It’s time.

Chop chop chop… I was thinking what might be the sound? Someone’s mending something? The smell didn’t cheat. Someone’s chopping meat in a house in the back of my house. Ah yaa… tomorrow is Galungan Day! I remember that today is cooking day. Big cooking: lawar and duck satay.

It's so warming when meeting Ketut my house-owner making a penjor in the parking lot. I felt wow since he made the penjor for the compound to be fixed in front of my gate because the compound’s merajan (shrine) is in my garden. I feel honored. I’m glad I didn’t allow them to move the shrine out when I took over the house. I enjoy the life beat of the shrine.

I watched Ketut prepared his penjor artwork while starting my car engine. I told him about our nice neighbor yesterday casually so didn’t expect him to become upset because of the incident. He didn’t like someone violated the privacy of his compound where my house is. Ehm… I tried to calm him down by telling him that I understand our annoyed neighbor’s point. After half an hour of nice talk, I learned something from him. I have to learn how to deal with people who have different idea. I tend to avoid while trying to understand that people could have different idea. Not exactly right, it seems.

Anyway, I had a really nice day with my childhood friends who are half Balinese. They came to Bali for their father’s cremation next Sunday in Kapal. I feel sorry that I would miss the ceremony but I would definitely attend the next ceremony that follow two weeks later.

I picked them up in Sanur and brought them to my house. They loved my house. We sat in my bedroom-cum-studio to check out my necklace creation. Both are crazy about my necklace since I started the business. Today they asked for a collection I still keep. I gave up. I took them out and before too long they took four necklaces without price tag because I haven't spared time to price. Ah ah…

It’s really nice to get in touch with them again. We talked a lot about our (or just mine?) new life. My friend just adopted a baby boy that makes her life has a totally new rhythm. I often thought about her being brave to change lifestyle. What about me? People often thought the same about me. We sat on stairs looking at Sanur beach feeling amazed how time has brought us to today. We’ve known each other all our life.

What would we be 25 years from today?

Picture of Sanur beach from my friend’s family house.