Light

Hi,

Our old friend, the rainy season seems to be back in town.  We had another big downpour and a series of showers today.  More is expected tomorrow.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “All My Lovin’” by The Beatles.  Time to get busy with another ‘Zany Day’ song.  I’m sure you remember:  “Take out the papers and the trash, or you don’t get no spendin’ cash.  If you don’t scrub that kitchen floor,  you ain’t gonna rock and roll no more,  __ __ (don’t talk back).”  Clue:  Chores can be a drag.  

It was another day in Chiang Rai.  We ran a few errands, had a nice chat over coffee at Work@Home, got an estimate on home improvements, and went to dinner with friends.  Oh yeah, and we watched way too much CNN, which threatened our sanity.  

I had a lot of thoughts about my day that I was going to share with you, but they’re all just flying around in my head.  I remember that we were asked about the election, but it was ‘too early to call’.  There were text messages from Thai friends who were feeling sad, and wondered how we were doing.   

While waiting at the fruit market, I thought about how hard life is for so many people here.  It’s one thing to sit at a location all day, selling something, but then to go home and work all evening to make more things to sell the next day must be exhausting.  

The Prime Minister has now requested that everyone wear mourning clothes for a full year.  That means more black, which is fine with me.  I love wearing black.  It’s going to be difficult for a lot of folks, but a black ribbon on the shoulder makes it acceptable to wear something else.  A group of Mahouts brought their elephants to the Grand Palace to pay tribute to The King.  They had powdered them down so they looked like white elephants, which are believed to be sacred.  The all lined up and then knelt and lifted their trunks in a salute.  The visual was very moving.  The way it was accomplished is disturbing.  The ‘training’ of elephants is not gentle or humane.

We passed by Doi Chaang Coffee and the shop is gone.  The end of an era, at least on the corner we’ve known and loved for nine years.  It’s been a landmark for many tourist and locals alike.  The new location is not as close to downtown so it won’t be a short walk for coffee.  We still have The Wanderer and it’s closer than anything else.  

Today’s photo was taken from our bedroom balcony.  The giant palm type plants are what have to be ‘thinned’ so they don’t disturb our neighbor.  They used to be tiny.

Definitely a Wacky Wednesday.

                Peace,

                          Danny

“See the light in others,

and treat them as if that

is all you see.”

~Dr. Wayne Dyer