Happy Birthday, Robin

Chris was up and on his computer by half past 8. And Michele was there, too. So I got up, took a shower, dressed, ate breakfast, and skimmed my e-mail. I spent considerable time looking for two sheets of paper that I know I have seen recently. Since they were printouts, I also scoured each computer looking for the original file. But no dice. I put some laundry in the washer so I would have a clean pair of black pants to wear to the party. I asked Chris to get out my embroidery machine so I can test my design. But when the machine told me it would take 23 minutes to stitch out, I decided to do that later. I ate some lunch, then at 1, headed for the subway. I took the jungang line to Ichon, and then the blue line to Sungshin. Miraculously, it was 1:45, just the time Helen said she would meet me there. We walked out exit 6 to the bus stop and took bus 162 to Jeongnung market. There we followed directions to Robin's place. She was giving herself a 60th birthday party. There were two young women preparing food in the kitchen. There was a food table and another one with a cake on it. That is where the presents went. While I conversed with a woman who couldn't make the presentation last Saturday, Helen got massaged. What a wonderful idea for a party! As guests came in, they signed up for massages. I had a thirty minute massage for 15,000 won! When almost everyone had arrived, we sang Happy Birthday, and Robin opened her presents. Then we ate buffet style. One young woman (who is renting a room with Robin) came up with a party game: she asked us 20 m/c questions about Robin and gave a prize to the person who got the most answers right. And she let each person pick a number out of a hat. She had a box of numbered books, and each person is supposed to read the corresponding book and pass it on to another one in the group. Mine is called "French women don't get fat". Later Robin picked up her guitar and played while singing us a song which was not familiar to me. After most people had left, Robin asked me to do another presentation, this time in August. Although it did not rain on my way over there, it rained quite hard during the party. So she lent me an umbrella for the trip home. Four of us walked to the bus stop, and traveled together as far at Dongdaemun history and culture park. Then they left to catch another line, while I went on to Ichon, and then Seobinggo. I was glad to have an umbrella. When I got home, Chris and Michele were watching the Sherlock Holmes DVD.
I had a bite to eat, and now I am going to take another try at the embroidery design.
* pic from the back of the bus, and one at the party *

Scoring applications

I followed my usual morning routine, albeit a little faster than usual. I met MaryAnn past the walk-in gate at 8:50. We parked in the commissary lot and walked out Gate 52. We walked past the Starbucks, and the Capitol Hotel. We wound around and ended up in the right place. The apartment we went to was full of women eating fruit and muffins, getting ready to score the scholarship applications. MaryAnn and I sat at the kitchen island to work. There were 60 applications and each one needed to be scored by three people. I estimated that there were 15 ladies for scoring (others did the filing, answered questions, etc). So if each one of us scored 12 appications, that should do it. Well, some scores came out so differently among their three scorers, that they had to be scored 4 or 5 times. By three I was wiped out. Some of the essay questions were quite interesting. But still, it was work. MaryAnn left with Mrs. Sharp to give her a ride. I finished later, and walked home from there, not bothering to go back to post. I sat in the courtyard and read for half an hour. Then went up to the apartment. Michele was home and I told her she would have found the scoring process interesting and gave details of the most memorable ones. I realized that I had forgotten the thrift shop banner that I had carried to the scholarship process. I had offered to wash it. Oh well. I really DON'T need one more thing to do right now. I cleared some e-mail, and rebooted my computer. I listened to an interview while I worked on the old computer, digitizing something for a quilt block. When I left it alone for awhile, it froze up and I had to reboot that one too, twice. Then I prepared for the birthday party tomorrow. I found the gift I had made, but could not find my collection of gift bags. I wrote down the directions, and checked the bus website to find out how many stops, but it was unclear. I plugged in my phone to recharge, and put fresh batteries in my camera. I feel as if I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Anyway, ii is late and I am going to bed soon.

Volunteer of the Year Ceremony

After my usual morning routine, I went to the thrift shop. Only two other people were there, and no managers. So we did what we wanted to. Ella dropped by in between doing tasks related to setting up the VOY dinner tonight. I shelved books, DVD's, CD's, and games. Then I straightened out the book room. I left a few minutes early to go to the little park and read. It was sunny until I got there. It was cloudy while I read. Then when I left, the sun came back out. Coincidence? Hmmm. I went home to have a late lunch/early supper. I wasn't sure how much of the VOY dinner I would eat. I dressed in a blue and tan pantsuit to match Chris's brown suit and blue tie. He picked me up at the gate and dropped me off at Collier Field House. I waited while he parked the car. Then we picked up my certificate of appreciation and walked into the gymnasium which was decorated for the occasion. We found a table that was too close to the band for Chris' liking. I wandered over to say 'hello' to the thrift shop group assembled at another table. Then MaryAnn and Bob walked in. They sat at our table. Cathy and Terry sat at our table too, until they got moved to the Sharp's table (as in THE General Sharp). I was asked too, but elected to stay where we were. Then Mary and Troy came in and sat with us. When the dinner started, we got in line. I took a tiny bit of rice, potatoes, and corn. I had half a plate of salad, and a little meat. There were no seconds because one of the serving ladies took my plate and utensils as soon as I finished my food. During the ceremony, many people were honored for their volunteerism. I watched them go up so I could note the process. Shake Gen. Sharp's hand, pause for a pic showing off the certificate of Achievement, shake Col. Huber's hand, then leave the stage. It looked so easy. But when they called my name I found out that each of those men had a ceremonial coin in his hand to pass to me, and I fumbled trying to hold the coins, and the certificate, and shake hands. But I was much calmer than last year. And Chris still doesn't have any coins:(
We stood around talking afterward. Then the whole thrift shop staff got their pic taken on stage (see pic). We talked to Mrs. Sharp for a little bit, Chris introduced me to the M.C. and then I saw the thrift shop banner taken down and left in a heap. I looked around for the thrift shop staff, but they seemed to be gone. So I folded it up and we took it home. When I got home, I called Melanie to see how class was going (remember our usual Thursday night classes?) She told me they were doing the best they could considering the cabinets were locked. I wished that I had thought about it when we left Collier Field house. I would have gone over there. So I called Cathy and she went over to unlock it. But the time was late so we will just have to try this class again another week. I cleared more e-mail and I was down to 18 unread e-mails when I started this post. Time for bed.

