Got that window covered

I slept well after turning off the router last night, even with the plastic bag over my oily hair. I did some mental programming when I heard the alarm ring. I got dressed and emptied the dehumidifier. I squeezed a lemon into my quart of water. I took it out back to sit on the steps in the sun. I could tell it had rained. A small dog came running around the corner. But when he got near me, he stopped. His eyes widened, and he turned around and ran back. I did not recognize him and no one was calling a dog. I separated the laundry and started the darker load. I opened two windows and turned on the fan for some air exchange before the day heated up. Then I sat down to delete the first round of e-mail. I got one from Chris and I replied to it. I took a shower and got dressed. I drove to church. During announcements, the chaplain mentioned that this was the Korean vacation period – about 2 weeks when places shut down and they all go to the beach. I stayed late after the service talking to the chaplain’s wife. Then I drove home to change my clothes. I did another load of wash. I loaded the dishwasher. I sat cross-legged on the couch while listening to Dr. Daniel Amen talk about brain health. I went out to water the plants and mow the lawn. But the battery was running slow on a low charge. I tested the outlet and for some reason it was off so it hadn’t charged the battery. So I turned it on and plugged the battery in. I watered the grass in spots where it was thin. I came in to check the dishwasher. It was finished. I checked e-mail. I listened to an audio and several meditations while ironing fabrics and picking up all the loose threads on the floor. I laid down for the beach visualization. Then I realized it was 7pm so I ran outside to cut the lawn. But the battery was not charged enough to finish the job. I came in. I cut up a blackout curtain panel and pieced it back together to be the right dimension. I nailed it to the wall above the window (I tried pins but they couldn’t handle the weight). Then I checked e-mail. I researched the price of dried unsweetened cranberries and oatmeal on Amazon. I watched an episode of Bones because I felt I deserved some down time. And then it was time for bed, in my darker bedroom.
* this is a button store at Seomun market *

A great invention

I forgot to mention that when I got home yesterday, I popped open a beer. There was something satisfying about the sound and scent of it, and pouring it into the slug’s bowl.
I slept well last night and woke really early, so I did some mental programming and dozed off again. I got up at 7:30 to sit outside and experience the sun. But first I opened all the bags from Daegu and put the items where they should go. I put on my new dust mop slippers. They were very comfortable and I could dust the baseboards without bending over. I suppose if I had Swiffer slippers, I could dust the rungs of chairs. But could I say “Swiffer slippers” three times fast?
I went outside to sit for 10 minutes in the sun, and then I watered the vegetable beds. I saw that the lettuce in back was almost completely eaten, and something had eaten the leaves off of the sweet potato plant. I turned the router on. I tried several videos on Youtube for Kirtan Kriya meditations, but none were the right length. I cleared the first round of e-mail. My laptop crashed in a way indicative of overheating, then restarted itself. I listened to interviews from the summit while making seed crackers and hummus. I baked the crackers at 280 for an hour instead of 400 for 15 minutes. I made and ate breakfast. I cleaned the kitchen. I walked around the house in my dust mop slippers. I got dressed and went to the commissary with my backpack. I found all the items on my list. I wanted a watermelon, but there was no way I would walk home with that much weight. I put the food away. Swanson’s was running a deal where you get $10 off of a $50+ order, so I submitted three orders. I threw a bag of beef bones in the crockpot to simmer. I read e-mail and added dress designs to my Pinterest board. Then I went outside to fertilize the flowers and vegetables. I tied up most of the ones falling down, but some had just outgrown all the props I had available. I clipped the edges of the lawn in preparation to mow it tomorrow. I rested inside while listening to another interview. Take-away: gut permeability leads to brain permeability. A gluten-free diet can do a lot to solve this. I threw some garlic in with the bones in the slowcooker. Then I read up on changes to aging hair. It’s all about the cuticle and the cuticle depends on proper Ph, which is 4 to 5.5. Apparently the trick is to raise the Ph enough to open the cuticle so the moisturizing solution can get in, then lower the Ph to close the cuticle, thereby keeping the moisture in. I warmed some castor oil and added a little coconut oil to it. I saturated my hair and tied a plastic bag over my head to keep it from getting on anything else. I listened to two of Oprah’s meditations and did some tapping. I was getting sleepy, so I posted to my blog and went to bed.

Long day in Daegu

I got up early to do the kirtan mriya meditation with a Youtube video, but I got distracted and read e-mail instead. Then I did the meditation. But time got short. I watered the plants, and finished making the second breakfast from yesterday. I also packed the last of the seed crackers in my market bag. I clipped a piece of fabric from what I bought in Busan to buy a matching zipper. At 8:30, I walked to Linda’s house and she was waiting in the car. We went to the ATM and Mrs. Chung joined us. Linda had her phone plugged into her car to use as a GPS. It gave out voice directions in a slightly British accent. But we had trouble deciphering “Proceed to the route” when we were following it. We got lost several times and called the dealership in Daegu often. But Linda had planned well and we got there at 10:58, with two minutes to spare. Linda (through Mrs. Chung) explained that she wanted two tires put on and an alignment. Then we asked how to get to the fabric market. After some discussion, we decided to take a taxi. It took just under 30 minutes and cost about $13. We were dropped off at a different place then ever before so we saw some new shops, including lace, buttons, feathers and bling. We did some shopping there. We shopped our way to the fabric building. We went to the basement to have lunch because Linda was getting a headache. I went to the restroom and saw that it was located in an area where people were sewing clothing and curtains and such. Good to know. After lunch we went up to the third floor to eyeball all the fabrics. We stopped at the $2/yard place and I loaded up. We shopped down that aisle and later I found a nice sparkly piece for an insert to the dress I intend to make. The Honda place called to say the car was done early because they could not do the alignment due to the trailer hitch. It did not make sense to us. We kind of hurried up, but had a hard time pulling ourselves from the market. I bought a zipper and thread and more blackout fabric (at $1 a yard…) We stopped in the alley for Linda to buy some boots, Then we found our way to the street and hailed a taxi. As he drove, I watched the fare go up, even when we were stopped at a light. But when it got to $15, he turned it off, probably because he was lost. But we were in the right area and he stopped to ask directions and soon we were at the Honda place. Linda paid for the mounting of the tires. They assured her the alignment could wait 6 months, and explained that the trailer hitch kept the car from fitting on their machine. Then we headed home. Linda had a headache, something that happens to her a lot. Traffic was bad because everybody was heading out of town for vacation. It took us over two and a half hours to get back, and a whole lot more in tolls than we paid on the trip up. Yes, the route was different (can’t question the GPS), but still. Perhaps there was a weekend or vacation rate in force? We dropped Mrs. Chung at her place, then came back to base. She parked at her house and I took my bags and walked home. It was probably about 8. I dropped everything on the floor and hit the fridge. While I ate, I finished yesterday’s puzzle. I did Oprah’s meditation. I played an interview from the Alzheimers and Dementia summit while working today’s puzzle. I refilled my supplement containers and made more spice mix. I was surprised to see that it was almost 11. So I sat down to write to my blog, looking forward to going to bed and hoping I did not forget anything.
* A yarn store *

An unexpectedly good day

I heard Chris’alarm ring at 3:30 am. He got up, got dressed and ate breakfast, I guess. I tried to go back to sleep. I heard him leave later, probably 4:30 when the taxi was supposed to arrive. He did not kiss me before he left I did go back to sleep and when I awoke, I was alone, but it did not seem strange at all. I did the kirtan kriya meditation before I got out of bed. I went outside to sit in the morning sun, but it was overcast. I drank my quart of water, then watered the plants. As I was finishing, it started to rain. I read e-mail. Akia had posted about a big outbreak of mold in her house. But no one had any suggestions for her. So I went to her page to messenger her some suggestions. But somehow it posted, because someone else responded to my post. Linda e-mailed me that she was having trouble finding the car dealership in Daegu on her GPS. So we met at my car and tried typing in the address. But my GPS did no better than hers. We got on my laptop to find it, but Google maps couldn’t do it either. After she left, I think I found it with Bing, but it was in Korean and the translation left something to be desired – like clarity. I made the dry parts of two breakfasts in case I needed to stay with Kelly’s kids overnight. I had to refill a bunch of the containers. I made a new mixture of flax and chia. I ground up more dandelion root and milk thistle seed. I quickly got dress and went to yoga. I called Myra on the way, but she said she wasn’t coming because she had been up all night with a sick child. Class was just starting. It was a workout as usual. Then Linda gave me a ride home. I had meant to go by the post office. I finished making the first breakfast and ate it. Then I took a shower and walked to the Foot Shop for my massage. But when I got there, the young man apologized and said he had forgotten to arrange a masseuse for me, and asked if I could come back at 5. But I had to say no because I had volunteered to watch Kelly’s kids. So I signed up for next week and he said it would be free. Then I walked to the next street over to the Chinese massage place. They take walk-ins. I got a massage there for half of the price, but then it took only half of the time. I had them use the Epsom salts I brought for the initial foot soak. It was nice, and I relaxed and concentrated on positive thoughts. I prayed that the situation with Kelly’s kids would be resolved. After the massage, I walked to Daiso and bought two pairs of scissors and two sets of paint brushes. Then I picked up two yards of black-out fabric and a zipper at the fabric place. Then I went to the won store for a plastic basket with handles. I got back to post in time to check the post office. But there was no mail for me. Scott and the firechief were there. Scott pretended to take notes on my whereabouts for Chris. Ha, ha. I met Nela in the lift. I talked to her as she went to sign up for a trip on Saturday. She insisted that I go into the commissary with her to cool off. It was a hot, humid day. My new basket was almost exactly like the commissary hand baskets, color and all. Nela told me Kelly was back on post with her little boy. I was happy not to be spending the night at her house. I walked home. I ate some chocolate balls dipped in coconut butter as I caught up on e-mail. But then Myra called. She asked if I was going to Kim’s party. I knew nothing about it and was surprised because I was sure Kim would want me there. Myra was going so I threw on some shoes and headed out. She met me at the top of the steps. I gave her the fabric from yesterday back. Then we walked to Adrian’s house for the party. The ladies had been eating for a while, I guessed. We talked and ate and looked at pics on phones and told stories. I got very sleepy and took my leave. Myra and Nela decided to come with me. I was walking oddly for being so sleepy. They walked me home even though it was out of their way. Then I laid on the couch ready to sleep. But then I remembered I had to text Linda about tomorrow. So I wrote that text. Then I got on my computer to write to my blog. I even deleted a few e-mails to catch up, and finished an interview and today’s puzzle.

