Ice Cream
Hi,
Today was a busy day. There was a trip to Big C, BamBam got vocal and we worked on a monumental project. Plus all the usual observations of life in Chiang Rai.
I only got one response to this song. I'm a little surprised. It must be the rain in SoCal that muddled your memories. Try this: "Here she comes again. When she's dancing 'neath the starry sky she'll make you flip...You kinda like the way she dips __ __ __ __ __ (x2) And she used to be mine." Clue: There was a recent movie with the same title. Hmm.
Over the weekend, while strolling the aisles of Big C, I spotted some sandals that I had been looking for. Sandals are a big part of life here. They're cool on the feet and easy to take off when entering a home and some businesses. You see, shoes are removed when entering homes because traditionally, much of life is lived on the floor. That's where people eat, watch T.V. and hang out. That's not to say that people don't have furniture, but the 'old style' was very simple. Anyway, I wanted some sandals with a strap around the heel since slip-ons are not always practical for me. I bought the sandals and when we got home I realized that they hadn't removed the big plastic/magnetic security thingy. When we approached the check-out stand today they just laughed and removed it. Amazing Thailand.
This morning I heard a bump at our bedroom door and I knew who it was. It was BamBam. She came in wagging her whole backside and making her little whimpering sound. It's her 'So happy to see you' sound. She seemed a little agitated and we realized she missed Rene. They usually played in the mornings. What else could we do but play with the dog. She's been spending more time inside with us lately. If we leave her outside by herself she becomes 'goat dog', chewing on anything she can put in her mouth. She's partial to rocks but will bite leaves, mess with bugs and chew grass on occasion. We've tried putting supposedly bad tasting things on rocks but she likes pepper anyway. Hopefully it's a phase she'll grow out of.
The afternoon found us working on our 'bag project'. We have tote bags that have a silk-screen of Lisa's art on them and we're getting them ready for 'market'. There are two styles with two different art pieces from the Dancer Series that Lisa created since we've been here. Today we began putting bottom supports in the bags. You can go to Lisa's new website and click on 'Dancers' and look for 'Lighten Up' and 'Reach Out'. Those are the ones on the bags. www.lisamosesgallery.com
This evening I spotted a woman on a motorbike with her son riding on the seat in front of her. He was reading a comic book while they rode. Hmm.
It is now time for Happy Tuesday. Enjoy.
Peace,
Danny
"My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither,
but just to enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate."
~Thornton Wilder
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thai Massage
Attitude
Hi,
I'm back from a mellow weekend. There's dance news, a sad good-bye, and a full moon shining on a baby elephant. What does it all mean? Stay tuned.
I love it when I get mail. This weekend I got lots of mail about the song. Yes, it was "Fool On The Hill" by The Beatles.
"You're always dancing down the street with your suede blue eyes and every new boy that you meet, he doesn't know the real surprise..." Hint: It's by a group named after something we see on the streets, and it's about an old flame. Should be easy.
Sunday we went into town and had our usual massage. Actually is wasn't usual at all. Lisa's operator, Nong, was out sick so she had a substitute. She did a good job, but it wasn't Nong. While on the subject, there are some things to know about the Thai massage. First of all, there are several kinds. There's the foot massage, which is very popular. It can be very relaxing and you can take it from me, there's nothing like getting your 'feets did' as we jokingly say. It's usually more than just your feet. You get your lower legs, upper back and neck done as well. Then there's the full massage, which we get. You're given a pair of pajamas to wear and you stretch out on a mattress on the floor. They start at your feet and work out all the tight muscles all the way to your head. At the end there's even a kind of facial massage. Last but not least, is the oil massage. I've never had one but Lisa has. When you come to Thailand, you must experience the Thai massage at least once. Considering that here in Chiang Rai an hour costs about $6.00, how could you resist?
