Oh Tannenbaum...

The people upstairs got up early. Hence I woke up early too. Like 4:30am. But I stayed in bed trying to get a little more sleep. I finally got up about 7:30. After my morning preparations, I met Pam at the gate. We drove to Gate 17 where we waited for the other quilt members to arrive. Then we all walked to Hannah's house for our first meeting of the month. She had snacks ready for us when we arrived. The potato and cheese soup was outstanding. We sat around talking for awhile. We had a Chinese gift exchange. I was worried that the quilt book I wrapped up would not be liked (since I didn't want it), but it was one of the most stolen items. I ended up with a Louis Vitton keyring and cell phone thingy. Why would anyone want them unless they had the purse those things match? And the purse probably comes with those accessories (for the astronomical cost). I am thinking about putting it in the next gift exchange on Thursday. But I really can't complain, because right after that Hannah brought out a large box of fabric that she didn't want to ship when they leave, so she let us all descend upon it. And we reduced it quickly. I think I got the lion's share because the other ladies kept handing me colorful pieces 'for the kids'. We are going to have a night of making pillowcases for children with cancer, and now we have the fabric to do it with!
On the walk home from Hannah's apartment, Pam took me by a Korean market where I could find Korean eggs. Too bad I just bought 2 dozen at the commissary. But I will know for next time. Back on base she drove me to my gate. She and some other ladies were going to go to Dongdaemun, but I am going to wait until Friday because I am taking Kelli there. I spent the rest of the afternoon putting up our Christmas tree and decorating it. Some of the decorations are from my sister who sent us Christmas in a box last year. Thanks Faye. The tree is from Richard Lund who found it while cleaning out his office last spring. I also discovered a box we had never unpacked. Along with a wastebasket, power strip, and swag, I found our jingle bell shapes - two canes, and two wreathes. We can't put nails in these walls, so I hung them on the curtain rod. Later I ironed the swag and hung it in the computer room on pushpins. I went through my e-mails and sent out a few to the quilting group. I hope I didn't forget anything.

Is it a rug or a quilt?

I was determined to get to church early since I got there at the last minute last week and had no time to look up page numbers. Cathy wanted me to bring her a piece of batting so I was going to drop it off for her, but I remembered it as I was going down the steps of the apartment building. I didn't think I could go back for it and still be early, so I let it go. I did get there early and had time to get my hymn and worship books marked so I could follow the service. I also had time to speak to a few people. Nancy asked me to page her after the sermon so she would know when to end Sunday School. I did page her, but she never got it because her phone fell apart. After the service, the pastor asked if anyone had a birthday. This time Hyon told on me. But I claimed that it was over now, and since they didn't know about it last Sunday, I get another year of the same age. The pastor's wife liked my theory. Then we had food in the fellowship hall. One lady brought jabchai. And since I liked it, Hyon asked her if I could take it home. Well, with my cook being out of the country, it was very welcome. But first I took it to the commissary. It sat in the car while I bought a few things. But the weather was cold so it didn't suffer. I parked in the underground garage and hauled it all up stairs. Michele didn't help me put it away because she was playing a mod. I had a bite to eat, then made my first batch of mayonaise. They said to add the oil slowly and I did. Seemed to take forever. They also warned against using olive oil because of the stong taste. Now I know why. So I put a few other spices in it, like garlic and curry. I spent the afternoon making a rug/quilt. I really thought it would go much faster than it did. Then I cooked up some bison burgers and the jabchai with rice. The burgers weren't spicy like Chris makes, but I added a little cayenne pepper to mine. Boy, did I have some cleaning up to do after supper and making mayo! I took a break to do e-mail. AFter Michele went to bed I discovered that she did not finish the laundry. So I had to do it. If I didn't, what would she wear tomorrow? What would I wear tomorrow? Anyway, I just hope I am ready for tomorrow.

The best laid plans...

