A prayer, a resolution, and fish-head curry for dinner

Took advantage of the sunny morning to visit the local shrine for the first prayer of the year...
Sumiyoshi Jinja (Shrine) is situated in the neighborhood, along the route of our morning walks...

The entrance to the shrine is the 'torii', decorated with bamboo plants for the occasion...

Just beyond the torii-entrance is a place to wash hands...
Dangling above the wash area are some amulets(?) to ward off the evil spirits...

Guarding the shrine are two lion-like beasts...
On the right is the beast with its mouth opened, as if saying the word 'Aah'...
On the left, is the closed-mouth beast, as if it is saying 'Umm'...
Apparently, 'Aah' signifies 'birth' while 'Umm', death...  

The humble Sumiyoshi Jinja, embellished with ropes made from rice stalks, and bamboo plants...

I made a resolution to 'listen to my wife and be a kind husband'... 

Back home, I tried to repair the punctured tire of my mountain bike...
I had repaired it some months ago, but had not done a good job...
It was leaking and I had to pump air twice a day whenever I cycled to work...

In the evening, my missus cooked 'o-den' and fish-head curry for dinner...
Delicious...