“If elephants didn’t exist, you couldn’t invent one. They belong to a small group of living things so unlikely they challenge credulity and common sense.”
― Lyall Watson
Gentle Giants – The Sketch & Doodle Club
“Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant – the only harmless great thing.”
― John Donne
IAWS – Couldn’t Find Wrapper
“They say that somewhere in Africa the elephants have a secret grave where they go to lie down, unburden their wrinkled gray bodies, and soar away, light spirits at the end.”
― Robert McCammon, Boy’s Life
Ubuy – Phillippines – Sechers – Animal Canvas Wall Art
“Elephants love reunions. They recognize one another after years and years of separation and greet each other with wild, boisterous joy. There’s bellowing and trumpeting, ear flapping and rubbing. Trunks entwine.”
― Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Small as an Elephant
Swapnil Nevgi Fine Art – Big Brother
“But perhaps the most important lesson I learned is that there are no walls between humans and the elephants except those we put up ourselves, and that until we allow not only elephants, but all living creatures their place in the sun, we can never be whole ourselves.”
― Lawrence Anthony, The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild
This is the KaVela Craft Chocolate x Bangpun Coffee Bar. As you near the door you cross over a koi pond! There is a sensor on the door frame that you pass your hand in front of for the door to open automatically for you.
It’s a spacious shop with plenty of space for you to talk with a friend or bring your laptop and work as long as you like. The wooden table to the left of the photo is full of incredible VanVela Chocolate offerings, all made from plants grown and processed by the owner for the products in his various shops.
Brian and I like to sit at the table to the top right in this photo. He has a hot version of chocolate and I like the cold.
We go there sometimes on the way home from visiting Harvey at the nursing home. Today was a chance to breathe, talk a bit, and help each other through one of his bad days. He said a couple of things that made sense right at the beginning of our visit, but mainly continues trying to get us to agree to do things that would not only be bad for him and us, but, in some cases, disastrous. We have explained most of this stuff over and over to him, but he just can’t seem to take it in.
We are thankful that Brian and I are not trying to do this alone. The fact that we can discuss options, possible things that might help, or simply listen while one or the other of us needs to vent or needs more hugs than usual, or —-chocolate.
“In a cat’s eye, all things belong to cats.” – English Proverb
Full Bloom Club
“Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia.” – Joseph Wood Krutch
Pinterest – Michael… can’t read the signature
“Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel. True, and they have many other fine qualities as well.” -Missy Dizick
Pixabay
“As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human kind.” – Cleveland Amory
Pinterest
“Cats always seem so very wise, when staring with their half-closed eyes. Can they be thinking, “I’ll be nice, and maybe she will feed me twice?” – Bette Midler
I love this song by Willie Nelson. I immediately started humming it when I was weighing and measuring for my end of the month reporting on my efforts to lose the lard – except I sang, “Less of me – Why not take less of me?”
I’m finally entering a phase where I can actually see what might be the end of my efforts to LOSE and the beginning of maintenance. I’ve been at this a LONG time and I had honestly begun to doubt my ability to actually achieve my goal.
As of today, I’ve lost almost 67 pounds and 60 inches since my heaviest. Even though Lynn, my much appreciated and much missed massage therapist did what she could to make me taller, it didn’t work. So I’ve continued to eat low carb and exercise more. I’m now finally within sight of my goal to be in the middle to lower end of the healthy range on a BMI chart and to continue my efforts to get more fit and flexible.
I talked to Brian this morning at breakfast. He has been helping and supporting me, but has lately been getting further and further from strict low carb, trying to introduce me to nice food here, plus just pamper me. We have agreed to be stricter about the low carb, and that instead of each of us getting half of whatever we order, I’ll get one-third and he’ll get two-thirds. I would LIKE to get to my goal weight by my next visit to the doctor – in about two months. Brian and I have agreed that I’ll aim to lose 1 kilo a week (or 2.2 pounds.)
I’m walking a mile on the treadmill at the gym each morning and I’m doing yoga stretches (now in the afternoon) as well as 3 new exercises to strengthen my back.
I hope there will be ‘less of me’ at the end of July!
I walked my mile on the treadmill at the gym this morning, increasing my speed a bit, so that feels good. I also decided to switch my yoga stretching and back exercises to this morning, instead of waiting until the evening, because too often I find ‘other things to do’ (translation: laziness) and then it’s time to go to bed.
I washed out my exercise clothes and some other stuff and put everything on the drying rack out on my balcony. The weather app said thunderstorms would come around 3pm, so I figured I would have time to get things dry and inside before then.
Well the clouds and the weather app weren’t in perfect harmony because the rains came early. I was playing in my art alcove and leaped up when I heard the rain starting. I brought everything inside. Part of the things were dry, but my jeans shorts still need some time. I have them hanging at half mast from a hanger balanced on a shelf right now. The rain seems to be stopping. I may put them back out, or just wait and see if they need more tomorrow.
