A Lesson in Korean Cooking

One of the great joys of returning to Laramie is being able to meet up with Korean families and individuals who have been transplanted in Laramie either for school, work or some combination of both.

One such family is composed of a husband and wife and their two darling girls. The husband is an exchange professor in the University of Wyoming Law School and kindly and fortunately, brought his sweet family with him. Thanks to Melissa's work with the school districts ELL families, she had the pleasure of meeting them early in the fall semester and now even has the great pleasure of working with the two girls one-to-two times a week at the University Lab School.

The family has helped the Harringtons to settle into American life while keeping up with Korean pop culture, pop music and most importantly food. In November, the family came over and helped Melissa prepare kimchi and made a promise to get together soon so that Melissa could learn, first hand how to make a favorite Korean dish, Japchae!

The lesson involved learning which spices are most essential (such as pork, dash-i-da, and of course vegetables) and how to test to make sure the noodles are ready. Not only did Melissa learn the fine art of preparing Japchae, but they Harringtons were also served a meal full of all that is Korean deliciousness from calamari to kimchi, to dumplings and cucumber kimchi and so, so much more.

To top off the evening, the girls performed some K-pop dances and left us clapping, smiling and remembering all the reasons we love South Korea and all the reasons we're thankful to have met this lovely family!

Fighting to be 'Present'

Since returning to the United States in late August, the Harringtons have been fighting to be present, to re-embrace all that life in America is made of while simultaneously mourning and yearning for the land of Kim-chi. Sometimes, it's quite simple to be in this place, at this time: visiting favorite restaurants, quick trips to visit family, conversing with favorite friends, participating in the holidays, having family dinners, having friends drop-by because they know exactly where you live - all of these things (and so much more) make being in the States beautiful and homey and exactly where the Harringtons belong.

But it's still a process, one that feels doable, enjoyable and easy some-days and absolutely overwhelming on other days.

One thing the Harringtons are recognizing, is that while Laramie is place where they are well loved and have many beautiful relationships, it's not their forever home. It's a place, that as a home, served a great and beautiful purpose in preparing the Harringtons to embrace the world, to travel, to live with intentionality, to go deep in friendships, to be hospitable, to drink fine beer, to re-claim food, to dream, to pursue, to feel and be loved. And that's the truth. Laramie is an essential piece to the larger whole that has formed the Harringtons into the couple and the individuals they are today and will be for the rest of their lives.

So, as they struggle, to be present, to anticipate the future while honoring the here and now, to ache for what is past and desire what is to come, they remind themselves that Laramie is "home", Laramie and her people are crucial to their story and Laramie and her people have played one of many beautiful and supportive roles that the Harringtons have been so privileged to experience and live out.

A Visit from Friends and Sugar Gliders

When we left Laramie, we left our apartment to a great, kind and wonderful couple, Nate and Lisa. The beauty of life resulted in their having the perfect job opportunity to re-locate just as we decided to return to Laramie, meaning we had the great opportunity to live in our old home. Unfortunately, we didn't have an opportunity to meet with them as our transition times didn't quite overlap. Fortunately, the lovely couple came through Laramie on their way to celebrate Thanksgiving in South Dakota.

And while this lovely couple hasn't expanded their family with tiny tots, they have recently brought a couple of sugar gliders into their life. Wanting to understand these little creatures, the Harringtons, SJ, Micah, Nate, Lisa and a handful of others all enjoyed a meal together before eventually heading down into the basement where the sugar gliders were unleashed from the safety of the pouch and allowed to glide here and there, land on every available body and even managed to drop into a vat of apple cider vinegar. Regardless, the little creatures were a constant blur of motion quit literally gliding from one place to the next, inciting squeals and laughter from all the bystanders/participants.

Always a joy to visit with old friends and remember just how beautiful our community has and always will be.

An Apple a Day

When the Laramie Farmer's Market came to an end late in September, the Harringtons bought a case of apples with high hopes of creating a completely from scratch Hard Apple Cider. After three weeks, the apples had sat around long enough and Melissa had discovered a clever use for the apple cores and apple peels which would otherwise be discarded. So it was, on a calm October Evening, the couple set about peeling, coring and juicing apples all with the goal of creating home made hard cider and home made apple cider vinegar.

Mike has done plenty of apple cider batches before, however the completely from scratch batch was a lot of work and didn't yield nearly as much hard cider as simply using 100% Apple Juice from the grocery store. Nonetheless, the experiment gave the man an opportunity to experiment with allowing wild yeasts to do their thing and also see and taste the difference of hard cider from store-bought juice versus fresh apple juice.

