Hi,
It's a big, wide, busy world out there. We've been tuning in to the Asian version of world news in English lately, to keep up with the hurricanes and any news about Thailand. The rain we get in Chiang Rai is not so bad considering what's going on in the Gulf. That's not to say that there hasn't been some bad flooding in some areas of the province. We're pretty lucky so far, and our property is situated so the fields will take any heavy run-off.
I'm happy to report that there were a few out there that got the song on the first day. There's still time to figure it out.
"Free, on my own that's the way I used to be. Ah, but since I met you baby Love's got a hold on me...You know I __ __ __ __ __ __"
Hint: The law of averages caught up with him. Hmm.
The other day I was looking at the pool with Johan and we started talking about the bugs that get in the water. They start out under water and look like tiny fish, then they walk on the water and fly. He told me of a Thai client who said she wants to come back as one of these bugs. She thought the idea of being able to travel on all those levels and be indestructible would be pretty cool. Now there's a new perspective.
More Driving Notes. Understanding what a sign or a light really means can make all the difference in the world. There are several intersections with green arrows that one from the west would assume mean 'free turn'. Well, I realized it couldn't mean that the first time I started to turn left (remember, it's backwards) on a red light/green arrow and saw cars coming from my right. The other night we saw a right arrow and knew it didn't mean 'free turn' because cars were coming from the other direction. As close as I can figure it, it means that if nothing's coming, take a shot, or that it's not a one-way. Sometimes streets change from two to one and you'd better know when and which ones.
I forgot to tell you, I got the new radio installed in the truck. Now we can play CDs and plug the iPod in and listen to stuff we like. That not to say that I don't still like to listen to Thai radio. There's a station I found called 'Fat 93'. They play contemporary Pop/R&B and, as they say, 'Fat Tunes'. Just like being in the big city.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"If you're able to be yourself, then you have no competition.
All you have to do is get closer and closer to that essence."
~Barbara Cook
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
Value
Hi,
Right now it's Monday evening and it's so quiet. The Festival is over and we're happy. One thing I discovered is that the same bass line was used for about seventy-five percent of the songs. Hmm, I don't know what was going on with the rest of the music, but the bass and bass drums were locked in a beat that started driving us crazy. Now, peace.
The song you were sure you knew was "Black is Black" by Los Bravos. Now let's jump ahead ten years and see if you know this:
"I must have been through about a million girls I'd love 'em and I'd leave 'em alone I didn't care how much they cried, no sir Their tears left me cold as a stone..." Hint: Artist made a quiet name for himself as a lead guitarist before stepping up to the mic. Hmm.
We had some big rain over the weekend, mostly at night. Sunday during the day was pretty nice and we went into town twice. We lunched at the Pizza Factory. There are only a few things we can get there, but it's fun. We went back to town for dinner and a little 'looking'. We ran into a Thai friend after dinner and she and Lisa discussed the current politics of the land.
It's all over the news (the protest marches, etc.) and I hope you remember that we're in Chiang Rai, not Bangkok. It's like the distance between L.A. and the Bay Area. As I keep saying, it's calm as can be and what happens in Bangkok seems to stay in Bangkok. We'll see. It's just too bad so many countries have issued travel warnings. Even the BKK Post had an article about how the locals are trying to stay neutral.
We've been playing with BamBam a lot lately. She's learned a bunch of things and is starting to really show a personality. She loves to play 'go get your ball'. I'd call it catch, but she doesn't throw or catch, yet. I can't wait until she's a little older and we can play with a frisbee. For now, she gets her ball when you toss it and then decides who she wants to have throw it next. As with most puppies, there are those moments when she just goes nuts. 'No' is a big word around here lately, especially when she gets wound up.
Today she played in the front for a while and cracked us up. She spotted a leaf and of course, had to pick it up and bring it to Lisa. Let's hope she doesn't start doing that thing that cats do. Creepy.