I’ve been having fun in my art alcove, choosing drawings from YouTube and Pinterest, Etsy, and things I find other places. I’m trying to improve my sad ability to reproduce what I see. I have a big fat sketchbook with lots and lots of pages. I can fill it up, throw it out and start another one, or whatever. I’m not going to ‘do’ anything with these, because the ideas are not mine. I’m not under any pressure doing this, so it has become just a fun activity that might result in improvement.
I started these at the cafe yesterday when we were being scarce so my wonderful housekeeper could work in peace. (I asked Brian to write Khun Nong to tell her how pleased I am with the work she is doing for me, and, of course, the flowers! )
I finished the sketches today. They are good therapy in that trying to reproduce the work of others drives other concerns from my mind for a time, bringing calmness.
I’ve actually made a bit of progress with my owls picture jigsaw puzzle. Nothing to write home about, but I’m not completely at a standstill anymore. Maybe it will come together eventually! 😀
Brian had a cold mocha delivered to the building this afternoon. He’s working, but texted me to let me know it had been delivered, so I could go downstairs and get it. He seems to always be thinking of me. I am such a lucky woman.
Yesterday was Friday, so I went for my massage with Wey-o. Mostly, it was the exquisite massage I’m getting used to – but NEVER taking for granted.
About 2/3 of the time in, a man came in the door of the small, quiet shop, asking in a loud voice if he could get a massage. No, he didn’t want an appointment. He wanted it NOW. A foot massage.
How did I know all this? Wey-o and I were in the cubicle at the far corner of the shop, but there are only curtains between the cubicles and it is assumed people entering will be quiet and respectful. This man obviously didn’t care about anyone but himself. He had to be asked to take his shoes off, when there is a sign and a rack of slippers right at the front of the shop.
The masseuse told him the cost and he started grousing. “The man he had talked to last week had told him 50 baht. She had told him 70. ‘Wellllllll, allllll right!!!!!!!'”
The other lady in the shop agreed to do his foot massage ‘now.’ As it started and continued, he kept up a running commentary on the massage, why he needed it, the fact that he was going for a pedicure across the street when she finished. When she didn’t reply, he said it again, louder, 4 times! He asked if the shop was open every day…
At this point, Wey-o was turning me over on my back. I pointed out to where he was, mimicked a duck quacking with my hand in front of my mouth, put my hands to my ears and shut my eyes. We grinned at each other. She doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Thai, but no translation is needed when someone is being the epitome of the “Ugly American.”
He got on his phone in the middle of the massage, talking to someone named Mark!
I came out when I had dressed from my massage. I drank my tea and turned to bow and thank Wey-o for a beautiful massage (only managing a probably badly accented, “cawp coon kah!” (thank you.) The other lady stopped the massage, stuck her head out of the curtain and we repeated the thank you and bow and the confirmation for next Friday.
This man embarrassed me. I thought about confronting him, but decided it was probably a waste of breath. If he was boorish enough to ACT that way, my quiet words would have no effect. I’m sorry that he makes it worse for all other Americans or other foreigners, making Thai people cringe at “having to put up with rude foreigners” in order to make a living.
We had a very busy day. I’ve been out since 5:30 this morning and am just home with dinner coming shortly.
I walked my mile on the treadmill at the gym, showered, changed clothes, ate breakfast with Brian. I had a beautiful massage from Wey-o, who takes such wonderful care of me. I came back to the condo, changed clothes again, and Brian and I went to visit Harvey. We came back in time for me to grab my book, sketchbook and pencil supplies and my jacket – we had to vacate so that my wonderful housekeeper, Khun Nong, could come clean. (I’m still thrilled when I say this. I may never get ‘used to’ having help.) We went next door to the cafe, where Brian worked and I did a combination of drawing, reading, and catching up on my phone.
I came back to this –
This was left by Khun Nong. Aren’t they lovely? AND I have a spotless place!
I left her my usual thank you painted card. The cards are always gone when I come back,. I’m not sure she actually likes them, or just takes them so as to spare my feelings … She has also made my fake green leaves that usually live in this pot disappear once again. Do you suppose she might be trying to send me a message about them?
Brian will call me for dinner any minute now. I think we’re both tired from a really full day. Mostly a really good day. Lucky, lucky us!😁
Many Thai women are small, slim, stylish, and wear nice clothes. Brian took me to a nice shop in the ‘small mall,’ – “Maya” (pronounced, “may-yah!”) to look for some workout clothes, plus other things.
Because I’ve lost some weight, a ‘large’ fit me – tightly – but I think that is the largest size in the shop.
I brought 4 pairs of jeans here with me when we moved to Thailand. I ended up cutting off two pairs to make shorts for my gym workouts because the shorts I bought at the shop are still fairly tight in the waist and uncomfortable when trying to exercise.
This helped a bit, but now the jeans – shorts and regular jeans – are too loose around the waist and hips. I’m not to the point where I would fit into the jeans at the shop, but have a problem keeping the jeans on. ARRRRGH!
I ordered a travel sewing kit and it arrived yesterday. I have just finished altering the two long pairs of jeans, the two pairs of shorts, and some fleecy pants I call my ‘snuggies.’ The sewing isn’t NEAT, but it’s sturdy. I wear my shirts outside my pants anyway, so the stitching at the waist doesn’t show, and my pants are staying on – always a good thing… 😂
The long term solution, I realize, is for me to continue to lose the lard so I DO fit into the smaller sizes here.
