Line dancing

I got up at 8:30 not realizing it was so late. I drank two cups of water and checked e-mail. I texted Anna about yoga at 9 and she said yes. But she did not post an announcement to the Facebook page. I called Myra but there was no answer. I got dressed and took my mat down to Housing where Anna was setting up with the superintendent. He was showing her how to hook her tablet to the sound system so we would have music from Youtube. I called Myra again and on her other phone but still no answer. Anna and I started following the voice guidance of a yoga person online. Maria came in a little late with her little boy. So the three of us did yoga for an hour. It was a beginner video but it was a little much for me. Anyway, I was determined to leave at 10 to get ready for sewing class at 11. But Anna needed to talk to me about the party and it was after 11 when I went home to get the supplies for today's projects. I uncovered the eggplant. I brought back supplies but had to go back again for a few things and decided to bring the wreath too. Myra came, and said she did not know why she never heard her phone ring. Dynee and Suzanne and Ms. Hair worked on projects already in progress. At 1 I called time, but the conversation was worth staying a little longer. Then I went home while the others went out to lunch. I made and ate breakfast. I mixed up a batch of chocolate. I thought I wore my apron, but later I discovered chocolate on my shirt. I added coconut butter to the last part of the batch to see if it made a good sweetener. After pouring it in molds, I left it in the back room to cool. Then I bundled up to go to the gym. Chaun and her husband were leading line dancing in the racquetball court. We learned three dances. I had to stretch in between. My hips ached as I walked home. When I got there, I was sweating, so I changed my shirt. I practiced my trombone for about 15 minutes. There was just time to jot notes for my blog, before I had to run to sewing class. I arrived just ahead of Myra. The sewing stuff was still set up from the morning class. Three people worked on the styrofoam ball ornament, one lady came to get help with stitching on uniforms, and Lacey came and spun yarn – that was really cool. There was lots of female bonding as we worked. I showed Chaun and Danielle the proper way to cut 2 ½ inch squares from a length of fabric. I sorted fabric as they worked on their balls. We all pitched in to pack up and were out before 9. I took my wreath home and hung it on the door with tape. I wished I had a thumb tack. I worked on my blog post for today. We watched two episodes of House. I downloaded pics from my camera, posted to my blog, and went to bed.
* The front of the wreath *

The three-day wreath

I got up at 8:30. I checked e-mail while I drank a quart of water. I ate some seed crackers with hummus. I put coconut oil in my hair because it was so dry. I put a shower cap over it. I wrote up a Facebook post for class tomorrow, listing all the projects the class could do. Myra promised to show them how to tie a bow. I took a shower and got most of the oil out of my hair. I got dressed warmly but loosely enough that the doctor could find skin to put needles in. It was in the 50' so not as cold as I feared. I walked to the bus stop. The sign showed that no buses were running at the moment. Not so unusual, but the start time listed was later than usual. Usually 317 comes first, but this time 305 came before. Not wanting to be late for my 12:30 appt, I took it. I got off at Home Plus and walked to the dr's office by 12:15. I sat in a crowded waiting room, hoping not to catch anything from those who were sick. I waited for 35 minutes, then checked my appt time with the receptionist and she said 'delayed'. Then the nurse came to take me to one of the little beds. First she put on the leg massagers. When those were done, I did stretches until the doctor arrived. He put needles in my leg, stomach, neck and head. He came back later to take them out. But he left again. I think the staff went to lunch so he had to do check-outs as well. Finally he came back and tried to talk to me. He used his phone translator but the result was evidently not satisfactory. I called Suzanne, and she translated, but then had to hang up abruptly. He said I was a big yang person; my diet was good enough so I did not need all the supplements; and I should eat kiwi and persimmons, not so much chicken and kimchi. After paying, I left to catch the bus. I had to run after it to the bus stop. I almost did not get the drivers attention to re-open the doors. When I got off the bus, I stopped at the corner market for kiwis but did not see any. I called Myra and she asked me to stop by her place on my way home. So I did. She wanted my help wording a post for the community page. We talked about the MWR bus to Daegu this Friday and could we get 10 paying people to ride it? I left her place and walked home. I made and ate breakfast while checking e-mail. I finished today's Sudoku puzzle. I put on a long audio and went into my sewing room to work on the wreath. Chris called at 6:45 to say he was leaving work and wanted to stop by the fire chief's going-away party. I said to pass on my good wishes. I continued working on the wreath until I needed clarification for the finishing touches. I jotted notes for my blog. I looked at the video tutorial for the wreath. I got sidetracked looking at other crafting videos. Eventually I got back to the wreath. I sewed the sets of flaps together. I experimented with ways to attach a hanger. Finally I had to add a strip of cardboard to help it hold its shape when hanging vertically. I was getting bundled up to cover the plants when Chris came home. I covered the plants as best I could. I came in to talk to Chris. He made himself a cup of hot cocoa. I listened to an audio while he drank it in front of his laptop. When my audio was over, he commented on it at length. Finally we sat down to watch an episode of House. Then he went back to his game and I posted to my blog, ready for bed.
* This is the back of the wreath *

