Beautiful weather

I wore earplugs to bed last night and turned off the heater in the bedroom. That made it fairly quiet. But I kept waking up: either too hot or that restless leg feeling. I got up a little after the alarm and decided to have a coffee morning. I exercised and drybrushed. I boiled water for coffee. I listened to two audios: the first was just a sales pitch and the second sounded like preaching. After the detox, I made and ate breakfast. I put together an Old Navy order since the cyber Monday deal was so good. I got three long sleeved tops for $13, shipped. I dug up a brick from the paving in the front yard. I wrapped it in a plastic bag and took it to the post office. I was going to put the brick on top of the footstool so I would be tall enough to open the mailbox. Someone was using it to sit on to open a very low mailbox. While I waited, I bought stamps and mailed a car title. The staff offered to get my mail because the inspectors weren't here yet. I accepted. On the way back, I called Myra. I stopped by her place to talk and to borrow a square ruler. Then I went home to drop off my mail and the brick. I changed shoes, then met Myra by her apt, and we met Nela coming down from her place. We walked to Daiso, and saw fish being skinned alive in the market. We each got stuff at Daiso, mine included a yoga mat. Then we went to another housewares place and I got haircut scissors. The weather had been a glorious 70, but then the temperature dropped. I got cold so Myra lent me her jacket. We walked back to base, then we split up, and I came home. I found a paper in the door saying the power would be out from 9 to 5 on Wednesday. We had tentatively planned a trip to Daegu that day. I rinsed the nuts from breakfast and ate them. I read e-mail and spent way too long researching lypospheric GSH. Finally I placed an order. I ate two apples. I finished the turkey from Thanksgiving. I put on music from Youtube – a collection of tv show themes. I made hummus. But I couldn't find any garlic. I used some garlic powder, but it wasn't the same. I added some turmeric, which was good. But it really needed fresh garlic. So I left it in the blender container until I could get to the commissary. I made and refilled mixtures of seeds, and spices. I played another collection of TV show themes, stopping occasionally to look up a show or a cast member. Chris skyped me from DC, said he'd be working from Marie's house all day. I watched an episode of something with Nell Carter singing with Andy Gibb. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed (with earplugs).
* Here is a pic from the lunch after church *
Happy birthday to me
I'm now 53
This year I contrive
to look 35

Church in Korea

I heard my alarm go off, but ignored it. We slept late, but I worried about getting to church. I guess we got up about 9:30. I took a shower, then made breakfast and got dressed while Chris took his shower. I poked my head in to tell him goodbye before I left for church. A cab was supposed to pick him up at 11. I made it to church by 10:30. Jane was waiting for me. I only knew one of the three songs we sang at the beginning of the service. The words were projected onto a screen but I did not know the melody. The chaplain gave the sermon, which was a lot like a history and culture lesson. Then Jane hurried us out so she could use the restroom and get a ride from another couple. I don't know where they were going, but she asked them to drop us off at the Korean church for lunch. But that church wasn't over yet. We climbed to the third floor balcony. I had hopes that no one would be there, but it was almost full. We had to go to the last row. The preacher was preaching. I could not understand of course. But it struck me that everyone else did. And it seemed like I should be able to as well, somehow plugging into the shared knowledge all around me. I paid close attention to the words and body language, but I just did not get it. I wondered if I were intuitive enough, would I get it in words, pictures or feelings? Every so often the people would laugh. I wondered what would happen if I stood up and shouted “Amen!”. At the end, they projected a song on the screen – the words and the music. All I could read was the music, so I hummed along. After the service, we made our way to the lunch room. We took off our shoes and stood in line. There was a seaweed salad, a sprout dish, a fishy noodle dish, and of course rice, kimchi and soup. Jane really filled her plate, but she said it was breakfast, lunch and dinner for her. Sook, the firechief's wife, said I could stay and get a ride back with her husband, but it wasn't that far and I thought Jane wanted to go to the park, so I declined. But when we got out, Jane had other plans and I walked back by myself. When I got home, I rearranged my clothing drawers so the items most likely to be worn would be the most accessible. And then changed my clothes. I read some e-mail. I took my supplements and ate an apple. I added Jane's e-mail to my phone. Somehow my phone had downloaded all the e-mail addresses from my computer. There were way too many to scroll through, so I started deleting them. There was a pop-up message telling me that if I deleted them from my phone, the next time it synced with my laptop it would delete them from the laptop. What if I want them on the laptop but not on my phone? So I turned off the sync feature and hoped I would remember never to turn it back on. There were plenty of people listed that I did not remember. I left a few that just might be people I recently met. I put the goji berries (which weren't and tasted awful) in a pot of water to make tea. Chris skyped me from Narita. I melted some shea butter in my palm and mixed it with the first oil I found – oregano, and put that on my ear. Ouch! I looked at Pinterest ideas for gift baskets and bows for a long time. I sent some to Myra. I sang Phantom of the Opera songs with Youtube. I drank the tea and mixed a glass of water and psyllium husk. I anointed my head with coconut oil to soften my hair. I looked at interesting ways to restyle a t-shirt by making cuts. I wished I had an old t-shirt. Finally I decided to go to bed. But my laptop was playing music and I could not figure out where it was coming from. It turned out to be one of the Pinterest pages that was open in IE. I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Five-Day Market

After being up so late, we slept in, and I do mean 'slept'. I am not sure when we got up. I checked e-mail and there was over 100 messages to delete. I put together a weeks worth of supplements and tried to place an order for more. They had a Black Friday sale and I was trying to make it before midnight on Friday in the U.S. But the site was having problems with checkout. I assembled breakfast and then was able to place the order. I ate slowly while reading e-mail, waiting for the outside temperature to rise before we went to the market.
I put on a jacket and we walked down to the bus stop. We waited for the bus, but it did not come nor did it register on the electronic sign. So we walked to the five-day market by Home Plus. It took about 45 minutes. Then we walked down the main street of the market, looking for the sesame oil man. I did not see him by the time we got to the end of the street. We then walked back. Along the way, we picked up carrots, apples, goji berries, underwear, and hot corn on the cob. We stood out of the way to eat the corn. It was a bit mealy, probably field corn. I thought it would be better with butter. We took a side street near the entrance of the market. Just past it, we found the sesame oil and bought a bottle of it.
Then we walked to the bus stop. The electronic board said bus 305 was 20 minutes away. There were so many people waiting for buses that the seats were all taken. So I walked to a nearby vacant stop to sit. The next thing I knew, Chris was yelling at me. The bus had come early. I ran back and got on with no problem. We rode back to the base. Then I carried all our purchases back to the duplex while Chris went to the commissary. When I got back, I put the food away. Chris brought in chicken. He did a load of laundry and we folded it together. I did the weekend Sudoku puzzle. I read e-mail and listened to a tapping audio. I looked at quilts on a site called 24blocks.com. I cut open the orb that Chris told me was a beet (that we bought in the market). It was white inside and tasted like a turnip or radish. I wondered how I was going to make it tasty. Chris baked chicken for supper and I dipped pieces of the vegetable in the juice. Not bad, but still not something I would choose to eat with other options available. I looked it up online and it turned out to be a purple kohlrabi. (I knew it wasn't a beet!) I made tea and washed dishes. Chris packed for his trip. Later we watched two episodes of Sharpe's Rifles. It was 11:30 so we went to bed.
* This was an interesting piece of furniture we saw at Lotte Mart *

Black Friday

I did not sleep well last night. There were noises like doors opening and closing. Even though we turned off the heat in the bedroom, I would get really hot, throw the comforter off and after while, get cold. Then Chris' alarm went off while it was still dark. Later I heard him get up. Then he left and my alarm went off. I turned on the heat and went back to bed.
I got up when I heard him come back in. He tried to skype family back home so I could talk to them. But they did not answer or it did not go through. He went back to work. I sent Thanksgiving messages to some people I had not talked to in a while, and swished.. When I checked e-mail, I saw more Black Friday messages than Thanksgiving ones. Is Black Friday a bigger deal than Thanksgiving? Poor Thanksgiving. It really gets pushed around.
Michele skyped me and we had a nice long talk. I showed her my ornament. Then I responded to some of the responses I got to my earlier messages. I exercised and swept the floor. I started making breakfast. Chris came home for lunch. I ate breakfast while reading e-mail. I meditated and nearly fell asleep. When I roused myself, I got dressed. I put some rose oil on my ear and it smelled really good.
I was reading e-mail when Chris came home early. They were shampooing the carpets in his building, saving his office for last. We had a little afternoon delight. Later, I got out my sewing machine and did some mending. I did the Sudoku puzzles for yesterday and today. Then as I was watching a short video, I folded the previous Sudoku papers into petals. By the end of the year I will have most of a Sudoku ornament. I tried a weightlifting set without the kettlebell, like I saw on Mercola.com. I made some tea with a tea ball and a tea bag. I thought some peppermint oil would be nice in it. Three drops came out. I offered Chris some and he got two drops. Note to self – one drop is more than enough. Dilute!
I sewed a piece of rubber shelf liner onto the shoulder strap of my purse to keep it from sliding off my arm. Then we watched an episode of Sharpe's Rifles. Faye skyped me before it was over. The cover of her tablet was peeling and she cut that part off. I got to see the view her patients in surgery see. I took her on a tour of our living quarters. We talked some more, and then she hung up. We finished the episode. Chris and I talked a little bit and then we went to bed.
* The rubber is red, but they did not have a lot to choose from *

