The last few days have been so hot! There are a lot of phrases and jokes about hot weather.  Here are a few. It’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. It’s hotter than hell out there. It's so hot, I turned on the heater to cool the house. It is so hot that Polar Bears are wearing sun screen. It is so hot your clothes iron themselves. It is so hot that the catfish are already fried when you catch them. It is so hot that all the beach sand has turned into glass. And a few jokes: Q: What happened when mom bought a loaf of bread from Takayanagi? A: By the time she got home it was toast! Q: What are the only two seasons in Phoenix, Arizona? A: Hot and Hotter. Q: What did the one pig say to the other at the beach? A: I'm bacon! Hope we all feel a little cooler in the next few days.

I'm a little behind this week.  I've been watching the Democratic National Convention.  It has been interesting comparing it to the disaster that was the Republican National Convention last week.   One point that really hit me was after Donald Trump talking over and over about building walls, this week Paul Simon sang the famous Simon and Garfunkel song "Like A Bridge Over Troubled Water". Do you think the world needs more walls or bridges? Since Britain left the EU recently, there is talk of building a wall between Northern Ireland and Ireland, as it is the only land border between Britain and the EU.  More walls!!! What the world needs now is love sweet love . . . . and bridges!  

Just as I finally started to get my puzzlegrass invasion under control, another army has started their invasion.  At first it was just one or two spies.  Then 10, 20, now I'm taking out about 100 every morning! It's the attack of the mushrooms! Today we're going to learn some English phrases about mushrooms.  First and most important, is edible.  Can we eat them.  Mushrooms can be either very delicious or very deadly.  I have no idea which kind mine are, so I won't take a chance. Edible mushrooms Poisonous mushrooms Second, I had no idea how fast mushrooms grow.  I clean them all out in the morning, and by evening the new ones have grown 10 cm.  It's crazy.  The fast growth of mushrooms has given rise to many English phrases and idioms. The micro brewery (地ビール) business has really mushroomed this year. You're small credit card bill has mushroomed into a huge debt. Nintendo's stock mushroomed overnight! Next time you enjoy some delicious shiitake mushrooms, just remember, they're coming for you! HA! HA! HA!  

I have a bad back.  It has been okay for awhile, but for the last few days it has been giving me a lot of pain.   Then yesterday, I fell while riding my bike and hurt my wrist and knee.  My whole body feels terrible.  Today we will learn a few ways to talk about PAIN! I have a pain in my neck. My neck hurts. My back is screaming at me. My head aches. My wrist is throbbing. I have a sore throat. My nose is sore. It feels like there is a little guy in my head using a hammer! Click here for a  great page to describe your pain.   I hope you are feeling okay this week.  The best thing about pain is that we can usually get over it.

Today is one of the day's I feel the most homesick in Japan.  In America, my family is watching parades, having barbecues and enjoying time with the family while they watch fireworks displays. Here in Japan, it's just another day of work. I'll include a few famous historical quotes today from famous Americans.  Some of them may be a little difficult, but I think you can look them up online.  Good luck! Give me liberty or give me death.  Patrick Henry America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves. Abraham Lincoln  (This one is especially relevant this election year.)   The only thing we have to fear is...fear itself.  Franklin D. Roosevelt Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy I hope we all enjoy the freedoms of the country we live in.  The news is full of people who want to take these basic freedoms away from us.      

WHY BRITISH PEOPLE??? 

(sorry Atusgiri  Jason)

Today's phrase: Six of one, half a dozen of the other. is used to say both options are about the same, so it really makes no difference which you choose. Do you think I should take Hirokoji or Chuodo?  At this time of the day, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. Do you think the new Governor of Tokyo will be better than Gov. Masuzoe?  With politics these days, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. WITH DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY CLINTON IT IS NOT SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER!