Cherry Blossom canal at night

I woke up hearing Chris at his 5am teleconference. I stayed in bed until 8:30 hoping to go back to sleep. By then the two men had left. I harvested pitchers of water from the shower filter. I drank a quart and put a quart in the coffee maker to heat up. I read e-mail. Then I put on my bathing suit and packed my sauna bag. I put on my galoshes and a plastic rain coat over my regular coat. I added an umbrella and my yoga mat. I walked down to the gym in the pouring rain. I signed out a locker key, then proceeded to get ready for the sauna with my two hot bottles of salt water. I had to turn the sauna on, which started out at 68 degrees. I did my exercises to warm up, and a few yoga stretches. During the hour I was in there, the Korean cleaning lady kept checking, probably hoping to come in when it was empty. After an hour, I took a shower and went to yoga. I took it easy on my back, which wasn't so happy in the sauna, but did ok at yoga. Myra came late and had to leave early. I walked home by myself. I ate seed crackers while reading e-mail. I made and ate breakfast. I made chocolate, but messed up the first recipe because I did not measure correctly and forgot the honey and vanilla. So I made another batch and poured some on top of each of the ones already poured. I read e-mail again. At 4 Steve came in. He proceeded to sit down and talk to me. He told me all kinds of stories, even ones my delicate ears shouldn't be hearing. He told me that if he had a problem with someone, he would have it out with them and not vent to someone else. I tried unsuccessfully to point out the irony of that statement. My back began to hurt so I got up to walk around a little. I tried a piece of chocolate.

He kept talking. Finally I started walking to the back. He followed me, turning on the light in my sewing room. I told him I was heading to the master bathroom. When I was washing my hands afterward, I could hear him asking me a question. I hoped Chris would come home soon, and then he did. Steve went to his room and Chris made himself a burritto. I heated up a bowl of the curry and ate a tomato. Then I changed my clothes, and we walked out in town. The rain had stopped and it was pleasant. I wanted to see the lights. But we also did some shopping. I got a pair of black socks to replace the holey ones I wore to yoga today. It might be a sin in this country to have holes in ones socks. Chris got a turkish kaboba and shared it with me. We stopped at an Indian place and I bought a silk scarf and an embroidered top. We walked around and then towards the canal. I took pictures of the lights there. On the way, we passed a place selling Japanese water cakes. Each one was a large clear bubble, like a jelly fish. I asked what it was made of. He typed something into his phone app and the word 'seaweed' came up. He said there was no sugar in it. So Chris bought me one. The man added what looked like brown sugar but tasted like peanuts, and some honey. It was quite good. After photographing the lights in the canal, we walked back to base. We met Tara and her group coming in. Then we went home. Chris went to bed and I stayed up to blog and read some more e-mail, and maybe meditate.
* Japanese water cake with peanut something *

First nighttime sewing class

I waited until 8 to get up. I read e-mail, drank water, and wiped the counter tops. I made ginger tea, which I put it in a water bottle to take along. Myra callled to say she'd be here at 8:45. I got dressed, pulled out some fish fabric and found my fish blocks. I started moving stuff to the front porch and my back spasmed. I laid on the floor for awhile, then got up. I called Myra at 10: someone had trapped her in a conversation. When she got here, she had to load the car herself because of my back. We got to the chapel and she had to unload it all herself. The room was set up for rows of people, not for sewing but I only moved two tables. Myra had to go park the car and then see the dentist. I set up my machine and busied myself arranging fish blocks and figuring out what colors we needed more of. There were fly-overs, which turned out to be the South Korean squad. They were really loud and were flying low. Myra worked on bags. Nela came at 12 on her lunch hour,. Chris came by with the mail. At 1, we packed up. Three men were waiting to use the room. We put the sewing stuff in Myra's car. She took me home. We talked a little bit, then I went in. I ate seed crackers, then made and ate breakfast. I also had some cashews with butter. I cleared e-mail and listened to audios. Then I worked on blocks of the month, finishing one and starting the most recent one. I had trouble picking the fabrics. I took a break to take the daily photograph. And I stood outside talking to Kelly until her husband called. I worked on the block some more. Steve came home. He talked to me about all the things that were going wrong, so I listened. He brought me a chocolate bar from Daegu. I called Myra to see about class. Chris came home while I was talking to Myra. I took my supplements with the last of the ginger tea. I jotted notes for my blog. Then Chris put my box of fabric in his car and I drove to the FFTC classroom. Myra was there, setting up. I brought my box in. I went to the bathroom then set up my machine for someone to use. Several ladies came in. One lady brought her daughter who wanted to make a stuffed bear and brought a pattern and fabric. Another lady wanted to make a princess dress. She had fabric cut out but not page 1 of the instructions. Myra went home to get buttons for the bear's eyes. Nela worked on finishing her oven mitt. A new lady made a bag like Myra's. I tried to help where I could, but since everyone was doing something different, it was hard. Myra had made three open-ended bags for holding and dispensing plastic bags, but no one chose that project. Bernie stuffed a pillow and mended a towel. The lady making the princess dress used my machine and the needle was pushing the fabric down in, so I replaced it. But then it made a popping sound as though it were dull, too. At 8:25 I called Chris to say it was raining and not to come to walk in town with me (an arrangement we had made earlier). But class did not end at 8:30. No one left on time and indeed, I did not get out of there until 9:30. Myra and the lady with the bag were still there, packing up. I told Myra we will have to be more pushy about getting out on time. Myra carried out my machine and I carried out the boxes of stuff. Then I drove home, stalling once. I did not bother bringing stuff in because of the rain. I let Chris know I was home (he was in bed) and I sat down to write to my blog.

