Chosun gift shop

Chris had a luncheon to go to, so I did not pack his lunch. In fact I slept in a little. Then I got up and had breakfast and got on my computer. I read that onions are on the list of vegetables that you don't need to buy organic because it isn't likely to be inundated with pesticides. So I decided to pickle a jar of onions. I got 2 3/4 onions in the jar. The other quarter onion had to go in with the pickled eggs. Then back to the computer. I made the mistake of following a Youtube link. And one link leads to another. There is a funny video called Star Trek meets the A-Team. After that, I had lunch. I did a little cleaning, too. But I kept getting drawn back to the computer. About 5 I stopped to take a shower. Chris came home then. We talked as I dressed. I asked him to drive me to an event at the Chosun gift shop. Normally I could walk there, but didn't want to be sweaty when I arrived. Mrs. Uberti, Chris' boss' boss' wife, put together some lunch bags and a cake.
So we had sandwiches, chips, twinkies and juice boxes. Well, I only had the sandwich, being on a diet. Mrs. Uberti mentioned that she'd noticed that I had lost weight. We heard a presentation on Kambuchi dolls, then were set free to shop in the main store. They sell stuff from East Asia only. It was nice to be able to look at items leisurely with so few people. I selected an item I thought Michele might like for Christmas, then walked out. I stopped at the ATM for won, then walked home. At the apartment complex I stopped in the playyard to rest my bare feet in the sand. That is supposed to be grounding. Then I took the stairs up to our apt.

Sungshin University

After the usual morning routine, I walked to the thrift shop, arriving about 10:45. I was greeted by a pile of books and videos taller than me. I shelved as many as I could, but more came in while I was doing that. We had DVD's to shelve, but there is no room for them. I threw out a bunch of vcr tapes to make room for newer ones. Also, someone donated a bag of fabric scraps and I bought some of them. At 12:50, Cathy came by to pick me up. We parked at gate 19 and took the subway to Sungshin University. We were met by some of the students, who showed us the way there from the subway. I used my camera to record the turns so we would know for next time. At the textile arts building, we were shown the room for machine sewing and the room where a class in fabric dying was being taught. They use natural materials such as marigold heads, and tree roots. Then we all sat in a room with the dean of the school to come up with a schedule where they will offer a class in dying and in Korean quilting to our members and whoever else we can invite, up to 15. Pretty cool, huh? Then we were escorted back to the subway. One of our student guides had to leave for a French class, so she and I spoke a bit of French. On the way back, Cathy and I stopped in Dongdaemun. We looked at notions and beads, esp jade ones. It turns out that the Korean word for 'jade' sounds like 'oak'. So maybe the elusive 'oak' lady sells jade. If so, we found her. Then outside, we looked at ceramic pots of all sizes, mostly small. It was almost 5 when we returned. Cathy drove me to my gate. I walked home. Chris wasn't home yet, but arrived shortly. We had leftover chicken. I also had kimchi and sprinkled nuts on it. It is amazingly good. After supper I laid down to read a book. I am very close to finishing it, but it is time to go to bed.

Lots of walking today

I awoke at 6:55. Chris was still asleep. We didn't hear the alarm go off. While he showered, I packed his lunch and put fixings in the bread machine. I had breakfast and a shower myself, then got a package ready to mail. I walked to the gate to meet Annette for a ride but she wasn't there. So I walked and started calling around to find someone who knew her number. Finally I got Debi, who came and picked me up. When we got to the SPC, Annette was already there. She'd gone to a different gate. But we had a good board meeting, came up with some good ideas, made suggestions, etc. Then as 9:30 came and went, others came in and started setting up the room. Soon all the machines were up and running. We had another great turn out. We made at least 7 baby quilts and worked on three QOV, I think. Lunch was a small crowd because so many had to leave early. We worked some more, then packed up. Pam drove me to the Px, where I picked up some Vitamin D3. It is supposed to signal the body to release fat. Worth a try. Then we went to the post office where we each mailed a package. Then we drove to Chris' car and dropped off some of my stuff and a sewing machine that I will attempt to fix. Then she left me at the ACS building. I was able to talk them out of two ironing boards and a sewing machine. Yea! But it meant that I had to hand-carry them to the SPC. Not so 'yea'. I called around for someone with a car to come help, but no one was answering their phone. Oh well, I needed the exercise, right? So I walked home. Michele was back from college, on her computer. So I spent some time on my computer, then Chris came home. I met him downstairs to carry my stuff up from the car. I took the stairs, just for good measure. Chris made burritos for supper. I spent some time reading, then finishing the borders on the my quilt top. Finally I just had to listen to some Andy Gibb music on youtube. Now its time to go to bed.

Sunday sewing

I got up a little early to do my blog because I had forgotten to do it last night. Then we went to church. Thankfully Chris looked up all the hymns for me (as usual). The bulletin was 2 weeks out of date. But we had a new sermon so that was ok. We had snacks after church. Then we stopped by the commissary for a food run. Chris left me standing with all the groceries in front of the building while he parked the car. I had an offer of help while waiting for him to return. Inside the apartment, Michele helped us put the groceries away. She also did laundry while we were at church. I went through my e-mail while Chris made a pot of cabbage soup. After supper I went into my sewing room to work on the borders of my wallhanging. Here is the current picture. I think Chris spent a significant portion of his day talking on Skype to people from China and other places who wanted to practice their English.

