49 years and counting ...

Monday, August 31, 2026
I wake early and make a list of what needs doing. It's a full page, something I usually resist but my brain will never keep all this straight. We count things, bake things, and set the kitchen for the week. A group of almost 2 dozen guests plans to stay over next week, which means adjustments for the regulars. Student papers begin coming in from the August doctoral class.

After our morning walk and some calls, Ibu Siti comes and kneads out the kinks in my back. I always "read" (listen to) a book I'm not sure I can persevere through during a massage. Today's is exceptional and I'll use it for a Spiritual Formation course. Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. It's well-written and informative.

Meanwhile, therapist Agnes works with W.  His speech is rapidly improving and he's speaking a lot. A hospital staffer swings by to pick up the portable EKG I wore over the weekend. We'll find out what that says on Thursday. We will pare down our packed travel schedule in the next weeks, just to be on the safe side.

I write the monthly update to our partners and have W proofread it. All is well. It goes out tomorrow. In the late afternoon, the yardman cuts off some "widow-makers," branches that have died on the pine trees. We had to trim those when we lived in the Seattle forest, too.

By the time everyone goes home, supper is on the table: a garlicky ginger tofu. Not so bad. Not so good. I'm doing a lot of kitchen experiments.

Gypsy (the first watchdog we acquired) has arthritis in one back knee. We start him on meds and then take the dogs for an evening walk. After we get the week's calendar squared away for people who want to visit, I make a cup of tea and crawl into bed with a book.

Tuesday
We walk, have porridge for breakfast and then W goes wading. He's working on the pool that came with the Project. Good thing he's handy. The plan is to eventually host water therapy, PT, and water aerobics in the "deep end." I sit on a chair in the former "shallow end." Half the pool is dry since it's too big to fill completely. Plus it was dangerous without a lifeguard at 4 meters (12') deep at capacity.

On a walk around the yard, we pick up some mosaic tiles. Wonder what we can make with them ...

Kiki and Veronica drop by for lunch at a restaurant nearby and a little tea afterward on the Porch. We admire the pizza trays and holder Veronica found at Aldi Australia. What a nice housewarming gift. We'll have them over the next time W makes pizza dough. We had pizza parties on the old Porch every Saturday during COVID, when meeting inside was forbidden.

A trip to the grocer nets corn on the cob so bland that I cut it up for perkadels tomorrow (corn fritter). The rest of the groceries are put away before supper. It feels like late evening but the sun is just going down. Zzzzz.

Wednesday
THe UV index is at 11, very high.

We walk early in the morning before a date breakfast at #NaraPark. It's such a relaxing place for a cup of tea.

My usual order is noodles with popcorn shrimp on the side. Lots of hot sauce, please.

Deep red flowers bloom nearby.

This is as close as we get to autumn: in dry season, many trees drop leaves to conserve water and will regrow when the rainy season arrives.

Some flowers thrive in the dry times.

W's therapist comes and is pleased with his progress. He's speaking in sentences and getting easier to understand. I miss a meeting of women that I enjoy attending. Sigh. Can't do it all.  The tree that loomed over the house has been cut down many times, before and after we moved it.

See the stump beside the path? It keeps sending out shoots. We clip one off this morning. It would be nice to remove the stump but well, it's a lot of work, when there's enough to do right now at the Project.

One of the coleus plants is showing off its splendor.

The little dog has fleas again - must be cats roaming the yard while the dogs sleep. We apply tick/flea meds one by one. Seeing the attention the others are getting, Juno walks over, plops down, and says, "Me too!" This labradoodle loves all kinds of attention.

What? Supper's here again? I find a mix-and-match chart.

The result is a supper salad that tastes pretty good.

I write a bunch of book reviews. Two of them somehow transfer to this blog. How does that happen when I'm still on the same page? No idea, but my apologies. Books belong in the review blog 3BOOKSFULL. A computer is both wonderful and uncooperative at times. The internet connection is flaky today, which doesn't help.

Thursday - 49th Anniversary
On September 3, 1977, we said "I will." I remember getting up that wedding morning and thinking, "Well, here goes. This guy will still be interesting when we're 60." My 2 requirements for a husband (besides basic decency and a call to global work) were simple: 1) Love God and 2) be smarter than I am so we wouldn't get bored with each other. After a long marriage and 4 kids, I might hold out for a few more things, but those are mostly improvements on my side. W turned out to be just what I asked God for.

Walking down the church aisle, I thought, "Thank God, no more dating." I guess I'm more pragmatic than romantic for life-determining decisions, though I do appreciate romantic gestures.

On this morning's walk, Gypsy is feeling so much better. He's frisky and playful and he happily runs over to join the others. It's a good change from hanging out at home while we circle the blocks.

Breakfast is leftovers: blueberry chia pudding, quinoa with fruit and nuts, and the sweet pineapply Lussi left us.

