Finally got them entered...on the LAST day!

Went to thrift shop at 11:15. Lots of books waiting, but I tested the sewing machines first. I was expecting only two but another one had come in. I had bobbins and fabric scraps ready. I tested them and wrote my findings on colored paper and taped it to the top of each machine. Then I shelved books. Lots went to charity because we had so many already. I did not get a chance to even look at DVD's and VHS. At 2:15 I signed out, called Mary Ann and she wanted to meet at the parking lot of DHL. So I drove over there, parked, and sat with my feet in the grass singing songs from a book I picked up at the thrift shop. When she showed up, she had cat food and litter in tow. We drove over to the Blackhawk parking lot, and walked to my apt. Strangely, it was not raining. She called her cats out of hiding and visited with each one. I ate lunch, checked e-mail, printed out some worksheets for class tonight. With the help of Mary Ann and Michele, I took photos of three of my quilts and entered them on-line in the Arts n Crafts contest. The website must have been updated 'cause it went so much faster and easier than last year. Chris came home, leaving his car in the parking lot. When I left for class, I brought Mary Ann with me. We took my car to the SPC. She helped me set up tables and equipment. Then she rejoined her family at DHL. Several people came to work on purses, and the girl who finished her apron wanted to learn knitting. So I showed her how and she got the 'casting on stitches' part. The actual knitting she could do but she kept dropping stitches. Ruth Ann assured her that it would get easier, but I think she gave up. A Katusa came by to ask when our class would be over. We told him 8:30 and then realized it was already 8:25. So we rushed to pack up and left. I went home. Chris and Michele were watching a Hornblower movie. So I got on my computer to check e-mail. Later Chris came in, and started kissing the back of my neck. Well, one thing led to another and then it was lights out.

Quilt-athon is over

I got up at 6:30 to make Chris a sandwich with the loaf of bread I started last night. I went back to bed. Later I got up, had breakfast, checked e-mail, took a shower, and found the fabric I used in the center of the dahlia. I used a jar lid to cut a circle of it, and a smaller one to make a circle of cardstock. I basted around the circle, and pulled it over the cardboard, and ironed the edges down. Then I headed to the AnC center with my large umbrella. The downpour was impressive. My feet were soaked quickly. I arrived at 9:30, but Cathy was just leaving her apt so I drove over to get her. It was close to 10 by the time we got started on the quilt. I cut out the middle (where 16 seams intersected) and appliqued the circle in place. We had worked for four hours yesterday. Today we put in another seven hours. Mary and Kim came by. It was Kim's last day and she asked what should a person do on their last night in Korea. That was a tough question. I don't know what I would do. She is flying back to the states tomorrow. Cathy took a break to drop three of her quilts off with the photographer to have pics taken for the AnC contest. I want to drop of my dahlia quilt, but he won't be here tomorrow and it is the last day to submit entries. I called Mary Ann before I left the AnC center in case she wanted to come home to visit the cats, but it was too late and she did not want to distract me from finishing my quilt (which only needs binding). Well, when I got home, I did not feel like working on the quilt. I ate supper, checked e-mail, and we all watched 8 episodes of Big Bang Theory that arrived in the mail courtesy of Netflix.

More fabric, more rain

I woke up to a surprise. When getting an outfit from my closet, I found a pair of eyes staring at me from a dark corner. That startled me. When I regained my calm, I shooed Rusty from my closet and he fled to the bathroom and jumped out the window. You know, the window to the north porch. I got a call from one person who couldn't come today, and then rushed out of the apt to the commissary. I met a group of women from the quilt group who were all going to Happy Quilt's new warehouse. It was almost 10 when we got there. The packets which are normally $6, were $4 today. The fabrics on the roll were $2 a yard. What fun we had going through all the fabrics! Of course, I need more fabric like I need a hole in my head. I must need a hole in my head 'cause I bought a lot more fabric. But not record-breakingly so. Mr. Kahn then led me back to his 'other' warehouse. I had heard it was off-limits, but he made an exception for me. Of course I had to have Cathy and Mary come, too. So we all got a little more. You should have seen the pile we got for the guild, too. Thank heavens Mary drove. Although the new location is 'near' a subway station, we could not have dragged our personal purchases and our guild purchases home on the subway. When we got back, Cathy and Mary ran some fabric errands while I went home to get a recharged phone battery (our realestate agent called to say a man would come over at 5 to change our internet service provider). That was enough to kill the phone. I met Cathy at the AnC center with my dahlia quilt. We had to add strips to the backing so there would be enough to grab on the sides. Having bought designs digitized for a dahlia quilt was great, but it did not come with a design for the corners. So we experimented with a few before deciding on a cross-hatch. It turned out to be inconsequential because the quilting didn't show at all. Luckily it did on the dahlia petals. Bob and Mary Ann stopped by to chat. Bob complained about all the drama involved in watching us quilt. But he couldn't make up his mind whether it was better than watching grass grow. At 8:30 we called it quits for the night. Everybody went home. It started to rain. Chris came to get me and carry my heavy bag of fabric. Having had very little to eat all day, I had some leftover bison, then sat at my computer to check e-mail. I want to make Chris a sandwich, but didn't have time to make another loaf of bread. I also want to make a yo-yo for the center of the dahlia quilt so I can cut out the seam-heavy center. I also want to go to bed. So the plan is to make a loaf of bread, go to bed, then get up early to make the sandwich and the yo-yo center.

Two weeks of quilts

I slept in until 8:30, but not on purpose. I keep forgetting to reset the alarm. While rushing to get ready, I got three phone calls. One was Cathy asking for a ride. So I stopped by her place on the way to the SPC. Mary Ann was there already, having set up all the tables. What a friend! She worked diligently, too, throughout the day. Where has she been for the last 3 years? We got a record-breaking 15 quilts done today! With 8 people! The pic shows last weeks quilts too, as we dropped them off at the hospital. I left the SPC with Cathy, picked up Mary Ann and Steven, and went to the hospital. All four of us carried baby quilts into the hospital. Then I took Cathy home, and the rest of us went to my place. Mary Ann and Steven came to visit the cats. Cinnamon was easy to find, but Rusty hid, this time in my closet. When Chris came home, I couldn't believe it was after 5 already. He and Michele were going to see a movie, so they took Mary Ann and Steven (her son) back to the hotel on their way to the theatre. I stayed home to clear e-mail, have supper, and trim selvege edges while watching a movie with Korean subtitles. I made Chris a sandwich, and now it is time for bed. (Last night I tried sleeping with my pillow under my feet instead of my head. But it wasn't very comfortable, and I did not feel 'rejuvenated' in the morning.)

