I made it to H-mart. It was glorious. I bought a duck. I bought frozen shucked oysters. I bought mushrooms. Best of all I bought banchan, the Korean vegetable side dishes. They had a tray with like 9 of them on it. I should’ve bought more. Our local Korean place doesn’t offer them, and I missed those so much. I need to figure out how to make these in bulk or where to buy them in bulk.
Korean cuisine is a bit special to me. Prior to Gordon joining the army, our income was very limited. I’m unreasonably proud of the fact that despite our meager resources at that time, we never had our utilities turned off for non payment. The kids were always fed, their clothes were always decent and clean, and they had toys, but money was scarce. Needless to say, we didn’t go out a lot. We might have made it to a restaurant a couple of times per year, usually when a family member took us. And honestly there weren’t that many places to eat.
After we arrived to Gordon’s permanent duty station, we quickly crawled out of the financial hole. Our total debt at that point, excluding some student loans, turned out to be much more manageable. After a few months of steady paychecks and careful budgeting, we found that we had money to go out. Almost every base in US has a good Korean restaurant nearby, and that’s where we went. It was more than food. It was proof that we survived, celebrated with grilled meat, sweet and sour radish salad, and soybean sprouts.
So A+ rating to H-mart. 10 out of 10, will go again.
Today is voting day. I voted. Don’t forget to vote. On that note, as far as reminders go, if you are enrolling into ACA healthcare plans, the enrollment is open now. Our health insurance went up again by $250 per month. Again. Damn it.
Somehow my life has become a series of appointments I must keep: annual physical, annual mammogram, annual gynecology visit, annual optometrist visit, semi-annual dentist visit, annual chimney sweeping, annual arborist visit, annual wood purchase, annual ACA enrollment, annual tax review… Adulting. It’s overrated.
Perhaps, that’s why I hide in speculative fiction. I spent the entire day yesterday google driving around trying to get the lay of the land for the small project we’re working on. And then I had to look at boats that could fit a horse. Oy.
I envy the other-world fantasy writers sometimes. They get to write “It was a G’drilian barge with the prized Elvenian pine mast” and move on. Me, google searching: flat bottom barge, aluminum, under 30 ft, for sale. Because if we don’t use an actual boat, someone will no doubt email and explain to us how we are stupid and don’t know how boats work. ::gives side eye to imaginary boat expert:: I found one yesterday. It will do.
Still working on the merch shop. We should launch this month, hopefully. We are working with an awesome designer, Sasha, and her work is great.
We’re ordering samples of most things just to see the quality, so I will be able to share some “life” shots soon. So far we washed the one sample T about 10 times. It held up.
Well, I better get to it. Apparently, Kid 2’s house needs major electrical work, so must make moneys. See you on Friday. I think Mod R said Roman was the next.
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