We're off to appointments and to enjoy a generous gift from a friend tonight. More about that in the next post.

Read more:
* Of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you. Genesis 28:22

* The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” 1 Kings 19:7

* As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. Psalm 40:17

*  Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24

* Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive, for none of you will lose a hair from your heads. Acts 27:34

* I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13

* For God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Moravian Prayer: Like an endless tide, Lord, you give and receive and give again. May we give, not out of indebtedness, but out of appreciation and admiration of your ways. May our gifts be shared with others as joyously as you bestow abundance on us. 

Divine Chef, you nourish our spirits, minds, and bodies with your words and creation. Sometimes we forget to look around and notice the goodness you have set before us. May we fully join the meal, sharing it with all your people. Amen.

A Rule for the Rest of Us by Jen Pollock Michel

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 

An excellent exploration of how God is at work in his people. This was inspirational and encouraging. I like that it was personal and applicable. If you're looking to deepen your walk with Jesus, serve others with more focus and impact, Michel will become a mentor.

Recommended for discipleship groups and discussions among friends who are intent on making wise choices.

Books and art and people

Friday, August 28, 2026
The air is refreshed after a few sprinkles of rain yesterday. There wasn't enough water to do any damage and probably not much good, besides clearing the pollution a bit. A rooster watches us walk by.

The Good Padel Club #goodpadelciumbuleuit hasn't cleared the road outside their property. I message the club to consider being a good neighbor. I find out that the community council is responsible for that. 

When we renovated the Project, months of leaves and garbage had piled up outside the place. The gutters were utterly clogged and there was nowhere for rain to go but inside the yard and the buildings.

We asked who was responsible. "If you want to clean it, sure. Please do," we were told. So we did.

I cook too much porridge for breakfast. What can we make with leftovers? Some friends use CHATGPT for recipes at such times, so I give it a try - and get instructions for breakfast bars. Ok! Quickly baked, that's breakfast tomorrow.

The carnation buds, tightly closed when I went into hospital on Wednesday, have opened. It's a cheery welcome this morning.

We're out of homemade peanut butter. Why not use the Champion Juicer that Christine left behind? I grind raw almonds, raw peanuts, and a few roasted Balinese spicy peanuts, pouring the mixture into the last dregs of a jar of nuts and chocolate that Lisa gifted us from New Zealand. No added salt or oil is needed.

We spot a trellis lying beside the street across from the garbage dump. "Wouldn't that be perfect for supporting the grapevines on the back scaffolding?" I asked W. He waved me off. 

I tease W: "If I paid attention every time you said, 'No need!' how would we have furnished the Project?" I leave the latticework there but I'm still thinking about it. We may have to send PakG for it, along with $3 for the workers. It really is the right size and shape ... haha. (It's gone when we go by again.)

Training the eye and mind for design is like training the body for sport. I read that the best designers learn by focusing on exceptional architecture, design, and decor. They shun cheap resources like Good Housekeeping or Better Homes & Gardens. With high-end possibilities in mind, they consistently recognize good design, even when it doesn't cost a lot.

I "went to design school" as we raised our young children. How?  In the 1990s, Architectural Digest ran a February series called Before & After. I looked forward to that issue. The before photo captured an empty shell or an outdated existing design. Blocking the after photo, I would anticipate what a top designer would do.

When I uncovered the after photo, I was often stunned. From ceiling to floor, the imagination and limitless resources (due to wealthy clients) were beyond what I dreamed up. Those issues of AD taught me about unrealized potential. I love to rejuvenate an existing room or house, whether it's an empty ruin like the Project or a dated space. Whatever is on hand - architecture, furniture, accessories - can be transformed into beautiful and useful spaces.

Most of what we used at the Project is second- or third-hand. We'd rather spend funds on people than places but that doesn't mean it has to look cheap. There's no need for fancy new stuff if repurposing will do. I lsit in the entry with a cup of tea to soothe my soul and quiet my mind.

Danny's painting, Kim's quilt, traditional Indonesian weavings, and a throwaway orange rug from a kindergarten class anchor this tranquil setting. The 2 benches were repurposed from an office. The airy white curtains throughout the Project are flat sheets. 

We train our eyes by what we look at and our hearts by what we value. One of the good things about my hand-me-down phone is how easy it is to change the opening screen. I run across this beautiful entry and think, "Ah, that would feel like a homecoming each time I open my phone." Isn't it a pretty view? 

The sun shines on the Project garden as I call our daughter.

The book group meets in the afternoon. We added three members this year, so 10 of us gather around a cafe table. Before heading home, Dolly gifts me one of her watercolors - she's a talented artist. Her husband was one of Indonesia's first PhD's in Geology in his studies in the Netherlands.

