Monday....Tuesday...

Michele was showing signs of a cold Sunday night. Monday morning she was miserable. So she stayed home, while I went to the quilting group. I stopped by the school to let them know she wasn't coming.
Nancy, my off-post friend who is interested in quilting, came for the first time and brought her machine. We had a great time working on Quilts of Valor. There were 4 or more in progress. Each one is a 3 rail fence, but in different colors. Afterwards, we all shared lunch and recipes. Five of us agreed to meet Wednesday to go to Dongdaemun, the fabric center of Seoul.
I was going to go with Nancy to Alison's house for more quilting, but decided to drop in on Michele and make sure she was drinking fluids. I tapped for her, too. By Monday night she was feeling much better. She went to school on Tuesday. Most amazing is that neither Chris nor I caught whatever she had.
Monday night we watched "The Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith. It is based on a true story. Although it has a happy ending, 95% is about his life going from bad to worse. A little depressing.
Tuesday Michele went to school and I went to the thrift shop to help. Three hours was all I could stand. Then I walked to the Px to get a couple of things. Could not find an outdoor type thermometer. I had to settle for a tiny zipper pull thermometer. I wanted a stainless steel bowl, but they had none in that size. People who live off-post talk about how they wish they could shop at the Px, but it isn't all it is reported to be. I did buy a chocolate bar, but it isn't that great. On the other hand, it is still chocolate.
Tonight we will meet to work on the donation quilt that we started last week. We expect to finish the top, considering how many people say they are coming.
Lately I have been thinking about the pain of existence. Several things, like quilting and reading are a temporary distraction from it and that's why I do them. I thought it was part of the human condition, but Chris and Michele say they know nothing about it. I am happy for them of course, but then why I am cursed with it?

Weekend

First, I have to tell you what I was told on Friday as we passed the local hospital. It seems nursing care is limited, so at mealtimes you can see patients in their gowns and IV poles walking out of the hospital to go to lunch. I'd heard before that families had to bring food to their loved ones in the hospital, but, can you imagine, getting out of your bed, grabbing your IV pole, and heading for the nearest restaurant?
Now for Saturday. The electricity was out on South Post from 8 to 4. They are replacing the electrical grid. So the thrift shop had a $2 sale, outside. Just clothes and shoes. But I picked up a few tank tops and a skirt. I had a nice chat with the other thrift shop volunteers. Then I headed for the library. I stopped at the children's center to use their restroom. I mention this because as I was coming out, the lady asked me if I was looking for a job. It was rather unexpected. She said they were severely shorthanded and urged me to apply. I'll think about it.
At the library I picked up two books, read for awhile, then took the bus back to the commissary gate. Chris visited the library while I was at the thrift shop, and brought back 5 DVD's. So we watched DVD's for the rest of the day. (Drives me nuts)
Sunday we went for a long walk to the Chocolatier featured in a previous post. Too bad indoor pictures aren't allowed. They had all sorts of lunch and dessert delicasies. And they were very busy. We stood for some time waiting for a place to sit. When we found one, we enjoyed our food and spied another couple waiting for a table and invited them to join us. Turns out they are from Germany, been here a week, working at a large hospital. (I hope that hospital serves lunch)

