Adventures In Thailand

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Waste

Hi,

Today was clear and blue all day. No rain, just a few clouds that blew away early. We went into town and saw things.

The 'Bad Ass Bass' tune should be one you all know. Only two responses to the hit version of what may become a classic:

"__ __ __ __ __ I won't let sorrow hurt me, not like it's hurt me before. For once I have something I know won't desert me, I'm not alone anymore..." Hint: Sung by a Motor City boy wonder who is multi-talented.

The aftermath of our last storm left us with every towel in the house needing to be washed. That's the first time that it's been like that. Hopefully it was a freak storm that was just passing through. Boot and La spent a lot of time reclaiming the yard. There were plant messes everywhere. Things are back to normal this evening and tomorrow is a new day.

Since Boot and La were working so hard in the yard, we went into town to do some shopping and have lunch. We ended up at Central Plaza for lunch and some shopping. We ate at Black Canyon and saw our friend May, the manager. During lunch I heard a recording that I'd heard there before so I asked about it. I figured it must have been on a CD. May had her assistant get the disc so we could see the cover. She told us we could get it upstairs at Boomerang, the music shop. The song is a Bossa Nova version of "I Shot The Sheriff", sung by a young woman. It's a real different 'take', but it works.

After lunch I went to the music shop while Lisa got some paint and other art supplies. A few more odds and ends and we were done with the mall. As we left we remembered we needed bread. The bakery is next to the car wash and the car was filthy so we did the 'car-wash, coffee, bread' thing. Doi Chaang Coffee was a nice break from the heat and we got a chance to browse the current edition of the Bangkok Post. We see it online, but it's different in the paper form. By the time we finished our coffee the car was done. At the bakery, our English Retriever friend Jonathan not around. He was at home, staying cool so we didn't get to visit with him. We're used to petting him while we wait for our bread to be sliced. Oh well, next time.

The bridge should be done tomorrow, purely based on the number of vertical bars to be painted - but that doesn't mean it will get done. The impact is wonderful during the day. At night, the yellow street-lights on the bridge tend to wash out the brilliance of the pink. Hmm, maybe we need white lights again.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

Peace,

Danny

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely."

~Auguste Rodin

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Choice

Hi,

Today began as a beautiful day and morphed into an afternoon monsoon. In between there was a massage and the first swim of the season.

The very 'Easy Monday' song was "Hotel California" by The Eagles. This week we begin another Wednesday Special with a concept suggested by my brother Denny. His idea was to feature songs with strong, musical bass lines. For the next month or so Wednesday's will be called 'Bad Ass Bass Day'. Hope you recognize the songs and remember the bass parts.

"__ __ __ __ __ I have someone who needs me, someone I've needed so long. For once, unafraid, I can go where life leads me and somehow I know I'll be strong..." Hint: The version with the exceptional bass was released in '68 and is still a very popular recording. Not written by the singer, but is it any wonder that he made it a hit?

After a second night of rain and wind, we thought the bright blue sky was a sign that it was all over. Ha! Where have I been. Like other parts of the world, the weather here can be unpredictable at certain times. We don't usually get this kind of storm in March. On Monday, our friends at The Sold Project had damage to the roof of the Resource Center and the wind blew down the 'silk worm hut'. Repairs were being made today and I hope they were on time.

It was such a beautiful day that I decided, with a little coaxing, to put on my new wetsuit and go for a swim. It was the first time in the suit for the first swim of the season. The water would have been too cold without it, but as I stepped in it felt fine. The first thing I noticed was a difference in buoyancy. I was lighter in the water, which was a cool kind of feeling. I did some laps and got reacquainted with the view from the pool. The whole encounter was a big success and cold water can't hold me back anymore. I just have to be willing to pull on the suit.

