Sam Houston

Do you ever have things to do that you intend to do as a tradition and never quite get around to it? I'm funny like that. I have things that for years I have planned to do as a tradition and never quite get around to it. Like playing Michael Card CDs on Sunday morning. I haven't done that in years but if you ask me, it is still my tradition. Also, I have a tradition of eating Chinese food on my oldest nephew's birthday - don't ask me why. I have never eaten Chinese food with him but on the anniversary of his 1st birthday, I was sitting in a Chinese restaurant at the exact moment he was born. Traditions are funny things - they do not have to be observed to be remembered.

Another thing that I have never done and intend to do someday is bake a cake for Sam Houston's birthday. Sam Houston's birthday is March 2nd and coincidentally, March
2nd is also Texas Independence Day. For all you non-Texan (ummm, heathen) folk out there, Sam Houston was one of the greatest of Texas legends. A giant of a man, he had many faults, some private and some very public. At one point in his life, he was called 'Big Drunk' by the Indians he lived with. Later in his life, he sobered up and married a Baptist preacher's daughter (second wife - the first wife left him mysteriously and neither of them ever talked about it). Anyway, he was a Tennessee governor who basically left the office in disgrace and came to Texas. History was waiting for him. He came to Texas just in time to get involved in the sticky politics between Texas and Mexico. At that time, Texas was under Mexican rule. Sam Houston was the hero of the Battle of Jacinto and the first president of Texas. He died during the Civil War, opposing slavery but never seeing the end of the story.

In memory of Sam Houston, here is a recipe for Sam Houston Cake. I have not tried this recipe so if anyone does make it, please me know how it comes out - another March 2nd will be here soon and there are traditions to be observed.

SAM HOUSTON WHITE CAKE

3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 teaspoon almond flavoring
6 egg whites
Cream butter until soft and light. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue creaming several minutes to incorporate as much air as possible. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; sift three times. Add flavorings to milk and water. Add flour alternately with liquid to creamed mixture; beat well after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry; fold immediately into batter, blending well but do not beat. Pour into three greased and floured 9-inch layered pans. Bake at 350 F., 25 minutes. Cool five minutes, then turn onto cooling racks and remove pans. When cool, fill and frost with:

SHINY CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Melt three 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate over hot water. Remove from water and stir in 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup hot water. One at a time, beat in 3 eggs’ yolks. Beating well, add 1/4 cup melted butter, a little at a time, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread between layers and over cake.

Hosanna, Hosanna!

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The Spirit of Adventure

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The Weaving

The Weaving

The weaving that made me
from the cradle
was a wondrous thing
Tales of ancient days
And times beyond the years
Troubadours of word and song
sagas of legend thrilling
beyond imagination
of great houses
that rose and fell
on a sovereign’s sigh

Stories of giants and shepard boys
Of prophets that could whistle
chariots from the sky
A vineyard stole and a king rebuked
A God who could make people see
And then weep for their blindness

And now I am old
Old than my years, it seems
Yet the stories have never
Become child’s fancy
A God who interferes in human affairs
How quaint!
Yet a lame man stood tall
And a boy named Laughter
Rode his old father’s bony knee

And I believe
Oh, I believe
Every jot and tittle
And I crave the day
When I can hear the story
From Tamar’s lips
And see Paul’s eyes blaze
and to see Moses point his finger
In majestic command
I long to see Job throw back his head in laughter
And hear the poetry dance in Isaiah’s words

And the reminisces will be long
And deep
And the words will roll on forever
And forever
Slow and steady
Majestic and stately
A little funny
And a belly roaring good time
And finally,
My head pillowed on folded arms
As I fall asleep to the story,
A child again

rrw
Winter 2007

I'm Back

All,

I am back in my city from Thailand. I arrived late Monday night. The last couple of days have been rather low key - I have been recovering from the vacation :)I now have a working camera so I will posting pictures on my blogsite more often. Corbin is doing fine - feisty as ever!

