Eating it up

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

It's a good day - we're not hiking tomorrow so we decide to walk across town to dinner. It's a few miles away but W assures me it's more down than up. Turns out to be optimism on his part: we are 9 meters /13 feet lower from our starting point when we arrive. (My watch registers 38 ascending flights, which means we walked 41 flights down.)

I'm wear capris in case it rains: better to have trousers off the ground. There's a slight drizzle when we walk out the gate. W has his umbrella. I have my IKEA raincoat but forget a hat to keep the from  falling over my eyes. When it starts to rain, I pull on the raincoat, roll the lip of the hood back and away, and that's that. We make a few wrong turns but it's interesting to walk through back alleys and narrow paths lined with wealth and poverty.

"We can call a cab anytime you want," W says. It's a pleasant hike in the warm rain.We're climbing up and down so we're not cold. The cement is slick as ice but my shoes grip the asphalt. I watch my feet when the pavement changes.

By the time we get to our destination (2.5 miles/4 km), we're soaked through. Water has totally wet W's long trousers and rain has dripped down my hood and V-neck. We are like drowned rats when we show up on our friends' doorstep. I ask for a towel. Caron takes a look at me and gets a change of clothes, while Jorge gives W a dry shirt. Thanks! (When we take our wet clothes home, we realize we were wet - saturated from head to toe.)

We cheer what Jorge and Caron have accomplished in caring for others. God has opened gateways to many venues because of their willingness to love without limits. Caron has cooked a delicious dinner - and we came into an utterly clean house. How did she do that with 3 young kids? (My place was a disaster when our kids were little - ask anyone who visited us!)

After yummy chicken, pasta, and a layered salad, IbuA's cookies are a hit. We take a fun photo of their enjoyment and send it to IbuA. (She's delighted.) After playing a few games together, the family drives us home so we don't have to hail a cab.

The kids get some aquarium fish and plants from our ponds so their betta fish feels less lonely. Their parents get a bag of chocolate chip cookies. It's a fair trade for a ride :-) with maximum benefits distinctly on our side.

Thursday

After our neighborhood walk, we drop by Nara for breakfast. W orders sugar toast, delivered on soft white bread with a thick layer of brown sugar. My usual is spicy noodles and deep-fried shrimp.

W works on USA taxes while I write and make calls. We don't hike but have walked a few miles by the end of the day. 

I was looking forward to meeting our new dog next week, but the pet taxi sends a heads up. Due to Lebaran traffic (stop-and-go for miles), the taxi won't drive until the end of April. It's risky to crate animals for hours or days if traffic us at a standstill in the tropics. And traffic flow does stall. A normal 3-hour trip (110 miles/180 km) between Jakarta and Bandung can take 8-12 hours, never mind driving across Java to Bandung (885 miles/1100 km).

Friends Daniel and Della come for lunch. There's so much food in the fridge and freezer that meal prep is easy. I boil up a peanut sauce based on smell and imagination: peanut butter, 2 kinds of hot sauce, some ginger drink, brown sugar, and salt. It's a hit all around - spicy and sweet.

Daniel is speaking Sunday so we enjoy his "dress rehearsal" as Della translates. It's going to be good! Della clips seeds and lavender flowers from the garden. What a privilege to host friends during this week.

When we clean up afterward, we find hundred (maybe thousands) of dead ants spread across the "dirty" kitchen in the back. W put out new bait and they have succumbed in heaps on the floor and counters. Gross. The only thing worse than pills of dead ants is having them working away without noticing! We are constantly de-bugging wooden support posts and door frames in the house, plus checking for ant trails.

Friday

The new breadmaker bakes a perfect loaf overnight. It's still warm when I get up. I indulge in honey from the USA and nut butter from New Zealand. What a world we live in!

I enjoy a call with our daughter, snapping a photo of her dog staring her down for attention. Mika is total cuteness. "And needy," says Kirsten. Then we have an inspiring meeting with other global workers. It's encouraging to see what is possible around the world.

