Mr. Wonderful Once Again ...

Once again, my dear hubby pulled off a huge surprise.

Ichank, the manager of my favorite furniture store, had shown me an antique buffet-type piece a couple of months ago. It was from the first hotel in Indonesia -- way back during Dutch colonialism. It was called Hotel Orange (a Dutch family name ... not related to the color and not related to the Indonesian/Malay word "orang" meaning people/person. The word "orangutan" means "people of the forest!" Yep, and they're not near extinction anymore -- thousands live on this island, alone! Okay, back to the story!) The hotel is now named Majapahit Mandarin Hotel and you can find it on the internet and read the history -- including how it was used during the war when the Japanese occupied Indonesia. The hotel now has new, Indonesian/non-Dutch owners and wanted to get rid of the Dutch-colonial style so did a complete remodel.

Anyway, after Ichank told me about the hotel, I researched the hotel and found the piece of furniture becoming even dearer to my heart [insert violins and quiet sobbing, here] but we just didn't have the money ... no matter how great the price was. I talked with God about it, saying things like "I don't really need it but it would cause my other cabinets to be less crowded ... If it's sold before I can get it, that's okay ... I sure would like it, though. I might not ever find another piece like it ..."

When I was in the shop about a month ago, finalizing arrangements on the dining chairs, Ichank told me that the piece had sold. He said another woman had been interested in it, too. In my brain, my response was, "Bummer ... but at least I got to see it and learn about it's history. Okay, God, I'm cool with that." To Ichank I said, "Welllllll, my husband will be happy to hear that because we didn't have the money anyway!" (Ichank gave me a weird look but I thought it was cross-cultural misses.)

Later that day, I told Jim that he didn't have to worry ... the piece had sold to another woman. He thought I was strangely content so he was certain that I knew otherwise. (Now why didn't he trust my contentment??? :-) )

Time passed ... I thought of that piece often but never with any regret.

Then, on Wednesday, while Kartini was giving me a pedicure, Jim called and said that I needed to be home 'cuz a small anniversary gift was going to be delivered. Our 29th is this Sunday but we leave for Thailand on Saturday so I thought "How nice to give me flowers this early in the week so that I can enjoy them before we leave on Saturday!" I told him that he didn't have to do anything 'cuz we were leaving soon but that the thought meant a whole lot!!!

Just like low-budget movies that build up a story for a long time and then run out of money and have to end it abruptly ... here's the ending.

JIM, my husband, was "the other woman" who bought the buffet 4 weeks ago and asked Ichank to deliver it on the 2nd of December! Ichank and the delivery guys had some good laughs, enjoying my surprise and delight!

Now I cherish the piece even more!

Historical note: Antiques are cheap here for 2 reasons: the locals don't want to be reminded of the colonial days and they believe that spirits inhabit all old furniture and houses so they don't want to be near anything like them! Ichank and his wife and child live in a small apartment inside the furniture shop and his friends often inquire about what happens in the place during the night -- thinking that spirits play the two antique pianos and all ...
And, as mentioned in earlier posts, they harvest the teak trees too quickly, now, so the newer furniture is not one solid piece of wood. But with antiques such as this the top and sides are each one solid piece!! Beautiful!

English Class End-of-Term Party

Other than the last photo, the compound's resident lizard just outside my office window, here are most of the students in my English class. I'd just given them a "final"!!! They had been terribly nervous so they were ready to celebrate! They all brought lovely foods and I just provided the house and the coffee/tea/juice. What a lovely group of gals!

Giving Thanks

It's been quite awhile since we've had a "normal" Thanksgiving but we are very grateful for our new adventures!
The oven is sooooo small that it can only hold about a 14 lb bird! And it doesn't heat so well; and we ran out of gas when the pumpkin pies were in the oven; and it was a Muslim holiday so we couldn't get workers to bring new gas so Lusy and Jim moved the tank from our master bathroom to the kitchen hook-up. Yes, we have 4 little tanks for 4 different locations and there are NO gauges so it's always a bit of a surprise when the gas runs out -- during a shower, in the midst of cooking, ...! The table was all set and then I got too busy to take more photos but we did have guests! :-)
It was too hot to play croquet that day but the next morning Jim and I played before it got tooooooo hot! And who cannot be grateful in the midst of such lovely scenery??!! However, the white flowers and white clouds are the closest we got to snow!

