We’re planning to spend some time at the cafe today, so this afternoon will be nice, as well.
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Brian just ordered this new puzzle for me today! I think this Cheetah is stunning and I love the way he stands out from the background.
I’m finally making enough progress now that I’ve decided I WILL live long enough to finish the gorgeous turtle puzzle, though he’s still being coy about emerging, and would like to have another puzzle I’m excited about waiting in the wings.
If you’ll look carefully, the part in the low center that looks like someone lost their dinner is actually the stomach of the beautiful turtle – anchored by his foot between the red fish and the blue fish. His beautiful head will probably be the last thing to show itself…
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pattaya.holidayinn.com
Brian and I are stocking up on supplies a bit for the Songkran Celebration next week. It’s the 13-15th (this coming Monday through Wednesday) and is Thailand’s largest celebration of the year, proclaiming a new year, washing away of bad luck, bringing new luck for the coming year. They are selling machine gun looking water guns and the young people are all gearing up to hose anything that moves outside if they haven’t already dumped a bucket of water on the people below.
There are 4 classes of humans who are NOT supposed to get hosed: monks, old people, babies, and pregnant women. Tourists, just out to have fun, routinely ignore rules, and some who DO know the rules simply get caught up and ‘forget.’ We plan to keep a very low profile, going out as little as possible through the middle of the week, although we will try to get to the gym and we will plan to visit Harvey at the nursing home on Tuesday. Maybe I can see something out my window…
“We are mosaics. Pieces of light, love, history, stars… Glued together with magic and music and words.” ― Anita Krizzan
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“Life is a mosaic of moments—each piece, whether bright or dark, forms the intricate and beautiful tapestry that is uniquely yours. Cherish the dark hues as much as the vibrant ones, for they give depth and meaning to your journey.” ― Shivanshu K. Srivastava
Gibraltar – Piece by Piece Los Angeles
“Everyone breathing is broken. Keep breathing light into them until the stained glass collage takes your breath away.” ― Ryan Lilly, Write like no one is reading
“Fall” – Linda Lewis. (This one is actually mine – a gazing ball that had faded. The mosaic work gave it new life. 🙂)
“Success is a mosaic made of shattered doubts.” ― Marion Bekoe
Khun Nong cleaned Brian’s place yesterday and left him these flowers. He showed them to me this morning, said, “You like flowers more than I do,” and insisted I take these home with me. He didn’t have to twist my arm. They are sitting in splendor on my dining area table now. 🤗
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We went to the gym this morning with no repeat of the biting treadmill handlebars. Brian is truly enjoying every minute of teasing me about it, saying things like, “Wow. It’s been 5 minutes and you haven’t punched anyone or anything,” or “It’s good to know you have now renounced violence.” 💪🏻
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I’ve been painting one of my sketches this morning. I should be able to finish it sometime day. I am hoping Brian will invite me to go to the cafe with him this afternoon. On Fridays we have to stay until Khun Nong finishes. The other days I go I can leave after a couple of hours and finish up things at my place, take a nap if I want to before dinner, or whatever else occurs to me. This adds a nice touch to my day and I love it.
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Yogalishes Ana
I’m going to finish this post and then do my yoga stretches for the day before they get lost in the shuffle.
This is my latest painted sketch. I tried to get the ‘flavor’ of the concrete power pole plus all the power and Internet lines. I’m so in awe of the ingenuity of the Thai people for figuring out a system that would work for them in this huge, growing city with constantly changing needs, repairs, new lines or additions needed, etc. I o got to watch a power crew working one day. Some men were on the ground. Others were in the back of a pickup truck, climbing a bamboo ladder from the bed. They had minimal tool belts, passing equipment and tools from man to man up and down while they CAREFULLY did whatever they were doing. To say it’s a dangerous job is an understatement. To do it routinely in the middle of heavy traffic with people walking all over the place is simply mind boggling.
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training/smashrun.com
We had an amazing sight last night. I had just gotten to my place after sharing dinner with Brian and he texted me to “look out the window.’ I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say there were 75 to 100 runners in black and white running gear running down the street. Bri thinks they were doing it to advertise something, but we don’t really know. I watched the group run past for at least 5 minutes before the incredible sight finished.
