Class in session, no walks, and greens galore

Now we really are isolating. After 3.5 months of social distancing and working mostly from home, we've had a serious outbreak of covid on the hill. People hopefully will take due care. Most have no masks or wear masks as chin straps.

The garden is in the quiet between times. There's enough rain and sun, abundant growth, and no pests in sight. Perfect. The succulents in an IKEA tray (above) do fine as long as we don't water them too often.

 Orchids hang from the trees, waiting for the time to bloom.

 The frangipani tree carries huge globes of fragrant flowers just off the teras.

Even the bamboo has popped sprigs of color. When I wasn't looking last week, the yardman chopped every single branch off the mango tree that was just coming back from the last brutal incident.

I ask the driver to make clear that we LIKE the mango tree: would he please ask the yardman to let it grow? (We asked him to prune it 2 years ago when it was bumping into the shed roof. The tree has been trying to put out branches ever since, but I don't know that it will survive this latest assault.)

Meanwhile, the betafish, platys, and guppies swim in the 5-gallon Bali bowl on the porch table. It is relaxing to watch their lazy laps around lush aquatic plants. No heater, no filter are needed. We wipe the outside of the aquarium, drain most of the old water every week or two, and dump in fresh filtered water. I feed them every morning that I remember. That's it.

I'm wrapping up 3 weeks of teaching 15 Masters and Bachelor students. Most are based in Singapore. Zoom is a marvel. Instead of commuting to Singapore and then to work from an apartment, I sit down at my desk at home, click a few links, and the class appears. Wow.

Our team continues to meet online - and we have fun. But it's not like sitting around a table in the office and laughing together.

As I wait for quilting thread to finish my quilt, I make marks in my art journal. A 5-min sketch of a friend's son at the tide pools emerges from pen lines and a few dabs of paint. I'm using such a lousy waterbrush that I have almost no control of line or where the paint flows.

In a blotchy spread of acrylic paints, I look for faces and find 2 dozen in the marks. How many can you find? Dogs, cats, birds, humans ... turn the page, and then turn it again.

For about 2 years, I've been staring at the blank 7'X4' wall of the nook. Pencil in hand, this week I sketch out a mural I want to paint. Can I can do it? Will it look like anything? If not, the great eraser (white paint) will take care of it.

I take pictures of leaves in the yard. I already have leaf shapes drawn but need to understand the colors.

Tuesday
We have to run an errand. W remembers a vegan restaurant - Rp20.000 ($1.40US) for rice, 2 "meats" balls, and 3 veggies - plus a sate made of seiten. So good.

The kitchen counter is cluttered with a microwave, jars holding bay leaves, kombucha, and kefir, and cutting boards. I see a movable island for $200. Could stash everything there but it's too much money. I've given W the shelving from one bedroom to sort his office. What if we use half a shelf for an island? (=1/5 the price plus I think we still have 4 wheels somewhere.)

We buy another set of shelves. W screws in a 2X4 strip and puts castors on the base. He found the wheels in the collection of "stuff we buy for use later."

I bought casters a few years ago, knowing eventually they come in handy. Here, it's a pain to try to find anything in a shop when we need them. (Last year, we raised a very low kitchen prep counter with casters. The right height saves my back while chopping and cooking.)

I wipe down the new shelves, measure clearance for the microwave, and after W assembles it, stash things in their place. Works ok. We push the counter across to one side to plug in the microwave. I'm still wondering if I want "that industrial look" in the middle of the old teak kitchen.

Every time we run errands, we pass villagers with jobs that are new to North Americans. The street-sweeper below leans over from the curb to sweep up the always-falling leaves and any rubbish tossed into the street gutters. He'll make little fires with the heaps, burning the plastic and leaves away. (Ugh, open burning = pollution.)

Our tires need air, so we stop at a neighborhood lean-to. The driver pulls over, talks with the manager, and is satisfied with a job well done.

Later he tells us that the man under the makeshift canopy is "the guy everyone on our hill goes to. We all know him." There's always someone with a motorcycle, bike, or car pulled over as we walk or drive by. They're getting their tires and gossiping as only men can do. "He knows tires. He can repair them and pump them to the right pressure." The man is mute but communicates with hand signals.

Wednesday
When we change the bedding, there a jumble of patterns on the bed. With helpers coming and going irregularly, everything gets mixed together.

We have another four-footed guest at the house this week. Casey rules the roost. She's the boss of our dogs when she comes over, which is pretty funny. She brings me a feather - or maybe  that's just a canary feather just dropped from the cage and caught in her mouth? Gypsy's always bringing a leaf or stuffed toy to say hi. When we go to the office located on her home property, the little one chases Gypsy around and around the big yard. We can't believe how fast she is and her stamina.

I finish edits for a friend and submit edits for my book chapter on Women in Religion. W and I miss the interaction with others in the office.

But at home, there's dill and floral shrubbery in vases. All is quiet and well.

I teach online three night this week. Though class ends about 9pm, the recording has to be uploaded, student papers graded, and prep finished for next session.

I don't fall asleep until after midnight. Night classes throw everything off schedule, but they allow working adults to finish their education.

Thursday
W and I eat breakfast on the porch. The sun shines through the guava trunks to the old sofas where we sit.

Right after, I'm ravenous. I eat and eat. And make a stale-bread, eggs, orange juice, milk, sausage, and cheese casserole. Good.

We're not doing the mountain walks for a while. With covid sweeping through the neighborhoods, our leader says, "Let's stay home." I'm happy to build up my knees with a Costco's supplement in preparation for our steep-and-deep hikes. (Recommended by friend Wilhelmina.)

I teach one final evening class tonight. Saturday, we have our final hours together. The class presentations have swallowed a lot of class time this week. We move quickly through the remaining information.

Friday:
It's a quiet morning of grading and writing. I think someone is dropping off lunch but it's dessert instead.

So I toss together a noodle stir-fry with olive oil, curry powder, peanut butter, Braggs Aminos, soy sauce, onions, turmeric root and garlic. lost its edge, I add broccoli, carrot, and cabbage. It's what's in the fridge and it tastes ok. A bit too much curry, maybe? There's just enough left to send home with a helper.

The sky seems bluer most days. Dry season is coming and the palms stretch up up up toward the high clouds scudding by. We still have rain every day or two to keep the fields hydrated.

Read more:
*You have made the Lord your refuge. Psalm 91:9

*Once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish. Isaiah 29:14

*Many who heard Jesus were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!” Mark 6:2

*Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. 2 Corinthians 3:12

Moravian Prayer: Beautiful Savior, even though you have the power of the heavens, you live as a servant to others. May we follow your example of humbleness as we serve those around us and spread your love to the world.

Like an oasis in the desert, gracious Lord, you protect and shelter us, and give us courage so that we may boldly go into the world to proclaim your love and mercy for all. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.