A Better Bag

I had to get up as soon as the alarm went off. I had a quick breakfast with a glance at e-mail. Then I showered, dressed, and left for school. I parked at the theater, and walked the rest of the way. Today's activity was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors and recording which one won, over and over and over again. The idea was to show that each outcome is equally likely. Not that it did, but they agreed that there was no best choice. Then, to the smarter groups I tried to explain that if you added more choices (as in Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock), you have to add two so you always have an odd number, so that there are an even number of pairings, half of which are winners, and half of which are losers. Not sure they understood that.
When I left the class, I got cash, and I went to the SPC to drop off what Melanie needs for class tomorrow night and to leave the one cabinet unlocked for her. Then I
put gas in the car ($4/gallon) and walked into Itaewon to get won. I walked around a bit to see if any shops were selling zippers, but no luck. Next, I drove to a little park kind of near Gate 19. No one was there, so I sat in solitude and read for a while. Then I went home. I had lunch, then e-mailed Carla because I knew she had just the kind of zippers I needed. I read e-mail for awhile, and then called her with the number she e-mailed me. She was home, so I went over there and bought two, a red and a purple. When I got back, I browned up some bison and ate about half. Chris came home and fixed leftovers for him and Michele, but she wasn't home yet. When she didn't arrive before 7, I called her. She was on her way home. So I left supper out while I went into my sewing room to try making another bag. This one turned out better. And now it is time to make the sandwich and go to bed.

What goes "whrrrrr, bang, bang"?

Today was a thrift shop day. But I was a little late 'cause I decided to make a zippered bag. It is ok, but I would like to try it again. I think I can do better. However, I do not have any zippers. I had a bag of them, but can't find it. So frustrating. I got invited to a 60th birthday party. I want to make a bag as a gift. I am not sure where it is so I called a friend who is also invited to the party. But my phone died during the call. So now I am using the battery I found yesterday. I am interested in seeing how long it lasts.
The thrift shop had 6 boxes of books for me to shelve. One of them turned out to be mostly videos. Still, it took me hours to go through them. And THEN, I got to start on the DVD's and CD's. By 2:45 I hadn't finished, but I left anyway. I went to the AnC center to see Cathy and Mary, but they had finished and gone home. So I went home and had lunch. I got on e-mail and cleared out some of the video links. We had leftovers for supper. After supper we watched "The A-Team" movie. Just not the same without the original actors and music. Since I don't have to make a sandwich (Chris forgot to take it this morning), I can go to bed now.

P.S. the answer is: my printer:(

Newcomers learn to quilt

It was a little after 7 when I got up. Apparently my alarm was not set. I showered, ate part of my breakfast, skimmed e-mail, and then headed out the door early, and with a bag of recyclables. I left early because I wanted to have time to work on my demo on making baby quilts. I needed quilt tops in all parts of the process. When I got to the SPC, there were men cleaning the floor. I stayed out of their way as much as I could, while still setting up the cutting mat, ruler, cutter, and machine that I needed. I did not finish before the first people came. We had invited the new people who had signed up at the luncheon to come for a demo and breakfast snacks. Mary and Cathy set up the food and coffee. When I got one top completed, I started the demo. When I got to the part where we sandwich the layers, I was told we had used up all our batting, and Cathy went to get more from home. But it really went well. The newcomers jumped right in helping to make the quilts, and the whole group got a lot done. We had a great turnout. Chris came by to get his sandwich, and I swear I jumped a foot 'cause I didn't hear him coming. We worked late, and we kinda had a board meeting afterward. We decided to ask for more money for fabric and batting. We are being so productive that the fabric just disappears. Then I went home to eat the rest of my breakfast, and clear e-mail. First Michele came home, and later Chris. We had leftovers for supper. Chris and Michele left together to see a movie. I had the apartment to myself, so I continued my search for the elusive spare phone battery. Tonight's search turned up two fortune cookies from 2008. That raised the question - if I read the fortune, is it describing my future or my past? Anyway, I pondered where in the apt could a battery hide that I would never have seen it in the last two years. When the answer came to me, it was so simple that I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. Michele's room. And there it was, on her dresser. I plugged it into the docking station to power up. She later admitted to having seen the docking station but didn't realize there was a battery in it. I then went to process scraps in my sewing room, and to resew and press the backing for my dahlia quilt. I was watching a movie in there when my family returned. Michele told me I was watching Twilight, and that I wouldn't like it. So I turned it off. While they sat with their laptops, I cleaned the popsicle molds, I juiced carrots, celery and cucumber, and I washed the juicer. Then I made Chris' sandwich for tomorrow. Guess it is time for bed now.
* I was so busy at quilting today that I forgot to take pictures. Here is another quilt from the Tokyo show *

Easter

Chris and Michele got up by 5 to play an rpg game online. But I did not hear them. I think it was almost 8 when I awoke. They were finished by then, I think. Just some post-game chatter. I snuck into Michele's room to get her Easter basket. It was much smaller and more drab than I remembered. So I perked it up with some colorful selvage edges. I put in half of the chocolates I bought, and hid the other half around the room. I fixed breakfast, ate it while glancing at e-mail, and then took a shower. Chris was ready by the time I was dressed, but Michele had gone back to bed. I took out a bag of recyclables, while he got the car. We were a little early to church, so we sat and talked with other parishioners. Instead of a sermon, the kids put on a series of short scenes telling the Easter message. But it was not a performance only a mother could love. We all enjoyed it. After church we had more than the usual snacks, and the flowers were lovely. We stopped by the commissary to buy veggies and a bag of nuts to add to Michele's basket. Then we went home for awhile until it was time to leave. I changed my outfit when I realized I had an Easter bonnet - the hat I made for Derby day last year. I figured that if I couldn't wear the hat on Easter, when could I wear it? And I have a dress to match! So I wore it to the Hartell house for their Easter brunch. A room full of us had been invited by a couple in our church. I was excited because I had never eaten there before. It was very nice. There were food tables set up in every corner. I wish I had taken pics, but I was busy feeling self-conscious because NO ONE else was wearing an Easter hat. But I did get some nice comments. I had a plate of salad, and then one of shrimp. Both were very tasty. We talked for some time, listening to stories of how it used to be. When we finally left, it was after 2. We had a bit of a walk to our car since it was such a popular place. When we got home, I changed around, cleared some e-mail, worked on my sewing demonstration for tomorrow, boiled some eggs, and searched high and low for the spare phone batteries that I have not seen since we bought the phones in 2008. I found a ton of unfiled bills, receipts and statements. But no batteries. After supper we watched "Hot Shots" and then it was time for making the sandwich, writing the blog, and going to bed.

