We are counting down the days now, only 2 days left in Korea.  Most of our stuff is packed and ready to be shipped on Monday.  I still have to decide what to take with us on the flight which is also what we will have to live with for 6-8 weeks until our shipment arrives.  It’s a bit stressful.  I’m not worried about myself but I want to make sure Makinlee will have everything she needs to settle in at my grandpa’s house.  The last few days have been filled with goodbyes and it’s taking a toll on me.  I have made many great friends here.  I honestly didn’t realize how many friends HL and I have here until it was time to say goodbye to everyone.  Too bad we didn’t spend more time with them but even in this expat world people have their own lives.  I still find the fact that people do not get together very often here strange.  We certainly live differently back home.  Our friends here have made our leaving much more difficult.  They have taken us to dinner, thrown small good bye parties for us, and given us gifts to remember them by.  I have gifts from many part of the world and I will always cherish them.  My girlfriends bought me a beautiful pearl bracelet made at a local pearl factory/farm and the Foreigner’s Club gave me a set of traditional Korean Celadon vases. (I would take photos but my camera is packed.) I will miss them each and every one of them.  However, this industry is small and who knows what the future holds and where we may be in a few years.

We are in the process of moving.  I am pretty good at this having moved 7 times in 7 years of marriage.  We have a very short deadline.  HL’s current company decided they didn’t need him here for the remainder of his 30 day notice.  They want us out as soon as possible. Everything is arranged and coming together nicely.  We are leaving on February 5th.  I have one week to finish going through closets and cabinets deciding what goes, what doesn’t, and what we can live without for a month until our shipment arrives in Louisiana.  This is not easy I assure you.  I probably will not post again until we arrive home unless something else comes up.  I will see you on the other side.

Am I the only one who is thankful Christmas is over?  Now if I can just get through the New Year. Sigh.  HL has been home a lot during the holidays which has given me the time to sew.  I have a lot planned for the New Year and can’t wait for things to settle back down so that I may get started on my list.  I will be back after the new year.  I hope each and everyone one of you have a very Happy New Year!

Makinlee’s Christmas Pjs on Christmas Morning

I know I feel off the face of the earth but I got a bit overwhelmed. HL was gone for the entire month of November and things went from bad to worse as far as my mood was concerned. However, I am back now and feeling refreshed after our trip to Maui.

Wonderful, wonderful Maui how I longed to stay. I think HL and I could live there. It’s beautiful and amazing and for such a small island offers a million different things to do outdoors. We will definitely go back. There will be more photos to come but currently I am sewing for Christmas.

Here are just a few projects that I completed yesterday.

I am on a roll and not stopping now. I have Christmas PJ’s to make today. I shall return, I promise.

HL asked in advance what I would like to do for Mother’s Day. Since I could not visit Fuddruckers for a delicious cheeseburger and fries I choose to visit Paris Baguette for onion bagels, sausage dogs, and cheese panini and hit the beach. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was hot and the wind was blowing slightly just right for a sunburn which I came home with. Later that afternoon we went to dinner at a Korean Bulgogi restaurant and had the best pork dinner. I am not a big fan of pork and rarely eat it but some friends had raved about the place. The pork was marinated with soy sauce and ginger giving it a slightly sweet taste when cooked. The side dishes included several Kimchi variations, garlic, mushrooms, Korean pancakes, mixed greens, and a spicy but yummy soup. It was a very cheap meal. HL and I both at for under 20,000 KW ($20 USD give or take). I think that restaurant will be a bimonthly event for us.

Yesterday went went on an all day adventure with one of hubby’s co-workers. He is a professional photographer and has traveled around the island finding hidden gems. Most of the time I had no idea where we were. The views were break taking and the hikes were intense. Our second stop was on Mt. Seonjasan viewing the Oksanseong Fortress. This history behind this rock walled fortress is the chief of Geojedo, Island was denied permission to build a town fortress because the township had already moved three times. He opted to build a fortress and the story is that it was constructed within 8 months by the local towns people. Military weapons needed to guard the coast from Japanese invasions were stored here. Today, there is not much left of the stone wall surrounding the fortress. However, the original pond, temple, & entrance is still there for viewing.

One thing I learned while visiting the different sites is that I am terribly out of shape. To think that I am seriously interested in joining the Hash team. AS.IF!