Our research to see if I had an issue that could be treated or corrected has lasted the whole time we have been here, due to Harvey’s stroke right after I got the first hearing test. (I had sudden hearing loss when I was released from the hospital in the states, and it has been really annoying for everyone, to say the least, but we had other priorities.)
We had an appointment today with a 2nd major place for hearing aids today. We have one choice from the first place and one choice from the place today.
We have been researching both of our choices, reading details of each and reviews, etc. So far, it’s pretty confusing. We have been researching independently, and both of us found another option that looks interesting that we want to check out.
Hearing aids are expensive, and I don’t have insurance here to cover any of the cost, so we would like to be as sure as possible that we have checked out the best possibilities and take our time making our decision.
I love my new tote bag. It’s spacious, will carry a lot, and has rummaging around room.
There is one problem for me, however. Everything goes to the bottom of the bag, so I rummage, and rummage, taking a lot of time before finding tukwhat I was looking for.
We have come up with a couple of good ideas that will make this a terrific bag for me. (A carry bag is essential here. You have to carry whatever you buy, whether you’re walking, catching a tuk tuk, calling a Grab, riding a motorcyle or whatever, unless you want to pay for delivery.) Everyone carries a bag, both men and women, young and old.
Brian came up with ordering a clip to attach my keys easily to one of the straps. I need the very best access to these, both for using the building elevators as well as getting into my condo.
Then we thought of trying to find a smaller bag that we could attach INSIDE the big tote, putting more important things, or often needed items in the smaller zippered bag.
We stopped at a wonderful small shop on the way home from my hearing aid appointment. We found just what we needed. I’m going to go back to the shop because they had many wonderful, colorful things, like a handmade decorative jacket I was drooling over. 😁
When we found the zippered bag, Brian insisted we get 2 of them, one for each side of the tote. Now I should be able to find things more easily and they should be secure in the zippered inner bags, with heavier things at the bottom. And when we get the clip Brian ordered, it will be PERFECT!
I gave the shop a good review on Google, hoping to send more business their way, and I plan to go back to the shop soon.
This sweet guy was in the ginormous tree outside my bedroom window. When I say ‘ginormous,’ it’s not much of an exaggeration. My condo is on the 5th floor of the building, and the tree goes up from here!
I zoomed using the camera on my phone, so the picture is not terrific, but he really made me smile. I hope that he makes his home in this tree and comes often.
Otherwise, there are several cats that come into the lobby area of the building, one dog that I’ve only seen once, the sneezing frog that we seem to step over on the way to the gym, and a cute pair of snails in the grass beside a dormitory we pass on the way to the gym. 😁
Since today is the end of May here in Chiang Mai, I’m doing my official accounting of my efforts to lose the lard.
I have a new set of digital scales from the one I had in the states, so I’m not sure of the accuracy, but I think weight is a relative thing, and that ALL signs of downward results should be celebrated loudly, with great enthusiasm. 🤣
I am now down 62 pounds from my heaviest, and have lost 51.75 inches.
We went to a clinic here a couple of weeks ago to get a baseline on me since our move to Thailand. It was showing a fairly alarming blood pressure and lesser concerning reading of high cholesterol, relatively speaking. I started a combination of two blood pressure meds, taking one-half pill for 6 days and then switching to a whole pill daily until I see her again on June 23rd. She advised me to lose the lard (imagine that!) eat low carb (we’re already doing that) and exercising (I’m walking the mile on the treadmill every morning, walking to places close to our building during the day, and doing yoga stretches at night). The scale is showing I’m down almost 4 pounds since the initial appointment, and I’m hoping to have a good amount down by the time I see her again, plus better blood pressure and improved numbers otherwise.
I go to a 2nd main place for hearing aids this morning. We found a good candidate at another place awhile back, but wanted to see what this second place offered before we make a decision.
In each place, I am asking that I go outside wearing the pair I think is the best so I can hear how they perform with lots of background noise. We will study, read a lot of reviews, and then decide what seems best to do.
I still find it amazing that I could hear normally before I was admitted to the hospital for my low blood oxygen, ending up with heart failure and a pacemaker, plus a significant loss of hearing when I was released. No one can find anything physically wrong, and I’m very grateful that hearing aids may help.
Onward and downward, I hope, becoming healthier as the days pass.
Kuhn Nong consented to be my housekeeper when Brian asked her if she would consider it. She now cleans my condo from 2:30 – 5:30 on Fridays. We make ourselves scarce when she is working.
Today we ran some errands, then had a coffee in the shop near the condo building. I opened the door to these beautiful flowers she left for me! Aren’t they lovely?
I have never had a housekeeper before. In the states I had a couple of people give me estimates on cleaning our house. The lowest estimate was $100 for three hours, and the list of things they would not do was truly impressive. Needless to say, I never hired anyone.
Kuhn Nong leaves things spotless. I have never lived in a place so clean, mainly because we had our home filled with so much ‘stuff’ you couldn’t get to a shelf to clean it without it being a full-day’s work. I did the best I could. Leaving all the ‘stuff’ behind was hard, but one of the best things we ever did. It’s quite a come-down to find that some of your favorite things just don’t resonate with someone else.