There's no morning walk because we have bigger plans in late morning. We pass our neighbor's house. Oh oh! water is streaming out of their front wall. I send a photo to DrW who knows everyone: she'll know who to contact. We meet her walking up the hill as we start the 4.5 km/3 mile walk to lunch. It's hot and sunny so hats and sunglasses help.

Halfway over, we buy a banana at Papaya. It's hot outside and we need the energy. Oh, they have the Japanese vinegar (for soba noodles) that Sayaka told us about. I'll buy a bottle another day.

Alan and Jani at #RoadrunnerBurger have the best fries and burgers in town, made with personally selected ingredients and home-cooked attention! Sam meets us there.

After, we stop at Griha grocer to stock up on flour, veggies, and milk. No schlepping those! We catch a Grab taxi to return across the hills and are home about 4:00. Lucky for us, we're in a car when the downpour starts.

Saturday

We walk before I raid the garden for Sunday's bouquet. It's almost a meter high, a mass of aquarium and yard grasses, shrubs, and Indonesian lavender.

After trimming my hair, I water the plants, write, and make lunch (egg salad sandwiches, fresh mayonnaise bread buns, and a couple salads, with kombucha and sparkling coconut water). John joins us at the table. How we appreciate the prayers each time we meet with friends of the heart.

Read more:

*“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

*My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13

*The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him! Habakkuk 2:20

*Jesus was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?” Mark 11:17

*Jesus said, “Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” John 4:14

Moravian Prayer: Source of life, grant us the faith to take the cup of everlasting life and mercy given to us, and grant us the courage to take a sip and live as you intend, knowing that we are never far from your love.

Most holy Lord and God, fill us with your Spirit as we seek your presence with reverence and awe. Forgive us when we act foolishly and ignore your still, small voice that guides our hearts and minds into making decisions that honor you. Create in us a deep desire to give you our best as we praise you in our places of worship, and in how we interact with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Sharing and caring = human significance

Saturday, March 29, 2025

It's time to write our monthly updates. I can't believe the month is nearly over. Sundays are a welcome break from writing Lenten blogs, but that's tomorrow, so I keep writing. Routine is good; rhythm is good; but rest is very good. We went to bed early yesterday so I've been wide awake since 2 AM.

After our walk, I raid the garden for flowers for tomorrow's Round Table. While they soak in a basin, I make calls. On impulse, I dial 3 girlfriends, the WPPRs. They're the day's highlight: each picks up the call. We began meeting 30 years ago and still stay in touch. Everyone has their own blessings, drama, and challenges; it's good to get an update as we pray for each other.

Breakfast is leftovers from Thursday's post-hike lunch. Around noon we walk up the hill to HomeGround for very spicy beef soup and rice, my birthday meal. I'm not hungry after the big spinach and rice breakfast but W's feeling peckish. The flavors are good.

We stop at Vilo Gelato on the way home. I can't even finish a tiny gelato so I save it in the freezer.

Sunday

W asks if I'll speak without him this morning. Ok. My head re-scrambles the written outline on the go. The two-pronged topic is familiar and significant to my life: accountability and mentoring. None of us do life alone if we want to do it well. We need mentors ahead of us, beside us, and others with whom we share what we know.

We take Lela for lunch at Nara before walking home. I combine the flowers from a dozen little vases into one large wild bouquet for the entry.

The garden is healthy and green because of the balance of rain and sunshine. The bromeliads are blooming on the green wall.

The bright red is tipped with purple when the flower first emerges.

In the back of the yard, the bathtub ponds teem with little fish who control the mosquito population.

In the side yard, a lanky shrub boasts a delicate cluster of pink flowers.

I walk W to supper with a friend and take a long loop home with the dogs. This flower is new to us, growing along the street on a tall shrub.

Monday

This is the loudest night of the year. Chants and calls from the mosques echo across the valleys and mountains. Firecrackers explode in staccato bursts. I'm still awake after midnight so I write a Lenten blog before giving the night a second try. I sleep 4 hours before the day starts.

