Happenings

At some point in the last few weeks, the idea of catching you up on what's happening around here became so overwhelming that I just... well, didn't. But I'm going to try. It's summer now, and there have been lots holidays, weekend trips, and general excitement.

About month ago I made Hitler's acquaintance.

Cooked the worst tasting meal in the history of ever, producing yet another justified argument for my occasional habit of drinking wine at eating popsicles for dinner.

Islands have been popular, too. More so than famous dictators and my cooking. At Geogje Island we spent time on the beach,

met a goat (not pictured) and chillaxed on a dock,

climbed on some rocks,

wandered into a bamboo grove,

eventually re-emerged into the sunlight (and a burial site of some sort),

and ended the day in what felt like Dr. Seuss's tropical island paradise.

There was another island weekend as well. That one was much less tranquil. In between and on these weekends, there's been lots of picnicing and barbecuing and hiking and badminton playing. And we all get through the work week just to make it to our weekends, which are really fantastic and about to end as soon as monsoon season hits.

But, in more exciting and important news, my very best friend Hillary got married on May 1st and my superlatively lovely friend Kate had a baby boy, Ronald Michael, on May 14th. I'm sad to be so far from home, but very happy for them both.

And, my friend Julie will be arriving in Korea in just 9 days! I'm beyond excited for our Korean adventures and our semi-impulsive trip to Japan.

Fortunately, in the midst of all of this to-do, I haven't locked myself into or out of anything else.

Knock on wood.