I think the work on the 'pool room' will begin by the end of this week. All the new gear has arrived at the shop. In about three weeks from now we'll have a whole new system.
Well, in the words of Imogen Heap (Frou Frou) "I had to be somewhere, now where did I put it?" Have a Wonderful Week
Peace,
Danny
PS Last Friday marked the 300th post of this Blog.
"Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value."
~Albert Einstein
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Right now it's Monday evening and it's so quiet. The Festival is over and we're happy. One thing I discovered is that the same bass line was used for about seventy-five percent of the songs. Hmm, I don't know what was going on with the rest of the music, but the bass and bass drums were locked in a beat that started driving us crazy. Now, peace.
The song you were sure you knew was "Black is Black" by Los Bravos. Now let's jump ahead ten years and see if you know this:
"I must have been through about a million girls I'd love 'em and I'd leave 'em alone I didn't care how much they cried, no sir Their tears left me cold as a stone..." Hint: Artist made a quiet name for himself as a lead guitarist before stepping up to the mic. Hmm.
We had some big rain over the weekend, mostly at night. Sunday during the day was pretty nice and we went into town twice. We lunched at the Pizza Factory. There are only a few things we can get there, but it's fun. We went back to town for dinner and a little 'looking'. We ran into a Thai friend after dinner and she and Lisa discussed the current politics of the land.
It's all over the news (the protest marches, etc.) and I hope you remember that we're in Chiang Rai, not Bangkok. It's like the distance between L.A. and the Bay Area. As I keep saying, it's calm as can be and what happens in Bangkok seems to stay in Bangkok. We'll see. It's just too bad so many countries have issued travel warnings. Even the BKK Post had an article about how the locals are trying to stay neutral.
We've been playing with BamBam a lot lately. She's learned a bunch of things and is starting to really show a personality. She loves to play 'go get your ball'. I'd call it catch, but she doesn't throw or catch, yet. I can't wait until she's a little older and we can play with a frisbee. For now, she gets her ball when you toss it and then decides who she wants to have throw it next. As with most puppies, there are those moments when she just goes nuts. 'No' is a big word around here lately, especially when she gets wound up.
Today she played in the front for a while and cracked us up. She spotted a leaf and of course, had to pick it up and bring it to Lisa. Let's hope she doesn't start doing that thing that cats do. Creepy.
I think the work on the 'pool room' will begin by the end of this week. All the new gear has arrived at the shop. In about three weeks from now we'll have a whole new system.
Well, in the words of Imogen Heap (Frou Frou) "I had to be somewhere, now where did I put it?" Have a Wonderful Week
Peace,
Danny
PS Last Friday marked the 300th post of this Blog.
"Try not to become a person of success, but rather a person of value."
~Albert Einstein
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Friday, September 5, 2008
Friday Funnies
Hi,
Here you are, at another Friday. We just finished ours. (That's so much fun to say) Today we went downtown for a few things and spent time at out respective crafts. I'll fill you in after we take care of some business.
Nothing like a Rolling Stones song to bring out the music lovers (Ha). "Paint It Black" was the song. That was in '66. That same year, another song hit with a similar color scheme: "__ __ __, I want my baby back. It's gray, it's gray, since she went away, Ooh-Ooh What can I do 'cause I-I-I-I-I'm feelin' blue" Clues: I think I just gave you the best one. Group has Spanish name but they aren't. Hmm, remember, it was the 60s. That was a pretty brave thing to do. (get it?)
Today, after our return from downtown, Lisa went into her studio to start a new project. It's so cool that she has a place to work. A permanent place dedicated to creating art. She's actually been rather productive since we've moved in. I, on the other hand (there's an odd phrase) have not been doing much, except absorbing the sounds around me, noting the cultural 'mash-up' that is modern Thai music. Well, when Blue and Ming were staying at the house, Ming retuned my guitar to what is called an open tuning (the six strings are tuned to play a chord when strummed, anywhere on the fret-board, you get that chord). The other day I finally picked up my guitar and got this wonderful surprise. It was just the spark I needed to get me back to my music. So, today while Lisa painted, I strummed and hummed and now I really feel 'at home' in my studio.