The PRESENTATION

I woke up this morning feeling much calmer than I did last night. Actually, I was surprised that I slept at all, but I did. All the tapping yesterday paid off. I got up at 7, showered, had breakfast and a brief glance at e-mail. Then I packed my shoulder bag with tapping DVD's and printed scripts. I left here at 8:20, thinking I would be there by 9. It started at 10 and they asked me to come early. Well, I had no problem getting to the right subway stop. But then I couldn't find the building anywhere on the street. So finally I called Robin, and as she was explaining it to me, my phone died. Yes, I checked it before I left and it was charged. So I walked back and forth between Seoul station and Sookmyung stn, checking maps inside the subway, visiting various exits to see if they looked familiar. When I was about ready to cry, I called Robin with the emergency minute left on my phone, and asked for an exit number, but she didn't know right away, and that was all the time my phone had. She sent Helen to come get me. But Seoul station is huge and I kept walking back and forth, trying to get a clue. I ended up walking to Sookmyung station, and taking exit 10. Well, then everything fell into place. Finally I knew where I was, and when I walked in, I was only an hour late. They offered to let me sit while I gave the presentation because I had been walking for two hours. But I only know how to 'present' while standing up. They already had their handouts because I had e-mailed it to Robin ahead of time. So I just started talking. And answering questions. There was no time for the DVD. My being lost and coming in late came in handy for explaining how tapping is useful, and how to use it. Thank goodness it was good for something! Afterwards, everyone told me how much they enjoyed the presentation. As we sat down to a finger food lunch, they asked me more questions. It felt so good to be finished. I lent my DVD's to people I thought would listen to them. They gave me a hydrangea as a thankyou gift. Isn't it beautiful?
When I got home, Chris and Michele put on an Indiana Jones movie. When it was over, I checked e-mail again, unsubscribing people who responded to my plea to unsubscribe, reading articles, and playing solitaire while I waited for the video links to download. That pretty much described the rest of my day. Chris is going to bed early because he is playing an on-line game at 5am. All I can say is he's better be finished before church starts.
* With all this text, there is room for a pic from Tokyo*

The Day Before....

Today is the day before tomorrow, when I give a presentation on EFT to the International Women in Korea. I have spent all day preparing emotionally for this. Oh, I got a few other tasks done, but mostly have been sitting here in front of my computer. Michele went to college to take an exam. I went nowhere and have been tapping and searching the internet for tapping scripts. I thought I had some here, but can't find them. Apparently the DVD I am bringing is not enough. They want hands-on tapping experience. Well, I may have to make it up on the spot, but that thought makes me REALLY nervous. I am hoping not to have a panic attack on the subway tomorrow. This feeling of anxiety is not new to me, I felt like this every day I went to school as a substitute teacher. I tell myself that at least this crowd won't be as tough as a class of teenagers. They are not wild animals, they won't eat me. Maybe I will be calmer tomorrow. Sometimes the benefits of tapping kick in over night. Wish me luck.
*Quilt from Tokyo show*

Just another Thursday

I hadn't reset the alarm clock, so I slept until almost 8. I had breakfast with e-mail, and ironed all the fabric I washed yesterday. As I was leaving for the thrift shop, I realized that I hadn't sent out a message about the class topic for tonight. So I quickly wrote the message and hit 'send'. But Yahoo told me it was blocking me from sending messages because I had too many recipients and it might be spam. Just great... I had to send it twice, to half of the people at a time. That made me late for the thrift shop. When I got there, the bin was full and another laundry basket with books. Oh yes, and plenty of DVD's, videos, and CD's. Not many volunteers showed up today, so I got a lot done. Everything but the CD's. It was 2:45 when Ms. Chung wanted to leave. So I signed out. I sat behind the shop under a tree and read while resting my bare feet on the ground. I did not get a whole hour, 'cause it was windy. Then I went home. I ate from the fridge, thinking of it as lunch, but it turned out to be supper because I did not eat again before class. Chris got home about 5:30 with pizza shells. I had forgotten that he asked me to make some. And he anticipated that. While he made the pizzas we talked, and then I had to leave for class. He left me his car in the parking lot and it had a box from JoAnns. It contained a 60mm rotary cutter and a bolt of fusible stabilizer, but not like the stuff I bought in Dongdaemun on Wednesday. I drove to the SPC, and set up the room, guarding the tables in there against the ladies across the hall who were looking for some. I started cutting fabric into strips for the demonstration on Monday that Cathy asked me to do. Ladies showed up starting at 6:30. Some brought a project to work on, and some just stopped by and left. Shirley stayed long enough to work with Shannon, which gave me some time to work on my demonstration props. Then I helped Shannon finish the headband that she started. After we all packed up and most had left, I talked with Melanie and she offered to do a self-closing pouch class for next week. That is a load off of my mind. Then I drove home. Chris and Michele were watching Avatar. I got on e-mail for awhile, but I am tired and can't wait to go to bed. Oops, still gotta make the sandwich.
*The infamous book room *
* A juice pouch purse hanging right outside the book room *