Cosco and flowers

Today I had planned to drop by the school and pay the senior dues then go to the commissary. After that I might go to the library and Px. Well, while answering my morning e-mail, I got a call from Nancy asking me if I'd like to go to Costco. Always up for an adventure, I agreed to go after I dropped by the school. So, I paid senior dues, then she and a friend came by the school to pick me up. We went to wait for another friend who also got a last minute call. Then the four of us drove towards Costco.
On the way, we decided to go to the flower mart first because it was near Costco.
Oh how I wish I had brought my camera. The variety and color was unbelievable! Every bin and bucket was crammed with fresh cut flowers and foliage. Then, on the second floor they had dried and silk flowers, as well as anything you can imagine that might be needed to make or hold a flower arrangement. Such a delight for the eyes! I got a 2 inch round faceted crystal for $1, and aluminum floral wire. The others bought bunches of fresh flowers.
Just outside the main building were greenhouses. We only went in the one for orchids. They were potted. Again, what variety! All colors, sizes, shapes... Some looked like african violets. Others were tall and spidery. I bought one for $8, and it was not even the cheapest.
Then we went to Costco. It is kinda like Sam's Club. But bigger than any one I've seen. And more expensive. But less expensive than in town, which is why people go there. Beef was $40/lb. Ice cream - $13/gallon. On the other hand, we each ate lunch at the deli for $2 - hotdog and drink. Bottled water in the machine was 20 cents. Also, they had travelators - escalators for grocery carts. They stayed flat going up or down, and magnetically locked the cart wheels in place so your cart can't run over other people. The store itself was 2 stories, but at least 4 more with the parking lot. So the travelators came in very handy. We talked about buying baking supples there. They told me that the supplies were expensive, and that they weren't the same as we are used to, so the recipes don't come out the same. I am so glad I can shop at the commissary.
I was exhausted when I got home, partly because of all the walking. The other reason is that mosquitoes kept me up all night. One of the open windows didn't have a screen. We closed it in the middle of the night, but it was too late. All night long, they kept buzzing in my ears. It is a sound impossible to ignore. Chris finallly moved to the couch. For some reason they were not out there. This morning I was covered with bites. Thankfully they are small and don't itch. Much.

An impromptu adventure

Today there was a luncheon at the thrift shop for the volunteers. However there was also a very long meeting preceding it and no chairs. Every one got to pick a gift. Mine was a scented sachet. They also had door prizes, which I also got - a white purse. Very nice. Then we ate in the pricing/sorting area. Such an array of foods!
Unfortunately, more standing. One lady was passing out samples of a Puertorican drink she'd made with rum. It was good, but strong.
Then Nancy told me she had to get home to a class on painting with paper pieces. Since I had no idea what that was, she invited me. I had a great time, first watching, then trying it out. It is harder than it looks. But when done right, the result is like a watercolor painting. I met her two friends who were taking the class, too. One of them has a driver, and dropped me off in Etaewon. I got to walk home through the antiques section again. I remeber thinking how at ease and safe I felt even though I was walking through a foreign city, and a big one, alone. I've come a long way.

Wednesday - mending day

I didn't feel well today. But, amazingly, I got a lot done. Laundry, a trip to the commissary, swept and swiffered the apartment, cleaned the bathrooms, washed the dishes, filled out forms, sat with frozen peas on my shoulder, read and answered my e-mail, worked several Sudoku puzzles and mended jeans, pants and shorts. THEN, Pam and I went to Adele's house to make a donation quilt. As soon as I got in Pam's car, I felt 100% better. There were about 6 of us and we had a ball. We accomplished far more than we expected to: chose a pattern, selected fabrics, cut out all the pieces, and sewed most of the blocks. The pattern takes 120 5 inch blocks. We stopped about 10:30 because my husband had to walk me home from the commissary gate.
In this picture you can see the foyer that leads to our bedroom and the sewing room. That cool thing on the wall is the video doorbell. You can see people who want to get into the building (and open that door for them) or you can see who is standing in the hallway ringing your doorbell. You can talk to them, too, if they understand English.

Tuesday thrift

Today I volunteered at the thrift shop on post. We sorted clothes, priced them and put them out on the racks. People here are very picky about what they keep and sell. A lot goes to Korean charity because of wear, smell, ugliness, or wrong season. But as one person put it, it is very subjective. We worked until 1:15. Then I went to the furniture store and bought another folding chair. Since the sky was threatning rain, I asked for a bag. The guy plastic-wrapped it instead. So I walked home with my plastic-wrapped chair. But it didn't rain, thank goodness. Then a nap was in order.
In this picture you can see the hill that I have to climb to the apartment whenever I return, usually carrying something. Caution: hill is steeper than it appears.
At 4:30 I took the bus to the Dragon Hill and met Chris at the deli. He got a sausage dish and rice. I had a few bites, and then we walked to the movies. We saw "Get Smart". It was better than the previews. After that, we walked back home, in the dark, without benefit of the bus. We talked about how we'd like to walk to one of the restaurants I'd seen yesterday for our 18th wedding anniversary in October. Soon after we got back, a man dropped by with some special picture hangers that fit in a rail around the edge of the ceiling and hang down.