It's Eid al-fitr, the kickoff to the Lebaran week. Anyone who can go home to their village or island does. However this year, with a shrinking middle class and inflation, many people cannot afford to travel back to their families. Those who do show off their best clothes and cars. A neighbor's visitor parks beside our house - cute Bug.

We ran into a neighbor, who is president of the Lions Club of Bandung. The group plants trees, provides electricity and water for needy neighborhoods, and does other sustainable projects. 

We call our moms and attend Zoom meetings before a good meal at brunch. It's the opening day of Nanny's Pavillion restaurant at the entry to our neighborhood. They offer pancakes and pasta. We know the manager (owner?) and server. 

The place is full but we find a table near the gate. My pasta is delicious.

Overhead, one tree shades the entire courtyard.

I take home leftovers - I'm not hungry. Then we relax and connect with others.

Tuesday

My mom calls at 3 AM and 5:AM. I'm awake for the first but woken for the second call. No worries - I'd rather not miss a call from her, no matter what the time. I sleep for 2 hours, total. Not quite long enough. Today might be the day for a nap.

A family pauses at the street intersection to watch our 3 dogs walk on a single leash. The little boys point and chatter but are too afraid to get off the bike to pet the dogs.

Before I go inside, the garden needs watering and the birds and fish want to be fed. An orange and pink bougainvillea lights up the corner like a flame.

A candy-cane-striped amaryllis opens under the tall 'false bird of paradise' plants.

I like how a Sunday bouquet evolves as the week goes on. The Indonesian 'lavender' stretches toward the sunshine from its one-liter jar.

Then there's a lunch to cook. I make a chicken stew: meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Sides include corn and cucumbers, along with some of yesterday's olive/rosemary bread. The birds are happy with the bean and carrot ends, along with their seed.

Melvina joins from upstairs, while John and Shibli come up from the base of the hill. We eat on the Porch, enjoying the breeze rippling across the garden. After the meal, W hosts a theological session with our guests. I do dishes and put things away while they talk.

We pray for each other, take a photo, and then it's late afternoon. The rain, absent for a few days, starts up and gently waters the backyard.

Read more:

*The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. Psalm 146:7

*He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10

Moravian Prayer: Divine Supplier, thank you for the gift of nourishment, filling not only our mouths, but our hearts and minds with the fruit of your love, justice, and compassion. Grant that every tongue and heart may know of your abundant love and mercy.

Loving Shepherd, you hold us tenderly in your embrace. Just as we have received your protection and comfort, open our eyes to those around us, and grant us courage to proclaim the good news, so that they, too, may know the grace and hope of your eternal love. Yea, our lot is blessed. Alleluia! Amen.

Lent continues - with a birthday celebration

Wednesday, May 26, 2025

After a walk that includes little Casey, we tackle calls, meetings, and emails. (He goes home tonight.) I write the Lenten posts each day.

Mid-morning, I bake an oatmeal loaf, the first attempt in a new breadmaker. W found the appliance on clearance at ACE for $23, due to missing parts, when he took our heavily-used breadmaker in for repairs. He had already ordered replacement parts for the old one but those didn't fix it. When it got to the shop, they said it needs a new motor. The repairman will install the motor for $5, incl parts = should be like new.

Turns out that the new appliance is a Cuisinart. The dough paddle and hook that were missing? Those are the replacements W ordered for the other machine and they fit perfectly. The first loaf is a little flat so we'll tweak the recipe next time.

The lunch centerpiece is the third of four American steaks gifted by W's friend. We froze the meat in Seattle; thawed it here, and W put it in his sous vide. We refroze it immediately. When we want a special meal, we thaw a steak to room temperature before it's hot-seared on a cast-iron griddle. I fry green beans, warm up sweet potatoes, and add Monday's leftovers: cheesy spaghetti to round out the meal.

