More glimpses of Seoul

Stuart at work

Cherie and Stuart.... (and Lois due in a few days)

Lunch

Apparently this reads "Yeouido Park"

Plenty of shops everywhere we go. No sizes big enought for me! Many are underground.. between railway station exits and under main roads. Both up-market and market style shopping areas, seem to sit comfortably, side by side.


We caught a bus to Stuart's school. It helps enormously to have Cherie with us, as the bus network doesn't have a lot of English on the signs.

Looking across at the Han River

The first few days in Seoul

We spent a couple of days with Cherie while Stuart was at work. Cherie is very well and wanting to walk up flights of steps all the time so the abby might come! We can hardly keep up with her.
Our hotel room room is on the tenth floor. While we take the lift, Cherie climbs the stairs!

Yeouido Park.... near our hotel. It was very cold

on Monday when we walked around the area.

Outside the biggest church in the world is close to where we are staying in Yeouido.

Cherry Blossom time. The river bank is lined with these beautiful trees.

Magnolia tree ready to bloom.

Dinner that night Bib Bim Bap. It was delicious.

Cherry blossoms at night.

Korea visit April 16 to April 30

They bought me a Birthday cake

Train trip

On the street in Yeouido-Cherry Blossom time

The biggest shower head we've ever seen!

Cherie displayed all the gifts we brought her in clear plastic zip lock bags. She arranged this the next morning, after getting to bed after 2am! Thankyou everyone!

Photos of Stuart and Cherie as babies and children. They displayed them on their wall for the baby shower a few weeks ago.

Weekend at the coast

Last weekend I spent a very enjoyable time at the coast with 13 other lovely friends from church. Such a relaxing, refreshing time! Good company, good food and accommodation and right on the beach! The skies were cloudy and there was often a coolish breeze, but a small number of us braved the conditions to swim in the ocean. We enjoyed it... once we got used to the temperature. Then we came back to the house and relaxed in the hot spa. I feel very grateful to have such a wonderful group of friends to spend a special time with.

My health is improving and I have just had a good check-up with the specialist. Don't need to see anyone until June. All seems to be going well with the treatment and I am managing the medication much better these days. It's almost 18 months since I was diagnosed and a whole year since I started taking this current medication.

March already!

I've had about half a dozen days at school now and have felt well! It's lovely to feel almost back to "normal" these days. I know I need to still pace my self a little so as not to get fatigued, but I am managing so much better this year than last year!
Richard has had a couple of days' work this year. In the meantime, he has used his time at home to catch up on plenty of things. He's been enjoying the freedom that "no work" brings. He continues to apply for suitable jobs, but is adjusting well to the likelyhood of less full-time contracts from now on.
He's been busy researching solar panels for generating electricity and a new hot water system for our house. Every person who quotes has a different system to push.
We had a good time at our annual church camp at the coast last week-end.
Stuart and Cherie are preparing for the birth of their baby in about 6 weeks'time. They held a baby shower at their apartment last week and had a lovely time with their friends.
The equipment one has for a baby in Seoul seems to be different from here. Strollers are awkward, as they commute by train, bus or taxi. They mostly carry their babies in back/front packs etc. The baby's bed is a system of folding foam pieces that can adjust as the baby grows. They are used to sleeping on/close to the floor, which is heated. It all looks very clever and compact.

Think Pink!

Yes, we have been told that our coming grand baby will be a GIRL! This is very exciting for us, as boys are what we have been used to.
Richard and I have booked to go to Seoul in April. The baby is due on April 20, so we have hopefully timed out trip correctly. We arrive on April 16 and depart on April 30.
Cherie is well and they tell her that all is well with the baby. Stuart is enjoying his work, teaching English. So they have settled in again , after deciding to stay. No word has come about the visa as yet, so time has run out for Cherie to be able to fly here anyway.
Richard is adjusting to being at home and is keeping busy with all sorts of tasks around the house and with his choir administration. There seems to be lots of things that need fixing around the house! He finally found out that he didn't get the contract he was waiting months to hear about. He has had a couple of mini jobs that he's done from home in the past couple of months. These have only been a half-hour here or an hour there. He'll keep looking for something as he enjoys the work.
I am booked up for some teaching days in the next month. I am feeling much better these past few weeks. Maybe the worst is behind me. My latest tests are all clear, which is great news.