Painting Pictures of Egypt

I found a song that so perfectly describes my feelings right now. It is a lot of Houston and a little bit of Thailand. It is by Sara Groves and off of her 'Conversations' CD. Here are the words:

Painting Pictures of Egypt

I don't want to leave here, I don't want to stay
It feels like pinching to me either way
The places I long for the most are places where I've been
They are calling out to me like a long lost friend
It's not about losing faith, it's not about trust
It's all about comfortable when you move so much
The place I was wasn't perfect but I had found a way to live
It wasn't milk or honey but then neither is this

The past is so tangible, I know it by heart,
familiar things are never easy to discard.
I was longing for some freedom, but now I hesitate to go
I am caught between the promise and the things I know

If it comes too quick, I may not recognize it.
Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?
If it comes too quick, I may not appreciate it
Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?

Chorus: I've been painting pictures of Egypt, leaving out what it lacked.
The future feels so hard and I want to go back.
But the places that used to fit me cannot hold the things I've learned,
and those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned.

Elephant Riding

Today was a fun day and I really want to tell you about it! My day started officially started about 8:25 this morning. I was supposed to meet a group from our conference for this elephant tour. So I hurriedly finished breakfast and went out to the front of the hotel to catch the tour. Since no one I really knew well was going, I was essentially going by myself. So when I get to the front of the hotel, I say "elephant tour?" They say "Yes, yes, the van by the juniper tree." So I get in the van and off we go. We traveled for about an hour outside of Chiang Mai into the mountains. The scenery was beautiful. It was like being in Kentucky or Tennessee but the houses were on stilts. The rainy season lasts for 6 months out of the year, causing the river to rise, hence the stilts. When we arrived, we first took bamboo rafts down the river. This was a totally cool experience. The bamboo rafts were exactly that - pieces of bamboo with little wooden seats on them - Huck Fin goes to Thailand! The ride down the river lasted a good 45 minutes, I would say. It was so peaceful! The river was shallow and in some places the bottom was only a foot or so down. The rafts were powered by our Thai guides poling the rafts with long bamboo sticks. The river was winding with gentle bends and draping greenery on the banks. When we finally arrived, we were taken by ox-cart to the elephant boarding zone. Also, let me add that this whole set up was run by a certain tribe and we were taken to their village. The tribe is called the Lee Sue people. They sold handicrafts in their village. I got a beautiful carved black vase. By this time, I had made a couple of new friends, and one of them, a lady named Cynthia from Nebraska, was my seat partner for the elephant ride. We were told the elephant that we rode on was pregnant. She did seem rather hungry as there were several stops along the way where snacks (sugar cane, bamboo, bananas) were being sold to the tourists so they could feed the elephants. Every time we arrived at one of these stands, she put her trunk up in search of her snack. The elephant ride itself was rather bouncy as a lot of it was going down steep trails. After the elephant ride, we were served an excellent lunch on the patio overlooking the river.All in all, it was a lovely time and a very fun day .

OK - here's the best part. After the tour is over, the lady who arranged the tour came over to collect money. I say, "I've already paid" - I had paid the night before. She looks a little puzzled and to make a long story short, when it was all sorted out, I had been on the wrong tour all along! Apparently, there were several elephant tours leaving from the hotel about the same time and I got the wrong one! However, I have to say that it was probably a better tour that the one that I had originally planned to go on. Also, I made some new friends and had a great time - perhaps God in His Wisdom arranged the 'wrong' tour to the be 'right' one after all!

From a Tropical Place

I am in Thailand attending a conference and on vacation. I will be here until early March. This city is in northern Thailand and is beautiful. I am enjoying my time here. I got a lens for my new camera yesterday so I should have pictures to post very soon. In the meantime, the mild tropical climate is great - the city is nestled in the foothills of a mountain range. So far I have done the conference thing, the local Zoo, a luxurious spa treatment, and a bit of shopping. But to quote Joshua, age ten, "you know the best thing about being here is that the electricity hasn't gone off once!"

Rugs

Rugs, especially handmade ones, are a speciality in this area. I have had one family member who has requested a rug for this part of the world. If anyone else would like a rug, let me know the following information:

1) how much you want to spend, including postage
2) approximate size
3) colors preferred
4) handwoven or machine woven

I woud be more than happy to look and see what I can find! Here is a picture the rug I got for my cousin. This is one is handwoven, made of silk and wool.