Rainy Sunday

It was raining again today. I wanted to stay in bed, but I did get up and take a shower. No breakfast, just on to church. Chris was the reader today. During the passing of the peace, we were asked to take up the offering. But first we had to find the plates! And we did. While the hymn was playing, we collected the offering and stood at the back, waiting for the nod to come forward. I guess he forgot about us, 'cause we stood there through the next section of the service. I told him later that we were about to give it back to the congregation. The sermon was about Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son, literally. I wonder if Isaac was scarred for life by the sight of his father standing over him with a knife. Hunter and I discussed it all the way to the fellowship hall. I told the new organist that she had done a great job, which she did. Chris counted money, then joined me. Finally we dashed through the rain to the car. I had an umbrella but one of the struts is broken, already. The wind didn't help when it turned the umbrella inside out. We stopped at the DHL to see if Mary Ann wanted a ride, but her phone was busy. On to the commissary. After buying groceries, we called her again. Still no answer. Chris told me on the way home that he had a piece of glass in his foot. So I looked at his foot while Michele put away the groceries. Even with a magnifying glass I could not see the glass. I had to get an Exacto knife to cut away the tough heel skin. Then Michele dug the particle out with a needle while I squeezed his foot. Being clear, it was not visible in the wound, but the pin would click against it. Mary Ann came over later to see the cats. Romaric arrived soon after to game with Chris and Michele. I think the cats were glad to see her. She borrowed a needle and thread to sew on a button while she was here. She left just as Chris was cooking spaghetti for supper. We could not convince her to stay. I cleared some e-mail after supper and worked up the energy to do some juicing. I was missing some Popsicle holders, but found them in the dishwasher, clean. I pulled out all the veggies from the fridge, and each one got juiced or put in the recyclable pile. Then I took the second pile down to the food bins outside. I have a whole jar of extra juice, over and above what was needed for popsicles. One of the videos I watched said it would keep 90% of its nutrition in the fridge if used within 12 hours. Drinking freshly juiced veggies is supposed to improve cognition. Cinnamon watched me juice. She miaowed as if to say "It's been raining for 5 days and I can't stand it anymore." I know the feeling. Time to make the sandwich and go to bed. (I also learned that the body rejuvinates while sleeping in an inclined position, head lower than feet.)
* No pics today, but here is one is our 'after presentation' dance.

EFT presentation

I woke up early, but it was a surprise since I went to bed quite late. I checked my e-mail, woke Chris up, and took a shower. Then I had breakfast, and read for a little while. Around noon I left for the Seobinggo subway station. I read for a while, until Helen arrived. We took the next train to Yongsan station. It is a very confusing station, but between the two of us we managed to find the train to Daebang. When we got there, it was raining hard and I was glad to have my umbrella. I had printed the directions to Seoul Women's Plaza and we had no trouble finding it. Once inside we discovered that it is quite nice, with a pool in the basement and a workout center on the first floor. But we went to the 4th floor to find our conference room. It was empty, but not for long. Robin showed up and encouraged us to find a quick lunch. So we did, collecting another woman on the way. We found a place nearby and the third woman ordered for us. It turned out to be a black bean sauce over noodles. It was good, but we didn't have time to finish it. We got back to the conference room at the stroke of two. Betsy opened the meeting with a few words about the new meeting place, and then she introduced me. I explained EFT to the group until three. Then we took a break for water, etc. At 3:15 I showed a video clip of Gary helping a woman clear her jaw pain. And then we discussed the 9 gamut procedure, and went through a tapping sequence for the feeling of overwhelm. I was encouraged to stop short of 4pm so those in a hurry could leave. The ladies were very nice, asked good questions, and presented me with a bundle of tea. Then they took pics of the whole group, and they put on some music and we danced. One by one people left, and several of us walked back to the subway together. Only Helen and I got on the Yongsan train. From there we were able to find the train to Seobinggo. I got off there, and she kept going. I walked home. I talked to Chris and Michele for a bit, checked e-mail, ate supper, watched an old movie, did a few Sudoku puzzles, and now am ready for bed.

A day of preparation

Pretty much all I did today was prepare for my presentation of EFT tomorrow. I previewed video segments for hours. Michele showed me how to put music on her old Ipod so I can use it now that she has a new one. Julia called to say she has located a wonderful new apartment behind the university where her new job is. The cats made no appearances until after supper. I think Cinnamon was looking for Mary Ann. Michele and Chris went to the movies at 5 to see Green Lantern. I wrote a 'lesson plan' and supplemented it with stuff I found on the internet. I hope I won't forget what's in it. My back is still bothering me and I hope it will disappear tomorrow in time for the subway ride. Say a prayer that all goes well. Thanks.

Monsoon season

It rained yesterday and today. Silly me didn't take an umbrella with me when I went to the thrift shop. When I got to my car, I realized that I had left the windows cracked to let the heat out. Well, it also let the rain in. And it started to smell. I tried driving with the windows down to air it out on the way over. When I got to the thrift shop, I found boxes of books and VHS awaiting me. I shelved as much as I could. Someone had donated a ton of National Geographics, but they were full of bugs so I didn't have to bring them in. Actually I did not personally see any bugs, but was happy to leave them be. Ella packed up the store at 2:30. I gave her and Geri a ride to the DHL where Mary Ann was waiting for me. It was like a 2 for 1 deal. I took Mary Ann home with me. She said she came to visit the cats, but she spent more time with me than with them. Oh, and she had two loads of laundry to do so her husband would have clean clothes for work tomorrow. There was a line in the laundry room at the hotel. I had a few things to do to get ready for class. Chris came home, leaving his car on post. I then drove Mary Ann to the DHL and went to the SPC for class. I arrived early to set up. There were several men in the classroom. They asked if I needed help with sewing machines, and I said no, but it would be great if they set up the tables. And they did. And God saw that it was good. Class went well, but I could see that one more week is needed. Only Mary finished her purse. Shannon finished her apron with her mother's help. See pic. Jane brought some fabric that she wanted to donate. Then we packed up and went home. I had trouble seeing in the dark and the rain as I drove. Thankfully I don't do much night driving. Chris and Michele were watching "Gamers: Dorkness Rising". I had another veggie pop, deleted some e-mail, and now am finished for the day. Except for the sandwich.

AC is fixed!