I look forward now to having the sofa – the last large piece of furniture we bought – to be delivered on June 5th. I’ll take pics of everything to share at that point, though we’ll be looking for plants and art work to decorate.
In the meantime, I’m sure that I have never heard of a cleaning person doing such a nice thing. I’m still smiling! 😃
Brian got us some “Matcha Lattes” around noon today. They are made with Japanese tea, coconut milk and sugar. I was a bit skeptical, though I have no bias against the color green. I was very pleasantly surprised by how good it was!
It’s supposed to be good for you, as well. It has been said it lowers blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, both of which I have. 👍
The fact that it tasted good, as well, made it a winner for me, and we plan to get some often.
My housecleaning person, Kuhn Nong, is due here from 2:30 till 5:30, so we will leave soon to run some errands and “become scarce” while she does her thing.
The main thing she will notice is that my place looks pretty spacious right now, since the movers came and took the old people-swallowing sofa away. The replacement sofa is not due to be delivered until June 5th, so it’s a good thing I have several chairs and a brand new bed to use until the last piece of furniture we ordered is set up. I have to admit that I was kind of fond of the sweet old sofa and will miss it.
We have some errands, plus Brian tries to find something else in the area we’re going to any given day so that we can see something interesting while we’re in the area. This can be a coffee place, an old shop he remembers, a shop new to him, but found as we walk around. I love the mom and pop type places the best, rather than the fancy modern type stores.
I’m enjoying writing reviews for these places on Google, hoping that a favorable recent review will be a further thank you and might bring them more business. I just wrote reviews for the man who cut my hair and the lady who made my new tote bag.
I hope that you’re having a happy day or evening. It gets confusing sometimes when I’m writing and am on a different day than many of you. 🤣
This was delivered today. Brian had it made for me as a housewarming present.
This painting is very special to me. It is a ‘portrait’ of me done by my dad. He said it was meant to convey my personality rather than my looks. When I would be caught doing something I shouldn’t, I smiled with my eyes shut, probably the poster girl for the ‘butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth’ saying. This was painted when I was about 5, so it’s an antique. 😋
Brian took a photo of it in our house in the states. It was too large to bring with us. He sent the photo to an online place that creates a ceramic ‘painting’ and includes an ingenious holder for it to sit in, or a frame and screw so you can hang it on the wall.
Getting this for me brings my dad right here in my condo. My eyes are welling up that Brian thought to do this for me, knowing how much it would mean to me.
Here is my haircut – after getting caught in two separate rain storms and one stretch of hot sun and lots of humidity after I came out of the salon. At least I have gone from “dandelion gone to seed” to “someone has a plan.” I need to learn how to use the mousse we got at a drug store a bit ago.
I looked out my window this morning at 5am and thought, ‘Good. It’s not raining.’ By the time Brian and I were going to the gym, the rain had started. Not enough for the rain suits, but enough for umbrellas.
I washed my hair, cleaned up, and had breakfast with Bri. Later we went to my hair appointment. Of course the man didn’t speak English. I showed him a picture I had gotten from the net about the basic idea I had in my mind, but had Brian tell him I wanted him to use his expertise and do whatever he thought would look best.
We then went to visit Harvey after two days of not going – to see what happened. Short version, he had not missed us, he had very little to say to us today, was not happy to see us. He just was concerned about food and drink, and wanted his phone so that he could email his mom and dad, both of whom have been gone 20 years or so and never had computers or email. I had brought him an old magazine, and he was happier about that than anything else. He did recognize me, but didn’t say anything in particular. Disheartening to say the least, but we did learn that he was calm, hadn’t pined for us, so our plan going forward is to visit less, hoping he’ll get with the program there more and more. We’ll plan to bring him the strawberry drink he likes, magazines, books, etc. each time we go, and will try not to agonize. He seems comfortable and is not hurting. We took coffee that you just heat up some water for and asked if he could have one cup of coffee a day. What is is what is.
Tomorrow is a busy day for us. I have the gym at 5 and then breakfast, taking sheets and towels for Brian to wash in his machine. I have my massage at 10:00. Then I get ready for Kuhn Nong to come clean from 2:30 to 5:30. Somewhere between 2:00 and 3:00, the movers are supposed to come and remove my people swallowing sofa. We’re hoping it will be closer to 2 so they’ll be gone before Nong arrives. Brian and I will ‘disappear’ while Nong is here to give her peace and quiet while she cleans.
The new sofa will be delivered sometime on June 5th, so I’ll be a bit uncomfortable for 6 days. We ordered a sofa that has the same L-shape, with a lounge part on the dining area end, and nice quality, so it will definitely be worth the wait.
Today the IKEA guys came and dealt with power tools and 46 gazillion pieces to assemble my chest of drawers.
The drawers not only have side rollers on each drawer, but one in the center of each. The piece is heavy, sturdy – though they did warn us not to have something really heavy in the top drawer and then have all four drawers open at the same time. DUH.
I used my new step stool yesterday to empty the high cabinets in my condo, taking a lot of what I found to the trash and the recycling area.