Relaxing afternoon

I got up around 8, after doing some mental programming. I went out back to experience the morning sun. But there wasn’t much because of a large dark cloud. I sat there long enough to drink a quart of water, and then came in. I read e-mail and listened to interviews from the Alzheimer and Dementia summit.. Jim Kwik said that mental fog can be the result of too much social media – it wears out the brain. That sounded about right to me. Myra called to say that she did not go to Busan today because she expected to take Kelly’s kids for part of the day. Chaun spent the night with them. We decided to cancel the evening sewing class. I sent out the announcement that the sewing class was canceled but QOV was still on. I made and ate breakfast. I took the fish quilt and walked to the chapel. No one was there. I pulled a sewing machine and tub of supplies out of the closet. I sat and hand stitched the binding. Chantal came with her baby. We visited and she showed me the fabric she bought for some future projects. After she left, I had to fix some problems I found on the quilt binding. Finally I got back to hand sewing again. I went past our normal 1pm cut off, but was packed up and out by 1:30. I called Myra thinking she was with the kids. But she wasn’t yet, and told me to come over. So I went to her place. She gave me a banana pear cookie and a glass of water. Then we sat and talked and sewed. She finished up some bean bags for Sunday. She gave me fabric to make capes to go on the shirts I embroidered. She said I could sit with the kids tomorrow night. Viral pneumonia is suspected so they can’t stay with anyone who has kids. I came home and ate something. Then I put on some more interviews and cut out capes. I laboriously put hems in the silky material. As I listened, I heard great things about lemon juice, coconut oil, and kirtan krive meditation as prevention of or treatment for dementia. Chris came home from work, ate supper, did a load of laundry and went back to work. I finished the capes and ironed them. I sewed one on. I called Chris to ask him to check the make sure the chapel did not leave their doors open for the sewing group. He was already on his way home so was here shortly after. I helped him fold laundry and watched him pack. It was 10pm by the time he got to bed. I stayed up to blog and then joined him.
* I made four of these today *

Jane is back

I woke up hearing Chris open the front door. I guess he went running because I heard him come back before 7. I tried to go back to sleep or do some mental programming. He took his shower and got ready for work. I may have delayed him. I got out of bed after 8. I sat on the steps in the back, experiencing the morning sun. It had rained so I did not water the plants, but picked a tomato, a cucumber, and a long hot pepper. I drank a quart of water while reading e-mail. I rubbed my hair with a towel to get some of the oil out. Jennifer sent me an address and I used it to prepare a sympathy card. I walked it down to the mail box in lower housing. I listened to an interview from the Alzheimers and Dementia summit. I worked today’s puzzle. I opened two windows and turned on the fan for a bit for air exchange. Then I closed the windows as the day heated up. When the interview was over, it was time for yoga. I grabbed my mat and headed to the gym. I was the only student there, so we talked for a bit. Then other ladies came, some with kids. So yoga started late. It also finished late. I tapped my watch to remind Joelle how late it was. On the way out, I ran into Anna. She was talking to Myra. Myra was babysitting for Kelly who was at the hospital with her son. I walked home and called Myra, but she had to go because one of the kids got paint all over her hands. I made and ate breakfast. I listened to a meditation and fell asleep. Myra called to say another one went to the hospital. I finished the meditation. I watered some of the flowers, and sprayed the lettuce with something to discourage moths. I stuffed my dress form because it seemed to be collapsing. I finished the binding on the neck edge of the peplum top. I was about to start another project when Jane called. She wanted me to sign her on post when she got here. So I took a shower, then walked to the gate to sign her in. She got cash from the ATM and we talked. She came back early from the U.S. because of the heat. That seemed funny to me since it is getting hotter and more humid here all the time. I signed her out, then walked home. I drank two cups of salt water. Chris came home and made his supper. I ate the rest of the bison and some bell pepper. Then I worked on a make-over for a jacket. When Chris was ready, we sat down to watch three episodes of Bones. Chris went to bed. I posted a reminder for QOV tomorrow. Soon, I shall be in bed, too.
* I did not take any pics today, so here is one of a shirt in progress from a few days ago. *

OCD?

I got up after 7:30. I sat on the front stoop and swished. But I couldn’t stand doing nothing, so I got up to water the flowers and vegetables. There was a team of Korean guys getting ready to cut and mow and rake. One said hi but I couldn’t answer him without spitting so I smiled and waved. After watering, I went in to boil water for coffee. I exercised, drybrushed, rebounded, and listened to three meditations. i put coconut oil on my hair to moisturize it. I cleaned my bathroom and the kitchen. I made breakfast. Just as I was sitting down to eat, Chris called. He was in a classroom at the FFTC and wanted me to bring his Blackberry charger cord. So I put on better clothes and walked down there, hoping no one would notice my oily hair. I hated to interrupt the training. I slid in the back door as quietly as possible and handed him the cord. I slipped out and checked the Nex for magnesium before walking home again. I used a Magic Eraser to get black streaks off of the wall. I doubt Chris ever noticed they were there and won’t notice they are gone, but I felt much better after they were gone. I read e-mail, and got hooked on Tedx videos. One followed another automatically while I was playing Free Cell. The one on porn addiction mentioned the hit of instant variety with each click. That reminded me of myself, looking at dresses online. Then there was a sudden, hard rainstorm. I left the laptop to work on the peplum top. I cut an inch and a quarter off the back shoulders, then sewed them to the front shoulders. I guess that made up for the fabric I took out at the side seam dart. I had to re-cut the back neckline, and the top of the zipper. Chris came home. He fixed himself supper while I tried basting the seam binding to the neckline. I had to do it twice. I felt like eating supper when I saw Chris eating steak, but I wasn’t hungry. So I did some tapping and skipped it. We watched three episodes of Bones. I asked Chris to help me move the living room rug because the edge did not line up with the floor boards. He smiled indulgently bur really, it was so much better when all the lines were parallel. Chris went to bed and read for a little while. I stayed up to blog and come up with a picture to go with it.