Thanksgiving

We slept late. I was worn out from yesterday. When I did get up, I skipped most of my morning routine and went straight to e-mail and breakfast. We had plans for lunch so I did not want breakfast to be very late. After breakfast and a shower, I got dressed and we walked down to the corner CU store. I put $10 on my bus card and Chris bought himself a bus card. We went back to base and walked to Nela's house, arriving just at noon. Her husband let us in. He and Chris talked in the living room and I went in the kitchen to talk to and help Nela. When Thanksgiving lunch was on the table, her son came out and sat with us. We had turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy and a spicy dressing for the turkey. Nela made cheesecake for dessert. I helped her in the kitchen. She made a plate of food for Myra and her husband and another one for Chris and I to take along. She and I delivered the food to Myra, who said they were almost ready to eat. So we did not stay there long. Then we went back to Nela's place. She told me that they were here in 2002 and she went out a lot with her best friend Jackie. I wondered if it was the same Jackie that MaryAnn talked about. Around 4 we headed home. It had gotten colder and I wished I had brought a hat. I had seen earmuff in the stores yesterday and should have gotten a pair. When we got back, I read e-mail, but Chris went to the club to meet and greet at a party(?) where he thought he should make an appearance. I washed the food waste container. I worked some more cryptograms and a logic problem. I wrote an overdue check. When Chris came back, he made himself something to eat and read e-mail. Then we watched an episode of Sharpe's Rifles. We tried to get my dad on skype, but there was no answer. We left the skype phone number as a message. Dad called us back and we had a nice chat. Then it was time to blog and go to bed. I watched some outtakes from Three's Company and then posted and called it a night.
* This is a pic from the grocery store on Tuesday *

Is my halo on straight?

Chris got up with my alarm. I waited a little, then got up, too. I put the recyclables out. I checked e-mail while drinking vinegar water. I exercised while listening to an audio. Then I made and ate breakfast. I took a cold shower (or at least a shower with a cold ending) 'cause it's supposed to be good for depression. I was feeling a little down about not being with family for the holidays.
I dressed in warm clothes. I debated whether or not to bring my new cart, and/or umbrella. I decided no on both. Nela called to see if I was still coming. So I quickly rounded up my carrying bag and some gloves and a hat. I walked down toward the gate and they were waiting for me. It was cold and I felt a few drops of sleet. Myra had her umbrella so I figured it would not rain. We walked out the gate and down the main street to the bus station. We waited for bus 751 for some time. But seating was plentiful and we had a nice ride to Changwon. Nela knew where to get off and we followed her. I would swear that is where Jane had us catch a bus to Jinhae from the Chrysanthemum Festival. But when we looked at a nearby map, there was no clearing nearby large enough for such an event. As it was cold and I needed a bathroom, we walked quickly to E-Mart. We had a good time looking around at all the merchandise. I got something decorative to stick up by the fireplace, and some castile soap. Then we went to Lotte Mart next door. We saw a sweet potato stand where they were selling hot roasted sweet potatoes three for $5. They smelled really good. We saw a display of pianos and guitars and violins. I asked about sheet music and they did not have it. We saw displays of the most ornate clocks I have ever seen. I wondered who buys them and what kind of décor compliments them. We also saw fountains for home use. But they were several hundred dollars. Finally we walked through a tunnel to the Lotte Mart department store to have lunch in the basement. There was a place where shelves of very realistic plastic food showed what was available and each one had a number. We looked at all the little places and came back to the big place with its plastic food. We each chose a number and ordered at the register. We were each given a buzzer to carry. When a buzzer lit up, that person looked around to see which stand had their meal waiting and picked it up. Mine was last and it did not look like what I ordered. So I compared it with the display model. A young man explained as best he could that that name of that meal matched the name of my meal. We determined that that meal had squid but mine did not. He seemed at a loss so I asked if I could have some squid. He went to the stand and came back saying they did not have 'skid' and he refunded my money. I then ordered the kimbap which Myra had gotten and looked like a good safe choice. While waiting for it, I ate the broth and the little veggie pieces in the first meal, leaving the pile of noodles untouched. Then I picked up the kimbap and ate that. We returned our trays to their respective stands. Then we went looking through the merchandise there in the basement. The ladies pushing gift sets of tea gave us samples. But the tea was much too expensive to even consider. We also looked through the food section. Nela and I had bought packets of turmeric in E-Mart. But there in the basement, they had 500g packages for $10. So we got that, too. I also found a good sized package of sunflower seeds. Eventually we got really tired. Walking back through the tunnel, we stopped to take photos with pictures on the walls. I guess it was set up for that, what with the color-changing lights. Then we found our way back to the bus stop. It took awhile, but finally the bus we wanted showed up. In the mean time we wondered if it were the only bus going to Jinhae or if we could have taken some orange bus that showed up sooner. Anyway, we got back to Jinhae around 5:25. We were practically running back to base to catch the commissary before it closed. Chris called my phone to tell me he had the grocery list and wanted me to meet him at the commissary. That made my task much easier. So we all went to the commissary. Nela invited us over for Thanksgiving lunch. Then we shopped individually, but ended up together again at checkout. I thanked them for a wonderful trip and we carried our groceries home. I laid on the couch while Chris fixed himself a burrito. When I had the energy, I ate the nuts from breakfast, and some persimmons. I read some e-mail. I worked two cryptograms. Then we watched several episodes of Castle, finishing the DVD. I posted to my blog as best I could remember the events of the day. Then we went to bed.

* For the person who has everything: a gift basket of mushrooms. *

* Also saw this little gem and thought of my father *

Finished

It was another long night. Chris did not hear the strange noises that kept me awake. He got up when my alarm sounded at 7:30. I stayed in bed, telling myself that it was so I could stay out of his way while he got ready for work. But after awhile, I did get up and do the usual swish, exercise, e-mail and breakfast. Then I got dressed and walked down the hill where I met Myra and Nela. We walked around base and then stopped at the phone store. The lady was able to identify spam on my phone and block it. We looked around the BX but there was nothing there we wanted to buy. Then I went to the bank to get Korean money. The ladies there were so friendly that it took a long time and my friends were waiting on me. Then we went to Nela's house to look at her patchwork project and sewing machine. The bobbin tension was too tight but none of us had the right screwdriver to loosen it. We sat and talked for a long time. Nela showed us all the cute things she has knitted for sale. But we didn't know how she could advertise or where to sell. Then Myra and I left because Nela was going to the school to help with the color run. Myra went home for breakfast and I went home for lunch. Chris was just leaving when I got there. He brought me some mail: a birthday card from my dad and a Thanksgiving card from MaryAnn. I closed a few windows in my browser by making some decisions and placing orders. I meditated, then finished gluing the second half of the ornament. I met Myra on the corner. We walked to the school. A lady asked us to make ribbons for gift baskets for the school staff – all 7 of them. We said sure. Nela met us and we walked into town to look for ribbon and baskets. First we went to the place I had seen yesterday. We found a place to cross the street to get there. There was an Alpha store under the street but it wasn't open. But the supermarket was and we wandered around looking at what was for sale. I saw bars of Ghana chocolate marked 'Mild' and wondered what that meant. Then we went to Office Depot. I found some ribbon for my ornament. We saw some floral ribbon, too, but in small quantities. Then it was getting dark. We walked back towards the base. We stopped at the market store near the gate. I got mushrooms and a box of little tomatoes. Nela got a rice drink. It was getting pretty nippy. We came through the base and walked up the hill. The walk made me warm by the time I got home. I washed the mushrooms and put them in a fry pan with butter. When they were soft, I added an egg and put the lid on and went outside to get the food waste container that Chris put out for collection this morning. When the egg was finished cooking, I put it and the mushrooms in a bowl and ate it while reading e-mail. At 7, I e-mailed Chris to come home. I watched Youtube videos to drown out the mysterious sounds. I finished gluing the ornament together, adding a loop of trim. Chris was home by 8, and never got my e-mail. He made himself supper. I washed dishes and put the latest kimchi in a jar and the rest in a cold room. I photographed the ornament for my blog. We watched two episodes of Castle. We had a long talk. Then I posted to my blog and we went to bed.