Sat. morning out and lots of walking

We got up early: Chris to play an online game and me to get ready for a meeting of the World Federation of Women for Peace (or something like that). I wanted Chris to drive me on post to gate 17 to catch the subway, but his game had already started. So I headed out even earlier than I had planned. The original plan was to walk to the Seobinngo station, but it has 4 flights of steps up, which would be ok normally but my legs are still sore from the other day. So I walked past it, on and on until I got to the Ichon station. It has an escalator. I took the subway to the Sookmyung Women's University stop and realized I was still 15 minutes early. So I sat at a cozy little spot in the subway and pulled out my Sudoku book. At 9:30 I exited the subway and realized that I had printed out the directions but forgotten to bring them.

Luckily the image was burned into memory. I had no trouble walking to the building. Then a lady I had met before was standing in front, so we went in together. Such a fancy elevator they had! Completely mirrored. We went to the 9th floor, then took the steps to the 8th floor (no, not more steps!) We signed in and she paid my way (Thank you, Helen). The chairs were set up at least 3 feet apart in every direction because the topic today was meditation and breathing. The speaker was head of a meditation center that does sessions for large groups. She showed us some chi goong exercises and then had us lay on the floor for breathing and meditation. Afterwards we went upstairs to the rooftop garden to have croissants and fruit. Helen sat and talked with me. A lady got up and did an impromptu Russion peasant dance instruction. Then we went back to talking. A friend of Helen's came and sat with us. She was upset and unable to sleep after a car accident weeks ago. So I did some EFT with her and she seemed a little calmer afterwards. It must have been after 1 by that time. Those two ladies and another left to go to church (the only English service is on Saturday). So I went back to the subway and got off at the Yongsan station. I called Chris to meet me at the nearest gate, but his game was still going on. So I walked to E-Mart and bought kimchi. For some reason the lady at the counter threw in a small bottle of Canola Oil. Fried kimchi? Anyway, I walked to Gate 19 from there, called a friend for a ride, but she didn't answer, so I called Chris again. Still gaming. It was after 3. Keep in mind that the people he (and Michele) were gaming with were in the U.S., so it was the middle of the night for them. So I walked all the way across base, and then past the Hangang school to our apartment. I was NOT in a good mood. I ate some kimchi and a dried squid (squids are remarkably filling), then got started on my e-mail. There were plenty of audio links to listen to. Then when Chris fixed supper, Michele told us that she had been invited to a friend's house for Moroccan food. So she left and we ate, then watched a movie and went to bed. She came home late. It turns out her friend is the daughter of the Moroccan ambassador so she ate at the embassy!

Wallhanging

Today was a stay-at-home day. I went through my e-mail, checking links that looked interesting. Then I retired to my sewing room to make a wallhanging out of some fabrics I bought recently. But the design I finally came up with requires a lot more than four fabrics. Luckily I have more, lots more. Bwahahahaha! See pic. I am working on pieced borders now.
Michele went to lunch with Chris, but I stayed home because my legs are sore from taking the steps rather than the elevator and doing lunges. Hopefully they will be recovered by tomorrow because I am going to a meeting somewhere and it will involve the subway which means lots of walking.

Thursday - thrift shop

Got up to make Chris' sandwich, then went back to bed, but couldn't sleep, so I got back up. I worked on e-mail for awhile, and tried to figure out how to use the ArmyOneSource website to log volunteer hours. I wouldn't call it user friendly. When I finally got some hours logged, I tried to summarize it in an e-mail to our membership. No comments on it yet.
Then I walked to the thrift shop. As usual, a bunch of books, tapes, DVd's and Cd's to put out, but not enough room. So I filled a bin with CD's and marked them down to $1. I put out some new ones. I also put out some DVD's and books. A grunch load of video cassettes came in, so I filled every available space and threw out some that haven't sold in as long as I can remember. Then Nancy stopped by and we sat outside and ate our lunch, with three other people. I went back to work, but others in charge congregated in front of the bathroom stall to hold some meeting. Normally I wouldn't care, but I had to GO! Finally that broke up and I found some relief. While shelving I found three books that I hadn't read, so I bought them before I left. I walked to my sewing lesson, but it was hot and exhausting, so next time I will let her come get me. I brought her 5 yards of the batting I bought yesterday (we decided to split a roll). We designed a 4-color quilt made of squares. One fabric had to be fussy-cut to display a dragon. We just had enough to make the design work. She wants to make a wedding gift of it. She drove me back to my gate and I walked home, taking the stairs. More e-mail. Then Chris came home and we had leftovers. We started watching a Netflix movie called Gamers. Michele came home and watched the rest with us. It was funny, especially if you know what rpg gamers are really like.