Short

The power went out today for 3 hours. It has rained really hard a couple of days this week for a couple of hours and filled up our courtyard with water more than an inch deep. There have been earthquakes and volcanoes but not close enough to us that we have even noticed anything at all, thank goodness. I went to Malang for the first time this week. We went to a consulate Halloween party and my wife and I borrowed a costume from some teachers at our kids' school and went as breakfast: toast and bacon. I also carved a couple of pumpkins for it. We also went swimming at the kids' school in the Olympic-sized swimming pool on Saturday. It really is huge. We all tried out flippers. Believe it or not, it was the first time for me. I have always wanted to use them. It was awesome how fast I could go underneath the water. My son and I would throw out a diving toy to the middle and swim like super-speedy submarines to pick them up. It was fun.

Two weeks

One difference the last two weeks has to do with driving. It is this: I now drive my family to church myself on Sundays. When we first got here, another member of my church who also works at the consulate came and drove us to church. My wife and I both remember him saying that it really isn't too difficult and we would learn how to get there pretty quickly. We thought he was a little nuts for saying that since it seemed to us like traffic was going everywhere and we turned a hundred times. Then we hired a driver to take us for a few weeks. We got used to it but only after assuring my family that I really know the way and having them ride with me driving on a few shorter drives did they consent to letting me do it. Well, so far we have made it safely there and back two weeks in a row. I plan on taking us every week unless there is some unforeseen problem. I like this arrangement much better anyway for a variety of reasons. One is that I was having some issues with feeling a bit restricted, lacking freedom to go where I want to go. This arrangement helps me feel better about that. Another reason I like this better is that I really did not like the idea of paying someone to work taking us to church if I could avoid it. (Didn't quite sit well with my sense of keeping the Sabbath day holy, except that it really was necessary for a while and so very justified.) Another is that in our branch the total number of cars driven by members to the church building each week is like 3 or 4, including us, and we may have been the only ones with a driver. I just felt a little out of place, more than I already am, having someone drive me when some can't even afford public transportation to church. I feel like some distance has been closed since I drive my own family now.
Whew, that was long. Anyway, now you know what I think about when I don't have anything else to think about!

The last 2 weeks I have been able to watch "The Amazing Race" on television, and "The Amazing Race: Asia!" I don't know why I like that show, but it makes me feel good.
The last 2 weeks my mom has called me on my Google number. The first of my family to do it, and I have been there to answer. Thanks, Mom.

Not me, but this is batik

There have been school fairs and parties at homes of co-workers the last 2 weekends. We spent a lot of time outside, eating different things, talking, and we also got to see fireworks and I bought a Batik shirt!
For work we had inspectors for one of the two weeks. They come every five years or so and make a lot of good suggestions that we are processing still. I am starting to get used to my new workplace and the routines there and hopefully getting a handle on all there is to do. A new consulate is being built, which will be an interesting change, if I am still here when it's done. I got to see the progress this week and it will be nice for a lot of different reasons.
That's probably enough. There is more, which is why I shouldn't skip a week in the future. What will the next 2 weeks bring?

Long

This last week was a long one. We had quite a bit to do at work and my supervisor was out of town the last two days of the week, which sort of increased my load. I fell asleep on the floor at home on Thursday night at 8:00pm. Even though it was very uncomfortable and I kept waking up, I just couldn't get up enough strength to wake up and get off the ground of the family room and go to bed!
After the week it was great to have a long weekend. I get Monday off because it's a federal holiday. On Saturday we took a look around the harbor area of Surabaya, where we haven't been before. It was pretty interesting to see. On Sunday, our branch was watching the General Conference Broadcast from Salt Lake City in Indonesian, so our family stayed home and watched it in English on the internet. We had a guest over, a former federal court judge and his wife who are members of my church and are visiting Indonesia to meet with officials here. And today, my wife and I got to take the kids to school together, go shopping together and visit the Arab quarter of the city together. It was fun to have a long date together. I even met a new friend while we were there!
I am glad for long weekends. I especially like Monday holidays.

Event popular . . . that shouldn't miss!

"Event popular Malaysian Style fragrant spices chicken curry that shouldn't miss!"

That was the description on the menu for a Malay Chicken Curry dish that I ate on Saturday. What does that even mean? All I know is that it must mean that it's good because it was. I also had a drink called "Ambula" that I had no idea before I got it or after I tasted it what it was made of. To me it tasted like a cross between a green pepper and the skin of an apple in the form of a thick juice. Pretty refreshing actually. I found out it is made from a fruit of a different name. I am including a couple of pictures from an interesting food Web site that has a recipe for it.

There were a few other things this week that I would also classify as "Event popular, that shouldn't miss!"

Some of you will be happy to know that I finally got a haircut. I was really concerned about getting one here because I like it a certain way so it has been since the beginning of August. It was long and bushy, but now looks nice and trim again. This young, hip-looking Indonesian guy who was wearing a side bag with his cutting equipment in it cut it for me and did a good job. Oh, and they washed my hair at the beginning and the end of the haircut. Nice.

This week for work I got to go to Jakarta for a couple of days to make connections with people in the Embassy and take a look at how they do things there. I always love to get to know a little about a new place. Jakarta is a huge city and it takes a long time to get anywhere. I was glad I got to go do consultations there. I saw a lot of people I know and met others I only had heard of. I stayed in a cool hotel and had dinner with some friends. Definitely "that shouldn't miss!"

Another big thing was hearing back about my next assignment. I will be going to Moscow for my next post with a couple of months training back in DC. I and my whole family are excited about it. In a way it's kind of nice (and fairly unusual in my line of work) to know where I am going to be for the next 4-5 years. We don't have to think about that much at all and can enjoy this post and Indonesia for all it has to offer and know that we are going to get a different experience with the next post.

Any of you who were thinking of visiting us, please don't wait until Moscow. Visit us both places!
We will try to make sure it is event popular that shouldn't miss!