Found a quilt shop

I heard a crash in the middle of the night. There went the bathroom shelf. Then the restless leg sensation started. So I ended up sleeping late. I never heard my alarm. I am not sure if it failed to ring, or if I did not hear it because I had stashed my purse in the closet in case we had company last night. Chris got up and had breakfast. I heard him, but was waiting for my alarm to go off. When he came back for his shower, he told me it was 9am. So I got up to check e-mail and have a coffee morning. I did several meditations and listened to an interview. I tried really hard not to scratch my ear, but it itched so much! I made and ate breakfast, refilling various jars which were running out of contents. After eating and cleaning up, I got my map ready. I washed my hair and got dressed. Then I had to psych myself up for a walk in town alone. I don't know why it was intimidating. But finally I made a plan and left. I walked out the main gate and turned right to Admiral Yi circle. I made marks on my map for the businesses there. Then I continued to the street straight across. Several blocks down I encountered a quilt shop! Ok, it was small, and the offering was meager. And the prices were high. But still. I bought a yard at $10. It was the cheapest of the three I picked out. Then I continued on my journey. I found Bapuri and put it on my map. I also found a building with a bunch of signs, one of which was Alpha – which would be office supplies. But it was across a divided street and I did not know how to get there. I walked to the south circle and then to the clock circle. I kind of headed north, then east, looking for Office Depot, but I did not encounter it. I found myself in the everyday market. In two of the shops I got three of the things on my list, and a compass. I needed a bathroom then, but did not know where to find one. I found Daiso and they had the fourth item on my list – an under-the-shelf basket. But no bathroom. I headed back as fast as I could go. I presented my pass at the main gate and then Myra was there, offering me a ride. I accepted. She had been driving off post for the first time and was a little shaken by the experience of going through the circle. I thought she was very brave. She dropped me off at my place. I did what I had to do, and then tried the under-the-shelf basket on the medicine cabinet. But the cabinet was not deep enough for the basket to fit. I got very frustrated because it seemed I had spent a fortune on organizers and they just didn't work for one reason or another. I turned the under-the-shelf basket and the stick-up basket every which way until one was hanging off of the other. Stable? Maybe not so much. But it seemed to work. I took all my purchases out of my bag and put them away. I jotted notes for my blog. I tried a package of bobby pins to hold my flower ball together. Then I remembered that the project calls for ribbon. Another trip to town . I will be so glad when our household goods are delivered. Then I will have all the 'stuff' I need to solve these problems. I took the bobby pins off, placed lines of glue in all the right places and pinned the petals together again. I did half of the ball and set it to dry, then started on the other half. I did not have enough bobby pins to do all of it. Chris came home. So we had supper, each eating leftovers. Chris put some shea butter over my ear. Then we watched several episodes of Outlander. It got violent and I asked Chris to stop it. Later we watched an episode of Castle where a woman is murdered by 'phaser' at a sci-fi convention. Chris went to bed. I worked tomorrow's Sudoku puzzle, then posted to my blog and went to bed.

Surprise lunch

> Last night I turned off the heat in the bedroom to cut down on the noises. It did not eliminate them, though.
In the morning, I turned on the laptop. I drank a quart of vinegar water. I listened to an interview on treating depression without drugs while I drank and then exercised. It kept playing as I made and ate breakfast. When it ended, I washed up and got dressed, singing to warm up my voice.
I walked to the theater where church was held. I was thinking that I was only going so I wouldn't get out of the habit. I saw Jane and she bade me to sit with her. There was a keyboard player and a guitar player for the prelude and the opening hymns. That was very nice. Then we had communion, choir anthem and the offering. Last was the sermon. It was pretty conventional, but all his sermons so far have been. After the service, Jane (who is Korean) invited me to walk to a Korean church where she likes to go to have lunch. That was ok with me. But when we got near the front gate of the base, a man told us that it was closed and we would have to walk out the gate that leads to the Korean navy base. It made our trip a lot longer. It was too far for my church shoes, so we walked back to my place for me to change shoes. Then, as we were headed back down the hill, Jane spotted a family getting in their car. I'm not sure she knew them, but she asked them to give us a ride. And they did – all the way to the Korean church.
We were just in time for lunch. Jane led me to a back room where there was a single table with chairs. I insisted that I could sit on the floor so we went back out to the main area. We stood line to get food. She thought I should have taken more. She did, and she was no bigger than a thimble. Then we sat at a low table, without the benefit of any cushions. Sitting in my dress, I thought I should have worn pants. The food was good and she introduced me to many people. One man said they had an interpreter during the service for English speaking people. And I met the fire chief's wife, Sook. She put my number in her phone.
When we left the church, Jane headed uphill for the park. Since I had a long walk back in flats, I decided not to go. The walk back wasn't that bad, and I got overheated even without a coat on. When I got back, I took off my dress and threw it in the wash. I sat down to check e-mail. I folded the laundry and put mine away. I followed some interesting sewing links. I made notes on the construction of a twister wreath. I don't have that ruler, but how hard could it be? I tried to stick up the bathroom shelf again. I added double-sided tape to the mounting tape, also another hook to hold the end. It had hot glue on it, which was supposed to be heated with a lighter. I did not have a lighter to heat it so I used the iron.
Then I was ready to tackle the ornament. But the directions were open in Firefox and it was having problems. I searched for it with Internet Explorer. I did not find the same instructions, but close enough. I sang along with songs on Youtube while folding the last of the flower petals and gluing them together. I figured if people are moving in next to us, this might be my last chance to sing. Then a Three's Company behind-the-scenes special came up and I watched that.
Chris e-mailed me from the airport in Incheon around 5:30. He e-mailed again from Busan at 9:30. I finished watching the special and wrote up my blog for the day knowing that this day could go pretty late. He arrive here about 10:30 and said the new family is not moving next door to us after all. I published my blog post and we went to bed.

Lazy Saturday

Since I went to bed late, I got up late. Specifically 8:30. I drank a quart of water. I swished and exercised while listening to Philosopher's Notes. Then I took a shower. I had to clear the drain to let the water out. Then I made breakfast and ate it while reading e-mail. I put in a load of laundry. I worked yesterday's Sudoku puzzle. I ironed while listening to an audio on how cold helps you burn more fat. He recommended a cold soak, and alternating hot and cold water in the shower. I dried the laundry and ironed the fabric that was in it. I did the Saturday Sudoku puzzle. I listened to an audio on the dangers of sitting. She said only sit to eat. I readjusted the ironing board cover so the padding would go all the way across. I slid a mattress protector onto one of the twin mattresses, but could not find any sheets for it. Chris skyped me before he had to leave for the airport in DC. I went to the commissary to get eggs and black pepper. I got salad greens, too. As I walked out, I was offered a ride and I responded “I'd rather walk” and realized how that sounded. Oops. I walked home, and put the food away. I moved the second load of laundry to the dryer. I ate some chicken, then got caught up reading funny pins on Pinterest. I had to change my underwear after seeing the following:
http://www.dumpaday.com/funny-pictures/smells-like-dads-cooking-dinner-20-pics/ I made myself a salad and ate that. I cut up some paper for folding into the ornament. I did Day 19 of Oprah's current meditation series. Then I sat in the dark listening to the noises and wondered how a heating vent makes walking sounds. I also thought about how to get Mr. Kang of Happy Quilt to drive a load of fabric down here for us to buy. Then I roused myself enough to post to my blog. Then I either went to bed, or washed dishes first so there would be clean ones in the morning.
* This was our menu from the other day. The first item is kimbap. But kimbap is a 2 syllable word, so the first three syllables must describe it somehow. *

Shopping for supplies

I heard one round of the alarm tone, and wondered what happened to the rest. I got up to turn on the laptop. I drank a quart of water, then swished. I was exercising when Kurt skyped me. I had to delay breakfast. We hung up just in time for me to throw on some clothes and go meet Mrya and Nela at the school. But when I got there, they were not there. So I walked home. I saw Chris had skyped so I skyped him back. He was tired so it did not last long. Then I finished my exercises and called Kurt back.
We tried to find a street map of Jinhae, but what we found was nothing like the map I have. We talked about his deck and how to use my new phone. I made breakfast and ate it during the call, then ate all the sprouts. After 3 hours of talking, he had to go to bed. I got caught up in reading funny things on Pinterest. I took my supplements and ate a persimmon. I got a message on Facebook that Myra was ready to go walking.
I went to the post office and got a box from Swansons. Then I walked toward home and met Myra talking to a couple. They had been here for years and she was trying to convince the wife to go shopping with us sometime. She walked with me to put the box away, and then we went by Nela's house to get her.
The three of us walked into town, and through the every day market. We stopped at a shoe place. I got waterproof lined boots and Myra got fancy calf boots. We went to the Daiso store for beads for the ornament – nope- and more origami paper. Then we went to another store and did not find beads there either. I wished to buy a hand towel for the bathroom but all the stores had the same few colors, not ones I could use. I got a clear plastic ruler possibly suitable for rotary cutting for $1. Then we walked to Office Depot. I bought some beads there, though not exactly what I wanted. I also got a really long ruler that I could use for wide fabric. It was almost $20, but it was thick enough to use for machine quilting – if I ever get a longarm.
It got dark as we walked back to base. Myra and Nela stopped at the ATM and I went home. I ate some chicken while reading e-mail and taking notes for my blog. I was really tired. I laid on the couch and listened to some audios – more recommended strength training. I heard a crash, actually several. It scared me but when I went to check, it was the stick-up shelf in the bathroom. Even propped on a bottle of rubbing alcohol, it could not stay stuck to the wall. Argh!
I opened a can of coconut milk and added some to my fermented jar. I put the rest and another can in a larger jar and that went into the fridge. I rinsed out the cans and left them in the sink to dry. I put away some of today's purchases. I unpacked the Swansons box. I used the iodine from the box to coat a cottonball and put some on the skin above my ear,. I listened to a short tapping audio. I heard strange noises again and did not want to go to bed. So I finished a cryptogram from a few days ago and did another one. The noises stopped. I posted to my blog and the noises started again. I went to bed anyway.