Dongdaemun

I got up before 7 to get ready for second grade. I was out of the apartment before 8, and parked at the theater. It was the closest open space to the school. Again I noticed the "100% ID Check" sign on the door, and again, no one asked to see my ID. I signed it at the office and proceeded to Ms. Jackson's room. I was early, but she let me play with the smart board lesson in advance to become familiar with it. The lesson involved breaking large Hershey bars into 4ths and 3rds. Most of them were very good at it. At the end, they got to eat 1/12th of it, and put the rest into a baggie with their initials on it. What I learned is that using a smart board is a recipe for frustration. It should be easy to tap and move images around, but it seldom cooperated and we wasted a lot of time. But the kids had a ball. At the end, the teacher gave me a chocolate bar, too. I signed out at the office, and took my car to gate 17, where I parked and took the subway to Dongdaemun. I was surprised to find the car park walled off with the name Marriot posted on each side. Traffic was routed down the orange avenue and it made walking dangerous. I met Sue there, and we started by visiting the label man in D1. I scouted around the area while she ordered two kinds of labels. I bought a large hank of cording for the price of a few yards in the states. Then we visited Mr. Kang to return all the fabric bags from Tuesday. I bought a remnant there, and he bought mango drinks for Sue and me. That really hit the spot. Then we walked across the river to another building. Sue showed me where the Marathon thread store was. I did not get stabilizer, but I did buy two large cones of embroidery thread for $7. On the second floor we found MANY label stalls. And lots of T-Shirt printing places. When we left, we stopped by a money changer for won, and then went to eat in the Doota building. I wanted kimbap, but had to settle for octopus bibimbap. And boy, was it spicy! We talked for a long time, and then went back to Dongdaemun to look for a roll of woven strap for bag handles. She told me that we should come at 1am and the prices would be better. It could happen. Then we went our separate ways. I took the subway back to post. The escalator which was broken on my way over was now fixed so I did not have to climb the steps to exit 1. I drove my car over to the golf parking lot, and sat on the ground to read. Then I went home. I washed the other half of my fabric purchase from Tuesday along with the cording and strapping. Sue said it needed shrinking before I used it, so I decided that the resulting tangled balls were her fault. In the untangling process, I decided that I now have more cording than I will ever use in my lifetime. Isn't Dongdaemun a great place! After supper we watched "A Royal Wedding" starring Fred Astaire. That was nice and relaxing. But I had unread e-mail left and reduced it to 20 something. And now it is time for bed. * I took a lot fewer pics in D than I thought. So here is another one from Tokyo. I think this is the next one in line. *

Quilt show

I can't believe I bought more fabric. Yes, the Happy Quilt man came to the luncheon today. No, I didn't need more fabric, but I bought some anyway. I showed up before 10, paid my fee, picked out a seat for me and for MaryAnn, and then got lost in the packages of fabric. I had brought some money for fabric, hoping not to spend it all, and I did have some left over, about $8. He gave me two for free. Then later, as I stood by our mini quilt show, he handed me another piece, not in a plastic packet. Must be my lucky day.
The theme this month is the '50's, although no one I talked to admitted to remembering them. A silent version of the movie Grease played on screens during the luncheon. Afterward, there was a hand jive contest, and then a Grease trivia contest. If I had known there was going to be a quiz, I would have watched the movie. Anyway, one person from each table went up front to participate. As they failed to answer questions, they were given a gift and sent back to their seats. But the top three got autographed pics from original cast members. The first prize winner got hers from John Travolta! We were all shocked and amazed.
Then I packed up my fabric and quiltshow items, and went to the bank with Mary Ann. We completed our banking, and went to my car. She helped me carry some of the fabric. We went to Itaewon for her to change money, and then I dropped her off at her car. I went home to wash fabric and check e-mail. I sewed a little cotton bag to put the washing nuts in, and tried it out. Seemed to work. Chris came home and had leftovers. Then Michele came home. And now, though there is more e-mail, I want to iron some of that fabric before I go to bed.

Making zippered pouches

I really had a hard time getting out of bed this morning. Even doing sit-ups to get my heart pounding did not erase the grogginess I felt. I dragged myself through breakfast and e-mail and a shower. Then I collected everything everyone expected me to bring and walked over the pedestrian bridge to post. I arrived a little late to the SPC and ironically LOTS of ladies were there. The ONE time I'm late.... Anyway, instead of working on baby quilts etc, we shared purse patterns, and quilt magazines. Carla demonstrated how to make a zippered pouch, and provided the zippers and fusible fleece. We had scraps from the closet for anyone who didn't bring fabric. The resulting pouches really turned out cute! Everyone who came seemed to be enthusiastic about the project. Most stayed for lunch. It was great to have such a big group. It was almost three when the last people left. I parked out by gate 17 and walked to the market to buy kimchi and eggs. The man did not have any eggs, but he took some money from his register, and left. He returned swiftly with flat of eggs, and sold me 10 to fit in the box I brought. I took my purchases home. I put the eggs in the fridge and the kimchi in jars. I left them out to ferment. I eliminated more e-mail. I had just quit and was clearing the stuff on top of my music keyboard when Chris came home. He put a chicken in the oven. I played for awhile, then laid down until Michele came home. Chris wanted to play our latest Netflix arrival - Pleasantville. So that I could relax and enjoy it, I had to finish my chores. I ran the vacuum, printed out the next part of my handout, and washed the popsicle makers. I juiced the veggies, poured them in the makers and cleaned the juicer. We ate supper and sat back to enjoy Pleasantville. It was remarkably thought-provoking for a Hollywood film. But now it is time for bed. Got a big morning ahead of me.

Palm Sunday

We got up early to go to church since the pastor asked that we meet at the building across the parking lot, and process to the church with palm branches. When we gathered at the church, he passed out speaking parts. Someone else passed out the palm branches. They were from a Sago palm, which is VERY prickly. Could be used as a weapon. We sang as we walked over to the church. Then the pastor said a prayer as we paused, and then we sang the whole song over again, all six verses. In the service, members of the congregation read the story of Jesus, Barabbas and Pilate. Then we had a regular service, with special music from the choir. After the service, we had fruit, kimbap, and brownies. I skipped the brownies. A group of us discussed what Jesus would have done if the crowd had asked for him to be let go. And we wondered if Barabbas felt bad later. Maybe tried to turn himself back in.
We left the chapel to drive to gate 19. We parked and walked to E-Mart to buy natto. Passing through the Sinyongsan subway station, we noted that the exit under construction since early last fall is almost complete, and has escalators instead of steps. From gate 19 we proceeded to the commissary. I wished I had bought fresh veggies at E-Mart when I saw what the commissary had. But we bought other stuff. I called Michele on the way home to help us carry the groceries up. She and Chris put them away while I changed clothes. I read and deleted e-mail all afternoon. Not a lot comes in on Sunday so I really made some headway. Romaric came over to game. He brought me a bag of nuts - the kind you wash laundry with. You can also boil them to make shampoo. Well, I did make shampoo this afternoon, but I used a recipe I found on the internet - castile soap, lavender oil, and lemon juice. After supper I felt like watching a movie. So we tried two that I got from the thrift shop. The first was so bad we did not finish watching it. The second one was ok. But not worth seeing again. Michele washed the sheets this afternoon, so we had to dress the beds before we could turn in. And I am going to do that now.