Still wreathing

I got up at 7:30 while Chris was taking a shower. I put on a Holosync CD and meditated for an hour. I made coffee and did my exercises, brushing and rebounding. I listened to audios and tapped. I cleaned the bathrooms and kitchen. I used a pair of clamps that my sister gave me to pull hair from the shower drain. I put the bone broth in a jar and cleaned the crock pot. Chris came home for lunch with mail. It was a book, supplements, and a birthday card. I checked e-mail. I listened to an audio while catching up on Sudoku. I looked on the MWR page for our sewing class and Zumba. I did not find either one. I listened to an interview while folding laundry. I checked the tomato plants and found some cherry ones. I ate a big one from the other day. I tried the short 5 pin cable I bought at Daiso for recharging my phone. It did not fit. I called Myra to go for a walk. Myra came over and we walked the trail. I picked up some greenery lying on the ground. Then we found a whole pile of boxwood clippings. We decided to take her car tomorrow to pick up a bunch of it. I followed her to her house. We looked for a vase that I bought at the antique store but could not find when I got home. It wasn't with her stuff. She showed me her small tree and the ornaments she was making for it. She had glued animals cut from fabric to paper and then outlined them in black paint to seal the edges. It was very masculine. Then Scott asked if I could embroider something on the back of his cap. But hooping such a thing would be really difficult. She needed to make supper so I left for home. I made breakfast and ate it while looking at ideas for handmade gifts. I was pushing away the laptop when Chris came home. He fixed my watch which had separated from the band on one side. He tried to unscrew the drain for me so I could clean it better, but the screws would not budge. Then he made himself supper and played his game while I worked on my wreath. I made six more sets of bordered blocks, and stabilized each one. But I ran out of stiff stabilizer. Several were fused in two pieces and the last one in four pieces. I found some scraps of lightweight stabilizer that I fused over the pieced edges so they would not peel up when turning right side out. Chris had a conference call at 9:30. When the sets were ready to be sewn together, I put them aside. I practiced my trombone for about 20 minutes. Chris said it would not bother his call and I guess it didn't. Then I raced outside to cover the tomatoes and the eggplant. The anticipated low was 34. I looked up the meridians that the acupuncturist listed last week. I traced the weak ones upward. It got really late and I was tired of waiting for his call to end. So I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* No wreath yet, so here is a pic from the play. *

Wreath Day

I got up about 9:50. I was kind of waiting for Chris to go to church so I would know it was 9am, but he did not go ('cause he got up too late) so it threw me off. I did not get to drink my quart of water. I checked my bone broth, then took a shower and got dressed. I picked up the car keys intending to drive myself, but when I got out to the street, our neighbors were just pulling out so I hitched a ride with them. He was able to park right in front of the chapel so I did not have to walk far. When church started, Jane wasn't there. But after the singing, when we were shaking hands, she arrived. She had a cold so did not sit very close to me. The sermon was about the candle of love. After the service, the chaplain announced the holiday services. After the Christmas eve service, there will be singing of songs and playing of instruments. He specifically mentioned trombone. My neighbors gave me a ride home, then headed to the mountains. I checked the broth in the crock pot again. I decided to add a bag of small sweet potatoes that I keep forgetting to cook. Then I decided it was wreath day. I was determined to make a wreath and not let anyone, even myself, stop me. I spent some time choosing fabrics. Then I looked at what other people had done on the internet to see what worked and what didn't. I watched part of a video tutorial to get started. Then Chris called me over to help make decisions on a trip. Together we booked a flight to Guam for the day after Christmas. Mari had told me it was beautiful there. Chris also booked a hotel and rental car. I did not ask how much it cost. Then I went back to my cutting room. I cut strips and squares. I made one reversible square out of the 12 needed, just to make sure I liked it. I put it up against a hinged mirror to see how it would look multiplied. I tried both sides. Making a decision was not easy, but then I could sew in earnest and in assembly line. That makes it go faster. Taking breaks to snack, I spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening sewing. One of my snacks was to pull the onions out of the broth and eat them. I added red borders to green squares, ironed on stabilizer, then sewed them face to face and turned them inside out. Tired, I stopped to practice my trombone and jot notes for my blog. Then I remembered that we went to the commissary this afternoon. We watched the first three episodes of House, season 1. I ate some of the sweet potatoes we put in the bone broth. And it was time to go to bed.
* Another pic from the antique shop. Hopefully tomorrow there will be a pic of a wreath. *