Folded fabric, folded paper

The heating system was making strange noises again last night. At least, I hope it was the heating system since the noises were right over my head. And it kept cycling. So I turned the heat down. But the temp never changed and the noises continued. I had to do some tapping to calm myself down enough to sleep even though it sounded like someone was dragging something across the roof and moaning.
I woke up a little before the alarm. I turned on the laptop and router, boiled water for the nuts and melted some shea butter. I put hydrogen peroxide on my ear first and then the shea. I put away stuff on the counter top in the master bath. I dusted the dining room table. I made the bed. I drank water while reading e-mail. The calendar fell off the wall so I put a bigger strip of double-sided tape on it. The adhesive for the little shelf in the bathroom came off, too. I took a few items off and pressed it good, then left the shelf off for awhile in case it needed to rest. I rinsed the sprouts while swishing. I exercised, then made breakfast. I ate it while reading e-mail.
I heard a noise outside so looked out and saw a long truck. I raced to get dressed thinking they were going to knock on my door (cue music for Three's Company). But they didn't. Their truck had desks on it and they continued up the hill. I did a short meditation, then started sweeping with a broom. I had to mop the entry way to dislodge the dirt. A few minutes later the doorbell rang. A Korean man took off his shoes and left them right in front of the door with the door wide open. He brought in a step stool. He did not say anything but started checking the heat registers. I moved his shoes so I could shut the door. I kept sweeping. The doorbell rang again and more men came. A third time, a man said he wanted to check the fire alarms. Suddenly my house was full of Korean men and the earsplitting sound of fire alarms. I kept sweeping. When there was no more to sweep, I started parceling out daily supplements for the week. They finished up the inspection and cleaning of filters. I had to sign a form saying the alarms were ok. Then everyone was gone and peace returned.
I noticed that two desks were stacked out on the street. I guess that truck was dropping them off in front of each unit. I finished the supplements, and ordered more. The men with the new desk arrived early, which was great. They took the lamp, too, and put in an LED one. It was so high tech that it came with an owner's manual. Swansons was running several really good specials, so I made several orders. Chris skyped me for a little while before he went to bed (in DC).
I set up the ironing board near the new desk. I piled the folded fabric on the desk and filled a spray bottle with water. I ironed while listening to several audios on the importance of strength training. When all the fabric was smooth and folded again, I went to the commissary for witch hazel (for the skin above my ear) and I checked the post office. All I got was a piece of mail. I picked up a map of Changwon and some handouts. As I walked back, I passed a lady walking up the hill on crutches. I felt badly for her.
When I got back, I ate some chicken with turmeric. I watched some Brad Yates tapping videos on Youtube. I cut all the red double-sided paper into 3- inch squares. I did not have a ruler, but I did have two small cutting mats. So I used one as an edge to cut against. It was not as accurate as a ruler. I folded the squares in pairs: one red and one white, to be sure I had equal numbers of each. The project required a total of 60, but I only got 36 out of the package. I could see another trip to the Daiso store in my near future. As I folded, I listened to show tunes on Youtube. Then I put on some meditation music and tapped for an hour and a half. And then it was time for bed.
* I am holding five petals to show how they will go together *

Organizing

I did not sleep well last night because of all the strange noises. Chris said it was thermal expansion due to heat, but Myra said her heat was not on and she had strange noises too - the kind of noises that make you want to ask "Who's there?" So, I did not feel like getting up when the alarm went off. I did some tapping and then I was up. I turned on the router and laptop. I put some shea butter on the handle of a pot and boiled water in it for the nuts. The shea melted and I rubbed it on the skin above my ear. The skin felt much smoother, not flaky, but the itching continued. I put my comb in a dish of hot soapy water. Then I got dressed and set the recyclables out on the curb. It was raining. Again. Maybe I did not miss the rainy season after all:( I checked e-mail while swishing. The exchange was having a sale on breadmakers, claiming that today was National homemade bread Day. Really? There is a day for that? I exercised while listening to an audio. I thought of something I wanted to get at the commissary. But by the time I could find a working writing implement, I forgot what it was. I made breakfast and ate it while reading and answering e-mail. I got two from the Tuesday group. I thanked them for the card they sent.
I walked to Myra's place. She showed Nela some fabrics that might go with what Nela bought yesterday, but only one did and it wasn't quite enough, so we went to the market to find something to go with it. We didn't find anything, but we had a good time looking around. Actually we went to Office Depot first, but did not get anything there. Then we went to the market. We stopped at an all-purpose store. I got hooks, and a tiny kimchi pot and a kitchen shelf with legs. Then outside the store they had wheeled carts, so I chose one with a basket. The basket did not fold up, but did come off so I could use the rest of the cart to carry my machine if necessary. We also went to Daiso and got a bunch of stuff there, like a shower curtain rod, and double-sided paper. It only came in rainbow colors, not a pack of red and white. But for $1 I took it. I saw an eel flopping in the alley. Apparently he had escaped from the bowl. I alerted the proprietress so she could put it back with the others. Then we stopped for a late lunch. Nela showed us a place to buy kimbap. But she got bibimbap, while Myra and I got kimbap. But it was all good. Then we walked back to base. I had a time getting my cart through the carousel. Then we parted ways. They went home and I went to the post office. The young man brought me a letter for Chris. Then I went to the commissary. The only thing I could remember was pickles. And I wanted that mostly for the jar. They did not have that size today, so I got the smaller one. I gave the lady a $5 and she gave me a lot of coins. I did not want it so I tried to give it to the bagger, but she waved it off so I handed her a $1. She waved it off and mentioned the coin, which she then put in a plastic pig sitting on the checkout stand. I did not understand. I pulled my cart back to the duplex. I read some e-mail and ate some persimmons. Then I unpacked my cart, and washed the items that would touch food. I auditioned and installed a stick-up shelf in the bathroom. I put magnetic hooks on the fridge. I put suction cup hooks in the laundry room to hold the mop and broom. Then I got out the fabric from yesterday. I sat with it for awhile, then cut off the corners and put the darker pieces in the washing machine because it would not all fit. I thought I should clean and straighten the place because the housing department was coming by tomorrow to inspect the heating system. But I could find no part of me that felt like doing it. I ate some chicken and made a salad. I put the fabric in the dryer. I read e-mail then checked on the dryer. I took out the fabric and folded it. The towels went back in to finish drying. I read e-mail, saw a tutorial on a blanket with self-binding. I mounted my calendar above the mantle with double-sided tape. I placed a chair in the blank spot next to the fireplace, just because it needed something. Cecily asked for my Christmas list so I tried to come up with something she would enjoy shopping for. I sent her links to things I found on line. I cleaned up in the dining room, the bathroom and the bedroom. I separated my Korean cash from my American cash. I cleared off the desk and wiped it in preparation for the exchange tomorrow. I wonder what they will do with all the old desks? I checked e-mail and found one from my husband. I was glad to hear that he had arrived safely. Then it was almost 11 and time to go to bed.

Busan fabric market

I heard Chris' alarm sound at 4:30am. He snuggled up against me for a few moments and then got up. By 5:30 he was out the door and presumably in a taxi. I fell back asleep, and dreamt that I was with Michele and I kept telling her that we needed to go because I was going to miss the MWR bus at 8:30. Finally I woke up a little before 7. I showered, swished, and exercised. I made and ate breakfast, reading just some of my e-mail. I put a few things in my purse and headed out. I walked down to Duffy's parking lot. The MWR bus had just pulled up and I got on with the other ladies. 9 of the 11 who signed up showed up and I guess that was enough, because we pulled out right after that. It took over an hour to get to the fabric market in Busan. I enjoyed talking to the ladies on the bus. When we got off, we were advised to meet the bus at 2:30. The group split into two, those who were looking for fabric, and those who were looking for jewelry etc. There were five in my group and we headed to the large building that housed the fabric vendors, plus some ready-made stuff. I don't know how we did not get lost. We were looking for different fabrics for different uses. But somehow we kept finding those who strayed or stayed. We met the other group for lunch at a sandwich shop. But some of us left to find a noodle shop. Suzanne showed us the kimbap place and ordered for me. Then we went to the noodle shop. One of the ladies ordered a bowl of soup, but did not realize that it came with shrimp, which she was allergic to. So I ate that as well as my kimbap and she ordered something else. Then we went back to the fabric market. Finally we found quilting fabric, rather than just fabric that would do in a pinch. I also got some dress fabric and the lady threw in a remnant of contrast for a belt. I took her card so I could find her again. Later Myra came back and bought some fabric from her. Then we wandered back to the bus, looking at stores along the way. We got back before the other group but they were not far behind. The ride back was bouncy even though I did not see any bumps on the road. We talked all the way back. When the bus pulled into the parking lot, we all trooped off, glad to be on solid ground. Myra and I walked back together until we reached her house. Then I went on alone, to drop off my fabric and try to get back to the post office. I met Myra on the way back, heading for the commissary. When we reached it, I went on ahead to the post office. I asked the man at the desk to get my mail. As he did, the other man said that postal inspectors were coming and that they could not do that when the inspectors were watching. My mail consisted of a letter telling me to expect a letter. I went back to the duplex. Nearly there, I met Mr. Ha who introduced himself and wanted to make an appt to check our heating system. It was for Thursday before the desk replacement (which was advertised for Wednesday the 19th). I brought in the food waste container which Chris had set out. Then I ate two persimmons and some chicken. I read e-mail and looked at cute sweatshirt sayings on Pinterest. Then I came to my senses and exited that screen. I put on an audio and washed dishes, cleaned the counter tops and wiped the stove top and burner bowls. Then I gathered the recyclables for tomorrow morning. I did today's Sudoku puzzle. I started the process of clearing the desk, which held my sewing machine and notions (and other stuff). It is going to be switched out Thursday. I straightened the bedroom where we had dumped stuff on the bed when we first arrived. I sang along with some Disney songs on Youtube. I read life advice on Quora. I stopped reading so I could post to my blog and go to bed.
* These booths are selling Hanbok fabric *

