Happy Birthday, Robin

Chris was up and on his computer by half past 8. And Michele was there, too. So I got up, took a shower, dressed, ate breakfast, and skimmed my e-mail. I spent considerable time looking for two sheets of paper that I know I have seen recently. Since they were printouts, I also scoured each computer looking for the original file. But no dice. I put some laundry in the washer so I would have a clean pair of black pants to wear to the party. I asked Chris to get out my embroidery machine so I can test my design. But when the machine told me it would take 23 minutes to stitch out, I decided to do that later. I ate some lunch, then at 1, headed for the subway. I took the jungang line to Ichon, and then the blue line to Sungshin. Miraculously, it was 1:45, just the time Helen said she would meet me there. We walked out exit 6 to the bus stop and took bus 162 to Jeongnung market. There we followed directions to Robin's place. She was giving herself a 60th birthday party. There were two young women preparing food in the kitchen. There was a food table and another one with a cake on it. That is where the presents went. While I conversed with a woman who couldn't make the presentation last Saturday, Helen got massaged. What a wonderful idea for a party! As guests came in, they signed up for massages. I had a thirty minute massage for 15,000 won! When almost everyone had arrived, we sang Happy Birthday, and Robin opened her presents. Then we ate buffet style. One young woman (who is renting a room with Robin) came up with a party game: she asked us 20 m/c questions about Robin and gave a prize to the person who got the most answers right. And she let each person pick a number out of a hat. She had a box of numbered books, and each person is supposed to read the corresponding book and pass it on to another one in the group. Mine is called "French women don't get fat". Later Robin picked up her guitar and played while singing us a song which was not familiar to me. After most people had left, Robin asked me to do another presentation, this time in August. Although it did not rain on my way over there, it rained quite hard during the party. So she lent me an umbrella for the trip home. Four of us walked to the bus stop, and traveled together as far at Dongdaemun history and culture park. Then they left to catch another line, while I went on to Ichon, and then Seobinggo. I was glad to have an umbrella. When I got home, Chris and Michele were watching the Sherlock Holmes DVD.
I had a bite to eat, and now I am going to take another try at the embroidery design.
* pic from the back of the bus, and one at the party *

Scoring applications

I followed my usual morning routine, albeit a little faster than usual. I met MaryAnn past the walk-in gate at 8:50. We parked in the commissary lot and walked out Gate 52. We walked past the Starbucks, and the Capitol Hotel. We wound around and ended up in the right place. The apartment we went to was full of women eating fruit and muffins, getting ready to score the scholarship applications. MaryAnn and I sat at the kitchen island to work. There were 60 applications and each one needed to be scored by three people. I estimated that there were 15 ladies for scoring (others did the filing, answered questions, etc). So if each one of us scored 12 appications, that should do it. Well, some scores came out so differently among their three scorers, that they had to be scored 4 or 5 times. By three I was wiped out. Some of the essay questions were quite interesting. But still, it was work. MaryAnn left with Mrs. Sharp to give her a ride. I finished later, and walked home from there, not bothering to go back to post. I sat in the courtyard and read for half an hour. Then went up to the apartment. Michele was home and I told her she would have found the scoring process interesting and gave details of the most memorable ones. I realized that I had forgotten the thrift shop banner that I had carried to the scholarship process. I had offered to wash it. Oh well. I really DON'T need one more thing to do right now. I cleared some e-mail, and rebooted my computer. I listened to an interview while I worked on the old computer, digitizing something for a quilt block. When I left it alone for awhile, it froze up and I had to reboot that one too, twice. Then I prepared for the birthday party tomorrow. I found the gift I had made, but could not find my collection of gift bags. I wrote down the directions, and checked the bus website to find out how many stops, but it was unclear. I plugged in my phone to recharge, and put fresh batteries in my camera. I feel as if I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Anyway, ii is late and I am going to bed soon.

