Beyond

Hi,

This morning we had rain.  Not a storm, but a steady little downpour to water, not soak, the lawns and trees.  After lunch it looked like a real storm front was moving our way.  It broke up and we are having a clear evening.  

It looks like we have another puzzler with this weeks ‘Zany Day’ song.  Today you’ll get a few more clues.

“She said she’d always been a dancer.  She worked at 15 clubs a day.  And though she thought I knew the answer, well I knew what I could not say.  And so I quit the police department, and got myself a steady job.  And though she does her best to help me, she could steal but she could not rob.  Didn’t anybody tell her?  Didn’t anybody see?….”

Clue:  This tune came out in 1969, by those famous ‘lads’.  The title is only sung in the beginning of the song.  

This morning we went to the hospital/clinic so I could put an end to the madness (555).  We knew we’d be in for a wait, and that’s what we got.  After taking my vitals and tagging me (555), we sat in front of the doctor’s door and waited.  Two hours later after a visit to the lab, the treatment room and two visits with the doctor we were finally done.  Still, it wasn’t all day and it didn’t break the bank.  I think there’s already a change for the better in a few symptoms.  

It was difficult when we first got to the hospital.  I parked near the front entrance and as we went in the door we saw one of the attendants who helped us with Blue the last time we took him.  He’s a really sweet man who always has a gentle smile.  That triggered a cascade of thoughts and memories as we walked through the corridors to the rear building.  So, this is what it’s going to be like for a while.  Buckle up.

For seven years Boot lived in the little apartment and it was perfect for her.  Now we have a family of three and they are accumulating stuff.  To that end, they decided to put some of their stuff in our storage room.  That prompted a conversation about permission and cooperation.  Today, Lisa, Natcha and Gong took things out of the room, got rid of old stuff and put it back together in an orderly fashion.  It looks great and everybody is happy.

The little family is taking the bus to Mae Sai for the weekend, so we’ll be on our own for a few days.  Wow, just the three of us in this big house.  

More random photos from Singapore today.  The first is pretty obvious.  A group of penguins swimming around near the entrance to the bird park.

This next photo is a sticker that was on the window of one of the train cars.  It’s ‘Hush Hush Hanna’, urging riders to turn down their sounds and make folks happy.

This restaurant menu really caught my eye as a unique way to present their food.  It’s made of soft leather.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                Peace,

                          Danny

“We need to go beyond looking

for the good and bad in each other

and see only the good and good.”

~Rumi

Become

Hi,

According to the weather gurus, this 'looking like rain without rain’ thing is going to last all week.  We like the overcast mornings because it keeps Daku from getting overheated during playtime.  It is time for things to get watered though.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “Daddy’s Home” by Shep & The Limelights.  They are the same personnel as The Heartbeats, who sang “A Thousand Miles Away”.  Pretty clever, huh?  In ‘The Old Days’ a group might write a tune in answer to another group's R&B hit, or the original group might write one themselves.  Sometimes it went back and forth, with the fans being the real winners, along with radio DJs.  A fun time.  But wait, it’s time for another ‘Zany Day’ song.  “__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, protected by a silver spoon.  But now she sucks her thumb and wanders by the banks of her own lagoon.  Didn’t anybody tell her?  Didn’t anybody see?  Sunday’s on the phone to Monday.  Tuesday’s on the phone to me.”  Hint:  Oh, what?  I have no idea how to give you a hint about this one.  There is a window and possible thievery involved.

I’m getting that ‘Groundhog Day’ feeling.  Each day feels like a loop of the day before.  I wake up and the fever is gone, I feel great and then after lunch it’s back.  Tomorrow I won’t get fooled again.  Even if I feel great, I’m going to see the doctor.  Now, who wants to do some research on the phrase: 'Mark my words’?

We went into town this morning.  I almost felt like a tourist.  ‘Oh, look at that.  When did that open?’  There is a very steep hillside opposite the golf course, across the bridge from us, and it’s been like a jungle for years.  Apparently there have been some mud slides so it’s been cleared of much of the foliage.  There is a plan, but it’s not clear.  I just hope they do something before the next big storm.  