Dahlia Day

I spent my day alternately working on my EFT presentation for next week and sewing. I put another round of borders on the Dahlia quilt (seen here). The "Try it on Everything" movie turned out to be an hour and a half. I hope that is not too long for the presentation. I tried to find just the right graphic for the handout, but will have to work with one of the first ones I downloaded. I also compiled a list of websites to go with it. I had no idea there were so many. After supper, we watched a Batman movie called "The Dark Knight". I have never seen it before, but Michele and Chris had. Michele thought it was wonderful because of the ending. It was alright. My favorite is still "White Nights".

Youido cherry blossoms

I started reading my e-mail before breakfast, and then got to a video that needed time to download, so I prepared my breakfast while waiting. When I got it down to 40 unread messages, I quit, and put the next set of borders on my dahlia quilt. I inadvertently took a Sudoku break which lasted until 1pm. It was my plan to leave at 1, but then I had to check e-mail one last time. I saw Mary Ann was on-line and invited her to come with me to Youido park. She wasn't ready so she agreed to meet me there. I walked to post, and drove to gate 12. I memorized my intended trip: from Noksapyeong 2 stops to Gongdeok, change to purple line, three stops to Youido and take exit 3. Well, two stops past Noksapyeong is Hyochang Park station. I was on pins and needles wondering if it was a new station, or if Gongdeok had been renamed. Turned out to be a new station. When I got off at Youido, I picked up a new subway map. Then, there was a sign proclaiming exit 3 under construction. So I took exit 4, it was labeled Youido Park. However, when I got out of the exit, there was no park to be seen. A nearby signboard had a map that indicated an ecological park two blocks to the south. So I went that way. But no park appeared. Looking to my right, I saw trees instead of buildings, so I turned that way. I found myself on a street of cherry blossoms. See 1st pic. Behind the trees, the ground slopes steeply like a river bank. But at the bottom is grass and paths. Thinking that must be the park, I walked down there. I called Mary Ann to tell her to take exit 4. Then I walked along the bank, looking for a quiet place to sit and read. On the other side was a freeway, so there was no 'quiet' to be had. However, I did find a spot where the noise of other pedestrians was drown out by the traffic, and I sat on a bench, with one foot bare, reading. Mary Ann called me when she reached exit 4. By then I didn't know where I was in relation to it. So we traded landmarks, finding little in common. Then I walked back up to the tree-lined street so she could see me. But somehow, she appeared down in the gully, trying to call me. So we found each other, and she had passed Youido park on her way over, so we walked around there. They were having some sort of celebration with lots of tents set up. And a group of musicians playing LOUD music. People tried to talk to us, but I couldn't hear them. Finally we stopped to buy some kimbap and water. We sat and talked for awhile, but the weather turned cold and windy. So we headed toward the subway. We passed a stand selling fries. I got the squid fries and she got the others, which were quite crunchy and tasted like sweet potatoes. We headed back to Noksapyeong. We split up there, she going to meet her husband at work, and me to get my car. I walked in gate 12, and took the car to my walk-in gate. But Chris was walking up the street so I stopped to pick him up, and took him to his office to get something he left there. We went home, then, and had leftovers. But I didn't eat much, having just eaten kimbap and squid. I amused myself with more e-mail, finally getting to watch the rest of the latest TQS episode (It has only taken three days to watch this one hour video). When Chris asked me if I wanted to watch Big Bang Theory, I happily agreed. I added another ball of selvege edges to my rug, and crocheted while we watched what turned out to be the last of the episodes on his computer.

Pincushion class, part 2

Chris' alarm went off in the wee hours of the morning. While he got up for work, I went back to sleep. All too soon, my alarm went off at 7. I shut it off and laid down for a few minutes. Then there was a time warp, and the clock skipped ahead to 8:45. I ate breakfast while reading e-mail. Then I grabbed the recyclables and dropped them off on my way to post. I drove to the thrift shop. I shelved the good books and DVD, and filled a box for charity with the rest. There wasn't really enough work for three hours, so I left early. There is a big old tree nearby, and I sat under it to read my book for awhile. But it wasn't very comfortable. So I headed home after half an hour. I ate lunch and watched some videos from e-mail. More and more of my e-mail is links to videos instead of printed articles. And that is bad, 'cause it takes an hour to download a 6 minute video. Needless to say, I gave up after only a few. How many games of solitaire can a person play while waiting?
I readied my dahlia for another round of borders, and then it was time for class. I walked to post and drove to the SPC. I set up the ironing board, and ironed the QOV from Monday. I found one more spot that needed reinforcing. So I set up a machine, and resewed it. Class attendance was sparse. But those who came worked hard. Melanie brought crushed walnut hulls for stuffing the pin cushions. I meant to take pics, but forgot. I started packing up at 8:10, but then someone started asking me questions, and then the Katusa came in at 8:30 to shoo us out. Yikes! So we rushed a little, and finally went home. I read a few more e-mails, then made Chris' sandwich for tomorrow. He hooked up his computer to the TV and we got to watch a few episodes of Big Bang. So now it is time for bed. He must be exhausted.
* Here is a Skype pic of my mother trying sign language with her right hand after having broken her wrist. *

Happy Birthday, Mom

I made breakfast and sat at my computer a little early. My Mom was having a birthday party (it was Tuesday night in the states) and I was hoping they would Skype me. And they did. I got to talk to everyone but William:( I got to see their new skylight. I am sure it is more impressive during the day. I helped sing the birthday song, and watched her blow out the candles. I even took pics through the magic of Skype! Unfortunately, the call got dropped so many times it gave me a headache. It made it hard to have a conversation. But God bless him, Kevin did everything he could to keep the connection going.
After that, I finished e-mail, then cut borders for a QOV and the Dahlia quilt. I was tired and felt like laying down, but knew that I would feel dissatisfied later if I did. Can't waste time. I also spent time on the old computer digitizing something for my mother. Had to download the image, change it to bmp, and convert it to a drawing that my software can handle. Got tired of that, and tried to watch a TQS show, but the download time was SOOOO bad, I gave up. Chris came home while I was putting the borders on the QOV top. We ate leftovers, and then I put the first round of borders on my dahlia. He turned in early 'cause he has to be at work at 4:30 for a teleconference call. I made him two sandwiches for tomorrow. He needs the energy for such a long day. Now it is time for bed. If the day was satisfactory, I will be able to sleep. If not, I will be kept awake by thoughts of all the things that didn't go right.