After my swim we noticed that the sky had suddenly gotten darker. A little later the wind came up and we had to close some windows. Then the rain hit and it was time to get the towels. These sideways rain storms usually happen at night so it was interesting and weird to see it happening during the day. Watching the water fly right at the house was not how we'd planned the afternoon. The front yard became a lake very quickly and puddles were appearing around the house. The rain was being blown under some of the roof tiles and was trickling down the walls in a few places. We lost power for a while but it came back after about 30 minutes. Through it all, the dogs were following us around the house. BamBam is afraid of thunder and big weather so she was under me as I tried to do things. Daku was a little upset but mostly curious about all the activity. Everything is calm now, but tomorrow there will be plenty to clean up outside. And that's the way it is.

Time for Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,

Danny

"Choosing to live your life by your own choice is the

greatest freedom you will ever have."
~Shad Helmstetter

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Mind

Hi,

Today was a beautiful, overcast day after a torrential windy rainstorm last night. It had that familiar monsoonal vibe that rattled windows and bent trees. We just had minimal plant damage but it was a very freaky night. Ironically, we did several 'spring' things today.

Our current 'Easy Monday' song brought mail from around the world (555). I'll finish it with my favorite lines:

"Last thing I remember I was running for the door. I had to find the passage back to the place I was before. 'Relax', said the night man, 'We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave'. Welcome to the __ __, such a lovely place, such a lovely place. They're livin' it up at the __ __, what a nice surprise, bring your alibis..." Hint: There really is such a place, though probably not quite as notorious as the one in the song.

Last night's storm left umbrellas on their sides, a few broken plants, and lots of leaves everywhere, but no real damage. When the wind is so strong that it rattles windows, it's hard to relax. That part didn't last long but it brought back memories. Amazingly, the power stayed on all night. Right in the middle of it Daku wanted to go outside. Ha, not going to happen. Later we went out and the lawn was soggy so he didn't want to stay too long. This morning he did some light-weight investigating and decided that it wasn't that interesting. Boot cleaned up the yard so it looked like nothing happened. What a job.

This morning the guys from Sinthanee came to clean the air/con units. We're having them come on a regular basis so we don't have any problems during the hot weather. This afternoon 'screen guy' and his little crew came to replace a few screens and work on some doors. This is the time of year when things that fly seem to thrive, especially after it rains. We love Thailand but we grew up living with screens on the windows. Bugs belong outside.

Work on the pink bridge continues. It should be done in a day or so. The main portion of the impact is done, and crossing the bridge in the day time brings a giddy, happy feeling. It's straight out of an amusement park. All it needs now is to be 'tagged' with a glue gun and some glitter, and maybe a few discrete Hello Kitty faces. See, it's made me crazy.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

Peace,

Danny

"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend."

~Henri L. Bergson

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Monday, March 12, 2012

Imagine

Hi,

Here in Chiang Rai the air is a little bit better and the evening temperatures are rising. We never got the rain that was forecast, but we're still watching the skies. Update: As I'm writing the wind has picked up, there's lightening in the west and it feels like rain.

The 'Old School Friday' song was "Two Lovers" by Mary Wells. OK, it's time for 'Easy Monday' and you know this one:

"On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitas rising up through the air. Up ahead in the distance I saw a shimmering light. My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night. There she stood in the doorway, I heard a mission bell. The I was thinking to myself this could be Heaven or this could be Hell... Welcome to the __ __, such a lovely place, such a lovely place...." Hint: It's about a place in the Golden State, by a group named for a bird.

Saturday we did nothing special. Sunday we did some shopping and met with Jaffee in the afternoon. That's when things got interesting. We were given directions to a coffee place that he discovered down on 'Old Airport Road'. It was across the street from the Red Rose Hotel. On the way, we passed by the new Harley dealership. Nice looking place with lots of shiny new bikes in the window. We couldn't find the coffee place with the curious name 'Mummy's'. We decided to drive into the Red Rose and see if it had an exit that might point us to Mummy's. The Red Rose is a real strange place. It looks like a cross between Disneyland and an old movie set. There were castle turrets, a giant gorilla, and a big sign with photos of the rooms. Each room has a theme that looks like a fairy tale. I plan to go back and take pictures.

