Goal

Hi,

The new weather pattern in Chiang Rai seems to be super hot days and rainy nights.  Thanks to the hot air, the rain is not that cold.  We actually swam today after a heavy rain on Sunday night.   

The ‘Old School Friday’ tune was “Gee Whiz” by Carla Thomas.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5PkdOT4PzM

Now you know.  Time for ‘Easy Monday’ and a song we all know:  “Stayed in bed all mornin’ just to pass the time, there's somethin’ wrong here, there can be no denyin’.  One of us is changin’, or maybe we’ve just stopped tryin’.  And __ __ __ baby now, __ __ __ though we really did try to make it…”  Hint:  Really?

We seem to be back in the groove of things here at home.  Over the weekend we went to the Healthy Market, went to The Wanderer for Sunday lunch, and had our usual dinner at Sawadee Restaurant in the Night Bazaar.  Coming back this time is bitter sweet when I realize how many times we have to tell people here about why we were gone.  It seems like reality has somehow been misplaced.

The ‘woods’ at The Wanderer have really filled in since the rainy season started.  It’s now more lush than ever and has become a true oasis in the city.

Driving around Chiang Rai after being away for 3 weeks, it’s easy to notice what has changed as far as small businesses.  I suppose the same thing is true anyplace, but here there is already a rather transient nature to it all.  There is less to do to start a business, so they spring up overnight.  Sometimes they appear to be doing well and then, in the blink of an eye, they’re gone.  Some of this is due to the economic climate that hangs over the country. Those with money are not investing like they used to, and good ideas don’t pay bills.  Noodles are one of the cheapest food items to sell, yet the 99 Baht buffet (less than $3) we watched for months has closed.  It always looked like it was crowded with customers, doing big business.  We went away for a few weeks and now there’s just an empty shell.  Hmm.

Daku and Neetchanan are establishing a little relationship.  They are both curious about the other.  When he’s in the kitchen or living room her eyes follow his every move.  He gives her little feet tiny ‘hello’ licks and today, while she was in her stroller, he just relaxed nearby.  

Have a Great Week.

                 Peace,

                           Danny

“Intelligence plus character;

that is the goal of true education.”

~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.