* I could not resist photographing a pretty old machine in front of a machine store. *

Getting ready for a trip

I heard Chris leave before my alarm went off – maybe 7? I got up with the alarm to start my day. I checked e-mail, swished and exercised. I did the coffee detox. I listened to audios. I put the rest of the kimchi in a jar. But it was a narrow mouthed jar because that's all we had. I missed my jars from Huntsville.
Our couch is in two pieces, a right half and a left half and the halves tend to separate. That's not good if you're sitting in the middle. I tried to tie the legs together with a twisted plastic bag, but I could not get the legs close enough. I cleaned the tray in the fridge door where the water comes out. But it would not come clean. I put some persimmons in the freezer and the rest of persimmons in the back room which we don't heat. I mixed equal amounts of chia and flax seed in a jar. That will make breakfast prep just a little faster. I made and ate breakfast while reading e-mail. Chris came home for lunch while I was still eating breakfast. I got dressed.
While looking at Pinterest, I saw an article of clothing called the Bina wrap. It looked easy to make and could be worn 5 or 6 ways. I made a note of how much fabric it took. I tapped through a few articles in e-mail. Then I went to MWR to return my book and pay for the trip tomorrow. I returned book, but only had Korean cash which they would not take. So I came back for American money. I took umbrella this time and it rained. I paid for the trip and met Yumi who organized it. I walked back. I read and tapped. I ate the last of last week's chicken. I looked at more pattern pins on Pinterest. I saw a few interesting ones, but not enough info to make one. I did more tapping, and listened to some meditation or other audios that require silence.
Chris came home in the rain. He fixed himself some supper. I wasn't hungry. I sat on the couch and did some cryptograms. Then he showed me the Netlfix DVD that came in the mail. It was soaking wet. It was part of the Outlander series. I thought I had deleted it from my queue. We watched two episodes and it was as graphic as Lauri had said. Then Chris started packing for his trip. I wrote up my blog notes for the day. He went to bed. I put some Myrrh and coconut oil on my ear. I soaked the batch of sprouts that I started last night. Then I followed him to bed.
* This is the junk shop we were in the other day *

Exploring the ROK base

I heard my alarm at 7:30. We discussed church and he said he wanted to go to the mass, and I said I'd go and see what it was like. So we got ready. I had time to exercise and drink a quart of water, but not to have breakfast. As we were walking down the hill, a car stopped and the couple asked if we would like a ride. I gratefully accepted because my church shoes were not made for walking down the side of a mountain. The service was held in the theater just like the later non-Catholic one. I enjoyed the prelude music. It set the mood. The priest was Korean and he read from the Bible, slowly and a bit painfully. He read his homily too. I was trying so hard to understand his words, that I missed the point of the sermon. There was a lot of liturgy, too, and it was unfamiliar. I felt lost. Then he read something about people who died and that made me think of my mom and I started to tear up. Then we knelt for prayer, but it was really difficult in a theater seat. I wasn't sure I could get back up. Just before communion, was the passing of the peace. I walked down the aisle, shaking hands, then went out the door to the restroom. That quart of water came through. I also took some time to tap and compose myself. When I came out, the service was over. I guess communion was the only thing left. Chris was putting up the hymnal, and I got my coat and purse. We stopped in the lobby to talk to the priest and Mr. Wilson. When we came out of the building, we met Jane, who I think was a little disappointed that we were not going to her service. Then we walked home. I changed my clothes. I made breakfast and ate it while Chris read e-mail. I read e-mail, too. We tried calling my dad's cell phone with Chris' skype account, but Dad did not answer. Pinterest sent me an e-mail, with a link to a page of Christmas ornaments and I could not resist checking it out. I saw one that was made similarly to my hexecontahedron using double sided origami paper. I made a note to check for it in the stores. Later we went for a long walk on the Korean navy base. It is much bigger than the American base. We stopped at their food court to use the restrooms. We walked down to where we could must make out the water, but no closer because there was a guard and Chris did not want to risk being stopped. The base was flat, too. By the time we reached our place, I could see why they gave the Americans the side of a mountain to build on. I worked on a few cryptograms while Chris made supper and read e-mail. We had chicken and salad. Then we watched a Jimmy Steward western. I did not know he could play the accordion. Chris went to bed while I stayed up to finish my book. Then I posted to my blog and might have gone to bed, or thought of a few last minute things to do.
* This is a statue of Admiral Sen on the ROK navy base. *

Organic coffee

We stayed in bed late. I took a shower while Chris made coffee. When I boiled water for the nuts, I used the heat to melt some shea butter in a spoon to put on the skin above my ear. Chris found a hard nodule in my arch when he was rubbing my foot. I imagined it was a microchip or tracking device, and wished for a magnet to disable it. I exercised, then made and ate breakfast. Chris left to run errands. I meditated, then put the laundry in dryer. I refilled the cacao container, and finished a puzzle from yesterday. I caught up on this week's Sudoku puzzles. Chris came back. We talked about where to buy organic coffee. I looked up the Korean word for organic and wrote it down on a piece of paper. Chris did a google translation and put it on his blackberry. We went for a long walk to the coffee shop beyond the park. Using his google translation, we got organic coffee at the place we went soon after we arrived here. They would only sell us 200g even though we asked for 1000g. I thought she said 50,000 won, but the ticket read 15,000 so it wasn't as bad as I thought. We walked back a different way and came through a tunnel out to the main street of town. We walked through a junk/pawn shop. Very interesting. Then on the way back to base, we passed a store selling persimmons, so we bought a box. When we came through the gate, the guard asked us how much we paid. I wondered what he thought of the price. Then we walked back to the duplex. I was tired and read my book. Chris read e-mail. Then I asked him to make me a salad. He made a large salad and we both had bowls of it. I watched an hour and a half video on vaccines. It amazes me how so much stigma is associated with anyone who asks questions about the safety or schedule of vaccines. We can question any other medication, but somehow vaccines are sacrosanct. Where are the studies comparing health outcomes of vaccinated kids versus unvaccinated ones? We watched the last episode of Firefly, and then all of Chicken Run. I worked some pencil puzzles while Chris read e-mail. Then he went to bed while I was working on a Cross Sums puzzle. I was never able to do them before but it was almost easy. When I finished, my eyes were crossed. I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Five day market (in the rain)

I vaguely heard my alarm go off because Chris had shut the door so he wouldn't wake me up. I guess it worked. I got up to start my day with the usual audios and exercise. I made and ate breakfast and got dressed. I meditated for a few minutes only. Then I put on my fanny pack and got my umbrella. I walked to Myra's place. There I met Chaun. We walked to the school and met Nila. I had to go to the bank for Korean money so they used the atm while I went inside. The ladies at the counter told me about the Friday bus that goes to Daegu and that the Daegu market is better than the Busan market. But when I mentioned that to the ladies outside, they said we could not ride the Friday bus just for personal reasons, only if we had business in Daegu. Then we went out the front gate to a bus stop. Pretty soon the bus was there and we rode it to Homeplus and the five-day market. It was hard navigating the market because of all the umbrellas and the canopies. It seemed to me that the offering was much the same as in the everyday market. We went into Homeplus to have lunch. I am not sure what I got, but it was good. There were models of food in a display case with numbers. So we ordered by number and picked up our food from a nearby window when it was ready. After we ate, we sat and talked for a long time. Then, just before we left, one lady bought a rotisserie chicken. We had to pass the five day market on our way to the bus stop and I bought a bowl of apples. I was sure she told me 5,000 won, but when I handed her a 10,000, she did not give me change. Myra said that was because the large apples are more expensive than the larger bag of smaller apples. I could have handed them back, but they did look really good so I kept them. It took awhile for our bus to arrive, but the rain was slower. We had no problem riding the bus back to base. We walked up to Myra's place. The others followed her then, but I continued up the hill to our place. I washed and ate an apple. I read e-mail. Then I did an Oprah meditation. Chris came home in the middle of it. I was reading e-mail again, when the exo knocked on the door. He said we looked like we were playing Battleship with our laptops back to back. Ha! Chris handed him the GPS unit for him to charge in his car. I started reading a Mr. Monk book from the library. Chris put on Firefly again, so we watched three episodes. Then Chris went to bed and I stayed up to post to my blog.
* This man is making fresh sesame oil in the market *