One thing we noticed this morning was the extremely light traffic around town.  It felt like something was going on and nobody told us.  Hmm, a special holiday, a disaster drill.  We still have questions.  Or is this the new look for Wednesday mornings in Chiang Rai?

Closer to home, we found out that the strange little complex down the road from us will be a ‘short time motel’.  One hour to one day is what they told our friends.  Hmm, I usually don’t wish for businesses to fail, but in this case, maybe they’ll find another use for these little rooms.  It opens in a couple of months.

Today we continue with more random shots from Singapore.  The first photo is part of a larger mural in the train station, made up of drawings by school children.  It’s a great idea that could be used many ways.

This next photo is a giant Dragonfly sculpture in a lagoon inside the "Garden by the Bay."  There are two of these dramatic insects.

This last photo is the Super Trees.  They are designed to provide shade for the plants on the ground, collect rain water, produce solar energy, and be a structure for plant life.  The big one in the center has a restaurant.  You can see the walkway between them.  At night they are very colorful.  We missed that, maybe next time.

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                      Peace,

                                Danny

“As you get older, you will start to 

understand more and more that in life,

it’s not about what you look like or what you own.

It’s all about the person you’ve become.”

~Unknown

Freedom

Hi,

Chiang Rai had another ‘Fake Out’ day.  Looked like rain this morning, but by afternoon it was sunny and blazing hot. So what’s new?

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was easy for a few of you.  For those who need more help, here’s another verse and bridge:

“How I’ve waited for this moment, to be by your side.  Your best friend wrote and told me you had teardrops in your eyes.  __ __, your __ __ to stay.  It wasn’t on a Sunday (Monday and Tuesday went by).  It wasn’t on a Tuesday afternoon (all I could do was cry).  But I made a promise that you treasured, I made it back home to you…. __ __ to stay.  I’m not a thousand miles away.”  Hint:  It’s what used to be called an ‘Answer song’.  Hmm.

Woke up this morning with no fever, not much coughing during the night, and declared myself healing.  My sneaky fever had a surprise for me.  This afternoon it was back, spiking higher than before.  Going into the ‘shop’ for a checkup tomorrow, regardless of my temp or how I’m feeling.  

We went to The Wanderer for coffee this morning.  That was fun since the place was empty when we arrived.  We talked to Kwan and learned that they had a sick tree that had to come down, but it’s in the middle of the main area. Normally, a truck with a crane would be the thing to use.  Since that’s impossible, scaffolding was erected and one of the staff started taking the tree down, from the top.  We discovered a new treat: Apple cake.  It’s like a cake filled with chunks of apple and raisins and some kind of icing.  Yum.

This afternoon we learned of an interesting way to make money here in Thailand.  A friend is teaching English over the internet, to children in China.  It’s an opportunity to keep her visa intact, by not working, but still make some money.  Work permits are very complicated things here.   

Lisa went to an exhibition opening at Art Bridge this evening.  She was among 100+ artists who had contributed very small paintings in honor of Tawan Duchanee, one of the pioneers of the Chiang Rai art movement.  I stayed at home and respected my limitations (555).

For the next few days I’m going to post some random memories from Singapore.  Things I found to be unique or interesting.  Enjoy these murals.

After dinner, Neetchanon’s aunt held her over Daku as if she were riding him.  It looked cute, he cooperated but she looked puzzled.  She just wanted to grab his fur and bury her face in it.  Kids.

Feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                   Peace,

                             Danny

“The freedom to be human begins with 

the understanding that we need not act

out all the inclinations arising within us.”

~A. Olendski

Control

Hi,

It may have rained near Big C today, but it never reached our area, north/west of town.  Lisa reported big puddles on her shopping trip this morning.  I stayed in for another day.  More on this later.

The ‘Old School Friday’ song was “A Thousand Miles Away” by The Heartbeats.  Tell me about this ‘Easy Monday’ song.  Extra ‘Cool Points’ if you know who recorded this and why it’s special.  “You’re my love, you’re my angel.  You’re the girl of my dreams.  I’d like to thank you for waiting patiently.  __ __, your __ __ to stay.”  Hint:  How is Monday related to Friday.  Has someone returned?