Late Saturday afternoon we got a call from Tay. She and Napa and the girls from the dance school had gone to Chiang Mai for a competition. The girls were going to be in the finals on Sunday. We found out Sunday that they took first place in the ballet division. Tay and the girls were very excited.
This morning we took Rene to the airport for his flight to Bangkok and then home to France. He's been here since mid December and we really like him a lot. Boot was very sad to see him go but he plans to return and stay in Thailand. They're very much in love and are very happy together.
Tonight I was driving past the Dusit Island Resort on my way home and by the light of the full moon I spotted a baby elephant and its handler walking by the side of the road. I have never seen this in Chiang Rai. We've seen them on the streets of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and though it's a great attraction for tourists, it's not good for the elephants at all. The handlers let people pet the trunk for good luck, for a fee. There was a time when teak wood was a big industry in Thailand and the elephants did the heavy work. Since the banning of teak harvesting, the elephants and the families that care for them have been out of work. Much effort has been made for them to be taken care of but not everyone finds that help. There's a hotel north of us that has a refuge for the elephants and their families and it's been a great success. Here's hoping the little guy I saw tonight will find a decent home.
Have a Fabulous Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Of all the creature of earth, only human beings can change their patterns. Man alone is the architect of his destiny...
Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
~William James
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Hi,
I'm back from a mellow weekend. There's dance news, a sad good-bye, and a full moon shining on a baby elephant. What does it all mean? Stay tuned.
I love it when I get mail. This weekend I got lots of mail about the song. Yes, it was "Fool On The Hill" by The Beatles.
"You're always dancing down the street with your suede blue eyes and every new boy that you meet, he doesn't know the real surprise..." Hint: It's by a group named after something we see on the streets, and it's about an old flame. Should be easy.
Sunday we went into town and had our usual massage. Actually is wasn't usual at all. Lisa's operator, Nong, was out sick so she had a substitute. She did a good job, but it wasn't Nong. While on the subject, there are some things to know about the Thai massage. First of all, there are several kinds. There's the foot massage, which is very popular. It can be very relaxing and you can take it from me, there's nothing like getting your 'feets did' as we jokingly say. It's usually more than just your feet. You get your lower legs, upper back and neck done as well. Then there's the full massage, which we get. You're given a pair of pajamas to wear and you stretch out on a mattress on the floor. They start at your feet and work out all the tight muscles all the way to your head. At the end there's even a kind of facial massage. Last but not least, is the oil massage. I've never had one but Lisa has. When you come to Thailand, you must experience the Thai massage at least once. Considering that here in Chiang Rai an hour costs about $6.00, how could you resist?
Late Saturday afternoon we got a call from Tay. She and Napa and the girls from the dance school had gone to Chiang Mai for a competition. The girls were going to be in the finals on Sunday. We found out Sunday that they took first place in the ballet division. Tay and the girls were very excited.
This morning we took Rene to the airport for his flight to Bangkok and then home to France. He's been here since mid December and we really like him a lot. Boot was very sad to see him go but he plans to return and stay in Thailand. They're very much in love and are very happy together.
Tonight I was driving past the Dusit Island Resort on my way home and by the light of the full moon I spotted a baby elephant and its handler walking by the side of the road. I have never seen this in Chiang Rai. We've seen them on the streets of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and though it's a great attraction for tourists, it's not good for the elephants at all. The handlers let people pet the trunk for good luck, for a fee. There was a time when teak wood was a big industry in Thailand and the elephants did the heavy work. Since the banning of teak harvesting, the elephants and the families that care for them have been out of work. Much effort has been made for them to be taken care of but not everyone finds that help. There's a hotel north of us that has a refuge for the elephants and their families and it's been a great success. Here's hoping the little guy I saw tonight will find a decent home.
Have a Fabulous Week.
Peace,
Danny
"Of all the creature of earth, only human beings can change their patterns. Man alone is the architect of his destiny...
Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives."
