Fruit

Hi,

This was the first day without an official ban on burning.  Hmm, so that means that, oh never mind.  The AQI meter spiked way into the red zone.  We may have reached new highs in Chiang Rai.  It is very discouraging.  

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “Surfer Girl” by The Beach Boys.  Congrats to all who knew and had a nice memory.  Until I can come up with a different name for our Wednesday songs, it will still be a ‘Zany Day’ song.  I think you know this one:  “I may not always love you, but long as there are stars above you.  You never need to doubt it, I’ll make you so sure about it.  __ __ __ what I’d be without you…”  Hint:  This one happened in 1966.  One of The Beatles called it a ‘Perfect Song’. 

Our concerns about the air quality are real, and shared by many, but not all.  On my drive home from my meeting this evening I noticed a local ‘outside’ restaurant seating a large party for dinner.  And here I thought eating near the road was a bad idea.  Oh well, not my business.

We stayed in the house all day, except for my trip downtown.  The traffic was light because this was ‘Labor Day’ here.  I’m not sure what it means, but a lot of businesses were closed.  To be sure, a lot were open as well.  

Yesterday there was a demonstration outside the talat.   This unusual event was an effort to get merchants in the downtown market to stop using plastic containers and bags.  They were proposing the wider use of metal containers that are stackable.  Much of the food that is sold is put in foam containers and sometimes straight into a plastic bag.  Everything from rice to soup is poured into a bag and sent off with the customer.  The vendors at the mall have signs over their booths stating ‘No Foam’.  Awareness is growing.

Today’s photo was captured by Lisa in our front yard.  We bought this tree when it was just a little thing.  We have been waiting for several years for the blooming to begin.  This is a special time and every morning we go to the window to check its progress.  

Every day Nitchanan adds something to the pile of priceless memories.  They are things that most little kids do and say, but when you witness it, it’s still amazing.  She and Lisa were hanging out in the kitchen and she had a note pad. She had been walking around pretending to take notes and make a list.  Then Lisa wrote Nitchanan’s name and it set off the requests.  She wanted Lisa to write my name, then her mother’s, then Gong’s.  It’s what they do.  When I returned from my meeting, she walked over to the van and asked me, in Thai, ‘Where did you go?’  My answer wasn’t sufficient so she kept asking until Natcha told her something that satisfied her curiosity.  Whew.

I have written about Daku and his patterns and schedules in the past.  He still operates like clockwork when it comes to going outside, or downstairs to look for Natcha.  Somehow, he just knows.  Today after lunch, Lisa asked him  where his toy was and he looked at her and then went and got it.  It’s a green toy that has chambers for kibble.  He shakes the kibble out and that’s his dessert.  Well, it’s an after dinner treat, not lunch.  He knew.  After he had released and eaten all the kibble, he went to Lisa and just stood there, as if to say, ‘Where’s my lunch treat’.  He didn’t settle down until the ritual was completed.  

Feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                          Peace,

                                    Danny

“Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb.

It’s where all the fruit is.”

~Shirley MacLaine