Cousin

Hi,

We had an interesting mix of weather over the weekend.  There was joy and pain, sunshine and rain.  Oh wait, that’s a song.  We had a lot of cloudy skies, some brief showers, and a lot of heat.

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “Goin’ Out Of My Head” by Little Anthony & The Imperials.  ‘Easy Monday’ may be easy:  “Meet me in the playground at a quarter to four, wait till everybody’s long gone.  There must be so many things that we can explore, maybe I can walk you home.  If it starts to rain, we can run for shelter, I’d like to hold your little hand.  My heart is spinning like a helter-skelter.  We’ll get to know each other if we can.  She said, ‘Hey,

wait a minute, hold on.  She said, hey just a little bit, hold on.  When ever I try to think of what it feels like to feel it for the first time, and was it really such a thrill?  She said look, boy, but don’t you touch.  That ain’t much, only a __ __ __.”  Hint:  This 1975 hit was by a Scottish funk band.  

Saturday the big outing was a trip to The Wanderer.  This time we took JaiDee.  I mentioned that the doctor said I could have coffee as long as my heart rate didn’t go above 70 bpm.  Lisa wondered if there might be an ‘app’ for my phone that could measure that.  There are tons of them, and I chose the simplest to operate.  I just look at the screen while holding still and it measures the beats per minute.  Brilliant!  I have stayed under 70 with coffee.

In the afternoon we went into the pool.  I can’t swim yet, so I just enjoyed the 91 degree water.  It was like going into a spa, sitting on the steps and being surrounded by warmth.  Then we heard distant thunder and had to get out.

It was short and sweet and just what I needed.

I have been spending a lot of time keeping up with questions and trying to respond to well wishers on social media.  The amount of care and concern exhibited by family and friends is quite heart-warming.  

Today’s photo is of Prince JaiDee looking alert as he holds one of his treats.  

Sunday evening Cat and Noom came over in Noom’s new car.  It’s not really new, but it’s his first car, a cute little Mitsubishi to keep them out of the rain.  They went with Lisa on ‘the walk’, to the delight of JaiDee.  They all walk too fast for me to even consider going (555).  Lisa had to ask the ‘kids’ to slow down at one point.  It’s nice for JaiDee because the occasional quick pace is good for him.  

This morning we took JaiDee to Chivit Thamma Da.  We were the first customers of the day and that was cool.  We got to spend time with the co-owner.  His Golden, Nam Kok, was with him and he and JaiDee got to hang out.  It was nice to see that he hadn’t forgotten how to be cool and just cruise instead of constant play.  

Our friend Atom came over in the afternoon with our massage friend, Jin.  We had a good time talking and then visiting with the dogs.  

This is the week we deal with immigration.  Still lots to do for the ‘presentation’ but I’m sure it will be fine.  It’s going to be a case of all the pieces in the right places and having enough copies of each.  

Have a Great Week.

                           Peace,

                                     Danny

“Colonialism is the cousin of slavery.”

~Chadwick Boseman

Friday Funnies

Hi,

The weather was great today.  Big, puffy clouds against a blue sky and temps in the very warm area.  

The ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune was “Twisted” sung by Annie Ross, who also wrote the lyrics to a Wardell Gray sax solo.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UN5bj1ywyk  Listen to the whole thing to really appreciate her humor.

Now, we’ve covered an oldie for sure (1952), so ‘Old School Friday’ will be kinda old.  “Well, I think I’m __ __ __ __ __, yes I think I’m __ __ __ __ __ over you, over you.  I want you to want me, I need you so badly I can’t think of anything but you.  And I think I’m __ __ __ __ __, yes I think I’m __ __ __ __ __….”  Hint:  Should be an 'Easy Monday' tune, but it’s old enough to be ‘Old School’ (555).  Singer is loosing his mind?

My first night back at home was a difficult one.  Nothing to do with the procedure, at least not the first one.  My eyes were stinging and it’s hard to go to sleep with all the focus on your eyes.  (get the play on words)  Anyway, as a result, we ended up back at the hospital today, and saw a doctor we’ve been using for a few years.  She changed the antibiotic that was given to me for my eye infection (the first procedure).  We’ll see how this goes.  My energy was pretty good today, considering we walked around a lot at the hospital.  Tomorrow I think we’ll go to The Wanderer for the usual.  Dr. Watana said I could have coffee as long as my heart-rate stayed below 70 bpm.  How does one know, other than wearing a body-sensing watch?  So there’s the answer, or, take the time to take ones pulse and do the math the old fashion way.  Naw, never mind.  

I had two ‘meetings’ with JaiDee today, both in the kitchen.  He was a model dog, standing next to my chair while I petted him.  No jumping, no biting, just being the affectionate puppy we know and love.  He and TongDee ran and played this afternoon.  She actually initiated the running by touching his side with her nose and off they went.  Then they did some playing until she realized what was happening and she shut it down.  She is slowly dropping her guard and things were moving a little too fast.  Still, it’s beautiful progress.

A month ago this would never have happened.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.      Hang on for the ‘Funnies’.   Formula 1 is in Belgium this weekend.  Zoom.