Since school is out, I no longer have to help second graders with math. So I slept in. Had I awoken before 6 like yesterday, I would have gotten up. As it was, it was closer to 8 and I didn't feel nearly as lively. I read some e-mail before breakfast, and some after. My back was still bothering me from yesterday. I gave the cats fresh water and refilled the empty food bowl. One cat had dragged my kite off the shelf and it made me wonder why. I took a shower and was lying on the bed doing a Sudoku puzzle when the lights went out. I waited for them to come back on. I checked the circuit breaker box, too. Chris suggested that I see if the stairwell lights were working to know if it was only our apartment. They were, and it was. So at his suggestion I flipped the main breaker off and back on. Bingo!
I had promised myself that I would work on my presentation for Saturday. So I got out my remaining set of EFT DVD's to find a nice segment to show with the presentation. But I discovered that they were scratched. Someone I had lent them to was not so careful with them. I previewed one and part of another, tapping along. MaryAnn came by to visit her cats, so I paused it. While she was here, the ac man came (a little early). While he was refilling the freon in the ac unit for the livingroom, I cleared space in front of the one in the bedroom and swept up the dust. After checking, he thought the bedroom unit was working fine, just too small for the room. It was fine last year, so I asked about the filters, and he pulled them out and cleaned them. Then stuck them back into the ac unit dripping wet! Oh well. I had him check the one in the computer room, and he said it was fine. So why is it so hot in here? A little while after he left, Chris came home. He left around 6 to see a movie with Michele, and he gave MaryAnn a ride home. I finished my DVD and started another one (there are 9). Chris and Michele arrived all too soon, but were willing to let me continue using the DVD player. It was after 10 when that DVD finished. Then I noticed that tapping along with the DVD's had relieved my back pain. I made Chris' sandwich for tomorrow, and now I'm off to bed.
* picture from Jeju. Hopefully you can see the ancient 'grafitti' to the right of the falls. *

The Cat Cave

I woke up before 6, covered in sweat. The ac was on, but not putting out cold air. I felt rested so I got up. I read through my e-mail, and noticed that the courtyard was quiet. So I took a book and went down to read. But at 8, kids showed up and the quiet was gone. So I went back upstairs for breakfast. I had planned to go to the thrift shop at 11, but my back was warning me to take it easy. So I did. I cleaned the countertops and sink, and washed the few dishes that Michele did not put in the dishwasher. She left for college to turn in a few last papers. MaryAnn called from the bookroom to see if I was coming in, and to ask if she could come to visit her cats. Since she was coming over, I asked her to buy me the crockpot insert that I saw at the thrift shop last week. Looked identical to mine, except there were no cracks. But when she arrived, we found out that it was just a little larger. Fudge. I apologized for having her carry it all that way. She visited with her cats while I ran the vacuum, and mopped the floors. She also built them a 'cat cave' with a big box and their cat beds. Cinnamon seemed to like it but Rusty preferred to hide under the beach towels on a shelf. When MaryAnn left, Cinnamon was sitting in the TV cabinet behind the glass doors next to the receiver. Chris fixed chili for supper. After eating, I went into my sewing room to make a baby quilt top out of Monday's leftovers. When I was nearly done, Cinnamon came in and laid on it as if to say "It's mine now". I carried her out and Michele was surprised that she didn't scratch me. Chris went to bed early, declining the offer of a sandwich for tomorrow. I'm about ready to go myself.

When fabric growls...

There were no cats to be seen this morning. But apparently they left 'presents' in the kitchen. Michele cleaned them up before I got up. Thinking that it meant they were unhappy with the litter box, I took the scooper and cleaned out the clumps. Then I had breakfast, e-mail, and a shower. I prepared cheese cubes for lunch, and sorted the recyclables. Cathy called for a ride. So after dropping off the cans, bottles, plastic, etc, I drove over to her apartment building. When we arrived at the SPC, the front entrance was full of men ripping out carpet to put in tile. We had to go around back to get in. It was just us, so we only set up for two. But eventually others did come. I think we finished 9 baby quilts today. Not many ladies came, and some left early, so we were always a small group. Pam stopped by, bringing me an iron, and asking us to make a tooth fairy pillowcase. It turned out great.
We had the best time together. And I got to do some sewing: I made 4 quilt tops with panel prints. Here is a pic of Ana and Cathy with Ana's quilt that Cathy helped her with. We worked late 'cause we just couldn't stop. MaryAnn came over about 3:30. She went home with me to visit her cats. But only one could be found. I think we looked for Rusty for an hour. I saw that he'd been in my fabric room. Piles of it had fallen out of the closet. But we couldn't find him in there. Later, when I was putting the fabric back on the shelves, I heard this noise like a cell phone on mute. Then I realized that it was Rusty growling. So I let Maryann dig him out. He had pushed one stack out and hidden behind another. I was so relieved. I had wondered if he'd gotten into something and fallen ill. After that Mary Ann stayed until Cinnamon at least was more comfortable. She left as Chris was preparing supper. As we ate, we watched the rest of Spiderman 2, and then watched "The Rocketeer" which came on Netflix. Now it is bedtime, but I don't have to make a sandwich 'cause Chris forgot it today. But I baked a new loaf anyway.

Father's Day

Chris got up at 8 to heat the chili in the crock pot. Later we got up to shower, dress and go to church. Although it is Father's Day, no one said a word in church. Hyon was there, which was a great and wonderful surprise. After church, we gave a ride to two fellow members over to another parishioner's house. This is what the chili was for. We were having a goodbye party for Beth and Stan. The hostess decorated the tables in her backyard with red, white, and blue flowers and other trimmings. It was very nice. I really enjoyed being in a grassy back yard, and going barefoot. I chatted with the ladies, while Chris sat and chatted with the men. Finally a book of pretty Seoul pictures was passed around for everyone to sign. It was a gift for the PCSing couple. Of course, they aren't leaving until later next month, so it isn't really goodbye. Then we dropped several people off at gates, and went to the commissary for groceries. We had to call Michele down to meet us at the apt building door to help carry groceries and chili up. Romaric came over to play the rpg. Then Heidi came over for a lesson. While we were so engaged, MaryAnn and Bob came over to visit their cats. (I have decided that the way to get people to visit me is to keep their cats) When Heidi left, I visited with Bob and MaryAnn. They told me cat stories, and I spoke of finding paw prints in places the cats shouldn't be. After they left, I got on my computer to finish listening to an interview that I started three days ago. Part of it was how bad sleep habits promote weight gain, and how to lose weight by getting better sleep. At 9, Christine called to see if she could buy a mat. So I arranged to meet her at 7-11 and carried the mat down. Now I feel ready for bed, but I have to make more shampoo. One of the cats is already asleep in the TV cabinet.