During the second half of the Singapore Grand Prix I noticed that my throat was getting sore.  A week and a day later, that’s gone but I have a fever that comes and goes.  It’s like the flu with a nasty, messy cold mixed together. I don’t like it one bit and if nothing has changed dramatically by morning, I’m going to see a doctor.  Wow, how brave was that little speech?  The symptoms are similar to when I had bronchitis.  Maybe I’ll get the same bag of medicine and take only two of them.  There is a tendency here to prescribe more than is necessary.  We’ve been told by doctors that “Thai people like to take pills”.  Non-doctors have told us the same.  We always look everything up on the internet to see what it is before swallowing.  

Yesterday (Sunday) was my first time out of the house in a week.  We went to The Wanderer for lunch.  It’s a short trip and driving wasn’t a problem.  Our friend Rachel, from the US, is in the country with a film crew working on projects for The Sold Project and we ended up eating with her.  We had a nice lunch and mixed conversation.  I say mixed because some of it was academic, some was humorous, and some got emotionally heavy.  Rachel knew Blue from her previous trips and they talked photography, and Thai culture.  She was at the service at the house and we talked about how difficult it is, moving on with two empty rooms down the hall.  More healing.

Today’s photos are from our last morning in Singapore.  The first pic is the pool at Claire and Stephen’s apartment.  We never got in the water since it was a bit chilly, but it provides for extra long laps.

The airport had a TV lounge that was a circular affair with three different screens.  There were News, Sports and Children’s programing.

The Chill area was pretty cool.  There’s place to plug in a device for music, alarms, or charging.  Cool idea.

Time for me to rest my eyes from typing and just relax.  Trying to find the right temperature to be comfortable is not being easy.  I heat up, I cool down, sounds like a song.

Have a Great Week.

                   Peace,

                             Danny

“The goal of meditation isn’t

to control your thoughts,

it’s to stop letting them 

control you.”

~Unknown 

Friday Funnies

Hi,

The weather today was a carbon copy of yesterday.  It was very hot, with clear skies and partial morning and afternoon smoke, clearing around dinner time.  

Our ‘Zany Day’ song was “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” by The Beatles.  Since this has been a difficult week tune-wise, here’s an ‘Old School Friday’ song that’s easy.  “You’re __ __ __ __, but I still have your love to remember you by.  Oh, my dar-ar-ar-arling, dry your eyes.  Daddy’s coming home soon.”  Hint:  Your mileage may vary. Easy.

When most people hear of Singapore, they think of clean streets, and no chewing gum.  There’s so much more to it than that.  It is a very diverse country a population that is mostly Chinese, then Malaysian, Indian and other South East Asian cultures, as well as a Western Expat community.  I still don’t know what a native Singaporean looks like and that’s the beauty of it all.  We learned that cab drivers must be citizens, and that everyone has a chance to buy an apartment in a clean neighborhood. There are many religious faiths practiced in Singapore and they work side-by-side to have a harmonious community.  That’s pretty cool.  Being an island, everything comes from somewhere else, so it’s very expensive.  Even so, what a unique experience.

Sunday afternoon, after the bird park, it was short nap time.  Stephan and I had an appointment with some racing cars.  We were so tired, we finally agreed to miss the first two ‘warm up’ races.  Using the trains, we got very close to the race course in the Marina Bay district.  After going through the security gate, the excitement began to build.  We could here the Porsche Carrera race getting underway.  Once in our seats, we got to see them blast by, trying to time the movement of our heads with that of the cars.  We finally got it, but it was weird.  There was no one selling refreshments in the stands, so we had to leave the grandstand and go out to the food area for stuff.  After the Porsche race the real crowds started coming in.  Some people may have been there, but in another area watching a live music show.  We got to watch part of a set by Pentatonix and they were awesome.  Over the three days of the event, there was music for every taste and age group.

Back in the grandstands we waited for the Formula One cars to make their entrance onto the track.  There’s a lot of activity before the race actually starts and we got to see it all.  Our seats were on the start/finish straight.  I thought the Porsches  were loud (555).  They were just a whisper compared to the Formula One cars.  It was like a pack of wild animals were out there barking at each other.  When the race began they were a blur.  Every time they would come around, our heads were snapping back and forth.  The big screens above the track provided a view of other parts of the course, the same thing I usually see on TV.  When they went into the pits to change tires, all we could see was a crowd of men scrambling around the car, then stepping back as the car roared off.  The whole process is under 3 seconds.  We had a great time at one of the most spectacular venues in the season.  After the race there were big fireworks, the trophy ceremony and then the filing out into the night.  As we left the park, all of the usher crew were standing on either side of the exit, waving goodbye with big smiles on their faces.  

