back to life, back to reality

with both the bean's and my birthdays over for 2020, things have gone back to normal in the house of wan.    decorations have been taken down, gifts have been put away, any remaining leftovers from celebratory meals have been devoured.  although the bean was super excited when she finally got to cut into some of that fresh sushi-grade fish the hub bought for her.  the two of them watched youtube videos to learn the proper cutting techniques, but with our 15-year-old knives that have never been professionally sharpened, it wasn't pretty.

bonus for me - they had lots left over, so i made myself a poke bowl.

i did have one last birthday surprise delivered to me a few days ago - these gorgeous flowers, from one of my most favorite friends.  so sweet.

i made a LOT of crocheted pumpkins.  so much so, in fact, that i think i'm killing my hands.  i woke up yesterday morning with one finger on my left hand curled up like i was making a fist, and it took a good 15 minutes of massaging the joints to get it to straighten out.  i'm not gonna lie, i got kind of scared.  it hurt, and even after i got it uncurled it was still sore.  in fact, it's still sore at this very moment.  and then my entire forearm was tingly for a little while afterwards.  the old lady says it's because i pretty much spent the last few weeks holding yarn and a crochet hook for hours every day.  and my friend lilcee concurred, suggesting some stretches and using a foam roller to loosen the tight muscles.  i really hope that fixes it, because i was envisioning all sorts of things involving surgery and remember, i'm a big baby.  i don't want that.  anyway, enjoy all the pretty pumpkins.

it doesn't come across too well in this photo, but this yarn was pretty fantastic.  i found it in the michaels clearance bin, just one skein of it of course, from isaac mizrahi.  it's hot pink with this fabulous sparkly thread woven throughout, and there's a little girl in atlanta who i hope is gonna love it as much as i do.  actually, she's lucky i didn't keep it.  hahaha.  not really.  well, maybe.  no, i'm kidding.

one of my oldest friends who's a manager at starbucks told me and the old lady that there was a drink we needed to try, only available during the fall season.  this is an iced chai latte made with oat milk and topped with pumpkin cream, with a shot of espresso to kick it up a little.  i'm not a pumpkin spice latte kinda girl at all, but this drink...it's SO GOOD.

oh! and we hit up mochinut in arcadia last week for some mochi donuts because i'm addicted.  the texture of these things is so perfect, and the icing is delicately flavored and not too sweet.  these are red velvet, funnel cake, cookies & cream and blueberry.  although the text on the box is rather questionable.  heh.

the good thing is that my orangetheory studio finally opened for outdoor classes.  the old lady and i have started twice-weekly classes again, and while we both tried our best to keep up our workouts throughout lockdown these classes are seriously humbling.  oof.  they're limited to a small number of people, and the stations are pretty well spaced out.

we're two weeks into it, and holy mother...i am so sore.  but in a good way.  i'm excited to get my strength and endurance back.

as for the bean - well, the BTS obsession continues.  they did two live-streamed concerts from korea last weekend, and because of the time difference we were up super late (or super early, however you want to look at it) to experience them.

she cracks me up.  she sings along to every song, every word, in korean.  and she knows all of the choreography.  such a superfan.  an "army" member to the core.  and while we were shopping for birthday presents for her friends the old lady steered her towards a store that's all BTS all the time and she was in seventh heaven.  and they had this all set up for one of the member's upcoming birthdays - the one who happens to be the bean's favorite.

i can't decide which of these girls is a bigger fangirl - the old lady with the jonas brothers or the bean with BTS.  and it takes me back to my days of worshiping duran duran, although i think these two are on a whole other level.  it's really fun to watch.