More fabric

I had a few details to take care of around the apt so I was a little late getting to the thrift shop. But we had our usual fun pulling out the donated items and pricing them. Someone had donated 2 bags of fabric scraps. Well, I just had to buy them. You know how it is. I didn't think anyone would appreciate them like I would. Then Andrea called. We were supposed to go to the flower market, but the word at the thrift shop was that they close by noon, so we will go tomorrow. So we went to the Navy club for lunch. We shared a burger, fries and baked beans. She got a cookie, but I declined, knowing there is a cheesecake in my fridge. Then she drove me home. I sorted through my new scraps and put them in piles according to size. Most of it will be for future classes. But some I cut into 3 inch squares for Andrea since she is doing a charm quilt and won't be here much longer to collect.

***As usual, more pics from Thailand***

ACCEPTED!

What a day it has been. First, I never thought I'd get up at 6 to make sandwiches after going to bed so late last night. But I did. I went back to bed for a nap, but was still ready by 10 to go, well, I don't know where. My friend Hyon and her driver picked me up in front of my building and we drove an hour to see a private property where the owner had gotten some traditional Korean Hanok (homes) relocated to his property and hired an architect to put them all together. We walked around a little, then other women showed up, including the owner's daughter, and we walked to a nearby restaurant for lunch. Afterwards the architect came and explained how everything fit together. And she did a computer presentation on some other projects she has worked on. When asked how I liked it, I didn't know what to say. At least I stayed awake? Then we came home and I showed Hyon how to park on post and walk to my house. She asked for a dinner invitation since her husband is out of town for 6 months. But we decided that 'leftovers' night wasn't the best, so we will invite her soon.

When I got home, Michele was waiting with good news. She has been accepted to Yonsei University. Yea! Also, she got e-mails informing her that she has been awarded financial contributions from the thrift shop and AWC, but not how much.
So after supper, and going to the theatre to watch Confessions of a Shopaholic (I am having the urge to buy clothes now), we stopped to buy ice cream to celebrate. Michele thinks we should eat out to celebrate. But don't we have to save for her college tuition? We saw Andrea at the ice cream shop and she invited us over to her place to pick up what's left of the cheesecake she brought on Monday. She also threw in 2 packages of blueberry jello that she had leftover. Now I can make the wonderful blueberry jello cream cheese dessert that she brought LAST week.

Cleaning

Its almost 1:30 am, and I am just getting home. Andrea drove me to the Luncheon about 10. I bought some fabric from the fabric vendor. Then we got our lunches and sat in the theatre. The movie was "New in Town". After the movie I got the paperwork for Hannah's class. Then Andrea drove me over to the place I agreed to clean. The neighbor waylaid me to talk about cleaning his place next month. So it was 3 until I got started. I never thought it would take 10 hours. I am so glad to finally be home. ***Thailand pictures***

Baby quilts

Last night I spent an hour working on 2 quilt tops for the Stork's Nest. I always quit by 11 so as not to disturb the neighbors. So this morning after making sandwiches, I finished the two tops. That took about another hour. Then I cubed some cheese for my contribution to the lunch at the quilt meeting. We were scheduled to work on Quilts of Valor, but since births at the Stork's Nest are scheduled to rise sharply, we worked on baby quilts.


Hey, we finished 13 today. That is some kind of record. Also, another quilter wants to give a class making a hand applique project. She wants to have it in the cafeteria. She wanted to start this Wednesday and asked me if I could reserve it for her by then. In two days?! So she settled for four Wednesday nights in May. Well, I hope it is available, but more than that, I hope she realizes that this is HER class and I am not responsible for picking up the key, arriving early, tidying up afterwards and locking up. I wrote her a polite e-mail to that effect and Chris said he was proud of me for standing up for myself instead of giving in and fuming.
***Pictures from Thailand***

