Constitutional

Today, I took my first real walk here since arriving a week ago. I went with my teacher's wife, and he joined us for a bit here and there but came later and left earlier on the motorbike. The scenery was stunning; I'm so glad I saw the leaves before they all fall down. I had been inside for two days because of rain but hope to make this walk more often, despite fears of wild boars and poisonous snakes (they've been spotted here and today the neighbor came to look at a snake that my teacher's wife saw on a walk. After she told him upon rushing back home, he saw it later and somehow caught it, tied it up, put it in his backpack, came home, and put it into a container outside with a heavy lid on top. That was in August. Today, they lifted the lid and it was STILL alive. The neighbor said it's one of the most dangerous snakes around, and took it away to the man who deals with snakes).

I had started my teapot yesterday but took a break after dinner last night until this afternoon because my hands were killing me. In the interim, I managed to broker a sale of a bunch of Korean woven objects and deal with more Japan trip logistics. Who knew I'd come up here to become an artifact salesperson and travel agent?

By the end of the night, I had gotten even further than this; the spout's inner opening is done. It will be a double-walled vessel. Not as beautifully shaped as my teacher's but good enough in my book for a first learning attempt. The paper is so much easier on my hands than the last batch, and I felt much better after finally moving the rest of my body this morning. The exercise deleted the afternoon nap I had been taking for the last four days!