May 10, 2001: Making arrangement for the lecture |
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| We will have a lecture by Ms. Etsuko Motoya
on June 14 at Municipal Compal Hall downtown
Oita City sponsored by Group of Friends Oita Branch. The theme will be "Cooking with smile
as usual." Today, I visited the Hall
for a previous arrangement through the commuting
rush in the morning. The opposite lane is almost empty like this. |
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Many carp streamers are swinging pleasantly
at the Hall. We will borrow the Culture Hall that accommodates 500 guests. |
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| I was the first driver to get down to the empty parking lot in the basement. |  |
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We discussed the terms and conditions on
borrowing the Hall. In the lecture to come, slide films will be used for the presentation. A projector, a screen and some microphones will be needed. I checked them very carefully. The handbills will be distributed on the day. They will be piled in advance in the Hall. We will make much more work for successful lecture. |
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May 16, 2001: A meeting of Senior Group held |
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Hymn #30, self-introduction Reading: "Infants' heart"; impression Senior Group on-magazine volunteer: Knitting caps Bring-in dishes: "Cooking with smile as usual" by Motoya Looking around Yamada's garden We visited Mr. and Mrs. Yamada who live in a log house in Kujyu highland. Mr. Yamada welcomed us very much and we have had a pleasant time today. |
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 Left: Chicken and burdock cooked with soybean paste Right: Cucumber and Hijiki seaweed assorted with vinegar |
 Chicken salad containing six vegetables |
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 Left: Fried Mushroom and green peppers Right: Hijiki and seafood salad |
 Marinated small horse mackerel |
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 Mold potato salad |
Seven dishes were brought-in on the lunch. All of them were taken from Motoya's cooking book. Mrs. Yamada prepared Chirashi Sushi, clear soup, boiled edible wild plants, and jerry. |
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| Mrs. Yoshino, the eldest member of Oita Branch, brought-in red rice. Mrs. Takeuchi rice ball, Mrs. Nyu Gomoku beans respectively. Mrs. Satou, a guest, brought-in dessert. We all enjoyed the meal in the wonderful landscape.Today's attendant: Member 10, guest 1, and Mr. Yamada | |||||||
June 1, 2001: A preliminary examination |
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The date of the lecture is only two weeks
off. Today, the leaders in each assignment
visited the site for preliminary inspection. The lecture will be held this Culture Hall that takes in 500 audiences. |
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| A person in charge of the Hall guided us onto the stage. We checked carefully the arrangement of the lecture table, sign, and flower stand. A screen for the slide projection will be set on the back as well. | |||||||
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There are many greenrooms in the backstage. They will be used for child care room and the dressing room of the lecturer. | ||||||
| We checked the lobby as well. What is the
best way for welcoming the visitors? The yellow counter will be the reception table and on the right a daycare reception will also be set up. |
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What is the best position of the display
tables? We actually moved the tables here
and there. The large TV set in the center will be flanked by an introduction corner of Oita Group of Friends and by an exhibition space of the items on sale. |
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| There will be almost no preparation time
on the day. We have to imprint the detailed
work assignments on the day. We will welcome quite a few visitors reaching 500. The lobby may be crowded so densely. All the staffs have to cooperate in one-mind, we agreed. |
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A luncheon will be held here after the lecture
meeting. The room is a bright conference
room. An instant report meeting will be held
here surrounding the lecturer after the luncheon. After checking the lecture site, we returned back to the House and discussed further on the detailed procedure of the day. |
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June 5, 2001: Pre-exhibition |
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We gathered to the House early in the morning for checking the articles to be displayed in the Lecture meeting to come soon. | ||||||
| A herb bouquet is surrounded with many beautiful dishes using convenient sauce. |  |
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The committee group is in charge of June regular meeting preparation. Today's meeting will open at ten a.m. | ||||||
| Before the meeting, we paid one minute's silent tribute to Sumi Shima of Houfu Group, a member who died on May 31. The flower distributed on the final service is quietly set on the table. |  |
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Toddy's reading is cited from "What is Group of Friends" which was read on the divine service of National Meeting. The members in charge shared the reading alternately. | ||||||
| The General leader Iwahashi, Shiotsuki, Matoba,
and Nyuu, all who attended the National Meeting,
reported the contents of the Meeting and
their impressions respectively. They told that they would make use of the experience to the Lecture meeting by Motoya. |
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Each Group reported their progress status of gathering the visitors to the Lecture meeting. Ticket sales status was reported as well. After that, we all checked the pre-exhibition items. | ||||||
| When you have time, you can prepare tasty
sauce that may help you in your busy cooking
time. Three kinds of kelp-and-vinegar dishes (above) and the other three dishes using herb oil are beautifully arranged on the table. |
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Special tomato sauce can make such wonderful instant dishes. | ||||||
| "Time pack" onion sauces. |  |
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Chopped, fried, and deep fried onion will
be packed and kept respectively in the refrigerator
for emergency use. Skin peeled off carrot and washed burdock will also be packed and stocked in the refrigerator as "time packs." |
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| One kilogram of ground meat should also be
pre-cooked in various ways for time saving.