"My birthday lunch for myself," I say to W. "Who in this whole country is eating steak from a Seattle butcher?" (No one.) When I find a taste I'm hungry for, the meal practically assembles itself. Ingredients show up to match the palate (just as paint shows up to match the canvas.) Meal prep for the feast takes 15 minutes.

The afternoon indulgence is a few squares of peppermint chocolate from Lisa ... we shall miss this couple when they leave Bandung.

And not just because of good New Zealand-brand chocolate!

In rainy season, the plants grow madly. Because snakes, rodents, and other wildlife inhabit overgrown areas, yard maintenance is a priority.

The yardman clips the lawn, which is knee-high in places after 4 weeks. He tried to trim it 2 weeks ago when the good "Weed-wacker" was being repaired. The cheap local string trimmer overheated within minutes so he gave up. Today he makes good progress with decent tools.

Meanwhile Anton the poodle is recovering from being neutered yesterday. He seems happy enough. His dog-walker sends a photo of him ambling around the neighborhood, wearing his post-surgery "cone of shame" so he doesn't open his stitches. He'll arrive in a few weeks, all healed up.

Thursday

It's hiking day, a short one of less than 5 km. Bailey got jumped by a big dog last week and doesn't want to go. We leave him under the Porch table to relax with the house occupants. He's happy to see us when we get home and PakG fluffs him up with a bath anyway.

The main thoroughfares to the mountains are narrow. Often a neighbor will earn extra cash by standing at one end of a one-and-a-half lane street, waving one lane of traffic through at a time.

This busy street is wider but complicated by someone balancing on a ladder. The tukang trims a long hedge with a string trimmer - about a foot under the city's electrical wires. Everyone drives around his ladder. I waited until traffic had passed to snap a photo of this main road.

The trek is through forest, tea fields, and recently planted coffee bushes.

Apparently coffee beans taste sweet when they ripen. I haven't tried one.

Some old tea fields are being torn up and replaced by coffee plants. These old tea roots hang below the shrubs, visible where roads have been cut into the 10' (3 meter) bank of soil.

There are wildflowers.

There are waterfalls.

And there are benches to sit in the shade if you decide not to go down to the waterfalls.

This little bamboo shed keeps rain off a woodpile. 

Lunch with Eva is at Mandarin: delicious. We have a few leftovers but we eat enough that only a good nap can reduce the stupor. The dogs snooze in the car and sprawl on the Porch when we get home.

The helpers are baking ginger cookies. I assemble Ramadan food packets, to be taken home today or tomorrow (depending on their last day before a week's holiday.) The staff got their THR last week, an extra month's pay mandated by the government. An employee must be paid the equivalent of a month's wages to prepare for their religious month: Muslims before Leberan (the final week of Ramadan); Christians before Christmas (though that is less enforced); and the other religions at their primary holidays. We save in advance. The added financial burden can be ruinous for businesses who are barely making payroll.

Indonesia officially recognizes 6 religious groups: Christian (Protestant), Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and animism. With official holidays for each group, salaried employees take a lot of days off - in 2025 it's 17 days (plus 10 collective leave days)! = 27 days. Those on daily wages work through holidays of other religions - they can't afford a month without pay.

My evening meeting is cancelled but I'm wide awake after a late nap. Since I can't sleep right away, it's time to evaluate the year. It's taken almost two years (August '23-March '25) to complete the Morning Pages Journal. Yesterday I finished and put it away. I bought a dozen or so journals a few years back; today the first pages are written in a new one.

Friday

It's my birthday. I start with a walk and Ibu Siti's massage at the house. Maddie and Beba drop in to pick up kefir seeds. Our visit is short but sweet.

Martin, Sayaka, and Harun come for lunch. At Christmas, we offered each team member a meal at our place. The offer is good until the end of May. It's fun when they claim the gift.

Sayaka has made salmon sushi and brings a birthday cake.

We make one last trip with PakG to Toko Setiabudi grocer. While locals are running from one relative to another ("the art of Ramadan"), we will visit with friends and howdy with neighbors.