At least the saints did not go marching out

I got up before the alarm went off and went out to water the flowers and vegetables. When I came in, I took a shower and got dressed. I ran through the e-mail quickly. I swallowed my supplements from yesterday and ate a few cranberries. I picked up my trombone and music and took them to the car. I drove to the FFTC and parked there. I walked to the chapel. The pianist was already there. She said she had just called me to ask me to come early, and there I was. I had already put my phone on vibrate so I did not hear it. But I was early. We practiced and parts of it went ok, others were hit and miss. She asked the secretary to do some translating so she could understand what I was wanting. Anyway, I thought we had it all settled. I put my trombone on its makeshift stand in the corner and went home. Chris was not there so I must have just missed him in transit. I read e-mail for a while and did some meditating and tapping for nervousness. I got in the car to go back to church. I passed Chris walking home so I stopped. He got in and dropped me off at church. I was 15 minutes early. I sat by my trombone with my music ready. Connie (the man in charge for the day) came over to explain when my part would take place – right after the passing of the peace. I noticed the two Korean women in front of me had violins. First Connie gave the invocation and Bible reading. Then She-Uk and his singing partner led us in singing praise songs. Then we passed the peace. I took my trombone and music up front. Connie introduced me. I introduced the first song – Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee. We sang three verses. Then I introduced When the Saints Go Marching In. Connie asked everyone to stand It went over well and people sang loudly. They clapped after the third verse. I think the pianist gave me the strong downbeat and I missed it for all the voices. So we got a rocky start to the fourth verse. But there was clapping when it was over. Hmm. At least the saints did not go marching out. Then I introduced the third song – All Hail the Power. It went well, and then my part was over! I thanked them for being a good congregation and sat down. There was another reading and the kids sang: simple songs that went on and on and on for dozens of repetitions. Then we had communion. After that, the choir sang three numbers with violin accompaniment. We sang with them because the lyrics were on ppt. After another reading from the Bible, the young man from the first duet stood up and he sang a solo, then directed two songs. And finally the service was over. I got a few comments as I packed up my trombone. The pianist suggested we do it again sometime. Kathy said I could be song leader some Sunday if the praise team was not there. Ha. Chris stopped by to pick me up and take me home. I changed clothes and then we went to the commissary. On the way back, I used handles to carry the bags. One came from Home Plus and the other one I made. I had to test them out to see if they made a difference. Yes, but not as much as I had hoped. Chris put the food away and I checked e-mail. When I saw him folding laundry, I picked up mine and put it away. Then we spent the afternoon on our laptops. I watched videos on altering men’s pants and coats. I went outside to clear grass from the stepping stones. Then I raked our grass and the public area where most of the cut tufts landed. I pulled weeds from between the bricks of the patio. I picked some dandelion and some lettuce for a salad. I added a tomato and the cucumber picked yesterday. There was half a green pepper from Chris’ supper. I ate it at my computer. We watched two episodes of Bones early so Chris could leave for the airport to pick up a new employee. I watched an episode of The Quilt Show online. I tweaked a Swanson’s order that did not get submitted earlier because the offer expired before I could finish. I did some stretches while listening to a meditation and something in my lower back popped. I did more stretches but could not get it to pop back. Chris called to say he was on his way up the hill and would be home soon. When he got in, he went to bed. I stayed up to finish my blog post.
* I did not take any pics today, so here is one of the menu at the Chinese massage place. *

The protest

I stayed up late just watching Bones, so when we went to bed, it was after midnight. Needless to say, we slept late. I remember having a dream and then asking myself the questions I had read in an article. Who are you in the dream? What is your purpose? What do you like about being this object? What do you dislike about being this object? What do you fear most? What do you desire most? How does this resemble a situation in your waking life? I don’t even remember the answers now. After getting up, I swished with charcoal and baking soda while watering the flower beds. I picked three tomatoes. I heard the magpies making velociraptor sounds. It was a little unnerving. Usually they make a ‘yuk,yuk,yuk’ sound like they are laughing at me. (I so hope it was the magpies.)
I brought the tomatoes in and got a quart of water to drink while I read e-mail. I finished yesterday’s puzzle. I did my exercises while listening to an audio. I looked up some actors and actresses from the episode of Bones last night. I read e-mail, then unloaded the dishwasher. I skyped with Dad and Kurt and Faye. It felt like reunion week for me. I made and ate breakfast, Then I went out to view the protest but did not see anyone. I re-tied the squash, and raked a little. I came in to practice singing the hymns. I made copies from my hymnal. I heard a Korean voice from a loud speaker. It was closer than before. I went out again and this time could see the crowd, but just barely through the trees. The sounds alternated between passionate speech and a song which sounded like something from a kids show. I went in. I read about the hymns online, looking for something to say as an introduction. I worked on the weekend puzzle. I made a makeshift double boiler to melt cocoa butter. While it was melting, I blended up the food waste and poured it on the garden. Then I stirred in coco powder. When I put in the Manuka honey, the chocolate seized. There was no pouring it, so I rolled it into balls with my hands and put the balls in the fridge to harden. At least they don’t melt in your hands.
Chris came home from work and the commissary with groceries. He cooked steaks in the oven and quinoa on the stove top. We ate. I changed my clothes and we walked to the theater. We saw Independence Day: Resurgence. It was ok, but I liked the first one better. Then we walked home in the dark. I played through the hymns for tomorrow just to see how easy or difficult it was. Then I played the trombone parts for When the Saints Go Marching In. I packed up the trombone and the music. Chris helped me look for my trombone stand, but it was nowhere to be found. I took the top off of a wire music stand and rubberbanded a quilted square to the top of the stem. That seemed to work so I packed it up, too, for tomorrow morning. I posted to my blog while listening to a Schuman Resonance audio. Chris made coffee so he could stay up and play with the voices.
* Here is my lettuce, doing well under the protection of tulle *

Super embroidery

I slept in late because I was up so late. I swore I wouldn’t, but I did it again, looking at evening dresses. When I got up, I had circles under my eyes. Chris went to work. I got dressed and watered the flowers. Then I walked to the FFTC for Community Roundup. I sat beside Myra. We heard a lot of schedule changes in the next 8 weeks, but what I remembered best was that for Labor Day, Monday will be the official holiday and THEN there will be TWO training holidays. That means the post office will be closed Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues and Wed. Five days with no mail in or out. Gaaah! After the meeting, I told the man from Housing that I did not want my house sprayed again for centipedes because the spray will get on my vegetables. He seemed to understand and intended to comply. In the hallway was a table with free books that MWR was getting rid of. Myra and I picked a few each. Then I walked her home, and went home myself. I made breakfast and skyped with Kurt, Faye and Dad. Faye showed me the quilt that Donna gave her. Dad’s grandmother made it, but there is no label to attest to that fact. Then I went over to Myra’s place. She said she had to make bean bags for the Superhero event coming up next weekend. She gave me five shirts to embroider on for the kids who had no costumes. I brought them home, along with her sketch of the logo. I scanned it into the laptop and imported it to my software. I played around with fonts for quite some time, then decided just to go with a simple outline. The first shirt came out ok, but something went wrong on the second one. I stopped after 2 letters and took them out. I rebooted the machine and added more stabilizer. Then the second one went well, but on the third one, I grabbed the wrong marker. It was a regular marker, not a fabric marker. So I washed it in the sink and hung it up to dry. I embroidered two other shirts. I called Myra to tell her about it. Then I took a nap on the couch. I had a hard time waking up, but then I went outside and mowed our lawn, then the lawn next door, and then the public areas in front. Finally the mower battery ran down so I quit. I plugged it in to recharge. By then Chris was home (it was after 7). I got some string to tie up the squash which was growing out of the vegetable bed. I came in to read e-mail. I did one of Oprah’s meditations. Then I played my trombone music on the keyboard with the chords and realized that they did not go together. I got out my trombone. I cued up a site that played the tune so I could play with it, but that did not work well. Then I fiddled around with my keyboard, locating the tune which happened to be built in. Once I figured out how to get it to play, I was able to play it at a slow speed, and get it right, then increase the tempo. Verse three sounded so much better. Then I went on to verse 4 and finally nailed that, too. Sadly it would only play one verse and then stop. Maybe tomorrow I can figure out how to record me playing several verses in a row. Chris made himself supper and ate it. He sliced up the pineapple and I ate some of that. Then I jotted notes for my blog for later. We watched two episodes of Bones. He went to bed and I stayed up to blog, not look at evening dresses online.

Practice wasn't perfect

I slept well last night, not waking at all until morning. Sadly I had stayed up late looking at evening dresses online. I heard Chris go running and come back by 7:30. I got up to sit on the front step, experiencing the morning sunlight. I watered the plants really well. I went to the back to water the lettuce. The tulle over it was full of pine straw from the gutter cleaning yesterday. I shook it out and replaced it, putting stones around the edges to keep the moths out. When I came in, I looked up free sheet music for “When the Saints go Marching In” for the piano. Most arrangements were ridiculously easy, and one was really complicated. I printed out an easy one, then realized it was in the wrong key. I found it in another key, but still not the right one. I hoped the pianist could transpose. I printed and taped segments of the trombone piece together to make four different verses. It took longer than it was worth. I quickly deleted a bunch of e-mail, about 60. I dressed for yoga and took my mat to the gym. Joelle and I talked for a while, but no one else came. So I had a private yoga session. She was in a mood to do inversions so we did headstands. Myra stopped by to say she would walk with me to the massage place because she had an appointment right after mine. I walked home to make and eat breakfast. I did a little e-mail and took a shower. I walked down to Myra’s place and she came out. We walked into town, and parted in front of the foot shop. I relaxed while soaking my feet. Then I got a massage, the most relaxing one to date. Myra was there soaking in the foot tub when I got out. I got dressed and walked home. I had a bite to eat and cleared some e-mail, then practiced my trombone part. I packed it up and drove to the chapel. Mrs. Kim was not there yet. I assembled the trombone and put the music on a stand. She arrived soon. We played through the piece and some of the verses just did not work. I don’t know if the chord structure was changed or what. A lady came in and started listening. I think she is the choir director. She said I was too low for the piano. At first I did not understand, but then it came to me that she meant it was flat. So I tuned the trombone to the piano. That did sound better, but what I copied for the second verse and part of the 4th verse was still odd. As we continued to practice together, people were arriving for the financial peace seminar. I was uncomfortable with people listening. Elizabeth and her family came in. She told me she used to play French horn, but she did not have it with her. Then we decided to practice again early Sunday morning. I packed up and drove home, determined to write a new part for verses 2 and 4. Chris came in right behind me. He cooked the sausages that Anna gave me. I ate two and left two for him, but he said he did not like liver. I read and cleared e-mail and listened to some audios. Then we watched the last episode of Castle on the DVD and the pilot episode of Lois and Clark. I used the time to roll out trigger points on my thighs with a water bottle. After the show, Chris looked up some of the actresses for me. Then he went to bed. I blogged and meditated to be sure I could sleep.