From Rusty to dusty

Rusty and Cinnamon are the names of MaryAnn's cats. Having hid under the cabinets, and in various other out-of-the-way places, their paws are now grey with dust. They got out a little bit last night. And this afternoon when Chris drove me to the gas station gate, he asked Michele to watch his sandwich until he got back - just in case they came out of hiding. From the gas station gate, I went to exit 2 of Noksapyong. I sat on a nearby bench until Julia arrived. Then we went looking for the Fermentation Festival. When we found it, there were two tables set up for signing people up. For 20,000 won, we got our tickets, which had a map showing the locations of the places which were giving out samples, and a spot for each place to punch our ticket. At the second table we each picked up two plastic cups and a spork. They were for collecting each sample of food or drink. Then the people in charge informed us that they had divided the list in half, and the first half would operate from 1 to 3 and the others from 3 to 5. Well, it was 2:30 when we got there so we didn't have much time for the first half. We tasted goat cheese, beer, makegoli, kambucha, kimchi, sausage, and salsa in the first half. We were so impressed with the local goat cheese, that we each bought a tub. Then we went for the second half. But it was swamped. So we decided to go to the last one and backtrack. A young man named Phil went along. When we finally got to place #18, which was at the top of a very steep climb, they didn't know what we were talking about. And the signs along the way indicated an afterhours party there. So we came back down the hill. We went to place #16 and Julia ordered a drink. They had fermented salsa. Across the street, they were handing out home brewed beer and selling burritos. It was really hot out, so I stopped at a convenience store for a bottle of water. Other places had samples of cheeses, fermented catsup, chicken on a stick, sauerkraut, vodka, fermented lemonade, etc. The pickle guy was a no-show. Oh, and hand-made organic soap. Some places had nothing because they had run out. It seemed that most of the attendees were English-speaking. It was nice to be among people I could talk to, and who appreciated fermented food.
Finally we had run the course, and Julia wanted to get her hair cut. So we parted ways. I called Chris to meet me at the gate, and I walked back. He arrived there just as I did. We went home. He had made chili, so three of us had a bowl. MaryAnn came over to visit her cats, and she had a bowl too. Cinnamon came out right away, but we had a hard time finding Rusty. We looked everywhere. Finally found him behind the couch. We had to move it to drag him out. She made the cats feel more comfortable and Cinnamon at least, was willing to be sociable with the rest of us. After she left, I got on my computer for a bit before going to bed.

Fern's family feline facility

After my usual morning routine, Mary Ann called to take my up on my offer of shelter for her cats. I picked her up at the DHL, and we went to I-Park Mall. She bought a phone battery, and it even had some charge on it. But when she tried to call her husband, it was out of money. So we had to go to the PX to get a prepaid phone card. I got a pair of sunglasses there, too. Then we went to the Four Seasons for cat litter, and other cat 'stuff'. Then on to the pet hotel. She went in to get her cats while I sat outside waiting to take her picture. After that, we went to the commissary to get their favorite cat food. Because the cat litter was so heavy, I called Michele to bring the rollycart to the gate. Michele offered to carry the cats, while MaryAnn and I carried all the other stuff. The cats were not happy at having to be at the pet center. After an initial exploration of what parts of the apartment they could reach (I closed most of the doors), they found the one spot I didn't know about, and where they can't be reached. It is under a bank of floor cabinets on the porch. They hid there for the rest of the day. In fact, they are still there now. Michele left at 5 to meet a friend. At 6:45 I took MaryAnn back to her hotel, and raced back before the gate closed at 7. (I offered to slow down so she could jump out.) Chris and I sat reading in the living room and my headache got worse. I am not sure when it started. So I retired to my dark bedroom and Chris followed me. Then....we fell asleep. A couple of times in the night we thought we heard a cat's miaow. But the only sign of them this morning is some missing food, a disturbance in the litter box, and black paw prints on the countertops. Michele says they camped outside her window for a little while.

To go or not to go

I awoke to the sound of Chris calling the states. He is trying to resolve a plumbing issue in our home there. But due to the time difference, the people he needs to talk to are hard to find, and can't call him back because he's asleep when they are at work. It has been going on for over a week.
So I got up when the alarm went off, had breakfast, and e-mail, etc. Then MaryAnn called to tell me that her husband's new job moved the report date back a month and a half. This is bad 'cause all her household goods are on a ship back to the U.S. They have already vacated their apartment, and are living at the hotel. She was not happy.
She had called from the thrift store to tell me not to pick her and the cats up from the vet clinic getting their health certificate. So after delivering Chris' sandwich, I met her there. They were keeping her busy sorting a HUGE mound of donated clothing. We talked, I offered to let them stay with us. But she hasn't accepted the offer.
We had 5 boxes of books come in, but most of them went to charity. When I left there, I went to the DHL intending to sit outside and read in the back yard. But it was too populated in all areas. So I went across the street by the ACS building. I found a bench there and read. But I won't go there again, 'cause the bench was too high, and there was noise and the smell of cigarettes. When I got home, I had something to eat, and listened to more of an audio that I had started this morning. But it was time for class before I finished it. I did not go early, but arrived at 6:20. Mary helped me set up. We had a good class. Shannon did not finish her apron, and she brought a friend who started one of her own. The purse people made good progress. After class, I went home to finish the audio. Actually there were two, and fairly long ones. Then I placed an order that took awhile to compile, but they are now using Paypal and it won't accept my credit card, the one I have been using for years. I have even used it to order from this company in the past. So that was a complete waste of time. I am sure that having an APO address doesn't help either. Still, I wouldn't trade places with MaryAnn right now for anything.
* This is the bonzai garden in Jeju *

The MaryAnn Marathon

If I could only write one sentence in this post it would be "I talked to MaryAnn today". That would not do justice to Chippy, who got his balloon-themed QOV today in second grade, much to the delight of the class. Nor would it encompass the hour I spent in the park reading, as the words seemed to get smaller and smaller. But it would describe the rest of my day. I met MaryAnn at the DHL lobby at 11. We talked for over an hour. Then we went to lunch at Figi's. I had the sashimi (tasted kinda like fish) and she got tempura shrimp. We stayed there so long, chatting, that I think our waitress had gone. I hope she gets the tip I left. Then we talked in my car. Around 6 we went back to the DHL, passing her husband along the way. So he followed us there. The three of us were in conversation, mostly about his blue Charger (sorry no pic), and then we called Chris to go eat at Greenstreet. So the four of us ate supper there. Finally it was almost 9 when they admitted they were tired and needed to go back to their room. So Chris and I headed home. I read through my e-mail, noting the Fermentation Festival this weekend near Itaewon. It is much more than beer, and I hope to find someone who would like to go along.
MaryAnn is moving to the states on Saturday. I will miss her a lot. My parting gift to her is to make her so sick of me that she won't miss me for at least several months.