I planned to wake up at 8 but still stayed in bed until 8:30. My back was still bothering me so I skipped my exercises and went straight to breakfast. I text-chatted with Kurt until Chris SKYPED. His parents are visiting so I got to see them on the monitor. I cleared out some e-mail, then went to my sewing room, but kept getting distracted by stray thoughts about things I might forget. So I kept going here and there trying to clear my mental plate so I could focus on one thing. Any thing. I did spend some time doing Sudoku puzzles, but I think that was procrastination. At 1pm when Michele finished her on-line game, we were planning to go to the French Christmas market. But when we got on the transit website and mapped out the route, Michele lost interest. Also, it snowed (but didn't stick). Michele started the laundry. I boiled several dozen eggs. Some of them I put in a jar of kimchi juice, just as an experiment. Tomorrow I want to make some homemade mayonaise with olive oil to prepare egg salad.
I didn't take any pics today so here is one from Hongkong. These trees send down arial roots. I forgot what Chris said they were.

The all-day quilt

Usually I get to stay home on Friday so I kinda let time get away from me while reading my morning e-mail. Cathy J invited me to help her quilt Cathi F's top this morning at 9:15. Well, by the time I arrived, it was after 10. I drove instead of walking because it was faster and hurt less. But they were just getting started. Cathy J had to leave part way through, so I took over. I actually did better than I thought I would running the Statler. But it was a big quilt and it took all day, what with thread breakage, etc., even though it was an edge-to-edge. Cathy J did come back, thankfully. At 4:30 I left to pick up the mail at Chris' office. There was a box (of vitamins and supplements). Its always nice to get a package, even if I already know what's in it. I drove home in the evening traffic, but I did surprizingly well, since I tense up in such situations. Michele wasn't home, so I raided the fridge again. Soon I will have eated or thrown all the leftovers. It will be nice to see the back wall again. Some things have been in there for months. When the beef is gone, I plan to cook the bison burgers.

God sends help

After exercising and breakfast, I took a shower with my organic soap and shampoo. I read e-mail for awhile and talked to Chris. Then I walked to the thrift shop to help out. I was able to quickly process and shelve all the books, videos and DVD's. So I had some time to weed through what was already on the shelves. I sat on the floor for some of it. Well, about 1:30 I started feeling twinges in my back. Normally that means drop to the floor, but this floor was cold and dirty. So instead I signed out and started walking. Walking wasn't helping, so I stopped by the commissary to get a taxi. The first one I came to wouldn't take me because he wasn't first in line. I told him it hurt to walk, but he insisted that I go to the head of the line. So, ok. That man took me to my apartment. I took the elevator instead of the steps. I had a bite to eat (flubber) then laid down. The pain was intense and I considered calling Michele to come home, but I didn't want her to miss class. Finally I very slowly made my way to the bathroom to get some oxycontin and naprosin. I lay back down figuring I would be asleep soon, but that didn't happen. I started feeling a little better so I got up and prepared for class. I ate a persimmon and some chicken. Then I walked to post and took the car to the SPC, going the back way to avoid the tree lighting ceremony that I would have attended had I felt better. I arrived by 6, unsure of how I was going to set up the room without hurting myself further. But a man and wife were there thinking the class started at 6 and offered to carry the heavy stuff and set up the tables. Thank God! Ladies started arriving, some bringing their own machines. I drew cutting diagrams on the whiteboard. One lady needed help learning to cut. Another wanted help squaring up her top and backing (from a previous class) to be quilted. Another 2 worked on placemats from last class. I thought we'd all be making the tablerunner. Silly me. So I took a few moments to do a quick demonstration of the hotdog pillowcase technique I learned on www.conKerrcancer.org. Several are interested in joining me to make them for juvenile cancer patients. Everyone helped pack up the tables, etc. Someone remarked on my ski gloves. Sadly I have lost the others. As I drove home, I was able to enjoy all the Christmas lights turned on at the tree-lighting. Michele was home when I returned and we gave each other backrubs.

Someone must have told me to take a hike...

