Christmas week, with an indoor flood elsewhere

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

It's our first excursion across into the city together in months. I'd forgotten how interesting traffic can be. There's a little break in traffic on the other side of the middle barrier in the street, though we're stuck in the traffic jam on our side. 

And suddenly this appears. No big deal, right? A guy pedals a 3-wheeled bike, balancing some boards.

When he swings around into our lane, we can't believe our eyes. Those are +15-foot (+5-m) boards. The man hops off his transport to guide the lumber around. Cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and pedestrians ease around him. And off he goes, pedaling with his load. No one blinks.

We're headed to a food wholesaler on the other side of the city. They have little in stock that we are looking for; maybe their label sauces and other specialties were discontinued during the pandemic shutdown?

And their Christmas section? This is it: 1/4 of an aisle end-cap with a basket of cards and a few boxes of wrapping paper. In a 97% Muslim city, Christmas is celebrated by few people. That makes it even more precious to us. We appreciate the freedom to worship God-with-us, Jesus our Savior.

W has scouted a restaurant for lunch but it's closed. A half-block further, there's another, rated second-best. We order Szechuanese dishes, hot enough to put our taste buds on fire. (In a good way, of course.)

We're the only non-Chinese customers, which is a good sign. It lives up to its reputation. (If the other is better, we'll have to try it!)

The fish market is not far, where 60c plastic bags of tropical fish hang from stands all along the side of the street. We buy 3 bags with loaches, platys, and another sort I don't recognize. We also splurge on 10 albino guppies at 40c each. ("A bit expensive, don't you think?" : W) We skip the reef fishes @$3 each ...

Next it's off to the bird market down the road. Last time we were here, an old man estimated 100 meters from "fish street" to the bird market so W and I set off in midday sun. It was over 2 km aways (over a mile) and it was so hot that we had to buy drinking water along the way. A sense of direction or distance is rare here. Today we drive it and I check the odometer.

I love this green-blue color of lovebird. Our blue lovebirds opened their wrap-tied door and flew off while we were in the USA. So smart. Hope they survived.

Before we replace them, we'll ask if the yardman's friend has this kind; we prefer to support neighbors when we can. W haggles for a big cage (75X45X100 cm/ 30X18X39") = my $27 Christmas gift. (No jewelry for me, please.)

Every corner of the bird market is crammed with identifiable or exotic birds. There are cages of mice to feed large birds, as well as the snakes and lizards sold here

On the way home, a motorcyclist zooms by with flower-boards used for special occasions strapped on both sides of him. It's amazing, the balance and coordination that people take for granted even in heavy traffic!

Wednesday

We let the fish out of the bags into the garden pots and go for a walk. The guppies glow against the dark water, drawing the eye to all the other things in the pond. The gardenia and the guava tree shade the water from the midday sun.

Down the street, white-blooming vines drip from the electric and telephone wires overhead. Things grow quickly with abundant sunshine, regular rain, and warm temperatures. It's less a matter of "will it grow" than "Is it time to prune that again?"

Our walk is never boring. This garbage-dump rooster crows as he struts away from the dogs. His pack includes 4 other roosters, dozens of hens, and many chicks.

The new drainage ditch is coming along nicely. Rocks are mortared into a mud-cement mix and the top is patted into shape. Look how flat the wall's face is, with rocks placed one by one.

The colonial style of architecture is Dutch, like this house at Nara Park. We take the dogs home and walk over (#PinoTerrace at #NaraPark) for our weekly breakfast, W eats yamin asin (salty noodles) and I order mie Rica (spicy noodles = like inhaling flavored fire).

The owls Wolly and Molly are getting their perches cleaned and feathers showered. They let the trainer close and drink from his spray bottle when he's near their beak. They turn and flap their wings to get full exposure to the water before spreading out in the sun to dry.

Wolly hisses as I take his picture. I instinctively hiss back at him; he watches me closely. I am careful to stay out of range of his tether. He has long sharp claws and a strong beak.

My prayer for the day for friends and family - and each one of you is that All is Well. Listen by clicking here. (I love this arrangement.)

I carry on with the December Care Art prompts. Today's topic is becoming aware of the sensory beauty around us. Today's artist produces is a series of faces.

Paulina sends a beautiful cake over. We have many people to share these sweet treats with!

Dr Ingrid drops off a Yule Log - can't wait to try them both.

 The packaging is a gift in itself.

I sit on The Porch to write and think. Overhead, the wind swings three plastic LED chandeliers that we snagged during last year's post-Christmas blowout. The lamps make me smile. I can't wait to share their cheery lights on Christmas Day.