I’m a basket person from way back. I can think of a wonderful reason that I need almost any shape or size or design of basket. 😜. I had a collection that warmed my heart in the states, but it had to be left behind.
I liked it that the people who lived here before me – or the owner – put up this group of baskets in the bedroom. My friend Marsha suggested that I expand on this and make it more of a statement.
I thought about it, loved the idea, and thought I could expand THAT into clusters of baskets across one wall of the living room.
This is an image I found on the net for a place called, “Maha-Saan”. I simply drooled when I saw this, and I would like to go see it when we can arrange it.
I guess that any time you come to a new country, you will inadvertently do things that might offend. Thankfully, Brian is either warning me ahead of time, or catching me after I make a mistake here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I never realized how much I point. I do it when I see something I think is unusual or wonderful and want to make sure whoever is with me doesn’t miss it. NOOOOOOOO! IT IS RUDE TO POINT AT ANYTHING OR ANYONE.
Thai people assume that if you point at them or at what they are doing, you think they are doing something wrong. The initial impression of your point stays with them, even if you try to explain that you were impressed or think what they are doing is wonderful. So, don’t do it! (I’m learning to stuff my hands in my pockets when we’re walking so I don’t inadvertently offend.
I have also tried to capture images to share with you here on the blog. NOOOOOO! IT IS RUDE TO TAKE PICTURES unless the place is a tourist attraction. So, now, if I can, I write down the name of the coffee shop, shop, beautifully decorated place and then Google it when I get home. If it’s listed and I can leave a review, I do that. If it has a website, I know that pictures are not offensive and can share them with you.
Compliment someone’s home or shop when you visit. NOOOOOOOOO! This is rude. Again this was a real surprise to me. This is related to the rudeness of pointing. It is assumed that you will like what you are seeing or that you won’t visit again. If you smile and effusively tell them how wonderful you think it is, you are expressing SURPRISE that they have good taste in decorating. It demeans their ability to be a good business person or homeowner, they think, in your eyes. (Just appreciate, write a review later, recommend the shop to someone else – or, if you KNOW the people whose home you are visiting well, you can quietly tell them how nice you think it is. )
When you are removing your shoes and exchanging them for slippers, putting your shoes or the slippers down loudly or both at the same time. NOOOO! THIS IS RUDE! You do it carefully, one shoe at a time, putting yours on the rack provided or neatly beside the door. Plopping down your shoes or the slippers provided shows a lack of respect for the custom. (I now slow down and do this carefully, one shoe at a time to enter and then to leave.)
I am learning daily how to be more respectful. I have always FELT respectful, but didn’t realize there were so many fine points to showing it. I want to do everything that I can to show the Thai people how happy I am to be in their beautiful country and that I want to honor their traditions.
IKEA barely gave us time this morning to get to the gym for our workout, showered and breakfasted before they called Brian to say they were on the way!
The two-person team assembled the gazillion pieces needed for the bedside table with two deep drawers quickly and competently, put it in place and took the packing stuff with them.
It fits perfectly between the bed and the electrical outlets that stick out from the wall that I’ll be using to charge my phone nightly and the nightlight when needed.
You can see here that I can even open the doors to my closet on the headboard end of the bed!
A happy lady is typing this post to you. I’ve already reorganized things so they are super convenient for me, and will be easy to keep up with.
On top of this, I have the day to myself until dinner, and a number of things from which to choose that I enjoy doing, so I’m a spoiled, happy camper, as well.
I hope that your day will have some wonderful things that make you grin, too.
I have a laundry rack on the balcony which allows me to air things out, give things a quick dry in the sun, wash out undies and other things, etc. I love the flexibility.
You DO have to pay attention to the weather, though. I did a load this morning and brought most of it in. When I was changing clothes from going to visit my husband this morning, I noticed a small spot on the slacks I was wearing, so gave them a quick wash and put them out there.
I was sitting writing the post about the wonderful decorations of the Grab drivers when I heard the rain. Oh, NO!
I dashed out, but my slacks – which had been almost dry – were of course in the path of the rain. They were more dry than wet, though, so I have them hanging from a hanger balanced at the top of one of the rungs that holds the doors to the balcony closed.
They will either be dry by morning, or I’ll put them back out on the rack to see if the second time is the charm.
We use the Grab App on Brian’s phone to travel anywhere we are not walking. I’m truly impressed with this system, where you use the app on your phone, tell them where you are, where you would like to go, and pay for it before they get there, which is usually 5 minutes or less from when you call.
I’ve been amazed at all the ‘decorations’ in the vehicles. Brian pointed out to me that a lot of them are religious. Some have paid monks to paint symbols on the interior roof fabric of the vehicle to try to keep it safe from accidents. Others hang all kinds of really pretty icons and religious symbols from the mirror for the same reasons.
Another thing they do is have small plush animals on the dashboard. I think this is more a personality thing. A small dog or cat will be sleeping on a bed in one corner or the other of the front dash. A small cluster of really sweet animals will occupy one side or the other, or range all the way across the front of the vehicle.