As for the Apple Cider Vinegar, Melissa simply followed this recipe from Hip Girls Home and learned that a) home made cider is an incredibly easy endeavor, b) the hardest part is patience and c) once it's finished, it's the most delicious thing EVER! (well, maybe not ever, but it's definitely a hit in the Harrington household.

Since returning from Korea, the Harringtons began drinking an Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir which contains about 2 Tbsp. ACV, 2 Tbsp. Apple Juice, Water, cinnamon and honey to taste. The purpose of this drink, as explained by upstairs neighbor and friend SaraJane is that it: prevents acne, helps regulate blood sugar (meaning you don't starve between breakfast and lunch), regulates movements of the bowels and helps ward off various germs and bacteria. Having enjoyed such an elixir with store-bought ACV, the Harrington duo has now transitioned to taking a shot of home-made vinegar every morning because it's just that good and, honestly, beneficial in the ways it claims to be.

If you've got apples and time, ACV is a project you should definitely consider taking on!

That Time the Man Won Everything

Once upon a time, the man quite literally won everything. The first and most important element to the man's winning streak was his commitment to listening to radio, that's right the radio! And not just listening to the radio, but listening to AM radio and calling in during the SportsLine Live Radio Talk Show. A few nights and days of listening to AM radio and participating resulted in the Harringtons having 4 tickets to the Boise v. Wyoming Football Game, two free coupons for Boomer's BBQ and two tickets for Dracula at the Gryphon Theater!

So how did the the variety of activities play out in real life?

First of all, the Harringtons were able to attend a Football Game on an incredibly cold October afternoon. Highlights of the game-day included receiving a free pink towel, scarfing down a Philly-cheesesteak, sitting next to good friend David and sister Katie AND seeing sister Luella and her boyfriend Robbie for the first time since returning to the states...all the more exciting when that pair...isn't really a pair and there's new life being formed and ready to enter the world come April. Oh...and there was football ^_~

Following the game, the couple was able to soak up more time with Luella and Robbie and a couple of their friends for dinner at Applebee's which was filled with laughter especially after we all took a moment to view this video...hilarious (although a bit of very inappropriate language...mute maybe...if small or sensitive ears are near by):

Next in line for 'free things' redemption were the tickets for Dracula which was to be performed at Laramie's Gryphon Theater, the same theater where Mumford and Son's went 'unplugged' this past August. True joy was had when the Harringtons realized they were encouraged and allowed to purchase an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during the show, so it was, the couple sipped a Micro-brew and glass (plastic cup to be honest) of Chocolate Wine while taking in the talent and entertainment that was a Steam-Punk Dracula performance courtesy of Albany County Theater.

Finally, the final award of coupons for Boomer's BBQ was just recently used on Thursday evening and had the Harringtons drinking a local micro-brew (from a can!) out of Pinedale, named after the Wind River Range, chowing down on artichoke dip and out-of-this-world BBQ Pulled Pork and most importantly, topping the whole thing off with a serving of warm Bread Pudding complete with a whiskey sauce made from yet another local craft: Koltiska. If you haven't been to Boomer's, you are sorely missing out and need to go there whether you have coupons or not!

And that, dear readers, is the story of the time the Man won everything and the results which were enjoyable, delicious and oh-so-memorable.

Just a few Reasons to Love 519

On one side of the coin, you have the Harrington's hearts beating in South Korea, desperate for reminders from that beloved land...and then you have 519 which was, is and in truth will forever be a home for the Harrington duo. The basement-apartment-that-faithfully-served-as-home to couple from the first days of their marriage, through the first three years, through college graduations, first jobs post-graduation, Easter dinners, CouchSurfers, Potlucks, cups of tea, dumpster diving adventures and creations, the making of big decisions and daily decisions, 519 has housed a lot of the Harrington's love, life and heart.

And while, in many ways, transitioning back into Laramie life and American life in general has presented a handful of challenges and left the Harringtons unsure of future direction, 519 continues to hold plenty of lovable elements and endearing qualities.

The Harrington's love 519 on this go around because...

• they still managed to get a rocking couch to fill the living room
• they get to share it with their mutt and watch her learn to befriend larger, more powerful mutts

• the upstairs neighbors have faithfully shared food and conversations
• the upstairs neighbors also have an adorable little tyke who brings life and energy to every room he enters
• the little tyke is a lover of snow and has no problem peeking in windows wearing wolf hats and tiger mittens (coincidentally, gifts from Korea)

• there are many friends who remember the location and can easily drop by to say "hi"
• the kitchen is perfectly quaint and homey and inviting, everything a obsessive cook and baker longs for
• the location is the perfect walking distance from campus and down-town
• the house-mates remain steady and fantastic, just as they were when the Harringtons left them
• it's home...perhaps not the same as it once was, but home nonetheless, forever and for always.

