Convictions

Hi,

Chiang Rai has had a very rainy weekend.  We endured a couple of ‘Storms of the Century’ along with some weird stuff.  Even with all of that, we had a great weekend.

The ‘Old School Friday song was “Heatwave” by Martha & The Vandellas.  ‘Easy Monday should be a snap.

“They say the neon lights are bright __ __.”  Hint:  Oh, seriously?

Saturday we braved Makro in the morning.  It still boggles our minds when we see the carts of the shoppers for their little stores.  They are filled to the brim with all the stuff one buys at a convenience store.  Some use the flat-bed carts that they fill with cases of beverages along with several carts.  We filled our cart and managed to luck out at the check-out.  All day, we were watching the sky for signs of rain.  As long as it wasn’t storming in the evening, we were determined to go to Art Bridge.

The Small Paintings Exhibit was a major success.  The turnout was large, and the 255 pieces of artwork were almost overwhelming.  Someone asked me which one was my favorite and I told them I couldn’t limit it to one.  It had been two exhibit openings since we’d seen a lot of our friends and it was nice to be missed.  We plan to return when the gallery is empty so we can really absorb the entire exhibit.  

Not far from our house, there was a very large corn field that was recently cut down.  Looking past that field I noticed a grove of trees that I’d never seen before.  I finally took a photo and asked Cat if she knew what they were.  The next time you have some tapioca pudding, remember these trees, for they are tapioca trees.

When the yard crew came on Friday, they cut the lawn down farther than we like it.  They chopped the clover close to the ground and the whole thing looked like it was dead.  We know it will grow back quickly, but it was a bit of a shock.  I suppose it was a good thing in terms of allowing the water to run to the drains easier.  Daku was not amused by the absence of grazing grass.  He looked a bit confused when he first went out on the new turf.  With all the rain we’ve been getting, it will be back to ‘normal’ very soon.  

Sunday evening, just as we started getting ready for dinner at the hotel, it began to rain.  Lisa, Cat, and Claire were going to ‘dress up’ unless it was raining.  Instead, they dressed for the weather.  By the time we reached Le Meridien, the rain had slowed to a sprinkle so we stayed dry.  We had another evening of stimulating conversation on numerous topics, laughed a lot, and learned new things.  

When we arrived back at the Big Brown House we were in for a surprise.  The water pressure was very low downstairs and nonexistent upstairs.  What?  Lisa and I went outside with flashlights, looking for possible leaks, only to hear the whine of the pump motors and the beginnings of water going into the tanks.  Blue suggested that maybe the storm had knocked out some element of the ‘City Water’ as it’s called.  We kept hoping for the best, because there was nothing else to do.  Much later that night, the water was back, the pressure was strong, and evening showers could be enjoyed by all.  Whew.  

This morning we were treated to another big rain.  The various ways people adapt in the rain is still fascinating.  We saw everything from rain-coats to trash bags keeping people dry.  Vendors with their sidecar kitchens were especially clever, with plastic sheeting covering their stoves and food until they got to their next stop.  Then the covers became curtains.  Life goes on, even in the rain.

Have a Great Week,

               Peace,

                         Danny

“You must stick to your convictions,

but be ready to abandon your assumptions.”

~Denis Waitley