Old Shoes

For some years now, my mama has called Aaron and me "a pair of old shoes" because we've been a comfortable pair for so long. Well, my "old shoe" outdid himself yesterday. You have to realize that after a while here, even the most yummy papaya doesn't quite taste as good as the fresh fruits of summer back in the States. So, when we get a new boat load of fruits and veggies in town (about once a month), we are willing to pay big bucks for something like, ahem...broccoli. When Aaron came back home from the store yesterday, he grinned and handed me a small, white plastic bag. Inside were...gasp...eighteen beautiful plump cherries. He paid about USD $26/lb. for those tokens of love because he knew that they would remind me of a farmers market we discovered in Germany. There was a sign explaining that these had been air-freighted into Honiara to justify the extra expense. The lady at the checkout even double checked with Aaron to make sure he was willing to pay for the cherries before she rang them up :) I'm so thankful for this amazing man and for God's provision of simple pleasures like cherries.

"A soul without a mate is like a vase without flowers."

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...Saturday, August 1

Outside my window...beautiful moon rising in a BRIGHT blue sky, my big kids splashing in an incredibly clear ocean with friends

I am thinking...about the family who lost their young son (late teens) this morning. He had been sick for three days, and yesterday the family called in the man who practices custom medicine. At 7:15 this morning, I heard the wails begin and knew somebody had died. Then our house girl showed up early to tell us that her cousin had died, so she couldn't help us today. I grieve for the family, but especially for the lies that still masquerade as truth here.

From the learning rooms... a short school week due to packing and moving, traveling overnight on a boat, and unpacking

I am thankful for...a great market this morning: pineapple, fish, bananas, green beans, urio, papaya, tomatoes, eggplant, bei, green beans, & cassava

From the kitchen...cleaning out the fridge since we will unplug it to defrost before we leave (and somehow I've stocked up on loads of green beans, so we still have seven bundles in the fridge that need to be eaten)

I am wearing...purple skirt, purple floral sleeveless top, and lots of sweat

I am reading..."Secret of Chimneys" by Agatha Christie, a well loved copy that Aaron picked up for me when he was in Europe in 1991

I am hoping...that we don't have to stay up late packing that the Bikoi comes on time (10 p.m.), last week it came at 3 a.m.

I am creating...a meal to take to the family of the deceased

I am hearing...Katherine playing in the sink, mourning cries from across the village

Around the house...boxes and piles and lists and dirty dishes

One of my favorite things...when a neighbor puts her hand on my arm while we talk

A few plans for the rest of the week...returning to life in Honiara, and definitely a trip to Frangipanni Ice for some ice cream

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

This is our newest find at market, wing beans. They cook like green beans (sort of).

More escapee urio

Wednesday, July 29
You think we would learn our lesson and cook the urio right away, but we were so tired after market this afternoon (too many nights filled with howling dogs, loud music, kids with bad dreams, etc.). So Aaron put two very alive urio in a pot, put the lid on, and placed the pot on top of the stove. In the middle of the night, I awoke to some sound I couldn't identify. I decided since I was awake, I might as well make a trip to the bathroom. The pantry and the bath room share a wall, and I could hear a scritcha-scratcha sound coming from the pantry. So, I woke up my sweet husband! Aaron grabbed a flashlight and went off to find one urio climbing out of the pot and another one in the far corner of the pantry on top of the cassava scraper. He put both in separate containers, secured the lids, and set them on the porch so we could enjoy the rest of the evening in peace.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...Sunday, July 26, 2009

Outside my window...REALLY dark and quiet

I am thinking...about how hard it is to live a life full of grace, that it is much easier for me to live in unforgiveness and bitterness and finger pointing

From the learning rooms... History – end of WWI, Spanish Influenza epidemic, Sarah – exploring parts of a story's plot, expressing a decimal as a percentage, Benjamin – writing a short story, word problems with pounds & ounces, Olivia - studying antonyms, addition & subtraction with renaming, Katherine – sorting foam shapes, Science –building electric circuits & then creating bypasses

I am thankful for...for ten years with sweet Sarah

From the kitchen...Sarah's choice for birthday meals tomorrow: breakfast – almond bread and yogurt popsicles, lunch – Mexican, birthday party – cherry pineapple dump cake & vanilla ice cream, supper – chicken fettuchine alfredo florentine (her annual favorite)

