Lusy's a Keeper!

Lusy's full name, by the way, is Eva Lucia! (How 'bout that, Mom? It's all in the family!) So, today she has totally blessed me. I pray that I can do the same for her before the day is over ...

She was crying just awhile ago, when I walked into the kitchen. I first looked to see if she had just cut up onions ... no. It's uncommon in this culture to reveal emotions so I'm glad that she at least was comfortable enough to cry in the house. I'm sure she hadn't planned on having me walk in on her, though.

Bottom line ... her husband is a scumbag. He's got a girlfriend. Our conversation was difficult with the language barriers but it appears that she's put up with his shenanigans for a long time. He's her age -- 30. They've been married quite awhile, I think. No kids. She said that she understood his feelings but that he didn't think about her feelings. Yeah. I pantomimed punching him out and she laughed. Pray for her. She's such a sweetheart. And it's hard to know how much to reach out to her 'cuz the culture doesn't allow for a lot of hugging and heart-to-heart talks!

Now, onto the good stuff:
I think Lusy wants job security ... and she's certainly found it!!

Cilantro (coriander) has been tough to get in the markets but when I have found it, it's so much better than what we had in Nigeria (which was pale green and spindly!) I LOVE cilantro!!! (We used to grow it in Franktown, Colorado. It's the one thing the boys wouldn't pick when I sent them out to the garden for salad ingredients 'cuz they hated the smell on their hands. I, on the other hand, LOVE the smell of cilantro on my hands! My sis, Kathleen, even gave me a bottle of cilantro-scented soap one time!!! I ended up ordering a bunch more bottles after the first one was emptied.)

So, over the weekend I was thinking that I'd like to grow a bunch of herbs, especially cilantro.

When Lusy arrived this a.m. I asked her if there was a place to buy the plants for coriander, basil, ... so that I could grow them. She took me out to the side yard, through her side door ... and ... voila --- there is coriander growing in a pot!!! She said that when I last bought cilantro, she cut off some of it and planted it ... because she knew it was hard to find! It's already a healthy little plant!

Then, she showed me mint that's growing in the ground!!! I clapped for that 'cuz I like it in my iced tea. She giggled.

So, I'm going to buy a long pot and have Lusy plant a bunch of herbs.

I've given up trying to do these things myself. With Lusy and Soagi competing for who can best take care of Missus' plants, I've not got a chance of gardening!

In fact, when Soagi heard me talking with Lusy about the herbs he started watering my plants!

'feeling blessed. 'heavy-hearted for Lusy. 'ready to kill one particular guy I've never met!

Out and about in Balikpapan

The Crinkled Blouse

In honor of my dear friend, Zona, originally from Alaska and now in Oregon ...


If Zona asked, that means you silent readers out there must have had the same question, so, ...

meet the crinkled blouse!

Crinkled skirts were very popular in the hippie era. Then, they had a mild comeback in the 90s. They are still popular in hot climates. Crinkled blouses are not as common ... crinkled scarves, yes!

Maybe they originally were "created" by someone without electricity???

You just wash it, twist it and tie the long, twisted thing in a knot. Hang to dry (it needs to be in a hot place so it WILL dry!) and voila!



The night shot at "our" beach is thrown in for free 'cuz this posting needed something lovely! :-)

Random Lusy and Soagi Happenings!

As I was sitting here, doing online chatting with Jeri, water started hitting my plants. And it's not raining! I'm at my desk in the "office" in the back of the house. It's an area that rarely has activity. Wellllllll, it's our driver, Soagi!!!! He's found a way to get the hose to reach way back here! Creeped me out for a second! I scared him back when I pulled back the curtain and waved to him! He jumped a bit and then gave me a huge grin! What a guy!

And on another note, what do you say ... in limited English ... to tell your maid that she shouldn't have ironed one blouse? Lusy -- who works so hard to get wrinkles out when she irons (but she'll NEVER be as good as Michel!) I'm not sure what went through her mind when I brought her a blouse from my closet, a blouse she'd just ironed and hung up, yesterday.

It's a "crinkle" blouse. So, I took it off of the hanger and told her that it needed to get wet again and then it needed to get really wrinkled! She soaked it and hung it out on the rack to dry ...

and then I did the unthinkable -- I took it off of the rack, twisted it all up, tied it in a knot, pinned it into a circle, and hung the rope-like thing back on the rack!

Lusy said, "Missus like wrinkles?"

Missus replied, "I know it seems crazy but I do like wrinkles on this blouse. It's called crinkle fabric and it's supposed to be really, really wrinkled!"

Lusy said nothing and Missus just smiled and walked away.

She'll see it tomorrow, after it's dried.

One thing's guaranteed -- it'll never make any sense to Lusy!

Life of Leisure

Well, today was our first day with our leased car and the driver we've hired (4th one we interviewed). His name is Soagi, he's an older guy who's very experienced, and he's really sweet and overly courteous and polite. He's really, really trying to please us in every way. I hope it doesn't drive me nuts!

So, I don't think I'm going to be able to do much of my own gardening ... this guy has taken over!

I went to a road-side plant shop and bought 4 large potted plants/trees, ranging in price from $4 to $10! Crazy, huh? But this is the tropics so it's pretty hard to kill a plant, here! They kinda grow by accident, even, so the prices are low (even to expats!). You should have seen the car -- it was pretty tough for Soagi to see to drive 'cuz the jungle had moved indoors!

Soagi got another driver/friend to help him carry the plants from the car to the patio. I said my goodbyes to Soagi and told him that he could go home for the night. Long after I thought he was gone, I went out on the patio to adjust the location of the pots and put stones on top of the soil ... voila, Soagi appeared, hose in hand, and proceeded to water everything -- including the plants I bought in July! So, I showed him one that had me a bit concerned. The leaves were looking really dry. I don't think he needed the encouragement! 30 minutes later, he's now watered everything all around the house -- as far as the hose will reach, at least. The compound gardeners take care of everything that's planted in the ground but obviously Soagi doesn't think they're doing their job very well!

He said that he really enjoys taking care of plants. So, at least we have plant appreciation in common!

Poor Lusy -- she so enjoyed making Missus happy by taking good care of my plants. I don't think Soagi will let her touch them any more! I'll let them sort it out and I'll just watch from afar.

And there goes the one chore that I thought I'd be able to do, sometimes!! Alas ... I'm back to my life of leisure!

Our "Pack-it-all-in-to-6-days!" Time in Alaska!

Highlight of our whirlwind trip to Alaska -- fishing on the Little Su!








Spending some time with Jim's family ...
































The majority of these shots were taken at my sis and bro-in-law's place way up on the hillside overlooking Anchorage. Stunning!!!

Adorable Axel

He's such a cutie! I have to devote an entire blog posting to my nephew, Dave and Kath's little guy, Axel Joseph Poulin!