                        Peace,

                                  Danny

Healthy

Hi,

We had a very warm day today in Chiang Rai.  I know because I was in it.  They set me free and I got to feel the sunshine.  No rain in sight.

One reader recognized the ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune.  I’m going to give you the last verse because it cracks me up:

“My analyst told me that I was right out of my head, but I said, ‘Dear doctor, I think it’s you instead.  ‘Cause I have got a thing that’s unique and new, it proves that I’ll have the last laugh on you ‘cause instead of one head, I got two. And you know two heads are better than one.’”  Clue:  The lyric was written by the singer, who later suffered from mental challenges.

Today was the day I was released from the hospital.  Before they let me go, there was a parade of nurses and  doctors giving me instructions, asking questions or taking some kind of measurement.  I was fine with that.  The last ‘test’ to see how I was doing came when they wheeled me to the 'cardio center’.  My pressure was taken again and then I was told to walk up and down the corridor for 6 minutes.  Sounded simple enough, but after the first lap I realized that my legs hadn’t been doing much for a few days.  I did the walk and when we returned, they took my pressure again.  It was as if I had been sitting the whole time.  Not long after that, Dr. Watana came to give us the exit speech and explain the bag of medicine that would come home with me.  Some of them are for a short time, and some are for a year or more.  I see the doctor in three weeks.  In the meantime, I can take short walks, have a little coffee, and get to work on my lounging skills (555).

The first thing I have to do now that I’m at home, is stop making plans and just be still.  Easy to say, hard to do.  As a friend of mine told me, ‘You’re going to feel like you can conquer the world, take it slow.’  So, in a few days maybe we’ll go to The Wanderer and sit in the woods.  That’s my big plan for now.

While I was away the dogs became much closer.  They now hang out very near to each other in the kitchen, and this evening TongDee tried to initiate play.  Lisa was walking JaiDee and Tong came racing by and touched him on the side, trying to get him to chase her.  That is amazing progress.  It looks like our little project is going to have a happy ending after all.  

Have a Thrilling Thursday.     Don’t forget to wear your mask and keep your distance.  It ain’t over!

                      Peace,

                                Danny

“The healthy man does not torture others.

Generally, it is the tortured that turn into

torturers."

Tears

Hi,

I can’t really tell you much about the morning weather in Chiang Rai because there were no windows in the ICU.  The afternoon was beautiful because I saw it when they moved me to my new room.  No rain for two days. 

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “Groovin’” by The Young Rascals.  And now it’s time for ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ and a tune from 1952.  “My analyst told me that I was right out of my head, the way he described it, I’d be better dead than live.  I didn’t listen to his jive, I knew all along he was all wrong, and I knew that he thought I was crazy, but I’m not, oh no.”  Hint:  Another famous tune from a famous vocal trio.  The title is one word, 

Last night I had a good nights sleep.  Not having to sleep on my back, and being able to bend my right leg may have had something to do with it.  I found out that there was no arrhythmia detected overnight and that meant that what they saw on the monitors was a result of the procedure.  I’m happy about that since it means one less thing to worry about, one less pill to take.  At the morning assessment they told me I could be moved to a private room soon.  Within five minutes there were two guys and a gurney at my door.  My new room is big, with a great view of tree-tops when seen from ‘bed level’. 

The view from my bed

After lunch from home, we napped.  Life was returning to normal.  Then the visits began.  It was great to see friends ‘in person’ and eventually talk about other stuff after discussing my balloon adventure.  It was an international affair, with Earl from South Africa, Caty from America, and Nukoon and Suthera from Thailand, and Cat and a math teacher friend from school.  I should also mention Caty’s twins  are technically from Thailand since they were born here.  They brought fruit, flowers and paintings.  It was almost like a little party, with little conversations around the room.  Natcha arrived with dinner and after our guests left, she stayed and just hung out with us.  Just what I needed after the isolation of ICU.  Below, on either side, are the flowers from the twins.

Tomorrow I’ll get the info on the rules of behavior when I get home.  So far I know that I can’t climb the stairs for one week, which means we’ll be living in Cat’s room (aka the guest room).  There will be no bending, squatting, running or jumping either.  That last bit doesn’t happen much anyway.  

It feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                        Peace,

                                  Danny

“Tears come from the heart,

not from the brain.”

~Leonardo da Vinci

Simple

Hi,

If you were paying attention, you probably noticed that there was no message for Monday the 24th.  That’s because I was going through a procedure for a cardio infarction.  Earlier in the evening it felt like something was squeezing my chest and arms.  There was not pain, just extreme, uncomfortable pressure.  As we approached the time to take JaiDee for his walk, I mentioned that I would just wait in the van, that I didn’t feel ‘right’.  Lisa’s response was that we were going to the hospital.  Overbrook Hospital is only a few minutes from our house, so off we went.