The play must go on - and on

I got up about 10. I read e-mail and drank water. I watered the plants outside. I found some cherry tomatoes that were rotten because they didn't get picked in time. But I also got three larger tomatoes, yea! Myra called, said she was invited to a live play and wanted me to go too. I looked up the play. It did not sound g-rated. At noon she picked me up for a trip to the antique market to pick up items she had picked out yesterday. I found vases for making oil diffusers, and something that would make a better Christmas gift than the one I mailed yesterday. On the way back, we stopped at the commissary. I got onions and she paid for them 'cause she said she owed me $2. When I got home, I put turkey bones in the crock pot, and cut up onions and garlic to go in as well. Then I made and ate breakfast. I listened to an audio while I tried to catch up on Sudoku. Anna called, and said she'd pick me up at 5. I ate a cucumber and a pepper. I posted a pic to the community page of the ornament I made a year ago to see if anyone was interested in making one. The Admiral's wife posted at almost the same time wanting to plan a get-together. Then I dressed up a little, put socks in my purse, and waited outside until Anna showed up. I got in her car and we drove to pick up Myra, and then to pick up Suzanne. The four of us went to City 7 in Changwon. It was a mall. We met Chantal there. I thought we were going to a coffee shop, but we ended up at a place that serves bone soup. I got the ox-tail soup with abalone. It was very good and afterward I wrapped up the shell and put it in my purse. Then we followed Chantal to a stadium. In a room off of the parking lot, there was a low stage with stadium seating around 90 degrees of it. There were mats to sit on. We sat and talked for awhile before the show began. It was a play called “The Love List”. The entire show took place in 'Bill's apartment', so there were no scene changes. And there were only three cast members: Bill, his friend, and the perfect woman created by the love list. It was an interesting play but the acting wasn't quite spot on. There was a long intermission, during which I did lots of stretching. Then after the second half, I needed to go to the bathroom, but the bathrooms were locked up by then. And it was very cold. We got in Anna's car and headed home. I put on my socks. After Anna dropped me off, I greeted Chris then hit the bathroom. All that bone soup... then I posted to my blog and went to bed.
* At the antique shop - what is it?

Tree Lighting Ceremony

I woke up early because Chris got up early for a 6am call. I tried to go back to sleep but kept getting either too cold or too hot. I gave up on sleep and got up when Chris left. I drank a quart of water and checked e-mail. I put away the items from the mail yesterday. I did my exercises. My tapping buddy called early by accident. So she hung up and I finished my exercises, then washed up and got dressed. I jotted some things on my to-do list. She called back at 10. The sound was really bad on my new laptop. So I switched to the desktop. The sound was much better but the lighting was such that my cam showed me in silhouette so she could not see my face. I tried putting a light on me but it did not help. Still, it was the best we could do so we went ahead and tapped. After an hour, we concluded the call and I promised to send her a message in the next few days. I saw that the ladies going to Linda's going away party were lost trying to find the place. It did not bother me that I was not with them. I made and ate breakfast. I was checking e-mail when Chris came home. I practiced my trombone. I found gift wrap in the guest room closet. I gathered all the family gifts on my cutting table. I found small boxes for some, but others were too hard to box. I was able to get them in a small priority mail box that was used. So I started wrapping. Myra called saying she was back from the going-away party (that should have been over hours ago). She mentioned sitting on the floor for a long time during the tea ceremony, and that she came home instead of going to lunch which would have been more floor-sitting. My back was happy I did not go. Myra needed boxes so I joined her and we both went to the post office to get Priority Mail boxes and custom forms. I went home and wrapped the remaining gifts, and wrote cards to go with them. Time was short, but that was good since it kept me from over-thinking any of it. I was out of time so I ran to the post office, literally, and just made it by 4 (closing time). They had to stay late in order to check in the package and add the return receipt, etc. On the way back, I met Ms. Yun outside the FFTC. She asked about MaryAnn after seeing her picture. I promised to pass on her good wishes. Then I went home. I found the front door wide open. These doors are engineered to stay open if opened to a mere 75 degrees. I had left in such a hurry that I didn't notice. I jotted notes for my blog. I went into the kitchen to make hummus. When I was done, I tasted it and it needed something... So I threw in some kimchi. That was pretty good. I put it in a jar and rinsed all the utensils. I just had time to walk down to the tree lighting ceremony. I missed it last year because I just wasn't in the mood after having just moved here and not having our shipment yet. As I was walking down the hill, Carolyn offered me a ride. It was 5:30 as we pulled up. There were not many people there, even though the parking lot was full. But then they came out of the FFTC. Chris showed up from work. MWR served hot chocolate and cookies, and played music. An unknown number kept calling me, and I kept shutting it off. Finally I answered it and there was an alert about a demonstration in Busan. At 6 the little kids sang, or rather their teacher did 'cause in the face of all those people, they clammed up. Santa showed up on a fire engine, flanked by security cars. The CO announced him and then he turned on the tree. It was a big moment! Then Santa and the kids went up to the 3rd deck to get their picture taken with Santa Claus. We stood around talking for the longest time. Finally we left. We walked home in the cold. We each had a bite to eat. I ate a pomegranate while looking at holiday ideas on the internet. Then I jotted notes for my blog. We watched two episodes of Castle. Chris went to bed, tired after getting up so early. I stayed up just long enough to blog.

