Separation 別離

My mom and I are going to be separated for a while. I am going to Alaska for a week. Her doctor advised me that it would not be a good idea for me to take her on this trip. I can no longer leave my mom at home alone while I am away. This photo is of the facility where she is going to stay. She will receive full care and supervision. Part of the time, her brother is also a guest at this facility. It is close to her home land island, and this gives her some comfort, I believe. It is a two-hour ride from Osaka by train. The photo is taken from a fish market across the street. They have fresh oysters there. On the way to one of the train stations, there is a nice bakery, a cake shop, and grocery stores. It was not like this before, when I was a kid. Borrowing my mom's phrase, "everything has changed so much that I can not recognize where I am walking." 母と私はしばしのお別れだ。一週間アラスカに行く。主治医の忠告で母を連れて行くこともできなくなった。もう彼女を家で一人にしておくこともできない。写真の建物は、彼女がショートステイする施設で、そこで、母の面倒を24時間見てもらえる。母の兄もそこにいるし彼女のお里へもそこからそう遠くなく安心して泊まれるだろうと考えている。電車で大阪から2時間。この施設から道路を渡ったところに魚市場があり、新鮮な牡蠣が手に入る。最寄の駅まで歩くと、おいしいパン屋さんもあり、自信を持ってお勧めできるケーキ屋さんや八百屋さんまである。私の子供の頃からずいぶん変わった。母の言葉を借りると、「どこもかしこも変わってしまってここがどこかさっぱり分からんようになってしまった。」