When we finally saw a doctor, he had them give me an EKG.  The results of that should that there was an event and it needed further attention.  He ordered a blood test and that confirmed the first conclusion.  There were two choices: Medication or surgery.  That sent a wall of fear up for me and I needed to know more.  The ER staff kept saying, ‘we need to do this right now’.  I got a little belligerent when a nurse lifting my shirt and started shaving my chest, moving south in spite of my protests.  Another nurse got the cardiac surgeon on the phone and Lisa told him we needed to talk in person.  In less than a minute later, Dr. Wanata was rushing into the ER, panting like he’d been running.  He ran from his car to get things going.  He explained that there was a one hour window from when a patient presented with these symptoms, and they begin the procedure, otherwise, there could be damage to the heart.  Apparently, he had called his ‘team’ from the road and told them to get set up.  He told us they were waiting upstairs.  Lisa mentioned that they were trying to save my life and I surrendered.

I was rolled into a room filled with ‘The Team’, all wearing pink scrubs.  It was quite dramatic.  I was told that I would be awake the whole time and would be under local anesthetic.  After wrapping me tight onto the table, things began.  It’s kind of a good thing that I couldn’t understand what all the chatter was about.  Every so often I’d hear the world balloon, but that was about it.  I went into deep thought, somewhere else and did pretty good until the room got colder than it had been.  Roughly, an hour later they were done.  They had opened up a clogged artery and inserted a stint to keep it that way.  The patient is doing fine, slowly being introduced to tiny little pills, some that will be my friends for a long time.  More about the ‘recovery’ portion tomorrow.

As you may recall, ‘Old School Friday’ was “Sailing” by Christopher Cross.  Our really easy ‘Easy Monday’ has a one day expiration date (555).  “__, on a Sunday afternoon.  Really, couldn’t get away too soon.  I can’t imagine anything that’s better, the world is ours whenever we’re together, there ain’t no place I’d rather be than __, on a crowded avenue…”  Hint:  This tune was recorded when the group was still ‘Young’.  The title is a word that means: "to smoothly interact”.  

We are understanding more about doggie behavior through a new ‘teacher’ we found on the internet.  Here’s the deal, TongDee is older than JaiDee, and even though she came to the pack after him, she is slowly establishing herself as the leader.  Lately, she has been scolding him when he gets too rowdy.  If she approaches him it’s acceptable, but if he approaches her, she growls and snaps.  There is definitely something going on there and we are letting it play out.  They have been doing the running and playing thing when Natcha takes them out.  One of the hurdles will be teaching her how to play.  She doesn’t get it yet.  There is time.

This evening Dr. Intorn and his wife Koy came by with these beautiful flowers.

Have a Great Week.

              Peace, 

                        Danny

“Life is really simple,

but we insist on making it

complicated.”

~Confucius

Friday Funnies

Hi,

It was just a matter of time.  After all the showers and brief downpours, the big finale came this afternoon, complete with big lightning, ‘heavy metal thunder’, wind and lots of rain.  The front yard had a little river in just a few minutes.  The aftermath was as if it never happened.  No damage, no flooding, no foul.

This week’s ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune was “God Bless the Child” by Billie Holiday.  Once again, the ‘Jazzy’ tune has been so Old School that I hesitate to do it again on Friday.  So, here’s some 'Random Goodness' for ya:

“Well, it’s not far down to paradise, at least it’s not for me, and if the wind is right we can sail away, find tranquility.  Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see, believe me… __ takes me away to where I heard it could be.  Just a dream and the wind to carry me, and soon I will be free.”  Hint:  There is water involved.

We went to The Wanderer again this morning.  The whole scene was very mellow until we were leaving.  JaiDee and Joey spotted each other and both began pulling on their leashes.  Khwan had a firm grip on Joey so Lisa let JaiDee go and he ran straight to him.  It’s only been about a week, but it was a reunion befitting a 10 year gap.  There wasn’t time for them to run and play so we had to drag him off (555).  

JaiDee is a great ‘car dog’.  By that, I mean he likes to ride and doesn’t mind waiting.  We went downtown to the post office and he and I sat in the van while Lisa went inside.  He looked around, noticed the foot traffic and was just cool.  When we got home, he and TongDee hung out, which is becoming a regular thing.  Before we went to coffee, Natcha took them out and they did the closest thing to playing so far.  They basically chase each other.  The fact that she’s willing to participate is a huge improvement.  

Today’s photo is the flowers that the twins gave to Lisa at our ‘Anniversary Lunch’ yesterday.

With all that’s going on in the world, there is a touch of the 60’s here in Thailand.  Simply, to quote a Beach Boys song title:  “Student Demonstration Time”.  I won’t get into it, but you can read all about it in the papers.

We’ve been reading about the fires in California with concern.  Once again, so weird to be so far away.  All we can do is try to connect with friends and hope they are alright.  

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.          Time for the ‘Funnies’ and your mask.   

                         Peace,

                                   Danny

Heart

Hi,

The weather today was what we were supposed to have yesterday.  We had patchy blue sky, tastes of sunshine, and very moderate temps.  I’ll have another one, please.

The ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune struck a chord for many of you.  Lots of responses always makes me smile.  

“Yes, the strong gets more, while the weak ones fade.  Empty pockets don’t ever make the grade.  Mama may have, Papa may have, but __ __ __ __ that’s got his own, that’s got his own.”  Clue:  The harsh realities of the early 40’s have not disappeared.