The Moments you Need when Your Heart Beats in Two Places

As the Harringtons have settled into Laramie/Wyoming/American life, they have been blessed to re-enter life and relationships with all the fantastic people they left behind in 2010. However, each day has also reminded the couple just how deeply they were incorporated into Korean life and community and how that place of their hearts and souls is adjusting and aching and wanting to be as full as it was just a few short months ago.

Fortunately, the inconvenience of miles and time-zones has only stifled the frequency of interactions and reminders of Korea and the Harrington's Korea family. Smart phones have brought the Harringtons numerous reminders of faces and places the couple loves. These reminders are a sure fire way to bring a smile to the faces of the Harringtons if not a few tears to their eyes.

Not only do beautiful reminders of life 'over-there' show up via Kakao Talk, but they were ready and waiting for the Harringtons here in Laramie as well. A handful of Korean middle school students, a Korean-Japanese restaurant ran by a sweet Korean family who understands our love of their foods and traditions, gifts of choco-pie from parents of Korean students and a Korean grocer a few hours away are enough to bring ease to the Harrington's hearts.

These are the ways the Harringtons remember and remain connected. The way they honor where they have been and who they've shared life with. The way the thrive in a land that feels more foreign than it ever was and than it has any right to. The way they move confidently forward, aware that forever and for-always their hearts will beat in two places.

Culture Shock for Puppies: Snow-Days

True to Wyoming fashion, the first snow came heavy and early, hardly a month into fall (although, the exact time and date seems to slip my mind). While the Harringtons were thrilled with the arrival of a wet, heavy snow which gives the whole town a quaint, peaceful, curl-up-with-a-good-book-and-mug-of-hot-cocoa feel, Lady Annyeong was a bit shocked to say the least. Now, it is not uncommon for snow to fall in the land of Kimchi and this Wyoming snow-fall was not the first snow Lady Annyeong had ever seen and experienced, however, Daejeon, South Korea never saw a snow quite like this, meaning Lady Annyeong was a bit shocked. Initially, the little three-legged mutt refused to enter the winter-wonderland, but eventually, she felt the stirrings of cabin fever and realized she had no choice but to enter the beautiful, white landscape.

An Eerie Family Reunion

Like being able to go to Grandma's house, one of the great joys for the Harringtons has been the ability to go meet up with family at a moments (or more) notice. On a mid-September Saturday, the Harringtons caught a ride with Katie Harrington and made their way down to Eerie, Colorado for a Rigg-Cousin Family Reunion.

As is typical to family reunions, this one was laden with a table full of food including grilled burgers, brats and hot dogs accompanied by fruit salads, crab-apple butter and bread, cake, chips, amazing salsa and queso dip, oatmeal creme pies and much more to keep the hungry attendees well cared-for. Typical to a Rigg reunion, the event also included an athletic event for family members, young and old to participate. The game? Kickball. The teams? Worland vs. the World. That's because some Riggs have strong childhood ties to Worland, Wyoming whereas the rest of us...well, we're just more worldly ;) (And now you know who wrote this piece, eh?).

Aside from top-notch foods and a rolicking good game of Kickball, the evening included meeting the newest addition of Twins, courtesy of Chris and Tara, watching the new generation of Rigg-lets care for one another, having the sweet eldest daughter/grandchild of the Rigg family run with Lady Annyeong, gazing upon a most gorgeous sunset and sending our love on the tails of balloons to Father/Grandfather/Brother/Son/Uncle Rick who continues to inspire and direct this clan of loving, gracious and athletic family.

Relief is the Arrival of Boxes from Korea

Five boxes were shipped from South Korea to Laramie, Wyoming. On a true-to-form ship the boxes were tossed, mangled and forced to endure a wild series of hardship while floating across the big, wide ocean. Fortunately, the trip eventually came to an end with less-than-sturdy-and-complete boxes being delivered to Laramie, Wyoming ready to spill contents which would and will serve as eternal reminders of the life and times the Harringtons enjoyed in South Korea.

And how do boxes look after such hardship....a little rough we'd say!