Here are a few photos from my Formula One experience.  

Have a Wonderful WeekEnd.    Time for the ‘Funnies’.

             Peace,

                       Danny

Words

Hi,

We had a rain-free day in Chiang Rai.  The downside of clear, dry days is the invitation they send to those wanting to burn plant waste.  The farmers behind us got rid of lots of little piles of corn waste, sending plumes of smoke into the air.  Fortunately, the wind was blowing west so we missed most of it.  Mr. Flu continues his visit.  I think I’m getting better, but remain mostly miserable.  While we were in Singapore, Cat got it and now Natcha, along with her niece, seem to have the same early symptoms.  It’s the season.

The ‘Zany Day’ song had a few hits.  I’m pretty sure it’s familiar to most of you so here’s a little more:

“Cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head.  Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she’s gone.  __ __ __ __ __ __, __ __ __ __ __ __, __ __ __ __ __ __, Aaaahhh…”  Clue: After 49 years, there are still theories about the nature of this song.  At this point it hardly matters.  Enjoy the song.

In Singapore we took a taxi to the Jurong Bird Park.  Imagine going to a giant zoo that is dedicated to birds.  We had breakfast in a little fast-food place.  The first photo is the creative kiddie chairs.  There was a tram that we rode through the park.  We got off at several stops to view birds up close.  They claim that almost every species of bird is represented somewhere in the park.  It would have taken a full day to see everything, but we had a lot of fun, learned things, and found it very relaxing walking among the trees and waterfalls.  There is a Wiki page with photos of many of the featured species. 

 

I wanna eat at the kids table.

Ahhhh

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                  Peace,

                            Danny

“Raise your words not your voice.

It is rain that grows flowers

not thunder.”

~Rumi

 

Good

Hi,

Last night’s storm brought the usual flooding in the yards, it cleared up by mid-day.  Today we had beautiful weather, though I didn’t get to go out into it.  Mr. Flu is still here.  It’s going through whatever it has to go through, and sometimes I feel like I’m just a passenger.  Hoping to be well by the weekend so I can go outside and play.

The ‘Easy Monday’ song was “Reminiscing” by The Little River Band.  Oh well, here’s a ‘Zany Day’ tune that’s a little easier:  “Picture yourself on a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.  Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly, a girl with kaleidoscope eyes.”  Hint:  It was only fitting that the biggest band in the world would have a psychedelic song in 1967.  

And now we return your programing to the Singapore adventure.  Saturday afternoon we went into the center of things and had a fantastic dinner at a little place with a curious menu.  I guess you could call it ’Singapore Fusion’.  Claire and Stephen know a lot about food things since he’s been in the hotel business for a long time.  Before I forget, we also sampled, on another occasion, the most popular dish on the island:  Chicken Rice.  Oh, so good.  If you’re ever in Singapore, try some. 

After dinner we went mall hopping.  There are several high-end shopping areas that are fascinating for many reasons.  I like to people watch, check out who is shopping, and who is looking, and also price things.  That’s when the fun began.  We started pricing clothes and decided we liked our clothes just fine.  Then Stephen and I went watch shopping.  We found a watch that cost $145,000 Singapore dollars ($106,800 US).  What?  In one of the shops someone was being fitted by a clerk who was wearing gloves.  Oh, and once they pass a certain price range, some shops call them ’time instruments’.  Who knew?

Today’s first photo is from an underground mall where the not so rich and famous shop.  The fountain gives off positive ions that were immediately noticed. 

The photo below had me wondering for a moment.  There were no zebras, only a crosswalk with striped lines.  Oh, and I was looking forward to seeing zebras.

 

Tomorrow we’ll visit the giant bird park.  It’s going to be fun.

Feels like a Wacky Wednesday.

                   Peace,

                             Danny

“We must train the mind to 

always see the good.”

~Unknown