Running Around......Town!

 We came across this clothing store - I think I need to come back and check it out some time.....soooooooooon! 

 Nick & I ran some errands in town.  I stayed with the bike and he went in to pay the Internet Cable bill.  We have high-speed internet - through a phone line.  It seems to be the way to go and it has really been pleasant uploading pictures - working on the blog and email too is going well!  YEAH!

 

This gentleman (he is in really good shape!) is waiting for clients for his becak - he seems to be quite a runner!  Had his becak all dolled up in the colors of his sport!  He gave me a BIG smile when I asked him if I could take a picture of him!  

Nick is doing a collection of becak's  - so I couldn't pass up this shot!  

So you know our neighbor has dogs...and we have been hearing a whole lot of yapping lately - 

and guess what?

Yep Mom got a litter of 9 dogs!!!

 Oh my goodness is that a hungry group or what????????

 Come and get it!!!!!

 Poor.... momma ...she started to run down the road and all the pups ran after her!  She only has so many nipples - ouch! Run!

 We headed into town...Nick is hanging up our new electric Hot Water heater!  So we needed a stop at the Hardware store downtown.  There is the roundabout - and it was full of flags for the upcoming elections!  All the parties had their flags out!  Very colorful!

 Sitting on the back of the bike I can take lots of pictures - and Nick's head & helmet is kind of handy for a steady shot!

 This is the main road in town.  Jalan Jendral Sudirman.  You can pretty much find what you are looking for - on this street.  And just recently they opened up a new "Indo Supermarket" - and that is really nice - as American as you can get it here. 

 Here is the Grand Wahid hotel that we stayed at in the past- we are so glad that we made so' many wonderful friends here in town! Did we ever think coming into town from Yogjakarta that day by bus that we would end up staying in the very town Nick & his Mom & sister Cecile had lived in before leaving Indonesia in 1948?  Amazing huh?

Nick & I are ever so' pleased to have found a place to settle for a while!  Hotel in and out - suitcases and backpacks - meeting people and then leaving again...well it can get tiring after a while.  We certainly had hoped to end up in a town - and settle for a few months - that truly was our plan and hope.....but his old town...where his mom had even had a bakery shop making bread in her house?

Sure didn't realize it when we first checked into this hotel - but God knows! Yep He had a Plan...and Nick & I feel blessed being a part of it!   Thank You Lord!

Across from the hotel is a open kind of mall -inside the pink building you see this below.

People drive their motorbikes right inside and just park it - and then they shop the vendors.  We had a passport picture taken for our monthly extensions.  I think at one time it was a inside shopping area - but it is now a open market area.  On the back street is a vegetable market and also a meat market. 

 Saturday morning and we decided to take a walk before heading to Kawan Kitchen for their  "twice a month" pancake breakfast at Elisha's and Beppie's!  Just a great place to meet friends!  Lots of people just come and have a good ole' American breakfast -

We love this road that is really close to our house.  The rice is almost ready for harvest!  I like to take the camera with me as much as I can...you always see so much here and there! AND.... if I don't -well then  I see something, and regret not having it with me! 

 Such a beautiful sight huh?  It is going to be a nice day today....yeah! No rain?

 See the kernel's of rice that is almost ready?  I opened up one to see the progress.  Yes this City girl has to see this ~ 

 Love how the farmers level the hills by cutting in ridges on these slopes.  They fill the level with dirt so each is leveled on it's own.  Then they irrigate it and the water drops from level to level...watering the rice.  So much work and all done by one hoe that is used.  We appreciate their hard work - the people are such hard workers and still so much is done manually!

 ...and look here...these guys are putting tiles on the roof..handing to one another...one by one...and up so' high! With bare feet too!  They smiled while I took the picture- oh I wanted to say "be careful up there you guys" ....but darn - just can't find those words yet...! 

 When we got to Kawan Kitchen, Kristiaan & Leanne, and Beppie were enjoying breakfast - so Nick & I joined them.

                  Goeie Morgen!  Hoe gaat het? Just in time!  

 We were ready for some breakfast..after the walk.  It was really warming up out there!  It felt like at least 75-80 in the Sun...and it was only 9:40 am. 

Walking back to the house again we say this man up on the end of the ridge -Yikes! He cutting the eave shorter!  Oh my goodness- !!! There again with bare feet!  I just had to pull out the camera and take a picture and he was so friendly and gave me a big smile and a warm greeting wave!!! 
Selamat Pagi!         Good morning!

So when we got home - we relaxed a bit -AND THEN..... it was TIME to take the bike's out for a run...- notice "bike's" out for a run...YES!!  Come on Nico...let's go for another practice run OK????????  
So we did....and oh my what fun it is!!!! We drove out of the village this time - and even went on the highway (a 2 laner only) (Nick seems to feel - I must of been ready????!!!!!) 

Boy oh Boy - ...Kasum our neighbor saw us head out and said "bagus Ellen!" Good Ellen! I honked with the bike! Proud as a peacock - yep I am so pleased to be riding it and feeling more and more confident everyday!  

We went all around and even went to a pretty busy street with lots of motorbikes, cars and buses and people...crossing over, and all went well.  Nick leading ahead of me!  I learned how to tank gas - "besin" 1 gallon / 4 liters a tank ~ very reasonable!

We then headed home - "Ellen" was contented with her 2nd big ride!  Yeah!  What fun it is to ride - and yes we do wear helmets!  Nick is a good teacher...and wanting to be ever so careful ~ I figure I better listen well to my instructor - so "he" will let me go into town one of these days!  Yep - after 6 months - of sitting on the back seat and not having driven a car all this time....well I must say it is.....*#@*^%@{|*%..........
Wonderful! Wonderful! W o n d e r f u l - to have some "wheels under me again!!!!!"