Stories from the Couch: Room-mate for a Week

Every once in a while, a Couchsurfer comes along that melds into your daily life so flawlessly, easily and flexibly that as his plans change and his car needs repairs you don't even hesitate to welcome him to continue on with crashing the floor, dumpster diving and being "that guy" who would fit a sitcom so perfectly well. For the Harringtons, that Couchsurfer arrived early in September and spent about a week joining the couple for all manner of activities from dumpster diving, dinner in 519 Kitchen, attending fundraisers (with nearly endless supplies of micro-brews, bluegrass music and Laramie CS'ers), attending Homecoming parades and games, rescuing friends who were lost in the woods and complimenting tons and tons of dumpstergourmet delicacies.

Ross was truly the type of guest that every host (or at least the Harrington hosts) love to meet. He was able to chat about just about anything whether deep or entertaining, thought-provoking or laugh-inducing. He shared honey from out East, shared his efforts in diving and washed dishes day after day. He joyfully went out on his own every once in a while, leaving the Harringtons to take care of any other needs they may have had. Not at all imposing and entirely gracious, Ross was a great way to break into CS hosting on the US return.

Crafting with Carlo Rossi: Jewelry Organization

Along the same lines of furniture re-do's to make a house a home, Melissa decided that it was an absolute must to figure out a creative way to organize her jewelry. Wanting a system that was not only eye-catching and organized, Melissa wanted the whole piece to reflect her love of traveling and her addiction to purchasing new earrings, bracelets and necklaces while in foreign lands.

So it was, she sat down with an over sized cork board, some finishing nails, a giant National Geographic map, coins from around the world, super glue, black paint, a staple gun and of course a glass of Carlo Rossi. From this point she was able to move forward:

• Paint the frame black: Check
• Glue various coins to the heads of nails: Check
• Let everything dry: Check
• Sip wine: Check
• Use staple gun to attach naturally aged map: Check
• Carefully hammer coin/nails onto frame, realizing that super gluing after rather than before might have been a better idea: Check
• Poor another glass of wine: Check
• String flower wire from one nail to the next toward the upper end of the frame to create a place to hand awesome earrings: Check
• Hang Jewelry Organization system on the wall and admire daily your handiwork: Check

And there you have a DIY, over sized jewelry organization system!

Because Fall won't Last Forever...

AND the Harringtons had just bought a new (but used, obviously) Subaru, it was clear that one thing needed to happen: A trip to the mountains! AKA: Happy Jack...AKA: The place where the couple said their vows and promised to be intentional in living their lives together as one and the same, yet perfectly unique, to weather storms, show respect and support each others dreams. Where they, unknowingly promised to enter a life of adventure and growth, beauty and simplicity of setting here, there and everywhere and bring a sweet pup into their lives to love and care for because she's fantastic.

And the outdoors were fantastic and beautiful and held the promise of new life and growth. And the outdoors provided a perfect playground for the pup and blessed her little puppy soul with freedom to run and explore and take in the fresh air of a new land and a new land where inevitably her heart is learning to beat and thrive.

And fall doesn't last forever, it hardly lasts a season in these parts, so getting out in it as often as possible is an absolute must, for joy, for health, for living it up!

Furniture Re-do's

Aside from finding great goods at garage sales, the Harringtons (mostly Melissa) took to hitting up a local Flea Market and looking at old furniture with fresh eyes. Wanting to work toward creating a simple and well organized home, but one that didn't focus on the color brown, Melissa decided a bit of paint was just what the interior decorator called for. A bit of Google searching and Pintrest grazing revealed that while laminate furniture wasn't the best for painting, it could in fact be done.

The Mrs. then made her way to a local hardware and paint store to purchase Kilz Paint Primer and, knowing that while 519 is home, it won't be home forever, opted to use up some leftover paint from the upstairs remodeling undertakings. Working only part time, the afternoons were full of free time to slap on some primer and apply a couple coats of sweet, baby blue to bring a little color to the dark basement space which the couple calls home. Although not necessarily a first choice in color, the change over of a bookshelf and TV stand have done exactly what was necessary, add color to blank walls and brown-tile floors.

Grateful for Garage Sales

Upon returning to the states, the Harringtons were eager to hit up a few garage sales to bolster their furnishings and work toward creating a home. Having sold numerous belongings two years ago (with an equally large amount in storage) the couple was in need of a couch, above all else and also were hoping to run across some canning supplies. Fortunately, a few mornings of hitting up some garage sales provided another fine piece of workmanship in the form of a retro rocking couch, as well as an ottoman, dry goods canisters and a mother load of canning jars.

 

Other good finds included a large frame (which joyfully holds the 'Panda' Map of South Korea), large area rugs (to warm up the basement tile and help Lady feel a bit more settled) and a random assortment of odds and ends which will undoubtedly end up in a future garage sale, but, for the time being will serve some purpose.