Another sewing day

I heard Chris leave for PT. I tried to go back to sleep, and I would have succeeded but the land line rang. I ignored it, but got up when sleep was not forthcoming. I got dressed and went outside to see the sun, but it was covered with clouds. The recyclables were strewn in the street. I figured the magpies had done it. I put them back in a pile for pickup. I transplanted things from small pots to the hanging baskets that had dead plants. The phone rang again and I answered it but the man was looking for Chris’ office number. Then I got out my new seaweed fertilizer. I mixed it with water and covered all the plants, potted and not. When I went in, Chris was taking a shower. I don’t know how I missed him coming home. His cell phone rang. I told him about it when he got out of the shower. I read e-mail and drank water. I worked today’s puzzle. I finished listening to the interview from yesterday. I started one from the Soul of Healing summit. I heard noises I could not identify. When I went out to check, there was a man on the roof. I assumed he was cleaning the gutters. I did my exercises. I made and ate breakfast. I made up a new batch of supplements so I could order more. But then their site wasn’t working. I finalized and submitted a Jo-anns order. I worked for hours on the trombone music. I analyzed it, I made copies which I cut apart and pasted together. I played pieces of it. But some of it needed transposing. And it was taking far longer than it should, or than it was worth. I went outside to trim the lawn and pick tomatoes and a cucumber. I came in at 6, knowing my time was short for getting to sewing class. I took a shower and got dressed. I just had time to make one more copy of the music and scan a pic that Suzanne gave me. I drove to the chapel and met Myra there. Soon other people came. We stayed in the nursery classroom because the regular one was so cold and the tables were set up in lecture formation. We had a good crowd and the kids played nicely together. I got the binding sewn to the perimeter of the fish quilt. Jadyn and Princess both finished their pillowcases. Myra worked on costumes with the kids. Anna finished a block and Nela worked on her dress. We packed up on time for once. I drove home, but Chris was not there when I got in. I thought maybe Chris was at the movies, but then called his office. He answered. Chris said he would be leaving in the next 10 minutes and was not alone. So I read e-mail until he came home. He was not hungry for supper. He just changed his clothes and we watched two episodes of Castle. I noticed that the spicy smell was gone. He went to bed and I blogged.

Doing the little things

I got up before 8 to sit outside and swish. I watered the plants and trimmed some of them. I swept the rugs in front of and behind the front door, plus the front porch. I blended up the food waste to put on the vegetable beds. I also blended up the egg shells. The indoor rugs had dried, so I put them back in place. I also bagged up the recyclables for tomorrow. I turned on the fan and opened the window to get some fresh air for a change. I printed out the music that I downloaded. I listened to an interview which droned on and on off topic. I looked up the songs for Sunday to tell the chaplain. I got dressed for yoga. Kurt called me on skype from Shartlesville. He and Faye and Dad were in a motel room. So I talked to them for a while, willing to be a little late to yoga. When I got to the gym, they were waiting on me since there were only two people in class. We had a good stretch, and a light workout. Then I walked back with Myra and picked up the fish quilt. I went to Chaun’s place and bought another movie. Then I walked home. I made and ate breakfast. I did today’s puzzle. I read part of an e-book called the End of Alzheimer’s. So far its basic conclusion is that most cases are caused by a disease of the body which gets missed in the diagnosis: infection, metabolic disorder, deficiency, toxicity, etc. I trimmed the fish quilt and cut strips for binding. I handled an Amazon replacement order, finally settling for a refund. I e-mailed back and forth to the chaplain getting songs and lyrics for Sunday. I printed the music I ordered and played through it on trombone. Most of it was feasible with a little tweaking. I swept the back porch. I marked the best portions of the music, played them on the keyboard to get the timing right, then played through again on trombone. I was just starting to listen to the rest of the off topic interview (it was just getting on topic) when Chris came home. He told me the impatiens were wilting. So I went out there and watered them and the plants around them. When I came in, Chris had changed his clothes. He fixed his supper. I took out the side seams on my peplum top and drew in new ones, then sewed on the lines. I also drew new armscye lines and made plans to move the back shoulder seam up in relation to the front shoulder seam. Then Chris was ready, so we sat down to watch 2 episodes of Castle. He went to bed. I stayed up (as usual) to write to my blog. I might do a little meditation since that seems to help me sleep.

Cleaning

I slept well last night after listening to 10 minutes of a meditation. I dimly heard Chris leave in the morning and later my alarm went off. I figured he had gone to work early like last week. I got up and brushed my teeth. I started swishing and sat on the front porch to see the early sun. Chris came back from PT, all sweaty and ready for his shower. He understood that I was swishing and could not speak. After he went in, Kelly drove by. She stopped to ask if I was going to the Alpha store. I had to spit in the strawberry bed in order to answer her. I did not know anything about the trip. I came in to drink water and drybrush and make coffee. Later, I thought I heard my phone buzzing. I turned the sound on, and saw a message from Nela telling me about the Alpha trip and asking where I was and why I did not answer the phone. I wrote back that I had turned it off for church and had other plans for the morning. Within a few minutes, Nela stopped by to ask if I wanted to go to Alpha but I had already done the exercises and taken the niacin so I said no. She pressed but I insisted. She went back to the van and they started their trip. I caught up on my meditations by doing three of them. The coffee morning lasted until 11:30. I started cleaning my bathroom, then I decided to clean Chris’ too. And one thing led to another and I vacuumed and mopped the floors, then vacuumed the bedroom and part of my sewing room, but then stopped because stray threads could tie up the beater bar. When I realized Chris wasn’t coming home for lunch, I cleaned the kitchen and various containers that I use every day. I mopped floor, then made and ate breakfast while listening to an audio. I did today’s puzzle. I took the bathroom rugs out of the washer. I cleaned backing pieces off the floor and out of the washer tub. I put some things back in place. I took a cooler to Myra. I stopped at Chaun’s place, but she was not home. I talked to Myra and then Scott when he got home. I left at 6 to put the rest of the stuff back in the utility room before Chris got home. I watered the lettuce and left the bug-eaten one outside the tulle covering. I was reading e-mail when Chris came home. He had a package from Swansons. He also said he noticed I had been cleaning. While he ate supper, I kept reading. I submitted an Amazon order to replace the items I was going to order from Nuts.com. I tried to print the trombone music but it took too long to get the old desktop to cooperate in pulling up the e-mail and downloading the file. I stopped so we could watch Bones. We saw three episodes. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog. I played a little air trombone to exercise my lip without waking Chris.
* These are the tomatoes I picked today *

Online offers

Chris woke me up early. He reeked of something spicy and I could not face him. (I am the one that eats the kimchi so go figure.) Chris went to church late. I got up to drink a quart of water and read e-mail. I stopped to take a shower and get dressed. I dusted some of the baseboards and filled 2 water containers. I printed out the list of hymns I had come up with and a list of nuts I wanted to buy from the nut vendor. Chris was late coming home from church, so I stood outside with the keys and he met me at the car. The chaplain was gone for the weekend, so one of the elders gave a talk on tools. He used lots of analogies to describe us as God’s faulty tools. After the service I gave the list of hymns to the pianist. She indicated which ones she liked best. I agreed to get her the music for When the Saints Go Marching In. Chris arrived and we walked to the commissary for groceries. When we brought them home, we saw dog poop on the front lawn and someone out looking for their dog. I changed clothes while Chris put away the food. I made and ate breakfast. I replaced the vacuum cleaner belt, which means no more excuses for not sweeping. I sent Suzanne the list of nuts since she wasn’t in church. I was making a Nuts.com order for cacao nibs and they had announced free shipping over $59. So I asked Linda if she wanted anything. She gave me a list of three things which I added. I counted drowned slugs in the beer bowl and found 16. I watered all the plants including the lettuce. There was a moth under the tulle that covered the lettuce so I am guessing it has been eating my plants. I added to my order to Nuts.com. I looked into sheet music for When the Saints go Marching In. I listened to several arrangements on Youtube. I bought the trombone part to one of them. Chris made himself supper but did not use the curry powder. We hoped that would make him smell better. I worked on a Swansons list, but when I tried to check out the website would not give me the terms of the current offer. I sent them an e-mail, resigned to the probablility that the offer will expire before anyone in their office comes in to read the e-mail. I tried to check out on Nuts.com but the site would not invoke the free shipping offer. I sent them an e-mail. Chris asked if he smelled any better. It was the same smell, but much reduced from this morning. We watched one episode of Bones. I got a reply from Nuts.com saying their offer was not good for FPO/APO addresses. Faced with a $52 shipping charge, I played with the order to see how much of it was due to Linda’s order. But even without it, they wanted $52. But now the items would be cheaper from Amazon which does give free shipping. So I wrote to Linda to see what she wanted me to do. Then I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* This is me and mini-me *