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This is one part of the Koi Pond that I visit on a regular basis to talk to ‘my’ fish. I think they are spectacular. The ‘pond’ is in an out-of-the-way strip or center. It is covered and there are chairs and tables. Someone takes meticulous care of the fish, the pond, and the surroundings. Brian and I think the largest fish are about 24 inches long by 5 or 6 inches across. There are babies in there, as well. It seems to ME that each one of the fish is different. It’s shady and quiet there. A perfect spot to drink in the beauty of Chiang Mai and relax.
This is one of the several real mosaic tables here. Isn’t it wonderful!
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We visited my husband, Harvey, at the nursing home today. He was more coherent than he is many times. He looked at my painting of the power lines and said they should sag more. I told him I loved him and he said, “I want a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra phone.” I mumbled something and we went on. He can’t control the remote on the TV. He can’t use a phone, has bad Parkinson’s Disease, doesn’t know where he is, doesn’t know our phone number. He wants it so that when he thinks of something, he can call or text me. He wants to order things from Amazon. OH GOOOOOOD!!!!!!! Other than that, we had a pretty good visit today.
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Today our wonderful housekeeper cleans at Brian’s place, so he will head to the cafe. We’ve started a new thing the past few days. He texts me when he gets to the cafe and then I usually join him, grabbing my art bag so I can sketch. I like this better than him ordering me a mocha and me going downstairs to retrieve it, bringing it back to my place. It gives me a chance to get out more, have the joy of sketching at the cafe – in my favorite spot or not – and a break in my day. We’ll do this today, then bring an ordered dinner up to my place this evening. We use Tuesdays as a day to back up the data on my phone and my computer after we have eaten, and then to just enjoy some good conversation
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My other name should be “Ms. Clutz.” Today at the gym, one of Brian’s friends passed by the window as we were walking on our treadmills. I reached up to wave, and hit the back of my hand on the underside of the treadmill handle bars. I thought when I did it, I would have a bruise. What I didn’t realize at first was the treadmill ‘bit’ me. There was something sharp under there that opened my skin enough to bleed quite a bit. We were almost finished with our walk, so I just covered it with a kleenex until we got home. Now Brian is having a field day kidding me about punching out inanimate objects….
HAPPY EASTER! I hope you had a beautiful celebration.
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It’s Monday here, so Brian and I have been to the gym, 💪🏻 shared breakfast 🍳 and taken my clothes 🧺 to an alternate laundry because our regular place is closed.
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Pond5
We have a quiet day. I’m going to TRY to get over my intimidation about starting the 2nd Thai street sketch today. The focus is going to be the power poles and power lines that make everything work here. If I can get the pole halfway right, then I think I can do the sketch….
Yesterday I joined Brian at the cafe when he texted me he was working there. Being the incredibly nice man that he is, he put his backpack in my spot to ‘reserve’ it while he met me and made sure I got there all right. So I got to watch the traffic that simply awes me, saw lots of pretty women in big hats to ward off the sun, and galked at the amazing traffic that everyone takes for granted here while drinking a delicious iced mocha and sketching.
He mentioned he might work there again some this afternoon. I’m hoping he texts me and invites me to join him again. ✍🏼
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I have my yoga mat set up so that when I finish this first post, I’ll do my stretching like a good girl 👍 👏🏻
I guess it should be a bit worrisome that I see so much in the clouds, kind of like psychiatrists asking you to tell them what you see in the inkblots to decide what is wrong with you. I guess they would have a field day with me!
I won’t give it up, though. My imagination is one of my favorite things. I can take myself to another place when I’m worried about something, frustrated, things are imploding around me, or I’m hurting.
Imagination – music – creating art – reading – my weapons of choice for survival.
I wish you a beautiful Easter – whether you are celebrating today, as we are hear in Thailand, or whether this is ‘early’ and you will. be celebrating tomorrow.
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Easter is not widely celebrated in Thailand, since most of the people are Buddhist. I am full of wonderful memories of celebrating Easter as I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
I particularly remember getting some new, fancier clothes to wear to church. One year stands out in particular. My mom got me a pale pink angora sweater and a skirt that was tweed, bringing out the same pink contrasted with a pale grey. I felt like an angel in that outfit!
I loved the Easter church service, as well. We children would walk down the center aisle singing a hymn. When we reached the front, we would fan out and sing a second hymn, and then file out again with a third. We felt like such a special part of the celebration to be included that way. There was an organist who played every Sunday. My heart would fill when I heard her play. And then we all settled to listen to the sermon. Our minister had a deep, resonant voice that simply filled the room, making you want to hear every word. He kept his sermons simple, real, and everyone recognized the truth and wisdom he spoke. I can still hear his voice as he ended each sermon, his voice almost making the walls expand in the huge space, the sanctuary filled to the brim with listeners, saying, “AMEN!” The music would fill the room again as we all filed out, hoping to get one more word with him as we thanked him for his sermon. Such a beautiful, beautiful memory.
This church is in Tulsa. My Harvey and I were married in this church by that same minister. He performed our daughter’s funeral. Our daughter’s ashes are spread in the memorial garden to the side of the church where roses bloom in profusion much of the year. He performed the funerals of my mother and father. The minister is gone now, but he will have a special place in my heart forever.
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Wakefieldpetvet.com
I opted out of going to the gym this morning. I didn’t sleep well, had a bad charley-horse last night, and my blood pressure and blood oxygen readings were low this morning for some unknown reason. I texted Brian, slept an hour more, shared a delicious breakfast with him, and now feel fine. We are planning to meet at the cafe this afternoon, just to get out a bit. He’ll work on his computer and I’ll take my art bag so I can sketch.
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The only adverse effects I’m having from the air pollution “Hot and Hazy” season here so far is that my eyes are irritated and very dry. Yesterday Brian found some good eyedrops that are really helping. So I put in a couple of drops in each eye several times a day and I’m good to go!
Once again, Nanea Hoffman of Sweatpants and Coffee, LLC, has said something profound, something that speaks to me, that resonates way down inside me because I am in the middle of this, beginning to figure myself out.
For a combination of health reasons and realizing that we could no longer handle the lifestyle we were living in Arkansas, my husband and I and our grown son decided that we should officially fully retire, move to Thailand to be with our son, and start a new, non-stressful life here, focusing on rebuilding our health and starting life in a completely new country.
Two weeks after the move, my husband fell and suffered a stroke. He is now in a nursing home here. We have had to recognize that he will probably never get better. He is frail, bedridden, on a nasal feeding tube, and is hopelessly confused about who people are, what is real and more. We have made the conscious decision to concentrate on making each visit brighten his day, starting from wherever he is and trying to make him as comfortable as possible, communicate as best we can, and make sure he is getting the best of care.
I am living alone in the condo we were supposed to be sharing in the same building as our son. I’m trying to build a new life for myself while our son and I visit my husband twice a week. I’m trying to learn Thai phrases, learn about the history and the culture so that I can honor it, while interacting with the kind people here on a daily basis in my new home.
Our son is my rock. He is one of the best men I have ever known. He is concentrating on taking care of both of us while working full time, making all the changes in his life seem effortless. I cannot say enough about all he is doing, how much I depend on him, and what a joy it is to be interacting with him daily as adults, rather than mother and son. He is a joy to be with. He makes me laugh as no one else on the planet does, making my stomach hurt and causing me to beg him to stop so I can breathe! We are creating inside jokes, go everywhere together, text each other during the day as we carry on with our separate agendas, sharing meals, exercise, and our lives. It truly means the world to me.
In my beautiful, tiny, window-filled condo, I’m figuring myself out. I died twice on Feb. 11th a year ago, was brought back and given a pacemaker, along with a second chance at life in Arkansas, and my priorities are forever changed. I no longer plan for the future, living for the moment – truly IN the moment – savoring my feelings, my interest in learning new things, my joy in being able to finally fully retire, shaping my days around activities that bring me joy. I’m trying to cram every bit of joy into each day as possible, moving from one fun thing to another at my own speed.
I write a blog that has brought me joy and new friends for years. Continuing that is foremost in my new life here. I LOVE writing blog posts, striving to find things I hope my readers will enjoy. I love researching to find new things to share. A high point of my day is when people read my posts, hit ‘like’ or take the time to comment. Answering each comment is visiting with a friend.
I’m teaching myself to draw and then painting the sketches. I have a tiny art alcove where I can only have a few art things, so I’m concentrating on the sketches, trying to reproduce what I see. It’s a challenge, and yet pure enjoyment because I’m not under pressure to produce things for sale – I can just enjoy the challenge and then the joy of painting. No pressure, just pleasure.
I leave a jigsaw puzzle out that calls to me regularly. I can now have a puzzle table where I can leave it out, not bothering anyone. HOORAAAY! Right now I’m working on a gorgeous turtle who is hiding among the pieces, too shy to show himself.
I’m a voracious reader. I am always in the middle of another book on my Kindle. When we were in Arkansas, every room in our two story home was filled with actual books. Now I just have them on my Kindle, except for a few used books I find. I can carry my Kindle in my art backpack to the cafe where we go once a week. I sketch, read, and watch the amazing traffic go by the window as I enjoy an iced mocha…
There is more, but the point I am making is that the fact that I didn’t die a year ago, that I survived and moved with my husband to Thailand to start a new life. I am now trying to handle the fact that our retirement is totally different than what we planned, but I can now recognize there is plenty of room for joy in my life every day. These things show me I am worth the effort to figure it out. It is an ongoing process, subject to modifications as I grow and change, adapting to my new life in this fascinating place.
YOU are worth it, too. As Nanea so eloquently said, it’s ‘compassionate honesty’ and ‘kindness with boundaries.’ A time to figure out who you are and what you want in life. If you are happy, celebrate that every day. If you aren’t, start today to make changes that will shape your life into what you deserve.
We went to visit Harvey today. I put the Easter Bunny up on “Harvey’s Happy Wall” to remind him that we love him and think of him whether we are there with him or not.
He was a bit down today, but mostly made sense. We texted the manager after we left that Harvey was upset at all the sticking of his fingers for blood sugar tests. When we were in Arkansas we tested our blood twice a week because Harvey had diabetes (Type II) though he wouldn’t admit it, and I was pre-diabetic. He would have to stick his fingers two or three times because we couldn’t get enough blood to do the test. We had to tell the manager today that he was threatening to hurt the next person who tried to ‘torture’ him. She agreed to change the monitoring to once a week. Fingers crossed. Brian ordered French fries to be delivered this afternoon. We told him so he would have something to look forward to. Brian and I stopped for chocolate on the way home.
Update: the nursing home just sent Brian a video of Harvey enjoying his French fries. From his plate, it looks like the store sent him a note and a cookie extra. 😁
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Yesterday we spent much of the afternoon at the cafe to stay out of Khun Nong’s (my housekeeper’s ) way while she cleaned. I lucked out and got my preferred seat at the cafe by the front window. When my favorite server brought my mocha, I pointed to my art backpack – with the pouch he gave me for Christmas hanging from the clip on one side. I have used the pouch ever since he gave it to me, but he may not have noticed it lying beside the table. Anyway, his face lit up like a torch. He rushed away, then came back, wanting me to read something on is phone. It said, “I’m glad you liked the gift, Auntie!” and we smiled and bowed to each other. A really happy time for both of us.
While at the cafe, I took some photos that will help me with the new street sketch I want to try. This next one I want to emphasize the electrical system of power lines they have here. As with the first sketch, this one will take me quite a while to do…
Today would have been my parents’ 85th wedding anniversary. My dad, who had an amazing sense of humor, wanted to get married on April Fool’s Day. My mom looked him in the eye and said, “I’m not foolin’.” They married in Chicago in 1941, had my brother and me, moved to Levittown NY. My dad had a chance to do the advertising for a company in Tulsa, Oklahoma when I was 5. We moved to Tulsa in 1952 when there was almost nothing there yet. I lived in the home they had built until Harvey and I got married in 1969. My dad had started a one-man advertising agency with my mom acting as an unpaid ‘do-everything-else-but-write-and-record-the-radio-ads’ person -ads that won The Silver Addy Award for Lifetime Achievement from the advertising community. They made a mark.
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This is my latest painted sketch.
I am now using one of the small backpacks we used to move here as my ‘Friday Pack.’ Every week I have crammed my carrier/tote full of what I needed for our afternoons at the cafe while Khun Nong cleans my place. I carried what wouldn’t fit in my carrier, trying not to drop or lose anything.
I had a “Duh!” moment when I figured out I could use the backpack, putting everything in it I wanted for Fridays at the cafe and just keep it packed. I’ve been working out of it this week and it’s working well. When we leave, I’ll just zip it up and carry it and my tote to the cafe! Sometimes it amazes me how long it takes me to figure out a solution to a ‘problem-I-didn’t-realize-I-had.’
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This is the reading of the air pollution index here now.
Yesterday it got my attention because the reading was 216 – into the ‘very unhealthy’ range. It has only been that high for that one day so far. I’ll just monitor things, keeping my windows closed and my air filters and a/c on.
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Pet Nurture
I got a massage this morning. Ahhhhhh! My regular therapist was back! With the magic of pantomime and determination, I figured out that Khun Weaw’s place was being remodeled, so she had to move EVERYTHING out, have the remodeling done, and then move EVERYTHING back in again. A lot of work!
She again mentioned my weight loss. I was able to show her the numbers on the calculator on my phone and pantomime, doctor/keeping my mouth shut/ and exercising.
I hugged her, and the nice lady, Khun Sulee, who substituted for her, today, thanking them for taking such good care of me.
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
– Rabindranath Tagore
Artwork – Leonello Calvetti
“Clouds in the sky very much resembles the thoughts in our minds! Both changes perpetually from one second to another!”
– Mehmet Murat ildan
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“When I do not walk in the clouds I walk as though I were lost.”
– Antonio Porchia
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“Clouds are on top for a reason. They float so high because they refuse to carry any burden!”
– Jasleen Kaur Gumber
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“She danced wild across the evening sky, dispersing clouds with the frill of her gown.”
– Meeta Ahluwalia
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I got the idea to look for images in the clouds for the blog because it’s what I do when I’m walking on the treadmill for a mile each day. Since we go every morning, I have seen all the videos on the treadmill (or at least I THINK I have) and my attention has turned to the skies, rocks, and plains. It’s fun to let my imagination play as I walk, seeing images of animals, people, faces, etc. floating in sky, hidden in rock formations, emerging from the greenery beside the paths… They are always changing, too, so my mind sees new things each time!
My throwing the windows open to the wonderful breezes has come to a pause at least until the end of April, if not more. My air filters are already reading higher than normal with the windows closed, so they are having to work harder than they have been. The Chiang Mail Air Pollution Real Time Index says, “176-unhealthy” – with 200 being “very unhealthy.” So windows closed, air filters and a/c on. We will go out as little as possible during the worst of it each day.
Brian opted out of the gym this morning. That made me feel better, as I was up, dressed, and ready for the gym when he texted me. I’m not the ONLY one having to opt out from time to time. He is fine. He has been working very hard at his computer lately and I think it caught up with him. We shared breakfast as usual and will see each other again later today.
I went ahead and did my water bottle exercises this morning after breakfast. I have my yoga mat set up for a nice, long, slow, yoga-stretches session later this morning or this afternoon.
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This is Khun Nong’s card for tomorrow. People in Thailand don’t celebrate “Easter” as such – just the kids hunting for Easter eggs part.
I’m doing my normal Thursday prep for her to come tomorrow. I’ve made the bed with fresh sheets, put out fresh towels and gathered the trash.
We will take this for “Harvey’s Happy Wall” at the nursing home when we visit Saturday
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I’m having a happy time trying to sketch what I call a slice of a Thai street that combines many of the things I like about the creativity, color, and effort to preserve trees here. The sketch is the best I can do right now, so I’ll paint it and see if it’s okay.
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Walmart
The other day on a walk, Brian and I saw the most wonderful thing – big garbage trucks go by pretty constantly to keep up with everything, and a group of a bunch of young boys are hanging on the back of each, jumping down the minute the truck stops, grabbing bags, throwing them into the back, then scrambling up onto to the truck for it to continue to the next stop.
When a truck stopped, we just idly watched the boys jump off, but suddenly there were bubbles flowing everywhere! A boy had a bubble stick. When he saw us, he waved the stick, starting the beautiful sight, grinning at us as he did it again before he lost his spot on the truck. I’m so happy that he could make his job a happier one. What a delightful moment for all of us!
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This little bear is sitting to the left of my computer monitor as I type One of my good friends suggested that I take care to bring ONE completely frivolous thing that I loved with me as we packed our ‘one-suitcase-and-one-backpack’ each to move to Thailand. I took her advice and brought this sweet bear I have had for years and years. It fits nicely in my double hands, softly furry, articulated so his arms and legs can be positioned, looking at me with his big, all-knowing eyes and allowing me to rub his pudgy belly. This has been a life-saver for me, quietly calming me down when I need it. I highly recommend this idea to anyone suddenly down-sizing, going on a long trip, or changing lifestyles in any way.
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