Quilting Off-Post

Today was quilting day for both groups. Pam picked me up at 9:15 and we joined the first group. We worked on baby quilts for a little less than 2 hours, then packed up and went to lunch. Usually they bring food, but since one member is leaving, we went to the Dragon Hill Lodge for lunch. I got the chicken terriyaki but couldn't finish it. So I tried to call Chris, who works nearby, to come eat the rest. But then my friend suggested I ask Michele, who sits with her friends at the Dragon Hill Lodge atrium to eat lunch. She accepted.
I met Nancy (my contact for the other group) in front of the DHL after lunch. She had a friend who showed us what bus to ride. We went farther out than I've ever been. We stopped at a French sandwich and dessert shop (just 'cause it is worth seeing, see pic). Then we walked. Uphill. Eventually we reached a place, and went inside. Turns out my friend had never been to the quilting group herself. So we were both new. Basically we sat around discussing our individual quilting projects, offering suggestions and advice. These ladies were interested in joining the on-post group to make baby quilts. It is now my job to find out if they are eligible.
Later we broke up, each one going in a different direction. So I was on my own to walk back. They suggested taking a bus or the subway, but I wanted to see what there was to see.
The first place I stopped was a Quik-Mart type place. I bought what looked like tomato juice. It wasn't V8, but it was satisfactory. Then I walked. It was the district for buying antiques. Very interesting places. I stopped at one and bought a jade bracelet to replace the one Michele dropped. Then, I walked. I passed restaurants of French, Arabian, Spanish, Thai, Japanese and Chinese. Then I came to a department store, or so it seemed. The person behind each counter was the proprietor for that counter. Although I hadn't intended to buy anything, I came out with 2 more jade bracelets (better than the first and 1/3 the price) and matching earings and necklace. That was the first floor. I investigated all four floors and only added a black tank top to my purchases. That was another story, with the salesperson insisting one was cotton, when I knew it wasn't. I did hold out for a cotton one and eventually got what I wanted.
A little more walking brought me to the place where Chris and I ate the spicy beef soup and hydrangea (sesame) leaves. At that time, we had turned off the main route and wandered alley ways until we had found our way back. But with shopping bags, I thought it might not be safe. So I stuck to main roads, but not the same ones I was familiar with. More antuque stores. It did occur to me that I could get lost, but that didn't happen. I arrived exactly where I expected to and returned home without incident.

I-Park Mall

Saturday Chris and I walked to the I-Park mall. Part of the adventure was not knowing where it was or what it looked like. Fortunately there are signs, some in English! Still, we walked farther than we had to trying to find it. And on the way we passed vendors selling Korean food. Some places had water tanks, with squid, crabs and fish swimming around. That way you know the food is fresh.
Then we went in the mall. It was huge. And not like other malls I've seen where there is a great big empty space in the middle and people go there to walk. This was more like being in a big department store. You could do plenty of walking, but you'd be walking around merchandize. There was a food court, where each restaurant had plates with Saran-wrapped meals on them, on display. It made me hungry for the spicy beef soup that we'd had last weekend. So, when we got home, Chris offered to make some soup. Well, it was VERY spicy. Good, but SPICY. There wasn't much left today, so I decided to make bread with it. Yeast does not like spicy food. So I had to give it a good work out so it could handle the spices. In the end, it did rise nicely. I can't wait until the other loaf is gone so I can cut this one.