Yard sale and massage

We woke up early. I was expecting to hear Kelly come get the FRG stuff from our shed. But 7am came and went. I heard my alarm go off at 7:30. At 7:40 I checked the shed and called her. She said she was getting breakfast and would be over soon. I started carrying stuff from the shed to the curb. Chris came out to help and Kelly arrived. We loaded her car and she said she had help to unload. So while she went to the Housing center, I read e-mail and started drinking water. Kelly posted a pic on Facebook of the tables and stuff for sale. I decided it was time to go. So I asked Chris for money and walked over. As I walked among the tables, I bought a set of ice cube trays. Then, as I was looking at a modern version of Spirograph, So Young called to ask if I could sign her on base for the yard sale. I said ok. I bought the Spirograph. Then I looked at all the movies that Chaun had for sale. She had the titles printed on flyers. So I took one home for Chris. He was in the shower so I had to wait. Then So Young called to say they were near the gate. When Chris got out, he marked the ones he wanted. Then he got dressed and went to work. I walked quickly to the gate to sign in So Young who had her three kids with her. As we walked to Housing (in the rain), her boys were catching cicadas. Amazing. In Housing, Nela wanted me to sit and talk to her. She was selling dolls and dresses and stuff that she had knitted or crocheted. Really nice stuff. I gave Chaun the list of movies and she picked them out for me. I paid with the cash Chris gave me. I talked to Suzanne about the nut man, and to Anna and to her husband. When So Young was done shopping, I walked her back to the gate and signed her out. I went back to Housing and hung out till it was over and then helped to carry stuff out. There was a lot of stuff left over and most of it went to the chapel for donation. Myra gave me a pair of her husband’s pantsfor Chris. Then I went home to make breakfast. When I finished, it was time to leave. With my umbrella I walked past the Foot Shop to the McDonalds where Mrs. Kim was waiting for me. She took me to a Chinese massage place. I don’t know if we were expected or not, but we both got foot massages. She asked what kind of massage I wanted and I suggested a face massage because of my clenched jaws. I did not realize what that meant. She had to leave and told me I would look beautiful. They put me in a small room (unlike the foot massage which was given in the public area.) I had to take off my top and lay down. She massaged my face, neck and shoulders, using lots of creams. The whole time another woman was watching and I think the first one was explaining the process to her. Then she spread a face mask on me and walked out. Later I heard the sounds of a TV. I don’t know how long I laid there. I had to put my knees up to stretch my back. Chris called to say he was coming home from work and would see me soon. I said “No, you won’t.” Soon she came back and peeled the mask off. Then I heard a tinny man’s voice say “It’s over.” It was her phone. Kind of funny. So I paid 32,000 won and walked home. Chris said my face was kind of pink. It was tight, too. So I boiled water and added essential oils to it. I made a hood from a towel and steamed my face, trying to get off of it whatever she put on it. Chris made supper, so we ate and read e-mail. I searched for gospel songs on the internet, looking for something worth being one of my top three songs. I liked When the Saints go Marching In, which could be great on trombone but my lip is not in shape. I looked up the sheet music online to see if there was a jazzed up version in my preferred range. Then we started watching Mission Impossible: Ghost something, but I didn’t like it because the action was too hard to follow. So Chris put on King Arthur, with Ioan Gryffud and Keira Knightly. That was better, although I covered my eyes during the bloody scenes. It was long, too, so we went to bed late.
* Nela and her beautiful knitted crafts *

All wrapped up

I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. I don’t know why. Chris went to work early. I stayed in bed until 8. I got up to get a quart of water. I found a centipede on the kitchen floor. I hit it several times and then drowned it in the sink to be sure it was dead. I sat on porch looking in the direction of the sun while drinking water. I counted the slugs in the bowl. There were 10. I read e-mail until Myra came over. We hauled FRG stuff out of the shed and priced it. I had bought price stickers but could not find them anywhere. So we used painter’s tape. We cleaned some of the tablecloths with bleach, and threw out those with lots of mildew. Kelly came by to see what we had to sell and make arrangements to take it to the yardsale tomorrow. Myra and I collected it all in one corner of the shed so Kelly could come get it at 7am. Then we took a roll of paper tape to Myra’s house. She taped me up, and Nela came to watch and to work on her own dress. Myra used a hair dryer to speed the drying process. She showed me her formal gown from last year’s ball. Then she cut the tape dress form up the back. She took pics of me wearing it before I took it off. She put it on a hanger and I brought it home. I made and ate breakfast, and read an article on intravenous ALA. I worked today’s puzzle. I watered all the plants. I re-watched the part of the Craftsy class on making dress forms. Then I stuffed the dress form and slapped on more tape to close the back. I looked at videos of lawn edging, then remembered Myra’s suggestion and looked up CD stained glass – it makes a neat project for using up old CD’s. I went outside to edge the flower bed in the side yard. It was easier than I thought. When I came in, I looked for hymns for the hymn sing. Chris came home just as I was finishing going through the hymnal. I wished I had brought my gospel piano book, but I couldn’t find it with the other piano books so I guess it went in storage. It was getting dark, so I went outside to mow the lawn and roll up the rug. I covered the lettuce to protect it from bugs, and put out beer for the slugs. Something seems to be drinking it. I picked some sweet potato leaves and dandelion for salad, then added a yellow pepper, small tomato and a cucumber from the fridge. I ate while reading e-mail. We watched one episode of BBT.

Then Chris had to make a call to the states before we could watch an episode of Bones. While waiting, I made seed crackers. But at 9:30, his call was over yet he was busy composing an e-mail. I pinned several variations of alterations to my peplum top and took pics so I could compare them. He still wasn’t ready, so I told him it was too late and I needed my laptop back to post to my blog and go to bed.

Out of order

Apparently yesterday's post (Sun Today) did not post. It remained as a draft in Blogger. So now that it is posted, please note that it is out of order.

Sun today!

Chris woke me up early with caresses. I guess he wanted a reason not to go to PT. Anyway, he was out the door to work by 8. I did not get up right away, even though I remembered the recyclables. But 15 minutes later, I got them out the door. I spent some time sitting on the porch, looking in the direction of the sun. Then I walked through the yard picking up worm castings and putting them in the flower beds. I came in and washed off my feet and hands. I drank water while meditating. It is day 3 for Deepak and Oprah’s new meditation series and I am just now getting around to day 1. I read e-mail. I listened to a long tapping audio. During the audio I ate seed crackers and checked Swansons.
I took a shower and got dressed. I grabbed the extra shovel and my tote bags. I dropped the shovel off at Housing on my way to the chapel for QOV. Myra was there, as was Kelly and two of her girls. Others came in later. It was well after 1 when they finally left. Anna dropped me off at the five-day market. I thought she was coming along, but she went home. I walked through Home Plus first, looking for a large carabiner. But I only found small ones. I did find a plastic handle with hook for carrying plastic bags. Then I went across the street to the market. I wandered along its length with one goal in mind – to buy kimchi. But I got weak and bought dehydrated sweet potatoes and cranberries. At the kimchi stand, the lady did not understand what I meant by old kimchi. So I turned on the wi-fi and data network for my phone. Then I called up the translation app and typed in ‘old kimchi’. She understood then, and pulled out a bag from the back. She had me taste it, perhaps not sure this meeguk understood what I was asking for. It was delicious. So I bought 5000 won worth, which was a bigger amount than if I had bought the fresh stuff. On the way back to the main street, I got some lettuce plants. I used my bag holders to carry my purchases. I went to the bus stop and called Myra to be sure which bus came to the base. But that one was 34 stops away, so I took 163, which goes to Masan, and got off before it turned to leave town. I still had a long walk back, about the same as from the everyday market. I was dripping sweat when I got back home. I put the food away and the lettuce outside. I made and ate breakfast while finishing my audio. I started watching a presentation on Vimeo called “Killing us Softly 4” where the speaker talks about how females are portrayed in advertisements. But the video did not play well and despite several refreshes I was not able to view the entire thing. I just had time to eat a few dehydrated sweet potato sticks before I had to leave for sewing class. As I walked out the front door, Kelly was driving by and offered me a ride. But I wanted to drive to keep in practice. So I drove to the FFTC and walked to the chapel. Myra was just getting Kelly and her daughter started sewing. Others arrived shortly, with children. It was a full house, sharing machines and scissors. I showed one little girl how to rotary cut blocks (under close supervision). I showed her even younger sister how to hand sew around an image she drew. Keeping everyone busy kept Myra and me busy. Hai Wa kept the other kids busy. We packed up a little late, but stood in the parking lot talking for an hour. When I got home, Chris wanted to watch Big Bang Theory because the episodes are shorter. Then he went to bed and I stayed up to blog and avoid Pinterest.
* These are for carrying bags. Cheap, convenient, but not for high volume. *