I spent most of today bagging up my husband’s things, carefully sorting, putting things in bags, labeling the bags carefully, and then storing them in two of the high cabinets I cleaned out in the living room. We will be able to find things needed at the nursing home quickly and easily now, plus it gives me more space to spread out a bit.
This freed up my closet area which I rearranged so I can find my stuff easily without a lot of standing on my head now. I then arranged things in my new chest of drawers.
I pooped myself out with all of this and ended up ‘resting’ for a few minutes, which actually turned out to be an hour’s NAP!
The changes continue, with my old people-swallowing sofa leaving this Friday between 2 and 3pm. This may collide with my wonderful housekeeper, Kuhn Nong; so we’ll be here, ready for the movers before 2, hoping they come and go before 2:30, when Nong is due to start. We will warn her if they haven’t shown up before she arrives.
I will be without a sofa until June 5th – 6 days where my living area will look extremely empty, and I will be moving around, trying to find another comfortable place to sit. 😃. I’ll send pics as soon as the new sofa arrives. This will be the last big change in the condo.
Transacting financial business is quite different here.
Freepik
When you enter a bank, there is a security guard who opens the door for you. You then walk to a machine that asks you what type of transaction you would like to do, like make a deposit, withdraw cash, open an account, etc. You indicate your choice and a ticket comes out with your number on it.
You then sit and wait for your number to be called, telling you which station to go to. When your number is called, you go to the proper station and the transaction proceeds.
Sometimes you don’t have to wait a long time, particularly if your transaction is an easy one, like making a deposit or withdrawing money. Sometimes you have to wait a long time, such as if you’re opening an account or something else that will take some time.
Whatever transaction you are doing, be sure to have your passport! When you finish, you bow, hands together, in thank you. Same to the security guard at the door.
Most of the time you don’t need to visit the actual bank. There is an ATM machine in the lobby of our condo building, for example, where I can now use my bank debit card to get cash. There is also a phone app for each bank where you can do a lot right on your phone. 🙂
Trash in Chiang Mai is picked up on a schedule by someone driving a huge truck with young boys hanging on the back to gather bags and throw them in, much as we had in the states before automation allowed one man in a smart truck to drive by, pick up the can provided by the company, dump the contents into the truck, put the can back where it had been, and continue down the road.
Here in the condo building the subject of handling trash is much different.
There is a trash alcove behind the stairs and the elevator on each floor. There is no “trash day.” You take whatever trash you have to the alcove whenever you would like. Trash goes in the can and is picked up several times a week. If you have other things you don’t want, but that others might be able to use, you put it carefully beside the trash can on the floor or on top of a table-like thing above the trash can. One of the ways people make money around here is recycling. You flatten cardboard from boxes for example, stand it up carefully, and someone has taken it away the next time you go. Same for plastic bottles or glass bottles, carefully rinsed out and with lids. Same for some old pillows I put there, and some kitchen stuff left by the former tenants here.
I am amazed at how well the service works. Everyone is careful to wipe grease off plates and cookware so the pipes are not clogged up. The refuse from this is bagged and kept in your freezer until you’re making a ‘trash run’, down to the end of the hall in my case. I don’t think I have ever found anything left in the alcove to still be there the next time I was there. Excellent system!
This is the hot mocha “signature coffee” at a place called, “Nine One Coffee” I enjoyed with Brian while we were out running errands this morning. I have discovered I LOVE the art associated with the hot drinks, and, surprisingly also love the cold varieties of a lot of these, given the heat and humidity here. Brian has a seemingly unending series of coffee places he likes, so I spend my days grinning like a nut as an ‘adventure’ uncovers another one! 😋
I like the art SO much that I always smile and tell the server how pretty I think the design is. Brian says that I shouldn’t do this – should just drink, THEN bow and say, “thank you” as we’re leaving. I refuse, though, and the servers seem to like what I am doing.
How could one NOT compliment the server on designs this pretty?
We snarfed down these cookies before I started my stricter low carb diet…
And shared a warm seed-covered bagel with cream cheese inside…
I think this one was when we were in Laos at the coffee bar where the stray white cat slept on a table between shops.
A beautiful ‘swan’ in your coffee cup. Almost too pretty to mess up by drinking it.
I really look forward to our ‘adventures’ that Brian works so hard to provide. One day it’s coffee – another day a lady who hand crochets tote bags – and today was talking about taking my sock with a hole in the big toe to a lady nearby who repairs things. (I told him I thought I only had ONE sock needing this, and that I could fix it with a teeny tiny sewing kit. He said I would be supporting the local economy if I brought the sock to the woman. At least I’ll check to make sure I don’t have other socks in need of repair…
This is the jigsaw puzzle I am trying to put together. I love owls, and the colors this has I think are wonderful.
The very BEST part is that I now have a “jigsaw puzzle table” and the puzzle is OUT, very close to the door, where everyone visiting can see it for as long as I am working on it! I may even coax a person or two to sit down and work on it with me. 🙂
Brian is coming down to pick me up to run errands around 10- 30-ish. We had to wear our “Thailand Rainsuits” again this morning to go to the gym and back for our workout. As we were putting them on before venturing into the downpour, a lady who works at the condo building came out to ask Brian how his dad was. From his gestures, Brian told her that some things were better, but that his dad remains very, very confused at the nursing home. I am so amazed and pleased that people all over the building are so kind and caring to ask. He has obviously made quite an impression here.
