Saturday, July 19, 2008

• Birthday

  Had a great birthday today.  Slept late and woke to a pouring, but cooling, rain.  That's probably why I slept so soundly. And, not even the veggie vendors and truck farmers were out in this downpour.

  I got a mysterious package from one of my sons on Thursday, but resisted opening it until this afternoon.  [Ain't I good? !]  It's a wonderful shirt made by the hill people of Viet Nam, with great swatches of colorful embroidery on a black background.

  I'd asked Kang to go to supper with me, but then I got a call from Shin saying he was sorry he couldn't come as he was sick. I figured Kang had called Shin, and passed on the invitation. Then, I got a call from Kang at 6:08, saying "Where are you?" Oops. I grabbed my purse, pulled on a jacket, poked my feet into shoes, and stepped outside.The rain had cleared and we had a cool Siberian high, a blessed relief after all the hot and muggy weather the last few days.

  I didn't raise a sweat running down the hill and wasn't out of breath when I said "Hi."   Outback is right on the corner and Kang was standing there with his umbrella furled, serving as a cane.  [He's the guy who shattered his thighbone last fall.]

  There was a crowd waiting inside; we sat and watched baseball for about 20 minutes before we were seated. He's a Samsung Lions fan, so I rooted for the Haehwa Eagles, heheheh. [ Most teams are sponsored by chaebol (family-owned companies).]

  The soup course was Spicy Mushroom, although I'd have called it "Herbal Mushroom." It was delicious, neither bland nor "spicy hot." I think I detected basil. We had grilled steaks, Rockhampton Ribeye for Kang and Victoria's Filet (the least fat) for me. I had baked potato and steamed veggies with mine. Kang had baked sweet potato and regular baked potato with his; he's a great trencherman.

  Come dessert-time, our waitress brought out a chocolate sundae for two with 6 birthday candles on it. Then she rounded up five co-workers to sing "Happy Birthday" in Korean with rhythmic hand-clapping accompaniment. Much cheering and bowing followed. I blew out all the candles with one puff, and she pulled out a digital camera to take photos.

  We worked on the sundae while she was gone. When she came back, she had two prints of the photo we had chosen, all done up in a birthday card, and a present for me! It was an Outback steak knife all done up in a stylish box. She also had the two small loaves of brown bread and cups of butter that they give customers to take home.

  T'was a really fun and satisfying birthday dinner. Kang suggested a movie, but I wanted to get back home and write this up while I'm still groaning with pleasure. [Also wanted to take my after-meal anti-cholesterol meds.]

  Happy Trails,

  ~ Sil in Corea

  *Update on Tropical Storm Kalmaegi: located over land about 200 miles south of Shanghai, losing force rapidly.  Unlikely to reform or to affect Korea due to a mid-latitude trough and weak frontal system located astride the Korean peninsula.  --from the U. S. Weather Service in Monterey, CA

  [my footnote: we are getting another band of thunderstorms and torrential rain.   We've gotten about 3.5 inches or 83 millimeters so far today, not counting the latest dousing.  Some "weak frontal system," eh?]

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