So tired

I was up late watching a video on sewing clutch purses. So I slept late this morning. I got up at 9. I read papers that were stuck in our door outside, soaking up sunlight. I swept the foyer. I read e-mail while drinking water. I exercised and listened to an audio on the lymphatic system. Then I went to yoga. I was tired, and we practiced handstands, so my arms were all worn out. Myra said she’d go out in town with me when I walked to my massage. I came home for lunch. I had to refill a bunch of powdered containers so making breakfast took longer than usual. Also, I unloaded the dishwasher to get a bowl and spoon. I chewed one of my niacin tablets before eating breakfast. Then I sat down to read e-mail while eating. Linda came over to get plastic bags for the yard sale. I ran out of time reading, so I jumped into the shower. When I got out, I was sporting a full on flush from the niacin. I was red from head to toe. I filled the water containers and got dressed. Myra called to say she wasn’t coming. I hurried to massage, running in late. But I relaxed in the foot bath and later enjoyed the foot massage immensely. Afterward, I went straight home. I called Myra who said she would come over to help me price stuff for the yard sale. I watered my plants, and stretched out a package of terrace edging that Linda gave me. Myra called to say it was too late and she had to start supper. I worked on cutting a red handle from a plastic produce plate. It is to hold multiple grocery bags. I e-mailed Kelly to see if she needed bags for the yard sale. I cleared e-mail, then planted the lettuce. I did the Day 2 meditation. I continued reading e-mail, then ate a chicken leg. Then I did the Day 3 meditation to catch up. I laid down on the couch until Chris came home and ate his supper. Then we watched three episodes of Bones. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog and resist temptation to stay online.
* This is not my design. I saw a drawing on the internet. *

Yoga is back on

I got to bed late because of looking at plus size ball gowns online. I wanted to see what styles looked good on those figures. I finally turned to Pinterest, thinking someone has already gathered the kind of photos I want. But it got late and I quit to go to bed. I had trouble sleeping, but there was no rls. Chris got up early to go running. I thought I had missed my alarm going off, but it was just really early. I did some mental programming. Chris came home, rested, and took a shower. I finally got up just as he was leaving. I grated some lemon peel into my lavender and peppermint oil mix. I blended all the food waste and poured it on the flowerbeds. The grass and sidewalks were wet. I counted 11 slugs in the beer for a total of 234. Sadly, I saw way too many non-slug bugs in beer as well. I drank my water as I jotted notes for my blog. I worked today’s puzzle while listening to a very interesting but long audio on light. He said to cover up inside and go naked outside. He also recommended that the best time to get sunlight in your eyes is 6 to 8am. Sunlight through windows doesn’t count. I made up a week’s worth of vitamins: many were low or empty. There must be a shipment outstanding. I finished the audio, grabbed my mat and went to yoga. We had a large class including kids. I walked back with Myra. Chris was eating lunch when I got home. There was a package from Swanson’s, but I still did not have everything. I added to the ones I had already made up. I made breakfast, and then Myra came by for tomato stakes. We looked at some of my plants, and she left. I ate breakfast while reading e-mail. I listened to another long audio. During it, I made mayonnaise. It did not work the first time so I made another batch, which did not work either. So I switched from the immersion blender to the Kitchen Aid blender. And voila, mayo. I put it in the fridge and cleaned up the oily utensils. I sent my weekly Facebook message reminder about QOV. I draped the sparkly fabrics on myself to see what they would look like in a dress. The dehumidifier quit when it got full. The humidity went from 75 when I turned it on this morning to 62. I put some cedarwood oil in the bug spray bottle and sprayed the tomatoes that have aphids. I noted that it was raining lightly again. I read e-mail. I took pics of the peplum top in the bathroom mirror to send to the instructor. I created a Pinterest board for dresses that might look good on short fat people, and filled it with images from Pinterest. I searched for over an hour. I ate leftovers for supper. Chris came home late because he had to meet someone at the airport. He made popcorn and we watched two episodes of Bones. He went to bed and I stayed up to blog, but instead got hooked on looking at dress designs on Pinterest. It is addictive (and almost midnight).

FRG and fabric market

Chris got up early to go to PT. I heard him come home at 8. I got up and he laid on the floor. I checked e-mail while drinking and then swishing. Chris got dressed and went to work. I exercised and drybrushed and rebounded. I made coffee. I meditated and tapped. Nela called to ask me to pay for her yard sale table at the FRG meeting. I cleaned in the kitchen, then got dressed. I ate some seed crackers. I took my umbrella to the FRG meeting, running into Chris on the way. The meeting was short and informative. They are looking for volunteers. I paid for Nela’s table and for Anna’s because she did not have the money with her. Afterward I called Nela, but she was still having lunch with the ladies. So I walked home. It was kind of rainy. I watered my bowls of lettuce. I ate the remaining blueberries on the plant. I loaded the bread machine and turned it on. I made and ate breakfast while reading e-mail. Nela called to say they were coming by to pick me up. I threw on some shoes and went outside. I placed the plastic bag back on the downspout. The van arrived so I got in beside Myra. Nela handed me $10. Kim drove us to Busan following Mrs. Oh’s directions. But it got confusing. We parked in the deck and walked across the street to the market. We looked at salmon pink trims for Kim’s dress. We looked at glitzy fake jewelry. We wandered around. We went back to where I got the red, white and black fabric. I bought more for sleeves. I also got some shiny blues for a Navy ball dress (with a little luck). We walked around until the vendors packed up and went home. We stopped at the thread store for Kim to buy thread. We got in her van and went back to Chinhae. Mrs. Oh tried to direct by calling someone, but it was confusing again, so we just followed the GPS. Kim dropped me off at my house. Chris was already home. I ate some chicken and cucumbers. I read a posting about interesting web sites (like I need more of those.) Then we watched one episode of Bones. He went to bed before 10. I stayed up to blog and could not resist another audio.
* The fabric lady threw in a piece of silver for free *

How to carry grocery bags

I woke up before Chris finished gaming. I had to stretch my legs to get the restlessness out. When I got back in bed, I held the forearm meridian points for a while and went back to sleep. We slept through my alarm. Chris’ alarm went off at 8 and he got ready and went to church. I got up to research handles for carrying heavy grocery bags. I saw a selection on Amazon, but they seemed kind of expensive. Different designs had different drawbacks. I quit at 9:45 to take my shower. I used my homemade shampoo but it smelled funny today. After getting dressed, I got back online to search for ways to make carrying handles. Carabiners looked like the most promising thing. Chris arrived to take me to church. I threw on my shoes and we went. I sat in my usual pew. So Young told me she hadn’t used the shampoo I gave her yet and I told her it might be bad by now. We had the usual service. During sharing the peace, Suzanne gave me a bag of coffee grounds. I noticed a new man in church who looks like my massage guy. It hoped it wasn’t because my massage guy has seen me almost naked. How do you socialize with someone who has seen such a thing? I stayed late talking to Kathy. Then Chris showed up. We went to the commissary. I thought Nela would be there but apparently she was at lunch. I was going to ask her if the commissary told anything for carrying heavy grocery bags. We bought food and took it home. I made a new batch of spice mix. I made and ate breakfast. I blended up the food waste and poured it on the garden. I poured out my homemade shampoo bottle. I got a frozen shampoo pellet and put it in the bottle to melt in the fridge. Yesterday I had read an article about how fermented foods and leftover foods contain lots of histamine, which leads to itching among other things. Reading the list of foods to avoid, I was struck by the infeasibility of it. So I looked up essential oils with antihistamine properties. Someone recommended a combination of lemon, peppermint and lavender. I did not have lemon, but I mixed some peppermint and lavender oil with coconut oil. I had a spoonful of that. Then I ate the pulp from some lemons that had been squeezed. I felt pretty good on that. No itching at that moment. I watched sewing videos. I re-cut the neckline after investigating necklines I already own. I tried re-cutting the armholes but it seemed like they were just too big already. So I sewed side seams to get a better feel for how the armholes will have to be cut so the edges meet. I needed a break and it was getting late. I picked up worm castings in the back yard and distributed them to certain plants. I mowed our lawn and next door until Chris declared supper ready. He picked our first cucumber. I finished the most visible parts of the lawns and went in. I ate two chicken legs, asparagus, rice and salad. I checked e-mail until Chris was ready. We watched three episodes of Bones. Chris went to bed. I stayed up to blog but got hooked looking at bag carrying options. I found an idea for a home made one, and ended up seeing how to fuse plastic bags together to make placemats. Cool!

