The most enjoyable part of my summer was probably just having plenty of time to spend with Sophie. Her first birthday was on August 20th (this photo was taken on that day). Over the summer she discovered how to walk. Now she can walk across a room slowly, swaying from side to side, kind of like a drunken old man. Although she's only small, she's surprisingly strong, and loves to be chased around the house (by me) and to play with things that "grown ups" use, such as remote controls, mobile phones etc.
We went to Hokkaido, as planned, and had a good time exploring some national parks. It was cooler there than Kansai of course, especially in the forests and on mountains. I carried Sophie 1.7 km up a very steep, rocky trail to the top of Kurodake (in Daisetsuzan National Park) on my back. It nearly killed me, but the views from the top of the mountain made it worthwhile. We saw a fox up there, and some squirrels as well. The weather was good the whole time, and we ate really delicious soft cream every day (maybe my summer diet was not 100% successful).