My phone itched for me to take some pictures to share with you, but Brian said that would be rude. You’re not even supposed to SAY anything – even when you think the collection is wonderful. So my mouth stays firmly shut and my phone stays in my carrier.🤗
I just love it when we enter a Grab whose owner has really shown his/her personality.
Some are very business-like – I guess the riders have warranted this – where there is a sign listing things you should NOT do in the vehicle – smoking, drinking, yelling, etc. I almost laughed aloud at a cartoony picture of a drunk obviously throwing up in the vehicle. It is prohibited, of course, with a fine of 5000 baht ($153.11 USD) per violation.
Today was my follow up at the clinic. A month ago we were concerned that I would blow a gasket before blood pressure meds could get my numbers down. The doctor was concerned about that more than any other thing and immediately prescribed a combination of two medicines in one pill. I was to take half a pill for the first six days (to see if I had a bad reaction to THOSE) and then take a full pill until the follow up appointment today.
I was to lose more of my lard (surprise!), exercise more, eat low carb, and record my blood pressure before breakfast and then again sometime in the evening.
She confirmed today that I’m down a bit over 11 lbs since I saw her last (5 kilos). She LISTENED when I told her about the week of mysterious harsh relentless back spasms I had and my continued short waves of light-headedness.
Instead of prescribing muscle relaxants, or some such, she showed me three exercises I can add to my yoga stretching routine that will strengthen my back. She applauded my weight loss and my blood pressure recording.
She recommended that I –
1) continue the low carb meals;
2) continue exercising with the added exercises for my back;
3) continue to lose my lard; and
4) continue with the same dosage of blood pressure medicine.
Follow up in 2 months. My appointment was for 1:30. We actually had some of the things done before that! We were out of there by 2pm and the cost for the whole thing was less than the meds alone would have been in the states.
She LISTENS to my concerns. She recommends – and isn’t pushy. She is on top of all my other issues, so I don’t feel I am going to a new doctor each time. I feel extremely lucky we found this doctor and feel confident I am under good care. Whew!
We have been in the position of having to accept hospital appointments for tests, prescriptions for new medicines, etc., and being presented with yet another bill without our being contacted, having our acceptance, etc.
This is not sustainable. We didn’t expect the stroke my husband suffered or the month in the hospital. We have found a caring nursing home who is now taking care of him (he is basically bedridden) and, though he is able to talk now (with our reading his lips), he makes very little sense. Sometimes he knows who we are, sometimes not. Each visit is challenging.
Our basic goal is to make him as comfortable and content as we can. This is challenging, as well. He says conflicting things, often at the same visit. He is delusional, unhappy with some stuff. We pay attention to all he says, check out what is possible, and try to substitute as many things we know he likes for things he actively doesn’t.
He has been receiving physical therapy. He is really unhappy about that. This has been going on for two months now at the nursing home, and – to our eyes – is going in the wrong direction. He seems to be weaker now that before, and is actively fighting efforts to try to get him mobile – into a wheelchair, up and walking, things that would make him stronger and able to do a few things on his own. This is one of the things he is continuing to be adamant about. He wants the physical therapy to stop. He DOES like to get into the wheelchair and be wheeled onto the front porch or out in the yard, so we are asking that they substitute what he wants to do for something he is not cooperating with and actively dislikes.
Other decisions, such as cutting off the un-agreed-to appointments at the hospital, new meds – very few of which are important to keep him alive – etc. are being discussed. These added costs to what is already expensive are unsustainable.
SO – we will continue to visit him and try to provide things he seems to like, both when we are there and when we aren’t, that will hopefully make things more pleasant for him. Attitude is all – but his isn’t very positive so far.
Eric Girouard @ericg.photography – “Landscape & architecture photographer known to saunter in search of fresh pixels when not making old pixels live up to their potential.”
I found these awe-inspiring photographs on Bluesky Social and wanted to share his work with you.
I showed you the painting I chose as the first art for my condo. I looked up Kaew to find out more about the artist. I love supporting local people, and I fell in love with this painting.
“My name is Saengkaew Bongkotmat, but you can call me “Kaew” which you will see signed on all the paintings. I was born in Krabi province, Thailand on August 22, 1975. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education technology and I studied art as a minor, also. I like painting when I was young. After University, I worked in business, but was not happy. I was making money but not finding fulfillment in my work. Because of the unhappiness in my business life. I returned to painting full-time about 10 years ago, and discovered that this is really me. I began selling my art at the Chiang Mai Night Market, and now have a gallery and art shop in The Old City. Art is my passion and now my full-time job. My goal is to capture Thai culture in the style of my paintings. I intend to continue my best artistic work, and improve my painting.“
I think maybe it was his wife who packaged the painting for us so well. This is a small family shop exquisitely arranged to grab your interest and delight the senses the minute you enter.
Brian and I discussed where to hang the painting. I immediately chose what I thought was the perfect spot on the wall behind the sofa, where the wall has a section with the same rectangular shape. Brian thought the hanger wasn’t as secure as we would like, and so switched it to the spot where I posted the pics. (He then said THAT hanger wasn’t very secure, either.)