Daddy Longlegs

I slept well but woke up too early. I got up and basted some seams on my top. Then I went back to bed.
I got up with Chris. I ate seed crackers and checked e-mail. I asked Chris to wear my bra so he could be my dress form. But he said it wouldn’t work because his chest wall is larger than mine. I watched parts of my craftsy class and adjusted the pattern and darts. The waist to bust dart was not enough, so I added side seam darts, which altered the neckline. Bigger waist darts altered the waist seam. Chris measured me and got lower numbers so I created another pattern piece in a lower size. Extra darts made too much fabric at the neck line. Anna came by to give me buckwheat for tea. Later, after Chris went to work, Linda came to drop off garden stuff she did not want. I went to her house to answer a sewing question she had. I came home and made and ate breakfast outside. When I go the darts about right, I sewed them in. I ate a banana, and looked up the ph of aloe vera and coconut milk to get ph of my shampoo. Then found the ph paper. The ph was 3.5 for my regular shampoo and 4 for the homemade shampoo. I guess I need some baking soda. I worked on the peplum top some more, then took a break to go outside because it was such a nice day. I moved the lettuce bowls to the backyard, hoping that whatever was eating them wouldn’t find them back there. I counted thirteen more slugs today for a total of 233. I spread the front shoulders wider on the back shoulder seam and it took care of the extra fabric in the neck. I was ready to do the zipper so I watched Youtube videos about zippers to see if there was a better way than the one I knew. But apparently not. I worked on the zipper, finishing up about the time Chris came home from watching a movie. I investigated cutting a bigger neckline while Chris ate supper. Then we streamed a Fred Astaire movie called Daddy Longlegs. There were lots of tiny-waisted girls in pretty dresses. Then I worked the weekend puzzle. I put out beer for the slugs. Chris made coffee and got online to game with the voices. I decided to blog and go to bed.
* I did not take any pics today so I googled 'random picture' and came up with this. *

Progress on the peplum project

I slept well but woke early. I knew it wasn’t night anymore because I could tell the curtain was red, just barely. Eventually I went back to sleep until my alarm went off. Chris got up to take a shower. I got up to empty the dehumidifier. I checked e-mail briefly. I washed up and got dressed. I took the picture printed out last night and walked to Kathy’s house. I gave it to her for Elisha’s going away scrapbook. I then proceeded to the FFTC. I looked into the theatre and saw the OPS officer standing by the screen, so I figured it had started early. I sat in the back. But soon I realized this was a meeting for Security. I slunk down in my seat to wait for the end, which came soon. Then as those people left, others came in, including Myra. I sat with her. My phone rang. It was Chris out in the hallway, asking if I was coming. Then he saw me and hung up. I whispered to the OPS officer that the knitting club had been discontinued. He amended the schedule. Then he went through the schedule for the next 8 weeks with the group. Three other men spoke about scheduling issues, and the meeting was over. Myra and I approached Paul about a trip to the quilt festival in Tokyo. He said MWR couldn’t do it. So we were on our own. Myra had to stay so I left with Chris. He pointed out two movies he wanted to see. Neither was the kind I would go out of my way for. But Paul pointed to another one and said it was good. So I proposed that Chris see his movie and that we meet afterward to see the other movie. I went to the bank to deposit the check from the post office for my sewing machine. Then I walked back to Kathy’s place. She was there with Linda and Elisha. We had a nice visit. Kathy brought out the scrap book. Then Elisha had to leave to continue packing for their move. Linda made the photo I brought into a scrapbook page by framing it with fancy paper. Then I went home, noting that it was raining again, to eat seed crackers and mayo. Then I laid down because I did not feel well. Chris came home for lunch, bringing me two packages. One was a book on quilt bindings by Alex Anderson. It was a renewal bonus. Then I made and ate breakfast. It made me feel better. I readied the error package to get mailed back, keeping the maca since that was the one thing I had ordered. I watched a sewing video from a link and it ran into another video, which I watched only because I couldn’t figure out what language she was speaking nor what she was making. Then I put the box in my market bag and walked to the post office. The rain had ended. The clerk asked for a customs slip so I wrote one and the package was sent. I came home. I cleared e-mail and was ready to sew, when I realized the sun was shining. Such a rare thing deserved to be taken advantage of. I went outside to count the slugs. 220. I emptied the bowl. I looked for my clippers but could not find them anywhere. The rake, however, had been returned, so there were two of them. Ahhh! Next door people were painting and letting the fumes out through the open door. Ugh. I sat down on the bricks to pull the weeds growing in between. I kept the dandelion ones. I brought them in to wash. I combined them with lettuce and cucumber and a red pepper. I ate the salad while listening to an audio. I typed up notes for my blog. Nela called to say they were taking Elisha to supper. I have never known anyone to have so many going-away gatherings. I declined because I had plans with Chris. I finished my notes and reviewed parts of my Craftsy class on pattern alteration. I re-drew parts of my pattern. I tried to fit it all on the bit of fabric I had left, but the sleeves did not make the cut, as it were. I cut out the bodice front and back. Then I lost the peplum front. I still had the back part and wondered if they were essentially the same. I searched high and low, inside the fabric folds, between pattern pieces – anywhere it might be stuck. It was just gone. And then I found it: it had fallen behind the table but not all the way to the floor. I cut out the last two pieces. I basted in the darts. I draped the front over me and it seemed like the darts were too small. But if I made them bigger, the waistline would shrink. Did I miss something when I watched the class? Then it was time to go. I put on pants and walked to the theater to meet Chris. But his movie wasn’t over yet. I waited in the game room and chatted with one of the desk clerks. Jadyn came out of the movie which told me it was over. Finally I went looking for Chris. He was coming out of the bathroom. He had already paid for my ticket, so we just went in. The final credits were still running for Warcraft. And they just kept coming. Is there anyone who did not have a hand in making that movie? Finally it was over, and not long after, the screen lit up again. It was a preview for Suicide Squad. I closed my eyes through the whole thing. It was gruesome and long. Then we stood for the national anthem while the screen showed pictures of the US Navy. And then the movie: Now you see me (2). It was ok, but confusing on purpose. You never knew if you could believe what you saw on the screen. It ended after 11. Chaun and Deron gave us a ride home. Chris put the food waste out at the curb. He emptied the dehumidifier and went to bed. I looked up one of the characters from the movie. Then I finished my blog post and hit the hay.

Pavlov's slugs

I slept well until I had to get up to go to the bathroom. Then my whole body was restless. Chris got up when my alarm went off. We heard the groundskeepers start up with their weedwhackers. I filled the water pitchers when Chris got out of the shower. I saw mildew on the toilet and cleaned it. I drank I drank water while reading e-mail. I watched a sewing video. I started filling out a form to return the errant shipment, but ran into questions. I hung the blackout panel and removed the boxes from the window. It did not block all the daylight, but I hoped it would be more effective at night. I did some tapping for my eyesight. I turned on the dehumidifier since everyone was talking about how humid their homes were. I saw that yoga was canceled again – so I called it NOga. I went outside to rake up the grass clipping and the rake was missing. So I went to Housing for another rake and told them I thought the groundskeepers had picked it up. I noticed that the yard of the month sign was gone. I raked up piles of grass, then clipped around the edges of the yard. I counted the slugs and poured out the old beer. The slug count rose to 204. I checked e-mail again. I was making breakfast when Chris came home with packages. I opened them, but none of them contained what I was missing. They were more recent orders. I finished breakfast, then took a shower. I checked my e-mail one last time. Then I walked into town for my massage. It was a good one, as usual. Mrs. Kim called while I was getting dressed to say she would not be coming over to show me where the other massage place was because it was being renovated. When I paid for the massage, he charged more than the price he quoted me last week. He also said Mr. Kim was going on vacation for a month starting the last week of July. I was very sad. I walked to the market anyway. I walked up a narrow alley of nothing but two small shops that were probably tailoring. I went on to other streets, eventually buying cucumbers and peppers. Then I went back to the shop to ask if they made pants. But she and I could not communicate. I stopped at another such place and I thought they understood. But when I asked the price and she said 3000 won ($3), so I figured she meant for hemming. On the walk home, I called Myra to tell her about Mr. Kim in case she wanted a massage or two in the meantime. When I got home, I checked e-mail. I emptied the dehumidifier which had been running for about six hours and was full. I made a salad, then watched videos on sewing clothing. Chris came home and made himself supper. Then we watched two episodes of Bones. I blended up orange peels and poured it on the tomatoes by the side of the house. I opened a can of beer for the slugs. They were already waiting in the empty bowl for me to fill it. I mentioned it to Chris and he said they were attracted by residue. I liked my theory better. I jotted notes for my blog while Chris was getting ready for his group call. While he was engaged, I listened to parts of my Craftsy design class again to brush up on pattern adjusting. After his call, I printed out a photo of a lady who will be leaving soon. I had trouble with the process but eventually it did as I commanded. Then Chris went to bed while I finished my blog post and joined him.
* After Paris Baguette moved out, apparently Tous Les Jours moved in. Do they think they'll have better luck? *