This morning JaiDee got to have a ‘regular’ morning.  We took him to The Wanderer for a bowl of ice and some attention.  I think he remembered the good time he had last week and was waiting for the other dogs.  They never came down and that could be why he was a little restless.  He did make a new friend.  A young man came over and asked if he could pet him.  He is a pianist from Bangkok, in town for a concert at Heritage House.  It’s a big hotel that has held classical presentations in the past.  He told us that tickets are quite limited because they are following social distancing protocols.  After giving us a rundown of the program, he hoped they’d be back next year. 

Our friends Lisa and Caty invited us to lunch at The Hungry Wolf to celebrate our anniversary.  We were immediately given flower garlands by Caty’s twins and Lisa got a bouquet.  They arranged for us to have BBQ pizza with no cheese.  It was very delicious and will go on our list of things we can eat at ‘The Wolf’.  Actually, everyone had some sort of pizza.  At first I followed what I’d seen and cut a piece with my knife and fork.  After one bite I dropped the utensils and the pretense and picked it up in my hand and ate it like one is supposed to.  It tastes better that way.  During lunch, Caty told us more about a place located in the old bowling alley, that sells clothes.  It’s not really a clothing store, it’s a ‘buy it by the bucket’ arrangement.  There are mounds of used clothes, toys, kitchen stuff, etc. and they sell it by the kilo.  They have a special on right now and $1 gets you a kilogram of clothing.  Her 7 year old twins love the place.  The things that they really don’t like, they can give to someone else and it’s no great loss.  I want to check it out.  Restraint will be required, of course.  

In doggie news, while we were having lunch, at home Natcha took them both outside.  Her plan was to run JaiDee and hopefully TongDee.  When we got home she told us that not only had they run, but they played together.  This is big.  They have been hanging out in the kitchen together, rather close.  Sometimes TongDee will growl, but if she initiates the closeness it’s different.  They also took a little nap in the small kitchen.  Everyone is hopeful.

Both dogs have known where the treats are stored for a long time.  Today’s photo shows them telling Lisa what they’d like.

The paper exhibit in Bangkok that Lisa was invited to was postponed, if you recall.  New dates have been set and another location has been added.  Looks like we’ll be going to the big city in October.  More on this later.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                       Peace,

                                 Danny

“The heart is the chief feature

of a functioning mind.”

~Frank Lloyd Wright

Fear

Hi,

Our weather today was not what was forecast.  There was light rain almost all day.  It was supposed to stop at 11am and stay stopped until late tonight.  Ha!  It never stopped.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “Fixing A Hole” by The Beatles.  It’s time for another episode of ‘Jazzy Wednesday’.  “Them that’s got shall get, them that’s not shall lose, so the Bible says and it still is news.  Mama may have, Papa may have, but __ __ __ __ that’s got his own.”  Hint:  From 1941, this classic blues/jazz tune was co-written and sung by a woman who was a legend during the 40’s.  Should be easy to recognize, many covers through the years.

The morning began like most, with after-breakfast coffee on the front porch with the dogs.  It was lightly raining so there wasn’t much ‘yard action’.  We took JaiDee for a walk and then to coffee at Work@Home.  Katai was there and she and JaiDee had some nice together time.  He wanted to eat a chair and then a table, but we put a stop to that.  We might go back on Saturday if Towan is back in town.

We had this little plan to drive up to Mae Chan, about 40 minutes north of Chiang Rai, to have lunch at a place we’d never been to.  When it became clear that the rain wasn’t about to stop, we decided to stay local.  We lunched at Sabroso (Mexican food) and it was enough.  Sometimes that’s the key, what is enough?

This evening we had dinner at Chivit Thamma Da with our dear friend Sutheera.  Lisa had written the owner last night and told him of our anniversary and reserved a table.  When we arrived there was a corner table with a beautiful table ‘runner’, a candle stick and red flowers.  The servers were very attentive and it felt special.  After our meal, they brought three little plates and we knew a surprise was coming.  It was a unique dessert based on a bed of meringue, topped with assorted fruit.  

Below is the table setting and dessert at Chivit Thamma Da.  

By the time we got home, JaiDee was in ‘sleepy mode’ and Natcha had baked a batch of cookies.  Life is good.

Feels like a Wacky Wednesday.       Wear a mask anyway!

                          Peace,

                                    Danny

“Fear of something is at the root of hate

for others, the hate within will

eventually destroy the hater.”

~George Washington Carver

Desire

Hi,

All day there has been a light drizzle.  Sometimes it looked like it wasn’t raining but it was.  The temperatures have been a lot cooler over the last two days, as in mid 70’s.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was only recognized by a couple of readers.  Something needed repairing after a storm.

“And it really doesn’t matter if I’m wrong I’m right, where I belong I’m right where I belong.  See the people standing there who disagree and never win and wonder why they don’t get in my door.  I’m painting the room in a colorful way, and when my mind is wandering, there I will go…”  Clue:  It’s from those four lads from across the pond, contemplating more than the water from the sky.