When we get finished with our errands, I’m going to spend part of the afternoon using my new step stool to see what is up high in my place. I will get it cleaned out and use it as good storage places.
I think I told you that I have headphones with my computer for the first time ever. Brian got a set for Harvey and me so that we didn’t drive each other crazy with sounds. I’ve told you I came out of the hospital with a large hearing loss for which we are now looking for hearing aids. My husband would drive me out of our office in the states with the high volume on the gory movies he loved. The headphones would make it possible for us to each watch a movie with volumes set where we wanted them, sitting side by side, without bothering each other, or one could watch TV and the other work at the computer with the headphones that canceled out the noise of the other. Even though I am by myself in the condo, I have neighbors who might not enjoy my choice of YouTube videos or TV movies, so I wear the headphones. Last night I tried it, playing a documentary of Jelly Roll! ☺️
I have been finding drawings I like on YouTube and Pinterest and trying to reproduce them in my sketchbook. I’ve been using regular pencils, colored pencils, and recently bought a set of watercolors. Since the whirlwind of our lives is calming down a bit now, I’ve been having a blast simply playing in my art alcove, enjoying the process under no pressure to try to make something I hope someone will like enough to buy. Can you see me grinning? 😁
After we visited with Harvey this morning, we stopped at a place Brian found that might have the larger tote I needed. I’m carrying a LOT more in Thailand than I ever carried in the states. I needed more capacity plus rummaging around room, plus space to add stuff when out shopping.
I think this one will fill the bill. It’s handmade, much larger than the nice one Brian got for me. The tight stitchwork won’t allow anything to fall out, like my keys. It has double straps, so it will be comfortable on my shoulder.
This gives you an idea of the capacity of this bag.
This shows you the basics of what I need to carry every day. (phone was used take the photos, so doesn’t show here.) I now routinely carry a bottle of water, an umbrella, now the Thai raincoat, as well as trashbags to carry wet stuff, etc. Brian is going to look for something to attach my keychain to the tote, like a snap, a hook, so that I won’t be at my door having to rummage around for the keychain that will ALWAYS be at the very bottom of the bag.
This will make my life easier. Brian won’t have to be patient, waiting so long for me to retrieve sunglasses, reading glasses, the recharged Kindle we took to Harvey this morning, etc. It will hold all the new gear, plus all the regular stuff I’ve always carried. 🤗
After my walking on the treadmill at the gym this morning, we again put on our “Thailand Raincoats” in the covered parking spaces just outside the gym. These are trashbags with sleeves and a hood with drawstrings. They really do a great job, where my tote got wet yesterday under my umbrella. I have the clever raincoat on my laundry rack drying now. I can fold it up and keep it in my tote for use the next time we have a good amount of walking to do, rather than simply getting into or out of a Grab. (Mine is purple, though it looks pink in this photo. Brian’s is blue. – we have a standing joke about him apologizing for not getting yellow – begun when MAC offered computers in that color that were simply hideous! I even LIKE yellow as a rule, but certainly not on my computer…)
Soon we’ll go see Harvey. He did have the nurse call Brian yesterday. He said, “Get me out of here,” about being at the hospital for tests. Brian assured him that the tests were over and that he, accompanied by Miko, would be on their way home soon. Miko thanked Brian, saying Harvey calmed down after talking with him. It will be interesting to see if Harvey 1) knows us, 2) missed us visiting yesterday, 3) remembers being at the hospital, 4) is still complaining about everything and threatening to do harm to the male nurse and the male physical therapy expert at the nursing home.
He keeps wanting to get out of bed. He thinks he can walk by himself, but it takes the PT guy with a strong belt that goes around Harvey’s waist to hold him up so he can walk, shuffling, to the wheelchair in the room or sometimes even to the front porch of the facility. He would certainly fall and hurt himself, possibly ending up in the hospital again if he tried. We have explained this to him endless times, but haven’t been able to get through to him yet…
Brian needs to work today, so he’ll do that while I do various fun things in my condo. We’ll regroup around 5pm and walk to a place Brian thinks I might find a larger tote I can use.
I wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day. I realize that as I type this, it is still Sunday evening for some of you. For others, it is already Monday evening. So a happy celebration to all who remember this day.
It started out with pouring rain when we got ready to go to the gym. I was actually carrying my umbrella in my tote! Brian, of course, had his. We started out, immediately hit by gusting winds that turned both of our umbrellas inside out. We got that straightened out, but not before we were thoroughly soaked. I also had trouble getting it closed at the gym, making water spatter on the floor. Brian and I got out our gym towels and wiped up the water before anyone could slip on it. We may opt for “Thailand Raincoats” essentially pulling a trashbag over over our heads next time. 😋
Everything I had on was soaked, so I washed everything and hung it all on my drying rack with an old sheet under it, protecting the floor. I then took pics and wiped up the latest water leak – but this time it was only affecting the center dining area window.