Wool Thief

Ok - I have another Corbin story. This cat does something funny everyday - there is no lack of material regarding him. Today I was talking on the phone in my living room and I happened to glance up at the stairs that go to the roof. I observed my peshu (cat in the local language) trotting as fast as his little legs would carry him down the stairs with a large hunk of something in his mouth. Upon investigation, I learned that he had made off with Grandma's wool. The grandmother of the family downstairs takes old blankets apart to reuse the wool - this is something traditionally done in this country, so I understand. Anyway, on sunny days, she will go up on the roof and do this. This not the first time I have found bits and pieces of wool on my floor but this is first time that the little stinker has dared to take so much. I kid you not - he had a piece of wool in his mouth that was probably half the size of him. He looked very disappointed that his play pretty had been taken away when it was return to Grandma and the roof. Oh, such a naughty boy!

A Corbin Story

OK, anyone who knows me knows I love cats. My cousin wrote me an e-mail and said, 'Knowing your fondness for the species...' That inspired a Corbin story. Just to introduce those of you who missed my great announcement - I acquired a Siamese kitten at the end of November 2007. He is now about 3 months old and as one of my friends said "He has character" - I would have to agreed he has that all right! In short, he is a naughty, naughty boy when awake but an angel when he sleeps.

OK, here goes. I am using sand for cat litter here - it is much cheaper and does the job just as well. Anyway, I have a bag of sand at the bottom of my stairs that was too heavy to haul up the stairs. Corbin's litter box (bowl actually) is upstairs in my store room. I came in from shopping yesterday and happened to notice there had been certain deposits in the bag of sand downstairs. I went down a little later to confirm this and to clean it out. Sure enough, my little guy had helped himself to what he correctly perceived to be clean sand. As I was taking care of his business, he was standing at the top of the stairs watching me. I could tell by the look on his face he knew he was in trouble. I used my best momma voice and said 'PESHU' - he turned and ran for the store room! I later informed him that if he continues to poop in odd places, then Momma will be most unhappy! I asked if he understood in four languages - capishe (Italian), comprehende (Spanish), understand (English) and po hey gum (Pushtu). He assured me in cat that he did indeed understand and this issue would not arise again. At this point, all I can do is take his word (in cat, of course) for it.

Another Good Day

Dear friends and family,

I have not blogged in almost a week - a little down at the mouth, sick one day and dragging the next. And quite frankly, life has not been too excited - other than the power going off about every 10 seconds!

Corbin is doing very well. He is growing like a weed and is a naughty naughty boy! He is an angel when he sleeps, though. Just a few minutes ago he figured out how to push open the living room door. It was slightly cracked on purpose - I want to him to learn to open doors so I will not have to let him in and out continually. Anyway, in typical Corbin fashion, he launched his whole little body at the door and voila! To his amazement, it opened! Good job, Corbin!

Today was an excellent day. I had quite a bit of activity and felt that I got some things accomplished. This morning I went to the American Bazaar with my language teacher and another one of the ex-pats. Just to clarify, the term 'American Bazaar' has nothing to do with the layout or the business owners - it is the goods that give it this label. This place is an amazing collection of shops that have goods that apparently were intended for the country right across the border. Well, apparently, these goods make a regular and tidy habit of 'falling off the truck.' Hence the name of the area 'Smuggler's Bazaar.' It is one of those places you never know what you will find. This is the first time I had been out there and I will go again because the prices are good and the variety is excellent. I found such things as Campbell's Mushroom soup, Lucky Leaf Pie filling, yams in an restaurant size can, McCormick's basil, and last but not least, tampons! Amazing! They do have quite a few 'P' products also but those I can get in town for the most part.