I am wearing...blue & white seersucker pajamas, damp hair

I am reading..."What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey

I am hoping...that John (the guy from SITAG) can figure out why we can't do e-mail and fix the problem this week

I am creating...lists of things to take back to Honiara, things to do while in Honiara, & things to brings back to Marulaon

I am hearing...kids' heavy breathing, Aaron & John visiting

Around the house...varnishing floors almost finished, dishes drying in the rack, candle burning on the table, all at peace in a house ready for the next day

One of my favorite things...having people stay in the Choate Bed & Breakfast

A few plans for the rest of the week...Sarah's birthday tomorrow, a friend from SITAG staying until Wednesday night, markets on Wednesday and Saturday (we always make loads of banana cake to sell), lots of list making and packing towards the end of the week as we prepare to go back to Honiara

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Benjamin opening a kino (a type of nut)

Even more lelenga

Saturday, July 25
Today at market, we bought enough obikola (cassava) and dried coconut so we could make lelenga on our own. We're still waiting for the chairman to build our outdoor kitchen, but we are continuing to move up the learning curve. Today, we did all of the preparation of the lelenga by ourselves. We peeled and scraped the obikola, then we scraped the coconuts. I knew that we weren't supposed to add much water so the coconut milk would be strong (unlike when I cook rice), but I wasn't sure how much. So I took a glass of water and a heaping BIG bowl of scraped coconut in search of a neighbor to help. I found Melissa, one of the ladies who occasionally helps us. She laughed at me, then told me that the water in the cup was just right for the amount of coconut I had scraped, but that if I used all of that coconut my lelenga would be "gris fo gud" (really greasy). So, we squeezed the coconut milk and boiled it, and when I tasted it, the coconut milk reminded me of my great-grandmother's famous coconut cake (which I've never been able to make to my satisfaction). Then we sliced our bananas and got ready to go over to Auntie Sarah's kitchen. You need to know that this took us 4-5 hours with only a break for some lunch. Lelenga takes a long time, but I anticipate we will speed up with more practice.

Auntie Sarah showed up just as we were getting ready to come to her house. So, we all traipsed over to her kitchen, and she built up the fire around the stones to preheat. I remembered how to heat up the banana leaves, and I learned the word for "shiny" which I recognized from singing the Magnificat every evening. You know the leaf is ready when the intense heat makes it shiny. I haven't quite mastered the technique of removing the majority of the thick stem from the leaf, yet. We had plenty of coconut cream left over, so I was able to leave some of it for Auntie Sarah to cook her haleav. As we layered the ingredients into our pans, Auntie asked if we wanted our lelenga for dinner tonight or breakfast in the morning, and I asked which was better. She said it would be sweeter if we left it all night, so we did!

Grand Bazaar

Friday, July 24

We cooked twelve dozen banana muffins to help raise money for the church's grand bazaar today. People from all over the Western Russells were supposed to come and bring things to sell today, but the weather was very windy, so only people from Marulaon and the village at the other end of our island came. The ocean was so rough that paddling a canoe would have been very difficult. Most people brought food (cooking bananas, umalau, lelenga), but there were also some paddles, mats, and some children's clothes that one of the ladies had made. The urio were hung up with string tied to a pole, and each held their price tag on a piece of cardboard. We just laughed to see their pinchers reflexively holding the price!

The muffins sold out very quickly, and we purchased a mat and a skirt for Katherine. Sarah has made a good friend with a ten year old girl, Harris. Harris is from Marulaon, but she lives and goes to school in Honiara. She is only here for the school holiday, but we're hoping to be able to keep in touch with her while we are in Honiara.

Coordinating Injuries

Tuesday, July 21

Olivia and Benjamin seem to be joined at the hip in adventures. This afternoon, the three big kids were swimming in the ocean. We have encouraged them to wear shoes when they swim to protect their feet from the coral and the trash. Sarah came dashing up the hill calling for Daddy to come get Benjamin who had cut his foot. Sure enough, Benjamin was bleeding everywhere again and had cut a chunk out of the ball of his foot. Aaron cleaned him up, and we propped his foot up and gave him a book. Then we called the girls in to shower and get ready for supper and church. While I was cooking supper, I heard Olivia holler, so I finished what I was doing and went to check on her. I found her holding her elbow and crying. She explained that she had slipped and fallen and her elbow had caught the edge of the shower basin on the way down. She had a nice "V" shaped cut on her elbow, so we bandaged her, too. I hope that Olivia and Benjamin are finished with coordinating their injuries!

