Friendship

Hi,

The rain continued through mid-morning.  It was not spectacular, but the kind of rain that totally saturates the ground.  Very deceiving when you step on the grass and realize you’re a little underwater.  It’s been cloudy and warmer today.

This week’s ‘Zany Day’ tune struck a chord for many.  See if you can remember this ode to teen work habits.

“A-well my mom and pop a-told me, ‘Son you gotta make some money, a-if you wanna use the car to go a-ridin’ next Sunday.’  Well I didn’t go to work, told the boss I was sick, ‘Now you can’t use the car ‘cause you didn’t work a lick’.  Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do.  But there ain’t no cure for the __ __.”  Clue:  There is a season in the title.  When things aren’t going well, one is said to get the __.  Hmm.

It wasn’t hard to dress for the funeral this morning.  Black has been such a staple in our lives that it was just a question of ‘which black’ to wear.  The directions we were given were exactly right and when we arrived the service was in progress.  The temple is in the village where Johan lived.  His son told me that all the people at the service were from the village and knew and liked Johan.  That made it even more special.  We listened to the monks chanting, which can become hypnotic.  It is very rhythmic, with a syllable on every beat and a bit of syncopation when another monk takes over the ‘lead’.  It’s my favorite part of any service.  After the service the monks were fed and the guests stood around and visited.  I had a conversation with our friend Baan, who told me how she and her husband Gary motorcycled around Laos.  She saw villages that reminded her of when she was a child.  They were simple, with no Western intrusion.  Deep stuff indeed.  We’re hoping to be able to spend some time with Ronald and Linda, Johan’s children, before they return to Holland.  Lisa printed a photo we have of Johan and BamBam hanging out and they were surprised that their dad was relating to a dog.  It brought smiles.

When we left the house we had no idea when we would return, so we told Natcha not to fix lunch.  We finished right about our lunch time, on the road.  Oh, what to do?  Had lunch at The Wanderer, of course.  The misting system used to cool things off is on a timer.  That means that sometimes they come on when they are not needed.

Today’s photo was taken on one of those days.  It was cloudy and humid and it created a very eerie landscape.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

               Peace,

                         Danny

“Be slow to fall into friendship;

but when thou art in, continue

firm and constant.”

~Socrates