Last night, sleeping was difficult.  We both had sore upper arms from the pneumonia shots we got.  Today they just feel like we had a flu shot.  The trade off is worth it.

This morning we took JaiDee to Chivit Thamma Da.  When we entered, he had a receiving line of 4 staff members.  The kid is royalty.  When Lisa took him for a walk, he made a new friend.  A young woman was standing, just looking at him and Lisa asked her if she’d like to pet him.  She did, and approached JaiDee and he was on his best behavior. They shook hands/paws and later, as we were leaving, he went over to her and sat down and turned so his back was to her.  This is his way of snuggling and getting lots of petting.  He’s no dummy (555).

We’re going back to Chivit tomorrow evening for a special dinner.  We will be celebrating 50 years together.  August 19 is the day we mark as the beginning of this adventure.  It’s hard to believe that much time has passed.  Feeling very grateful that I have been able to share my life with someone who believes in me and loves me unconditionally.  We were going to have a big party, but that’s not possible in these times.  Nobody said we can’t celebrate all year (555).

Today’s photo was taken today as part of a video.  Our front yard likes the rainy season.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

                        Peace,

                                  Danny

“The starting point of all achievement 

is desire.”

~Napoleon Hill

Faith

Hi,

Rain has been the topic this weekend.  The days have been pretty dry, but the evenings and overnights are another thing.  It’s raining as I type.  The forecasts don’t always have the time right, but sometime in each day, it rains.

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “It’s All In The Game” by Tommy Edwards.  And now, ‘Easy Monday’: “I’m __ __ __ where the rain gets in and stops my mind from wandering where it will go.  I’m fixing the cracks that ran through the door and kept my mind from wandering where it will go.”  Hint:  Weather related repairs are in order.

Sunday we had lunch at The Wanderer with our friend Atom.  It was a special day because JaiDee got to play with the dogs.  He hadn’t played with Mercy since she came to the house a few months ago.  Mercy, Joey and Sally were out of their ‘apartment’ and when Mercy spotted JaiDee she came bounding over to the table.  Then Khwan came over with the other two dogs on leashes and the greetings began.  The next thing I knew, Khwan had taken them to the field next to the gardens and they were running around, having a ball.  There is one corner that she tries to keep the dogs away from because they can sneak out.  JaiDee headed straight for that corner.  Hmm, how did he know?  This was a monumental occasion.  JaiDee usually walks by the dogs with no contact, only barking from Sally.  Now that they have run and played, there is potential until his housemate, TongDee, learns to play.

In the afternoon we went to Bangkok Hospital to see the eye doctor.  I have an infection in my left eyelid and it was in need of attention.  We can now add another cool doctor to the list of cool docs at BKK Hospital.  He put me on meds and ointment, and suggested hot towels.  

Today we were back at the hospital, bright and early for blood tests for a follow-up.  Checking the progress of certain changes we’ve made can only be done by another test.  The numbers are better in some areas and need work in others.  The bottom line is, we’re still healthy.  One of the benefits of this ‘brand’ of hospital is the way the doctors interact with one another.  If something comes up and a specialist can better explain it, you see that doctor before you leave.  No waiting to make another appointment, etc.  Another thing that’s pretty cool is how their computers are linked.  As soon as the test results were in, the internist, the liver specialist, and the endocrinologist (new to the team), all had the results as well as the follow-up conversations.  

This evening Cat and Noom met us at the walking place and basically walked JaiDee.  They took off at a pace he loved and we just took our time.  They’d stop from time to time so we could catch up, then off they went.  JaiDee was so happy.  Actually, when we drove up, he saw them waiting and couldn’t wait to get out of the van.  They are his walking buddies.  Half-way around it began to rain, but they competed the ‘lap’ before calling it an evening.  

Today’s photo was taken at The Wanderer yesterday.  Atom asked one of the servers if these orchids were fabric or real.  They are real.  

Have a Great Week.

                         Peace,

                                   Danny

PS  Can you imagine not being able to say, “The check is in the mail”?

“Faith in oneself is the best

and safest course.”

~Michelangelo

Friday Funnies

Hi,

Today was a rainy day.  This afternoon there were two heavy downpours that soaked the yards.  They didn’t last long, but a lot of water fell from the sky.

The ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune was “Cloudburst” by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx4SECmHl8Y  The Hendricks vocal performance is based on a saxophone solo by Wardell Gray.  Now, time for ‘Old School Friday’.  “Many a tear has to fall, but __ __ __ __ __.  All in the wonderful game that we know as love.  You have words with him and your future’s looking dim, but these things your hearts can rise above.”  Hint:  Ballad about the ins and outs of romance?

We went back to The Wanderer this morning.  JaiDee was a little restless and we’d left his ‘Gentle Leader’ at home.  Eventually, before we even sat down, we turned around and went home to retrieve it.  He behaved a little better, knowing that he was not in control.  He was calmly lying by the table and his bowl of ice was delivered.  He jumped up and acted as if he hadn’t had ice in a year.  Once again, we were alone in the woods and it was very relaxing.