We finally found our destination and sat under a tree by a fish pond and had coffee. We discussed the 'Encore Reception' we're having in Chiang Mai for Lisa's exhibit. We met the owner of the place and he showed us some coffee beans that he roasted and explained the difference between roasts. The area around the old airport has lots of small hotels and it's where people come to exercise. Next to the airport is a small golf course where we used to get chicken burgers. It's another part of Chiang Rai that most travelers don't visit.

The bridge is getting close to completion. The pink railings and curbs are done and now they just have to paint the bars on one side. It's an awesome sight to see. Now we can tell people that we live near the pink bridge and they'll know what we mean. I'm sure it will be the talk of the town. Today we noticed that the road-side stand where we used to buy watermelon is now active again. We're not sure if it's the same family, but there was a table full of melons and other fruit.

Evening at the Night Bazaar was great. After our dinner we walked around and when we got to one of our favorite shops the woman, who is a fan of Lisa's work, told us that her class went to the museum at Rachapot University and she saw Lisa's cast acrylic print of The King. She was very excited about it and told her teacher she knew the artist.

Today we went to the bus station and bought tickets for next Sunday. We'll take the VIP bus to Chiang Mai for the reception and then return on Monday afternoon. It's been years since we took the bus to Chiang Mai so another adventure is coming.

The wind is really whipping around outside and it's finally raining, so it's time to walk around the inside of the house just to check things out.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every

single person shared a little of what he is good at doing."
~Quincy Jones

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Imagine

Hi,

The 'Old School Friday' song was "Two Lovers" by Mary Wells. OK, it's time for 'Easy Monday' and you know this one:

The wind is really whipping around outside and it's finally raining, so it's time to walk around the inside of the house just to check things out.

Have a Great Week.

Peace,

Danny

"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every

single person shared a little of what he is good at doing."
~Quincy Jones

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style

Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday Funnies

Hi,

The broken record weather remains. There are several forecasts calling for rain either Saturday or Sunday and we can't wait.

That pesky 'Wild Card' song was "The Look of Love" by Dusty Springfield. Oh yeah. Time for some 'Old School Friday'.

Well, I've got __ __, and I ain't 'shamed. __ __, and I love them both the same... Let me tell you 'bout my first lover. Well, he's sweet and kind, treats me good like a lover should and makes me love him, I really love him..." Hint: This clever song was a hit in '63 by a motor-city diva. There's a number involved in the title. Hmm, do you suppose she was singing about her guy?

This morning we had another brief session with the dogs outside. We were going to cancel, but they insisted that we go outside. Air can be very deceiving sometimes. What's in close proximity can look clear so you figure it's OK to breathe. Then you look off in the distance and realize that everything is gray and you've been tricked. This thing will not be over until there is a good rain to wash away the smoke and put out some fires.

We went out into the world today. A drive through town is always a sight-seeing tour as we made our way to Orn's shop. Orn is a seamstress that we have been going to and she does good work. Lisa is having her make some pants from material we got at the market yesterday. Hmm, I'd better get out that shirt I like and see if she can make one like it.

Makro in the morning is cool if you're early. Today we weren't early. It was a little busy, but we got the things we needed. The big snag came at the check-out lanes; not enough were open. Makro is a little like Costco in the U.S. It's also like a wholesale warehouse in that shop owners come there to get mass quantities of things. It is not uncommon to be in line behind a vendor with a big flat-bed cart filled with everything he sells in his neighborhood store. There are no bags at Makro so for big orders they transfer items from one cart to another as they ring them up. It's very interesting unless you're standing behind a couple of these full carts. It's not really a grim picture, just a standing in line thing. (Ha)

The weekend is upon us and we have no plans. What? Hopefully we'll be sitting by the window, watching the rain. There was talk of a carwash but I think that will have to wait. We should probably consult with one of the locals who knows how to 'smell' rain just to be sure.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd. It's time for some 'Funnies' from the pen of Dorothy Parker by way of our friend Deirdre.

Peace,

Danny

Quotes from Dorothy Parker

"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."

"I don't know much about being a millionaire, but I'll bet I'd be darling at it."

"Don't look at me in that tone of voice."

"The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant,

and let the air out of the tires."

"I require three things in a man: he must be handsome, ruthless, and stupid."

Gettin' Funky, Thai Style