz would get excited and he knew that something was happening. Sometimes he would sit by our pile of things by the door as if to say "don't forget me". He always was good in the car. He would usually sleep or sit in the back seat. Once he seemed to know where we were going he would relax and just lay down. I think he liked to go to mom's house. We told Jazz it was his Grandma.

Jazz did, however, get nervous when we both left the car and left him, like at a rest stop going to mom's or to run into a store. He would also be nervous if just Rice ball left even if I stayed in the car. He would whine and jump around and he would usually jump into the front seat when we left him alone in the car.

Jazz was clever and also sensitive. He would know if Rice ball or I were sick or not feeling good or staying in bed during the day because something was not ok with us. He would come and be by us even though he did not usually come in or stay in our bedroom. Rice ball always said that Jazz was worrying about us. Jazz also would be upset if we were arguing or, in Japan, if Rice ball and her mom argued Jazz would come and stand by me as if for reassurance that everything was still ok.

Jazz in America Page 1 "loving and affectionate dog"2013/05/23

by sandwich " my memories of Jazz in America"

英語だよ全員集合!
英語が好きな人と犬が好きな人に読んでもらえたらいいな :-)

Jazz lived in America from around June 20, 2012 until March 25, 2013.

Jazz died sleeping on our futon couch in our apartment in Haverhill.
I found him at 6:30 in the morning.
He was fine the whole day before and always and his sudden death
came as a really big shock to Rice ball and me.

Jazz was in the habit of waiting for me to get home from work.
I think he would wait near the door sometimes or he would come from
sleeping on the couch when he heard me come in the door.
From a few months ago we got into the habit of playing for 5 minutes right when
I got home after changing my clothes and before dinner. Jazz would get a toy in his mouth and I would pull on it and he would growl.
If he let go I would throw the toy into Rice ball's room (our 2nd bedroom) and Jazz
would get it and bring in back. He would usually lie down a few feet away and start chewing on it. I would pet him and kiss him on the head and sometimes pull on the toy again and throw it again.

He was so funny when he would lay on the ground all spread out and
I would pull the toy and Jazz would slide along the rug holding it in his mouth.
Rice ball and I would laugh and laugh when he would do this.

Then a few weeks ago, maybe a month or so, Jazz got into the habit of
immediately going to drink his water when I came home. He would come to the door, see me, and then go drink his water. It was a strange habit. Then after we would play. He expected to play with me when I got home from work.

Another thing I loved is that Jazz got into the habit of waiting by my closed bedroom door on the weekends. Rice ball would get up usually before 7am to walk and feed him and I would sleep later till 7:30 or 8am or later. Jazz would always jump on me when I came out of the bedroom in the morning on weekends. He was always waiting to see me!

Jazz really slept most of the time. He would sleep on our futon couch in the living room in Haverhill. We tried to have him sleep only in his corner most of the time and he was usually good about going to his corner.
But when Rice ball and I sat on the other end of the couch he would usually jump up and lay down between us. We watched many DVDs in the evening with Jazz laying between us. Jazz would often snuggle into us as he curled up next to us on the couch. He would lay his body against us or push his head under our arm or put his head on us as he curled up beside us. Or sometimes lie half on us and half on the couch.

Jazz and Rice ball slept on our couch together sometimes. They did this in Japan too. And, Rice ball could really fall asleep with Jazz laying next to her or with her arms around him. When I laid down to read on our couch in Haverhill, and also in Japan, sometimes Jazz would jump up to lay
next to me. He sometimes tried to squeeze into a spot between me and the couch. He would also try to squeeze behind us sometimes when we were just sitting on the couch. He just liked to snuggle close.
He really was a very loving and affectionate dog.

Jazz in Japan Page 22013/05/21

by sandwich " my memories of Jazz in Japan"

アメリカ人の英語だから内容はともかく英語の勉強になるかも。
興味ある人は是非トライしてみてね。

The other word that Jazz knew and obeyed well was "nenne" which means "sleep" or "go to sleep". I think it is a baby-talk word. If Rice ball-mom told this to Jazz he would always go lay down either in his house or on the couch or in another sleeping place. If Jazz got up too early asking to be walked (especially on the weekend) Rice ball-mom would say "mada nenne" meaning "sleep still" and Jazz would go back to rest and wait for his walk. Rice ball-mom did this in Haverhill too and Jazz was so, so good about obeying "nenne" and "house".

In the computer room upstairs, Rice ball and I spent most of our evening and weekend time. Jazz had the couch to lay on, or his fabric house to go in, or would lay on the floor especially in front of the kotatsu if it were cold. There was also a big closet with sliding doors in the computer room with some old quilts piled in one corner. Sometimes Jazz would go in there and lay on the quilts in a kind of nest.

We sometimes took Jazz to a dog run in Japan. We released him in a big fenced in area where he could play with other dogs. Jazz is such a friendly boy and never fights. He does like to do "mating" position and licking the private parts which always embarrasses me. But Rice ball says "he's a dog".

Speaking of fighting, Jazz would go crazy with the vacuum cleaner in Japan and in Haverhill, too. Rice ball-mom always did the vacuuming and Jazz would bark and try to jump on and bite the vacuum every time. I think it was just playing but he could never leave the vacuum alone. Rice ball-mom would tell him to stop and say in English "Jazz no fighting" but he would not stop and she would let him play/fight because that is what he always did.

It was true in Haverhill and also true in Japan. Jazz was always waiting for me to come home from work especially the last year when I had a regular schedule and came home at the same time every week night. He would wait around the door sometimes but would always come running when I came in even if he was in another part of the house. He seemed to know roughly when I would be home. He was always excited and happy to greet me and welcome me home and usually would jump up with his front feet on my legs.