Where have all the trees gone?

All I remember about this morning is cleaning the shower floor. Actually, the drain is the part that most sticks in my mind. Gross! But since some of my readers eat breakfast while reading my blog, I shall not describe it further.
I took some recyclables with me when I left the apartment. After dropping them off, I headed to post, and drove to the thrift shop. There were the usual stack of books, but no DVD's and only one video. Ella and Mrs. Chung were not there, so we quit early. I gave Geri a ride to the PX. And since I was there, I did a little shopping. I also ducked into The Four Seasons for some organic tomato seeds, but they didn't have any. I was able to get a bag of soil pods, however. My next order of business was to find a quiet place with grass and trees to read my book. I went to MP hill only to discover that they have cut down almost all the trees. It looked denuded. So I went to another spot that doesn't have a name, but it was too open to the road. Finally I went to the rock by the parking lot behind the AnC center. I bared my feet to make the connection with the earth. Because it was windy, I had to wear my coat, but yet my feet were ok bare. I read for over half an hour, and then left because the ants were biting me. I took my purchases home, and ate lunch while looking at e-mail for awhile. Then I worked on the scrap pile for some time, and made some decisions regarding borders for my dahlia quilt. Chris came home and made buffalo for supper. After we ate, I worked on a red, green and yellow QOV. When Chris hooked up his computer to the TV, I stopped to watch more episodes of The Big Bang Theory. After I finish this post, the only thing left to do is to make Chris' sandwich for tomorrow. Wait - he didn't eat his sandwich today. Too bad, 'cause I made a fresh loaf of bread for tomorrow.
* Another quilt from Tokyo *

Productive quilting day(s)

I stayed in bed until 7:45. Then I had a shower, and breakfast with e-mail. Then I felt so tired I considered not going to quilting. That did not make any sense, so I made myself go. I got there on time, but no one showed up for 15 minutes. When the others showed up, we all set up the equipment together. We worked on baby quilts and QOV. I was AMAZED that we made 9 quilts by the time Cathy left. She took them with her to deliver to the hospital. And THEN we finished 6 more. Add that to the 9 we finished last week, and that makes April our most productive month ever.
I was home before three. I checked my e-mail, but very little had come in during the day. So I decided to sew. But I got sidetracked by the Sudoku book. I was just finishing up a puzzle when Chris came home. He started supper and I started something else;) Then I juiced up the veggies I bought yesterday and made a new round of veggie pops. When the chicken was finished, we ate in the living room. Finally Michele came home. I sewed a pile of selvage edges together to add to my rug in progress. Chris put on more episodes of The Big Bang Theory. Tired of seeing my rug so oddly shaped, I pulled a lot of rows out and started over, crocheting until it was time for bed.
* This top is a group effort. I am not sure what we will do with it. *

Romaric's back

I did not sleep well knowing that I hadn't posted to my blog, but I was too tired to get up and do it. Thankfully I had no aches or pains from inline skating. The alarm went off at 8, but we were already um, never mind. I started posting to my blog before church, but ran out of time in the middle. We made it to church just after the choir finished processing. During the passing of the peace, we were asked to take the offering. The sermon was about Jesus not rushing back to save Lazarus. After the service we had the usual snacks. The pregnant choir member announced that she was having a girl. After she left, the pastor's wife talked about having a baby shower after church on May 1st. I mentioned that I made the lady a baby quilt and it was a good thing she was having a girl 'cause it has pink in it. They were very impressed, apparently thinking I made some intricate, laborious, hand-quilted item. I hope they are not disappointed, but hey, I don't even know her name.
Then we went to the commissary for groceries. We came home and Michele put them away while Chris and I changed clothes. I worked on my e-mail, and then on auditioning fabrics for the border of my dahlia quilt. Making decisions is always the hardest part. Romaric showed up during the afternoon. We all talked for awhile, and then the three of them got to gaming and I went back to my computer. He left around 6, and we had leftovers for supper. Then we watched more episodes of The Big Bang Theory. I am still trying to 'get' the opening lyrics. They just go by so fast.

In-line skating

I thought Chris and Michele would be playing with the voices as usual, but they didn't. However, I did have my usual morning with breakfast and e-mail. When I finally pushed myself away from the computer, I went into my sewing room to audition borders for my dahlia quilt. There was a small fabric avalanche, but thankfully no one was hurt. Before 1, Chris and Michele left for post to see a movie that they didn't think I would want to see. Well, I had my own plans. I walked to Seobinngo station, just missing the train. As I sat to wait for the next one, I met a lady who was also waiting. We got into a conversation, and it turns out we were going to the same place - Oksu. When we got there, she transferred to another line, but I found the small exit that Helen had mentioned and took it down, down, down to the riverside. If I had known how many flights of stairs it was, I might have taken the elevator. Helen was waiting for me at the oval, where a few kids were practicing riding their bikes. It was a fairly smooth painted surface. I watched as she demonstrated how to fall, and then skated around once. Then she put her safety gear on me, and it was my turn. Amazingly, it was like ice skating. I caught on quickly, although it was very tiring because the skates are much heavier and bulkier.
Then, as we sat talking, a young Korean girl bought us some orange-like fruits, but they were smaller, and more tart, kinda like lemons. She came again, bringing news that her parents were musicians for a Korean musical and wanted to arrange for us to have tickets to come. So we gave her our phone numbers so she could text us. Then her parents came over to meet us. After they left, we stopped by the restroom, then went up to the subway station, and out the other side to find a restaurant. We ordered the squid and a something else with a fried egg. It was all good. But then it started to get chilly. So we went back to the subway station. We got on the same line, but headed in different directions. She wanted me to take the skates and practice, so I took them. I got off the train at Seobinngo and walked home. Chris and Michele were just finishing a movie. I suggested we watch Duplicity next. Chris was not enthused. Well, after about 45 minutes, neither was I. I could not follow the story line. Chris turned it off, and I started to fall asleep. So I went to bed, thinking I would get up later to do my blog, but I fell asleep.