~William James
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Friday, February 6, 2009
Friday Funnies
Hi,
The wild week is over. So, maybe the weekend is for regrouping for another wild week. But if that's true, what about wild weekends? Oh, the conundrums of life. The fence is growing and we pay final respects.
The song so many of you knew was "You Send Me" and was sung by Sam Cooke. Remember that name, we'll visit him again.
"Day after day, alone on a hill, the man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still. But nobody wants to know him, they can see he's just a fool, and he never gives an answer. But __ __ __ __ __ sees the sun going down and the eyes in his head see the world spinning round." Hint: From the later years of the mop heads, guru who? The title is sprinkled in the lyric of this verse.
This morning I got the fencing and some paint and Rene set about completing the structure. I bought so much fencing the manager gave me a discount. The paint didn't work as planned but it may provide a small measure of protection.
This afternoon was the final episode in the week long tribute to Ao Mah. All week there have been evening services. Today there was an afternoon service and then a procession to the cemetery. The procession and burial were Chinese Buddhist while the previous services were Thai. We arrived at the temple in time to join the slow caravan. Here in Thailand, in the North at least, the old tradition was to carry the casket on the back of a horse-drawn wagon. These days it's a flatbed truck. A group of young men sat on the truck and tossed flower petals and play Chinese money down the entire route. There is much symbolism in everything and I learned that the flowers were to alert the spirits that Ao Mah was coming. The money symbolized that she was letting go of earthly things. Something to that affect. Anyway, there were about 60 people at the burial site. The temple provided a bus for the women of the village so they could attend. For almost two hours we visited and the family took more pictures and prepared the site. I walked up a hill to see the prep and discovered that there was a full feast of roast chicken, fruit, noodle dishes and sweets for Ao Mah.
When it was finally time to commit her to the earth, the family turned their backs so as not to have to watch and while a long string of firecrackers pierced the air, she was lowered into the ground. Much more happened after that but the family was on the hill and we just watched from below. This has been a very special chance for us to learn things about the culture first-hand. As we learned from Sutheera, it's a very 'blended' culture with tastes of many combined into one. Traditions are hard to maintain unless they are passed down. We were able to see that process. I will probably remember more things to tell you as time goes on so just know that this is not the end of this chapter.
Now it's time for the 'Funnies'. This week you can thank Cousin Trudye for the laughter. Have a Great WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 40
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.) After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
The wild week is over. So, maybe the weekend is for regrouping for another wild week. But if that's true, what about wild weekends? Oh, the conundrums of life. The fence is growing and we pay final respects.
The song so many of you knew was "You Send Me" and was sung by Sam Cooke. Remember that name, we'll visit him again.
"Day after day, alone on a hill, the man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still. But nobody wants to know him, they can see he's just a fool, and he never gives an answer. But __ __ __ __ __ sees the sun going down and the eyes in his head see the world spinning round." Hint: From the later years of the mop heads, guru who? The title is sprinkled in the lyric of this verse.
This morning I got the fencing and some paint and Rene set about completing the structure. I bought so much fencing the manager gave me a discount. The paint didn't work as planned but it may provide a small measure of protection.
This afternoon was the final episode in the week long tribute to Ao Mah. All week there have been evening services. Today there was an afternoon service and then a procession to the cemetery. The procession and burial were Chinese Buddhist while the previous services were Thai. We arrived at the temple in time to join the slow caravan. Here in Thailand, in the North at least, the old tradition was to carry the casket on the back of a horse-drawn wagon. These days it's a flatbed truck. A group of young men sat on the truck and tossed flower petals and play Chinese money down the entire route. There is much symbolism in everything and I learned that the flowers were to alert the spirits that Ao Mah was coming. The money symbolized that she was letting go of earthly things. Something to that affect. Anyway, there were about 60 people at the burial site. The temple provided a bus for the women of the village so they could attend. For almost two hours we visited and the family took more pictures and prepared the site. I walked up a hill to see the prep and discovered that there was a full feast of roast chicken, fruit, noodle dishes and sweets for Ao Mah.
