Of Japanese fall, pumpkin soup, and maroon orange juice

Finally, I can say it truly feels like fall in Japan. I spent most of the day sleeping in with a satisfied smile on my face. But, I soon felt the urge to be domestic. I got down to cleaning, and eating as well.
In honor of the season, I chose to make pumpkin soup. Only a few barriers stood in my way: Japan lacks pumpkins, my stove has stopped working, and I've never cooked such a thing before. Far be it for me to stop doing something once I've decided though (us absentminded people are also single minded due to the fact that we forget our plans may not work). So I ended up cooking the following together in my hotpot (still grateful to Rachel for giving me that): A mystery gourd (you know, a squash-like thing), salt, butter, finely chopped onions, and a carrot, grated daikon-style. I added a little orange juice and pulp for taste, color, and texture too. It worked! I filled my tummy with happy.
As for that orange juice, the other day I went to a coworkers house to give them chocolate-covered pistachios to thank them for stuff. He invited me in, and gave me a giant bag of Tara oranges. Then his family served me diner. So ended up coming away owing him even more, which is ironic cause I went there to settle my karmic debts with the chocolates.
So we're talking about 40 oranges. I managed to juice about half of them tonight. Tara orange juice is suprisingly ruddy in color.

Older couple selling steamed somethings outside the supermarket.
Aforementioned Karmic-debt reduction chocolates.*
Refugees from the great kitsch expulsion. My predecessors left little statues and other "cute" things in my house, and I said, "No more! I'm a minimalist!" and turned them out on their ear. We'll see if the next typhoon takes them away.

*:A sentence never before uttered on Earth, I can confidentially say.