"My kingdom for a sandwich?"

Monday, April 1, 2024

The seamstress comes by with a few blouses. I reluctantly shelled out Rp.40.000/meter for cotton fabric while at a conference in Bali. (Then I remember, cmon! that's under $3/meter.) The new blouses aren't exactly like the original. The little tweaks of the cutters mean a garment mostly fits, just not as well as the one you sent over. I already returned the blouses once to have the hems re-cut but I'll wash and wear them into a true fit.

I choose 2 linens (Rp100.000/$6.50 for the fabric) from the seamstress's stash and pull out a tablecloth I hemmed last week. It's not quite big enough for the table but the perfect size for a blouse. We forget to choose the buttons from my Mom's collection, so she returns and we quickly pick out some to match.

In mid-afternoon Angela serves tea and cookies at her place. Oh my, her house has a wonderful overlook from the other side of our mountain. It's been ages since a visit and I've missed her. I snap the wrapper of the cheesy cookies we both enjoy. But I forget to take a pic of us.

Supper is homemade lentil stew and baked potatoes. IbuS volunteers at a neighborhood clinic until noon. She works 5 hours and tidies the house. She's washed the tablecloths from the Easter Potluck; the dishes are done; and the cutlery, trays, and cups have been put away. She's a gift from God for us.

Tuesday

On our walk, a healthy rusty-brown bush catches our eyes, a contrast to the green all around it.

 I sit in the sunshine on the Porch, watching three frogs climb the tall stems of the plants to sun themselves. One frog is yellow; the other two are brown. Can you spot them?

W and I meet at 9:00 with Nancy, who gives us good counsel.

Today's a big day for Muslim Indonesians. Their THR or "religious money" is due. It's an extra month's salary required by the government for every Indonesian employee. THR is a hardship for many employers unless they've set aside the amount over the year's time. A few months before, I start collecting food and small items for a bag of goodies in addition to the 13th month of pay.

Christians get their THR before Christmas; I'm not sure when Buddhists and Hindus get theirs. Muslims are given the mandatory bonus 1-2 weeks before the end of Ramadan so they can buy food and presents for their family. We bought IbuA an almost-new washing machine in January as her THR so she got a few months of early benefit.

I sew a cover for this lounger. One side panel around the armrest is the only complicated measurement. The rest is just straight seams to form a top-bottom loop with a zipper in one end. The Bali tie-die fabric is the only 5-meter piece I have. So ugly on its own, it was intended for the back of a blue quilt. At least it covers the original cover's holes, torn by sharp objects in someone's back pocket.

I like mixing textures and patterns, so I sling Kim's quilt over the back of the sofa. I grab the throw when I sit on the porch on cold mornings (70-75oF/21-23oC).

The mass of yellow flowers are torn out - their 8' (2.7+m) stems have been shading the roses and other sun-loving plants. The garden feels red today.

This 4' (1.3 m) shrub offers its own spectacle with variations of browns, reds, greens, and yellows.

Wednesday

I watch a few BBC videos on pruning a lemon tree. Over the past 4 years, our tree has become a total mess of criss-crossing branches, filled with worms, ants, and scale. The yardman has lopped off outside branches when they get too long. There are a lot of water sprouts and tiny offshoots inside the canopy. I show him a how-to video and tie off the branches we want to keep (20%?) He prunes it and carries away the excess.

W's in the mood to treat me to something. I'd be happy to stay home but decide to accompany him - he has to run an errand anyway. It turns into some of my favorite things. We start with "fish street" where saltwater fish and exotic corals hang at a few sellers.

I love this bustling market along a 6-lane divided street. Well, it's marked for 3 lanes on each side but in reality, 4-5 lanes of cars, trucks, and people compete in each direction.

I'd be surprised if there are 30 traffic lights in this city of 5 million people. Traffic edges through the changing lights until they are solidly red and other vehicles are near. The motorcycles line up in front (cars stay back 1-2 car-lengths to let it happen) and soon there are scores or hundreds of cycles and cars at the stoplight. 

Freshwater fish fill bags and tanks between huge ponds of koi and goldfish, and small aquariums filled with gerbils and turtles. There are bags of bloodworms and plants and more ... 

The current fad in freshwater fish is glow fish in neon colors. This is a patented process, but they're in every shop @15-25c (instead of $6.50 and up per fish in the USA.) They live as long as their plainer types but I skip them for now. I choose 5 betas (for different ponds @65c each). They're good for eating algae and bugs.

I grab 2 bags of red barbs (10 fish@14c each, replacing the fish killed by organic fertilizer swished into their pond by rain. We finish with basic fish food and 2 turtles @$1.75 each for the back ponds to keep the tadpoles in check. We'll see if the turtles head off or stick around. W says it's less than $20 altogether for a lot of "fishing."

My choice for a late birthday meal is a sandwich from Mom's Bakery. 

We step out of the car beside this beautiful hedge.

I'm in the mood a plain Western-style sandwich. Actually, I'd eat anything that isn't slathered in oil/butter or deep-fried (the norm here). I choose teriyaki chicken on whole-grain sourdough, crammed with vegetables and very hot chilis. It's satisfying and just what I want. My Grandpa Schmidt used to say, "Kinder, esst was euch gut schmeckt (kids, eat what tastes good to you)." He believed that our bodies would crave the nutrients and tastes it needed.

I like a little sweetness after savory, like this black chocolate cake. I hand W the icing and mousse layers since I also dislike those pure-sugar-n-fat layers. We can't finish our shared piece. Unfortunately, the takeaway box is left on the counter overnight instead of in the fridge. By morning when I get to the kitchen, it's swarming with ants. Toss!

In late afternoon, this "catwalk" is my path to our beloved dentist, Dr Gati. She lives on a hillside, so the entry, parallel to the street, is a flight higher than the ground floor. Her view over the green valley and hillsides is soothing - and the story I'm listening to on headphones distracts me from the whir of drills and brushes.

Gati trained in Colorado and has the gentlest touch I've ever experienced in a dental chair. It's been 5 months since my last cleaning, better than the 4-year gap last time.

Thursday

They're reconstructing three houses in our neighborhood. Today, two men offload a pickup truck of bricks for the new walls of a remodel.

I'm finally well enough to make a hospital visit. Keep praying for Ofly, whose heart is going wild (slow!) so that docs can find out the root cause.

Read more:

*Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers? Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94: 16-19)

*They shall know that I am the Lord when I break the bars of their yoke and save them. Ezekiel 34:27

*God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

Moravian Prayer: God of salvation, thank you for seeing the tears in our eyes, and for bearing our burdens. As we wait for the day when your peace will reign, give us patience and strength to endure. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.