In the afternoon, the groomers come to make beauties out of our beasts. We'll leave Bailey home from tomorrow's walk so he's a pretty poodle this weekend.

The yardman is back after 2 weeks away. By the time he leaves, the grass is trimmed.

The hedge is clipped and the potted palms are placed at the far end of The Porch. We bought a few trees last week to clip for floral arrangements but they might as well look pretty until they're needed in January.

The overgrown pond gets cleaned. About 1/3 of the water is left when the mud is removed. That muck is great fertilizer. PakA pours it around the lemon tree. The potted waterlily sinks to the bottom. No worries, it will stretch its leaves up about 8" to the surface. PakA adds 5 gallons of filtered water before he dumps the fish back in. Within an hour, the pond is clear and the fish are swimming their circles.

Thursday

I have a good night's sleep. Which means I'm good to hike  this morning. This trek can be hot and steep and isn't my favorite.

First I head into the yard to feed the pond-fish and the birds on the porch. The big dogs are ready to go, too. They know when the car opens and the towels go into the back, there's a long hike coming up.

This morning, Juno hasn't knocked over the nativity scene with her big tail or by nosing around the table for food. The Mexican "White Elephant" gift sits on a Bali beaded placemat and a Java wood tray.

The colors of leaves along the porch are vibrant.

We drive into the hills, looking across at our destination on the next mountain peak: a 20' metal star. See the metal point mid-mountain?

We hike from one mountainside to the other, staying more or less level (54 stair flights of total elevation, not counting descents and climbs back up.)

We avoid the hottest, steepest part (which is what I dread) with a detour onto a forest trail near the summit. We can see the city below as we arrive at the top.

Our cars are parked below? (See the vehicles, mid-photo on the next hillside?) That's where we came from and will return to.

The dogs love their hikes. 

 While the others slog knee-deep through the mud and puddles, Bailey stays at home, clean and white for Christmas.

This shows the size of the metal star at Bukit Bintang (Star Hill).

We take the obligatory selfie with Juno hanging out and the other dogs running elsewhere.

Below us, the mountains are a patchwork of farms, with the city sprawled beyond. We make a loop back to the car.

The drive down the hill includes tight turns and switchbacks. See the hotel on the far hill? The road that winds under it is less 500 meters away after a steep descent and hairpin turn.

We stop for lunch at the Skyline Restaurant, which has slow service, "expensive" meals ($3-10), and a staggering view. There's a Christmas tree in the open-walled room, which warms our hearts.

Sitting at the edge, we overlook 180os views of the city and mountains. (This is a typical hiking slope, though we usually don't got straight up and down.)

Lunch with friends is outdoors: we're muddy, physically content, and enjoy the conversations.

On the way home, we pass a firetruck, lights flashing, stuck in a one-lane, stop-and-go traffic jam. It creeps along. Hopefully it's not going to a real fire.

Ruth sends over a stunning traditional congklak game made of carved and painted wood. She's filled it with a Christmas bouquet. She shares a link so we can understand the ins-and-outs of this children's game, which is used to teach numbers, memory, and math.

It will be a Hangout favorite, I'm sure. We'll get 108 little shells or pebbles to make it "playable." Of course, it will be shared in various other ways throughout the year, including as a base for floral arrangements.)

Friday

In Mom's house in Canada, a water pipe has burst. Water gushes from the upstairs bathroom through the main floor and basement before Mom hears water running down the walls. As we chat, workers are mopping up, setting up dehumidifiers and heaters, and sopping up the soggy mess. Thanks to Norm and his executive admin Sandy for taking care of things on that side of the world! They're amazing.

My Summit College friend Sandra and I hop on Zoom to catch up and talk about next week's alumni reunion, which will be hybrid. It's her first venture onto Zoom so I take a screenshot.

The Christmas week is ramping up at full speed. W wires the porch to plug in the Christmas LED bobbles.

Then he rewires the nook lights onto the same timer. Cheers for a handy man!

Read more:

*The Lord said to Moses, “Who gives speech to mortals? Is it not I, the Lord?” Exodus 4:11

*You shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. Isaiah 62:2

*Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved. Psalm 80:19

Paul wrote: My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Corinthians 2:4 

*If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17 

Moravian Prayer: Creator God, you brought us into being through the speaking of your creative word. You redeemed us from our errors through the gift of your Son. You empower us through the presence of your Spirit. Thank you.

Lord, your unending love leads us to a new life. We unwrap each day as a gift from you. Only you know our future and we pray it will be well pleasing in your sight. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.