Unhinged! Plus Random Daily Events

(Begun on Apr. 28, 2017) (Published Monday morning May 1, 2017 GMT+8)

It seems like this has been an unusually busy month.  We have had quite a few "little projects" come up, plus several road-trips.  I made kind of a list of photos by topics - looks like I have enough for more than one usual-length posting.

I didn't exactly "leave things hanging" when I posted the previous

blog.  The gate was installed with hinge-screws driven into wooden

pegs epoxy-glued into the cement post (fairly common method here),

and the pegs deteriorated to the point where the gate was unhinged

(like its owner?), just exactly when there was a lot of other stuff going

on all at once.  We chained it upright- in- place for a few days until I

could get around to doing the repairs. 

The most effective way to fix the gate seemed to be to cut out

"pockets" and epoxy-glue blocks of hardwood into place, to hold

the replacement screws.  In a few years those blocks will also

deteriorate, but they will be pretty easy to chisel out and replace.

Son-in-law Joseph gets credit for a lot of the grunt-work, above.

BUT, "Nothing ever happens easy!"  When the gate was re-

hung, it wouldn't swing fully closed at the latch-post side.

Another day-or-so of tinkering around produced some

wedge- shaped blocks which allow the gate to close with-

out "binding" on the hinges.  Everything will get a nice coat

or two of neutral-colored paint - - soon, we hope!

I get to "just ride along" much more on our recent trips than I did for quite a while after we bought the vehicle.  (It's nice having a "hired in-law" who is a good driver.)  Sometimes I just enjoy trying to record how rapidly the scenery changes:

From wide-open rice fields bordered by palm- trees,

to the slightly- worn fringes of small towns,

 past their bustling Municipal Markets

and onward into carefully-tended residence areas, 

including the occasional mansion with manicured enclave,

and out onto a "long-bridge" crossing with dry-season flood-

plains and inland mountains brooding in the background.

All of the above series of photos were taken in a few-minute span, along with quite a few others that I just don't have space to include.  The Sulu Sea is never further than a few bends in the road, with its "California Pacific Coast Highway #1" vistas.  (You're always welcome to come and see it all for yourself!  We can "put you up" if you can "put up with us.")   (NOT a paid TOURISM advert.)

The last two or three months, I have been managing to make

tortillas much more frequently than before,  perhaps more

"batches" of 6 to 8 tortillas since Thanksgiving than I had

made in the previous 4 years added up.  I'm getting pretty

efficient, and the results are fairly uniform now, with

either corn or flour tortillas.

One technical hurdle is that the little gas-stove doesn't make

a large enough flame to get the 10- inch iron skillet completely

HOT.  I've been learning to get the whole pan as hot as I can, 

and then let one "hotter spot" develop with the flame directly

under it, and rotate the tortilla over that spot until it gets done.

What should take about 45 seconds, takes 3 to 4 minutes.

Multiply that times 6 or 8 pieces, and I get impatient!  A hot,

fast wood- fire in the outdoor kitchen would make easier

cooking for these - but building the fire is kind of a hassle.

The stove's oven has also gotten pretty "weak" the last few

months, and efforts to "clean and adjust everything" have

not caused much improvement.  We're blessed to be able

to plan for a replacement stove, and have been "shopping"

and looking to avoid the design flaws we learned about 

"the hard way" with this one.  Meantime I've gotten some

practical experience cooking casseroles, pies, etc. on

the stove-top, using a cast-iron "Dutch oven."  Featured

here,  my "Mexican Lasagna" which is enchilada

ingredients placed in layers instead of rolled-up.  

I would feel quite safe in "guessing" that over 90%  of all laundry done in the Philippines is done BY HAND.  I am only recently beginning to notice a few washing machines in use around our area.  Bernadette saw no need to have a washing machine for about 4 years after we arrived here, but recently she has relented because of the sheer amount of work that EVERYTHING here requires.  

The amount of laundry hanging here would take more than
one hour to complete by hand, and likely nearer to two
hours with rinsing and wringing.  (My intention of placing some
permanent hanging lines LOWER to reach and better
organized, is not yet realized.) 

This is a typical two-tub washing machine.  Its washing and

spin-dry functions are separate, to make it much less costly

than a combined-function machine.  Nothing is  automated:

turn on the faucet and watch to see how much water goes in.

Set the timer and choose "heavy" or "gentle" action with

separate knobs.  Drain and re-fill if you want to machine-

rinse. (Many people hand-rinse, while saving the soap-

water for other loads of darker or heavier fabric.) Transfer

clothing to the spinner-tub if you want it spun partially-

dry before hanging.  Some machines here have no

spinner- tub; it is always warm enough here for things

to dry without much wringing, if necessary.

Nothing is ever easy or simple.  The new washer needed a separate reservoir- tank in order to be assured of enough clean "mountain run-off"  water when it is to be used.  This required a separate plumbing and pumping system.  We were quite pleased that our recycled "food products" drum turned out to have had vinegar in it previously;  exceptionally clean, no chance of micro-organisms, and much easier to rinse out than, say, cooking oil would be.    The last "small project" needed was a cement "pad" so the washer will stay level in operation.