Seven Quilts

This weekend I pieced 7 quilts. Pretty impressive, huh? Well, actually it was a 1000 piece puzzle with 7 quilts in the picture. And I had a little help from my former self. Years ago when I didn't have time to make the puzzle, I separated all the pieces based on what part of the picture they were from. I put each pile into an envelop and placed them in the box. I also completed two Blocks of the Month and two Friendship blocks. One of the ladies is leaving soon so we are contributing signed blocks. Monday is the day both quilt groups meet, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The one in the morning makes quilts for the Stork's Nest, which is comprised of pregnant military mothers. They also make Quilts of Valor. And, I understand they do it by assembly line. Should be interesting. I have no idea what the other group does. That should be even more interesting.
(see Block of the Month and my sewing room in photos above)

Quilt Show

This weekend at the Fair Barn you can find Quilting in the Pines, an every other year quilt show put on by the Quilters of the Sandhills. It is not to be missed (unless you live outside the US). I went last time and loved it. There is so much to see and buy, large and small. I am sorry I am missing it, but one of my friends entered one of my quilts for me. Thank you, Pat. So I get to participate a little, at least. I hope to be back for the next quilt show.

Squash

Here on post, and around our neighborhood, you can find squash growing in some out-of-the-way places. Usually there is only one plant, and no other vegetables. Even though it is September, I never see any squash, only blossoms. My guess is that someone is picking and eating the blossoms. But I'm not ready to test that theory.

Thursday - Rent is paid

It was 'Pay The Rent' day. It is a special occaision because we only do it once for the next two years. The gov't put the money in our bank account. Chris drew it out in cash dollars. At our apt he was met by the real estate agent, the apt owner, and the money changer. The money changer brought an equivalent amount of won. The $83,000 was in $100 bills. He counted every one of them. Then counted every 10,000 won bill. That's like counting $83,000 in $10 bills! The advantage of paying two years in advance is that you can ask for free cable, internet, bottled water, etc. I have a picture of the $83,000 which I will upload later.

Wednesday

Today after Chris and Michele went off to work and school, and I cleaned up after breakfast, I packed my shoulder bag for a day of errands. First, I went to the thrift shop and bought hangers, a laundry basket and a 220 extension cord. They let me leave the basket there while I ran to the library to return some books, and checked a store for cabinet door clips that will allow me to hang aprons from the cabinet door. No luck. Our walls are concrete so a nail in the wall is not an option.
After I picked up my basket, I ate my sandwich and went to the woodcraft shop to make a spice rack. I had drawn two sets of plans, not knowing what kind of wood they would have. The nice Korean man picked the one that called for 2x4's. I had been told that I needed to 'qualify' on the machines and then they would let me make whatever I wanted. But this man thought it was too hard for me and did most of it himself. I think it is because I'm a girl. But Chris says (with a big michievious smile) its because he thinks I'm an old woman. Anyway, it turned out great. The only problem being that it won't fit in the cabinet because of the way the door is attached.
After that, I dropped off Nancy's towels and some rolls at her house, then walked home. It was a lot of walking and I have fallen asleep twice since getting home.
I ran into a new friend that wants to show me the off-post quilting group on Monday afternoon. The on-post group meets Monday morning. Funny thing is, I've been here a month and have found two quilting groups. But they don't seem to know about each other.

AFSC Luncheon

First, to catch up, on Sunday Chris and I went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth. A good movie, although slightly unbelievable. I made our first loaf of homemade bread in this apartment.
Monday, Chris went to work even though most places were still closed. No school. Michele met him in the afternoon to see HellBoy. I went to the thrift shop on post then came home to scrub the kitchen floor, again. This is the last time, I hope.
Tuesday, today, Pam picked me up so we could attend the AFSC luncheon. AFSC stands for Armed Forces Spouses Club. It is THE club to join because most other clubs are an off-shoot of it and require membership in it. So, ok.
There were vendors there selling homemade stuff (bows, jewelry, quilted items, candles, handbag knockoffs) and furniture, specialty papers, and fabric. I looked at everything else first because I knew all the money I had left would be spent on fabric. It was sold in packages of 2 yards for $5. It is the same people I bought from several weeks ago. So I knew it was good fabric. I got 19 packages. I could barely carry it home.
The tables were fancy, with ribbons, fans, orchids, tulle, table favors, etc. There was a long list of 'Thank you s' and lots of clapping. Some voting. Finally we got to get in line for the buffet. I was told that they usually serve tableside. I got two desserts because they were small. But one turned out to be coffee-flavored and I couldn't eat it.
Afterwards they had several Korean groups doing dances and singing. I would have enjoyed it more if I knew what they were singing about. There were also prizes, raffles, and a party game to determine who got each centerpiece.