Free Friday

I did not have to go anywhere, so I got to stay home, reading e-mail, logging hours, cutting scraps, oh, and making a baby quilt. The quilt top was already done, I found it in the closet, so all I had to do was put on the batting and backing. The batting was a puffy polyester remnant I found, so I thought about tying the quilt. But decided that quilting in the ditch would make it last longer. It is for a lady in our choir. I am not sure when she is due. Chris did not eat his sandwich today because one of his coworkers brought in a ton of food that she just felt like making. He brought home leftover carrots and celery. So I ate them with some organic sunflower butter. Michele made herself a burrito. Chris wasn't hungry. He told me that if the gov't is shut down on Monday, he has to go into work and sign a piece of paper saying he understands that he won't be paid, and isn't allowed to do work until the shut down is over. And then he will come home.
We spent the evening watching episodes of The Big Bang Theory on TV, hooked to Chris' computer, and using the lighted speakers Michele got for Christmas.

Watermelon pincushion class

I stayed in bed until I heard Michele leave for school. We have chimes attached to the door, so it 'announces' every opening of the door. I had breakfast with e-mail, and finished quilting a baby quilt by stitching in the ditch. I tried my walking foot, but it was no better than the open-toe embroidery foot. Then I used the old machine that I got at the thrift shop and fixed up. It worked fine and the motor sounds really good. Too bad it is a cabinet model. I set the machine on a suitcase cart and left it by the door. When I was ready to leave, I rolled it behind me as I walked to post, in the rain. I put it in the trunk and drove to the thrift shop. They had just gotten another sewing machine in. It was a Singer also, and had the same foot pedal connection, but the motor didn't sound as good and it had a bad hesitation problem. I left there at 2:30 and went home. I ate lunch, tried to clear e-mail, but the internet was so slow, that I took a Sudoku break. Chris came home to fix leftover pork. I gathered some red and green fabric scraps for class (we are making watermelon pincushions) and went back to post, this time carrying a couple of cutting mats. I got to the SPC after 6, but had time to get everything out of the closet before anyone showed up. I opened a lot of windows because the room was very warm. Two new ladies came, and one needed help with her machine. Turned out to be a mis-threaded bobbin. Melanie set up her table, bringing the watermelon and strawberry pincushions, and the fabrics to make a lime one. While she showed Cathy and the new ladies how to do that, I was helping Shannon sew patches on her GS vest. Someone came to buy a mat, but decided to wait until she PCS's to get it so it won't get damaged in packing. But one of the new ladies bought a mat and two rulers. And someone else whose name escapes me bought the old Singer sewing machine. Then it was time to go home. More e-mail, but I think I am ready for bed.
* I forgot to take a pic of the pincushion, so here is another quilt from Tokyo *

Chippy takes a beating

I got up at 7, did a minute or two of exercise (didn't want to overdo it), and took a shower. Then I finished making the breakfast I started last night. I ate it with e-mail, and then got dressed and went to post. On the way down the apartment stairs I took a picture of the bike chained to the handrail. When I got to post, I drove to the elementary school and found a parking space. I signed in at the front desk and went to Ms. Jackson's room. I sat and watched while she got the kids ready to do their rotations. Then she had me work the smart board. It was full of colored circles, and the kids would take turns throwing a stuffed chipmunk at the board. Whichever circle they hit would reveal a subtraction problem involving borrowing. All the kids in the group would solve it, and then it was the next child's turn. Poor Chippy! Some of the kids would apologize to him before flinging him at the smart board. When rotations were over, I pulled a strip of fabric from my purse and tied his arm in a sling. The teacher found that amusing, and suggested he needed to wear it for a week. I think he just needs time to 'regroup'.
I then drove to the brown building at the bottom of the hill. Sure, it has a name, but I can never remember it. I RSVP'd in person for the VOY dinner and bought a ticket for Chris. Then I went home, stopping at the apartment building office to show them the pic of the bike. Hopefully she understood that I wanted it to be moved. Michele was just leaving for school. I cleared some e-mail, but there was a lot of reading and listening to do. Did you know that you can program seeds to produce fruit that is tuned to whatever your body needs by sucking on the seeds before you plant them? There is a little more to it, but it blew my mind. I took a break to finish the baby quilt from yesterday. I hand-sewed it shut, and stitched one row in the ditch, trying out my walking foot.
A man came to replace the dryer hose. I think he did more than that because of how long he was out there. He called someone who spoke English to tell us to always poke the hose out the window when the dryer is in use. We already do that so I am not sure why he thought we didn't. Then I took a Sudoku break. I finished the puzzle that had me stumped for several days, and two others. Chris came home and fixed leftover pork for supper. We watched "Once Bitten" from Netflix. Then I went back to my computer to read a little more, and now it is time for bed.

A Productive Tuesday

Before I went to the thrift shop, I washed the dark load of fabric. (Yesterday I washed only the light load). I partially dryed it, and then folded each piece in half and laid it on my bed in a stack. I drove toward the thrift shop, stopping at the AnC center to turn in the minutes to Ms. Pak. From the thrift shop I could see ladies unpacking the Hongkong shipment at the Chosun. I spent the next 2.5 hours shelving books and videos, and removing the outdated magazines from the rack. I sorted through them in December, and I still found magazines from 2009 in there. Someone is shelving magazines without sorting them first. When I left the thrift shop, I went to the bank to deposit two checks, and then went to Self=Help to pick up a dryer hose for our DPW-delivered dryer. But they wouldn't give it to me 'cause I don't live on post. I had to call a division of Housing who will send someone over tomorrow to replace it. That is a lot of effort for them when I could do it myself. On the way up to my apt I passed they bicycle that a 4th floor resident has chained to the railing in the stairwell. It makes it difficult to get by and I would like to complain but I don't know who to complain to. It would be a hazard if there were a fire in the building.
Anyway, I ate lunch, and then started ironing all the fabric. I put on a DVD that I got at the thrift shop called "The Book of Eli". It was alright. I also fixed one of the baby quilts that tore when it was being turned right side out. Then Chris came in with two repairs. He used my machine to sew up a hole in his pocket, and I hand-stitched his tie guide. He warmed up soup for supper. I added fiber powder to mine. It keeps me from having more than two bowls of it. I cleared e-mail for the rest of the evening. Before posting, I made his sandwich for tomorrow, started another batch of fermented coconut milk, and laid out my breakfast. I need an early start tomorrow.
* Two quilts from the Tokyo show *