I reset the kefir and ginger bug - the next sparkling juices are mango and coconut water. Birthday wishes come from all sides, warming my heart. A package from IbuD and Aska contains a beautiful batik blouse in my favorite colors.

A photo pops up from 16 year ago, in another thinner lifetime. My tan sweater is the base color of the batik. In the tropics, you wear more colors than you did in Seattle.

Saturday

I'm awake at 2 AM. I enjoy the silence by setting up a new notebook and listening through the book of Romans. How amazing are the God's gifts of grace, righteousness, and inner peace!

"No one is saved by keeping the law," Paul explains. "You'd have to keep every part of the law precisely, which is humanly impossible. Missing even one point incurs judgment." Yet he writes that Jesus has come and fulfilled the law. Jesus offers us his perfection and righteousness. It's mind-bogging. And an occasion for worship and gratitude this morning.

This weekend starts with Nyepi, a Hindu festival of silence. For most of Muslim Bandung, it's just another national day off. However, in Hindu Bali, most media, phones, commerce, and transportation will be shut down.

Eid al-Fitr will be Sunday or Monday, with a week off after to travel. The 30-day Ramadan fast ends with feasting and gifting. Crime is high because whoever can will return to their villages or visit family homes, hopefully with a gift to offer the family. (We lost our smartphones twice the first year. Thankfully they were recovered by friends who negotiated their ransom.)

Traffic is a snarl. Trains, buses, and taxis are full. Motorcycles clog the roads. Shops will close for the week. Restaurants may or may not have enough staff to stay open. Owners will drive their cars if their drivers leave, which can be dangerous: many only drive during this annual holiday week.

Our dogs don't mind. They patrol the yard and get fewer walks. There's more play since we're around. It's quiet until fireworks mark end of the season. There is no regulation of fireworks. It's a free-for-all that goes on during the all-night chanting at Eid - plus a few days before and after.

Our first visit to Bandung was 12 Ramadans ago. It was a magical evening, thanks to Stefano and Livia Bramono and their daughter Kristi. In that July 2014 rainstorm, we stumbled upon an art gallery and restaurant. We ate together, overlooking valleys and mountains of the city below as darkness fell. Fireworks erupted and celebrated our arrival with us.

Read more:

*To the humble the Lord shows favor. Proverbs 3:34

*The Lord said, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Joel 2:28 NIV

*A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But Jesus said to them, “The kings of the gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather, the greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like one who serves.” Luke 22:24-26

*Peter said, “Jesus, being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you see and hear.” Acts 2:33

Moravian Prayer: Spirit of the living God, thank you for your holy presence. It is so easy to fill our lives with matters of this world. Grant us wisdom and discernment and fill our hearts and minds with renewed vision, so we can more clearly see the life to which you have called us. 

Almighty God, forgive us when we have not humbled ourselves before you and before our neighbor. Quiet our minds so we can be still and hear your voice. Inspire us to serve as we model the compassionate love of Jesus, and may our words and actions be pleasing to you. In your holy name, we pray. Amen.

Trust who you know

Sunday, Monday 23, 2025

I raid last week's floral arrangement and the garden for a tall bouquet for the hall. People pluck the flowers they want from the vase when the Gathering is over. These are the leftovers.

The morning is special. Afterward, many share their joy at being together yesterday for the football event. 

Guests are welcomed, people chat over snacks, and we pray over Ronnie for his birthday. Look at this cake! handmade by Dina's friend. It's his first birthday celebration ever -  and we're delighted to fuss over him before his friends take him for lunch.

Lizzie texts me. I asked last week if she has a dog to retire later this year. Our canine satpams (yard guards) are aging and we don't want to wait to introduce another dog when they're much older. (High energy = too much adjustment for an old pack of dogs.) Apparently one of her former puppies needs a new home. 

Lizzie finds out more information, the reason for rehoming, and his medical records and sends this current photo.