Saturday

It is Saturday so off we (Chris and I) go to the thrift store to buy power strips. Outlets are not common in this apartment and even then many are 220 not 110. If they'd had 220v lamps, we would have gotten them. After returning our treasures to the apartment, we headed out to Iteawon to find an optical shop. We found several, but none to rival the one on post. So we kept walking. There was so much to see. That particular street featured tailors, so lots of clothing shops, handbags, ties, sunglasses, shoes. Finally we felt ready to turn around, have lunch and head back. We stopped at a Korean resaurant. They understood very little English. We ordered the grilled pork entree, and a bowl of veggies and rice, and a bowl of spicy beef soup. As you can see in the picture, we got a lot more than that. First they brought us a bowl of hot coals which they put in our table top grill. Then they put a grill cover on it. All the side bowls came next. When the meat arrived, it was raw. The waitress put the meat on the grill and left. So we figured we were supposed to cook it ourselves. One of the side dishes had garlic cloves, so we threw that on the grill, too. The pork was thinly sliced and turned out like bacon. Then the bowls of veggies and beef came. The beef soup was at a rolling boil. What we didn't get were plates, just stainless steel chopsticks and a spoon. So we dug in to the side dishes (about 10) with chopsticks, one dish at a time. It was all edible, some interesting, and some very good. One plate had lettuce leaves and what looked like hydrangea leaves. After we'd eaten most of our meal, I noticed a lady at a nearby table putting a little of this and that on a lettuce leaf and rolling it up to eat. I'll remember that for next time. The best part of the meal was the spicy beef soup, mmm. The hydrangea(?) leaves I could do without.
We walked back but not the way we came, could have gotten lost, but came out at a familiar place. Lots of narrow alleys, with tiny shops. We found our way back to post, visited the Px and the library (where Chris got Predator vs Alien), and the commissary. The commissary was having a caselot sale. Still, we only got what we needed and walked home. Sunday and Monday the commissary will be closed due to Chusok, a Korean holiday akin to Thanksgiving. Michele wasn't home because she'd been invited to a birthday party. She is so independent.

Friday

Whoo-hoo! Its here! The first shipment has arrived! It is so nice to have our own sheets and towels. And couch pillows! I didn't know how much I would miss couch pillows. Michele is thrilled to have her bookbag. How the transportation people went from thinking it would come on the 25th to telling us on the 10th that they would deliver it on the 11th, I don't know. Maybe our furniture will be early, too.
Besides taking delivery of our smaller shipment, I volunteered at the thrift shop on post. I was one of four new volunteers. I must admit I'd been feeling like a second-class citizen because we are civilians, and not entitled to all the perks the military get, such as health care on post. But there is another class of people who are Americans, but can't use the Commissary, Px, etc. Some can't even get on post w/o being signed in. But their husbands work here, I think. This I found out at the thrift shop where a number of them volunteer. If they volunteer at least 20 hours a month, they can get a pass to get on post.
I also found out that there is another quilt group that meets off-post, not associated with the base. That is all I konw about them so far, but plan to join the group anyway.
Chris and I investigated the recycling center in back of the building. It seems they recycle cans, plastic, cardboard, probably paper (couldn't see into that container) and food scraps. Yes, food scraps. What a pleasant aroma that was.
But it is good news since it will reduce our garbage production, and garbage is paid for by the sale of gov't approved bags, which are nearly $1 apiece.
After that, we watched one of our DVD's on our TV. It was so nice. They have cable TV here, but not the channels you'd get in the states.