One of the things keeping me up last night was the placement of my very first purchased original painting. Today I have moved the painting to the spot I think is where it should live – celebrating the beauty of the busy, robust, creative, and colorful Thailand street.
Kaew captured one of the many things I love about Chiang Mai. I smile each time I raise the shades showing my wonderful views of the buildings and the streets and shops below. Now I have an original artist’s creation on my wall where I can celebrate the country and its people – shades up or down!
This is being delivered here Wednesday morning, and assembled by IKEA people, since they have the tools needed and we don’t – AND the things with drawers have a gazillion pieces.
Brian got me a floor fan for the bedroom so I wouldn’t have to unplug the one from the living area and carry it to the bedroom to plug it in. Moving air is very important to your comfort level, no matter what you set a thermostat for. I was happy to HAVE the fan to carry back and forth, but I was delighted when he knocked on my door and brought another fan in.
When he set it up and showed me it had a remote, he said, “You need a bedside table.” I told him I had been doing just fine, but he wasn’t hearing any of it. He said, “You need a table for your night light, the fan remote, your phone plugged into the charger, a bottle of water, kleenex, a book, your glasses….”
I couldn’t sleep last night because I was unable to turn my brain off. The biggest problem as my sleep-starved mind saw it, was, “What if the drawer table we ordered is too wide to go beside my bed?”
I looked up the table and found out the dimensions are 40×55 cms. Our notes didn’t specify which was the width. Since I don’t speak Thai, centimeters, kilograms, celscius or baht, and have to look each up to convert until I learn the new-to-me systems (duh), I ended up at my computer doing the conversions, opening my closet door and measuring again, then doing it over again because my brain function in the middle of the night is less impressive than during the daytime. 🤪
The table is 55 cms high (21-5/8″), by 40 cms wide (15-3/4″), by 48 cms deep (18-3/4″). The spot I have for the bedside table with the closet door open is 50.8 cms (20″). I had to go back AGAIN to make sure that the table is 15-3/4″ wide and we have 20″ available. WHEW!
This is probably the last piece of furniture we will buy for the condo, and we almost messed up. AND – if any of the measurements are wrong, we CAN scoot the bed over toward the outer wall some. WHEW again.
I had a mostly wonderful day today, starting a 6am on the treadmill in the gym, followed by a fabulous masssage by Khun Wey-o.
I quickly changed my clothes and Brian and I went to see Harvey at the nursing home. He was full of gripes and impossible expectations, conspiracy theories, etc., and we’re having to make some difficult decisions going forward. He did tell us that he missed us just before we left, but the rest of the time was very challenging. We are talking with the owner of the nursing home and changing some things with her help.
We got back just in time to grab my book and my jacket and we headed for the coffee shop next to the condo to make ourselves scarce while my wonderful housekeeper (!) was in my place cleaning. 😃
We had dinner and now it’s almost time for bed. (Getting up at 5am changes your seriousness about bedtime and trying to get enough sleep.)
After a year or more of whining/moaning/griping about being in the ‘morbidly obese’ category of the dreaded BMI Chart, I have FINALLY entered a new decade of weight – (this morning) the edge of which is JUST into the “healthy weight” part of the chart.
My goal now is to get into the MIDDLE of the healthy range, or under that enough so that I can walk into a clothing store without worrying if they have ANYTHING large enough for me to wear. I don’t know how much more weight and inches that means, but it feels good to be more within sight of it now.
My combination of mostly eating low carb meals (eating breakfast and dinner with a coffee in-between) and then my exercising with walking a mile on the treadmill at the gym with my son every morning and yoga stretches in the afternoon, plus adventures where we are enjoying walking to and from interesting spots in the city, all seems to be coming together finally.
The clinic doctor, of course, will have the final say. We saw her a month ago for a baseline. She immediately put me on a combination blood pressure drug because I was into stroke territory. She also told me to lose weight (surprise!) and I have lost a bit over 10 lbs (47 kgs) since we saw her. I’m hoping that she will be pleased with my numbers when we see her again Monday afternoon in follow up. I’ll measure at the end of the month to see if I’ve made any progress there.
After our errands this morning, my son asked me which art gallery I would like to visit. I chose a place named Kaew Gallery, which is near the old part of the city. I had looked at their website, seen several photos of the type of products they sell, and decided I would love to see them in person.
True to their photos, the shop was beautifully laid out with souvenirs, post cards, prints, jewelry, and more, but the main focus was on original art. My mind was boggled on the first pass through, so I gathered my impressions and was determined to take a more careful look the second time.
My son helped me up some pretty steep stairs (for me), and was I glad he did! A painting simply jumped off the wall and into my heart. It was a delicious blend of all the bustle in Chiang Mai, electrical wires strung across buildings and streets, flags and signs, the street crowded with vendors and vehicles – all the things I find fascinating about Chiang Mai, all painted in black and white.
The painting was a vertical rectangle. The bottom third of the painting was the part that captured my heart. Colors simply leaped from the canvas, bringing the city to even more life, adding the human element to this beautiful city. There were a couple of similar paintings on the first floor, but the rectangular shape was perfect for me.