My pie runneth over

Can't remember what I did this morning other than take out the recyclabes, vacuum, and mop. Then I went to the thrift shop. There was a ton of 'stuff', but not books. When I finished the books, DVD's, and VHS, I went through all the magazines and pulled out the oldest ones. The box I put them in was too heavy to lift, and in fact it took both Helle and I to slide it over with the other boxes for charity. I left before Mr. Kim found out how heavy it was. I drove over to the park beside Burger King. It was earlier than yesterday, and there were teenagers there cutting up and making noise. But I ignored them, mostly because I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. I read and ate dried seaweed. Around 3:15 it got quiet. I went home after half an hour. At 4 Michele came home with a friend. I was clearing e-mail and trying to listen to a video clip of a man making chocolate 'ice cream' out of healthy stuff. None of this is stuff you are likely to have in your kitchen, except maybe the ice. When Chris came home, he had a pie shell and fixing's for a chocolate pecan pie. Actually he made two pies, and they were full. See pic. While they were baking, he made buffalo burgers for all of us. I wasn't all that hungry 'cause I had eaten a coconut, but I had two of those burgers. I passed on the pies. While Chris, Michele and Sari were watching a movie in 10 minute increments on Youtube, I washed up a bunch of veggies, and juiced them to make popsicles. I squeezed some lemon in separately 'cause lemons don't go through juicer very well. When I had cleaned all of that up, I saw the pies were still there. To clean the pan the pies were on, I had to chip it off with a knife. If you know me, you know that I can't throw anything away. Not even chocolate pecan pie chips. What if the chocolate pecan pie police came by? So I ate them (the chips, not the pie police). They were like taffy. However they were not on my list of approved foods. Oh well. I looked at fabrics for awhile to see if I found the inspiration to start a new project. Nope. Too much sugar? So I tried Sudoku, and that went well and lasted until bedtime.
* Stone garden inside the botanical garden in Jeju *

Quilting Day

I awoke to the sound of Chris taking a shower. So I got up, turned on the alarm clock, and went back to sleep. I don't think I had slept well because my whole body felt restless and there was no comfortable position. In fact I think my consciousness kicked in during a theta period because I remember thinking that none of my thoughts made any sense at all.
Anyway, I got up soon after 7, fixed breakfast, ran through my e-mail, then showered, dressed, and slaved over a hot cutting board to make lunch (cheese cubes). Michele put all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and I separated the recyclables into 4 categories, (glass, plastic bags, hard plastic, and cans) and took them downstairs. Only cardboard got left behind. Maybe I'll get that tomorrow. Then I went to post, arriving early to the SPC. Marianetta was already there, and she set up tables while I brought in the equipment. Mary and Cathy came in together. Cathy showed us two quilt tops made by the other quilting group for QOV. She also had one that she has just done. I am kinda jealous. Where does she get the time? We did not have a big turnout today, but we were productive, in spite of several people leaving early, or coming late. One lady needed to be signed on post, but it was a nice day for a walk, and her work is totally worth it. We finished 4 baby quilts today, which makes 9 for this month already. We made 21 last month. We now have a lot of new fabrics, which makes for a lot of decision-making. I really love the colorful panel print. It goes with everything. More decision-making. Around 3:30 I drove to the little park beside Burger King. It was empty so I sat there and read for an hour. Then I went home. I was on the computer when Chris and Michele came home, at the same time. We had supper, and watched The Princess and the Frog. Then "Stormbreaker" came on TV. After that, was CSI New York. During that time I got the rest of my fabric ironed, and mostly put away. Somehow I will have to make more space in the closet. (Having less fabric is not an option). I will now go to bed, after liberating a new loaf from the bread maker for Chris' sandwich, and soaking my bean sprouts.

Baptism

We left for church at a reasonable time, which was good since I left my ID at home. At gate 52, I had to get out of the car and tell the guard my name and SSN. Then he let us through. We actually arrived at church BEFORE the choir processed in. I noticed the flower arrangements at the front were really tall. The sermon was about God using radical and unsettling change to disturb our complacency. Then we had a baptism for a baby and a young lad (not in the same family). The baby was Korean, so in Korean tradition, the family brought gifts of rice cakes for everyone. Hunter, the dentist, had just had a birthday, so he invited several of us to go to brunch at the Hartell house. It was very nice. And they brought him a special dessert with a candle in it, and sang Happy Birthday. After lunch, we went to Chris' office to call Michele (my phone had died) and ask her to deliver my ID and Chris' phone to the walk-in gate. It was closed, but we met her there and she slipped the items through the fence. Then we parked at gate 19, and walked to E-Mart. I sat on a bench while Chris bought nato. He said I slow him down, so I let him do it himself. Then we went to the commissary for groceries. From there we went home. Michele put the groceries away while I changed clothes. My adult student showed up while I was changing. She brought her 'homework' from last time. And she seems to have mastered straight seams, so we did zigzag today. Someone had given me a fabric bowl in the making. All it needed was to be satin-stitched. So I had her do it. She took it home to finish for homework. After she left, I ate some natto with hot peppers. I looked over my e-mail, and listened to an interview with Lindsay Wagner.
Chris was doing some laundry and I had added some pieces of fabric. I pulled out the fabric when it was almost dry and folded it until I could iron it. Then he started "The Mummy". So the fabric didn't get ironed after all. And now it's bedtime. And time to make the sandwich.

Too much internet

As I sit here, it is after 11:30. I have just finished watching an almost 2-hour internet video on Dr. Burzynski's antineoplaston cancer therapy. The FDA fought his use of his patented antineoplastons and then partnered with a drug company to file their own patent, which somehow was granted.
And now I am trying to remember what else I did today. It seems like far too much of it was spent on the computer. I did read an actual book for an hour or so. And I put together some sample pieces for the continuation of the purse class next week. And oh yes, it took me several hours to make another CD of affirmations, BWE, music, and sleep suggestions. Maybe this one will be more effective than the last one.
* Here is a pic of the botanical gardens in Jeju *

An enjoyable day at home

I woke up before the alarm went off. But then I decided to listen to one track of my CD and it put me back to sleep. So I got up late. I had breakfast with e-mail. Michele left for college. At lunch time I took a break to iron all the fabric that has been waiting for days. The top ones were dry but the rest were still damp. While ironing I watched Riverworld. It didn't make a lot of sense 'cause I missed the beginning. Michele came home around three. I 'filmed' her showing off the purse for the purse class. If all goes well, it will be part of this posting. Chris came home a little early. The 59 minute rule was invoked. I took a shower and did three Sudoku puzzles. Then I fixed myself a spinach salad with olive oil and lemon juice dressing. We watched "The Last Templar", which was pretty good, even if some of it did not make sense, or was inaccurate. It was a long movie, and just ended.

Purse class

When I got up, there were dishes in the sink. It struck me as unusual because my mother-in-law always loaded them into the dishwasher the night before. Michele, whose job it is, left for school soon after I got up. I had breakfast with e-mail, and then read a book for awhile. Too long actually and then I was late for the thrift shop. There were boxes of books waiting, but as it turns out, they were labeled for charity. So Ella called, and the man came pretty quickly. I was able to do all the books, and even the tapes and DVD's. However there were many non-book items in my book bin and I ignored them. I left the thrift store to go to the little park. I read a book I found at the shop on exercises to improve eyesight. The type was small and I had to use my glasses to read it. At three I went home. I had things to do to prepare for class, but instead I finished the book that made me late this morning. Then I finished my preparations for class: gathering print-outs, samples. fabrics, etc. Chris came home and cooked some bison for me. I ate a small bowl of that, and left. I got there at 6, and proceeded to set up. I had time to make a pattern for Shannon, and to do some cutting for my next purse. But as people came in, there were interruptions and I didn't get any farther than that. We had only 3 tables 'cause the rest were in the fellowship hall and no one wanted to go there and carry one back. Shannon made some progress on her apron, making fabric choices that I would never have made. The others worked on cutting out the pieces and assembling their linings. The girl who hadn't finished her zippered pouch last week came this week and I finished it for her since the machine was giving her trouble. We were a little late packing up. I drove home, switching cars along the way. I put away the bison which was waiting on the stove. I opened a coconut, poured the juice in with the fermented milk, and ate the meat while sitting in front of my computer. I cleared some e-mail, and investigated some new supplements. I posted a missing blog entry from our trip to Jeju. I hope the attached video link for the horse show works. And now it is past 11. Good night.
* Here is a pic of garlic drying in the sun at Jeju *
* Here is a pic from the botanical garden in Jeju *

May 27th in Jeju

awoke slowly, trying to hold onto my dream. But eventually it slipped away, to be forgotten, like most dreams do. Then a noise caught my attention. It was 8:17. Chris took a shower, and then Al invited us over to their room for breakfast. So I stepped into the shower with Chris. After we dressed, we went over. Chris and Cecily ate bread. Al had a muffin and I ate the two hard-boiled eggs. They tasted a little funny 'cause they were cooked over coals and smelled like woodsmoke. I walked out on the balcony to feel the temp. It was warm except for the breeze. After brushing our teeth, we went to the car. Chris used the GPS to look for the horse show that someone had recommended. The phone number was misleading, but Chris found it anyway. We missed the first few minutes, but enjoyed the rest. I took pictures and movie clips of the whip tricks, horse acrobatics, and then the re-enactment of some great conflict involving Temujen. The sound track had very dramatic music and the sounds of clashing swords. It was narrated in Korean only. Some of the actors waited outside while the crowd took pictures. Chris took a pic of me with one of the Mongolian horsemen. Surprisingly, he spoke English. Then we made our way to a tourist information center. They told Chris where to find a good restaurant. We went there, and ordered two pots of soup. It was excellent, and I think we could have done with only one. I took pics of the rock garden outside. Next we visited a beach. I did some walking with my feet bared and took pics until my batteries died. Finally we went to a botanical garden that included caves and animals like ostriches, and peacocks. I bought new batteries in the gift shop. I took pics of the only lava and limestone cave in the world. Although we stopped at the Glass Castle on the way home, we were too tired to explore it so decided to save it for another day. We went back to the hotel and our room. It took so long to get to our room, that I didn't have the energy to retrace our steps to go to the courtyard. So I stayed in and did a new kind of Sudoku puzzle that has no numbers in it. At 6 we went to supper. This time the waiter brought me a 'pedestal' to put my purse on, resting beside me. I am not sure why. We had a light meal and two bottles of wine. Chris and I left his parents there and walked to 7/11 for hard-boiled eggs. They had moved them so I had to search. I saw a package of two Jeju oranges for 5000 won. Seemed a little pricey to me. We went back to our room and Cecily returned my purse. I had left it with her to carry the leftover wine back to her room. We had the sliding glass door open so we could hear the dragon show. I leaned out near the end to see the dragon head spout fire and lower beneath the water. I finished a 12x12 Sudoku, wrote my blog by hand, and went to bed.

Waving goodbye...

I got up soon after Chris did. I took a shower when he was finished, and got dressed. My in-laws were up and dressed. They had packed the day before. Alfred stripped the bed. Then they took their luggage down to the entrance to our building. Within a few minutes, the taxi arrived. They got in and did not see me leaning out the window waving goodbye (or taking their picture). I cropped the pic so you can see them. I was much farther up than it looks.
I wanted to send out cutting instructions to the group, but had to test the pocket part to see if it was right. It was, so I e-mailed it out. Then I was late, so I high-tailed it to school. I had to park behind the thrift shop to find a space. I did make it on time. The teacher had me play a money card game with the kids. They had to say how much money was on the card they got. The one with the most money won. Purely a game of chance. But some took it hard when they didn't win. On the way out, I stopped by Mrs. Mccrae's room at her request. She wanted to talk about her daughter making the next Thursday night project. I talked her into making an apron instead as her daughter would require more supervision than I have time for. I happened to mention that I was about to go to Dongdaemun so she asked me to pick up some fabric. Then I walked back to my car. Mary and Cathy came by to pick me up. We parked at gate 17 and took the subway. I am not sure I remembered all the things we wanted, but we got a lot. We bought zippers, velcro, fabric (for baby quilts, linings, a purse, aprons, stash, etc), .01 pigma pens, and 60mm rotary blades. We headed back about 1:30. Mary dropped me off at the thrift shop and I found my keys lying on my passenger side seat. Was it a good thing that I didn't lock my car? Anyway, I drove to the little park and read for awhile, then went home. Chris was already there 'cause a water main had broken on post and everyone was sent home. He was watching Demolition Man. So I watched it too, and then since Michele wasn't home, we... When she came home, we watched Transylvania 65000. It was supposed to be funny, but some of it was just annoying. So I don't need to watch that again. During the movies I ate leftovers to clean out the fridge and to fill my stomach. After the movies, I got on the computer to check e-mail and never left. So now it is late, and I am finally getting a break from this terminal.