In the afternoon, I went with Geena (my house help) to look for furniture. We were supposed to go to Old City but did not get to do that. We went to a second hand bazaar some distance from my house.I was looking for a table and an amorey (armoire) to put in my 'office.' Nothing fancy - I just needed a table and a storage cabinet basically. Armories are very common here - most of the houses that I have seen do not have closets - they just use armories (amorey in the local language). Anyway, the last shop we came to was pay dirt. There was a table that was the right size and a good quality for a great price. I also found a second hand amorey - the shop owner is going re-paint it and we will pick it up on Monday. You know, when I count my blessings, I count Geena. She has helped me so much in the set-up of this household. She knows where to go to get the best deals in town - places that I would probably never go to by myself, not knowing the language and the area. She bargains for me and she is good at it. We are gradually working out a system where I indicate interest in something, maybe one of us asks the price and then we go from there. Sometimes I have a hard time reading her if it is a good price or not but I am getting better at this. I think she is also getting more comfortable at telling me yes or no. She can be assertive when she wants to be. She is her mid to late 20s with a husband and one daughter. They live, as most 'P's do, in a communal family setting - aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, etc.

When I got home this afternoon, I had a surprise sitting in the middle of my kitchen floor. It was my stove, on order from a larger city to the east. Alleluia!!! It still needs to be installed but it is in my house and I am dancing on air! Cakes, pies, casseroles, anything that needs an oven - at the fingertips!

OK - enough excitement for one day. Is anyone out there really reading this?? (KB - I know you are - bless you!). In any event - have a blessed day and remember the One who made the moon and stars and makes His mercies shine new every day!

Just An Ordinary Day

Today was just a rather ordinary day. But it was a good day and I want to tell you a little about it. It has been cold and rainy here and I have been in the house for about 3 days. Today was still cold but the sun was shining and I was able to get out a bit. I went first to one of the local bazaars with my house help to get groceries and other supplies for the week. Grocery shopping here is nothing like what I was used to in my place of orgin (I am really trying not to say 'at home' every time I turn around!) Grocery shopping involves an open air market - kind of like a strip mall with little stands of fruits and vegetables. For dry goods and such, there are little stores along the strip.

Later in the afternoon I went with one of my neighbors to one of the large bazaars in town. I was going specifically to find wall decorations and I hit pay dirt. We went into several shops that had 'antiques' - not as in furniture but as in arts and handiwork and such. I got several things that I think are really beautiful. One is a wheat rug. It is basically a heavy mat, dense and weighty. It is cream colored with a brown, almost southwestern looking pattern. I was told that it was a rug used in the villages to sift the chaff from the wheat. Once the wheat was sifted, then there are pockets in the rug so that it can be filled and loaded on a donkey. Apparently this type of thing is used in several countries in this region. I also purchased a wooden frame with two doors that open up. This is meant to be hung on the wall - it is a dark brown and appears to be hand carved. There are two flowers carved into two circles, one on each door. Another item was a brown wall hanging that is horizontal in design and measures about 12 feet. It is about 6 inches wide and has tassels along the bottom. It is a lovely brown color - it was a find because I am doing my living room in tones of brown.

After all this, a friend and her sister's sister-in-law came over for tea late this afternoon. The lights went off but we had a great time anyway.

I think I will mark this day in my memory as the first day that this strange place began to feel like home. Inch by inch and moment by moment, perhaps this place will seep into my heart until I want no other - until I can say with all my heart 'this is home'

English Walnut Date Cake

Here is a recipe I tried for Christmas this year. The ingredients are readily available in my part of the world. When I made it, I pitted and chopped the dates by hand. This took a while but otherwise it is an easy cake to make. As a variation, I think this would lend itself nicely to some apricots stirred into the batter.

English Walnut Date Cake

2 pounds dates, pitted and chopped
2 pounds English walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Grease and flour a ten inch tube pan or a bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine dates, walnuts, sugar, baking powder, and flour. Stir in egg yolks. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the fruit/nut mixture until no streaks remain. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 90 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

16 servings

13 Uses for a Chaddar

This a look at life in my new country - from a woman's point of view. In this area, women wear chaddars or saddars (chaddar is Urdu and saddar is Pushtu). Basically, a chuddar is a huge shawl that covers the head and about 3/4s of one's body. Women here wear them in a variety of ways but always to cover the head when going out. Some women cover their faces with them, pulling them across the nose and tucking behind the ears. When at home, it is acceptable to wrap the chaddar as a shaw around the shoulders. For the fashion conscious, they can be draped around one shoulder. If draped on the neck as a scarf with the two ends hanging down the back, it becomes a duppatta (usually a smaller piece of cloth). They come in a variety of colors, textures, and prices and can range from very beautiful to very plain.

