Wednesday 4-15-2026

Brian snapped this picture of me before I went to join the Songkran festivities late yesterday afternoon. I was obviously the oldest person out there; but happily, when the ‘elderly’ is armed and shoots you first, all the rules fly out the window and great fun can be had.

I saw people I knew and met lots of others. A nice lady introduced herself, lovingly poured water all over me from a small bucket, gave me a cashew, and hugged me, saying she sees Brian and me walking hand in hand and that we have such a wonderful relationship. A man insisted on helping me refill my water gun. He asked me how old I was. When I told him, he reacted quite dramatically, showing me with gestures that he would act as my ‘protector’ should I need one. He then told me he was 68. I pointed to him and said he was “still a baby.” His rusty belly laugh filled me up. I think he hadn’t had enough occasion to laugh like that lately.

I found my favorite server at the cafe. He was working on something electronic. I carefully waited for him to notice me. When he did, it was with surprise, then delight when he saw I was armed. I motioned for him to get up and stand away from his table. When I shot him full in the chest, his face was a sight to behold – a combination of surprise and delight with his grin splitting his face wide open. It turns out he’s a bit of a coniver, though. While I was shooting him, the other main server came up behind me and poured a whole bucket of water over me! SO MUCH FUN!!!!!

I played for about an hour and a half, finally making my way back to my place dripping and happy. I put on dry clothes and hung my wet ones on my drying rack on my balcony, plus my shoes, in an effort to get them as dry as possible for this afternoon, when I plan to go play again on the last of this 3-day celebration.

National Geographic

The biggest thing I get from yesterday is the change in my attitude toward Songkran. Last year Brian and I were making our way to the hospital every day, spending at least 10 hours a day there while they did surgery, tests, physical therapy, etc. Songkran really complicated our lives, making it difficult and a bit scary to get around, harder to find food with so many places closed, and quite noisy with revelers.

This year it’s an ADDITION to our lives. A celebration that with all we’ve been through, things are okay now, many things improved. I have now particpated in the celebration, enjoying the joy and happy faces, delighted in the play associated, the shedding of tension. The joy of being in this wonderful place.

travelbud.com

Yes, we have alternated our comings and goings, but we managed to go visit Harvey at the nursing home yesterday. Yes, our regular food places are closed, but I find I love a Chinese dish that has cut up red things to avoid, but tastes wonderful otherwise, an I LOVE a Thai dish called, “Joke” – a rice porridge with egg, onions, chicken and delish spices.

So I will have my normally quiet day today – except for the occasional screaming from the streets – and then take my place in the play area to get doused and enjoy spraying as many people as possible this evening!

Happy Songkran!!!!!!!!