Relaxing day

I awoke, looked at e-mail, had breakfast. Cecily did a load of wash. I finished ironing the last of the dark fabrics, and wrote up the guild minutes for May. Al and I took out the recyclables. Then I went to the thrift shop. Not only did we have too many boxes of books, I also had to sort through a large bag of cassette tapes, and a large bag of patterns. But I was able to handle most of it by 3. I left soon after. Even though it was trying to rain, I sat on the grass near my car and read part of a Redwall book. It is Michele's favorite series. Around 4 I headed home. I put all the light fabrics in the washer. But then got lost in a conversation with my family and forgot to dry it when it finished washing. It hit me after supper and I threw it in the dryer, hoping no mosquitoes would come in near the dryer hose. When the fabrics were almost dry, I folded them and laid them in my sewing room. I didn't feel like ironing, so I sat on the bed and did a 12x12 Sudoku. Suddenly it was time for bed.
* Cactus farm on Jeju *

Adding to my stash...

I got up soon after the alarm went off 'cause I didn't want to be late. I showered, made breakfast and read through some e-mail. Then gathered all my stuff for today, including cheese, and headed out to post. The gate guard was talkative, but I was early enough that I had time. Then I drove to gate 17. The young man from Happy Quilt was there with another man who has a quilting business in Osan. I signed them both in. They followed me in the van to the SPC. Cathy was already there setting up tables and washing them. The room started to fill with ladies as the men set up the fabric packets. And then we attacked. I mean, we started shopping. Lots of ladies came by to shop and I certainly did my part, but when they packed up, it seemed like there was almost as much fabric left as when they started. As I told Cecily later, it was ok for me to buy a lot 'cause I told everyone it was for her. Not that anyone bought that story. Ha. It was almost 3:30 when I left the SPC. I thought about finding a place to sit and read, but I had to get that fabric home and washed. Upon getting home, I had a snack, and then proceeded to empty each packet, clip the corners, and place it in either the light stack or the dark stack. I decided to wash the dark stack. I checked some e-mail while it was washing, and then hard-boiled some eggs while it was drying. I took it out, loosely folded it and placed it on my bed. Supper was right around that time. Then MaryAnn came by with her son. She had packed out today and brought us two large bags of food from her fridge and freezer. She also gave me her sewing machine. I hope that means she'll get a new one after they move. After supper I went into my sewing room to start the ironing process. Matrix 2 happened to be on TV, and I watched it as I pressed each piece dry. I still have three pieces left, but they can wait 'till tomorrow.

Another project

We were up by 9. I showered and dressed, and had breakfast. We left at 9:40 and were there by 9:50. I told Cecily we were early. Ten minutes may not seem early, but only one person was sitting in the sanctuary then. Not that we had a big crowd by 10. The sermon was about how God will be with us even on days when we don't know how we will survive another day. After the service, we ate fruit and kimbap. Then we stopped by the commissary for pork and a few other things. I ran into a few people I knew, but Chris was in a hurry to get home. First he and his mother fixed brunch, including scrambled eggs, english muffins, bacon and orange juice. After that, they started cooking a sauce for pork ribs. I cleaned up my sewing room and did some vacuuming and mopping. I called MaryAnn while repacking my kimchi in glass jars. But our connection got severed and I was unable to call her back. At 3, a lady came for a sewing lesson. She was willing to start at the very beginning, sewing on paper. She wants to work up to tailoring clothes. By the time she left, I could smell the ribs cooking in the oven. Having a clean sewing room inspired me to start another project. I was looking at some quilt magazines and getting inspired, when I remembered that I wanted to make another snap-close pouch for the lady who helped me buy the metal tape measure. So I did that. I used the leftovers from the one I gave Faye so it looks similar. Then it was time for supper. The ribs were really good. There was broccoli, potatoes and apple crisp to go with it. I had a few blackberries for dessert. Then we sat and talked for hours. I brought out a needle and thread and darned the hole in my sprout bag. I threw out the remaining beans. If they haven't sprouted by now, they aren't going to. And now it is time for bed. I have a busy morning ahead of me.

Quilt for Chippy

It was a good morning. Chris woke me slowly. Then he let me sleep while he and Michele started their Saturday morning game with the voices. I got up later and cleared some e-mail before breakfast. But there was more e-mail to delete afterwards. Michele left when her game was over. We had lunch, then Chris drove us to post. He dropped me off at my car and went grocery shopping with his parents. I drove over to gate 17. I walked to the organic market and bought kimchi and eggs. On the way back I passed an itinerant sock seller, so I bought 5 pairs. I went back to my car, drove back to the parking lot and sat down to read until Chris came back. It wasn't long, and then we all went home. I was finally able to decide on a pattern and colors for Chippy's quilt. I put the top together, and pieced some batting. Then chose a paw print backing 'cause he is a chipmunk. I quilted it, and sewed on a binding. I was handstitching the back, when Chris and Cecily had supper ready. So we all sat down to eat. When Michele arrived, she was not hungry. She'd been to Everland, riding the rollercoasters. I finished the binding after supper. Then spent some quality time on a 3-tiered Sudoku puzzle. And now it is time for bed.

Friday June 3rd

Alarm went off at 7, but I went back to bed for another hour. Then I had breakfast, e-mail, blah, blah, blah. The elevator was scheduled to be out of service from 9 to 5, but it was still working when Michele went to college at 9:40. Then the plumber (who was supposed to come yesterday) showed up to fix the leak. He taped it. Well, gee, I could have done that myself. Didn't speak English. I spent what seemed like a long time entering Saturday's blog entry. I did a few Sudoku puzzles. I worked on pattern pieces for the next Thursday night class. I wrote a set of instructions for that project, too. We had planned to go to Namdaemun, but didn't really need anything so we didn't go. When it was too late, I remembered that I wanted to go to the organic market for kimchi and eggs. Around 6, when both Chris and Michele were home, we walked into Itaewon to the Thai restaurant. It was ok. The service was not up to par, like there was no manager, or just an inexperienced one. On the walk back, we passed a young Korean man with a sign marked "Free Hug". Michele hugged him, and so did Cecily. So I did. Then two Korean girls who were watching us, got up and ran to hug him. I tried to get a pic, but it took me too long to find my camera. Then we stopped by the commissary. Chris and Cecily went in to get a few things while Al, Michele and I sat in the car and talked. The rest of the evening was quiet. Everyone had a computer or a book. I tried to access the MWR Arts and Crafts contest for 2011. That AKO website is so hard to use. And you'd think an Army site would have a proper web certificate. But it doesn't, so my browser keeps saying "Are you sure you want to go there? This is bad site. A proper site would have a proper certificate. This could mean trouble. You should leave now."
* Here are some pics of our vacation in Jeju *