Experiencing Batik

Our company's "spouse group" was able to visit a little batik factory this past week and try our hand at some basic batik. The people at the shop will finish the processes -- drying, removing the wax, chemically treating the ink so that the colors will not fade, etc. Then, we'll get our little projects. I was not at all happy with mine and I hope to get back to this place with Jeri (I think you'd love to try this, Jerz) when she and Boy visit in March.


Here are 4 of the gals I teach, from left to right, from: Brazil, Venezuela, Venezuela, Brazil. Actually, other than the photos of workers, every gal in the photos is a student -- the Indonesian gal who is stamping her fabric with wax, and the Mexican gal who is hand applying the wax, and the group at the table.

Along a Crazy Road

Wayyyyy back in our early-married days, I learned that there are two ways to get to anything -- the normal way (generally via a road, a designated trail, etc.) and Jim's way. The first lesson in this occurred on our first date, actually, when we were cross-country skiing in Wyoming. Why take a trail when there's great adventure to be had right through the trees? I'm sure that we are the only skiers who regularly hiked under and over low-lying branches just because the branches were more enticing than the trails!

Well, Jim and I had some good laughs remembering those days as we rode along the "road" that he found on a map. According to the map (which we now know to be completely inaccurate), there was a road that began very near our compound and was a bit of a short cut to the shopping area where we needed to pick up his office chair.

One muddy car and one bewildered driver later, we had a lovely-yet-neck-wrecking drive as we bounced along a trail that even motorcyclers would find difficult to navigate.

We did get Jim's chair though it took two hours to get to the store!! And in the meantime we saw some lovely country, visited some dear people, and were solemnly reminded of the incredible poverty that is just beyond our line of vision on the typical day.

Our New Favorite

What a treat -- last night we visited a new restaurant at a new condotel in town. It was recommended by a guy who is becoming a friend -- Umar, the guitarist for my Bday dinner and the lead guitarist in a few different bands. He and a keyboard player and a female vocalist play at the restaurant on Fridays.

So ... we went to the restaurant ... and now it's our favorite!

The sun was quickly setting when we arrived so I only got a few scenic photos (sorry for the blurs ... didn't have my tripod!) and then I used a flash to get the band photos and the Jim and Umar photo ... didn't even get any of the fabulous food that's a "choose your food and they grill it" style. I will take more photos on another visit -- hopefully in January.

Umar had told me earlier about a French guy who works for Total who plays saxophone during his free time. We were thrilled that he could join the little group for a bit. He is fabulous!!

Oh, how I wish I could play by ear so that I could join a little jazz group, myself!!!

Until that happens, I'll enjoy listening at least!!!

We are so grateful for a little bit of "real music!" -- at least it's live and at least most of the musicians are talented. :-)

Book Club Lessons

Other than a one-meeting attempt to "join" my mom's book club in Alaska from afar (I read the book and sent thoughts to my mom, she shared such at her book club meeting, it proved to be unreasonable to get reviews and comments back from the meeting, I could not get a copy of the next book without spending $40+ in shipping/customs and with the risk of it taking 2 months to arrive, ...)

I've never participated in a Book Club before.

Last night was a first and it was great! I recommend the experience to everyone!

The BC I joined has been around for a couple of years. Each gal recommends books in the season we know as Spring, books are selected for the upcoming year before the "Summer" break, gals gather their copies before returning in August/Sept, and the monthly gatherings begin in September.

Most of the gals have English as their first language ... that helps ... the books are not easy reads. Gals are mainly from: U.S., Canada, Britain, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, S. Africa, ... The books are from all over the world and are, therefore, titles I've not had in my radar before this experience.

Last night's book was the all-time worst book the group had ever read. Some gals didn't even attend the meeting because they never got past the first few pages! It's an award-winning book from New Zealand. The author spent many years in and out of asylums, experienced hundreds of electric shock treatments, was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, ... you get the picture. Soooooo, the book was definitely written in a random, stream-of-consciousness style and was filled with despair. The author did write fabulous descriptions, though!