Lotus Lantern Festival

After church Chris dropped me off at Tina's house with a change of clothes. After she straightened her hair, we drove to Gate 17. From there we walked to the subway and took line 4 to line 1 and got off at Jogno-3. We did some walking before we decided that we were in the wrong place. I asked several people to help us and finally we got the idea that we needed to go one stop back on the subway. The good thing about that stop was that we found someone serving those honey-nut-cinnemon pancakes we both like so much.
Our next stop was Jongak. And there it was. Crowds of people, little tents lining the road, people playing games in the middle of the street, and parade floats wating for the evening parade. We made the rounds, seeing what each tent was selling or giving instructions and materials to make.
I made a bar of soap at one, we made a little lotus flower at another, and we participated in a tea meditation ceremony at a third. Tina got some punchouts for building a paper temple. I bought a set of petal papers to make a lotus lantern. We watched four men swinging 2 jump ropes perpendicular to each other. Then people could jump in and if you lasted long enough they would give you a prize.
There were also people selling food. Tina bought us some walnut balls. I finally got a shot of the bugs that I ate on the templestay experience. I didn't eat any this time. We also ate plates of jobchai near the temple. Around 5:15 we decided it was getting too cold to hang around for the parade at 7. So we headed home on the subway. When we got to Seoul Station, we were supposed to get off, but we'd been talking so we were slow in getting out the door. In fact the doors closed behind me, keeping Tina inside.
So I stuck my hand in, thinking the doors would stop, but they closed anyway. I had a momentary flash of premonition. I could see the train taking off, dragging me with it. So I wrenched my hand out and waved goodbye as Tina was carried to the next station. I walked along the platform to find a place to sit. I waited for Tina to catch a train back. When she did and said she was glad I waited for her, I replied that I could have caught a train home, and then called her husband to say I'd lost his wife on the subway. But then I wouldn't have a ride home from Gate 17.

Silk

I thought we were sleeping in this morning, but the alarm went off at 7:30. It turns out that Chris and Michele had plans to visit some palaces with Sheryl but didn't tell me 'cause they figured that I didn't want to go. Well, I did, but I had to go by the Chosun to see the new silk shipment before the good pieces sold out. So they dropped me off at the library and went to meet Cheryl. I read a book, waiting for the Chosun to open at 10. Then I walked over, saw the silk, bought some silk, talked to people I know who volunteer there. Then I walked over to the thrift shop next door. I got a scarf and an air popper (those are expensive here). Then I waited outside for Suyapa and talked to Annette. Su came by to drop off a PVC corner she had borrowed to match, but no luck. So then I walked back to the apartment. Later Chris and Michele came back. Chris made supper and then we all went to see "Monsters vs. Aliens". It is a kids movie, but Chris and Michele really liked it. It was ok. Afterwards, I started laundry and tested out the popcorn popper. It works! Maybe later I will listen to the CD I bought yesterday at Seoul Arts Center. Today was cool and rainy. I am looking forward to warmer weather tomorrow for the Lotus Lantern Fastival.
***Here are two more pics from Thailand***

Music

Met Nancy at the gate at 9am. We drove to the DHL and caught a taxi to the Seoul Art Center. We walked around a little and bought tickets to two concerts. We were buying tickets for friends too, but there were only two seats left for the June concert, so we took those. Our friends will have to make other plans. We went to a sheet music store and got the music for Phantom of the Opera and a Rachmaninov piece. There was also a CD store there. Nearby were instrument shops. We stopped at one and I played several 5 to 7 million won trombones. They were better than mine, but not that much better. Then at the next store Nancy tried out an expensive piano. Again, it was nice but not that nice. We caught another taxi back to the base, but it could not go on base, so we had to walk from the gate. I called Chris and he came by and picked me up just as we reached Nancy's turn off. So as she went home, he dropped me off at the DHL. I spoke to Michele (who was there for lunch) and whiled away almost an hour until the Swedish Drum Line began their performance on the highschool football field. I took a video but Blogger won't load it.

They were very good, but it started raining and people started leaving. Michele came and sat with me in the stands (probably 'cause I could keep her warm). Then I walked to Tina's house and we talked for hours. Then, since Chris and Michele wanted to go to a movie instead of our Korean lesson, I invited Tina to come with me. So we went out for Chinese food and walked to the coffee shop. Having Tina there made it more fun. But we agreed that we didn't get a whole lot out of it and she won't go next time. Next time we will meet at the teacher's house. On the way home she stopped for icecream. I was too full to have any. She drove me home and I spent the rest of the evening clearing out my e-mail.



***More pictures of us in Thailand***

Michele and Quilt Class

Interview

I worked at the thrift shop as usual, but left early to meet Michele at the DHL. When I saw her crossing the street in her black suit, she looked so grownup and independent that I felt a tear drop. So we caught a taxi to Yonsei University. We had no problem getting the driver to understand where we wanted to go. In fact he seemed to know which building we wanted. Then we went to the 7th floor and were about 40 minutes early. I brought a book to read. Michele had already finished hers and just sat. Her interview was scheduled for 1:40 and neither of us had lunch. So after the interview (which lasted 10 minutes) I thought we should eat, but she seemed intent on getting home. But we couldn't find the subway. Finally a Korean woman put us on a bus and told the driver where to let us off. That was pretty amazing considering the language barrier. Then Michele navigated us home on the subway. She was wearing heels so her feet hurt a lot walking home. She took to her bed and read. I hit the kitchen and filled up. Then I read for a while too. When Chris got home, he wanted to know how her interview went, but she had no idea how well she did. After supper it was each of us to our own computer.

Quilt class

This morning I woke up thinking that I need to get some plans made for the class I am supposed to teach tonight. I worked for awhile, and then caught the postrun bus to the school to pick up the key. After that, I went to the Chosun to look for Thai silk, but the shipment hadn't come it yet. They expect it tomorrow. I also went to the thrift shop and got a silk brocade skirt and some VHS movies. Chris called while I was there and needed my signature on a tax form so he picked me up and drove me home. Saved me a trip. So I worked on a sample for the class project, but didn't get very far. Then Andrea came over to work on her spring blocks. We got all the borders on and then she had to leave. So back to getting ready for class. Then Michele came home and we discussed how we were going to get her to her interview at Yonsei University tomorrow. Then Chris came home and we packed all my class materials in the car and drove to the middle school cafeteria. Chris had to show me again how to use the strange key. One by one students trickled in and I had them trace their own set of templates and choose fabrics. Most of them made the saucer, and a few attempted the cup. Many donated money to help out with the expense of batting and such. It went very well. Then we all packed up and Chris came to help me carry it all home.
***Ok, more pics of us in Thailand*** You did want to see them all, didn't you?

Damours in Thailand

I got up at 6 to make sandwiches, but went back to bed after being so tired yesterday. I got up later and took the on-post bus to see a man who needs his place cleaned before he PCS's. AFter that, I went to the thrift shop. We never broke for lunch, and about 1:30 I found myself hungry with sore feet. We all left at 2. I came home and did e-mail for awhile. Then Chris came home with a Netflix movie. We watched that. THEN I remembered that I was supposed to be at Adele's house making jewelry. I felt SO stupid. I called and apologized. But what if I forget to teach class tomorrow night? Hopefully the students will call and remind me if I don't show up. Now, if I can just remember to pick up the key during school hours....
Ok, the Thailand adventure is over, but I have more pics, especially of us. So here they are...