The water hose needs no

kinks or restrictions, as it is gravity-fed from the storage tank.  After trying out one "false design idea," I made a springy- clamp by cutting a spiral swath from a 3- inch long piece of plastic pipe, which nicely grips the hose

and holds it in an arched position.  It has taken a few weeks of the "problem solving method" to get everything working well, but we are pleased to have it all together now.   

(WARNING, "philosophical ramble" follows.)

I've tried to figure out the reason that I put extra details into telling about projects and events.  I'm mostly trying to convey the interplay of "differentness" and "sameness" that I still feel here, at the 4.5 year mark.  For example, my projects that I did in Kentucky and California would usually hit a certain number of snags; only, here, the snags seem to be so much different from the ones in the USA, seemingly crazy little "lack of this" or "nobody ever heard of that" things that I'd never expect to run into "back home."  It's not really BAD, usually, it's just - - -weird.  Like, who would imagine ever having to "engineer" hooking up a fill- hose on a washing machine? OR, in a settled, municipal area, having to design and build the "reservoir" system to provide wash- water?   OR needing a number of WEEKS to try to find a good-quality cooking stove?  It just STILL feels kind of odd that nearly everything here goes like THAT.   But more-and-more, I'm seeing it all as a challenge, a kind of a GAME of which I'm beginning to learn the strategy.  What's good about it, I guess, is that I naturally fall into the "planner- schemer- engineer- tinkerer" category of person - and all of the little pesky obstacles sure do help to keep my imagination sharp.

The "biggest" event this last few weeks was several days "away" at a church association meeting which had been in planning stages for many months.  With some substantial donations 200+ representatives were able to meet at a large resort for the 4 days before Easter Sunday.  In addition to the usual cooperative "business" of all the churches, there were workshops on a variety of topics useful and interesting (leadership, health and wellness, lifestyle/cultural awareness, and more).  This happened, of course, as the washing machine project was only partially completed (smiley face here) and had to be put "on hold."

 The group I took to the meeting was all teenagers, except for
the pastor and me.  I'd expected to have eleven youngsters 
(that many, I've hauled on other occasions) but ended up 
with "only" nine.  Six other people from our church, plus others
from nearby churches, combined to make a load of 23 in
a 19- passenger "service van" -  a bonanza for the van-owner
as this was a little bit "off season" since the colleges are out.

The imposing and prominent entrance to the resort.   As it 
is closer to our area than Iloilo, our drive- time was nearly
an hour less than what I have become used to.  "Racso"
is the owner's name spelled backwards.
(This link shows the "map" between Culasi, upper left,
and the resort on the south- coast of Panay Island.)

 

 As there is a private zoo (locally famous) on the resort grounds
there were about 20 "animal portrait" panels on the outside
of the wall; foliage and shadow made a little challenge to get
a "good" picture.

The sketch-map shows quite an extensive compound, with
swimming pools, animal enclosures for birds, snakes,
cave-dwellers, aquatics and more.  Guest rooms are mostly
situated in the "main building" around the swimming area.
  The central "driveway" is covered for nearly 50 yards
by a large vine- arbor.  

Only early-morning sunlight could reach the walls of the
registration and conference- center building.  Our comfortable
room was upstairs just to the right of the curved balcony area.

Aviary occupant. 

 Some of the guests achieved success several times in their
"human pyramid" attempts in the swimming pool.

 One highlight of the week was the presentation of a Jewish
Passover Seder meal to the entire group.  The empty chair
is not for Elijah - - I got up to take the photo.  (This is the
Passover Meal that Jesus and his disciples celebrated the
night before His crucifixion.)

On our return trip Saturday, we noted that the Provincial

Boundary sign had added above it a VERY LARGE banner

announcing "Palarong Pambansa 2017" which is essentially

a Philippines National Olympic Games.  Quite a "plum" 

for our "backwater province" to be the selected venue for

something more than 30,000 guests and contestants in

venues scattered for about 80 km. among various

municipalities.   Flags and banners are everywhere! 

We've heard some stories this last week of the strained- infrastructure brought on by the huge influx of people for "the games."  Electricity, water supply, lodging, stocks of normal retail goods, AND transportation in and out of the province have all been stretched thin; As this happened the week- after- Easter, many Filipinos who  traveled out of Antique Province on Easter visits have been unable to return home because all passenger carriers are fully booked; one of Bernadette's cousins is still "stuck" in Manila, and we hear that tickets may not be available until May 5.

I will try to post a few of the venues' preparations and decorations in the next BLOG.  It seems like this one is also a little bit "long" again, as has gotten to be my habit lately.  We avoided the venues while the games were in progress;  I don't enjoy the lengthy traffic-jams and other inconveniences which come with such excursions, and watching a little on TV was enough participation for me!  

(I note on my "scratch list" of topics and photo-numbers, that there are STILL several subjects I haven't found space to include here.  Maybe next time - - )

Meanwhile, we wish "you and yours" all the best as 2017 rolls along. 

Tim and Bernadette Larson
Antique Province, Philippines