Tomorrow I have to dive again for another screw. Some are the right kind and Johan wants one of those for comparison. If I could figure out how to make a weight belt, it would be a snap. The adventure continues. Does anyone remember an underwater show starring Lloyd Bridges (I think that was the actor), where he was a diver. Don't be shy, write me and ease my troubled mind.
I'm going to go out on a limb and mention some sporting events happening this weekend. First off, Formula One is at the Spa circuit in Belgium. The US Open is happening (that's tennis) and there's probably some college football somewhere. Next weekend there's a U.S.C. game and of course we'll be rooting for our boys. Oh, did I mention they're ranked #1? See, this way I'll get lots of mail this weekend. Normally, we get no email on the weekends. It's a sad fact. You all go out and play and shop and visit and don't write your friends in foreign lands. (555)
I think it time for the 'Funnies', sent to me by my good friend Lee. It's a great variation on a theme. Have a Great WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
How to Plant Tomatoes
An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground
was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be
digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love,
Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son:
Dear Pop,
Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized
to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son:
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Here you are, at another Friday. We just finished ours. (That's so much fun to say) Today we went downtown for a few things and spent time at out respective crafts. I'll fill you in after we take care of some business.
Nothing like a Rolling Stones song to bring out the music lovers (Ha). "Paint It Black" was the song. That was in '66. That same year, another song hit with a similar color scheme: "__ __ __, I want my baby back. It's gray, it's gray, since she went away, Ooh-Ooh What can I do 'cause I-I-I-I-I'm feelin' blue" Clues: I think I just gave you the best one. Group has Spanish name but they aren't. Hmm, remember, it was the 60s. That was a pretty brave thing to do. (get it?)
Today, after our return from downtown, Lisa went into her studio to start a new project. It's so cool that she has a place to work. A permanent place dedicated to creating art. She's actually been rather productive since we've moved in. I, on the other hand (there's an odd phrase) have not been doing much, except absorbing the sounds around me, noting the cultural 'mash-up' that is modern Thai music. Well, when Blue and Ming were staying at the house, Ming retuned my guitar to what is called an open tuning (the six strings are tuned to play a chord when strummed, anywhere on the fret-board, you get that chord). The other day I finally picked up my guitar and got this wonderful surprise. It was just the spark I needed to get me back to my music. So, today while Lisa painted, I strummed and hummed and now I really feel 'at home' in my studio.
Tomorrow I have to dive again for another screw. Some are the right kind and Johan wants one of those for comparison. If I could figure out how to make a weight belt, it would be a snap. The adventure continues. Does anyone remember an underwater show starring Lloyd Bridges (I think that was the actor), where he was a diver. Don't be shy, write me and ease my troubled mind.
I'm going to go out on a limb and mention some sporting events happening this weekend. First off, Formula One is at the Spa circuit in Belgium. The US Open is happening (that's tennis) and there's probably some college football somewhere. Next weekend there's a U.S.C. game and of course we'll be rooting for our boys. Oh, did I mention they're ranked #1? See, this way I'll get lots of mail this weekend. Normally, we get no email on the weekends. It's a sad fact. You all go out and play and shop and visit and don't write your friends in foreign lands. (555)
I think it time for the 'Funnies', sent to me by my good friend Lee. It's a great variation on a theme. Have a Great WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
How to Plant Tomatoes
An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground
was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be
digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love,
Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son:
Dear Pop,
Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized
to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son:
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Fear
Hi,
Another day, another set of new experiences. We discovered the other day that the screws that hold down the outlets at the bottom of the pool are made of the wrong kind of material and have already started to rust. Stay tuned for the 'deep' conclusion.