At home

I enjoyed a dinner out on Thursday night with a group of friends. I stayed awake! It was nice to have enough energy to do that.

Rick and I have been spending the holidays at home. No word yet on the job he has been waiting on, except that nothing has been decided. I have been thinking that every phone call might be about the job. I am trying to forget about it! Rick is managing better than me!

In the last two weeks Stuart and Cherie have made the decision to stay in Seoul for the birth of the baby and possibly another year. They have heard nothing from the Australian Embassy regarding the visa. Stuart started to look for a new job in Seoul. He was then surprised to be offered his old job back, after giving notice months ago.
This is wonderful for them, as it means he can continue on with his familiar job ( with good hours) and they can stay in the same apartment for another year.
If the visa is granted before the year is up, they will have to give a couple of months notice and arrange to sub-let the apartment.
Cherie is now six months pregnant and all is well. They are now very relieved to know what is happening and to plan for the baby's arrival without all the packing up and moving house..... or changing countries.

We may be able to go to Seoul to see the baby. We can't make plans yet until we know about the job that Rick is waiting on.

Taking it easy

Rick and I have been relaxing at home this week. We've caught up with friends and we've spent some time with Cameron, as he has been on holdays too. I've been doing some reading, crocheting and watching the cricket. This was despite the Aussies losing! I thought the English team played very well and deserved to win the Ashes. My health is improving as the side effects of the treatment lessen. There are even times now when I don't think about the treatment etc, which is a sign that things are settling down. People have said that you get to point when you can almost forget you've had anything wrong with you. This might not be far away, as the side effects are becoming more manageable thses days.

Stuart and Cherie are now making plans to stay in Seoul for the birth of their baby ... and possibly until February 2012. They have had to take this decision because time is running out to hear news of Cherie's visa and they've been recently told that the processing has been delayed.
We are sad that we won't see them here this February and will miss the excitement of the birth etc, but are glad that things have worked out with Stuart's job and acc0mmodation in Seoul. There is good medical care in Seoul and there is opportunity for support from their many friends and Cherie's family. If the visa is granted in the next few months, they will make plans to come home to Australia when it's suitable for Cherie and the baby to fly. We are not sure if we'll be visitng them. We'll wait and see what happens with the visa etc.

Happy New Year !

Happy New Year to you.

We spent New Year's Eve in Cronulla.


A little beach holiday:
Richard and I had a relaxing time "minding" Paul and Jeni's lovely apartment in Cronulla. ( Thanks again, Paul & Jeni)
I loved swimming in the ocean rock pools. We had a couple of cooler days that were great for walking and just looking at the view, followed by some hot days to enjoy swimming in the apartment pool and in the ocean.



We also watched movies and I also read a little and crocheted. Mum and Dad came to visit us one day. We enjoyed spending time with Paul & Jeni on their return from seeing family in Victoria.




The water was inevitably chilly at first, but then I didn't want to get out! These photos aren't the most flattering of me, but I sure had fun! 2011 will hopefully be a good year for me to get fit again.


We all went to Mum and Dad's church, which has just begun meeting in the new building. Mum made us all lunch, before Richard and I said farewell and drove home to Canberra.

Christmas in Canberra

New Christmas tree with new lights!


I had a lovely catch-up coffee with Leonie just before Christmas.


Partha joined us for dinner on Christmas Eve.



Christmas Day service in Canberra


It was great to hear the choir sing.


Cameron and us at church in the morning.

Chrsitmas Day lunch:
We enjoyed a very special Christmas lunch...beautifully cooked by the talented chef, Andrew, for his family and friends. Such a special treat for us.
Besides the delicious food and good company, there were fun games such as Sumo wrestling, table soccer, jumping castle, pin ball machine and the old favourite Christmas movie ( National Lampoons Christmas Vacation)








Watching the movie


Richard as a sumo wrestler.

Roz and Sherab often host a meal at their place on Christmas night for family and friends. It was great to have the opportunity to go this year......for the very first time!


Roz and Walsa. Roz is showing us her special hand painted art work she brought back from India.


We missed seeing the extended family in Sydney for dinner, but we liked not having to do the traditional pack-up, 3- hour drive and working out a place to stay. My health just wasn't going to stand up to the challenge this year.

Two days after Christmas we had a lovely time at a get together of extended family in Camden.



The picture below is out of context. It was taken in August when Stuart and Cherie were visiting. We missed them on Christmas Day.