 |
| The sign at the entrance to our villas. Paradise, it is the majority of the time. |
 |
| This dog walked up to our villa and wandered around the pool. We stayed seated and didn’t say a word. Soon, he wandered away. |
At 10:00 am this morning, Gede, our houseman, and driver, is arriving to pick us up in air-conditioned comfort for a half-day outing. Yesterday morning, he stopped by to let us know he’d returned from his religious holiday celebration and to assure us we’re on track for today’s scheduled trip to Negara.
We made a list of five things we need to do aside from the sightseeing; stop at an ATM; visit a photo shop for visa photos we’ll need to use in Singapore and for the online Cambodia visa; purchase a SIM card for emergency calls; stop at a pharmacy for a few items; shop at the supermarket which is much more well equipped than the local markets in this area.
Aside from walks in the area, basically, we stayed at the villa for the past 10 days. With the two Ketuts doing all the shopping and cooking for meals, we haven’t needed to get out shopping.
 |
| Gede explained we should ask the Ketuts to bring us coconuts from the market and Ribud will break them open. Sounds like a plan to me! |
Besides, with Gede gone most of the week, we didn’t see any reason to try to find another driver when we so much enjoy his companionship and good English. Most local workers in the Sumbersari area don’t speak much English, many not at all, as is the case with one of the two Ketut’s.
Even so, the English-speaking Ketut struggles to understand most of what we say other than some basic cooking and household-related words and expressions. After all, this is their country and we should learn to speak their language to some degree if we plan to be here.
 |
| This old bicycle is leaning against the stone wall of a house down the road. |
The Balinese language is not the easiest in the world to learn and we’ve struggled with even a few of the many syllable words. Somehow between all of us, we’re able to communicate enough to manage the household comfortably.
They easily respond to hand signals such as this morning when I asked them to wash the huge square dining room table with hot soapy water. Although after each meal they wipe down our eating space on one end of the table (the one facing the ocean), it needed a good cleaning to help keep the flies away while we dine.
I surely could have done this myself but we’ve noticed it seems to hurt their feelings when we take over a job that falls within their job descriptions. Really. It’s the custom which we respect as we’ve both tempered our innate desires to clean up.
 |
| Community building where security hangs out day and night. If we had an emergency, we could run down there. It’s only a short walk from our villa. |
We pick up after ourselves as much as we see is acceptable to them, not unlike one would when staying in a hotel. You don’t make the bed, wash the floors, clean the bathroom, do the dishes. We put our clothes away, hang our wet towels on the towel bar, hang the damp beach towels on the portable clothesline and hang our wet swimsuits to dry.
If it rains during the day and they aren’t here, we bring the chaise cushions and towels indoors. When they are here, they’re quick to handle this task including grabbing our wet suits from the line.
The most I contribute to the preparation of dinner is to make the dressing for our salad, toss the salad and place equal portions in each of two salad dishes, which they don’t seem to mind. However, each time we attempt to clear the table after dinner, they rush up to us, gently taking the dirty plates from our hands indicating we go relax with the swish of a hand toward the living room or outdoors.
 |
| This plant is a bit confusing. |
It was the same way when we lived in Morocco in 2014, as the staff happily and graciously took over the cleaning, food preparation, serving, and cleanup. Then, it took us a while to get used to being “waited on” and now, two years later again, we’re learning to comply and be good house guests. Of course, there’s always plenty of room for saying thank you and commending them on a job well done, which obviously means a lot to all of them.
Prior to their arrival at the villa, each morning at 8:00 am, we prepare our coffee, serve ourselves and wash our coffee mugs leaving no dishes in the sink to wash. Plus, while I’m showering Tom sets up the cushions and beach towels on the chaise lounges enabling us to have coffee outside overlooking the sea.
Yum…what a way to start the day…a perfect cup of hot French pressed coffee with whole cream and a comfy chaise lounge with views. That’s my guy! Any wonder why my daily life is so exquisite?
 |
| Pretty blooms on a walk. |
Also throughout the day, Tom is the “beverage guy” serving me icy mugs of iced tea or water. Somehow, he evolved to this “position” and there’s no complaint from me, instead only a heartfelt “Thanks, Honey,” when he serves me a beverage and “takes care of things.”
In this environment, I almost feel like I’m not holding up my share of tasks when my devoted husband ensures everything I need is right at hand. Gosh, it’s a miracle I get any steps logged on my newly purchased FitBit. Somehow I manage to with our walks on the beach and in the neighborhood. Also, spending considerable time working out in the pool, has proven to be my new favorite mode of exercise.
Hopefully, tomorrow we’ll be back with a plethora of new and interesting photos to share with our loyal readers who may have become bored with our constant stream of photos in paradise over these past few weeks.
Thank you, loyal readers! We appreciate each and every click! Happy day!
Photo from one year ago today, May 14, 2015:
 |
| A small lagoon between Anini Beach and Ke’e Beach. For more Kauai photos, please click here. |