Wednesday

This is my 4th day of scrubbing floors - about 100 sf of floor a day: scrub it, rinse it, shine it, rest for the remainder of the day if possible. But very satisfying. Can you see the difference between the floor on the right and the floor on the left? I would say I have about 2 days left, but I just got an e-mail that our first shipment is coming tomorrow! So I'd best get it finished in the AM. Once my fabric and tools get here, nothing else will get done.
Chris had a 5am teleconference this morning, so he left about 4:15 to walk to work. Unfortunately he left his cell phone, so I brought it to him (buses were running by then so I didn't have to walk all the way) and we walked to lunch. There were a few things I'd planned to do on post, but I returned the Hogan's Heroes DVD first (w/o a TV, we'd been watching the episodes on Chris' laptop for family entertainment in the evenings). While there I found a book by one of my favorite authors and, well, nothing else got done. I sat in the airconditioned library and read until I felt like coming home, to read some more.
Monday we had a quilter's meeting. There are a lot of nice ladies in it and the lady who hosted it has a lot of quilted items displayed in her house. Luckily they didn't have a name quiz afterwards. They have petitioned the garrison to get a long arm machine which will be housed at the Arts and Crafts Center. There does seem to be a need for quilt classes so I will check into that.
I rode around base with Pam, who is also joining the quilt group. We stopped at the Px where she bought a rotary cutter and mat. But they had no rulers. Weird. Monday they had no step ladders, but Tuesday they did. Expensive for such a little thing, but I guess they sell out, so I got it anyway.

Sheets and Towels

No picture for this. I mentioned before about buying towels in the Px only to find that, although they are cotton, they are very water resistant. Not helpful in a towel. And the sheets we bought turned out to be polyester. I was so busy looking for the thread count that I missed the fiber content. I then went to the thrift shop and they didn't have any sheets or towels. Well, our friend Nancy, upon hearing about the towels, lend us some of hers until ours come. Bless you, Nancy! And one of Chris' co-workers said she'd give us sheets. Bless you, too, Nicole! Sheets and towels don't seem that important until you don't have them, or have unsatisfactory ones. The good news is that the water resistant towels make reasonable bath mats and the white polyester sheets make good shears for the window.

Sunday cleaning

Yesterday there was supposed to ba a flea market by Gate 10. Michele and I were looking forward to it, but it never materialized. The thrift store was having a tent sale so we went there and got some clothes and a blanket. We also signed up for the AFSC, Armed Forces Spouses Club. Michele and I got a fast food lunch and split it. Then we came back to the apt. Later the three of us went back on post to see WALL-E. It was good. We stopped by the commissary on the way back and got more food. I guess once we have all the staples and spices covered we won't have to do so much shopping. Also, they only have 1/2 gallons of milk. Don't know why.
We have discovered that the little walk-in gate near us is not open on weekends. This makes getting on post a much longer walk. It is ok in sneakers, but I am not doing it in dress and heels. That will make getting to church problematic. Maybe there is an off-post church that would be closer.
I cleaned the kitchen floor today. Michele didn't understand why because she thought the floors were clean. First, I felt that I had failed as a mother to teach my daughter what 'dirt' looks like. Later, I felt even worse when it occured to me that maybe I hadn't taught my daughter what 'clean' looks like.
The spot in the living room that I cleaned with ammonia looks the best. But Chris commented that that was the 'slick' spot. Do I have to choose between safe and clean? I was also thinking that to me 'dirty' = 'needs cleaning', but not so for the rest of the family. 'Dirty' only equals 'needs cleaning' if they are going to eat off of it right now.
Friday we stopped by the commissary and they were handing out samples of Korean drinks. I tried the Black Bean Tea. The nicest thing I can say is that it made Corn Tea seem not so bad.
We saw the ladder truck again. Someone above us got their furniture. There are 18 floors here. Hard to believe that the ladder can reach that high. Do you think they'd let me borrow it to clean the windows?
My cold is better. I think it is just an adjustment to living in a new area.
The walls in the movie theatre remind me of quilt blocks. I was thinking about how to make the design into a quilt, but then I began to miss all my quilting tools. I have fabric all prepared, but not the stuff to work with it. It is very frustrating.
Well, we are going to another movie, another long walk. I hope it is a good one.

