Ummm. It's Cold Here

This morning was an all new low for us, 1 degree. How often can you can degree without using its plural? The high was maybe 9. I am very glad I bought super warm coats on clearance last year at Lands End.

We seem to have adjusted to the cold weather and life on base. One new adjustment is living in an apartment building with interior hallways. Since we have no front yard, or backyard for that matter, the kids will play in the hallways and in the elevator lobbies on our floors. They bring out scooters, toys, DS's, games, whatever strikes their fancy. It is an adjustment as a parent because you typically stay in the apt. while the kids play out in the hallway. I like to hear what is going on, so I bought a door stop to keep our front door open. Typically it is Rachel that has some kind of drama. But, on the flipside, if your door is open, kids will coming running in to play. It is a learning process. And, we are not comfortable with Rowan out with the 'big' kids, so he has to have a parent go out with him.

Our apartment building has 3 hallways per floor and 3 apartments per hallway. When we first moved in, we were the only people in our hallway of 3 apartments. Now in our little hallway, we have a family across the hall with a boy for Russ, a girl for Rach and a mom for Aim! And at the end of our hallway, a girl for Rach, a boy for Row and a mom for Aim! Ha! On our floor, the Thomas family is in another hallway and more boys to play with!! Adam worked with Mike Thomas in OK, but I didn't have the opportunity to meet his wife, Beth. But now we are neighbors, in the same squadron and we all get along great, so that is such fun! We have met a few other neighbors on our floor with kids that all seem mix with ours. In a lot of ways, we couldn't have planned the ages of children on our floor. It is working out well. I am sure the kids will miss this playtime afetr we move. It is quite the difference from Vegas where noone is out in front of their houses.

I still need to blog about EMart. I took Adam and the kids there yesterday. Tomorrow we are going to a mall near here called AK Plaza. I feel like we should be getting out more, but it is really cold. Maybe when the weather warms up to a balmy 25.....

Haircut and A Cup of Coffee

I recently went for a haircut and while childless, attempted to run an errand off base. First the haircut. In Vegas, I adored my guy, Matt, and was dreading a haircut here. Well, my bangs grew way too long and I don't cut my own, so my hand was forced! I just went to the Beauty Shop on base. It turned out all right. The trouble, of course, is the communication. I am hesitant to have them color my hair because Matt did such a great job giving me what I wanted although I wasn't exactly great at telling him what I wanted. I love the haircut chit chat and Matt and I had great chit chat!! However, when you have a Korean lady cutting your hair, she is having the Korean chit chat while cutting your hair with the other Koreans. So, it was lonely. I will venture off-base next time because I have heard there are a few good places. But, I look forward to being in the States and having a normal haircut. A quick funny about the experience on-base. There is one woman who washes hair and will come over and blow dry your hair while the stylist is working on someone else. Now, they don't tell you who is cutting your hair, they basically point to where you are supposed to sit or motion for you to go to the hair wash chair. Well, the hair wash lady has horrible hair. It is lopsided and messy. It looks like a child cut her hair and she decided to keep it. So, not knowing she doesn't cut hair, I had a minor freak-out to myself. OMG, this lady is cutting my hair? Over my dead body. You can imagine the relief I felt when she didn't cut my hair!!

Okay, so I am childless and want to run to this little art shop off base. I had been off base the day prior, but she was closed. Korean shop owners can keep funny hours and that is just fact. So, I thought, I'd pop over buy the piece I wanted and get on with life. She was closed, again. The shop owners across the alley said maybe she'd open at 11? It was 11:15. I decided to go get a coffee and come back. I went to this little coffee shop and ordered a hand drip coffee. What a process and experience! First, I had to pick my beans. The little Korean man asked me five times if I was sure, those are strong. I think he thought I was crazy. Then he ground the beans and put them in a filter over a small carafe. Next he heats up water in a small watering can thing. He motions me to come to the counter and watch him. He shows me the temperature of the water, it was too hot. We have to sit and watch the water cool 3 degrees. Then he pours only a bit of water in and lets it steep. He doesn't speak a lot of English, so we are just sitting there watching the steeping and I am not sure what he is doing, but enjoying the process nonetheless. Then he pours in the rest of the water in this artful way with the watering can thing and lets it drip. Next he takes out 2 small espresso cups and pours me a cup and a cup for himself! Ha! I didn't realize I was buying him a cup too. So we drink, exclaim good coffee and he pours what is left for me in a paper cup (I had originally asked for it to go). Here I thought I was getting a quick cup of coffee, but I just have to remember there is no quick anything around here. I decide to ask him what is the best Korean restaurant in the area. He scratches his head and tells me he 'call his wife.' They speak on the phone and they decide there are no good Korean food restaurants in the area! I teased him that his wife was the best cook and he agreed. I almost didn't want to leave after that, but I asked for it to go and I decided to leave. I venture back to the art shop which is still closed.

It was just kind of a funny day. Two extremes in a lot of ways. A lonely haircut where you are missing something, someone, somewhere normal or like home. Then a 'quick' cup of coffee which was quiet in a lot of ways, but not lonely at all or quick for that matter. Just when you think you are getting adjusted you experience something else….