The painting was apparently done by Kaew, the owner of the shop. I’m not sure if she was one of the nice ladies who helped us today, but we couldn’t have gotten better customer service. One lady took payment while the other carefully wrapped our painting so that we could carry it in the trunk of the Grab we called.
Brian helped me figure out where to hang the painting – my first really personal pick for MY place. It makes me happy every time I look at it.
I have been in Thailand about 2-1/2 months now. We have had a whirlwind of activity with my husband’s health, moving to my condo, changing out the furniture, figuring out all the details we needed to do every day in order to get our lives going here.
Now things are finally taming down. There are still a LOT of details to be handled, and we are doing these the best we can, but our day to day lives have begun to settle into a routine now, and I’m embracing that new life.
Our typical day now looks like this –
I get up at 5am to get ready to go to the gym with Brian and walk on the treadmill while he runs. We walk back, shower, and then share breakfast and discuss if there is anything we need to accomplish that day. Three times a week that includes half the day going to visit Harvey at the nursing home, making sure he is okay, comfortable, and as content as possible. Many other days, though, we don’t have anything that we can do from our list.
Brian is trying to do more work, since expenses of taking in both of his parents – particularly the hospital/nursing home surprise – is a bit hard to handle. So, if we don’t have anything scheduled, he goes off to work and we then share dinner.
This means he is free to concentrate on doing well for his clients, and I am free to do whatever I would like to do with my day.
Today I spent quite a bit of time in my art alcove.
I love spending time here. I thought I would grieve at having given up all my carefully collected art stuff, but I’m concentrating on trying to learn how to draw what I see better. I keep these in the big fat sketchbook you see here. I have regular pencils, colored pencils, and watercolors. I am choosing pictures I like from the net, particularly YouTube and Pinterest, and trying to reproduce them the best way I can. I’m having SUCH a good time trying. I don’t feel pressured to produce anything for sale. (Thank goodness!) I can simply enjoy the process of trying to draw and paint something for the sheer joy of it, wiling away the hours with a grin on my face. I’m also making small paintings for my housekeeper each week, thanking her for her work, and for my new ‘grandson’ who loves dinosaurs.
I’m always in the middle of a good book, too. The current one is another Nora Roberts book. I can’t believe I’ve missed any because she is probably my favorite author right now, but I’m delighted to dive into anything she has written.
I am trying to balance my walking on the treadmill in the morning with yoga stretches in the afternoon or evening. I’ve been doing these stretches for a long time, but they are especially useful in times when I develop mysterious old lady problems, like the grabbing pain in my back last week, that need to be carefully stretched out to heal.
I, of course, spend time on the blog. If I’m not actively writing a post, I’m researching things to find to share with you. There are so many talented people in our world, and I’m delighted to be able to share their work with you.
I also take time to stare at my jigsaw puzzle. It’s a really good thing that I’m not feeling any pressure to get it done. I find that I’m much slower than I used to be. This “owls” puzzle is difficult, and I may die of old age before it’s finished. That’s okay, too, because I love taking a few minutes here and there to see if I can make some progress.
Last night Brian downloaded Family Tree Maker software for me. We had it for years in the states. Now I have my data attached to it again, and I can spend lots of time seeing old photos, remembering things about relatives, learning new things about people related to us, but I didn’t actually know. I find it fascinating.
In the middle of the afternoon, if I don’t contact him first, Brian texts me, asking if I’m okay and if I want him to order a coffee for me. Imagine that! Today I got a cold chocolate mocha coffee that was delivered to the condo building table downstairs. Brian texted me the order number, and I went downstairs, retrieved it, came back to my place and slurped it. What a difficut life I have!🤪
We share dinner, talk awhile, and then hit the hay because 5am the next morning comes quickly.
And that’s our new routine. I’m studying some Thai language tapes, trying to learn some very basic phrases. I will be able to learn more quickly, I hope, when we see the last hearing aid people and I get some hearing aids. (Trying to reproduce a sound when you can’t hear it accurately isn’t quite a waste of time, but close to it.)
More plans in the works as we get more details settled.
I love these photos by Jean Kelsey, @immachocoholic.bsky.social.
“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” – John Lennon
“Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” – Hans Christian Andersen
“The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another’s, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.” – Leo Buscaglia
“May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset more peace,” – Umair Siddiqu
“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
“Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature.” – Gerard De Nerval
My mind is feeling boggled today after visiting Harvey at the nursing home.
Truth is sometimes relative, and my mom used to say that perspective is all. So my poor brain is trying to wrap around different perspectives each time we visit.
Today my husband asked if we had brought his phone. We asked what he wanted to do with it. He answered that he wanted to order a blender he saw on TV and a pool table for the condo. On further questioning, these for ‘when he came home.’