Monday

I got up at 6 to make sandwiches, but THIS time, I did not go back to bed. I worked on Andrea's blocks, and my teal top and ironed some of my fabrics. During this I was watching "Girl from the Limberlost". Its pretty good and I look forward to finishing it. Then it was time to go to quilt group meeting. Pam is still recovering from having her eyes and neck done, so I catch the on-poast bus. It starts sprinkling. First, Adele did a demo of making a flag out of yo-yo's. Then we worked on making baby quilts. We got a lot of kits cut, and tied a bunch of tops. We are trying to get ahead because members will go on vacation over the summer and mothers will still be having babies. The report was up to 60 a month. Well, I don't see how we can make that many, but I'm hoping it'll all work out. Some people stopped by from the hospital to thank us for all the quilts we've made. Andrea drove me home and insisted on sharing her dessert with me. Which was great since she had made a jello with blueberry pie filling topped by Cool Whip mixed with cream cheese. MMMMM. Michele was on my computer so I got on Chris' computer and thinned out my e-mail. I got so sleepy that I laid down and went to sleep. I woke as Chris decided to go to bed early. So then I watched TV while folding laundry and working on Andrea's blocks. I know, I know, they are her blocks, but it is just as easy to do them myself. But I refrained from finishing them. After Michele went to bed, I got back on e-mail. One had a Youtube link, and that lead to another and another. Before I knew it, it was midnight. ***Plane trip home*** On the way to the airport I made several observations about Thailand. The motorcyclists do not wear helmets. They ride slower than the cars, but some of them insist on riding in the middle of the lane. There aren't many traffic lights, but the ones they have have countdowns by them so you know when the light will change. I hear cicadas. I see a 7-11. When we get to the airport, Jenny stands in line with us while we check our baggage and get boarding passes. Then we tip her and she leaves. With time to kill, we go to a Thai restaurant in the airport and I order the stir-fried morning glory. But it isn't what I was expecting. Tastes ok, though. I avoid anything with small green peppers. My stomach is alternatly fine and upset. What's up with that? Then we go through customs to the international side of the airport. I walk by all the shops as Michele sits and Chris brushes his teeth. I see a souvenir shop and buy black currant candy and a can of Thai coffee. Then we go to Gate 5. It isn't long before we are boarding the plane for our 7pm take-off. I hear many languages spoken on the plane. This time I have gum so our ears do ok. Supper is served, but I can't eat much. Chris gets mine. Except for the chocolate. I save that for later. 2 hours later we land in Kuala Lumpur. I remember the chocolate shops that I saw the last time we were here and I look forward to buying some. But the Gate we have to wait at is nowhere near the chocolate shops. Michele and I sit while Chris looks for the place to get boarding passes. Appaerntly they hid it because he is gone a long time. All the other passengers have gone through the scanners and we are still waiting. We talk to a Dodds teacher from Japan, but them he leaves, too. Finally Chris comes back, we get scanned, and have to wait. Then we board the plane and wait again. We finally take off about midnight. We taxi a long way before lifting off. I try to catch some sleep on the plane. The movie they show is "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler. Then I put on my headphones and listed to the classical music channel. I use the eye-covers, blankets and pillows that they issue. There are many empty seats on the plane. There isn't much legroom. I get a little sleep. At 6am they serve breakfast, but again I can't eat much. We land at Incheon airport and immediately hit the restrooms.
Then we go through customs and for some reason the guy who checks Michele's passport has a problem with it. Chris and I go through quickly. Then we are in a hurry to get our baggage. There is a free bus to the hotel on post but we have to catch it or wait hours for the next one, and we just make it. That is an hour ride. When we get to post I notice that the cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. So pretty. It is Easter Sunday about 9am. We could go to church but elect to get some sleep. Before we head to the apartment, we stop by Chris' office to pick up the mail for the week. That wouldn't take long, but Chris' boss is in and wants to talk. ARRRRRGH! Finally we do get home and sleep.

Reader Digest Condensed Version

Its late, so I'll be brief.
Church. Drop by DHL to arrange time for supper. Commissary. Home. Work on teal top from yesterday. Meet for supper at 6. Return at 8:30. Invite Andrea over. Sew with her 'till 11:20. Bed.
Tomorrow: the end of our Thailand saga.

**Final Day**

I woke at 8 and my back hurt so I went back to sleep. When I got up at 9, the pain was gone, but my body was acting as if it still hurt. I swept the apartment and started laundry. It was too late to go to the yardsale I had planned on, and I didn't feel like going to see cherry blossoms that involved walking more than a mile. So I stayed home, made curtains for the sewing room, and made a skirt for me. I then started a top to go with the skirt. At 6pm we met Imoneem for a Korean lesson. Aftwards I seclude myself in my sewing room again to work on the top.
**Final Day***
Chris and I get up early to walk to the beach. My back hurts so it is a slow walk. but the beach is beautiful and the snails are the largest I have ever seen. When we get back I call hotel services and send some clothes to the laundry because everything we hung out is still wet. We won't get them back before 2 when when we check out. We then go to the breakfast buffet. They have everything you could want to eat including freshly squeezed orange juice. When we get back, I iron dry two sarongs and a pair of jeans. What a challenge! Then I schedule an off-site massage. The hotel massages are four times as expensive. Chris goes with me to the outer lobby to get transportation to the clinic. It is a 25 minute trip. In the office I choose the 2 hour Thai massage. It is only 600 baht, which is less than $20. It is not a rubbing massage, it is more like being poked. Sometimes it hurts! But at the end I am more relaxed. However my back still hurts. The man that brought me then drives me back to the hotel. I go to our room, but it is empty. Chris and Michele have already checked out. I find them in the lobby, and turn in my hotel key. We have almost 2 hours to wait for our ride to the airport. So I decide to take a swim in the upper pool. Even though we have checked out, I am able to go to the pool stand and get a towel. I pull a swim suit from my suitcase and change in a nearby restroom. I have a lovely swim, and enjoy floating on my back and looking up through the trees. Then I go back to Chris for clean clothes (they have come back from the laundry - only $30) and head to the spa to shower and change. When I get back we board the shuttle bus to the outer lobby. In a few minutes our tour guide shows up with a van to take us to the airport.