No Bikoi

Sunday, July 19 –
The bell this morning rang at 5:00 a.m. (over 70 times), then another one rang at 5:30, then the last one rang at 6:00 followed by the drums that signal it's time to come to church. The service began just after 6:30. We received an explanation during the announcements after church. Church services were going too late, so by the time Sunday School met (after the prayer service), the building was hot. So now, we will start morning prayer on Sundays at 6:30!

This afternoon, we discovered that the Bikoi had some engine trouble, so it was staying in Honiara for repairs. This means that our friend from SITAG won't be able to come out until next week, we're disappointed, but we look forward to getting e-mail fixed next week and meeting our colleague.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...Saturday, July 18, 2009

Outside my window...bright sunshine & a brisk breeze drying the clothes on the line

I am thinking...that my brain can't absorb anything else in Lavukaleve right now!

From the learning rooms... History - WWI, Sarah –using symbolism in writing, math review, Benjamin – onomatopoeia, word problems with units of weight , Olivia –homonyms, Katherine – walking on a "balance beam", learning lots of fun action songs with big sister as a teacher, Science – batteries & electric circuits

I am thankful for...the foundation that was laid by the SITAG family who came to Marulaon before us. Over and over, Aaron and I see the fruits of their hard work & trials.

From the kitchen...we enjoyed baked French toast & papaya for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, & for supper it will be some concoction with pasta to use the rest of the fish I bought at market this morning

I am wearing...blue & white floral sleeveless jumper, silver hoop earrings

I am reading..."A Life That Says Welcome" by Karen Ehman

I am hoping...that the next twelve years of our marriage is as wonderful as the first twelve years have been (our anniversary is tomorrow)

I am creating...our learning schedule & our school list of things to take with us when we go back to Honiara at the beginning of August.

I am hearing...sheets snapping in the breeze, laughter as we play a new card game we found in the house

Around the house...tomatoes ripening on the windowsill, crab waiting to be shelled, green coconuts lined up on the cabinet to refresh us, a countdown to Sarah's birthday on the chalkboard

One of my favorite things...watching my "three muskateers" clean up the kitchen after lunch while Aaron and I sat down to a language learning session that was earlier than we anticipated. The kids laughed and sang as they worked, and they are all so close in height! I marveled at the incredible people blossoming as I secretly observed them (when I really should have been notating Lavukaleve).

A few plans for the rest of the week...more language learning sessions, another SITAG member coming out to spend a few days with us and help us with the radio/e-mail (the Choate bed & breakfast is ready!), a bazaar on Friday to raise money for the church (we've been asked to bake & sell banana cake)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Happy Birthday, Olivia!

July 15 - Olivia's birthday
Hard to believe that Olivia is six today. She chose a chocolate cake and chocolate icing from my recipes, and it was VERY sweet! I gave the kids the day off from school. We shared our lunch spaghetti (Olivia's choice) with our house girl, Melissa, but she wasn't too crazy about it. Olivia
keeps us laughing with her antics, and I'm so thankful for the zest she adds to our family.

Billikiki rainbow

Wish you could have seen it!

Billikiki

Thursday, July 16
Today, the Billikiki stopped by Marulaon. It's a small cruise ship
that
caters to divers. We have some of the most beautiful waters for
diving in
the world! The passengers were from America, Spain, Australia and
England.
The girls helped put frangipanni leis around the visitor's necks.
Our
village (including our family) sang and danced as a welcome for
them. I was
holding a little girls who fell asleep while I was trying to sing
and dance,
so I retreated to the sidelines and just enjoyed holding her.
Aaron's
singing and dancing was quite a hit with the neighbors! When all of
the
festivities were over, we walked with them on a quick tour of the
village.
The Bilikiki passengers ended their stay with a market to replenish
their
boat's kitchen. As they got ready to leave, a beautiful double
rainbow
filled the sky.

cabbage and tomatoes