K-pop and fireworks

I waited until the house was quiet to get up, and maybe a little longer. I checked e-mail and drank water with lemon in it. I swished and exercised. I did some dusting and mopping. I cleaned counter tops in the kitchen. I got dressed for yoga. Then I finished the block from yesterday just in time. I grabbed my mat and headed for the gym. But the instructor was out by the pool. So we brought our mats out there. I think she went easy on us today. Then I went home. Chris was eating lunch. He left my mail on my laptop. There was a card from Mary Ann and something about voting in Alabama. Chris went back to work. I read e-mail. I listened to audios from the Lyme Disease Summit while I ate seed crackers and made more seed crackers. I did a little sewing but it was such a nice afternoon that I went outside to find some yard work. I did some raking and pulled some weeds. I could not find a trowel so I used a screw driver. I saw Kelly out playing with her kids so I ran in to get the recipe she wanted. When I had done enough yard work, I came in. I put curry in a bowl in the toaster oven to heat. I took a shower and dressed for the fireworks. I ate the curry while reading e-mail and unsubscribing to a bunch. I meditated with Oprah and Deepak. I jotted notes for my blog. I separated the recyclables and bagged them for tomorrow morning. To take my supplements, I drank one of those energy drinks that Myra gave me because she thought they were disgusting. Chris came home from work. He assembled supper from leftovers. I worked on a block in my sewing room. Steve came in and they talked shop until it was time to go. Then Chris and I bundled up and walked to Duffy's to meet the official CFAC car. But the CO was still on his way back. So we waited. But not for long. Then we were driven out into town. I was amazed how easily we got through the traffic. We arrived in 15 minutes. We found ourselves on a wharf with a turtle ship structure (for kids) on one side and a pagoda on the other. The three of us stood wondering what we were supposed to do. The area was full of people excited to see fireworks. A man was slinging a lighted twirly thing into the air repeatedly. After awhile I got the impression that he was selling them from a large container. So I asked Chris to buy me one. And he did for roughly $4. I tried it but it did not fly and twirl as well as the one the man was demonstrating. Then Ms. Pae arrived. She led us through the crowd to a fenced seating area with a great view. At first it was just us, then other dignitaries arrived. We stood and shook hands with them. This happened several times. Then the mayor arrived. Speeches were given. Then the show began. 6 K-Pop dancers in costumes that lit up like Christmas trees put on a show. When they were done, lazer lights started and the fireworks began. It was quite the show with all the exploding choreographed to the music. There was classical, American, Korean, and country music. Little paper strips were blown high into the air and descended on us. A dragon with a sparkler in it's mouth flew back and forth over head, probably on remote control. And more fireworks. Finally it was over. My teeth were dry from staring open-mouthed. We got up and stood talking to the CSO and his family. Then we walked to the nearby ROK base to meet our driver. It took a little longer to get home since so many people were leaving the area. Then we were dropped off at home. Steve was still up. I took my twirly thing outside to sling, but it did not do well. I examined it under good light and discovered that it was broken I managed to fix it with tape. Chris went to bed. I planned to do the same after I wrote to my blog, but Steve sat down to rant about people who are idiots and people who don't do their jobs, and people who don't like him because he tells them the truth about themselves. Finally I interrupted at 11:30 because I wanted to finish and go to bed. But he got started again. At 11:45 I interrupted again. This time I told him to go. I wrote to my blog and hopefully I will be in bed soon after midnight. (Or not, since I used Chris' camera and it won't fit my phone cord...)