Volunteer of the Year Ceremony

After my usual morning routine, I went to the thrift shop. Only two other people were there, and no managers. So we did what we wanted to. Ella dropped by in between doing tasks related to setting up the VOY dinner tonight. I shelved books, DVD's, CD's, and games. Then I straightened out the book room. I left a few minutes early to go to the little park and read. It was sunny until I got there. It was cloudy while I read. Then when I left, the sun came back out. Coincidence? Hmmm. I went home to have a late lunch/early supper. I wasn't sure how much of the VOY dinner I would eat. I dressed in a blue and tan pantsuit to match Chris's brown suit and blue tie. He picked me up at the gate and dropped me off at Collier Field House. I waited while he parked the car. Then we picked up my certificate of appreciation and walked into the gymnasium which was decorated for the occasion. We found a table that was too close to the band for Chris' liking. I wandered over to say 'hello' to the thrift shop group assembled at another table. Then MaryAnn and Bob walked in. They sat at our table. Cathy and Terry sat at our table too, until they got moved to the Sharp's table (as in THE General Sharp). I was asked too, but elected to stay where we were. Then Mary and Troy came in and sat with us. When the dinner started, we got in line. I took a tiny bit of rice, potatoes, and corn. I had half a plate of salad, and a little meat. There were no seconds because one of the serving ladies took my plate and utensils as soon as I finished my food. During the ceremony, many people were honored for their volunteerism. I watched them go up so I could note the process. Shake Gen. Sharp's hand, pause for a pic showing off the certificate of Achievement, shake Col. Huber's hand, then leave the stage. It looked so easy. But when they called my name I found out that each of those men had a ceremonial coin in his hand to pass to me, and I fumbled trying to hold the coins, and the certificate, and shake hands. But I was much calmer than last year. And Chris still doesn't have any coins:(
We stood around talking afterward. Then the whole thrift shop staff got their pic taken on stage (see pic). We talked to Mrs. Sharp for a little bit, Chris introduced me to the M.C. and then I saw the thrift shop banner taken down and left in a heap. I looked around for the thrift shop staff, but they seemed to be gone. So I folded it up and we took it home. When I got home, I called Melanie to see how class was going (remember our usual Thursday night classes?) She told me they were doing the best they could considering the cabinets were locked. I wished that I had thought about it when we left Collier Field house. I would have gone over there. So I called Cathy and she went over to unlock it. But the time was late so we will just have to try this class again another week. I cleared more e-mail and I was down to 18 unread e-mails when I started this post. Time for bed.

A Better Bag

I had to get up as soon as the alarm went off. I had a quick breakfast with a glance at e-mail. Then I showered, dressed, and left for school. I parked at the theater, and walked the rest of the way. Today's activity was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors and recording which one won, over and over and over again. The idea was to show that each outcome is equally likely. Not that it did, but they agreed that there was no best choice. Then, to the smarter groups I tried to explain that if you added more choices (as in Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock), you have to add two so you always have an odd number, so that there are an even number of pairings, half of which are winners, and half of which are losers. Not sure they understood that.
When I left the class, I got cash, and I went to the SPC to drop off what Melanie needs for class tomorrow night and to leave the one cabinet unlocked for her. Then I
put gas in the car ($4/gallon) and walked into Itaewon to get won. I walked around a bit to see if any shops were selling zippers, but no luck. Next, I drove to a little park kind of near Gate 19. No one was there, so I sat in solitude and read for a while. Then I went home. I had lunch, then e-mailed Carla because I knew she had just the kind of zippers I needed. I read e-mail for awhile, and then called her with the number she e-mailed me. She was home, so I went over there and bought two, a red and a purple. When I got back, I browned up some bison and ate about half. Chris came home and fixed leftovers for him and Michele, but she wasn't home yet. When she didn't arrive before 7, I called her. She was on her way home. So I left supper out while I went into my sewing room to try making another bag. This one turned out better. And now it is time to make the sandwich and go to bed.

What goes "whrrrrr, bang, bang"?

Today was a thrift shop day. But I was a little late 'cause I decided to make a zippered bag. It is ok, but I would like to try it again. I think I can do better. However, I do not have any zippers. I had a bag of them, but can't find it. So frustrating. I got invited to a 60th birthday party. I want to make a bag as a gift. I am not sure where it is so I called a friend who is also invited to the party. But my phone died during the call. So now I am using the battery I found yesterday. I am interested in seeing how long it lasts.
The thrift shop had 6 boxes of books for me to shelve. One of them turned out to be mostly videos. Still, it took me hours to go through them. And THEN, I got to start on the DVD's and CD's. By 2:45 I hadn't finished, but I left anyway. I went to the AnC center to see Cathy and Mary, but they had finished and gone home. So I went home and had lunch. I got on e-mail and cleared out some of the video links. We had leftovers for supper. After supper we watched "The A-Team" movie. Just not the same without the original actors and music. Since I don't have to make a sandwich (Chris forgot to take it this morning), I can go to bed now.