Anyway, today I was pondering on the many uses of the chaddar - here some of my unconventional thoughts on this subject.

1) air pollution mask - when out riding around town, I have been known to pull my chuddar over my nose in order to avoid breathing dust laden air.

2)kitten blanket - my little kitten hates to be cold. He loves to curl up for a long nap under my chuddar when I am sitting down.

3) substitute jacket - I have yet to wear a coat since I got here. The chuddar serves as an extra layer of clothing in cold weather.

4) face mask - once, when in a taxi, the taxi driver kept staring at me in his side mirror. Having quickly tired of this, I pulled my chuddar across my face and kept it there for the duration of the ride.

5) Gifts - they made great gifts for female friends (please, none for the other gender!) and are always well received. Given the variety, you can find one to fit any budget and any style.

6) Quick dust catcher - I caught myself wiping off my computer screen with my chuddar today - that is what actually inspired this line of thought.

7) great kitten toy - Corbin loves to play with the tassels on my chuddar and anyone else's who comes within range. They can provide hours of kitten entertainment for a very reasonable price. No fancy toys for this cat!

8) Money talks - I have been known to wad up cash in my hand and hold it under my chuddar. Great place to hide your money!

9) Hand warmer - on cold days, a chuddar is a great thing to bury your hands in.

Ok - these next ones are purely speculative - I have to admit I have not yet tried them - maybe someday!

10) umbrella - it has only rained once in the two months I have been here. I look forward to the day when I can use my chuddar as an makeshift umbrella.

11) Impromptu cushion - self explanatory

12) Flame thrower - as chuddars are worn everywhere, even the kitchen, they can be a bit of a hazard when working around open flames. I would recommend this use when all other uses have been exhausted and you really need to, pardon the express, lighten up!

13) Oh, I forgot the most important use of all - they are great for hiding a bad hair day!!!!!!!!!! No one will ever know the difference, and yes, I have to admit I have tried this one more than once!

A Rickshaw Ride

Today I took a ride in a rickshaw to get a local store. While this may not sound earthshattering, it is a one small step for womankind - this woman at least! You see, this was my first use of public transporation by myself since I arrived here two months and two days ago. I have been out and about in the city frequently but never alone. I have always gone with someone else, usually my househelper. Today was the first time I secured public transporation for myself using what little I know of the local language. I was even able to bargin the driver down a bit - he held up 4 fingers (for 40 rupi) and I said no and held up 3 fingers (for 30 rupi). The great thing is that I was able to commicate and even get a better price than orginally expected. I deliberately picked a store that was easy to get to and was able to give directions in the local language. For me, this is a victory - kind of like learning to ride a bike for the first time. One small step but this means that I am becoming more independent and able to do things on my own.

Please stay tune to this blog for more developments on the public transporation scene!

Reflections

As I reflect on this last day of the year, it is hard to believe it is almost January again. Last January I began in earnest on the road that brought me to my new country. In March I learned that I would be going for sure. In May I started packing. This packing and unpacking was the most wearying part of the whole process and was to last until I moved into my final home a few weeks ago. In June I moved my furniture to my mother's house. In July I said good-bye to my apartment, my job, and my world in Houston. In August I went to another state to attend orientation. In September my beloved cat, Monday, died suddenly. In October I finished my orientation and returned to Texas. At the end of October, I said good-bye to my cat Tuesday and left him with my mother in America. On the first day of November, I set my foot for the first time on the soil of my new country. On the 29th of November, I aquired a new kitten. In December I moved into my new home.