Harvey was scheduled by the hospital for tests this morning primarily on his kidney function this time. A female nurse was going and would be with him the entire time. We elected not to go this time, since we weren’t needed or consulted last time. Brian just asked the nurse to have the hospital send the bill via phone and he would pay it right away. The results showed no further problems.
We decided to NOT visit Harvey today. He slept the rest of the afternoon the last time he went for tests, plus we decided to see if he noticed we didn’t come today. It’s hard to know if you’re doing something good or bad. Harvey is being awful to the male staff and complaining about everything. We need him to get with the program and cooperate with the people doing their best to provide everything he needs. Changing our visits will be a gradual decision. So far, we get maybe 5 lucid minutes out of the 3 hour round trip.
Brian needed to work today, so I’ve put the day to fun use! I drew and water colored a silly looking bird in my sketch book, chosen from wonderful pictures on Pinterest.
I’m trying to clean up the files on my computer, plus passwords, so I worked a long time on that. I have started a new book, so I read a while. I borrowed a phillips screwdriver and tightened the screws on my closet doors, something that has been needing attention for a long time. I actually took a nap!
Brian got me an appointment to get my hair cut on Thursday. HOORAY! We are trying to get an appointment to look at hearing aids at the second major place in Chiang Mai, but haven’t gotten one yet. Brian will try to get the local handyman to install a new door with lock on my place, plus do the resealing of the windows ASAP. The IKEA people are coming Wednesday afternoon to put my chest of drawers together.
Brian texted me awhile ago, asking if I was okay, and if I minded if he and Christian took a walk and caught up for awhile. DUH. This wonderful person put his life on hold, few 24 hours to rescue his parents when they were both really sick (me ending up in the hospital), made arrangements and paid for flying both of us to Thailand to hopefully live in the same building he does, bought the condo, dealt with his dad having a stroke, being hospitalized, finding a nursing home for him when it was clear he needed more help than we could give, moved me into the condo and is helping fix it up and make me comfortable, orders meals for us, does workouts with his mom – so what do you think I answered his question if it was “all right” if he took a bit of time with his friend?
I am again looking around, enjoying my new place, new country, new life, grateful to have a second chance at life.
I don’t know if you can tell or not, but it’s raining now. So much so, that I started checking for leaks. I’ve spent the last half hour or so defending myself against not-so-welcome water.
First, I rescued my small amount of laundry from the balcony. That is water on the OUTSIDE and it’s expected from time to time.
The part I’ve been dealing with since then is water on the INSIDE. Apparently, we are going to need to hire someone to reseal the windows, particularly in the dining area, but also in the art alcove and the bedroom.
This is not a new condo, and we will be dealing with things that don’t work, repairs, etc. As we will be going into “the rainy season,” from June through October, resealing the windows will become a priority soon.
I took pictures as best I could and marked the places water was streaming down the walls so I have something that may help the experts figure out how to attack the problem.
Brian is helping his friend deal with a computer problem this morning. Then we’ll go visit Harvey. Good thing we have umbrellas!
There is one of these – a Red Frangipangi – though the one we see beside the gym is actually white with a yellow center. It’s simply gorgeous. Even the spent flowers on the ground are pretty, and I try not to step on them.
This is called a Cannonball tree. So far, it’s only dropping gorgeous orange petals, but supposedly it grows large fruit that it can drop on your head as you walk under. (Just what I’d need, walking to the gym to try to get healthier….) 😜
Speaking of trying to get healthier, I had an appointment at a local clinic today to be assessed for how I am since the move from the states March 31st. We wanted to see where I am on blood pressure, blood sugar, thyroid, and pacemaker, see what their recommendations were, and then plan to follow up every 3 months.
We’ll get the results of the lab work via my email. Blood pressure was really high, so I am on a new combination medication that is supposed to bring that down. I’m starting today with half a pill, then going to a full pill after 6 days, taking that until my followup appointment in one month. I’m supposed to take and record my blood pressure twice a day from tonight until my next appointment.
Hopefully that will show a big improvement. I’m already doing the low carb diet, though we have been splurging too much. We’ll reign in that and be stricter on our adherence to that. We’re already exercising, with my walking a mile every morning on the treadmill, doing yoga stretches in the afternoon or evening, and walking doing errands in-between. Hopefully, losing some of my lard will be the result of this, as well.
We’ll take whatever recommendations they have after looking at my bloodwork. Hopefully, all this will result in a good improvement in a month’s time, so I’m glad we got to the clinic, found a problem and are working to improve it, and have a baseline now from which we hope to show good improvement, moving to once every 3 month appointments, once they find the medications and dosages are good.
Coucal – This bird and his/her partner fly around close to the gym every morning. The contrast of the black and reddish brown really catch your eye, as well as their soaring, fast flight. I thought they might be a member of the hawk family, but Brian just sent me a link that says they’re a member of the cuckoo family! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coucal
Brian orders breakfast for us each morning after our workout and cleanup, and lets me know when to go up to his condo. I can look out at one of his gorgeous views (from his 9th floor condo!) as we eat. One of my favorite things is the flock of pigeons that comes every morning to fly around. As Harvey and I used to do one summer, trying to keep our heads still and count the number of hummingbirds that were flocking around our feeders, I keep trying to count the number of pigeons that dip, soar, and dive bomb in the air space outside his part of the building. There are at LEAST 12 that I’ve counted at one time. They put on quite a show and surely add a beautiful quality of life to our breakfasts, though Brian now takes them for granted.