TongDee ‘inherited’ JaiDee’s dining room bed.  He misses it, so we went for a ride, trying to find a new pet store we had seen.  Our usual sources don’t have big dog beds, only beds for the little dogs.  We never did find the store, but we did get to see what Friday morning in Chiang Rai looks like.  It’s a busy place these days.  

The food delivery ‘industry’ has really taken off in Chiang Rai.  It started with ‘Food Panda’, with their pink jackets and insulated food boxes on the backs of motorbikes.  They were everywhere, and then Grab, originally a taxi company, began sending their green uniformed riders out into the world.  We found out from Cat that they get paid by the delivery, 30 Baht (about $1.00).  About 10 runs yields minimum wage, not counting the riders cost for gas.  They race around like crazy, trying to get in as many runs as possible.  It’s annoyingly fascinating.

 

This afternoon Natcha had both dogs in the kitchen.  After a few minutes, they calmed down and this is the result.

We’re expecting showers all weekend and into next week.  I guess it will be umbrellas and shoes.  Yikes!  

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.    Time for the ‘Funnies’.   This weekend Formula 1 is in Spain.  Zoom.  

                        Peace,

                                  Danny

Slave

Hi,

Last night we had another storm while we slept.  Today it was similar, rain during nap time.  More is expected overnight.  Guess that’s why they call it the rainy season.

The ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune makes reference to something in the sky that suddenly dumps water.  Hmm, nice.

“My heart really flew, the day you caught my eye, I hope that we two will never say, ‘Good-bye.’  Clouds of gray have silver linings when they reverse, I found your love and that’s when the old gray __.”  Clue: The name of the group is three last names of the singers.  

The farthest we went from home today was The Wanderer, about a 3 or 4 minutes drive.  We took JaiDee for a little walk before going for coffee, just to mellow him a bit, and then unleashed him on the world.  Actually, we never unleash him, it just sounds profound (555).  When we got there, the place was empty.  It was great because in the course of hanging out, we got to see Khun Noot and talk a little.  We had planned to return for lunch, and then Lisa got the idea to order lunch and take it home.  Brilliant idea.  There is a very healthy chicken salad wrap that makes a perfect lunch.  It made our day.  

When the rains come, the first thing we thing of is, ‘It’s good for the farmers’.  This is true until there is a flood and the recently planted crop is washed away and the farmer is left with nothing.  We heard about this today.  Things like that are humbling.  

The dogs are making progress.  JaiDee and TongDee have actually touched noses a few times without the sound of snarling.  This evening she really stretched out and made herself comfortable on JaiDee’s bed in the kitchen, and began chewing his bone.  When he approached, looking a bit confused, she growled at him and he walked away.  Oh, the drama.  Today is her one month anniversary here and she’s come a long way.

Today’s photo shows Lisa giving both dogs treats.  The power of food.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                         Peace,

                                   Danny

“I didn’t know I was a slave

until I found out I couldn’t 

do the things I wanted.”

~Frederick Douglass

Stick

Hi,

We woke up this morning to very wet ground.  Lots of rain overnight.  The day was dry, warm and muggy.  

The ‘Easy Monday’ tune was “Make It With You” by Bread.  Next up, ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ and a tune from a trio.

“I was blue and I was always wearing a frown, because my man had turned me down.  Then we met and you can bet I knew from the first, you were my love and that’s when the old gray __.”  Hint:  Title relates to an aspect of weather.  The vocal trio were proponents of vocalese.  

This morning JaiDee got to go for a ride and a walk through the smelly seed pods by the river.  We didn’t get to take him to ‘coffee’ though, he had to go back home and we had to go to the mall.  Today was a holiday (Mothers' Day) and we were pretty sure the mall would open early.  We took a chance and went there and actually had to wait 2 minutes to get in.  We went to Starbuck’s for coffee and then to True, our TV provider, to adjust our package.  The mall was really busy early and it was good that we went when we did.  We were the first clients, no waiting.  After we settled things with True, we stopped at Moshi Moshi, a store with lots of handy stuff originally from Japan.  At a small pharmacy we got more hand gel for the van.  A lot of gel gets used when we’re out and about.  They had these little paper discs that contain mosquito repellent and I bought some.  Natcha puts them on Nitchanan’s clothes and sometimes Natcha wears one.  We spray in the morning, but sometimes you need an extra boost.  

When we got home, Natcha’s sister Fone and two of her kids were over.  Nitchanan loves her cousins and they were having a ball.  As we were settling JaiDee for his nap we heard the sound of children and thought a door was open.  It turns out they were in the hallway, naked.  The little ones had just gotten out of the pool and Fone was rinsing them off.  They escaped and were exploring.  Life in our little village.

After dinner Cat came over and made a Mother’s Day presentation to Lisa.  It is a tradition here and is very beautiful.  She stayed and went on ‘the walk’ with JaiDee and Lisa and then hung out afterwards.  She and Lisa looked at photos from her past and then pics of parents and relatives.  

Today’s photo was taken Sunday at Chivit Thamma Da.  I looked up and realized we were under a beautiful canopy of various shades of green.  

It feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                         Peace,

                                   Danny

“You must stick to your conviction

but be ready to abandon your assumptions.”