Plantain chips

I woke up hearing Chris getting ready for work. He left soon after my alarm went off. I waited until I heard Steve leave at 8. I got up and checked e-mail, drank water and swished. I decided to make it a coffee morning. I listened to an audio, and several meditations by Oprah and Deepak. I put away all the nuts that Steve brought. I emptied the dishwasher and cleaned up. I went for a walk up the mountain, by road instead of the wet trail. There were some great photo opportunities because the air was so clear. But the photos did not do justice to the real thing. Soon after I got back, Chris came home for lunch. There was no mail. He went back to work. I sliced up two plantains and melted some coconut oil. I added some sesame oil to that. I coated all the slices and sprinkled them with a mixture of salt, cumin, turmeric, garlic and oregano. Then I put them in the oven. I cut some squares of fabric. I turned the slices over and put them back in the oven. I cut some more squares and rectangles. See the pattern? Over and over, until I gave up on the slices getting totally crispy. I had hoped to go a day without eating, but I had to eat a slice each time to see if they were done. So I made and ate breakfast. Steve came home, emoted about how no one knows how to do their job, then left again. I decided to work in my sewing room so I would not be available when he got back. Chris came home while I was sewing. I kept having to go to the sunroom to do my cutting since the cutting table in there is higher and easier on my back. Chris made himself supper from leftovers. I finished one BOM and started on another one. Chris invited me to join him in watched episodes of CSI. Just as we sat down, Steve came in the door. He talked for a little bit and we invited him to watch with us. It wasn't long before he went to his room. We saw three episodes. Anna dropped by during one to give me the fish blocks she made before she left for vacation. I wished her a good trip. Chris and I looked up some of the familiar looking faces from the episodes. Chris went to bed and I stayed up long enough to check e-mail one last time. I saw the schedule for attending the fireworks tomorrow night! Then I posted to my blog and went to bed..

Admiral Yi Ritual Ceremony

I stayed in bed late. Chris got up to make coffee and read e-mail, then came back for a shower but ended up back in bed with me. At 9:15, I got up to make breakfast and read e-mail. I showered and got dressed. Chris took me to church, then went to work. I talked to Sue and Linda, Jane was not there. I sat through the service. Chris picked me up, we went home. I changed into pants, and ate some nuts. We drove to Duffy's, then walked, following the CO and CSO and Ms. Pae out to Admiral Yi circle. There were seats in the rain. We were offered disposable rain coats. We sat through a long undecipherable ceremony. A lady dressed in a cherry-blossom colored hanbok did a dance with a scarf. Men in ornamental outfits bowed and sat and did stuff. Then people from the audience were tapped to come up and bow at the feet of Admiral Yi's picture. Lots of fruit stacked there. Chris got tapped, twice. The CO and CSO and CPO went up as well. After sitting in the rain for an hour, we walked back to base. We drove our car back to home. I took off my shoes inside because my feet were wet. I put some green tea packets in a quart of water to drink while listening to an audio. I fixed the block that I worked on yesterday. Then I looked at the differing instructions to decide which block to make next. I ended up cutting light blue squares and rectangles in the sun room. Then Stive came home. We sat around the table talking. Chris heated up the vegetarian curry. We all ate, then I crushed some garlic cloves and ate them with hummus. The conversation continued long into the evening. Finally I wrote to my blog while still conversing. I hope to post and go to bed soon.

Open Base

Steve had said he would get up at 6 to go to Busan. But when I got up soon after 7:30 to take out the food waste, he was talking to Chris in the kitchen. When I came in, he started talking to me, and Chris ducked out. He talked to me until I told him nature was calling. Then he left for his trip. I checked e-mail, and got dressed. It was a nice day so I went walking up the trail. I went slowly and made it to the top. Then I walked around and down using the road. At the bottom, I saw people out and about getting ready for Open Base. I walked down to the tennis courts where MWR was setting up inflatables for raising money. I heard they were going to sell hotdogs, pizza and fried oreos. The chiefs were setting up to sell sloppy joes. The Korean band was warming up. I talked to Kelly then went up the hill. I stopped at the PTO booth where they were setting up to sell root beer floats. But the commissary said the ice cream hadn't arrived yet. Then I went home. Chris was there doing laundry. He went to the commissary and I started making breakfast. Jane called to say she and her aunt were waiting to come through the gate (with all the other Korean nationals for Open Base). She wanted to visit me and I said yes. When Chris came back, I told him and he talked to the MA across the street to tell him to let the ladies come up. It hit me that the MA's were telling people not to approach the residences. So then Chris went down the hill to escort the ladies. I finished making breakfast and started eating. When I saw them come near the door, I quickly put my bowl in the fridge. Chris let them in. They had brought small bits of food for us to share together. I brought out seed crackers and chocolates. We ate and then they left. Chris wanted to see the Korean band so he walked down there. I noted people walking up and down our street looking at the cherry blossoms. I listened to audios and tried to catch up on my backlog of e-mail. I printed out a recipe for Kelly. Then Myra stopped by. She was out and about and hadn't seen me so she was checking. We had a nice talk and decided to go out and see the festival after dark. Soon after she left, Chris came home. I was working on the quilt block that I sprained my back over last Saturday. He asked if I still wanted to watch the movie which started at 7. Yes, so I called Myra to tell her I already had plans to see a movie and had forgotten. I worked on the block until Chris announced supper. He had made a vegetarian Thai curry. I ate some but wasn't really hungry. Then I finished my block just as Chris got ready for the movie. It seemed like perfect timing, but when I picked the block up from pressing it, one corner was on in the wrong direction. O h well. I put on my jacket and we walked down hill. Myra and Scott waved to us from their balcony. We went to the third floor to buy tickets. I read all the MWR events posted while Chris stood in line. Then we sat in the theatre to watch Gods of Egypt. I think it was a good movie, but I was so awestruck by the costumes that I might have missed a few things. Myra would have loved it. Anyway, after the movie we walked home, noting how cold it had gotten. When we got home, Steve was here. He had brought packages of nuts, olives, home made jams, etc. It seemed to mean a lot to him that we should taste it, so we did. And he talked. When he suggested we sit, Chris went to bed. So for hours I sat there and listened. Finally at midnight, he went to get ready for bed. I wrote to my blog as quickly as I could knowing I still had to put the food away before I went to bed.