Another gem seems to have eluded a lot of you. That's not to say that some of the sharp 'players' didn't get it. Here's more:
"I see a red door and I want it __ __, no colors anymore I want them to turn black..." Clue: Do you want me to spell it out for you?
In order to replace the screws on the bottom, one had to be removed so the replacement would be the proper length. I was offered the task of retrieving said screw. Fortunately, the pool is not very deep, but it's deep enough that it was hard to stay on the bottom long enough to unscrew the screw. I put on my goggles so I could see what I was doing. With the help of a friendly mermaid (I wrapped one arm around Lisa's leg), I was able to take a deep breath and stay down long enough to do the deed. It was very satisfying to get it out. Now Johan can take it with him to Chiang Mai and get stainless steel. I'm not sure who's going to take out the rest of them. Hmm.
This afternoon the doorbell rang. We weren't expecting anyone. We opened the gate and a man walked into the yard talking a mile a minute in Thai. What? As he continued, I heard the name Kak, our landscape artist. Ah, another tree was being delivered. He drove a big truck down the driveway with a hoist tied to a very big tree. After a wait, more workers appeared and they promptly dug a hole and planted the tree. Kak arrived and took out one of his many books and showed us what the tree would look like. Beautiful, with purple flowers. Now we have to wait for it to fill out.
I've gone on and on about how smart Bam-Bam is and you're probably saying 'Yeah, right'. Well, when she gets a bath or gets wet, all you have to do is put a towel on the ground and she gets on it and rolls onto her back and wiggles around. Smart or what? She also is very aware of the routine when Boot leaves the house. She's a little anxious until the gate closes, then she calms down. The interesting thing is, she wants to stay downstairs until Boot returns. We had her upstairs with us today and she kept wanting to go down. Finally, Lisa took her downstairs and she went into Boots room with a bone and waited. Like I said, smart.
The Festival across the river is not about food at all. It's put on by an organization of Thai merchants showing Thai made products. The carnival atmosphere is part of the attraction. We went to a similar event months ago, but never went to the carnival.
Another driving observation: Making my way through the streets can be viewed as a ballet on wheels or utter chaos. Today I chose the ballet. It made the whole experience more interesting. (Ha)
That's all for now. Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only to stand still."
~Chinese Proverb
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Another day, another set of new experiences. We discovered the other day that the screws that hold down the outlets at the bottom of the pool are made of the wrong kind of material and have already started to rust. Stay tuned for the 'deep' conclusion.
Another gem seems to have eluded a lot of you. That's not to say that some of the sharp 'players' didn't get it. Here's more:
"I see a red door and I want it __ __, no colors anymore I want them to turn black..." Clue: Do you want me to spell it out for you?
In order to replace the screws on the bottom, one had to be removed so the replacement would be the proper length. I was offered the task of retrieving said screw. Fortunately, the pool is not very deep, but it's deep enough that it was hard to stay on the bottom long enough to unscrew the screw. I put on my goggles so I could see what I was doing. With the help of a friendly mermaid (I wrapped one arm around Lisa's leg), I was able to take a deep breath and stay down long enough to do the deed. It was very satisfying to get it out. Now Johan can take it with him to Chiang Mai and get stainless steel. I'm not sure who's going to take out the rest of them. Hmm.
This afternoon the doorbell rang. We weren't expecting anyone. We opened the gate and a man walked into the yard talking a mile a minute in Thai. What? As he continued, I heard the name Kak, our landscape artist. Ah, another tree was being delivered. He drove a big truck down the driveway with a hoist tied to a very big tree. After a wait, more workers appeared and they promptly dug a hole and planted the tree. Kak arrived and took out one of his many books and showed us what the tree would look like. Beautiful, with purple flowers. Now we have to wait for it to fill out.