It can be fried to prepare meat sauce spaghetti, croquette, and gratin. It can be used for making meatball with sweet sauce or stewed by preference. Hamburger and vegetable dressed with a thick starchy sauce also need ground meat, and much more. |
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| The Lecturer Motoya writes that even in the busy morning, minimum twenty minutes should be spared for preparing the breakfast and lunch box. The "Time pack" will fully work on such scenes. | |||||||
| Some cool-and-refreshing desserts were prepared according to the instructions in her book. |  |
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Dish-up, coloring, and tableware are carefully
checked as well. In the afternoon, the table was set up finally by using tablecloths. The result was satisfactory like this. We will make the final check on June 8. |
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June 6, 2001: Radio interviewed |
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OBS (Oita Broadcasting Station) backs us
up in the Lecture meeting. A radio car arrived
at 9:00 in the morning at Oita Branch for
reporting. This is a good chance to appeal the Lecture meeting to many people. OBS had supported us in airing on the 70th Anniversary Life Exhibition held last year |
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| I appealed Motoya's book, our Group, and
our preparation activities by showing the pre-exhibition tables. Soon, caster Honda writes down the interview story. |
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A set of earphone mini radio was handed to
me. Honda interviewed me and the air was
over in success. We-were-there-picture, from Ms. Andoh, the radio car caster driver, me, and Ms. Honda. |
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The air was just a few minutes program after 9:30 a.m. I could appeal key points without fail such as Group of Friends, Motoya, and the Lecture exhibition. |
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Ms. Anan, right, is happy in taking a picture with an OBS member (left) and me. | ||||||
| Just after the air was over, Tanaka and Matoba immediately rang the phone of the House. They were carefully listening my interview. They said the result was fine and got quick inquiry calls. I was delighted very much. | |||||||
June 8, 2001:Final check |
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| We had a general preparation meeting today. After setting up the exhibition items, we cleaned up around the house in all. The day before the Lecture meeting, we will welcome the Lecturer Motoya here. This is why we worked hard in soaking with sweat. Then we started the preparation meeting on 10 a.m. |
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First, we discussed the final exhibition display. We decided to display actual materials in "Time saving (advocated by the Lecturer)" sample corner using 1Kg of ground meat. | ||||||
| The receptacles will play an important roll as well in harmony with other exhibits. We brought-in vessels and containers from home and checked the combination use of them. |  |
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| Oita Godo Press is one of the sponsors this time. A reporter, Ms. Hidaki, arrived the house for collecting materials. I explained her what we expect the visitors feel by looking many exhibits. She promised to make an article of today in a couple of days. We are expecting for her report. | |||||||
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We asked her to take a picture how we check the exhibits. | ||||||
| After 11 a.m, a practical group meeting was held. |  |
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We checked again the shift table of the workers and the floor plan of the site. The practical group leader quickly explained them. | ||||||
| We will have five work groups on site: marshal, reception, exhibition, text sales, and day care. Each of the group checked the final preparation status. |  |
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Next, we had a reporter from COARA Co., Lt. The reporter Ms. Iikura will introduce the Lecture Meeting on the web page. | ||||||
| Here are some craft works such as cloth-book
and glove puppets that introduce the activity
of Group of Friends. Ms. Iikura looked through
them eagerly saying, "They are really
lovely goods." Ms. Iikura's report is here. |
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Those baskets will hold herbs and wild flowers. Ms. yamada will make them up by the flowers she brings from Kujyu highland. | ||||||
| We discussed eagerly down to 0:30 p.m. Now lunchtime has come. We enjoyed sample dishes displayed for the exhibition. In the afternoon, small committee group checked the final time schedule and ticket sales promotion. |
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June 13, 2001: Welcome Ms. Motoya to Oita |
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| We will have the Lecture meeting by
Ms. Motoya
tomorrow. Today, we put a last spurt
on the
preparation. In the noon, a committee meeting was opened followed by a general meeting from 1:00 p.m. |
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Anan, the practical team leader, makes the final check on the last preparation meeting and tomorrow's schedule. | ||||||
| At Compal Hall, we will not have enough time for the preparation. Today, we all have rehearsed the process. |  |
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Takahashi tries the exhibit of dessert. | ||||||
| Color papers will be used for the explanation board. |  |
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Tanaka is in charge of the reception table. She carefully checks the reservation ticket. | ||||||
| Watanabe, in charge of kids daycare, prepares
the name tag of the kids who will come the
Hall with their mothers tomorrow. Ms. Motoya will soon arrive at Oita station from Oita airport. The general leader Iwahashi, the leader of contents group got on my car to meet Motoya. |
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Ono prepared rum cakes for today's break. They were very good. | ||||||
| Ms. Motaoya arrived at the station. She looks
very brilliant as we have seen on the magazine
picture. She soon looked Compal Hall from outside and checked in a hotel near Oita station. We took a commemorative picture, from left, Ms. Etsuko Motoya, Iwahashi, and Matoba. |
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Without a rest at the hotel room, we soon
headed to Oita Group of Friends House. In the House, a tea time was held with many group members. |
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| After a pleasant exchange, Ms. Motoya quickly
looked through the exhibits to be displayed
tomorrow. "Combination spice should be displayed in a much pleasant atmosphere", she said and quickly rearranged them. She also checked and gave comments on the display of the dishes and other tableware. |
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Just a simple rearrangement of "meat ball mustard stew" turned the table into a wonderful world. | ||||||
| The sample of high school student lunch was
also changed to tasty-looking by just a single
touch of Ms. Motoya. "The lunch container for girls should be replaced to lovelier design", Motoya suggested. |
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Ms. Motoya is tough enough to autograph her books "Cooking with smile today as usual." We use them as the textbook for cooking. | ||||||
| In the evening, we visited Kaien-tei restaurant
nearby and enjoyed fresh fish dishes
of Oita.