When it was finally time to commit her to the earth, the family turned their backs so as not to have to watch and while a long string of firecrackers pierced the air, she was lowered into the ground. Much more happened after that but the family was on the hill and we just watched from below. This has been a very special chance for us to learn things about the culture first-hand. As we learned from Sutheera, it's a very 'blended' culture with tastes of many combined into one. Traditions are hard to maintain unless they are passed down. We were able to see that process. I will probably remember more things to tell you as time goes on so just know that this is not the end of this chapter.
Now it's time for the 'Funnies'. This week you can thank Cousin Trudye for the laughter. Have a Great WeekEnd.
Peace,
Danny
EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 40
Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.
Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.) After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Living in Chiang Rai
Talk
Hi,
Today there was a fencing fiasco, a ballerina blowup and a funereal family reunion. There's never a dull moment living in Chiang Rai.
I find it interesting how many of you knew the song but not the artist. I guess we have some work to do. (Ha) Need help?
"You thrill me. I know you thrill me. Darling, you thrill me, Honest you do." Hint: Change one word and you'll be cookin'. You'll have the chorus and the title. Oh, shoot me now for giving it away.
This morning Rene and I went out to look for fencing material for the 'dog run'. We started on what we call 'Bus Station Street' for obvious reasons. Not only does it have the station, but it also has a row of hardware suppliers so we figured it was a good place to start. Up and down the street we got the same answer: 'No have'. Then we went to my 'local' store and they had wire fencing but it wasn't galvanized, which meant it would rust. We went up and down the highway and finally went home. Tomorrow I'll buy the bare wire fencing and we'll paint it green and be done with it. It should blend nicely with the bamboo and the yard.
This afternoon Napa came over to get some ballet coaching for her upcoming dance competition this weekend. Normally she's all smiles and full of personality. Today she was a grouch. We found out she was having a spat with her mom. Not much to do about that. The show must go on. (Ha)
Tonight was the final night of services for Nukoon's mother. All of the relatives that we've ever heard about were there. We met lots of cousins and friends of the family. There was a different set of monks and it was basically the same service as Sunday night with two exceptions. The senior monk gave a teaching/sermon that was quite long. What made it interesting was that he spoke slowly and distinctly so it was easier to pick out words I knew. There were bits that allowed me to know a little of what he was talking about. Couldn't tell you a lot, but I got stuff. The second difference was the eulogy read by Sutheera, daughter-in-law of 'Ao Mah' After the service there was food and lots of picture taking. Something else I found interesting: All the family/friends pictures were taken in front of the casket. As if to quietly make sure that 'Ao Mah' was included. After all, the whole week was about paying respects and remembering. Tomorrow afternoon we'll return to the temple and go to the cemetery with the family. It has certainly been an educational and enlightening week.
Have a Cool Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you,
so you should be very careful about what you say to you!"
~Zig Ziglar
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Hi,
Today there was a fencing fiasco, a ballerina blowup and a funereal family reunion. There's never a dull moment living in Chiang Rai.
I find it interesting how many of you knew the song but not the artist. I guess we have some work to do. (Ha) Need help?
"You thrill me. I know you thrill me. Darling, you thrill me, Honest you do." Hint: Change one word and you'll be cookin'. You'll have the chorus and the title. Oh, shoot me now for giving it away.
This morning Rene and I went out to look for fencing material for the 'dog run'. We started on what we call 'Bus Station Street' for obvious reasons. Not only does it have the station, but it also has a row of hardware suppliers so we figured it was a good place to start. Up and down the street we got the same answer: 'No have'. Then we went to my 'local' store and they had wire fencing but it wasn't galvanized, which meant it would rust. We went up and down the highway and finally went home. Tomorrow I'll buy the bare wire fencing and we'll paint it green and be done with it. It should blend nicely with the bamboo and the yard.
