The gentlemen from the mosque actually called the house at 8 to make sure I was coming to karaoke. (= huh. How about that?
Nina and I went for about 40 minutes (which is about as short as we could get away with, without offending anyone). I blurted out a few Lionel Richie songs and desecrated Elvis one more time before taking my bows & apologizing for having to leave so soon.

Meanwhile at home, sate production was in full swing. Somehow eating has become the theme of the day. This was the 5th time I was asked/ordered to eat. All in the name of caring for somebody I suppose!

Saté is chunks of meat skewered on a stick, which has been roasted over a fire or small BBQ. We had beef and goat saté tonight. I wondered if I had met my dinner earlier in the day or not.

New Years in a small Javanese town is nothing like New York City or Boston… There weren’t large fireworks anywhere, no champaigne toasts, auld angs yne or finding someone to kiss, and few large gatherings downtown.
For me, ringing in the new year was somewhat low-key, celebrating mostly with a dozen family & cousins (and Dina’s boyfriend, who just made it to town earlier today), listening to the neighbors belt out karaoke tunes, and running outside to light a handful of roman candles & sparklers. We punctuated the night by driving Dina home and swinging through downtown Cepu for 10 minutes to say that we did. Everyone was in bed 30 minutes later. (= ha ha. Happy New Years!