P.S. the answer is: my printer:(

Newcomers learn to quilt

It was a little after 7 when I got up. Apparently my alarm was not set. I showered, ate part of my breakfast, skimmed e-mail, and then headed out the door early, and with a bag of recyclables. I left early because I wanted to have time to work on my demo on making baby quilts. I needed quilt tops in all parts of the process. When I got to the SPC, there were men cleaning the floor. I stayed out of their way as much as I could, while still setting up the cutting mat, ruler, cutter, and machine that I needed. I did not finish before the first people came. We had invited the new people who had signed up at the luncheon to come for a demo and breakfast snacks. Mary and Cathy set up the food and coffee. When I got one top completed, I started the demo. When I got to the part where we sandwich the layers, I was told we had used up all our batting, and Cathy went to get more from home. But it really went well. The newcomers jumped right in helping to make the quilts, and the whole group got a lot done. We had a great turnout. Chris came by to get his sandwich, and I swear I jumped a foot 'cause I didn't hear him coming. We worked late, and we kinda had a board meeting afterward. We decided to ask for more money for fabric and batting. We are being so productive that the fabric just disappears. Then I went home to eat the rest of my breakfast, and clear e-mail. First Michele came home, and later Chris. We had leftovers for supper. Chris and Michele left together to see a movie. I had the apartment to myself, so I continued my search for the elusive spare phone battery. Tonight's search turned up two fortune cookies from 2008. That raised the question - if I read the fortune, is it describing my future or my past? Anyway, I pondered where in the apt could a battery hide that I would never have seen it in the last two years. When the answer came to me, it was so simple that I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. Michele's room. And there it was, on her dresser. I plugged it into the docking station to power up. She later admitted to having seen the docking station but didn't realize there was a battery in it. I then went to process scraps in my sewing room, and to resew and press the backing for my dahlia quilt. I was watching a movie in there when my family returned. Michele told me I was watching Twilight, and that I wouldn't like it. So I turned it off. While they sat with their laptops, I cleaned the popsicle molds, I juiced carrots, celery and cucumber, and I washed the juicer. Then I made Chris' sandwich for tomorrow. Guess it is time for bed now.
* I was so busy at quilting today that I forgot to take pictures. Here is another quilt from the Tokyo show *

Easter

Chris and Michele got up by 5 to play an rpg game online. But I did not hear them. I think it was almost 8 when I awoke. They were finished by then, I think. Just some post-game chatter. I snuck into Michele's room to get her Easter basket. It was much smaller and more drab than I remembered. So I perked it up with some colorful selvage edges. I put in half of the chocolates I bought, and hid the other half around the room. I fixed breakfast, ate it while glancing at e-mail, and then took a shower. Chris was ready by the time I was dressed, but Michele had gone back to bed. I took out a bag of recyclables, while he got the car. We were a little early to church, so we sat and talked with other parishioners. Instead of a sermon, the kids put on a series of short scenes telling the Easter message. But it was not a performance only a mother could love. We all enjoyed it. After church we had more than the usual snacks, and the flowers were lovely. We stopped by the commissary to buy veggies and a bag of nuts to add to Michele's basket. Then we went home for awhile until it was time to leave. I changed my outfit when I realized I had an Easter bonnet - the hat I made for Derby day last year. I figured that if I couldn't wear the hat on Easter, when could I wear it? And I have a dress to match! So I wore it to the Hartell house for their Easter brunch. A room full of us had been invited by a couple in our church. I was excited because I had never eaten there before. It was very nice. There were food tables set up in every corner. I wish I had taken pics, but I was busy feeling self-conscious because NO ONE else was wearing an Easter hat. But I did get some nice comments. I had a plate of salad, and then one of shrimp. Both were very tasty. We talked for some time, listening to stories of how it used to be. When we finally left, it was after 2. We had a bit of a walk to our car since it was such a popular place. When we got home, I changed around, cleared some e-mail, worked on my sewing demonstration for tomorrow, boiled some eggs, and searched high and low for the spare phone batteries that I have not seen since we bought the phones in 2008. I found a ton of unfiled bills, receipts and statements. But no batteries. After supper we watched "Hot Shots" and then it was time for making the sandwich, writing the blog, and going to bed.