After exercising, having breakfast and SKYPEing Chris, I hopped in the car to go to post. The traffic was better this morning. When I arrived at the car care center, I checked the car in, and handed over the key. I was getting ready to walk, when the supervisor offered me a ride to the Px. It would save me almost 30 min. of walking so I agreed. But after he dropped me off, I realized that I had left my ID in the car, so could not get into the PX. Well, since I was there and that's where I last saw Chris' keys, I checked with the Px and each shop to see if they had been turned in. No luck. So I walked to the MP station, no keys. Then I started worrying about my ID so I took the post-run bus to the nearest bus stop to the car care center. It took so long I thought it would have been faster to walk. And it was hot in that bus. At the car place, I grabbed my ID and inquired about my car. They had ordered a part and said they'd call. So I walked to the YRC building to see if keys had been turned in there. No luck. Being near Chris' office, I walked down there to pickup his mail. I hoped to slip in and out, but I was spotted. Which turned out to be a good thing because one of Chris' coworkers offered me a ride to the post office. I didn't need to go to the P.O. but it was near the Moyer Rec center and I needed to go there. My gloves were missing and I must have left them on the bus. However, I asked around, and they even called the driver and he found no gloves. Then I walked to the Px to find products that don't contain suspected carcinogens. I have a list of what to look out for. Well, I looked through EVERYthing and found little. I got a 100% cocoabutter product for moisturizing, and a Buf-puf for a facial scrub (all the scrubs had sodium lauryl sulfate). In the baby aisle, I found a shampoo/bodywash. I had to go to GNC to get a lip balm that met my needs. I couldn't find an acceptable perfume. Ok, so then I walked through another mini-mall on post and found nothing. I sat outside then to eat the nuts I carry with me. Then the car care place called. So I walked back to south post. I went through the DHL, hoping they sold gloves. Nope. Then continued on to the car place. My bill was $35. Not bad at all. As I was about to drive away, my phone rang. So I parked to answer it. Afterwards, I drove to the parking lot by my gate and left the car there, and headed on foot to our apartment. Michele wasn't home yet. I was still hungry, so I ate some kimchi, an egg, and a persimmon. I read e-mail, and listened to a recorded interview with a woman that studies the interaction between men and women. She says women multi-task not because it is a good idea, but because everything in their environment is calling out to them and driving them nuts: 'clean me', 'fix me', 'put me away', 'mend me', 'wash me', 'pick me up', 'fold me', empty me', etc. It is true. I hear those voices too. Michele came home while I was following a link to ConKerrcancer.org. Their mission is to provide colorful pillowcases to children with cancer. I think I can make a few pillowcases. For supper I was going to have a protein shake. Well, I usually take my fiber after supper, so I combined the two. It was kinda like flubber, but tasted ok. Michele thought it was disgusting (and funny). Chris called then, and we talked a little. After admitting I had lost his keys, I then found them. They weren't there last time I checked! Ok, so maybe there is hope for my gloves. As I looked through the mail, I discovered a movie, "Batteries not included". It was cute and depressing and unreal, all at the same time. Movie ended about 11. So Michele went to bed, even though her paper wasn't finished. She is thinking about skipping her first class tomorrow. Of course the paper is due later that day.
**This is my car door, the only pic I took today.**

No car care today

After reading through my e-mail and talking to Chris over SKYPE, I decided to take the car to get the door fixed. I was told that the car care center was closed on MOndays. So I went today. But even though the gate was open and 5 people were there, and the man who runs the place was there, I was told that they were closed on Tuesday as well and would I please come back tomorrow. SO I drove to the thrift shop. I shelved books for 2 hours. We had a LOT of donations. Then I spent a few minutes putting up videos. At one I walked over to the Arts and Crafts Center. SEveral ladies were watching the quilting machine go through its motions. So I 'helped'. Actually I ate my lunch and leafed through some quilting magazines that the thrift volunteers had set aside for me. I chose 5 and two other ladies chose some. After Toniette's quilt was finished, I returned the other quilt magazines, and drove Cathy to the SPC to get her car. I went over to the DHL to check prices for travel over the holidays. Guam had the lowest, but the dates are suboptimal. I drove back to the apartment complex before realizing that I could have left the car on post and walked home. It took me almost 20 minutes to drive there in traffic this morning. I had a proper lunch then, and worked on my silk tablerunner. I backed it and quilted it and put the binding on one side. I will hand finish it later. A Jackie Chan movie came on TV and that slowed me down.