This afternoon Napa came over to get some ballet coaching for her upcoming dance competition this weekend. Normally she's all smiles and full of personality. Today she was a grouch. We found out she was having a spat with her mom. Not much to do about that. The show must go on. (Ha)
Tonight was the final night of services for Nukoon's mother. All of the relatives that we've ever heard about were there. We met lots of cousins and friends of the family. There was a different set of monks and it was basically the same service as Sunday night with two exceptions. The senior monk gave a teaching/sermon that was quite long. What made it interesting was that he spoke slowly and distinctly so it was easier to pick out words I knew. There were bits that allowed me to know a little of what he was talking about. Couldn't tell you a lot, but I got stuff. The second difference was the eulogy read by Sutheera, daughter-in-law of 'Ao Mah' After the service there was food and lots of picture taking. Something else I found interesting: All the family/friends pictures were taken in front of the casket. As if to quietly make sure that 'Ao Mah' was included. After all, the whole week was about paying respects and remembering. Tomorrow afternoon we'll return to the temple and go to the cemetery with the family. It has certainly been an educational and enlightening week.
Have a Cool Thursday.
Peace,
Danny
"The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you,
so you should be very careful about what you say to you!"
~Zig Ziglar
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Pessimist
Hi,
It was another warm day in Chiang Rai. The days start off cool but by mid-morning you can feel it coming on. We went to school, men cleaned the pool and work began on the wild animal compound.
Don't shoot me, I didn't write it. I hum it a lot though. Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" was the song in question. Whew.
"At first I thought it was infatuation But woo, it's lasted so long Now I find myself wanting To marry you and take you home
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...__ __ __..." Hint: I don't care when you were born, you gotta know this one. Honest, you do.
Yesterday, while driving to get the bamboo, Rene and I had a conversation about levels of logic. It has become apparent that there are many levels of logic. Driving in Thailand has shown me that what was logical in America, is not necessarily logical here. Driving on the wrong side of the road is a perfectly logical way to get around traffic here. That's not the same conclusion that would be drawn by an officer of the law in California. Rene recalled an incident where he was riding without his helmet and a policeman pulled up on a bike, with two children on it. He motioned for Rene to put on his helmet. He wasn't wearing one. Hmm.
This concept will grow in my mind and I'll probably be able to express it more clearly as I go deeper. You know how it is when you decide to be a philosopher. (Ha)
Our big adventure today was the party at Chiang Rai Tech. The students (60) were given sheets with questions they could try and ask, in English. We stood at the front of the classroom and asked for questions. It became very obvious that it was going to take some time to warm them up. They were very shy and those that did ask questions asked them with little quiet voices. It was mostly young men in their late teens. There were some young women and one of them wasn't shy at all. We ended up in two groups. One of the members of my group happened to be the president of the English Club. He was full of conversation and questions. When an hour had passed we had made new friends and some of them had opened up with their English. Snacks were set up buffet style and we hung around and talked and took pictures. I traded email addresses with the club pres. and another from our group wanted a picture of the two of us. We left there feeling really good about the whole encounter.
Rene is doing a very creative thing with the little enclosure for the dogs. (notice my optimistic use of the plural?) I'm taking some progress pics so you can see how it evolved. Today BamBam was hanging out with him while he worked on it. Little does she know that it will restrict her in the future. Hmm.
Tomorrow I may be a little late with this. We'll be attending the last of the funeral services and it may run late.
Have a Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars
or sailed to an uncharted land
or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."
~Helen Keller
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
It was another warm day in Chiang Rai. The days start off cool but by mid-morning you can feel it coming on. We went to school, men cleaned the pool and work began on the wild animal compound.
Don't shoot me, I didn't write it. I hum it a lot though. Bob Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man" was the song in question. Whew.
"At first I thought it was infatuation But woo, it's lasted so long Now I find myself wanting To marry you and take you home
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...__ __ __..." Hint: I don't care when you were born, you gotta know this one. Honest, you do.