And finally, I assume that the birds outside the big window glass panes that line the front of the gym where Brian and I are (running – Brian) (walking – me), are different colors of pigeons. I’m not a bird person. I just know that one of the delights while walking on the treadmill is seeing various birds of all different colors walking around, as well as a dog or a cat sometimes.
This was the END of a wonderful Thai meal we had recently. Brian said it didn’t really have an official name, but it had chicken, some type of pasta, lots of veggies, salad ingredients, sauce, with a fancy dish of fruit on the side.
This was my first real Thai meal. Brian is trying to help me eat healthy, eat less, and avoid food that will blow the top of my head off. By the way, protocol dictates you DON’T eat the fern or the pretty flower…
Every day I learn more about how I should act, what I should and should not do to honor the culture and the people. The list is long and my life may not be long enough to absorb it all, but I’m trying my best to absorb as much as I can.
Examples:
Taking off your shoes in all private dwellings, some businesses, some doctor’s offices, etc. I am learning to LOOK for signs that shoes should come off. (shoes outside the door, a rack of temporary slippers to put on after shedding your shoes, etc.) That’s the main reason we bought the Skecher Step-Ins so we could ‘toe’ them off and then quickly step back into them.
Don’t point – ever. Thai people don’t want to do anything to get your attention. If you point for whatever reason, it means to THEM you think that something you’re doing is wrong somehow.
When you see someone, bow, smile, and fold your hands together in front of you. You can even do this partially – if you have something in your hands. Smiling, bowing and hands equal you are happy with them, and honoring them – something very important.
I am trying to learn to say, ‘hello’ (pronounced ‘sawat-dee-kah’) and ‘thank you’ (‘cawp-coon-kah‘) in Thai. We’re still looking for hearing aids, and Brian said my pronunciation is terrible. So, until I get my hearing aids and can practice, I have returned to smiling and speaking English.
For the same reason you never point, you never look around – say at seeing someone’s home for the first time – and smile and say something like, ‘what a beautiful home!’ You are just supposed to smile and say nothing. The logic behind this one still eludes me.
When you cross the street, you cross each half – one at a time. When traffic will allow you, you cross and wait in the center of the street. You wait until the traffic will allow, and then continue to cross. If someone is suddenly there in their car or motorcyle and allows you to continue to cross, you bow your head, thanking him for allowing you to cross. You NEVER – WHATEVER YOU DO – try to run across any part of the road. It is better to stand spread-eagled, blocking the whole road, making it all come to a standstill, than to run. Brian says MANY people are injured or killed because of not following street crossing protocol.
I have a Google search bookmarked on my phone now so I can figure out what something costs here. I see a price listed, and I can reasonably quickly type, ‘12,000 bht to usd’ on my phone to find out that it costs $365.74 U.S. dollars. There is no sales tax here. The price listed is the price you pay.
‘You pays your money and you takes the ride.’ When you pay someone here to do a service, you are literally putting yourself in their hands, showing them that you value their expertise, judgment, and workmanship. I am going to a clinic tomorrow for an initial assessment of how I am doing since moving to Thailand. It would be insulting for me to TELL the doctor that I had my thyroid radiated for Graves Disease several years ago, or that I have a new pacemaker. You trust them to find that out, or ask you what they want to know. They finish their tests, tell you their assessment, and make their recommendations.
I’m going to have a haircut soon. It’s the same thing there. They have a good reputation, lots and lots of reviews. You go in and ask them to make you look better, and then cross your fingers…. 😳
I hope you’re beginning to see why I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time, combined with fascinated and thrilled. I make a LOT of notes!
We visited Harvey. He was lucid and positive for about the first 5 minutes, then got tired. This caused delusions, paranoia, some hostility – but he basically seemed a bit more positive today. He had no memory of going to the hospital for all the tests yesterday and demanded an ‘orange malt.’ He did know who we were, but kept talking about bagging everything up, buying his bed, wheelchair and some other stuff, and going back with a lady named Janelle to Tulsa. (We lived in Tulsa until 1987, and I have no clue who Janelle is.) He said he felt good, nothing hurt, and then said he wanted a portable x-ray machine to take a picture of his foot. He said all his toes were broken. Brian manipulated his toes, had him bend them, etc. Harvey said none of that hurt, but still insisted on the “portable x-ray.”
We stopped at the big mall on the way home. I got two blouses and two pairs of slacks that are MUCH lighter weight than my jeans, and so will be a lot cooler. They are also smaller, which brings a small smile to this old face.
Speaking of my old face, it turns out that the touch-to-open app on my phone won’t accept my thumb print more than half the time because my thumbs are wrinkled. I realize I’m old and I have a LOT of wrinkles, but I’ve never been criticized for having wrinkled thumb prints before. The solution is to update my phone to one that will use a 3-D image of my face. It’s wrinkled, too, but the phone doesn’t seem to mind that.