Our "First" Second-time Around 519 Guest: Harris

Just a few days after their 5-year wedding anniversary and barely a week after having returned to the USA, the Harringtons were thrilled to welcome their first guest into 519. Even more thrilling was that this guest was in fact a good-friend-turned-family-who-also-just-returned-from-the-land-of-kimchi...which means, the couple was able to wade through re-entry/reverse culture shock with someone who was on the exact same page. It was an incredible blessing to share the homeland, aka, the Kingdom, with this dear friend and to know that the bonds and friendships created half a world away were not created in vain.

The visit began with dinner out at the Library followed by a couple of growlers following the crew home for a rowdy game of Nerts with a Harrington sister before settling in for a night of rest and deep sleep. Since the Harrington duo was already employed, they made their way to work each morning while guest, Harris took his time walking, exploring, getting lost and reconnecting to sweet Lady Annyeong.

Wanting Harris to understand the fullness and beauty of Wyoming life, the Harringtons were sure to escort their east-coast friend out to the Snowies where the crew enjoyed some hiking and gallivanting below the majestic and looming Medicine Bow Peak. Alone on the trail, the crew took in the fall colors, cool-to-frigid breeze and the unadulterated beauty of the Mountain West.

Celebrating 5 Years: Family and Settling

For the past year, we at THT have re-counted the 5 years that worked together to create the Harrington Duo. The series culminated on September 7, 2012 when the couple celebrated 5 years of marriage. Unfortunately, the actual story of their 5-year anniversary has been unpublished for a lack of time, effort and mostly time. Fortunately, nearly three months later, THT is ready to let the world know how the couple celebrated this major milestone.

Rather than set out for a romantic week-end getaway, the couple chalked up their recent Jeju trip as the special event and warmly welcomed the parents of Mike Harrington into town for their first family reunion since returning to the states.

Therefore, as their marriage turned five years old, the Harringtons found themselves surrounded by family throwing back some of Laramie's finest micro-brews at Altitude Chophouse and Brewery. Not much after polishing the first few sips of beer, the Harrington clan sat down for a delicious dinner which was preceded with artichoke dip and fried goat's cheese and topped off with perfectly prepared steaks (and additional beers).

The celebratory weekend continued forth with a few garage sales Saturday morning, the duos first Cowboy football game since 2010, Chinese take-out and breakfast at Perkin's.

While a romantic getaway is always nice, it's equally nice to celebrate milestones with family and friends who are ultimately the supports on which successful marriage rests, for the Harrington duo, getaways are never too far off, so an anniversary celebrated in company is nothing short of perfect.

Ripped Pants and Wedding Vows

Not even a full week into their second-time-around-American-life the Harringtons were entering the work force as Albany County School District #1 employees and even attending a wedding at the most gorgeous church in town.

The afternoon of September 2nd a dear friend, sorority sister and study abroad amiga-who-cannot-be-replaced, pledged to love her best friend, the man she loves and who loves her back, for as long as they both shall live. It was a beautiful ceremony, for a gorgeous couple and as should be expected from this duo, the after party...ah-hem, reception, was absolutely phenomenal.

 

Upon Arrival: Burgers, Driving and Getting to Work

Twelve hours in air on one of the world's top airlines did little to ease the ache in the Harringtons hearts. However, disembarking the aircraft to be reunited with their pup, who easily made it through customs as well as a sister and within an hour or so good friends from their first Korean year did help to bring peace and joy to this time of transition.

More traumatized than the human sort, Lady Annyeong was not too thrilled that she was required to stay in her kennel while the Harrington duo chatted it up with immigration officials stating that: Yes, indeed, the furry creature within the crate had been properly vaccinated. Yes, you may see her papers. Yes, we do in fact have some food for her. Two days worth to be exact. Do you care to see her or the food? Oh...no, well, okay. Thanks.

And just like that, the Harringtons exited customs to find Katie and Ashlee awaiting them. Lady Annyeong was quickly set free from her imprisonment and allowed to run and experience a new land for the first time, unfortunately for her the new 'land' was the parking lot of LAX. Fortunately, better exploration lay ahead for the sweet three-legged mutt.

From the airport, the crew made their way to Ashlee's house where Katie gathered her belongings and said her own farewell. Shortly thereafter, the Harrington trio and Lady Annyeong made their way to Kolt and Holly's place where they would spend their first American day in more than a year. The Harrington duo found comfort in knowing that just a year ago, Kolt and Holly had said fare-thee-well to the land of kimchi and remained connected to that time and place much as the Harringtons knew they always would be.