Saturday May 28th

I packed last night after posting to my blog. Deciding what to take (or not) was hard. I recharged my batteries and the MP3 player.
I got up this morning at 7, showered, ate, and added a few things to my pack. We drove to the DHL, and got a taxi to Gimpo airport. It was a good thing that Chris sat up front with the taxi driver, because I couldn't understand what the driver was saying. He was the most reasonable Korean taxi driver I have ever met. He even complained about the crazy Korean drivers we encountered. The day was hazy and warm. Gimpo turned out to be a very modern airport, but not nearly as large as Incheon. We checked some of our luggage, went through security, and found gate 10. I did some Sudoku for awhile, and then we moved to closer seats. That is where I met Leslie. She recognized me from the thrift shop. I invited her to our next sewing class. As luck would have it, we were seated next to each other on the plane. We talked during the one hour flight to Jeju island. In the parking lot we found a shuttle bus labeled "Hertz". It is an office for renting cars. Chris rented a large black Opirus. We think it is a chauffeur car 'cause you can recline the back seats, and control the radio and AC from there. Chris brought his GPS system, so he set it up, and plugged in the hotel's phone number. It took 45 minutes, and I saw lots of things to do along the way. The hotel turned out to be a HUGE 5-star hotel. It was beautiful inside and out. It was too early to check in, so we went to the lounge eating area. They offered light meals and tea. But it was horribly expensive. Cecily ordered the tea 'set'. We shared that amongst the 4 of us. Then we went back to check in and get keys. The walk to our room was long and seemed to get longer every time I had to walk it. It took 12 corridors to get there. But it was a very nice room. The toilet seat was heated. And it had a beautiful view from the balcony, so I took pics. We settled in, then went for a walk in the landscaped courtyard.
We walked all the way around to the front, and stopped at the concierge desk for maps and brochures. We rested from our walk. I( did Sudoku on the balcony while others checked out the restaurants in the hotel to see which one we should choose for supper. At 6 we went to the western restaurant, because the Korean and Japanese ones were soo expensive. Still, the meal was over $200. I ordered the seafood plate with abalone. Everything was outstanding! We decided that we would have the leftover bread for breakfast tomorrow so we could head out early. I walked to the 7-11 to see if they had hard-boiled eggs, and they did. But no cheese like Cecily wanted. On the way back, we stopped at the bakery stand in the hotel. They didn't have anything we wanted. We went back to our rooms (too far). I worked a Sudoku puzzle, brushed my teeth, and wrote down my blog entry. Then I tried the bidet. The seat was heated, but the water wasn't. What an eye opener! Chris turned up the temp for the water, and then I went to bed.

Zippered pouch class

Woke up on time. Alarm did its job. Since Cecily wasn't up yet (she usually is), I tiptoed around getting breakfast ready. Then I spent some time cleaning my inbox. I showered, dressed, and prepared a sheet of directions and photos for class tonight. I had a little trouble getting it to print out, but eventually I was victorious. Then I headed over to the thrift shop. On the way Maryann called and asked if I could pick her up at the pet center. So I did, and then we went by Moyer rec to get some stuff out of her car. She was giving me her in-line skates, and cans of pineapple ('cause she's moving). I dropped her off at DHL, and then arrived at the thrift shop. There were books everywhere: inside, outside, in the aisles, etc. I dug right in, but people kept chatting with me. It was hard to make a dent 'cause more would come in from outside. Finally the bookroom was full. So I had to take a large box of old books OUT of the bookroom to make space. And still we had boxes left over for charity. Another volunteer helped with the videos and DVD's. I meant to leave at 2, but worked until 3:45. And STILL, we didn't finish them all. But we did make a dent. I was too tired to go over to the organic market like I had planned. So I sat on the grass and read a book that I bought this afternoon about happiness. So far it says that we spend our present moments doing things that will make a better life for our future selves, but our future selves rarely appreciate all our hard work, and often wonder what we were thinking. At 4:30 I went home. Michele was already there. That is when I remembered that I had to teach class tonight. So I checked my e-mail to see how many kits I needed, and only two had been requested. I cut those, and two more (just in case) and one for me to demonstrate on. I did not have time to cook the bison that I had defrosted for supper. After Chris came home, I left for post. But I had to come back 'cause I had forgotten my model. I arrived later than I had planned. I started setting up, and others arrived and helped. However, the lady that had requested the class did not show up. And I specifically asked her last week if this week was convenient for her and she said it was. Oh well. Those who came had a good time and almost everyone finished their zippered pouch. I sold all four kits AND the one I planned to use as a demo. Three girls showed up again, and made two pouches between them. One plans to make the purse next week, but I think it is beyond her. But she wouldn't accept that.
We packed up and said goodbye to Melanie, who has taught a number of the classes in the past. She leaves on Saturday. We will miss her. Then Heidi followed me home 'cause she wants me to give her lessons. I am glad she mentioned it because I had totally forgotten. We exchanged phone numbers in the parking deck. Then she left and I went to the apt. Cecily had saved some food from supper. I ate that while the others watched "Invictus". Then I sat and watched too. And now it is time to blog and say goodnight.
* Here are some pics from the Glass Castle *

Going out to eat...

The alarm was not set because the electricity went out several times. I was in the middle of a dream about being late for school, when I said to myself "It is just a dream." That is when I woke up and realized I was late. I quickly showered, dressed and had breakfast. I would have left on time, but I couldn't find my car keys. So I had to take the bus, and it arrived at 8:32. So I was late for math rotations in second grade. But it was a good day. The kids enjoyed the card game, and many students were missing. Since I did not have my car, and did not want to wait for the bus, I walked home. In the rain. Cecily was reading in her night gown when I got there. She dressed and I found my keys under a piece of paper in the computer room. The three of us went to post, took my car to the commissary, bought groceries, drove back to the parking lot, and carried the food home. By then it wasn't raining, so I am not sure why we needed the car. Anyway, I spent most of the rest of the day clearing e-mail. When Chris came home, he had a box of gifts from my sister. He said we should open them later since we planned to take Michele out to eat to celebrate her birthday. But before Michele arrived, an electrician came to fix the circuit overload. He discovered a plumbing problem where the dishwasher was leaking water onto an electrical connection. So he left, promising a plumber would come the next day. While he was working that out, Michele opened her gifts. She got a scarf and 4 umbrellas! Then we drove to post, parked at gate 12, and walked to the Indian restaurant in Itaewon. Michele picked the place. Cecily was able to order lamb. Chris got the palik panir. I had chicken curry, and Alfred got barbequed chicken. It was all spicy. We spent almost 2 hours there, and then stopped by Paris Baguette for desserts. Back at the apt, we shared the desserts. Well, not me because I don't eat that stuff anymore. Chris opened his present which was 5 DVD's and a pair of socks. I kept repeating "Now how did Faye know you wanted that DVD?" He liked them all. But it was almost time for bed so we didn't watch any.