I've gone on and on about how smart Bam-Bam is and you're probably saying 'Yeah, right'. Well, when she gets a bath or gets wet, all you have to do is put a towel on the ground and she gets on it and rolls onto her back and wiggles around. Smart or what? She also is very aware of the routine when Boot leaves the house. She's a little anxious until the gate closes, then she calms down. The interesting thing is, she wants to stay downstairs until Boot returns. We had her upstairs with us today and she kept wanting to go down. Finally, Lisa took her downstairs and she went into Boots room with a bone and waited. Like I said, smart.
The Festival across the river is not about food at all. It's put on by an organization of Thai merchants showing Thai made products. The carnival atmosphere is part of the attraction. We went to a similar event months ago, but never went to the carnival.
Another driving observation: Making my way through the streets can be viewed as a ballet on wheels or utter chaos. Today I chose the ballet. It made the whole experience more interesting. (Ha)
That's all for now. Have a Thrilling Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only to stand still."
~Chinese Proverb
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Kind Word
Hi,
What's that? I can't hear you, I have water in my ear. Yes, we swam today and it was wonderful. I can't remember when we last swam in our pool. (something inside doesn't want me to) Just the same, it was right on time.
Somehow the classics live on. I'm not sure if this tune fits that label, but "Pinball Wizard" by The Who certainly is well remembered. It's from the Rock Opera "Tommy". Does anybody remember the movie? Whoa, what a crazy ride. Now try this:
"I see the girls go by dressed in their summer clothes, I have to turn my head until my darkness goes..." Clue: Song about a dark hue, absence of light. Group name derived from a blues song. Oh yeah, that line is from the second half of the first verse, just to throw you. (Ha)
Today we went out and did stuff. We checked out a new vet we read about. He and his wife run a very nice clinic and we'll take Bam to them when the time comes to have her spayed. Then we went around the corner and picked up the five pieces of art that we were having framed. They did a beautiful job on everything. Now we just have to put them on the walls.
Then it was on to Big C for various things. The most important being a charger for our camera battery. I seem to have left it in America and it finally ran out. We got a little gadget that does the trick. Now we can take more pictures. Speaking of that, I have some catching up to do on the Flickr site. Stay tuned.
It seems that four o'clock is the perfect time to walk into the pool and cool off. Today was no exception. After being out in the street, it was nice to just slide into the refreshing, clean water. Did I mention that it is clean.
We were going to go to the Festival tonight but a storm hit just as we sat down for dinner. First a mighty wind came, blowing things open, and down and away. Then the rain came and we knew we were in for the evening. It's not so hard to stay home when there's nothing earth-shattering going on in the street. Chalk one up for small town living. Hmm.
Well, it's time for a Wacky Wednesday
Peace,
Danny
"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground,
but a kind word is never thrown away."
~Arthur Helps
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
What's that? I can't hear you, I have water in my ear. Yes, we swam today and it was wonderful. I can't remember when we last swam in our pool. (something inside doesn't want me to) Just the same, it was right on time.
Somehow the classics live on. I'm not sure if this tune fits that label, but "Pinball Wizard" by The Who certainly is well remembered. It's from the Rock Opera "Tommy". Does anybody remember the movie? Whoa, what a crazy ride. Now try this:
"I see the girls go by dressed in their summer clothes, I have to turn my head until my darkness goes..." Clue: Song about a dark hue, absence of light. Group name derived from a blues song. Oh yeah, that line is from the second half of the first verse, just to throw you. (Ha)
Today we went out and did stuff. We checked out a new vet we read about. He and his wife run a very nice clinic and we'll take Bam to them when the time comes to have her spayed. Then we went around the corner and picked up the five pieces of art that we were having framed. They did a beautiful job on everything. Now we just have to put them on the walls.
Then it was on to Big C for various things. The most important being a charger for our camera battery. I seem to have left it in America and it finally ran out. We got a little gadget that does the trick. Now we can take more pictures. Speaking of that, I have some catching up to do on the Flickr site. Stay tuned.
It seems that four o'clock is the perfect time to walk into the pool and cool off. Today was no exception. After being out in the street, it was nice to just slide into the refreshing, clean water. Did I mention that it is clean.