Future trip to Busan fabric market

I had a hard time sleeping last night because of restless leg syndrome. I am not sure what time it was when I got up and Chris was still here. He said my alarm went off 10 minutes ago. I fired up my laptop and put on an audio while I exercised. I did yesterdays Sudoku puzzle because it was labeled easy while I drank my 4 cups of water. Then I made breakfast while playing another audio. I ate it while reading e-mail. But it was getting late. I was heading down to the meeting point when I saw Myra stretching out in the area next to her building. So I stopped to talk to her. Then her friend Nila joined us. We walked North up the path, came down the road, then went up another road and came back. I don't remember where all we walked. We went to MWR to sign up for the trip to the Busan fabric market, but the lady did not know anything about it. So we left but ran into Wilson and he arranged a sign-up sheet. I was ready to pay but was told that the fee was non-refundable, even if the trip were canceled due to lack of interest. Then Myra got a text telling her not to go to MWR for the trip. We did not understand why. I visited her place, and saw her fabric and the quilt tops she made since she arrived this past summer. She has been busy! Then we walked up my street to talk to the lady who is in charge of the trip. We stopped at my house and Chris was there for lunch. He did not know exactly where the lady in charge lived. Then we took Linda's machine and returned it next door. Linda knew which house it was, but said the lady wasn't home right now. So, since tomorrow is the 5-day market and the ladies were going there on the bus, Myra showed me where to get a bus pass. All the gate guards greeted her as we walked off and back onto post. I left her at her building, looking for her husband who had just picked up a corn hole board at the post office. I walked home, and had some kimchi, chicken, and squid for lunch. I cleared some e-mail, then worked some Dell pencil puzzles. I sat by my machine to repair the hems in Chris' pants. Then I remembered Myra talking about how dirty her kitchen floor was when she moved in. So I put soapy water in the bucket and mopped the floor. But it wasn't that dirty. So I mopped the dining room and living room and hallway and foyer. I thought Chris would come home and walk on the wet floor, but he was really late. I got out the hummus recipe that I googled last night. Then Chris came home. I made hummus while Chris made himself a burrito and a cabbage salad (with some of my hummus on top). I ate it on stalks of celery, then put the rest in the fridge. I cleaned up the counter top and utensils. Then I sat at my laptop to check e-mail. Later Chris put on episodes of Firefly. Then I posted to my blog and we went to bed.
* This is one of Myra's quilts *

The Martian

I heard the alarm go off, but did not feel like getting up. However, 10 minutes later, I did feel like getting up. Did my cortisol go up? Anyway, I swished and turned on the laptop. I deleted e-mail until I got to the Philosopher's Notes. I listened to that while I exercised. But before I finished, I remembered that recyclables had to go out by 8. It was after 8 but I rushed them out anyway. Then I made breakfast, forgetting to finish my exercises. I ate breakfast while reading e-mail. Then I took a quick shower. I got dressed and walked down to Duffy's to meet Myra and her friend who go walking every morning. But I did not see them. Either I was too late, or they did not go today because it was Veteran's Day. I circled around the school and came back to the duplex. Then I worked some pencil puzzles, word stuff and cryptoquizzes. Chris asked if I would like to walk. So we put our coats on and walked uphill following the walking trail. It was quite steep in places. As we were coming down, we saw Korean women picking up acorns. I stepped on one and twisted my ankle a little. So we went the shortest way back and picked up some acorns by our back door. Chris sent me some links on how to prepare them. So I put them in a bucket of water. At first only the worms floated. Then one acorn rose up. That one got thrown out. I processed e-mail and then meditated. Chris played a movie called “Forbidden Kingdom”. I joined in . After the movie, I put together a Swanson's order, double checking the prices with other sites. I put something in my Amazon basket, but did not submit the order because it wasn't enough for free shipping. We ate supper. Then we went to the rec center because they were offering free pizza and a movie for Veterans Day. Chris ate the pizza and introduced me to a few people. Then we went into the movie theatre to wait for “The Martian” to start. It was a good movie although I expected Chris to tell me all the inaccuracies later. There were some really tense moments when I had to close my eyes. But it was a good movie. Afterward my legs were stiff. We walked back to the duplex. I cleared e-mail while Chris looked up some of the actors from the movie. I was able to set up an online account with the exchange. But then I discovered that their price was higher than what I could get it at my regular website. I looked up and wrote down a recipe for hummus. I got caught up in reading answers to the question: what does it feel like to get old? People younger than me were answering it. I thought I was too young to answer. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* Bonzai chrysanthemums *

Met a new quilter

I heard my alarm go off at 7:30 but I was already awake listening to Chris get ready for work. After he left, I decided to make it a coffee morning, listening to audios during the process. I was listening to a live streaming audio when Chris came home from work for lunch. While he ate lunch, I made up a weeks' worth of supplements and a new spice mixture. But both were incomplete because I ran out of ingredients. Chris went back to work. I sent him an e-mail about the next Swansons order and he picked it up at the post office and brought it here. I used it to finish up the supplement doses. Then I got ready for the commissary. I had coconut oil in my hair for my once-a-week treatment and I figured if I went to the commissary everyone would know who I am and that my hair was oily. But laziness won out. I combed my locks and just went. On the way, I met Myra. We had not met before but she knew I was new and had heard of me. We hit it off right away because we are of similar age and share an interest in quilting. She invited me to join her walking group. Then I went to the phone store to ask about deleting the apps that were in Korean. I looked around the PX to buy a supplement that they had online for sale. But it wasn't there. Still, I was surprised to see they sold food there. Then I went to the commissary for groceries and a plunger. Our current need for a plunger had been overcome by copious flushing, but having one seemed to be a good idea anyway. I carried it all home, then put away the food and the other items. I finished the spice mixture. Then I read e-mail and got hooked on Pinterest. Apparently I was looking for humor in all the wrong places. Most of the pins just weren't that funny. I took a break to try to attach the outdoor thermometer to the front porch pole. I was having some trouble when Chris came home, but I got it figured out. He made himself a cabbage salad and I made a spinach one. I put two Korean sweet potatoes in water to grow. I made him look next door to see if the lady who lent me her machine was home. But the place looked dark. Then we watched several episodes of Firefly. Chris put some coconut oil on my ear. He went to bed and I solved a pencil puzzle and went on to another one, but could not see well enough to finish it. So I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* This is a chrysanthemum plant with 1500+ blossoms *

It made it to Korea!

I heard my alarm go off at 7:30. Chris was already up and getting prepared for work. He came in the bedroom to wake me up. Then he finished getting ready and left. I got up swished, exercised and checked e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I did not have time to meditate. I got dressed and put everything I thought I might need into my sac. I put my fanny pack on so I would have easy access to my ID and wallet. Keymora came by just after 10. We took our umbrellas as insurance so it would not rain. We walked to the gate and met Yun. Then we walked to the circle and headed east. They showed me how to get to Daiso. I got a few things there. Then we wandered through the market. I found a mat for the front door by pantomiming wiping my feet. As we were leaving, Yun stopped to buy kimbap. It was expensive, but she said they make the best kimbap in Chinhae. Then we walked home as she pointed out a few other places. They both bought stuff so I did not feel like they only came because of me. When we got to the base, Yun left. I followed Keymora home because she lived uphill from me. She pointed out the temple on the mountain. Then she let me inside to meet Mrs. Lee who was sewing. Keymora showed me her large shrunk type pieces from a recycle store. I asked to see this store sometime. Chris called while I was there to say he'd brought my machine home from the post office. That really made my day! Then I went home to see it and eat the best kimbap in Chinhae. It was so good that I did not need the kimchi which I prepared to go with it. But I ate that anyway. I marked the cabinet doors in the kitchen with sticky notes so I could remember which way they opened. I listened to several meditative audios. I decided to hang a blackout panel since I bought a tension rod at the market. But the panel did not have tabs, which I thought it did. So I looked around and found a sleeve for a quilt. Then I packed Linda's machine back in its box. Since my machine box was labeled 'opened or damaged', I took pics of it from every angle before opening it. I unpacked my machine and all its accessories. The pin case was shattered, and the rotary cutter was unsheathed. The ruler was missing. I pulled out the seam ripper and took out the hems to make the sleeve longer (the hems were huge). Then I cajoled the machine into sewing up the seams again. When I tried to sew the sleeve onto the curtain panel, I had all sorts of problems. Finally I took the bobbin area apart and examined the parts. The shuttle had quite a burr on it, and I had nothing to sand it out with. I had to sew the entire length by gently rotating the handwheel. That still only made stitches 70 % of the time. I put the panel on the rod and forced the rod into the bedroom window. It cut out a lot of light. I laid on the bed, tired and mad at the post office. I had paid almost $50 to ship the machine and they damaged it. Or customs did. Eventually I went out to the dining room to check e-mail Chris came home late. He changed clothes and we walked to the PX for a plunger. But the man said they did not sell them. I was sure I had seen one, and we desperately needed one, but that might have been in the commissary (which isn't open on Mondays). So we walked back to the duplex. Chris made himself supper while I read e-mail. Then I made myself a spinach salad with tomatoes. Chris made me the same dressing he used on his cabbage salad. I read an article about the dangers and lack of effectiveness of the flu vaccine. A study showed the people who got the flu vaccine two years in a row were more likely to get the flu than people who never got the vaccine. Also, health care workers are being forced to get the vaccine to keep their jobs, but to get the vaccine, they have to sign a consent/waver form. After awhile, we sat down to watch two more episodes of Firefly. Then he went to bed. I stayed up to post to my blog.
* See how high the cabinets are? *

