A commercial mop for $1.50? you talked me into it.

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

It's a wet morning out there. With my raincoat on and W's umbrella in hand, we're dry-ish - and the dogs don't care about rain as we do the usual loop.

I talk to Mom before breakfast. I guess I'm in the mood for scrambled eggs and sausage. Except that the andouille sausage is local and unimpressive. After half, I cut the rest up to flavor soup or put on a pizza.

Then it's off to work in my office. It has sufficient light but is not bright since we're on the "wrong side" of the Project to catch the sun.  I love the tall windows that overlook the green side and back yards.

The solar lights we strung yesterday glow until morning. While W picks up a wardrobe and replaces his cleaning tools, I edit a book chapter for a publisher.

W chases snakes and frogs out of the pool - this humungous space will be partly filled with chest-high water in the deep end. The shallow end will be left for sitting. It's too dangerous (and expensive) to fill the whole thing. The shade cloth, which W strung overhead to keep leaves falling into the water from the overhanging trees, must be swept every week or two. Because it's black, it also heats the water - which is nice when nights get down to 65o/18o.

The path that splits the yard is coming along nicely. The white stripes of the spider plants outline a clear line as dusk approaches.

We make a late stop at Homeground for some $3.00 noodles. Delicious.

We get our first letter of the year from the kids. A motorcycle drops off their Christmas card. Fun seeing the pictures! Mail is not a thing here; if we get 5 letters a year, it's an extravagant year.

W's book is still not ready. It's the first in a series by a publisher restoring their press. They've had the manuscript since August. The chance to promote it earlier this month came and went. The next event - where W is a breakout speaker - is in question: will they get it done in time? W spends a half-hour with the marketing team late at night, answering some of the same questions as they asked last autumn.

Thursday

It's rained off and on for days so the hikers choose to take the day off. We haven't had a major injury in years, but the clay trails will be slick. It sprinkles in the morning as we walk the dogs. It clears up to an overcast and cool day with some sunny periods. The mountains and clouds are visible across the back forest of the old house.

I sit overlooking the yard, editing two more book chapters. They're sent off when completed. One more to go! Whew, by supper time it is done! Hurrah. The rain pounds the yard as I send off the last file.

Editing isn't the most exciting work but I learn something from each manuscript. And the publisher promises me a copy of the finished book.

Friday

I talk to Mom, who has two little kids and their parents over for a visit. She loves babies! The dogs and I walk the double loop while W rests a sore knee. Then it's time to work. It's so gloomy that I turn on the lights in the living room.

There's rain and more rain most of the day. But who cares? We're off on an exciting expedition for mops and entry rugs (office style). Ok, not really exciting. The kitchen wholesaler is closing at the end of the month.

60c for utensils? Sure, we need to replace a few after hard use. A doormat is 50c (Rp7.500). Everyone wears house-shoes or goes barefoot inside the house, but those little rugs snag a lot of dirt.

Non-skid serving trays are a dollar, and a very nice new wok is $2. We fill our cart with about $800 of commercial kitchen and cleaning supplies for under $100 (including the helpers' purchases.)

Back home, we stash things in the kitchen and have lunch. Then we read and revise Sunday's talk in a quiet corner. The rain continues to drip.

Tomorrow is full of studies, meetings, and more. But today I can focus on the letter I want to write, schedule speakers for the months after we're done, have back-and-forth online conversations, and ... if I'm lucky, I'll still get to read the next chapter of a good book.

Hope your day is going well, too.

Read more:

* Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:1-2

* With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words, but fear God. Ecclesiastes 5:7

* For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16

Moravian Prayer; Protecting God, when the whole world feels out of control, your power never waivers. You are the source of our strength and our divine leader. Help us to place our trust in you and only you. Amen.