On the way home, the two gals with whom I rode and I were talking about why we read books and how that fit with this book. We agreed that we read books in order to grow -- to expand our thinking, be challenged in our character, be renewed in our purpose, etc. Did this book accomplish any of that? No ... the characters in the book did not grow -- they were just destroyed.

So why did I enjoy this experience so much? Cuz it is, once again, amazing to meet people who think totally differently from how I think, have belief systems that totally conflict with my own, make life style choices to which I cannot relate, and are still marvelous people! Each gal is someone for whom Jesus Christ died ... whether they believe He Is or not. Each one is precious.

Undoubtedly, each one is as baffled by me as I am by them!

What adventure awaits -- in and around each book!

Balikpapan and Jakarta: images from both ways of living

Just delivered: 6 dining chairs with small stripes -- one fabric is a dark stripe and the other is a beige stripe on beige stripe. The four at the table are without the slipcovers. The two by the side table are with the slipcovers. Can you believe -- all 6 slipcovers only cost about $100 in the "Italian" fabric!? (See also the pale blue wall that matches the other two little pale blue sections we did in earlier.)









Dining and weird/unnamed "room" just beyond it. The table is lonely without chairs but the chairs I had made, here, are being delivered today! Just after I said that ... there was a knock on the door! That's why this blog now opens with the photos of the chairs!








Entry area of house: a blend of cultures -- photos from AK and CO and art from Nigeria on wall, on grandma's table sits Indonesian art and my favorite pic of our three kiddos when Joey was born.








Jim, trying to assemble the grill we bought in CO and put into our shipment -- a 3 hour assembly job!

3 scenes from a recent beach walk. The little lines in the sand are made by mini-critters!














Scenes from around Jakarta.






I never did get any of the great hotel in which we stayed ... The Mulia. A bit ostentatious in style and decor; not the understated elegance that I would prefer but ... definitely great service and great in every way! And then, one little section of one of the many malls!

Alfalfa Sprouts, Dill, and Celery

What do these things have in common?
alfalfa sprouts, dill, celery

They are all best when fresh.
They are rarely (if ever) found in Balikpapan.
I brought all three, in marvelous and fresh condition, in my luggage from Jakarta back to Balikpapan!


Alfalfa sprouts: Had them on salad last night ... will again tonight!

Dill:
We're having tuna steaks with dill sauce for dinner tonight. How can you live on an island in the Pacific and not have access to dill to go with all of that fish!? It's dreadful! I'm going to try to dry the rest of the huge clump I bought. And I've been trying to grow it ... the first batch was ruined by our driver, Soagi, in his quest to be helpful. I now have new seeds and will try again! (The first seeds were from a friend who brought the seeds from Russia!)

Celery:
Ate some just plain (for yesterday's breakfast, even!) Am saving some for sticks with cream cheese for tomorrow. (The cream cheese was frozen at the shop so it'll be crumbly but that's better than nothing!) The rest of the humongous stalk has been chopped up and frozen to go into soups.
Bought seeds ... it's too hot outside and too cold inside to grow celery. Might try moving them in and out on rotation. Will wait until after I return from vacations in Dec. and Jan. so that Lusy doesn't have to stress out if the plants die after germinating!!!

Expats in Jakarta definitely have more access to the "normal" things we all enjoy ... and the great restaurants, and the amazing shopping, ... but ... all in all, we're glad to be back in little 'ole Balikpapan. The air is clear (Jakarta's air is disgustingly dirty and makes my eyes sting within just a few minutes of arrival) ... the traffic is reasonable (it can take 2 hours to travel 5 kms in Jakarta -- on a normal day!) ... and there are not so many tempting places to spend money (you would think that all Indonesians are wealthy if you only looked at the upscale malls in Jakarta -- Coach, Burberry, Kate Spade, ... amazing selections with high prices, too!)

If we can just stock up on some of the tough-to-find items whenever we're in Jakarta, then ... we have nothing to complain about! And Jim's got his hazelnut syrup, now, for his coffee ... so all's well with the world! :-)

'feelin' blessed!