Chrysanthemum Festival

My alarm went off at 7:30, but since we had been up so late watching the movie last night, I did not get up and I don't think Chris even heard the alarm. At 8:45 I got up to soak the sprouts. I made breakfast while Chris showered and dressed and left for the early service (which is Catholic). I took a shower then ate breakfast and got dressed. I checked e-mail, then put some sprouts in a bag, and put on my raincoat. I walked to the theater where services are held while the chapel is being renovated. Chris was waiting for me at the door. We walked in together. He introduced me to Jane and she told us where to sit (next to her). She also said we should meet her at the front gate at 1:30 to go to the chrysanthemum festival. Chris gave the sprouts to Kathy. The service was much the same as last week except someone played the keyboard while the choir sang. I wish they had played for the hymns because one hymn was terribly out of tune. The sermon was about the shrewd manager. Announcements were made after the service. I asked Jane about drinking rain water and she said it wasn't good quality here. I spoke to Kathy too. Then we walked home, in the rain. I ate some kimchi and chicken while I checked e-mail. Then we changed clothes and put on coats and took our umbrellas. We walked down to the gate to wait for Jane. She got a taxi driver friend to give us a ride to Massan for less than the going rate. It took about half an hour and we got out at the chrysanthemum festival. It was quite a sight, all those flowers. I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been in sunlight. Sadly the flowers were looking bedraggled in the rain. But Jane thought it was all good and she took our pics and had us take hers, and drew in complete strangers to take pics of the three of us. Such enthusiasm! We saw bonsai chrysanthemums, and chrysanthemum sculptures. There was live music. Then we went by the vendor tents. We sat at one place to have squid, stuffed with vegetables, then sliced, dipped in egg and fried in corn oil, served with chives and red pepper sauce. It was very good and I ate most of it. Chris and Jane had some, but she preferred rice cakes. Finally, we went out the front gate and wended our way to a street with bus stations. We caught a bus back to Chinhae. Jane told me her life story. When we got to Chinhae, she told us where to get off. She was so certain that Chris could find his way back that I was certain the stop was someplace he and she had been before. But it was unfamiliar to both of us. Since the navy base is located on the side of a mountain, we walked in that direction until we found a street we knew. It might not have been far on a sunny day, but on a rainy night it seemed like a long walk. I was glad when we finally got back to the duplex. I collapsed on the couch. Chris heated up the onion soup and brought me a bowl. I worked on some pencil puzzles. Then we sat together and watched episodes of Firefly until Chris went to bed. I finished an audio from earlier and posted to my blog.

Walking around town

My alarm went off at 7:30, but we stayed in bed. Later I got up to drink water and my back seized briefly. The electricity went off, and then I remembered the paper that said it would go out twice today. I did a modified form of exercise without the benefit of an audio. Then the electricity came back on. I made breakfast, and ate breakfast while reading e-mail. I got dressed, including coat and scarf, and umbrella. We took the map and walked down to Admiral Yi circle, passing the market and looking inside to see what they had. It was a fact finding mission. We walked counterclockwise around the circle. We went down the four-lane heading east. We walked down some side streets to Clock circle. It kinda sorta sprinkled. We found the Office Depot and bought hooks, a strainer, and an outdoor thermometer (in Celsius). We wandered into the everyday market with its baskets of produce and fish. Some baskets held seeds or beans, but when we asked for chia and flax, they said no. They did not have turmeric either, in root or powder. On the way back, we passed GS 25 supermarket. I looked for the little floss picks, but they did not have them. No one did. On from there, we found the now-defunct train station. I took a pic of the street map, thinking it would be more accurate and detailed than the drawing from Chris' internet packet. Continuing on, we saw what looked like a massage business across the street. From there we walked back to the base. We proceeded to the post office and the bathrooms. Then we went to the commissary. There we found flax and chia seeds! We got some groceries and walked home. My back was tired. Chris put the groceries away. I read e-mail. Later I found a few things to eat. Chris did laundry and made onion soup. I opened up the outdoor thermometer and made dots for the Fahrenheit temps. I put it back together and placed it between the back window and the screen (until I can find a better place). I got out the sewing machine that came from Linda. The bobbin winder did not work and I could not see a reason for it without taking it apart, and that did not seem like a good idea. Chris decided to watch a movie. So I sat with him. We watched, stopping periodically to fold laundry or check on supper. We had chicken and sweet potatoes and onion soup. After the movie (something about the Alamo), I worked some non-Sudoku puzzles in a book. Then I bundled up and Chris put on his coat. We huddled under his umbrella while walking to the theater. He bought tickets, and we watched Bridge of Spies starring Tom Hanks. It was a good movie, especially considering that it was inspired by actual events. I hoped the rain would stop, but when we got out, it was still raining hard. We huddled all the way back. At least it wasn't all that cold. Then I posted to my blog and soaked my sprouts, and we went to bed.

Uphill from here

I woke up around 7, but tried to sleep again. Then I got up thinking Chris would be here soon. I swished and got out the vacuum. It was full of flax seeds, so I dumped them in the flower bed and then proceeded to sweep the house. I fired up the laptop and deleted over 100 messages.
Chris arrived about 8:30. I am not supposed to talk about what happened next. After that, he put on his suit which he wears to work. I started making breakfast. Then we walked to the bank. We got my name put on the account so I can access it when he is out of town. Then I asked the ladies at the counter about finding things in Chinhae. Chris left. But I had a great time talking to them and they offered to take me on a walking tour on Monday (because the bank is closed). I learned that when you buy a live octopus in the market, they will cut it up for you and you can bring it home and eat it raw within 3 days.
I walked back to the duplex for breakfast. After eating breakfast, I sat on the couch to meditate. Chris dropped by with the last priority mail box, then left. When the meditation was over, I opened the box and put away what I could. Then I sat down to catch up on Sudoku puzzles. Some man called my cell phone four times, each time speaking Korean. I decided that if that number called again, I would not answer it. I finished the Sudoku puzzle for this weekend. I looked for the translation app that Kathy has. I did not find that one, but another one where you type in the word in English or Korean and it writes out the translation.
Chris came home from work. He changed his clothes and we went walking up the hill. I did not realize how far we were going to go, or how much uphill there was to go. Up and up and up, and then there was a work out station – as if all that walking up hill were not enough. And further up and around, there was a very steep downhill slope. I was afraid to go down because I didn't think I could get back up. But Chris said we did not have to. So we went down and continued around. But, where the path left the trees, it ended at construction. So we had to climb around some fenced in building. And so on, until we finally got back to our duplex. Chris was willing to go further but I'd had enough for one day, anticipating another walk tomorrow.
After we got back, I read some e-mail, and then started looking at funny sayings on Pinterest. Why do they always start out funny and later become sarcastic and use bad language? I made a salad and ate it. I washed the dishes in the sink. Chris and I snuggled on the couch and watched a western with Jimmy Stewart. Then Chris went to bed and I stayed up to post to my blog.
* If you go up high enough, you can see part of the ocean. *

Meeting new people

I heard the alarm ring at 7:30. I did not feel like getting up after going to bed so late. I must have been in a good mood because I was thinking about where I could set up my sewing machine when it arrived. I got up before 8, and sat in front of my laptop with a quart of water to drink. I deleted a lot of e-mail that came in over night. I added pics to my blog posts that did not have pics. I realized that I was still signed into skype as Chris. So I signed out and back in as me. Then I saw that Kurt had sent me a video of his new deck. I enjoyed watching it very much. I rinsed my sprouts. I put on a Philosopher's Notes audio and exercised and swished.
Then I made breakfast. Just as I was finishing breakfast, Chris skyped me from Singapore. They had finished early and he was working from the hotel room until it was time to catch a flight back. He asked me to call Jane to see what she wanted when she called him. So after we hung up, I called her and she wanted to take us to see the chrysanthemum festival after church.
Then I got dressed and walked to the post office. I ran into Patricia and we discussed where to buy organic and local foods, and going to E-Mart or LotteMart next Wednesday. Then I went into the post office. The lady checked our mailbox and handed me a card. When I came out, I checked some handouts, but they weren't anything I needed. I decided to take a pic of the recycling and disposal bulletin board. My phone rang and it was Jane, so I got some practice answering the phone. Then I walked home, using the jogging trail. I did not have my camera so I used my phone to take pics along the way, wondering how to get the photos from it.
I checked e-mail and listened to some short audios. I took off my shoes and went outside to trim around the building. When I came in, I got a text that Kathy was on my street and had left some persimmons on my porch. I took my map and phone and went next door to see her. The kids were sliding down the hill on sheets of cardboard. One of the kids asked for another box, so I got one from our place. I talked to the mothers. Kathy marked my map with places we had been. I talked to Linda. She had a sewing machine that needed looked at. So when the other kids had left for archery, she gave me her machine to take home. Was that why I had woken up with the thought of where to set up a machine?
I made a salad with the last of the greens from the commissary. They were on their way out. I washed some of the Korean spinach. I also put in egg and carrots and cucumber. After eating the salad, I cleaned up a bit. I listened to a paraliminal. I finished an audio from earlier and processed more e-mail, getting my unread to under 100. I looked at scrap quilts on Pinterest while listening to brain wave entrainment on making change easy. I sent Kurt his morning edition when my phone alarm rang. Anybody else want one? Dr. Mercola's site sent me a coupon for my birthday so I looked at the products to see what I might want. I fell asleep on the couch doing the Sudoku puzzles for this week.
* Until I can get the pics off of my phone, here is one of lettuce (?) from the market yesterday *