Massages and shopping

I listened to the BWE CD last night. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with silent headphones on. I took them off and eventually went back to sleep. Hot flashes woke me up several times. I got up after Chris left for work. Walking down the hall to the bathroom, I spied my trombone sitting in the guest room so I played a few songs. Then it and I had to go to the little trombone's room. Spit happens. Since my head feels funny when I use my new laptop, I sat at the desktop to check e-mail. I quit early to make something for the bake sale this afternoon. But first I had to clean the kitchen. With all the dirty dishes everywhere, it took awhile. I was going to make rolls, but I decided it would be easiest to make a loaf of bread and let the bread machine do all the work. And the easiest one to make is what Chris eats, so I wouldn't have to make decisions. I could even tell Chris to go to the bake sale and buy his bread... Anyway, I put all the ingredients in the pot and set it running. I got dressed and called Myra to see if she wanted to go to the 5K run scheduled for 11am. But she was in the middle of making cupcakes. So I went to the gym myself and did not see any signs of a run. They might have canceled it because the trail was wet. I weighed myself and walked home and called Myra again. She said to come over and watch her make cupcakes. Ok. But one last glimpse of e-mail led to investigating the answer to a question, and then I went. Her cupcakes looked really good but I thought my bread was so much easier. About 20 minutes after noon, I headed home to take a shower and have breakfast before my massage. I ran into Dynee and we chatted for awhile. Then I went inside. Chris was home for lunch. There was a package from Amazon and a birthday card from my father. It was so sweet I had tears in my eyes. Chris told me he needed bread for tomorrow so he had raised the lid on the machine. I figured it must be done by now so I took it out and it wasn't baked. Too late. I had to throw it in a loaf pan and put it in the oven. I re-filled the bread pan for Chris. I made and ate breakfast. I took my shower and pulled the bread from the oven. Then I got dressed. I wrapped the bread in a towel and headed out. I called Myra and she met me at her parking lot. I handed her the hot bread. She agreed to cool it and wrap it for the bake sale. She's a good friend. I walked downtown to the Foot Shop. I had worked out a plan where if Mrs. Wong was there, I would stay for a massage, but if not, I would go to the other place. No one was there. But I met the clerk on my way out. He called Mrs. Wong and she arrived while my feet were soaking. She massaged my back from head to ankles. I paid and scheduled another for next week. Then I went to the other place. I got a foot massage from the man behind the desk. Then I went to the market. I counted my money and figured I had just enough for the phone cord, earmuffs for Chris, 4 styrofoam balls, and three pomegranates. When I got to Daiso, they did not have black earmuffs, so I got the next masculine thing. Then I got the phone cord. It was cheaper than I remembered so I had enough to get another plastic organizer box for the sewing group. After Daiso, I went to the everything store and got 4 styrofoam balls. I wished I knew how many people were going to do the project. Then I got the pomegranates. I wore the earmuffs because it was getting cold. I walked quickly back to base and home. I could smell Chris' loaf baking. I jotted notes for my blog.
I read e-mail for awhile. I ate a pomegranate and a cucumber for supper. Chris came home from work. He ate supper and played his game. I bundled up and went outside to cover the tomatoes and the eggplant in preparation for freezing temps. I wish I had a better way to secure the plastic because it keeps blowing off. I downloaded some new project ideas from Pinterest. I tried to put the Jackie Lawson advent calendar on my laptop, but something wasn't working right so I had to run it through the browser. We watched an episode of Castle. Chris went to bed early because he has to get up early for a call to the states. I stayed up to blog and take my nightly dose of magnesium and melatonin.
* Kids with projects at the end of sewing class *