We were going to go to the Festival tonight but a storm hit just as we sat down for dinner. First a mighty wind came, blowing things open, and down and away. Then the rain came and we knew we were in for the evening. It's not so hard to stay home when there's nothing earth-shattering going on in the street. Chalk one up for small town living. Hmm.
Well, it's time for a Wacky Wednesday
Peace,
Danny
"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground,
but a kind word is never thrown away."
~Arthur Helps
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Human
Hi,
Things were pretty mellow around here today. We had a visit from the pool crew early. They cleaned the filter of the first day's dirt and set things up for day two. A good vacuum of the floor of the pool was in order. This afternoon the water looked pretty inviting, though it's not done yet. Maybe another day and we'll be able to take a dip.
I see I sparked some memories with the current song. Several of you wrote and mentioned that you didn't have to look it up.
"He ain't got no distractions, can't hear those buzzers and bells. Don't see lights a flashin', plays by sense of smell...that deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean __ __" Clue: The entire title is three words, but I would have given it away.
There is a steady throb in the background, provided by what turns out to be a Food Festival across the river. I think we may go over tomorrow evening and check it out. I'm thinking it must be very loud over there. We'll just have to steer clear of the main stage. Who knows, we may discover some new treats. Boot is going with us so we'll be able to ask before we eat. (Ha)
Before I forget, Linda reminded me about Labor Day and that it's an oxymoron. If some of you recall, I had a lot of fun with that one last year. Like 'Why don't you labor on Labor Day?' and stuff like that. Don't worry, I won't linger here.
Today Bam-Bam went tearing out to the front gate. There was a dog out there. I was upstairs, but Lisa and Boot were downstairs yelling at her but she kept going, stopped at the gate and made friends with the dog. She's really getting bolder. She's also getting bigger. We're working on teaching her not to jump up. When she gets to adult size, it could be a real problem. As it is, who likes a dog jumping on them anyway? She minds, but still has a rather short attention span when it comes to certain things.
As for the year in review, I remembered something else. We experienced two annual festivals last year. The first was Loy Krathong, when we went to the river and set the little baskets with candles and flowers into the river and sent paper balloons into the night sky. The second was the Songkran Festival. That was the week when water was flying everywhere. Looking forward to both of them again this year.
Ok, back to work. Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"BE a human being not a human doing."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Things were pretty mellow around here today. We had a visit from the pool crew early. They cleaned the filter of the first day's dirt and set things up for day two. A good vacuum of the floor of the pool was in order. This afternoon the water looked pretty inviting, though it's not done yet. Maybe another day and we'll be able to take a dip.
I see I sparked some memories with the current song. Several of you wrote and mentioned that you didn't have to look it up.
"He ain't got no distractions, can't hear those buzzers and bells. Don't see lights a flashin', plays by sense of smell...that deaf dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean __ __" Clue: The entire title is three words, but I would have given it away.
There is a steady throb in the background, provided by what turns out to be a Food Festival across the river. I think we may go over tomorrow evening and check it out. I'm thinking it must be very loud over there. We'll just have to steer clear of the main stage. Who knows, we may discover some new treats. Boot is going with us so we'll be able to ask before we eat. (Ha)
Before I forget, Linda reminded me about Labor Day and that it's an oxymoron. If some of you recall, I had a lot of fun with that one last year. Like 'Why don't you labor on Labor Day?' and stuff like that. Don't worry, I won't linger here.
Today Bam-Bam went tearing out to the front gate. There was a dog out there. I was upstairs, but Lisa and Boot were downstairs yelling at her but she kept going, stopped at the gate and made friends with the dog. She's really getting bolder. She's also getting bigger. We're working on teaching her not to jump up. When she gets to adult size, it could be a real problem. As it is, who likes a dog jumping on them anyway? She minds, but still has a rather short attention span when it comes to certain things.
