Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Nice to have some big projects behind us. I feel 20 lbs lighter without the book deadline hanging over my head. Onward ho! Today it's on to 2 class syllabi. It's go go wait wait on one syllabus; we pass messages back and forth with the registrar before we can set the class schedule.
I get a message when I check my phone after 5 AM: "Are you coming?" Oops - we're splitting a leaders' meeting between two days. It's wonderful to hear how God is at work in women around the world = for me, it's life-giving.
Afterward, we walk the dogs. Attend more meetings. W and I have a "date" brunch mid-morning at #NaraPark. I order my usual, noodles with spicy sauce and hot tea. W has a beef bento box with vegetables, soup, meat, and rice ($5 complete). Neither of us are hungry at lunchtime.
We spot this huge leaf drying in the sunshine. It is over 2' (70cm) from tip to stem. The tree above sheds leaves almost every day - that's the difference between tropical areas and elsewhere. There's constant maintenance because leaves fall everywhere every day. The swish swish of brooms provides background noise all day long.
Anytime I bring out treats, I whistle and the dogs know what to do. At 13 yrs old, the littlest guy is losing teeth but he can still chomp down a raw chicken bone. I keep my eye on him though.
Up for the first meeting at 5 AM, then go onward to other calls. By 7:30, we're on the road to the hike. Dina and Veronica ride along to Cikole Forest.
It's Anton's second woodland hike, but his first with his "kin" - 2 Labradoodles from the same poodle bloodline. They tussle a bit and chase around, having a great time together.
The trail is shaded most of the way. Eva has introduced the walk this way: "There's one hill at the beginning but then it's mostly flat." We chuckle as we drive into the hills. Eva is so fit that she probably doesn't notice the hills.
True again: sure enough, we go up steeply and then ascend steadily for 2 miles (3 km) before descending for almost as long. Someone who has just done the Camino walk (Portugal and Spain) remarks that nothing they encountered there was this hard.
The first steep hill is inspiring because of the purple grass heads that glow in the sunshine. They're as tall as we are and wave along the trail.
"No snakes today?" asks a hiker. "We used to meet at least one snake each time, a while back." Thankfully, we see no snakes despite the tall vegetation.
Motorbikes dig deep trenches into parts of the trails. That means maintaining a tricky balance on the sides of the gouges. We dig in our walking poles, tread carefully on the hard wet clay and all make it back in one piece.
We have lunch at Madam Sari's in Lembang. It's not big portions nor wonderful food. I borrow some rice from W's bowl to go with the small salad and a piece of chicken in my order.
Nonetheless, we're eating with nice people in a clean setting. That's good enough.
We're happy to change out of our dusty sweaty clothes and hop in the shower before we start the afternoon's work.
Tomorrow hundreds of goats tied along the streets will be ritually slaughtered for
Eid-al-Adha (a reference to Genesis 22.
Read the original story here. The Koran does not specify which son was with Abraham, though Genesis reports that Ishmael had already been sent away with his mother before this event.) It means 2 more public holidays (Friday, Saturday).
At night, we have a final meeting, with encouragement to move ahead on a new project.
Friday
We're up much of the night due to the ongoing chanting from mosques. People are subdued in the morning after being awake. The streets are empty except for families going to the neighborhood mosque together. Anton is a pill; he's on high alert for cats, who oblige him by darting here and there.
Jodi and I catch up. Then Gail and I call about co-teaching an upcoming class. I send off our syllabus and complete other morning work. W comes back from an errand in town before we eat lunch at Miss Bee. The staff is friendly and attentive. It rains a bit on our way home as clouds blow over but soon quits.
Saturday
Of course we walk - and this morning, Anton ("monster") is watching for cats; he's figured out where they like to sit. Today he walks past one and lunges at 3. "Leave it!" Getting there ... slowly but surely. I've had a hard workout, pulling him short for 2.5 miles by the time we get home.
The mansion down the street is coming right along - it's the fanciest in detail and the biggest house in the neighborhood, squeezed on a lot that had a modest home like its neighbors.
After I talk to Mom, I'm in the mood for crepes. They don't take long to whip up and then W and I sit on the Porch for a few minutes, enjoying breakfast. We can't believe the luxury of having good weather all year round; we eat outdoors any day unless there's a fierce downpour or powerful mountain wind. Today the birds are chirping and the waft of jasmine drifts across the table.
'Tis the time of year for yard sales. Schools remodel and upgrade equipment during summer break. Many expats sell off their households as they prepare to repatriate to their countries. I snag a some round wooden tables (@$6.50 each) for community get-togethers. W will rent a truck to move a load in a week, once we have made room to store it.
While W takes cookies to an IES Bandung football game, I get to work. I've got less than a week to pull the first class' notes together. I teach in a week. W has to come back early as well: he's packing for a scholar's forum. A lizard hums loudly beside the Porch but I can't spot him.
Read more:*If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:9-18
*Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:3
*The angel said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Revelation 14:7
Moravian Prayer: Most holy Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of your glory. We stand in awe of your creation’s majesty and life- giving waters. Clothe us in your righteousness and grant us your peace. Amen.
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