Perhaps you’ve seen them too, the little old ladies who pick their way through the apples. Not content with merely looking them over, they must press a fingernail into each to test their freshness.

Today, the pile of Fuji apples at the store were given the once-over by an army of these ladies. It took forever to find a few without the crescent marks of these diligent women. Then I moved on to the navel oranges.

No sooner had I picked up one when a woman came up, and asked if they were sweet. This happens to me all the time. Usually, it’s along the lines of ‘How do you fix this?’, while holding up a package of frozen something I’d never seen before.

Tonight they were side by side for awhile as we made our way home.

Sometimes they look good, sometimes they are disturbing.

It gets dark fast these days.

Where prisoners are receiving training in the culinary arts. Despair not, for the menu at The Clink includes paupiette of chicken, figs marinated in Chianti, and buffalo mozzarella and melon.

The prison’s catering manager hopes the restaurant’s fare will rival that of dining establishments run by freer souls.

It always bothered me that the little rabbit had such a big, big room, one with a fireplace even. But that’s not all that concerns some people.

Women with the condition (common in older women, especially those with several children) are frequently advised to have a hysterectomy. But in a young woman, one who has never had children in a country where fertility is a huge issue, that was not a sensible option.

With a sacrohysteropexy, a special mesh is put in place to support the uterus.

Available from Japan.