Yesterday, while driving to get the bamboo, Rene and I had a conversation about levels of logic. It has become apparent that there are many levels of logic. Driving in Thailand has shown me that what was logical in America, is not necessarily logical here. Driving on the wrong side of the road is a perfectly logical way to get around traffic here. That's not the same conclusion that would be drawn by an officer of the law in California. Rene recalled an incident where he was riding without his helmet and a policeman pulled up on a bike, with two children on it. He motioned for Rene to put on his helmet. He wasn't wearing one. Hmm.
This concept will grow in my mind and I'll probably be able to express it more clearly as I go deeper. You know how it is when you decide to be a philosopher. (Ha)
Our big adventure today was the party at Chiang Rai Tech. The students (60) were given sheets with questions they could try and ask, in English. We stood at the front of the classroom and asked for questions. It became very obvious that it was going to take some time to warm them up. They were very shy and those that did ask questions asked them with little quiet voices. It was mostly young men in their late teens. There were some young women and one of them wasn't shy at all. We ended up in two groups. One of the members of my group happened to be the president of the English Club. He was full of conversation and questions. When an hour had passed we had made new friends and some of them had opened up with their English. Snacks were set up buffet style and we hung around and talked and took pictures. I traded email addresses with the club pres. and another from our group wanted a picture of the two of us. We left there feeling really good about the whole encounter.
Rene is doing a very creative thing with the little enclosure for the dogs. (notice my optimistic use of the plural?) I'm taking some progress pics so you can see how it evolved. Today BamBam was hanging out with him while he worked on it. Little does she know that it will restrict her in the future. Hmm.
Tomorrow I may be a little late with this. We'll be attending the last of the funeral services and it may run late.
Have a Wacky Wednesday.
Peace,
Danny
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars
or sailed to an uncharted land
or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."
~Helen Keller
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Explore
Hi,
The rain never came but visitors did. I found the bamboo connection and the puppy project is on hold.
A few of you recognized the song and that was cool. The next line may wake up some minds. "Because something is happening here but you don't know what it is, do you, Mister Jones?" Clue: There's a thin line between reality and 'whatever'. It's supposed to be a ballad. And you thought they were only used as love songs. (Ha)
The forecast was for rain. We were hopeful but not excited because this happens often here without results. There has been an increase in burning lately. I guess it's due to the fact that so many corn fields lost their value. Rain would be cleansing
This morning we went to see our vet, Khun Arnon, to ask him if he'd heard any news on the puppy front. He made a call to a friend of his and we followed him to Emmy's Kennel. Emmy specializes in Golden Retrievers and is a breeder. There was group of pups that were just begging to go with us but they had already been sold. One of the 'moms' had a fairly new litter and even though we have to wait, we gave her a deposit on a male. We met the father and Dr. Arnon said he would stand by the health of the dogs. That sure beats guessing at a pet store. Looks like the end of March will be our target.
This afternoon we had a visit from Third and his aunt Lalita and her friend Tang. They are starting an English school for children here in Chiang Rai and wanted to know if we'd come and talk to the students. The school isn't open yet but when it does we'll do our bit. They're focusing on kids between 7 and 12 with the idea of full communication. Tang works in Bangkok as a researcher with the government and is a very interesting person. The adventure continues.
Speaking of adventure, after our guests left, Rene, Boot and I went to a place on the highway that sells rough wood. I call it that because it's not a lumber yard. We went there to get some bamboo for a dog run on the side of the house. It was amazing, seeing the big stacks of long bamboo poles. Rene is going to build the fence and knew just what he needed. He measured the pieces he chose and a worker cut them to the proper length. Tomorrow he'll look for the fencing material and start work on it. There are times when we want to be outside without Miss BamBam getting into everything.
Tomorrow we've been invited to a party at the English class over at Chiang Rai Tech where we made the tapes with Lek. It will be interesting to meet her students and see if they can converse in English.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
~T. S. Eliot
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
The rain never came but visitors did. I found the bamboo connection and the puppy project is on hold.
