Happy 4th of July! Here in Jakarta it’s already the day after. If it weren’t for 2 zealous expats–one British and one from Panama–the day would have ended as it began, Just another Monday workday. As you might imagine the 4th of July isn’t cause for celebration in Indonesia. But, August 17th is, and is celebrated much the same way as the 4th of July is celebrated back home: fireworks, games, picnics and parades. Americans wear and wave red-white-and blue; Indonesians wave and wear red and white. 4th of July commemorates the beginning of a war, as does August 17th. Americans fought for “Freedom”, Indonesians call it “Merdeka”, the cause is the same: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Celebrating holidays away from home is bittersweet. Distance makes it easy to forget…actually forget is not the right word. Distance makes it easy to ignore holidays–or try to ignore them. Maybe because it hurts a little to be away and missing out on the fun back home…

There weren’t any fireworks or parades at last night’s Fourth of July celebration. But there was red-white-and blue (everyone dug through their closets to pull out whatever patriotic clothing they had-a red batik shirt won the prize), there was laughter and chatter (in a variety of accents), there was music (in varying styles–we finally settled on country western as being the “most” American). Even with all that, it was the food that made the holiday. As my mother would call it “good, old fashioned American”: hot dogs and burgers with buns, potato salad, cold slaw, beans and watermelon (Delsy, our Panamanian-American friend and hostess pulled me aside to ask “When do we serve the watermelon? With dinner or dessert?) Brownies and pie with ice cream-cherry, blueberry and apple, of course!  Each mouthful was a taste of home, a reminder of 4th of July’s past, and promise for the future.

I woke this morning, with a feeling of having a foot in 2 time zones. It was 7 am. here in Jakarta–which is 7 pm central time. On the other side of the world, back home in the USA, Fourth of July celebrations are in full swing–sea to shining sea! I’m lamenting the extra servings I indulged in last night at the exact same moment that you might be dipping in for more. I’m putting away my red, white and blues while you’re pulling yours on.

In spite of CNN news, I am also feeling hopeful. Our 4th of July celebration included 20 or so people of different races, genders, nationalities, religious and political beliefs. Festivities right now, today and tonight, include millions of people whose ancestors fought on opposite sides of battlefields with all the hatred, anger, hurt, and vengeance of the people battling today.

Happy Independence Day; Pray for Peace.

Cambodian Children Outside Their New Library

Knowing my stories are being read and enjoyed is the highlight of my job. So, you can imagine my delight when Kelli Lambe sent me this photo. Kelli, her husband, Steve, and their 3  boys spent spring break in Cambodia, where they helped create and stock the library in a school outside of Seim Reap.

No, the books haven’t been translated into Cambodia. The children sound out the stories while learning English.  What’s especially cool is that often parents and other adults,  who are also learning English, sit  alongside the kids–laughing and learning with them. (I’ll have to ask if Kelli taught them to two-step and how to say “y’all”  after reading Dance, Ya’ll, Dance.)

Kelli wrote: “Cambodia was a wonderfully meaningful trip.  So much so that we are now going to Papua with Lex and Linda [Operators of Remote Destinations Tour Company] to help build a library there. Keegan is doing it for his IB community and service project.”

You can be sure my books will be along on that trip, too. Spreading the joy of reading a few books at a time!

If you’d like to donate books or send a contribution for the Lambe’s next  library project, send me a note and we’ll make it happen.

Sometimes, in the midst of our get er done busy-ness our creativity can get shoved aside. Or, worse, instead of really letting go and allowing our imaginations run wild-and sometimes a muck-we don’t push our ideas far enough. We settle for our first idea. First isn’t necessarily best.  Have you ever wondered what the last gal to cross the finish line was doing all that time? What the outfielder picking at the laces on his glove is thinking? I know Curtis was wondering where I’d gone with his coffee cup…

I was thinking about the list of to dos on my lengthy get er done list when I took one of those turns. I always have a few projects around that need doing. Some, like filing papers, are waiting because I am avoiding them. Others, like the drawer of candle nubs and cluster of broken geegaws in need of gluing, are just waiting for the right day.

Candle nubs and sealing wax and other nasty stuff...

I was filling our coffee cups in preparation for the start of a truly productive get er done day when one of those “projects” sprang to mind. The egg cups glistening in the morning sun were just so empty.

Sometime after Easter, I’d wandered into a shop selling left-over candle eggs, you know the ones that look like Easter eggs and are adorable, but you always wonder what the heck you’ll do with them because they are small and wobbly and not really good for lighting. Well, these were different. They were egg colored with white shell on the outside and looked real. The shopkeeper had placed them in egg cups and lit them. Perhaps because of the way they had burned down, the top edge was jagged, the way real eggs are when you carefully crack open just the tops to make cascarones, confetti eggs. Which got me thinking: Say, I have a few egg cups hanging around…

So, I began collecting egg shells. Instead of cracking them in half and pouring out the middle, you gently tap the top to crack it, pick off the shell bits until you have a hole big enough to stick a toothpick in, stab the yolk, and gingerly shake out the egg and white. Wash the shell and set it out to dry. The trouble is, you can only do this on eggs which you don’t mind scrambling. And you have to use eggs. And you have to store these fragile shells somewhere safe. And don’t forget you are saving them, and which bowl you’re saving them in, or you might accidentally put another bowl inside that bowl and crunch….

Pretty little egg shells all lined up and waiting for wax!

Yes, it has taken me longer that expected to collect enough egg shells to make it worth my while to drag out those candle nubs. But here’s the thing, a friend, Jeff, happened to leave a Real Simple magazine at my house recently, and I happened to flip through it, and in the column on reusing stuff was a seedling planted in an egg shell. The blurb said when the seedlings were ready for planting in larger pots, or the garden, you could simply plant the egg shell incubator in the soil. The shell will soften, the plants roots will break through the shell, and the shell will nourish the soil.

After reading this, I was torn. The egg shell seedling in the picture was soooo cute. In my mind’s eye I saw them sprouting in my egg cups on my sunny window sill. Still, those candle nubs, even if they did smell good, were ugly ugly ugly.

Sticking down the wick in the hardest part. Getting it to stay upright is the other hard part. I tie the wick to a skewer which keeps it upright and centered. 1st step, pour a little wax into the bottom of the shells, let it harden slightly and then, using the blunt end of a skewer, push the end of the wick into the soft wax (not too hard or the shell will crack). Let the wax harden all the way before pouring in more wax. And don’t fill the egg shells all at once or the hot wax will loosen the wick. Fill the shells in layers, letting each harden before adding more.

I poured the extra melted wax into a wine glass--it gives a lovely light!

And guess what we’re eating for dinner? Scramble by egg cup light. (I have to get started collecting shells for future seedlings.)

What else can I make with egg shells? Any ideas? This isn’t procrastinating, it’s creating! Come on you left fielders…

Here's my eggshell candle, too cute!