Canvas

Hi,

We had a clear, sunny day in Chiang Rai. It was a perfect day for the pool guys and the landscape crew. I began a camera search and got my feet done. Huh?

A lot of you remembered "Mr. Tamborine Man" by Bob Dylan. It also had a notable 'hit' cover by The Byrds.
"The road is long, with many a winding turn..." Clue: 1969 mega hit by a group from across the pond. Became an anthem for many. The title has a long history.

This morning the yard was bustling with activity. First the men and women of the landscape crew started their day long process of grooming the place. It always amazes me when I watch them prepare themselves. Layers of clothes, sometimes two hats plus gloves and then they go to work in the sun. Meanwhile, I'm wearing one layer of the lightest cloths I have. Hmm. I showed Kek the sink hole and he told me he'd deal with it. That was good news. A little later the pool guys came and started their work followed by Johan, their boss. We talked about the health of the pool and decided it was time to go back to the salt chlorination system. Maybe by the end of the week I can get back in the water.

For almost two years we've been using a 'point and shoot' camera that's been more than adequate for the kinds of pictures we've been taking. Now we find we need something more sophisticated to get the full scope of Lisa's art work. I have seen the results of shots from better cameras so we decided it would be a worthwhile investment. Off to Big C to the camera kiosk on the second floor. I priced some cameras based on the specs we want and took down model numbers for later research. One of my briefest visits to the place in history.

With all the stair climbing and swimming lately, I've been feeling a little tight so at Lisa's suggestion, I went over to Pai and got a foot massage. It's actually a bit more than just the feet. It also includes the lower legs and the upper back and neck. I got a woman I'd had before and knew that she had very strong hands. That might have been a mistake on any other day, but I wanted all the knots and kinks dealt with. She did not disappoint. There was pain but then it was gone. I left feeling refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.

I realized something else about driving in Chiang Rai. There has always been a sense that everyone knew the rules of the game and that I was truly 'not from around here'. Well, I boiled it down to this: Dares go first! There is an attitude that might be viewed as pushy, bold, daring, crazy or all of the above, but it's how the road is handled. Every now and then I am able to let go of a little of my polite, western sensibility and push with the rest of them. There is a feeling of triumph and sadness at the same time. Hmm.

Daku is really getting used to sleeping upstairs with us. We have established a routine and he seems to enjoy it. We keep him up as long as we can and that has eliminated the 3am wake up. Now he gets up around 5am and is ready to start the day. That means he needs to go down to the yard. This morning we wanted to see if he'd go back to sleep. I have a pair of pants that I keep on the bed and he knows that I put them on when we go outside. Daku pulled the pants off the bed and walked around with them in his mouth and then came to my side of the bed. I couldn't have had a better hint than that. It was one of those moments that will be remembered for a long time.

Now begins Wacky Wednesday.

Peace,
Danny

"We are born into the world like a blank canvas and each person that crosses our path takes up the brush
and makes his mark upon our surface. So it is that we develop. But we must realize there comes a day
when we must take up the brush and finish the work, for only we can determine if we are to be just another painting or a Masterpiece"
~Javan


Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
www.lisamosesgallery.com