#720 Saturday 26 October

Up at 6 to catch up on the CWBC office work that couldn't be done yesterday.  At 8 it was time for a walk to get breakfast (local) then a haircut ant beard trim followed by a walk down Jn Cemara to try to find a "sleeve" for the Sony laptop.  I found a good one .... padded etc for 100k.  When I got home and tried it it was just a smidgeon too small.... so I finished the office work and now I'm back having a lunch break.

I was able to swap the sleeve for a larger one.

This afternoon, Lanang is to come and repair the pool.

6:30 pm. The pool repair was inconclusive ... still blocked.  We will try again Monday with more tools.

So ..... with an afternoon free I went into Tuban for a spa/massage.  Good choice! Very relaxing in very pleasant surroundings.   The only thing that could improve was either my Bahasa or her English!

This was on the by pass close to the airport road.

Afterward I walked north along the bypass and it was good .... lots to see

Inside the wall at the right is a cemetery....  with all the graves above ground .... almost like N'aw'lins

This shop was a new thing for me so I went in to explore .... It's a sort of bakery but they only make one thing.....  pia barong.  These come in four flavours ... I had a cheese one ... but it tasted more like banana so I think the order was mixed up.

Quite tasty .... but not a meal .... 3 bites.

So I kept walking and finally got to Hypermart.  I'm now about to have tea at NCC

After this I'll head home.

#719 Friday 25 October

Well ...

The new airport terminal is operational .... it's gi-normous!  The arrival area is simply huge .... I'm very impressed.

.... And then the trip from airport to Sanur ... this is now via the new toll road ... it makes the trip half the travel time. It's simply amazing .... about 15km of bridge across the bay.

The at the villa ..... Since the villa has guests for last night, I had arranged to camp at the next door neighbours ... he was going to leave his door unlocked and the light on for my 3am arrival .... but the plan failed and at 3am I found myself wandering round the area looking for anywhere to lay my head for a few hours.  No joy at any of the normal resorts or the places I've stayed at before .... all were shut up.   I walked round and finally found a local spot where I could rent a room for a short time ... by then it was very good to wash and sleep.  Now ... at 7am ..... I'm having coffee at a cafe in the next street.

The villa guests move out in a couple of hours so I'll be ok then.

Midday:  I tried sleeping .... no go .... so I'm at Hardys  eating lunch.  I sorted out phone issues.

#718 Thursday 24 October

Last night we had a little celebration ..... an ice cream!   It was due to the compensation claim being finalised.  

I have received an ex gratia payment from the government in recognition that I was one of people who was abused while a child staying at a high school boarding facility.  This all happened 50 years ago but it was a very damaging experience and all my life since then, I have struggled with doubt about whether it all was real .... now I have official recognition that it was real .... I have a new tool to deal with the doubt and uncertainty.

As you know, one of my main interests is computers .... so my big "pat on the back" from the claim is that I can buy a new computer.... which I plan to do this morning!  Naomi has been suffering with an "old plodder" so I'm going to buy her a new Sony ..... a really fast "you beaudy" one!

I'm not buying one for myself because a few weeks back the laptop that belonged to a client died ... so it had been replaced and I had managed to get a real bargain .... a Sony Duo 11 with top specifications.  

Since this little gem belongs to the client I haven't had to fork out any money for it .... but I still get the pleasure!

Tonight I go off to Bali on another maintenance trip.  The main goal for this trip is to check on progress of the roof sealing.  The roof is flat concrete .... common in Bali and it should be ok .... but the quality is poor and leaks are a constant problem.  So we are covering the whole roof area with a rubber/aluminium foil sheeting.  This is glued down and it should help with insulation as well as stopping the leaks.

The photo shows the flat roof partially covered with the sheeting.

I will continue this blog from Bali .... and Naomi will provide some added bits from home for the next few days.

#717 Wednesday 23 October

Significant event!! 

For years now we've been trying to kick-start Kaylia's ability to imagine .... to play with imaginary friends .... to perform imaginary actions.  To date it has been fruitless.  But the current therapy program has this as one of  the goals ..... and yesterday Kaylia was observed having a "tea party" with her teddy bear!  It was unprompted and she was on her own.  She even put in the sound effects!

This is really a big event!  .... and afterward she was cuddling her teddy!  She's never done that before.  Woo Hoo!

Another funny thing happened this morning ..... I came downstairs at breakfast time and looked out the side door ..... on the ground just outside a b.i.i.ggggg kangaroo was happily munching!  He moved under the "stump sitting area".  While I watched Teddy came running round the verandah and out onto the little balcony ..... Teddy was standing about one metre above the roo!

There must have been a noise because Teddy looked down and ..... WOOF!  Teddy jumped and the roo took off .... it was very funny to watch.

#716 Tuesday 22 October

Yesterday was "drama day" ..... Kaylia has therapy with Alison from 3:30 to 5:30 .... and at 3:45 Alison calls me to say that Kaylia isn't there at home!  Do I know where she is because there's a radio report of a bad accident on the road that is traveled from school.  I called Jo on the mobile but there was no answer. 

Anxiety goes through the roof! Perhaps call the police to see if we can find out any information?

  .... and then after 5 minutes, Jo calls back .... she'd forgotten that therapy was on ..... and she was at the quarry for a walk.  Big sigh of relief! I was very happy that it all turned out OK.

With tea in mind, Naomi had bought some ingredients .... but of course when tea time came, Kaylia wasn't having it! She wanted Nandos!   The routine must be adhered to.

Today Kaylia has therapy again .... and Naomi won't be working late.  Yay!

#715 Sunday 20 October

Another bloggable moment .....   you'll recall me saying that Kaylia is starting to make jokes?  Well today we were driving back to Midland along the Reid Highway and we stop at the traffic lights .... a car pulls up next to us ... it has very clear photo of a street and houses all over the side (real estate person) .... Kaylia looks at it and says "Holiday!"  ... meaning Bali.  .... and yes, it looked a bit like Bali.  We all laughed and she seemed pleased at our reaction.

Kaylia in her "Nando sunnies"




Earlier she had looked at me as we drove along ... and gave me a "Kaylee grimace" (her version of a smile when she is asked to give one) .... and I thought "Wow .. she is learning some social gestures!"