A guest arrives

I got up by 8. I read e-mail, drank water, exercised and listened to audios. I went for a walk up the trail but turned around at the exercise station to avoid the steepest part, exercised and walked home. I checked e-mail, and then Myra called. She had been waiting at the round-up with other department heads, not knowing it had been rescheduled for after lunch. We went walking up the mountain by road, and stopped to look at the throw-away pile. We did not see anything we could do without. We went up to the road in front of the water towers to take pics, but it just wasn't a great view, kind of hazy. We went to the top exercise station for a bit then walked on, but turned around at the steepest part of the trail. So we walked around to the other side of the base, and stopped at the commissary to talk to Nela. We saw Chris but he did not see us. We walked to Myra's house and stood talking until her husband came home for lunch. Then I continued on home. Chris had a package for me. He went back to work. I ate seed crackers then made breakfast. I got to eat about half of it before I ran out of time and jumped in the shower. Then I got dressed and walked to the community round-up. I was a little late, but it was easy to slip in since so few people were there and they were mostly up front. I sat behind Myra. After all was said and done, we talked about the open base tomorrow. Erin said if I hung a quilt out for the Koreans to see as they came through looking at the cherry blossoms, they would think I was hanging out my bedding to dry. She also said that trash cans should be put away because someone could hide a prohibited item in one. Myra went to the post office and I went to the commissary. I bought a few things, including garlic since we keep getting bad ones. Myra took me home in her car. We took sewing stuff from her car to my house. Then she went home. I went home to check e-mail and meditate. However, I fell asleep. Myra called to say she and Akia would be walking out in town in half an hour. So I started another meditation, but she called 5 minutes later to say Akia had arrived. So I threw on a long-sleeved overshirt and my backpack. I walked down the hill to meet them. Akia had her baby in a stroller. She had seen the festival last year, so took us around to the rotary circle to see stuff we had not seen before. We ran into Dan and Maricio. We looked at booths selling foods, and toys, and jewelry and hair stuff, and wood stuff, and pottery, etc. One stand allowed guests to fire a rifle, and the reward for hitting the target was a bottle of alcohol (not silly stuffed animals). Koreans stopped to babble at the baby. We also wandered down by the canal. I bought some squid fries. They were very good, but neither Myra nor Akia would try one. We walked back to base. We passed Nela and her family going out to the festival. We each went home. Chris was already home and finishing up supper. He was back from a tour of a mine sweeper. He said Steve was coming over. I removed stuff from the hall bath to give him a place for his stuff. I put a towel and wash cloth in his room. I moved my laptop to the dining room table. I ate an orange while checking e-mail. We sat down to watch CSI. The door bell rang and it was Steve, the man who is staying with us from his pack out date until his departure. He loves to talk. We talked standing in the hall. Finally I said here is your room. He said all he needed was a glass of water. Then we sat down and talked (listened) some more. I heard fireworks go off in town but couldn't see much because of the cherry trees. The talking continued. Eventually Chris said he had to go to bed. Steve said he likes to stay up late. He went to get his luggage. I worked on my blog post. When he got back, I showed him the towels and the bathroom. He said he'd probably be up and out by the time we got up in the morning. He went to his room and I posted to my blog.