Friday morning

I woke up congested, not sure what I've got. Could be from the water. I laid around for a while before going to the commissary. Going every day for a week, I could get a week's worth of groceries. And I get Monday's off because they are closed that day. If I felt like doing anything now (after lugging the groceries home over the pedestrian bridge in the photo) I could wash dishes because we only have enough for 1 day. I could also sweep the floors. Sweeping is a very popular activity around here. Somebody is always sweeping somewhere. Even the guards at the gate to the apartment complex sweep the street and entrance. But the floors in our apartment need more than sweeping. They have black marks, which I am hoping ammonia will remove. They also need some shine, like MopNGlo, but I don't know if that is appropriate or not. If anybody knows how to take care of wood floors, let me know.

Thursday

At 7:30 this morning I took my carry-on and

walked to the commissary. It took about 10 minutes. They have early bird hours from 7am to 10am but you can only buy 15 items. Which is ok by me since I am limited by the size and weight of stuff I can carry on foot. It took a little longer to get back. I was going to go back again, but found other stuff to do, like laundering the new towels that don't absorb water. Michele says they still don't.

About 3:30 a man's voice was broadcasting across the courtyard. I have no idea what he was saying and couldn't see him. Later, he was speaking again, and this time I noticed that he was in a blue truck with the sides open, carrying open boxes. I think he was selling something.

This is a picture of the courtyard taken earlier.

Furniture

This is how our rental furniture arrived. They used a ladder truck and hoisted it up to our 6th floor apt window.

Our apartment is like a 9-patch. The four corners are bedrooms. The top center square is the master bath and closets. The right center square is the kitchen and the left center square is the living room. The bottom center square is the front entry way and small bath. There is a long porch on both sides (LR and kitchen)

The water is not for drinking so we have a water dispensing machine. We get 4 large bottles of water a month included with the rent. There are remotes for the 3 AC room units and the lights in the bedrooms. I miss having ceiling fans, though.

A man came this morning to clean the water machine. Took him half an hour. He ran steam through the lines and washed all the parts. I hope he didn't mind my watching.

At noon I caught the bus to the massage area. It was too early for that so I stopped by the thrift store and got a trash can, some glasses to hold silverware (no silverware type drawers here), a shirt, some vacuum bags (for a vac I don't have yet), a 3 ring binder, and a power strip. I was really hoping to find sheets and towels, but they didn't have any. Then I got the massage, complete with herbs. I smell like a spicy baloney. Sat for a while, then walked my trashcan full of treasures all the way back to the apartment. Michele is now home, trying to get on the internet, so I think I'll let her.

New Apartment

Kitchen, Mbr, Living room, Front entrance, M bathroom

Wednesday morning.

We moved into our new apartment yesterday afternoon. Chris and I came over about 10 to get the keys, or rather electronic cards that let you into the building. The door to the apartment has a key pad. Our realestate agent and her boss helped us transport our belongings from the hotel to the apt. Then they checked for burnt-out light bulbs, cabinets that need adjusting, remotes that don't work, etc. and made a list. A guy came to hook up the internet. A lady came by with a strange bulb for the kitchen light. But she dropped it. Since this is a country where people take off their shoes when they enter, she was standing barefoot amid the shards of glass. Luickily the former tenants left brooms so we swept it all up. I am glad she wasn't hurt.

The worst part was not having a chair to sit on. Sitting on the floor did not 'sit' well with me. About 2 I walked to post to catch a bus to Dragon Hill Lodge to meet Michele after school. I waited al least half an hour. I could have walked it, but it was hot! I had both carry-ons and fabric and batting with me. When I found Michele, she'd already called Chris and found out that we had a job to do. We went to the lending closet and picked out plates, silverware, cookware, iron, toaster, etc. We had to pack these items in our carry-ons and take the bus back to the gate where we walk to the apartment. Chris met us there and carried my load. He had stayed behind to let the movers in. This is loaner furniture, beds, couch, table, chairs, etc. But no lamps. And no sheets or towels. So we had to go to the Px to buy pillows, sheets, and towels. I hated them, but they were all that were left. And these beds aren't the same sizes as our beds. Grumble, grumble. This afternoon I am off to my massage and then the thrift shop to see if they have better linens and towels. There is a host of small stuff that we kinda need, and we packed, but it hasn't come yet. We were told to expect it in two weeks, now they say it takes 30 to 45 days. I really miss WalMart.