And speaking of my phone, we tried to open a bank account, only to be snafued by the guy who changed out Harvey’s and my SIM cards mixing up our passport numbers. The one on my phone showed Harvey’s passport number, so we couldn’t open the account. Sigh.
So back we go tomorrow to the Internet/phone people to get the SIM cards done correctly, and then probably back to the bank to see if we pass muster this time.
We are handling LOADS of details in as timely a fashion, juggling as best we can. Sometimes it makes you grind your teeth a bit at ALL the hoops through which we need to jump to get what we need…
This is the cute resident of this coffee shop where I enjoyed an iced mocha today. She goes right to sleep in the middle of the shop and everyone walks around her, or tries to get her to wake up and come over to visit them.
There is a really beautiful straw piece that is rolled down to unfold and shade the shop.
It is my firm opinion that these stools are much too pretty to sit on. Aren’t they great?
We stopped here on the way back home from visiting Harvey. The visit started out with the physical therapy guy getting Harvey out of bed and walking all the way out to the front porch. This is a real professional with a nice manner, very strong and experienced. He walks behind Harvey, with a safety belt tight around Harvey’s middle, supporting him while Harvey concentrates on trying to stand up straight, with his head up as high as possible, putting one step in front of the other. He rested for a few minutes in the wheel chair that one of the nurses wheeled behind him, and then the PT guy was trying to get him up to walk back. Harvey wanted coffee and decided to try to “order” it then and there. The guy played along, saying he would get a cup of coffee if he walked back to his bed. Harvey refused at first, and then finally gave in – and got his cup of coffee.
Harvey’s attitude is embarrassing. Instead of being grateful that he is in a nice place, with good food, and caring, attentive people to try to help him, he acts like a greedy child. He seems to have lost the ability to think beyond what he wants, trying to order everyone around. When he tried to do it with Brian, Brian told him not to order him around, and we abruptly left. We’re not at all sure that our actions will get through to him, but we figured it was worth a shot. We’re hoping that this is a phase he’s going through and he will start acting more like himself in the coming months. It’s hard to see him this way, but we of course have no control over his hoped-for recovery.
The old, rickety, crunchy bed was removed yesterday morning. I left for my massage 😊 when they guys were still taking it apart. Brian was there for supervision.
When I came back the bedroom was empty and Brian had put the computer table together! He proceeded to get the TV working AND get my computer up and running while we waited for the new bed to be delivered and set up PLUS my new cleaning person to arrive! (The bed was supposed to be delivered at 1pm so we would have plenty of time to get the new sheets on the. bed and things cleaned up, but you know how THAT goes…) They both arrived at about 2:30.
Nong, my cleaning person, is little bitty and cute as a button. She took charge immediately, getting organized while the men put the bed together. She would not allow me to help put the sheets on, and, very politely asked us to get lost and go elsewhere while while she worked. The place was spotless when when we returned 3 hours later. 🤗
We had so many things to get accomplished yesterday that we just couldn’t get out to visit Harvey. We will leave in a few minutes to go see him today. I feel bad that we missed, but the round trip and visit take 3 hours. He was griping because he didn’t have strawberry pop, so I’m taking him a bottle today. (While we were still in the air bnb, Brian found a brand that has 0 sugar, so he can enjoy it as he likes.)
When the day was almost at an end, I played on my computer for several minutes😊, then turned on the TV and watched YouTube for about half an hour, wearing my newly charged headphones so I could listen without bothering anyone, and then had the best sleep I’ve had since we moved to Thailand on my new firm bed with satiny sheets and light duvet.
I can see my SIL sneering a bit over this, since I think she said she routinely walks 5 miles a day, but this is the very FIRST time I have logged this many steps, and I am pleased to be able to toot my own horn to tell you,
Brian also told me while we were walking home from the gym that I am “more agile” than I was. 😊
SO – two indications I am improving. I will try to keep this up, improving on it as I can.
I’m also loosening up with my yoga stretches. When I first get down on the floor, I am really stiff and sore, but I feel pretty good by the time I finish.
On another note, the movers came and got the old bed this morning. I cleaned the room out the best I could, putting the old pillows in the closet for the moment. They came right on time and the old bed was gone.
I went to get my massage while the movers were taking that bed apart. By the time I returned, the bed was gone and the computer table had been put together!
Brian got the computer up and running and we plugged all in to recharge while the computer did an update. When we get the right cable, I will be able to make a backup of the system once a week AND a backup of everything on my phone, too!
He got the TV going, as well! I’m looking forward to listening to music on YouTube with my headphones on tonight. 😛
I’m planning to take some pictures soon to share them with you. I hope this will be a wonderful day for you.
Red-eyed tree frog sitting on the branch and smiling
This is just the frog I WISH were my new pet. Isn’t he cute!
I’ve told you that Brian and I clock into the gym right at 6am when it opens. T
I kept hearing a small sneezing sound. I just wondered about it the first few times, and then I finally asked Brian if he heard it. He listened for a second and said it was a frog!