A few of you recognized the song and that was cool. The next line may wake up some minds. "Because something is happening here but you don't know what it is, do you, Mister Jones?" Clue: There's a thin line between reality and 'whatever'. It's supposed to be a ballad. And you thought they were only used as love songs. (Ha)
The forecast was for rain. We were hopeful but not excited because this happens often here without results. There has been an increase in burning lately. I guess it's due to the fact that so many corn fields lost their value. Rain would be cleansing
This morning we went to see our vet, Khun Arnon, to ask him if he'd heard any news on the puppy front. He made a call to a friend of his and we followed him to Emmy's Kennel. Emmy specializes in Golden Retrievers and is a breeder. There was group of pups that were just begging to go with us but they had already been sold. One of the 'moms' had a fairly new litter and even though we have to wait, we gave her a deposit on a male. We met the father and Dr. Arnon said he would stand by the health of the dogs. That sure beats guessing at a pet store. Looks like the end of March will be our target.
This afternoon we had a visit from Third and his aunt Lalita and her friend Tang. They are starting an English school for children here in Chiang Rai and wanted to know if we'd come and talk to the students. The school isn't open yet but when it does we'll do our bit. They're focusing on kids between 7 and 12 with the idea of full communication. Tang works in Bangkok as a researcher with the government and is a very interesting person. The adventure continues.
Speaking of adventure, after our guests left, Rene, Boot and I went to a place on the highway that sells rough wood. I call it that because it's not a lumber yard. We went there to get some bamboo for a dog run on the side of the house. It was amazing, seeing the big stacks of long bamboo poles. Rene is going to build the fence and knew just what he needed. He measured the pieces he chose and a worker cut them to the proper length. Tomorrow he'll look for the fencing material and start work on it. There are times when we want to be outside without Miss BamBam getting into everything.
Tomorrow we've been invited to a party at the English class over at Chiang Rai Tech where we made the tapes with Lek. It will be interesting to meet her students and see if they can converse in English.
Have a Happy Tuesday.
Peace,
Danny
"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."
~T. S. Eliot
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Monday, February 2, 2009
Earth
Hi,
It was a busy weekend here in Chiang Rai. We continued to fend for ourselves, Napa christened the 'new' pool, and we attended the first night of a Buddhist service for a dear departed matriarch.
The weekend song was easy for some. It was "Dance To The Music" by Sly and the Family Stone. This may be harder to get:
"You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand. You see somebody naked and you say, "Who is that man?". You try so hard
but you don't understand, just what you'll say when you get home." Hint: It's by a self-proclaimed poet who entered the scene in the 60's and is still going strong. The title of this song is not in the lyrics. Very mysterious.
Boot and Rene returned from Rayong late this afternoon. They were glad to be back and we were happy to see them. With the exception of the night we went to dinner with Johan, we ate at home for the whole time Boot was gone. We figured we'd be eating out a lot but Lisa did a masterful job of preparing delicious meals. We watered, took out trash, ironed our clothes and did all the things grown-ups do. (Ha) BamBam was very happy to see her 'mom'. She was a little beside herself for awhile. Now things can return to normal. We learned that BamBam has an internal clock that tells her when it's 7:00 a.m. and that means 'get up and feed me'.
Sunday was the busiest day in a long time. Tay and Napa came over for a ballet lesson. After Napa finished dancing she changed into her swim suit and, without even testing the water, jumped right into the pool. She was determined to go in and when asked if the water was cold, answered with an emphatic 'No'. I suspect this will be a normal occurrence from now on. The temperature is creeping up about one degree per day. We'll probably hit the water next week.