Details of ordering things from a phone in Thailand don’t occur to him. I’m really grateful that his perspective of things doesn’t include stuff like that or we would be in a huge problem, assuming he had everything in place to DO that…
The other thing he wanted was a haircut, shampoo, and shave. He wanted to call our wonderful hair stylist, Michael Remillard, from Tangles in Greenwood Arkansas. He thought nothing of flying ‘home’ to do for this TODAY, having forgotten where we live now. Then, when we pointed it out, he said that Michael would be happy to fly HERE at his own expense, do these things for him, and then fly back home again. (I wrote an email to Michael explaining that Harvey was missing him and the wonderful haircuts and beard trims he has given Harvey over the years and was missed.)
He was upset his hair hadn’t been washed. When we asked him, that is apparently done when he showers. Since he is currently telling them he doesn’t WANT a shower….
From his perspective, his dreams are true. Some of these are happy, though impossible. Others are scary. They are as real to him as the fact we were sitting there today talking to him.
He seemed calmer today, though, and for that I’m grateful. He recognized us, said he was happy to see us, and that he had missed us. (This is a first.) He actually enjoyed his breakfast today.
As the stock brokers say, “Current earnings are no guarantee of future gains,” or something similar, and each day we visit has a different perspective. It was nice that today was a calmer look at his world.
I had the most delightful evening with my new family here in Thailand who ‘adopted’ Harvey and me as honorary grandparents for their family. Their mother is visiting from the states and is staying in a condo right next door to mine, so we’re neighbors, too, for about a month!
They came after dinner, bringing me a ‘treat.’ I’LL SAY! It was an exquisite tiny chocolate piece of cake that was ‘low carb!’ With it was a small container of homemade chocolate avocado mousse made by Brian’s friend’s wife.
I carefully divided the piece of cake in half, plus used half of the mousse before bed. I HAD to text her to say that it was absolutely delicious!!!!!!!!! Her daughter loved an avocado chocolate bowl they got for her recently and so she MADE some for her. It only has a small bit of syrup in it, so I don’t have to feel guilty. AND – I get to enjoy the other half tonight!!!!! YUM.
The grandmother is a delightful lady, full of energy and easy to talk to. We had a really good time talking, and will try to get together soon to do something. (She’s a real dynamo, though, so I warned her that I’m old, just finished with some back pain, and low on stamina right now. That didn’t seem to bother her a bit!😁
We’ll go to the family’s place for dinner sometime this week, so I’m really looking forward to that.
The dad (Brian’s friend) brought his son for a few minutes, so I took the opportunity to give my adoptive grandson the dinosaur I painted for him. I have no clue whether he liked it or not – he’s 3 years old and very shy – but I hope he did.
I’m still smiling about the wonderful time we had. What a lucky woman I am!
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ―Anaïs Nin
Kateryna Hilznitsova – Unsplash
Writing is a greedy obsession. We write because we HAVE to write. It’s a compulsion, a need to reach out, to connect, to communicate. We would write whether anyone read our words or not, but it feels empty and we lose our enthusiasm, our motivation.
Of all the things I left behind when we moved to Thailand, the thing I wanted to get back as soon as possible was my blog. I tried to write it using my phone, but it was really difficult for me. I’m still learning how to do things on the MAC (I was using Windows), but it’s such a relief to be able to include a picture or two now. I’m not back to full speed with my more ‘normal’ posts yet, but I’m getting there slowly.
For me, the reaching out, the communicating is the most important reason I write. I feel connected to the people who take the time to read my blog. Some have become long distance friends. I love sharing what is happening, how I feel about it, exciting things I’ve seen, new things I’ve learned, wonderfully talented people I’ve found on the net, and more.
Reading comments is an important part of my day. I want to know what you think. Sometimes I get spam or someone being mean for no good reason and I blow those off. More often, I hear that someone has related to something I’ve said, it made them feel, it reminded them of a similar thing in their lives. Sometimes I get treasured messages of support, or kudos because someone likes the way I have written something, or agrees with what I’ve said.
It’s greedy because ‘I’ wrote it, ‘I’ wanted to reach out, ‘I’ put it out there, and ‘I’m’ getting to read any feedback. Me, me, me. BUT – in that greediness, I HOPE I’m providing a real person’s outlook on things, honest appreciation for other’s work, a bit of entertainment or a smile or two.
The blog is good because you can receive emails each time I write, or you can simply come to the site when you’re in the mood and scroll down.
THANK YOU for reading what I write. THANK YOU for hitting the ‘like’ button when you want to. THANK YOU for writing a comment when you have the time or inclination. All are much appreciated. 🤗
My friend Lisa and her family adopted Amber when we moved to Thailand. Carla took Monster Cat (aka Jet) to help her rehome, and it looks like her home will be with Carla. 😊 This was the most important thing to me when we pulled up roots at the beginning of April and moved. I could breathe easy knowing my animals would be loved and well cared for.
Carla is a long-time, beloved friend. Lisa is a new friend I feel I know much better now, since we’re both art-loving people who love playing with color and trying to create. Lisa is also a flower lover, whose goal is to have wonderful pockets of flowers all over her land.
She sent me some pictures of her flowers today. I loved them, feeling something inside ME bloom as I looked at the pics, so I wanted to share their beauty and my feeling with you.