Lots of baby quilts done today

I was early leaving for post this morning, so I had time to drop off the recyclables. And still I got to the SPC early. Kennedy was waiting for me. She had 5 quilts that she'd taken home to finish. And she told me all about her photo shoot. After she left, we started setting up. Helle showed us a wallhanging that she'd submitted to a magazine and they published it. Then we had a room full of ladies working on Stork's Nest quilts, and QOV. I brought the minutes for Cathy to sign, and they showed that we made 19 quilts last month. We finished another 9 today, so we are on our way to being ahead for the summer (when most people take off). We discovered that the yellow and green we had gotten to go with some panels on Friday was too thin. We will see if we can exchange them. We worked late, until three. When everyone had left, I planned to play the piano. But it was made such that there was no place to put the music (it was broken off or missing). So I left. I went by ACS to drop off the minutes, but was informed that that office had moved to the AnC center. I went out the back way, and parked in the lot across from Burke towers. It was such a nice day that I sat on a rock and bared one foot to the ground. But I had no book to read so I got bored. Then I thought about the fabric that needed washing and ironing, so I went home. I started a load of fabric, and then juiced my vegetables from yesterday. I decided to make it easy on myself, and only juice cooperative veggies like carrots, celery and cucumber. I did add a few cranberries from the freezer. Chris came home and I finished juicing and ran to get my fabric from the washer to the dryer. He cooked supper and Michele arrived. I pulled my fabric out of the dryer, still damp, when he pulled the sheets off the bed to wash them. I laid out my fabric for ironing. We ate supper and then I turned on the TV and the iron. There was nothing on Korean TV, so I put in a DVD called "The Manchurian Candidate". However the disc was damaged, and I only got bits and pieces. When the ironing was finished, I patched a pair of Michele's jeans. And now, it is time for bed.
* This is another one of Helle's quilts *

Taxes are done!

We made it to church on time, though not by much. The pastor said it was a special Sunday, being half way through Lent. Some sort of celebration Sunday. After church there were snacks as we fellowshipped with our fellow church-goers. Then we went to the commissary for groceries. Did not need much as we ate mostly leftovers last week. We put everything away but the veggies - I planned to juice them. I spent most of the afternoon on my computer, listening to the audios, and meditations, etc. I put together a CD for helping me fall asleep tonight. I ordered something online for my mother's birthday. I wrote the minutes for the month of March. Chris was doing taxes, so I helped a little, and printed out a charitable giving sheet for 2011. I took my niacin today, and Michele told me I was so red that I looked like an oompa-loompa. So I had to look in the mirror - she was right! Then I had to sing the song...
Chris cooked up a large amount of pork for supper. It was really good with kimchi. Then we watched 3 episodes of MacGyver, stopping here and there to look up guest actors that seemed familiar. In the last episode MacGyver spends most of it dead. But he comes back at the end.
* Tokyo show quilt *

Slow Saturday

Chris got up at 8 to talk to one of the voices. I do not know what happened to the others. I had breakfast with e-mail, and tried to clear my inbox of all those e-mails that have articles to read or audios to listen to. I had to take frequent breaks to process the pile of scraps in my sewing room, set aside fabric to bring to guild on Monday, or do Sudoku. I have only been doing the hard ones, and now there are only 4 challenger ones left. I am kinda excited to finish the book (except for going back to do all the easy ones.) Kurt was on Skype this morning so we talked for awhile. The bandwidth is down so we got cut off often. He wants me to make him a helipad. (ok, poof! You're a helipad)
Chris made cabbage soup for supper. Then I sat on the couch and cut the corners off of all the fabric I intend to wash. I listened to one more audio and then was ready for bed. As soon as the mp3 downloads.
* Quilt is from Tokyo show *

Quilt show and major fabric score

I got up soon after the alarm went off, and started my day. I had breakfast, e-mail, and a shower, in that order. I filled a bag with recyclables, and headed for post, passing the recycling center along the way. I drove to the commissary. It isn't very far but I figured on the way back I would have a lot to carry. I went to the ATM machine and took out 200,000 won. When I returned to my car, Esther was there in her van. The other ladies were close by. So we all piled into her van, and left at the stroke of 9:30. In spite of the traffic, we pulled up in front of the aT center at 10am when the quilt show opened. We went inside while she parked the van. It was a really good show. There were some traditional quilts, and lots of 'art' quilts, and quilted items. There was even a display of American antiques. ? Did I mention the vendors? I saw the same ones I saw last year, and some of the same fabric. I took a bunch of pictures. I did not buy anything but some of the others did. Debbie joined us there. When we were done looking, we all went in Esther's van to the Happy Quilt warehouse in Pyongtek. Several of us brought snacks, and we shared. The warehouse was chilly but nothing like last time I went there (in the dead of winter). We had a ball looking at fabric packets and bolts, trying to decide what to get for ourselves, and what to get for making Stork's Nest quilts. When I saw my bill of 185,000 won, I breathed a sigh of relief that I hadn't spent more than I brought. Then I saw that he had given me a 10% discount, and it had originally come to 205,000. When we climbed back into the van it was after 5. We hit rush hour traffic on the way back. It would have scared me silly, but Esther didn't seem to mind. When we got to gate 52, we had to drop Debbie outside the gate. After Esther left us at the commissary, she went back for poor Debbie. I drove back to the parking lot at my gate. The bag of fabric was too heavy to carry over the bridge, so I loaded up my two shoulder bags, and then I did it easily. I took the elevator up, and dropped my bags inside the apartment. Eating was the first thing on my mind. Chris offered to cook up some beef cubes with onions and broccoli. Things got heated, and then we heard Michele come home. We had supper after that, watching episodes of MacGyver.