Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Time For A Quickie - Gaksang Mountain Namparang Trail

Abe and I found time for a quick afternoon hike one Saturday afternoon. Just us and the doggies.
 This is at the top at the lookout point, looking to the south.
After a selfie I realized the girls needed to be in the pic, too.
This is looking a little to the north.
 Past the lookout point we continued to the back side of the cable cars. At the time of this hike, I knew Frito had been not feeling super well. A few days later she became extremely tired and lethargic and the vet said she had anemia. However, she loves being outside so on this particular day she pushed through the hike like a champ and I had no idea I was on the verge of killing her.
Once we reached the cable cars we turned around and came home.
It was just a quickie.
[June 7]

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

How Can It Be, We're Done With 8-6-3!

Well, we finished the oddest school year to date. It started as a huge change for us, being in a tiny private school in a different country half way around the world.
But that wasn't enough of a change. Just to make it a bit spicier we experienced a soft quarantine while completing 12 weeks of distance learning during a worldwide pandemic. Oh, and Daisy was in a full leg cast and a boot for 12 weeks. Go big or go home!
Despite the odd circumstances, we had a great year. And we finally made it to the end, masks and all!
I was lucky enough to get a picture in front of the school on the first day. This was as close as I could get on the last day. (Mom is so embarrassing.)
I'm proud of my big kids for earning high honors.
And this. My Daiser was one of the few middle school kids to earn a learner profile award: inquirer. Quite fitting for the Daiser, who like to ask questions.
There are usually several house games a year, but of course this year the spring games were cancelled because, Rona. On the last day the kids found out who won the house cup. 
Our very own Dokkaebi won and got to claim the house cup!! This is the first year in the school's history that they won! It also happens to be the first year the Daniels were on the team...coincidence? I think not.
In a year of changes, we were able to keep one thing the same: first and last day ice cream! We miss not having Grannie with us, though. Having her join us via FaceTime just isn't the same.
 We brought along Alex and Lauryn, just like on the first day,
 and we brought along Lauryn's family as well.
 On the way home we decided to swing by Chisojeong Pavilion and Suyang Park.
 
 These are old bean grinders. The one on the right is complete. The beans get dropped in the little notch at on the top, then it turns, grinding the beans. The one on the left is missing the top so you can see how the beans get grinded. They come out of the little spout as bean paste. The Koreans love bean paste on their ssams (little lettuce wrap you make yourself at the table as you cook the meat).
That's a fun little dragon coming out of the wall.
 This is all located near the Sacheoneupseong Walled Town.
The eupseong, or wall, was constructed in 1442. In its height, the wall was 1.5 km in perimeter, but all that remains now is 300m. The Japanese took it over in 1597, but it was regained by the Koreans the following year.
 The boys are walking on one of those foot massage paths.
 I'm sure this is very pretty when the water is flowing. That's the odd thing about water features in Korea. They are only filled with water at random times.
 That's a wrap on 3 - 6 - 8! Time for some summer fun!
[June 11]