I have no idea why a frog would make the sound that really sounds like a sneeze. As I’m stepping over him, he sneezes and I say, “Good morning, Sweet Frog!” (as you can tell, I’m getting hard up for pets since I came to Thailand.) He immediately gets quiet, I guess because he isn’t really friendly.
I don’t care. I’m determined to make friends with him. I think it’s just a matter of time when he believes I won’t hurt him.
(There are also a couple of cats that lie down and go to sleep on the table off the office where packages and deliveries of all kinds are placed for people. They aren’t friendly, either, but I speak to them nonetheless.
We had a big storm last night that knocked the power out several times. New condo, strange noises, I was unable to sleep. Thank goodness my phone and my night light were charged. I managed to sleep a bit on the couch.
Tomorrow will be a big day. I’ll strip the old bed when I get up at 5 to go to the gym. Movers will come to take it away at 9:30. After the bed is gone I am prepping the place for my first ever cleaning lady to come. I will also do my laundry and hang it on my clothes rack on my little terrace. The new bed comes at 1pm. We have sheets, a pillow, and a very light comforter for it.
We have a bunch of errands to do, and we are trying to put together the computer table and get my computer up and running tomorrow. I have a massage in the middle of all this.
We will probably have to miss visiting Harvey tomorrow. We just don’t have 3 hours tomorrow. Today he was awful – full of vague complaints he couldn’t detail when pressed, and saying ugly things about the people who are trying to help him.
He insisted he wanted to get out of the bed. We tried to explain he’s not strong enough, but he wouldn’t listen. We warned the staff about it when we left. They were aware of this. It’s upsetting to have him act so unlike himself.
A Grab is like an Uber in the states. Brian has a Grab app on his phone. He calls it, tells it where he is, where he wants to go, and in a minute or two one comes and picks us up. He has an app for paying directly from his bank account as well, so there is no fumbling for money, waiting for change, etc.
The drivers are truly amazing as well. They use GPS on their phone to plot the best route, but know shortcuts, too, if needed. Many times we are on highways or main streets where there are 3 lanes of cars in both directions plus a gazillion motorcycles darting in and out. Just when you think you’re bogged down, they pull out and drive past 20 or 30 cars in a lane. It’s breathtaking and impressive at the same time.
Grab also runs a motorcycle delivery service. We use it to order food for breakfast and dinner. Brian orders, then gets a notification that it is downstairs. He goes down and brings it up.
To say this service is vital to our quality of life is an understatement. I am amazed and in awe of the system.
Lots of things according to Google, including malt for beer , chemicals, animal feed and more.
why am I talking about this? Well, another thing that came in a 55 pound sack was a lot of my fat. Today I finally hit another interim goal on my effort to lose the lard and get healthier. I am down 55 pounds from my highest weight. I am setting interim 5 pound goals because they seem more achievable than the whole number at once. I still want to lose another 25 or 30 pounds (or so) but another 5 pounds sounds doable.
I’m eating breakfast and then dinner, both mainly low carb. I’m walking at the gym on the treadmill while my son runs, and doing a good session of old lady yoga stretches daily. Even though I am the definition of a stress eater, I am seeing results.
I will weigh and measure at the end of the month, but it seems like I am on the right path.🙂
He couldn’t find anything wrong with my ears. He did suggest, after asking me for more information about my hospitalization and surgeries, that there were a number of things that could have affected my ability to hear, but none are fixable. He wanted me to do another audiogram and see a specialist at the hospital with which he is affiliated.
Brian and I agreed that probably nothing could be done and we already had a recent audiogram, that we will now research hearing aids. I do know that for the short time I used the computer headphones Brian got me, I was delighted to be able to “turn up sound” on my computer, the TV, or even on my phone. So now we will see what is available and go from there.
One day maybe I will say, “YES! I can hear you now!”🙏
Sorry that my Happy Mother’s Day wishes are late. For some reason, I couldn’t get to my blog.
I had a delightful surprise – Brian’s friend and coworker and his whole family wanted to come by and leave something with me.
It was this gorgeous orchid as a Happy Mother’s Day present. This wonderful family lives in the same building that Brian and I do. We had been invited to dinner at their condo but we had to cancel due to Harvey’s stroke. I had met the woman and her 9 month old (I think) daughter, but hadn’t met the rest of the family. They have a 3 year old son, too. They brought one of their Nannie’s and another friend.
I gave her a choice of a pair of earrings that I had wood burned. She seemed pleased. They have adopted Harvey and me as honorary grandparents! I about lost it when they asked if they could call me, “Nana.” 🙏
She is an artist and will invite me to see some of her work in her studio. I can’t wait AND they are going to invite me to dinner soon!
To say I am thrilled is the understatement of the century. I will try to earn my new name each time I see them.
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day or showed yours how special she is.
These 3 pictures give you an idea of the view from the Fohhide Coffee shop.
Brian took me there after a depressing visit with Harvey, who didn’t really know us or any of his family. He thought Brian was his brother Bill. He knew I was his wife, but didn’t know my name. He told us the people there were trying to drown him.
SO – we really enjoyed the absolutely stunning view from the 5th floor of this building. The elevator was really old style, completely glass, and would only hold 2 people. I have to admit it gave me pause. That was until I saw the view. What a special place to show me! 😊
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