***Day 4 in Thailand***

I wake up and can hardly walk because of pain in my back. We get dressed and go to the breakfast buffet. When we get back it is time to pack, but everything we hung out to dry is still wet, so we wrap it all in plastic bags. I wear one of my bathing suits under my clothes because I am out of underwear. We meet in the lobby at 8:30. A man with a handcart takes our luggage and we follow him down the road to the main pier. We board a large boat with people sitting on top. But I guess we paid more since we get to sit inside with AC. People here are very good at making sure tourist get to the right place. Each person gets a sticker whose color tells the people in charge where to direct them. A little way from shore we stop and drift. As I begin to wonder, another boat pulls along side and we exchange some passengers. Michele remarks that she will never forget the gross pictures of what smoking does to your lungs (posted near the hotel). I reflect that many of the people that wear bikinis here have figures no better than mine. But we all came to look at the scenery, so who cares? Also, that there are a lot more Europeans here than in Seoul.
We sail back to Phuket. We are met by our tour guide Jenny, who did not go to the island. She takes us to an upscale gift shop. One whole floor is dedicated to jewelry. There is lots to see and no photos are allowed. On the second floor one section has shelves of silk on bolts. I buy 3 or four pieces because of their two-toned nature. Michele buys a black silk purse and Chris gets 2 silk ties. Then our tour guide takes us to lunch at a Thai buffet place. The food choices are staggering. I order a fruit drink, but there is no umbrella in it. We finish up with ice cream with little specks of veggies in it. MMM! We visit the bathrooms downstairs and see the pond nearby.
Next on our tour is the elephant safari. Chris and I sit on one elephant, and Michele on another. The 'chair' feels precarious and I worry as the elephant walks downhill into a stream. It keeps stopping to beat pineapple tops against rocks and trees before eating them. We aren't going far, but it seems to take a long time. Nearby, we see a monkey show. Three trained monkeys ride a bike, shake hands and pick coconuts. After that is the baby elephant show. They dance, play soccer, and give massages (elephant very carefully taps on my back with his foot). Then we enjoy an oxcart ride and a rubber tree tapping demonstration.
We leave the safari grounds and go to a cashew factory. The cashews are hulled by hand using a mechanical device. We have the option to buy many flavors of cashews and cashew juice. It tastes pretty good! Our guide then takes us to anothergift shop where each of us is followed by a 'personal shopping assistant'. Mine helps me select two pieces of silk and some sarong-type fabric. I asked them if they had any quilting stores, but they said no.
Finally we go to our hotel, the Hilton Arcadia! What a place! From the "Welcome" lobby we have to take a shuttle bus to the more secluded one. We are given cool washcloths and fruit drinks (still no umbrella). I have never been so happy to see a washcloth, and the coolness is very refreshing. Our guide helps us check in and we walk to our room. It is amazing! Well decorated with a small patio. The bathroom is beautiful as well, and the washcloths are arranged to form an elephant. We are provided a tub, shower, hairdryer, ironing board and iron, slippers, bathrobes, alarm clock, coffee, tea, radio, Tv, etc. We are supposed to meet our guide for supper in an hour, so Michele and I quickly slip off to the pool. It makes a lazy circle around and through the building and landscaping, near a waterfall, and a waterslide. Soon we have to leave the pool to shower and dress. I still have no clean underwear and have to go to supper without. Michele wears fabric from the last store as a skirt. We hang all our wet stuff on the patio to dry.
Our guide takes us to a Thai barbeque place. The items on the buffet are raw and have to be cooked at your table. Hot coals are brought and a rounded grill is placed on top. Food falls off of it into a water moat where it presumably boils. Something I have put on my plate has tiny green peppers in it. As soon as I bite into one, I immediately remove it from my mouth. My mouth burns and soon my hand does, too. I take mouthful after mouthful of my fruit shake to dull the pain. I order a second shake, too. The relief is only temporary and STILL no paper umbrella. I swear not to eat anything I can't identify ever again.
After we get back to the hotel (resort), I want to walk the extraordinarily beautiful gounds, but am too tired and my back hurts. So we go to bed.