~Denis Waitley

Mad

Hi,

The easiest way to describe the weather would be to say ‘Rain’.  Light stuff this morning, but this afternoon was a real storm.  Big overhead thunder and a steady downpour kind of rain.

Several readers knew the ‘Easy Monday’ song.  It was a big ballad in 1970.  That wasn’t that long ago (555).

“Though you don’t know me well, and every little thing, only time will tell.  If you believe the things that I do, then we’ll see it through.  Life can be short or long, love can be right or wrong, and if I choose the one I’d like to help me through.  I want to __ __ __ __.”  Clue:  There are a couple of ways to look at this.  This verse sounds like forever.

For the second day in a row we went out in the morning and didn’t take JaiDee.  Today we needed to go to Big C, so we went to Chivit Thamma Da on the way.  Everyone asked about him, and got a kick out of our telling them that he was at home.  It was kind of nice, sitting at a table for two, quietly enjoying coffee and a scone, looking at the river.  

Tomorrow we take the dog (555).

Big C was the usual shopping experience.  They haven’t changed the aisles in a while so we know where most things are and can zip through the store without problems.  It’s nice to see that the ‘big’ stores are still following covid protocols and checking temps at the door and recording who came in and at what time.  I think the QR code method is probably the most efficient when it’s working right.  I still don’t understand what it does, but I believe it.  How’s that for blind faith.  

This message is a little late because we went to a party.  We went to dinner at our friend Lisa’s house on Buffalo Hill.  The visitors from Krabi, Sandy, Ady and Dylan leave tomorrow so it was a final gathering of friends.  Caty and the twins were there, along with Lisa’s dogs and Duke, the Chow.  We had curry with potatoes, chicken, rice and morning glory salad.  Later there was coconut ice-cream and homemade chocolate cake.  There were fun conversations and quiet, serious ones as well.  Lisa gathered up a bunch of old jewelry and gave it to the girls to divide among themselves.  What a treat for them.  It also occupied their time.  

Krabi is a place we visited on one of our first ‘smokey season’ escapes.  It’s a major tourist destination.  Now, it’s just Thai people and the pace has slowed down.  Sandy and Ady love it, being able to enjoy it the way it was long ago.  The beaches are almost empty and the little islands that dot the coast line are free of tourists.  The only problem with this picture is the fact that many people have no income without the visitors.  

Today’s photo is JaiDee, Lisa and TongDee on the front porch.

Have a Happy Tuesday.

                      Peace,

                                Danny

“'But I don’t want to go among mad people,' said Alice.

‘Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the cat.  ‘We’re all mad here.’”

~Lewis Carroll

Deeds

Hi,

Our Chiang Rai weather was pretty mellow over the weekend.  That is, if you call high temps and humidity mellow.  No big storms, no drama, just sticky.

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “It’s All Right” by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions.  ‘Easy Monday’ will be easy, I promise: “Hey, have you ever tried, really reaching out to the other side?  I may be climbing on rainbows, but baby here goes.  Dreams are for those who sleep, life is for us to keep.  And if you’re wondering where this song is leading to, I want to __ __ __ __…”  Hint:  Singer wants a relationship.  Group name is a major part of a sandwich.

Saturday morning it was back to The Wanderer for the usual mid-morning fare.  JaiDee was his usual cordial self, starting to make friends with new staff members.  There have been a lot of changes at The Wanderer since the virus.  First there was the shut down, then the sparse reopening, and now the slow rebuild.  It’s smaller, which is better for the staff, and little improvements are all noticeable to us since we’ve been there through the whole thing.  What can I say; we’re big fans of the people, the concept, and the woods.

Sunday was a very active day for us.  I had an online meeting in the morning, so Lisa, Cat and JaiDee went to The Wanderer.  Then all of the humans went to Chivit Thamma Da where we met with 12 more people for a big lunch.  It was wild.  Our friends Sandy and Ady have been in town, visiting from Krabi, and it was a way for a little get together over food.  Our friend Lisa was there with her dog Duke, as well as Caty and the twins.  After lunch everyone came to our house to see the dogs, the art and give JaiDee and Duke a chance to play.  The girls kept the dogs quite busy on the lawn, and then the dogs did their own thing.  Duke is now 4.5 months old and huge.  The last time JaiDee saw him, he was a 10 week old puppy.  They had a ball, wrestling and biting and rolling around.  It was just was JaiDee needed, a playdate.

Today we took the van back to Suzuki for an engine mount replacement.  Did the same walk as last week, down Bus Station Street, taking in the little shops and having coffee.  We got back early and the work was done.  So nice to deal with a small dealership that has very little ‘traffic’.  When we had the Toyota, it could sometimes take half a day for a simple operation.

The second adventure today was a trip to Immigration.  We just needed information about the timing of our visa renewals and my passport renewal.  So many forces converging, but it turns out we can do what we need to do without any problems.  It’s such a relief, since nothing is going swiftly during the pandemic.  Government offices are operating with smaller staffs, which means that services take longer to perform, if at all in some cases.  Everybody is getting that things take longer and there seems to be an effort to get through it together.  In fact there’s a little scrolling message on my phone, next to the providers name that says: ‘Better Together’.  Nice.

