Hi.
We are now back in the 'Hot Season'. Forecasts call for low to mid 90s during the week, and 100F by Sunday. If the air stays clear we will be in the pool by next weekend.
The 'Old School Friday' song was "You Send Me" by Sam Cook. 'Easy Monday' is next with a song you know.
"First I was afraid, I was petrified, kept thinking I could never live without you by my side. But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong, I grew strong, I learned how to get along. And so you're back, from outer space. I just walked in to find you here, with that sad look upon your face. I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave the key. If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me... You think I'd crumble, you think I'd lay down and die. Oh no, not I. __ __ __. As long as I know how to love I know I will stay alive...." Hint: This song was a disco anthem back in the day. Female singer making a declaration.
Saturday morning we went to Art Bridge to deliver samples to the gift shop. In the lobby there were about 50 children between 8 and 10 years old, seated on the floor. There were four adults seated before them, telling them about art. I don't know what was being said, but it apparently went over the kids heads. They were having fun talking, playing games, and looking off into space. The event was put together by the Chiang Rai Cultural Affairs office. The children came from Buddhist, Muslim and Christian communities and the idea was to come together to learn about art. Great idea.
The crowds at the river seem to get bigger every weekend. By Saturday afternoon it looked like a little village. There are people living in temporary huts, complete with car ports. Vendors have stands around the grounds, and at the edge of the river there are small, square platforms for eating. There are even little potted trees placed near the platforms to add to the atmosphere. Songkran doesn't begin for two weeks, but it looks like it's happening now.
Rapid progress is being made on the Thai kitchen on the side of our house. Every day there is a dramatic change. Sunday we bought tile so the counter top could be covered. It brought back memories of when we were building the house, and all the trips to the tile store trying to decide on what to get. Fortunately, Khun Yee told us how many boxes of tile and how many bags of grout to get. I'm guessing it will be done by the end of the week.
In the evening we went to a birthday dinner at Le Meridien for our friend Claire. I was able to 'eat out' thanks to our friend Scott, who is head chef at the hotel. We told him exactly what I needed for my typical meal and they made it perfectly. During dinner I learned about things going on around town. There is going to be another hospital in Chiang Rai, being built by a hospital chain. It will mean another outlet for quality medical care and more doctors in town. While discussing different fruits, Scott showed us a photo on his phone of a custard apple. Cat said she knew this fruit by it's Thai name. Then she told us how the leaves can be put in a blender and smeared on the head to get rid of lice. Hmm, the things you learn. There was also much laughter when we realized that the word for brown and the word for sugar are the same. The laughing began when I mentioned the song 'Brown Sugar' being sung in Thai. It would be: 'Namtan si namtan' or sugar brown. The image of Mick singing this was too much.
I have been going on about the air quality and finally have some photos to show you what I'm talking about. The first photo is obviously a day when the air was bad. On the bottom was the day after a night of rain. Note that you can't even see the hill in the middle.
Have a Great Week.
Peace,
Danny
"The universe, as we know it,
is a joint product of the observer
and the observed."
~Teilhard de Chardin
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
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