Saturday
During an early walk, I notice that I'm hardly puffing, going uphill. The air seems cleaner than usual. W checks the index; yes indeed @71. It's easier to ascend when the air quality is under 130 AQI. (It's 135 by evening.)

W is due for a follow-up at the hospital. He did his blood test yesterday while waiting for me to check out. We leave at 8AM and don't get home until 1PM, going to and from the administration desks 3X between his EKG, the doctor, and the cashier. The EKG costs Rp.200.000 ($12 US).

"Your blood and brain tests say you are healthy and the medicines are working!" crows the doctor. He is so pleased, as are we. He clears W to fly long distance if all continues to be clear. Hurrah!

As we eat lunch, we notice the star fruit tree in the yard is starting to shed its bounty. These fruits are not sweet but used in local "salads" with a dressing of soy sauce and ground peanuts.

I never feel guilty for resting between exertions. I spend 2 hours after lunch flat on my back, reading a novel and a devotional book. The tall mug of tea goes down easy.

We spray-paint a chrome finish on an old peeling mirror found in the yard, propping it against the woodpile to dry, far from the house. Those fumes! All the edges are chipped so I'll have it framed for one of the guest rooms. It's about 80X80cm (32"square) and has cost $2.50 in paint so far.

I make fried rice for supper. Neither of us is enthused about it but the ingredients were on hand. Outside, it's party day in the city. Bands, dancing, sports, and other neighborhood celebrations continue until midnight.

Sunday

At dawn, there's a lovely hymn/poem in the Night Office by Phyllis Tickle. I write music for it and sing it a few times:

Bread of the world in mercy broken,

wine of the soul in mercy shed,

by whom the words of life were spoken,

and in whose death our sins are dead:

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,

look on the tears by sinners shed;

and be your feast to us the token

that by your grace our souls are fed.

After a walk and making breakfast, I head for the Gathering. It's nice to be with Family. 

After, there's a baby shower for Angie, who is expecting her third child within a month or two. 

Rocky and Lussi come by with a pineapple and kale grown on their rooftop. She's a good gardener! They are dear to us.

Ofly, Angie, and kids drop in to pick up a portable portrait light diffuser - he's a good photographer.

I remove the portable EKG monitor I've worn for 3 days. Tomorrow someone will come by to collect it.

Sayaka does a myofunction therapy session with Waldemar and teaches him to say his name clearly. Hurrah! Meanwhile I rest. I've had enough this morning. As I shower, I find someone else's nametag stuck to my arm. There were many hugs this morning. I peel it off and scrub it away.

As we walk down the hill in the early evening, the extravagance of God shows in the trees. They have masses of blooms.

The ground is littered with bright yellow flowers that fall like rain.

W and I walk down to see Veronica and Kiki, who have returned from abroad after 3 months away. We have all missed them; V spent time with her mom, who suffered with cancer. Now she is at peace.

At #Homeground on the way up the hill, we stop for supper. W puts aside the peppers from one serving of Mala Chicken.

We walk in the door and call it a day, my cup of peppermint tea in hand. It's been a good day.

Read more:
* My people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:14

* I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:26-28

* I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. John 17:15

* And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

Moravian Prayer: Lord, this world is a scary place. It can be dangerous business going out our doors. May our faith that your care and support will never leave us, help keep our feet under us as we follow where you lead.

God of abundance, thank you for claiming us as your own and for providing all we need. Grant us your generous and accepting spirit so that all our needs may be met in you, and none of your children go without. Amen.

Beauty and a short brain freeze

Monday, August 24, 2026
We have a late-afternoon walk, admiring the flowers.

Bougainvilleas come in many colors.

There are multi-colored shrubs.

And hot colors.

This one reminds me of a lit-up Christmas tree and often blooms in December.

Tucked in a dead end is a stairwell. What you can't see from here is that it's 10 flights? or more that start between 2 houses. 

It goes down and around other houses to a village on the river.

Overhead is a magnificent (9-10"/ 25cm) spider.

Our neighbor has a magnificent bonsai in bloom on her fencepost.

Another neighbor is building a small castle where an ordinary house used to stand.

There's too much pattern in the guestroom so I move the quilt to our bedroom and put the plain white one in the guestroom. 

Tuesday: another red-letter day (public holiday #23 in 2026)
Waking at the Project feels like a dream in the early morning light.

We start with a walk and breakfast. The fallen leaves in front of the #GoodPadelBandung are dry and slippery. It's a hazard for the older people who make this a regular walk to the market. The well-maintained club is where many people play.

Someone is sweeping leaves inside so I go in to ask if they can tidy up their side of the street. In our area, the property owner is responsible for keeping their area lit and clean. 

"That's not my job. That's the city's responsibility," says the young sweeper. He's obviously clueless, not from around here.

At 10, a group of ladies arrives to learn and pray for each other on the Porch. It's wonderful to catch up!

As they're leaving, Sayaka and Martin arrive. Sayaka is pleased with W's progress and gives him a third myo-functional therapy session. I make myself lunch. W didn't made his while I was tied up this morning, so he's hungry. He refuses a quick snack.

After I eat, I make his lunch: potatoes, cucumber salad, and chickpea cutlets. He eats while the rest of us enjoy tea on the Porch.

For supper, we join friends at an eatery across the street.

Wednesday
My body catches up to the goings-on of the past month. We walk, but W notices that I have checked out. I'm not responding as usual. I loop a comment and don't remember why he's talking with a slur. He makes breakfast and then takes me to the hospital. I have enough sense to make a thermos of tea to take along. 

Friends (including a super-doc) show up to translate and comfort. Frances keeps me entertained while Dolly buys good ayam lemper (chicken wrapped in rice, cooked in banana leaves) for us all. Yummy! (W purchases the same for breakfast Thursday.)

I'm sent from Emergency to a ward. Test after test show up normal: MRI, EKG, blood tests, and x-rays. As suspected, I'm wired in a "Daher" (Dad's family) reintegration of parts of our beings. My dad had a few similar episodes in his 70s and 80s. That's how his body processed emotions and thoughts he had held. We reboot.

In times of crisis, you want someone like us to walk you through. We're steady, rational, and get the help you need. After a few weeks, a body/mind disengagement takes all the stress off. It's scary for onlookers, and we never regain the time lost, but when it's over, it's over. I remember everything before and since. I talk to the neurologist about my experience, in case other patients have the same thing happen but can't articulate it.

The room feels more like a hotel than a hospital. We are treated with kindness, prayer, music, and care.

The cardiologist says everything looks normal and orders an EKG for tomorrow. "You are now taking blood thinners." 

I ask why - it's standard procedure. He's Seventh Day Adventist and they know natural solutions. "What can I ingest instead of drugs?"

"Chia seeds, daily," he says. And upon request, tells me that 1 tablespoon is the equivalent. Or I can eat grape seeds. I look up his recommendation: chia, grape, and ground flax seeds also provide fiber that regulates blood sugar. Their other ingredients lower blood pressure and thin the blood naturally. Glad I asked! I'll add that to our daily menu. No meds needed.

Supper is bland but I chuckle when the rice comes shaped like a heart. Now that's service! I joke, "Where's the sambal (hot sauce)?" Ah, bland stuff only for patients.

Thursday
At breakfast, I eat the apple W brought and pick out the fried bread in the bubur ayam (chicken porridge). I keep the onions and chicken that prevent the long-cooked rice from being totally tasteless.

Doctor visits, nurse checkups, and two tests are done before 9AM. "I plan to go home today," I tell the morning doc. "Is that possible?" Based on yesterday's conversation with the head doctor, I wave off the prescription. This doc warns, "You'll have to sign off on that, since we follow Western medical protocol." No problem.

The morning's EKG is utterly boring and normal. The young cardiologist is completing her PhD on a fascinating subject. She's comparing the cardiology of pregnant Indonesians with Dutch moms-to-be. What a worthy topic. I tell her to persevere and offer advice to ease her doctoral defense. We pray together that she will do well.

I answer emails, walk around the halls since sitting in bed all day can't be good for you, and agree to a 3-day heart monitor at home. ("Why not?" says W). I'd rather be at a relaxing spa, but they do treat us well. W and I split the morning snack:

... plus a green juice that looks like algae. Luckily it tastes better than that.

We wait until after lunch for the monitors to be attached. Apparently yesterday's meds still have an effect: drowsiness. I nap and miss Dr. Gati, who drops off some pastries. There's one final doctor consultation. ("You're fit and healthy. The monitor sends us the info so we'll see you in a week.") Then W pays the bill before we happily gather our things and hop in the car.

It's nice to come home, whether from far or near, isn't it? My office stinks of the rat/s that have died and disappeared in the ceiling. We air out the room as best we can.

W and I walk up the block and back to stretch our legs. It drizzles some rain and looks menacing but there's no proper downpour. Yesterday the firetrucks were in the neighborhood beside us, putting out a bamboo brushfire. Careless smokers, tossing their cigarettes into the bush, create a hazard.

Sayaka sends a note that her husband Martin has dropped off gado-gado, the beloved Indonesian salad, complete with homemade peanut sauce. I heat some wraps, which we mound with the salad. How wonderful not to have to think of making a meal! Thanks so much.

Read more:
* The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 

All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:13-8

* From this time forward I tell you new things, hidden things that you have not known.  Isaiah 48:6

* When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some scoffed, but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” Acts 17:32

Moravian Prayer: God of new things, remove the blinders of familiarity from our eyes so that we may see the wonderous works you are doing. May our joy in new things and new life have no end. Amen.