This is the jigsaw puzzle I’m trying to put together currently. I have a “Puzzle Table” in my living area, just inside the front door of my condo. 😁 As a statement of my joy in creating my own space for the first time in my life, I have devoted one of the prime spots in my place to a thing I love.
Brian actually bought some cushions to tie to the wooden chair I’m using, to make it more comfortable.
Since I’m older than dirt, I’ve spent a lot of time in my life WANTING to be able to devote ANY place to a jigsaw puzzle. It got to be such a problem in my house that I put them away for a long time, just giving them up because it wasn’t important enough to cause strife. Stupid problem.
NOW, my puzzle is proudly showing most of a border now on the table. My stepping stool sits beside the table, holding the boxes of unused pieces. Since it’s been there a while, I have thought about related things lately, compiling a kind of informal list of things I’m learning as it sits…
The puzzle is a metaphor for life – it is what it is
It will sit there as long as someone gives it space – and it’s important to give mental, emotional, and physical space to things that give us pleasure.
It’s not how quickly the puzzle comes together – it’s the joy in the DOING – the pleasure in seeing pieces that might create something else coming together at whatever speed, creating a more pleasing picture.
It’s not the finishing that is important. It’s the starting of something new. Something you’ve never experienced before. It’s opening your mind and heart, expanding your horizons as it lives in your place.
It’s the stopping and finding a piece in life you didn’t see before that make joy burst inside.
It’s continuing to spend time and effort at something even when the rewards may be few that leads to character building.
Life is a work-in-process, a quiet building, day by day, toward the person you would like to be.
When the pieces don’t fit, change your perspective.
You get the point here. I’m not as a good a puzzle person as I used to be. It doesn’t matter. No one cares how long it takes me to put it together, or even if I EVER get it put together. The puzzle is not a measure of my worth – it’s a joy-filled time when I can shift focus and concentrate on something enjoyable, trivial, that might bring a smile to myr face while I spend time with it.
I hope you have what amounts to a puzzle table in your life, that it grounds you and adds something special. Enjoy each piece.
My dad carved these sweet doggies for my mom. I would love these simply for that, but the remarkable thing is that my dad only had the use of one hand. He fell off a horse when he was three. Back then (1920’s) they didn’t know much about setting young children’s broken bones and hands, so he was left with a much shorter left arm than right and useless left hand.
He overcame being bullied at school because of his sense of humor. The other kids found it difficult to bully him and laugh at his jokes at the same time, so the bullying stopped. His sense of humor was one of his strengths thoroughout his life. (When he died, he left a note that said, “Remember me laughing.”)
He started a one-man radio advertising agency in Tulsa, OK and not only provided a living for his family, but garnered awards from the advertisers professional group in Tulsa for a lifetime of achievement.
When he asked my mom to marry him, he gave her this ring he carved.
I have shown you this recently. It’s one of the few oil paintings he did. I loved a set of three landscapes he did – 3 small paintings of some evergreens – framed in the same way. He also did these ‘portrait/personality’ paintings of my brother and me. Brian had an image of this reproduced on glass and it’s sitting on my mantel in my new condo. So my dad lives on in my heart and he is now in Thailand with me.
Celebrate your dad this Father’s Day today – and EVERY day!
65 years ago a boy and girl fell in love. She was 14 and he was 17, about to go into service in the Marine Corps.
That was it, as far as love for anyone else went. We just waited until his next leave from the Marines. I finished junior high, high school, and almost finished college. He got out of the Marines, came and joined me at OSU in Stillwater, Oklahoma, discovered he had used up whatever remained of his patience with the ordinary world and left school. I managed to secure the last semester of my teaching degree in Tulsa, where both of our parents lived, and that was the end of all the waiting.
We married in June of 1969, right after my graduation. We bought a house, I got a job teaching (he already had a good beginning Computer Science job.)
We had our son, Brian, finally, not knowing it would take 10 years to do that. (I had three miscarriages before him and one after.) After almost two years, we had our daughter, Jade, only to lose her two months after birth of SIDS.
We moved to Arkansas, built a home on top of a ridge line that allowed us to feel that we owned all the land we could see. We enjoyed wonderful pets, treasured friends, and more.
We both got sick last February and had to call Brian, who had lived in Thailand for several years, to come help us. We ended up moving to Thailand with him! We were building up our strength from our horrible illnesses, and my sudden health crisis, taking walks with Brian every day here, trying to eat right, enjoying living in the air bnb in the condo building, when Harvey had a stroke and fell. A month in the hospital and now a full month in the nursing home and our lives are very different.
Now we go visit him, hoping he will recognize us each time. He finally does, but he has become very aloof since the stroke. Brief glimpses of the man I married show up from time to time, such as when I asked him what the greatest accomplishment of our marriage had been. He looked at Brian, then at me and said, “Him.”
And so right he is, because Brian has been here though all this, helping us through, making his dad as comfortable as possible while helping me try to build a new life here. Talk about a kind heart and strong shoulders!
Today is a celebration of a boy and girl who have loved each other, so far, for a total of 65 years, 56 years of which they have been married and built a life, memories, and a legacy that will continue long after we are gone.
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