Chrysanthemum Festival

My alarm went off at 7:30, but since we had been up so late watching the movie last night, I did not get up and I don't think Chris even heard the alarm. At 8:45 I got up to soak the sprouts. I made breakfast while Chris showered and dressed and left for the early service (which is Catholic). I took a shower then ate breakfast and got dressed. I checked e-mail, then put some sprouts in a bag, and put on my raincoat. I walked to the theater where services are held while the chapel is being renovated. Chris was waiting for me at the door. We walked in together. He introduced me to Jane and she told us where to sit (next to her). She also said we should meet her at the front gate at 1:30 to go to the chrysanthemum festival. Chris gave the sprouts to Kathy. The service was much the same as last week except someone played the keyboard while the choir sang. I wish they had played for the hymns because one hymn was terribly out of tune. The sermon was about the shrewd manager. Announcements were made after the service. I asked Jane about drinking rain water and she said it wasn't good quality here. I spoke to Kathy too. Then we walked home, in the rain. I ate some kimchi and chicken while I checked e-mail. Then we changed clothes and put on coats and took our umbrellas. We walked down to the gate to wait for Jane. She got a taxi driver friend to give us a ride to Massan for less than the going rate. It took about half an hour and we got out at the chrysanthemum festival. It was quite a sight, all those flowers. I can only imagine how wonderful it would have been in sunlight. Sadly the flowers were looking bedraggled in the rain. But Jane thought it was all good and she took our pics and had us take hers, and drew in complete strangers to take pics of the three of us. Such enthusiasm! We saw bonsai chrysanthemums, and chrysanthemum sculptures. There was live music. Then we went by the vendor tents. We sat at one place to have squid, stuffed with vegetables, then sliced, dipped in egg and fried in corn oil, served with chives and red pepper sauce. It was very good and I ate most of it. Chris and Jane had some, but she preferred rice cakes. Finally, we went out the front gate and wended our way to a street with bus stations. We caught a bus back to Chinhae. Jane told me her life story. When we got to Chinhae, she told us where to get off. She was so certain that Chris could find his way back that I was certain the stop was someplace he and she had been before. But it was unfamiliar to both of us. Since the navy base is located on the side of a mountain, we walked in that direction until we found a street we knew. It might not have been far on a sunny day, but on a rainy night it seemed like a long walk. I was glad when we finally got back to the duplex. I collapsed on the couch. Chris heated up the onion soup and brought me a bowl. I worked on some pencil puzzles. Then we sat together and watched episodes of Firefly until Chris went to bed. I finished an audio from earlier and posted to my blog.