It was raining heavily, but Motoya
expected
a clear weather next day. |
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| We talked much about Group of Friends. When
Motoya was a kindergarten pupil, she was
frequently told at by Motoko Hani, the founder
of the Grouup, she said. She also referred
to Shigeko Motoya, her mother-in-law. We
have had a pleasant time this evening I took Motoya back to the hotel. |
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June 14, 2001: The Lecture Meeting |
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The day has come at last. The chirping of birds waked me up early in the morning. The sky is clear as if it the heavy rain last night was an illusion. I drove out of my house at eight together with my friend Ihara. At five minutes to 9, the members of Group of Friends dashed into the Culture Hall for preparation. |
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| Nagano, the preparation leader, started the
set up of the stage together with the worker
of the Hall. Ms. Kita of Kasuga Group prepared the signboard. |
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Yamada brought-in many flowers from Kujyu highland to decorate the stage. | ||||||
| Tojou (right) and Ihara set them up beautifully on the stage. |  |
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 Ms. Motoya stands by the flower. |
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| Ms. Motoya and me. |  |
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Kids daycare meeting in the backstage; from left, Han, Arita, Gotoh,Kurosawa, Kuroiwa, Shiotsuki, and Watanabe. | ||||||
| In the lobby, exhibition preparation goes
quickly. We had a morning meeting together with Ms. Shingu (right), a central committee member from Fukuoka. |
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After the meeting, we finished up the final
touch. Ms. Motoya looks around the lunch
exhibit for high school student. "The size of rice balls is a little bit large", she said and made them into proper size. A good-looking lunch box was completed. |
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| A green signboard, designed by Anan based on an image of herb, welcomes the visitors. |  |
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At 9:35 a.m. the door was open. Many visitors in a long line dashed into the Hall in mass. | ||||||
| This is the daycare corner reception. Kids are taken to the daycare room in the backstage with their name tags on. |
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| Ms. Motoya is busy in putting autography on her book sold at the sales corner. | |||||||
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The 500 accommodation Hall was soon filled up with the visitors just before five to ten a.m. | ||||||
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| The Lecture "Cooking with smile today as usual" started. She first referred to her surprise to find abundant fresh greens at a grocery near the station. She also said that Oita is blessed with low-priced foods that support stable life. Her articulate and vivid talk , using many slide films on her cooking experience, fully attracts the audience. | |||||||
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| This is the guide exhibits for regular sales to be held on December 7. |  |
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A mother with a vivid boy is watching eagerly the Lecture through the TV on the lobby. | ||||||
| In the daycare room, the kids have just finished the lunch of "Meat bread with smashed potato." |  |
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The Lecture was over at 11:40 a.m. Shiotsuki, in charge of daycare, reports on the room saying, 13 members took care of 30 vigorous kids. The general leader Iwahashi displays a paper art made by the kids. The design is hydrangea flower painted by small pieces of colored paper. |
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| Iwahashi summed up the Lecture meeting with thanks. She introduced the contents of the exhibits and sales corner. |  |
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| After the Lecture, many people filled the Hall for asking Motoya's autography or learning about Group of Friends. Ms. Iikura from COARA Co., Ltd. Visited today as well and reports here. | |||||||
| Cleaning started at 12:10. Lunch with Motoya started at 12:30. |
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 The sum up meeting was attended with many members; Shingu from central committee, one from Kumamoto Group of Friends, seven from Nakatsu, three from Beppu, and 24 from here Oita. Ms. Motoya introduced, without getting-tired-look, many topics in making her books. |
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Time passed too quickly. Ms.Motoya will make
another Lecture meeting in Kumamoto City
tomorrow. She will leave for with a member
from Kumamoto by bus. We saw off her at the
terminal. Thank you very much Ms. Motoya. We will continue to study cooking based on your text books. |
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| Report by Nagano | |||||||
