Tuesday - Happy Birthday, Jeremy
Our eldest has a birthday. He was born the day after Mt St Helens blew. Perhaps that shook him loose: he arrived 15 days after his due date. It was a relief to meet him!
K and I call and check in on how he's doing. What a treat for us!
It's time for K's post-surgery consultation at the surgeon's office. The medical staff is pleased with her progress. She is cleared to drive and do whatever she feels she could do. It's a relaxing day otherwise, with good food and company.
The passion vine is an eyecatcher as I stroll by. Each flower is a masterpiece.
The interior bouquet has evolved from grocery store leftovers with wildflowers and grasses. Amazingly, the neighborhood sidewalks offer a lot of variety.
Wednesday
It's a cool morning, perfect for a walk.
Sunflowers overlook the water catchment fields. 17 storm gutters along the streets channel stormwater into two huge empty lots.
More subtle wildflowers grow alongside.
Overhead, a tree is erupting in clusters of magenta.
We heat up a TJ pizza, adding favorite toppings. In the evening, the Mastermind meets online to discuss life and leadership. I play with the shadows on the cover while we talk.
Thursday
As usual, my eyes are drawn to wildflowers along the path. It's cloudy all day, after a night of storms and rain. Two defining mediums lie between the sidewalks and streets: spikey black gravel in one side of the subdivision, with grass in the Habitat For Humanity neighborhood.
Other fuzzy little pinks have popped up in the grasses. Few neighbors cut their own lawns. Instead, they hire a lawn service to come every two weeks.
After a few loops around the block, it's time for breakfast. I combine Brussels sprouts from yesterday's supper with eggs and bacon. We phone Leslie (a cousin) and send a "hello" video to Mom ("Grandma"), who is not able to take our call.
Kirsten drives for the first time since her surgery. No problem! She's able to negotiate the highways and streets easily. We find some trousers and a blouse at Marshall's before heading home to leftover pizza and salsa. It's chopped salad for supper, along with leftover crepes.
Mika trots through his little loop walk before the thunderstorm blows in. Sheets of rain blow sideways and lightning flashes. We're happy to be inside.
Friday
Mika and I walk around the neighborhood early in the morning. He was restless and whining during the night. None of us slept well. He doesn't mind going into the crate but thinks he's done at 4AM. zzzz K makes avocado toast - oh yum!
She drives us to the grocer and walks confidently across the huge parking lot to a discount shop. We find a full-length mirror for the guest room. Plants that grow wild and huge on our tropical trees? Those little bird nest ferns and staghorn ferns are expensive here (Rp190.000).
K puts together a charcuterie lunch. Yum.
Back in Bandung, the dark corner of the kitchen needs help. Originally, I told the contractor not to bother with a corner downlight because we had 2 shop lights over the island. That was a mistake.
On an overcast day, the corner is too dark for washing dishes or baking. The electrician charges $18 for the installation, including parts and labor.
K and I hem and haw about fixing her firm sofa. With a thick mattress topper, it becomes comfy. She has good ideas on how to manage the slipcover and padding.
We call Adelina in Germany (another cousin), who has just hosted a group at her house. It's a family tradition to welcome others into our homes, so we cheer her on. She's so much fun.
K and I love being together. We call W to find out how he's doing. He's walking the dogs in the early morning and talks to us from under the tree canopy over the streets. Bandung is so green!
Everything is quiet at the Project today. Persib, the Bandung football (soccer) team, is playing a championship game this weekend. The Saturday English group cancels classes. The volunteers can't come through the 2-day traffic gridlock in town. Zealous fans can get overexcited and even violent so locals avoid the downtown and cancel any non-essential trips.
Read more:* What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Ecclesiastes 3:9-14
* I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Zechariah 8:13
* When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
* God, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. 2 Corinthians 1:4
Moravian Prayer: God of comfort, you surround us with love in every trial. As you console us, help us share that same kindness with others. May we be a blessing, bringing hope and peace to those in need. Amen.
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