Cough cough, cookies, and a lot of steps

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Anton walks beside me and sits when he should because I have treats in hand. Ugh, my palm is greasy from small fatty chunks of "dog beef" found in the freezer. Oh well, he pays attention and does what he's supposed to. Worth it, 5300 steps later. Another walk comes later in the day. We're sure getting our steps in.

W and I are preparing for a full week ahead: overnight guests, events, and more. W snaps my picture and sends it off to the academic dean who will obtain a visa so I can teach in his country. I finish writing Sunday's talk. W reads it through with me and helps edit it into shape. My head is less fuzzy today, thank God.

How about a gardenia from the shrub beside the Porch? Its fragrance fills the entry. The other good smell is IbuA baking chocolate chip cookies. Her version adds smashed Kopiko candies for a crackling coffee flavor.

Two fond memories pop up on FB: the first is the 17-year friendship with my college choir director #SylviaPittsFry. I was her choir pianist all three years in the 1970s (!). One year I even played a 10-day choir tour with mononucleosis (rousing just enough to coordinate the accompaniment with her conducting at the front and end of each piece. I did the rest mostly asleep.) 

Sylvia and I were young and anything was possible. She'd just finished a bachelor in music and done some composing. I was working on a piano performance degree, so music flowed between us on autopilot. I'd hear what I was playing when everyone else did, without much forethought. My fingers slid into harmonies without conscious placement, unless we were following a score.

A second memory is from 11 years ago: I was trying to rehome Lewis, our toy poodle, in preparation for moving to Indonesia. Sylvia didn't have a dog at the time we were packing up, but I remembered how she spoiled her Pekinese "Sonatina" during college years. She generously took our Lewis home to Toronto, where she renamed him "Buddy" and pampered him until he died earlier this year, aged 18. He became a therapy dog for many in her seniors complex, beloved by all. Good boy! (and she was a good friend.)

Wednesday

We're up early, walking and meeting our dear friends, JP and Judy on the loop for their last time. They move to the USA today. How we will miss them!

Life abroad means constant adjustments of relationships and interactions. People come and go. Between are initial invitations, warm friendships, good working relationships, meals together, and emotional goodbyes.

I sit on the Porch with a breakfast of fresh bread and NZ nut butter, writing book reviews. I track down the syllabus for an upcoming class. It needs revisions due to new texts, research tools, plagiarism detectors, and - of course - defined ethics for using AI to write or revise theses and papers. My general philosophy is if students do their own research and initial writing, getting help from a spell- and grammar-checker is a good idea.

We have pizza for lunch. Then W heads out to a study while I do another walk. If nothing else, I'm getting more fit with two long walks a day. Looking at the grey clouds above, I take Anton out early, wandering here and there up various side streets until we've gone over 10,000 steps. I'm happy to come home.

The joy of doing research is discovering new data. I'm wading through 270+ responses to a survey and finding it really interesting. The first task is spotting trends and worthwhile suggestions. I make popcorn and munch it on the Porch as I evaluate. There's even time to finish an upcoming Macomber novel and write a few reviews.

The rain comes after 4 PM. The yardman is gone until tomorrow; today he clipped the lawn-ish ground cover (whatever it is). The helper leaves before the sky darkens. Then a hard rain descends, and lightning jags between the mountains. Most of us are inside and dry. What a blessing, which we don't take for granted.

Thursday

We usually hike but most people are away and I'm still lung-compromised. We settle for long neighborhood walks (5 miles, usually). Living on the side of a mountain, there are enough inclines and descents wherever we walk. We pick up Casey's old crate - she's happily traveling with her people and all arrive safely in Atlanta.

Today's a bonus workday since we don't have to travel to hike. W goes to town to get his phone fixed at the tech mall while I go through survey data on the Porch. We're ramping up for a seminar next week, so I check in with team members.

A friend drops for an hour of discussion, tea, and cookies. We learn that it's a Dutch custom to eat only one item with a cup of tea: one cookie, one snack, or one piece of food. To eat a second, you must be served a second cup of tea. We tell him to load up and send a bunch of cookies home for his wife to enjoy.

Friday

First up is a meeting with a counselor, the monthly check-in to make sure I am on an even keel while living abroad. Then IbuSiti comes to give me a thorough massage. Loosening the remains of the past two weeks is a good idea. We call the grandkids and enjoy a visit online - they're getting over a cold so are coughing more than I.

I want to join the Book Group but most members are seniors. The last thing they need is what I had. I stay home. I send 6 books and take photos of what I send over so I know where my books are. They keep 3 and send 3 home.

W visits a friend down the hill and comes back with 2 huge smoked-chicken burritos @50.000 (student rate: $3.00 for both.) They're so big that we eat only half and put the delicious remains away for tomorrow. 

Read more:

*I will not fail you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5

*The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.

The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. Psalm 19:7-10

*Suddenly the heavens were opened to Jesus and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. Matthew 3:16

Moravian Prayer: Faithful Father, God, we thank you for the assurances you give of your abiding love and care for us, and that you allow us to share your love and compassion with the world. Amen.