As I reflect on the changes, it seems too much to pack into one small paragraph. But I am nothing if not concise! Each of these changes alone would have been huge. But so many in so short a time? Well, sufficent to say that I have seen my Father's graciouness in each step of the way. Always in the back of my mind, the thought hovers that He is for my good. He is often a bit mysterious and He does things His own way but He is always in my corner. In the midst of a year of change, He is still Abba and that will never change.

Recent Events

All,

I wanted to give everyone a quick rundown on recent events in my country. As most of you probably watch the news, you know it has been turbulent for the last several days. As reassurance, I am doing fine. There was some violence in other parts of the city on Thursday evening but my neighborhood is very safe and I experienced no problems. On Friday and on the weekend, most of the shops in the city were shut down due to the situation. I have mostly stayed at home during that time. I did attend a wedding yesterday. Today is Monday afternoon and the city seems to be coming alive again. I took a walk earlier today and observed the mood of the city. Businesses were open, public transportation was running, and people were up and moving about. All this is good - it means things have settled down.

Za Cor

Ok - the house is coming together. After weeks of worrying - no, let's be honest - obsessing about this - it finally beginning to look like a home. I got carpets yesterday. My language teacher and I went to a bazaar on the outskirts of town. This bazaar is locally called the Smugglers' Bazaar because apparently there are lot of things there that are intended for other places and just miraculously appear here. Anyway, it is a great place to go to get higher end things at good prices. I got one room of wall to wall carpeting and two large beautiful Turkish rugs. One of the rugs is shot with browns and creams. There is a large cream flower design in the center of it. I put this one in my dining room. The other carpet is cream with a dark red pattern. It also has touches of green in it. It is a beautiful rug and something I plan to keep for years and years - Enshallah. It is in the bedroom. The rugs have also made the house much warmer as some of the floors are marble...

First Edition Poor

Zama Cor - in the language that I am learning that means 'my house.' After weeks of saying that phrase for a variety of situations, we have finally arrived. I moved into my new place on Saturday. Me and peshu (that is 'cat' in my new language). By the way, I figured out that the cat speaks the local language and not English. When I say 'Peshu, Peshu' he comes running. When I say 'Here kitty kitty' I get a blank cat look!

Well, back to the house. I had a mattress delivered on Saturday. The only problem was it did not fit going up the stairs! So I slept on a toshak last night (they truly are multi-purpose). A toshak is a large cushion that is used for sitting and also at times for sleeping. Kind of like a sofa but more portable. We finally got the mattress up the stairs tonight. I have very little furniture right but have ordered a bedroom suite, a kitchen table, a china cabinet, and a dining room table. The furniture is being made so that will be several weeks before I get it.

I feel like I am 25 again and setting up housekeeping - for those of you who were single for longer than 5 minutes, perhaps you remember your first place. If it was anything like mine, it came with carpet that had seen better days - a lot better days! My first carpet was orange shag that had lost the shag a long time ago but not the funky orange color! The furniture was whatever could be begged or borrowed from family, friends, and people who I just happened to meet on the street and who felt sorry for me. My first couch had orange flowers - vintage 1950s! It had been left in the apartment and the manager was going to put it out on the curb. I said 'No, I'll take it' - I had no couch and frankly, no prospects of getting one. I used that couch for 4 years and my mother had it for another 10 years. She just recently gave it away - it is still in service. My first kitchen utensils came from a relative's house who had a reputation for stopping on the street on trash days and going through whatever was sitting on the curb. Lest you think I was ungrateful, I was not. The set of silverware that came from that relative - well, I used it for 12 years, always with gratitude that she cared enough to give. As I replace all the things I left behind, I find myself missing the stories behind them. For those of you who, like me, have cobbled your life together, possessions become a way to remember, recollections of people we have known and places we have been. For me, I left behind the depression glass bowel that my sister got me for Christmas during a lean year, the cross stitch from Lois in CA, the candelabra that came from a co-worker - the list could go on and on. It is not the possessions that I miss - it is the stories and connections behind them that I long for, I think. One of my friends from those early years (she was equally single and equally poor) used to say that we were furnished in 'first edition poor' Well, poor it certainly was but somehow, the stories made for a fabric of untold richness.