Have a Great Week.

                      Peace,

                                Danny

“Great acts are made up of small deeds.”

~Lao Tzu

Friday Funnies

Hi,

The weather today was pretty ‘drippy’.  Light showers were the order of the day.  It’s still warm, even with the rain, but not like the hot season.  

The wait is over, the ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ song was “Moody’s Mood for Love” by King Pleasure.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BAeHpSu24Y  For those interested in the history of this tune: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moody's_Mood_for_Love  Now you’ll have some amazing trivia conversation, should you ever be at a crowded party again (555).  Now it’s time for ‘Old School Friday’.  Since we already went pretty deep with ‘Moody’s Mood’, we’ll just slip back to 1963 for this week’s edition.  “Say __ __ __, __ __ __, Say __ __ __, __ __ __, have a good time, __ __ __.  We’re gonna move it slow when lights are low.  When you move slow, it sounds like more and __ __ __.”  Hint:  It’s an R&B classic letting us know that it is acceptable to enjoy oneself. 

Every morning, after breakfast, we sit on the front porch and enjoy the morning.  JaiDee slurps out the contents of his Kong toy and TongDee joins us at a slight distance, creeping up for treats.  They are both getting more and more comfortable with being in the same space.  It may be time for a front porch family photo.

This morning it looked like it might rain when we left for coffee, but it never did.  Friday mornings are always busy at Chivit Thamma Da.  We were meeting our friend Lisa and her dad ‘Win’.  JaiDee got to go out and was very happy about it.  In fact, when we were staging to leave the house, he kept going to the door and Natcha said, ‘JaiDee’s ready to go’.  Our usual table was taken so we ended up near the main entrance, in a traffic spot that can be distracting for a puppy, as well as the staff that dotes over him.  They had brunch and we had our usual morning snack.  There is always plenty of laughter at our table and we leave feeling refreshed.  That’s what it’s all about.

There are many things that have become different or inconvenient since the Covid-19 virus hit the scene.  We just discovered something we hadn’t counted on: Immigration business.  Others have had grace periods for various renewals, etc. but I just realized that my passport is due for renewal very near the same time as my visa.  Timing is everything with things like this.  Rather than ponder unanswerable questions all weekend, we’ll go to immigration next week and get answers.  

Today’s photo was taken this evening while we were on our walk.  It’s the Provincial Judicial Center under a looming storm.

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.      Time for the ‘Funnies’.  Check your listings, it’s another Formula 1 weekend.  Zoom.

                          Peace,

                                    Danny

Intent

Hi,

Today was a light rain day.  Actually, almost nothing.  We needed a little time to dry out.  It was a bright, cloudy day.  The kind that says, “You don’t need sunglasses, it’s cloudy”, but you’re squinting because the ‘sun’ is in your eyes.

So far, only one reader, Michael T., has recognized the ‘Jazzy Wednesday’ tune.  Somebody else knows this.

“Oh, is there a wonder why I’m really feeling in the mood for love?  So tell me, why stop to think about this weather, my dear?  This little dream might fade away.  There I go talking out of my head again, oh baby, won’t you come and put our two hearts together?  That would make me strong and brave…”  Clue:  This lyric stream is based on a 1949 horn solo, based on the 1935 song, “I’m In The Mood For Love”.  That solo was had the lyrics written to it in 1952 and recorded in 1956.  Whew!  Quite a journey.  Tomorrow you’ll get to hear the song.

We got back in the groove with JaiDee this morning.  Natcha ran him around while we got ready, so we went straight to the ‘Woods’ at The Wanderer.  He was pretty mellow until Khwan arrived with a box of doggie goodies.  We guessed that he must have smelled something in there.  He greeted her like he hadn’t seen her in months.  She had ordered a few things for us, from a Thai distributor of pet stuff.  The box included some treats for JaiDee that her dogs like.  It was really sweet to think of things JaiDee might like.  Nothing like a cool auntie.  

This afternoon we went to Bangkok Hospital for a consultation on the headaches and a new medicine.  As we were leaving, I saw the ‘Photo of the Day’.  These ‘gloves through the window’ were used to accept testing materials when there was a drive-up option in the early days of the virus.  Pretty clever.

When we got home from our afternoon adventure, the JaiDee/TongDee saga had evolved.  Natcha had both of them in the big kitchen and they were hanging out.  Our arrival sort of broke the mood, but they were being cool in the same room, near each other.  Today marks three weeks since she came to live with us and it keeps getting better.  

When we came home from our walk this evening, it looked like she wanted to follow us inside.  

Thailand is continuing to keep the ‘curve’ flat by testing everyone who enters The Kingdom.  The virus never gets a chance to get far.  There is the test, then the quarantine and if necessary, treatment.  There have no deaths since June 2.  There are many lessons to be learned from this experience.  

Have a Thrilling Thursday.    Keep wearing your mask.  It’s a way to be kind.

                          Peace,

                                    Danny

“What is the quality of your intent?

~Thurgood Marshall