Then Antoni's owners and I connect. He's a beautiful black one-year-old, healthy and well-cared for. The dog is not neutered. We compare vet fees. Our Gypsy was "half-neutered" by a Bandung vet, which meant a second surgery. Getting a known and trusted vet is a priority before Antoni leaves his people and arrives here.

I call the pet taxi, due to leave March 25th. Oops they left early to avoid Ramadan traffic. The taxi-man reserves a spot for this bouncy Standard poodle on the next transport in 2 weeks.

Monday - J's birthday

Our youngest has a birthday today and gets spoiled by a kakek (an older sibling, who married WELL. She takes care of family connections. Thank you, M.) 

"Wow," says W, "we're old." Yup - claiming that honor even as we miss hugging our son's neck.

The sun shines through the clouds when we walk. It's pleasant but not hot. The vines drape over gates, fences, and trees.

Another frog that hasn't made it across the street is quickly drying out. Wouldn't he make a 3D contribution to a painting? (W says, "You've got to be kidding," and we leave it behind. haha)

A beetle skeleton catches my eye. The insect has wiggled out, leaving his old home empty and clinging to a branch.

That's not all. There's a 2" beetle on the porch. W flips it over and flicks it into the garden to carry on eating aphids.

We lunch with trusted friends who live one mountain over. Expats move across the world; ours is a fluid lifestyle. Expats leave their legacy and are sincerely missed when they're gone. 3 couples are leaving Bandung in the next months.

Our lunch friends are retiring and repatriating. The food is good, the company is warm, and the prayers are sincere. We leave satisfied.

Reading scripture, I'm puzzled by one of the teachings of Jesus and strangely warmed by his offer of himself as a spiritual feast (John 6).

Throughout Lent, I'm plowing through the gospel of John. I'm considering what it means to follow Jesus. What a mysterious and rich faith we have. If you're looking for spiritual challenges, go no further. Here's one spiritual mystery I'm pondering. (Click this link).

Little Casey comes to stay for a few days. She gets along fine with the big dogs, though we walk her on a separate leash so she doesn't get stepped on.

Tuesday

After a 6:00 AM meeting online, we walk the dogs. We pass a fun car in mint condition in our neighborhood. Remember the Bug?

I miss calling my mom but get updates from my brother. Mid-morning, Lisa drops by for tea and a final chat. She leaves mea huge bar of of NZ peppermint chocolate. Yum. She will return home to New Zealand on Thursday. How I'll miss her company.

Our team meeting is online this week. The topic is "waiting" on God for whatever he will bring our way. We're not to be demanding or impatient but settled and patient. It's good advice.

Since Sunday, Antoni's breeder Lizzie, his owners, and I have been texting back and forth. Gypsy had incomplete neuter surgery in Bandung. I am unwilling to risk the same trauma for another dog. Lizzie has an amazing and competent vet. (Read more about him here.) Antoni's owners rent a car for a long ride to Lizzie's vet instead of taking him next door to their usual clinic.

Unbelievable. Antoni has the same condition Gypsy had. I appreciate the trust A's owners offer both Lizzie and me. It could have been an expensive and unhealthy fiasco otherwise.  The vet takes care of everything under a single anesthesia and sends the pup home to recover. And then he gifts us with Lizzie's kennel discount, charging for only one surgery, on top of it all. Thank you, Dr Budi!

Sleep it off. Wake a new man, Antoni. Sort of.

W and I wrap up meetings and correspondence before the sun goes down. Feels good to finish the day.

Read more:

*Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

*I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been a fortress for me and a refuge in the day of my distress. Psalm 59:16

*Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

*"Paul told this to his friends:] "To this day I have had help from God, and so I stand here, testifying to both small and great." Acts 26:22

Moravian Prayer: Gracious God, help us to sing aloud of your great and eternal love. Equip us, Lord, and fill us with gifts from your spirit, so that we can witness to our neighbor and make known to all, of your deep and abiding love, both now and evermore. Amen.