As for the year in review, I remembered something else. We experienced two annual festivals last year. The first was Loy Krathong, when we went to the river and set the little baskets with candles and flowers into the river and sent paper balloons into the night sky. The second was the Songkran Festival. That was the week when water was flying everywhere. Looking forward to both of them again this year.
Ok, back to work. Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"BE a human being not a human doing."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Monday, September 1, 2008
Lessons
Hi,
Today marks one year since we began our adventure in Thailand. A little later I'll try to recall some of the things we've learned/encountered. Stay with me.
Many of you knew the weekend song. It was Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love". Now we switch gears. Know this?:
"Ever since I was a young boy, I've played the silver ball..." Hint: Was it really just a game? Really though, it's from a piece of musical history. Why?
So, a year has passed and I learned that it really is possible to drive on the other side of the road and not run into too many things. We spent a month in a hotel and it started to feel like home. One can live in a foreign country, not know the language and still get by. Air conditioning can become a necessary part of life. Just because you see dogs lying in the road doesn't mean something bad happened. Smiling faces don't always want something. A Big Brown House can be built in five months. Puppies will love you unconditionally. Acceptance is more than a notion, it can take work. A lower cost of living can brighten your day. Living in Thailand is not better or worse, it's just different.
As the week rolls by I'll maybe be a little more specific, but there are so many things flying through my mind right now it's hard to focus. Today Johan arrived with two of his guys and set up an auxiliary pump and filter to clean out the Black Lagoon. In just a day we can see the bottom. We may be swimming this week. In a couple of weeks they'll start work on a new 'pump room'.
All the corn fields around us have been harvested and plowed under. Yesterday about 14 men and women planted seeds in the field behind us. Who could imagine I'd be waiting for corn to sprout? (Ha)
Last but not least, there's a carnival going on across the river and we can hear the bass (just the bass) of a live band. Oh my, it's supposed to go on for a week. I think if we play some music we won't hear it. We're going to go and check it out and I'll let you know what's happening. What we know so far is, lots of people were streaming in this evening. I guess it's a big deal.
Have an Amazing Week.
Peace,
Danny
"The difficulties we experience
always illuminate the lessons we need most."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
Today marks one year since we began our adventure in Thailand. A little later I'll try to recall some of the things we've learned/encountered. Stay with me.
Many of you knew the weekend song. It was Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love". Now we switch gears. Know this?:
"Ever since I was a young boy, I've played the silver ball..." Hint: Was it really just a game? Really though, it's from a piece of musical history. Why?
So, a year has passed and I learned that it really is possible to drive on the other side of the road and not run into too many things. We spent a month in a hotel and it started to feel like home. One can live in a foreign country, not know the language and still get by. Air conditioning can become a necessary part of life. Just because you see dogs lying in the road doesn't mean something bad happened. Smiling faces don't always want something. A Big Brown House can be built in five months. Puppies will love you unconditionally. Acceptance is more than a notion, it can take work. A lower cost of living can brighten your day. Living in Thailand is not better or worse, it's just different.
As the week rolls by I'll maybe be a little more specific, but there are so many things flying through my mind right now it's hard to focus. Today Johan arrived with two of his guys and set up an auxiliary pump and filter to clean out the Black Lagoon. In just a day we can see the bottom. We may be swimming this week. In a couple of weeks they'll start work on a new 'pump room'.
All the corn fields around us have been harvested and plowed under. Yesterday about 14 men and women planted seeds in the field behind us. Who could imagine I'd be waiting for corn to sprout? (Ha)
Last but not least, there's a carnival going on across the river and we can hear the bass (just the bass) of a live band. Oh my, it's supposed to go on for a week. I think if we play some music we won't hear it. We're going to go and check it out and I'll let you know what's happening. What we know so far is, lots of people were streaming in this evening. I guess it's a big deal.
Have an Amazing Week.
Peace,
Danny
"The difficulties we experience
always illuminate the lessons we need most."
~Unknown
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
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