We got a call from Sutheera telling us that Nukoon's mother has passed. Just to bring you up to speed, 'Loh Ma' (Grandma) as she was called, was the matriarch of our 'Little Family' that looks out for us and is Ming's great-grandmother. She had quite a colorful life and, at 93, was loved by everyone in her village. When the members of the village found out, they gathered at Nukoon's house and took care of everything. Sunday night we went to the first night of services that will end on Thursday. We'll go back for that one as well. On Friday she will be taken to the cemetary. It was explained to us that this will be a combination funeral. The services are at a Buddhist temple but since she was Chinese, she will be buried and not cremated. We're learning something new with every turn. We were asked to participate in the Sunday night service by taking banana leaves filled with rice and placing them in front of the one of the monks. There were four monks presiding over the ceremony. Each night there is a service and then socializing and game playing.
Tomorrow we go on our search for a puppy. Now that Boot is back and can look after BamBam, we will begin the 'baby-sitting' for 'our' dog. (Ha) We've settled on looking for a Golden Retriever or a variation on that theme. Part of the adventure will be in the communication with whoever has puppies.
Lots more to tell of course, but that's all for now. Have a Stupendous Week.
Peace,
Danny
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children."
~Ancient Indian Proverb
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
It was a busy weekend here in Chiang Rai. We continued to fend for ourselves, Napa christened the 'new' pool, and we attended the first night of a Buddhist service for a dear departed matriarch.
The weekend song was easy for some. It was "Dance To The Music" by Sly and the Family Stone. This may be harder to get:
"You walk into the room with your pencil in your hand. You see somebody naked and you say, "Who is that man?". You try so hard
but you don't understand, just what you'll say when you get home." Hint: It's by a self-proclaimed poet who entered the scene in the 60's and is still going strong. The title of this song is not in the lyrics. Very mysterious.
Boot and Rene returned from Rayong late this afternoon. They were glad to be back and we were happy to see them. With the exception of the night we went to dinner with Johan, we ate at home for the whole time Boot was gone. We figured we'd be eating out a lot but Lisa did a masterful job of preparing delicious meals. We watered, took out trash, ironed our clothes and did all the things grown-ups do. (Ha) BamBam was very happy to see her 'mom'. She was a little beside herself for awhile. Now things can return to normal. We learned that BamBam has an internal clock that tells her when it's 7:00 a.m. and that means 'get up and feed me'.
Sunday was the busiest day in a long time. Tay and Napa came over for a ballet lesson. After Napa finished dancing she changed into her swim suit and, without even testing the water, jumped right into the pool. She was determined to go in and when asked if the water was cold, answered with an emphatic 'No'. I suspect this will be a normal occurrence from now on. The temperature is creeping up about one degree per day. We'll probably hit the water next week.
We got a call from Sutheera telling us that Nukoon's mother has passed. Just to bring you up to speed, 'Loh Ma' (Grandma) as she was called, was the matriarch of our 'Little Family' that looks out for us and is Ming's great-grandmother. She had quite a colorful life and, at 93, was loved by everyone in her village. When the members of the village found out, they gathered at Nukoon's house and took care of everything. Sunday night we went to the first night of services that will end on Thursday. We'll go back for that one as well. On Friday she will be taken to the cemetary. It was explained to us that this will be a combination funeral. The services are at a Buddhist temple but since she was Chinese, she will be buried and not cremated. We're learning something new with every turn. We were asked to participate in the Sunday night service by taking banana leaves filled with rice and placing them in front of the one of the monks. There were four monks presiding over the ceremony. Each night there is a service and then socializing and game playing.
Tomorrow we go on our search for a puppy. Now that Boot is back and can look after BamBam, we will begin the 'baby-sitting' for 'our' dog. (Ha) We've settled on looking for a Golden Retriever or a variation on that theme. Part of the adventure will be in the communication with whoever has puppies.
Lots more to tell of course, but that's all for now. Have a Stupendous Week.
Peace,
Danny
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children."
~Ancient Indian Proverb
Gettin' Funky, Thai Style
www.flickr.com/photos/gratidudepics
www.risingstardom.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