My lucky day

I woke up before 6 probably. When I got up it was little after 6:30 so I stayed up. I got dressed and put out the recyclables. I read e-mail. I swished and exercised. I made breakfast and ate it while reading more e-mail. I got it down to 100 unread e-mails. My friend texted me to say we would drive instead of walk to the market. Oprah is doing another 21 days of meditation so I listened to the second one. I looked through my purse for a postal slip with a tracking number for my sewing machine. Then I got ready for the trip. I put on my coat and sling purse. I stood outside to wait. I brought in the recycling container. I went back for my sunglasses. I waited some more and she pulled up. I got in her van and waved to her little blond girl. First she drove us to the ROK navy base. I saw their little gallery of stores and fast food places. Then we stopped at a little road side stand. I got dried squid and tomatoes. She got oranges and apples. Then we walked to an office type store. I got some suction hooks and a roll of sparkly net that could be decoration for Christmas. Then we paid the parking attendant and went to the internet place where she paid her bill. Then we drove to the market district. Some were storefronts, but most were in the alleys. Some people sat on the ground and others perched inside with their wares displayed outside. There were all sorts of fresh unknown plants, roots, vegetables, live seafood, meats, etc. We went in a few stores. I got kimchi at one stand. Then we drove to a kimbap place. She ordered two rolls and gave me one. Then we came back to the base. I showed my ID but the guard said I wasn't in the system. So I showed my driver's license, and he let me in. (How can I not be in the system but they gave me a ration card? Turns out I gave him my ID from Yongsan) She dropped me off at my place and I picked up all my bags of purchases. We had decided to split the basket of tomatoes and one of spinach but she was out of time so promised to come back later. I cut up the kimchi and ate it with the kimbap, poking out the little radish pieces because they have food coloring. It was soooooooo good. Then I took notes for my blog. When I finished lunch, I walked to the library. There was no one there so I waited. Finally a man came in. I returned my book and checked out another. He had me fill out a form for a library card. Then I went to the phone store. The lady gave me the plastic protector sheet. I asked how to use it, and she offered to do it. I watched her use rolled up pieces of tape to get it exactly where it needed to be on the front of the phone. It wasn't quick, but she did a perfect job. Then I went to the post office. There was no mail and no boxes. I asked how to find the sewing machine if I did not have the tracking number. She said to contact the post office it was mailed from, that they would keep a copy for 30 days. Yikes. I think it's been longer than that. I walked back to the duplex. I tried to contact the post office in Huntsville. I found a link where I could e-mail the post office system to explain my problem. I composed a message but it needed the date I mailed the machine. I figured it would be on my blog, but I scoured it and found no traces of when I mailed it. And then, all of a sudden, it was there, on Saturday October 3rd. So I entered all the info. The system would not accept AP for the state field, so I put Alabama. When I hit enter, I was told my request did not go through and to try again later. AAAARRRGGGHHH! So I started over. I tried to find an e-mail address for the specific post office, but had no luck at all. Phone numbers, yes, but how do I call from here? And it would have to be at 11:30 pm. I went through the FAQ's. All kinds of help, IF you have the tracking number. But I didn't. I tried their e-mail system again, making different choices in the drop down menu. Finally I was able to submit the problem. But will it reach someone in time? I listened to a paraliminal, twice, because it was so relaxing. I read e-mail. I ate some dried squid. Kathy came over with some tomatoes and spinach. But she couldn't stay. I got a response from USPS. The link asked me to make an account, which I did, but then there was nothing helpful there. I tried the link again, and this time it directed me to enter a tracking number. So I responded that I did not have it, and who could help me. I watched a video about Star Trek Renegades. Then I looked up Big Bang Theory vids on Youtube. My alarm rang, indicating that it was time to send Kurt the 'morning edition' of my blog so he has something to read while he eats breakfast. After sending it, I went back to BBT videos. Then Chris skyped me. He said things were going so well that he was coming home a day early. His skype account can make phone calls, so I asked him to call the International Inquiry Center (for the post office). But all he got was an automated message that one has to call during business hours. I went through my purse and wallet again, looking for the receipt. It was hard to believe that everything rests on a piece of paper. Without the receipt, there is no way to find the tracking number (unless I bought the label online – which I did not). And they have no other way of tracking it. Chris gave me his skype account info before he signed off. Then I did some tapping. I watched BBT clips on Youtube until 11pm. Then I signed into Skype as Chris and called the post office in Huntsville. The man who answered said it was probably stuck in customs. Amazingly, he also said it might be possible to find the tracking number. He took my information and I gave him my e-mail address. After the call, I thanked God. I still have hope of getting my machine back (and all the sewing things I packed with it). Praise the lord and pass the sewing notions! I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* Live crabs *

How to answer the phone

I woke up in what seemed like the middle of the night. But when I actually got up to get some water and go back to bed, it was quarter of 7. It was a pleasant surprise and I stayed up. I listened to an audio on relationships. I read and answered e-mails. Chris skyped me from Singapore. I read the housing manual. Still no clue as to where egg shells go (garbage or food waste). The manual specified the temperature settings in Fahrenheit, but all the controls are in Celsius. Kathy texted me so we are still on for tomorrow. I found a street map of Chinhae and wondered what the scale was. I read my Korean hand outs, but they had only food nouns, no phrases. I swished, exercised and made breakfast. I listened to an audio as I ate and then did some tapping. I tried to skype my dad. Since the tenant manual stipulated that paper and boxes had to be broken down for recycling, I smoothed out and folded all the moving paper. I pulled off all the tape and threw it away. I broke down four of the boxes, keeping three just in case. Two of the broken down boxes went into the bedroom to cover the window. One went in the closet. The other one I taped shut along one edge and put all the folded paper inside. Then it was ready to be recycled. I swept the floor in the living room and dining room. I was looking for places to put the items from the priority mail boxes when my new phone rang. I could tell Kathy was calling. There was a circle with a green phone in it and one with a red phone in it. I tapped on the green phone but nothing happened. I kept tapping until it stopped ringing. I sent her a text saying I did not know how to answer the phone. Then I realized that I did know how to make a call, so I called her. She said she had called by mistake. But she also told me that I have to SWIPE the green phone circle in order to answer a call. I wondered whose great idea that was. But it was very helpful information for next time. Then I took a shower. I moved my computer from the couch to the desk, then to the dining room table and then around the table. I felt like Sheldon looking for the perfect seat. But I needed a place where I could see my laptop screen without glare from a window and have an outlet nearby. I took my sack and went to the commissary. I got some cleaning supplies and some coconut oil since their coconut oil tastes better than what I shipped. I went to the bank to cash a check but they said I needed an account, or I could have a joint account with Chris but he had to be there to authorize it. Then I went to the phone store, but the lady was out. So I went to the post office, thinking I had a cart from the commissary to carry the boxes. There were three more coming and, hopefully, a sewing machine. Well, no boxes today. So I took the cart back to the commissary since I could carry the mop and stuff by myself. I met Burt's wife and two of their kids. She gave me her phone number. Then I walked home. It was such a nice day that I turned off the heat in all rooms and opened the windows. I made myself a salad with a hard boiled egg on top. I read e-mail. Chrissie sent me a pin of a stay-put towel. I looked for a tutorial on it. I took a break from e-mail to water the mint. There was no handle on the faucet. It needed a special tool, and I remembered seeing one in the same pile of stuff that had the tenant handbook. I used it and watered the mint and the strawberries that grow in the front flower bed. I read a few articles on toxins in our food supply. I set some alarms on my new phone. I put on an audio and sat on the couch to finish my book. The noise from the kids outside was quite loud. This was the first time I had heard them. But after awhile, there was quiet. I stopped the audio and put on some music. I finished the book. Then I was falling asleep. I wanted to stay awake in case Chris tried to skype me. I washed the dishes in the sink. I read about recycling again in the Resident's Guide. I had found more plastic bags and I wanted to be sure they would be taken. I opened them one by one and pulled each one over the mop handle. When I was done, I squished them all together and shoved them into the plastic recycling bin. I opened the mail and e-mailed the bills to Chris. I researched food grade hydrogen peroxide to get the funny taste out of my mouth. Chris skyped me and we talked for awhile. Then he hung up. I finished a few open windows. I rinsed the sprouting seeds I started this morning. Did I mention them? Then I finished my blog post and went to bed.
* Here is a pic of the entrance to the park *