Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Same


Hi,

Today was a 'dry day' in Chiang Rai.  There was a very early shopping run, a painful massage, and an unexpected dog washing.  I also managed to get in some handy-man chores.  What a day.

That 'Easy Monday' song that slipped by you was "Got To Get You Into My Life" by The Beatles.  Now we're faced with another 'Zany Day' song.  "It's not what you look like, when you doin' what you're doin', it's what you're doin' when you're doin' what you look like you're doin'!  __ __, __ __."  Clue:  The title is two words urging the listener to speak up for what they want.  The band is named after a prominent street in Los Angeles.

This morning we got up early so we could get a head start on the day.  We arrived at Makro a little before 8am.  We needed some essential items and I had an appointment at 9.  We breezed through the shopping and got home with time to spare.  It's the first time we've been to Makro that early and there weren't many shoppers.  At 8am and 6pm every day the National Anthem is played in many public places and on the radio.  The protocol is to stand still where ever you are until the anthem is finished.  I was surprised when I watched a small group of men at the shrimp table continue to pick over the sampling and chatter away.    Oh well.  I'm also happy to report that the Super Highway to the airport intersection is now operating in a normal fashion.  

I knew that my massage with Khun Joy would be an ordeal because I hadn't had an appointment in two weeks.  In that time there had been the marathon walking/standing at Airport Central in Chiang Mai, and several hours of standing at the wine-tasting party last Friday night.  Joy found the source of the twinges I'd been having and focused on them while I moaned and held back screams.  She would move away from the source of the pain, but then re-visit it a little later.  It would have been so easy to just say 'no more', but I knew it was doing me some good so I hung in to the end. 

Our afternoon routine consists of a nap, and then I let Daku out while I get the coffee together.  Today I had to go outside and pull him up from the grass.  He was doing that thing that dogs do when they smell an unusual scent.  They like to rub it on themselves and today he found something very smelly.  When he came upstairs it was apparent that he couldn't stay unless he got a bath.  While Lisa began the process of washing the smelly dog, I got rid of the offending odor.  Daku had discovered the remains of a lizard and was wallowing in its scent.  Gross.  

There are special little touches around town that add to the charm of it all.  One of my favorites that is found throughout Thailand is the Police booth.  With it's helmet-shaped roof, it's used for shelter when they are controlling the signals, a place to write tickets, or a place to just hang out.  Regardless of it's use, it brings a smile when I see one. 

                               "Police Booth"

Now it's time for Wacky Wednesday.

                     Peace,
                                Danny

"Our greatest strength lies not in how much we differ from each other
but in how much - how very much - we are the same."
~Eknath Easwaran

No comments: