Category Archives: Thoughts on a ________

Happy November! This is the mailbox decoration we put up each year at this time to celebrate Turkey Day.

And this is the ‘yard critter’ who stood at the base of a big tree toward the top of our steep driveway all year round.

Some of my relatives and friends are saying it’s cooling off in the states. The trees are starting to turn beautiful colors. Fall is in the air!

I always started trying to get the civilized part of our yard (the part right around the house) in shape for the coming winter. Mowing was usually over about now, but there was a lot of weed whacking and edging to be done to neaten things up. I weeded the flower planters and gathered leaves to grind up and put into the planters as mulch to protect the plants as much as possible. You wouldn’t believe the amount of leaves we got each year. It’s too bad no one wanted crushed up leaves. We could have had quite a business.

As the weather cooled, I started making us hot chocolate. We might have a fire in the fireplace, not because we needed it for warmth, but because of the FEEL of having it going. We would sit on the hearth with our backs close to the fire, absorbing the lovely warmth and good feelings. Our dog, Amber, and our cat, Jet (aka Monster Cat) seemed to ‘come to life’ as the weather cooled, taking crazy runs around the house, zooming around like their lives depended on it, making me laugh every time. It was so nice to have a nice warm home we loved, enjoying a peaceful evening with good food, good entertainment, and lots of love.

Officially “The Rainy Season” here in Chiang Mai is over and “The Cool Season” has started. Brian says it’s the ‘winter’ here. That means the constant rains have stopped officially and cooler temperatures are here. (Translation: a high in the 80’s). Mother Nature is laughing at us. We got caught in a really hard rain just after lunchtime today. It was really blowing and the rain was pretty serious. When we got to my place, I immediately started rolling up towels to go on all my window sills and got out my bucket. (I had a leak last night, but only a small one). So far, the rain has stopped for the moment and no leaks yet.

The building repair crew is officially starting repair of the exterior of our building, resealing windows (hooray!!!!) and other things before a repaint. I have no idea when this will actually start as the rain is supposed to last all week. It’s nice to know, though, that help will be on the way soon.

We saw Harvey this morning. He said he was glad to see us, but that was the only thing he said that made sense. We will have to be satisfied that he is comfortable, not upset, and we simply sit on either side of his bed, each of us holding a hand, trying to let him know we care. We will meet him and his nurse at the hospital Tuesday for his routine appointment for blood work and to see the doctor.

I’m trying to come up with some way to celebrate his birthday on the 18th. Cake is probably out, since he has a nasal feeding tube and probably won’t be able to eat bites of birthday cake, though we will think about it again closer to the date and see how he’s doing then. I may make him a birthday poster, just to show him I’m thinking of him. We’ll try to come up with something else special. He will be 82 this year.

I finished these thank you cards for Khun Nong, my housekeeper, yesterday. I give her one each week, along with her payment, to show her how MUCH I appreciate her work for me.

I hope you make this a happy day.