Sewing at the chapel

I slept through the night, thankfully. Chris got up early to go to PT. I got up when he got back. He took a shower and I brought the water pitchers to fill when he got out. I sat down to drink water and read e-mail. I lost track of the time. Myra called at 9:45. I ate some seed crackers and did today’s puzzle while listening to a audio. Then I got dressed and made breakfast. I knew I was going to be late, but I just needed to eat. I collected my stuff and walked to the chapel. It wasn’t raining, just overcast and wet. No one was there. I set up the room and was threading the machine when Danielle arrived. Soon other ladies came, too, some with their kids. I worked on binding while others did their projects. Myra came in, left and came back. She played with the kids so their moms could sew. Chaun and Kelly came by to discuss nuts with Suzanne. Chris came by with the mail: no packages but I got a check for my damaged sewing machine! Soon it was 1pm. We packed up a little. Myra and I needed to go to the market for zippers. Suzanne offered to drop us off on her way to help Anna get her brakes checked. But somehow the plan changed to lunch. I had just eaten breakfast so I wasn’t hungry. And I did not want to pay for something I did not want. The meal portions were large, so a few ladies gave me a few bites of their food. There was a lot of talking and then I steered the conversation towards the market. We left then. Myra and I were dropped off at the market. We wandered through, and found our way to the fabric place. We each bought zippers and fabric. Mine was black-out fabric. Then we walked back to base. At the gate we met Hae Wa. Myra took her to their place for a cold drink. Scott was there with the large box they sent from the states. Among the many things inside was the fish quilt! It was very well done. We were all impressed. Hae Wa had to leave for the Korean class. I went home. I took advantage of the lack of rain to tie up the tomato plants to the bamboo that I cut. Then I mowed the lawn here and next door. I was hot and sweaty. I checked e-mail and ate a cucumber. I read condolence responses on Quora. Then I washed off the sweat. I was late, so I drove to the chapel even though I hadn’t much to carry. I had to park at the FFTC because Myra was parked at the chapel. I realized I had forgotten my fanny pack, so I had no camera or phone. We had a big turn-out. Kelly brought her girls to sew. Elizabeth brought Jadyn who decided to make a pillowcase. Nela worked on her blocks and Anna worked on QOV blocks. Hae Wa started an apron. I worked on binding when not answering a question or giving advice. I returned Myra's jewelry. It seemed like a long night. We ended at 8:30 but it took a while to pack up and clean up all the paper cuttings by the younger children. When I got home, Chris was using my laptop to watch Marco Polo on TV. We watched one episode of Bones and he went to bed. Then I laid on the couch, trying to muster up the energy to post to my blog so I could go to bed.
* One of the moms posted this pic on Facebook so I downloaded it. *

Diplomatic party

I put out can of beer last night before I went to bed. When I woke up, it was raining again. Chris went to work early. I heard my phone ring. It was Nela, calling before 8 to see if I wanted to go walking. I declined and went back to bed. Later I got up to check e-mail and drink water. The cursor was acting up again and I had to reboot. I wrote a check and threw on some clothes so I could walk it to the mailbox. There was a lady standing in front of it all the time I was walking down the hill. It looked like she picked something from the ground and put it in the mailbox. Then she opened it and took the collection box out and picked a red envelop from it. I asked her what she was doing and then realized I had seen her behind the counter at the post office. I handed her my envelop and went home.
Not satisfied with the dress I’d made, I explored other options, but there just wasn’t time to make another dress. The top with peplum seemed like a good idea, but there was not enough fabric for the zipperless version and I could not find any zippers for the other versions. Finally I called the ladies to ask for their advice. They came by when they were back from their walk. I tried the dress on and Myra looked it over, then said it needed darts between my stomach and my chest. She put in some pins and it did help. They left and I obsessed over how to make the darts equal and equidistant. I skipped breakfast and lunch, though I had a little fermented coconut milk and some kimchi. I did not want to take a chance on eating something that might make my stomach puffy. I used a French curve to make a dart pattern. I noted how far one dart was from the side seam and upper dart, then recreated that distance on the other side. I basted the darts in by hand then tried on the dress. It fit ok, so I sewed them in by machine, one stitch at a time using the hand wheel, hoping to avoid pulled stitches. It did not work as well as I had hoped. Then Myra came over with some of her jewelry that she thought might work. I tried each piece on and we decided on a silver necklace with silver earrings. Then she had to go meet Nela. Chris came home for lunch, bringing me a package from Swanson’s. But the order was mixed up with someone else’s order so I had to report it to the company. Chris went back to work. The dress was a little sweaty from all the trying on. So I gathered a few other dresses from my closet and made a load of laundry. I checked e-mail while washing and drying. I also did today’s puzzle. Then I took a shower and got dressed. Myra said I should remove some of the extra chain from the necklace, so I did. I was composing a QOV reminder to the Facebook community when Chris came home and said we had to leave right away. I only had two sentences, but I hit ‘enter’, threw on my shoes and gave Chris my ID. I did not have the right purse for the event, so I did not take one. We got in the car and went to the office building. A van was waiting with the engine running. I got in as the CO and his wife arrived. They got in, too. Then we were on our way to Busan. The van gave me a headache, probably because the air vent was cooling one side of my face and the other side was warm. After an hour and a half, we arrived at a hotel. We took the escalator to the third floor ballroom. We had to sign in and wear purple wrist bands. Then we waited in line to enter. Each couple was greeted by the ambassador and their picture taken with him. Then we stood around as Chris introduced me to several men. There were tables of food, but it was all covered with plastic. The room filled. Then speeches were made, in English and Korean. National anthems were played and pics were taken. I did not get any because I hadn’t brought my camera or phone. Finally that was over. Anna came to get me so we could get food. I ate tiny octopi, kimbap, kimchi, mushrooms, watermelon, smoked salmon and japchai. I skipped the rolls and breaded foods. We sat along the wall to eat. A jazz band played on stage. I thought it was dance music, but no one was dancing. Eventually I went to find Chris. We talked to a few more people. He got a piece of cake, which turned out to be huge. I hit the meat table, scoring some ham and pork. Then we joined the CO and Anna. I got some fruit from the table over there. Finally it was time to meet our van. We said our goodbye’s to the Ambassador. Right outside the ballroom, the sign-in people were handing out baseballs to the guests. Then we went downstairs to meet the van. We rode back to Chinhae to the office building. Chris drove us home from there. I checked e-mail and saw that people on base reported feeling an earthquake while we were gone. Then we watched several episodes of Big Bang Theory. Chris went to bed. I stayed up to post to my blog, hoping I could remember it all.
* Note the baseball in my hand. *

Fourth of July

I slept through the night, only to discover another rainy day. I did not get up until 9, which was a late start. Chris had said on Saturday that he needed to go to the office, but he did not go. Neither did he go on Sunday. I suggested he go today, but that didn’t work. So I ignored him and had a coffee morning. I exercised and rebounded and dry brushed. I meditated and tapped. I cleaned in the kitchen. I ate seed crackers, and read e-mail. I read about the Amish installing solar panels. I did today’s puzzle. I used the Kirby on the livingroom rug. But it choked on Michele hair (the gift that keeps on giving) and the belt melted. Smokin’! I added a set of belts to my Amazon cart. Then I had to think of enough other things to add so I could get free shipping. I tried to order Miracle-gro but they would not ship it here. I also had a Swansons order to finalize. 15% off was apparently the best deal they were going to offer so I took it. Chris got a call from MWR: the fireworks we were going to see at Daegu were canceled. Just grrrreat. Then I made and ate breakfast. I put on my Xero shoes and we walked to the park. My feet got wet, but it was ok in those shoes. We were gone about an hour. The haze on the mountain was descending. I looked up several videos on easy ways to add sleeves to a dress. I cut out a shape I thought would be nice, but when I basted it in, it didn’t do anything for the look. I tried basting lace to the edge, but no. Chris kept saying I looked fine in the dress just the way it was. I thought it made me look fat so I was desperate to add something that would take attention away from my prodigious dimensions. But he felt all my attempts were in vain. As I joke, I picked out a red, white and blue scarf with stars and stripes on it. He liked that:\ I finally decided on a black scarf. Then we watched multiple episodes of BBT. And then it was time for bed.
* the lake in the park *