Tag Archives: getting ready for my housekeeper

August 5, 2026 · 9:12 pm

Thursday 8-6-2026

Azike Prosper – @azikeprosper– @azikesubstack

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My session at the cafe yesterday really helped me get past the emotional exhaustion of being at the hospital most of the day, not knowing who we were going to see, when we were supposed to see them, and how many we were going to see – all while trying to keep my husband from taking out his oxygen cannula.

I have a new Thai scene in mind to start today. As usual lately, it’s totally out of my comfort zone in drawing. I’ll take it slow, doing the best I can, and hope for the best. :0)

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Today I’m getting ready for my housekeeper and then enjoying all my usual pasttimes. Brian and I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of one of our favorites – a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, ham, salad and dressing wrapped in a flour tortilla. Usually I bite into it a couple of times and then it’s so messy I put the rest on my plate and use my knife and fork for the rest. Today I was actually able to eat the whole thing like a burrito! With this, we each had half of a small dragon fruit.

This is a beautiful fruit, tastes really sweet and delicious (whether it’s black and white like this one or an incredible shade of bright fuchsia). Quite a fun and elegant breakfast!

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The Chiang Mai Pollution Index online shows

so I have my shades up and my windows open to a really nice (relatively cool breeze. I have my fan on, so the fresh air is swirling around, airing things out and making me smile. Whoopie!!!! The temperature will soon warm up, with accompanying humidity, and we’re supposed to get rain starting about 11 this morning, so I’ll have to close everything up and turn on the air filters again, but right now it’s fabulous.

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It occurred to me that I am giving you a very limited mental picture of Chiang Mai with my focusing on the old style way of doing business, decorating styles, etc. I will start a series showing you other aspects of Chiang Mai, including the touristy side, so it will flesh out your understanding of this fascinating place.

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I had a good walking session at the gym this morning, managing to walk without holding on to the handlebars again without “listing” to the left or right and feeling good. This afternoon I’ll do my water bottle exercises. I’ll also have at least one practice session on my guitar and see if I can make progress on my chameleon puzzle.

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July 8, 2026 · 11:21 pm

Thursday 7-9-2026

Kris Vereecken

I don’t just mean the cliche’ here. I am trying to shed worry about things I can’t do anything about anyway. I am working on NOT imagining possible scenarios that MIGHT – but almost NEVER – happen. I’m concentrating on seeing the good wherever it might be and enjoying every moment of it.

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I’m still working on two sketches today – one of an old woman’s hand (mine) and a church-steeple-spire building I took a picture of recently. If I can finish them today, I’ll share them tomorrow.

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Yesterday afternoon there was a wreck in the street that runs in front of my building. I heard the sound and ran to the window to see a sedan type vehicle and a pink motor scooter with a girl on the ground. I couldn’t tell what had happened. The girl was able to get up and there was no blood. They both took pictures and moved their vehicles to the side of the road, and got on their phones. They were there a LONG time waiting for the police to come. A lady came to sit with the girl, and the two of them eventually went away in an ambulance. (I didn’t see what happened to her scooter.) The man was still waiting (I guess for insurance or possible tow truck) to come. I’m amazed that this doesn’t happen more often. This is the only wreck I have seen the aftermath of in the over a year since I’ve been here.

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I’m trying again on getting my wash from yesterday dry, plus added to it this morning. It’s cloudy, with rain forecast, but hopefully I can get things done today.

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Today is the day I get ready for my housekeeper to come tomorrow. (I will NEVER take this for granted. I have always done my own cleaning, but now am definitely getting too old in the tooth to get down on my hands and knees and scrub anymore.) I will change the sheets on my bed, put out fresh towels everywhere, gather and empty the trash, general straightening, otherwise.

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June 24, 2026 · 10:57 pm

Thursday 6-25-2026

“Last Breath” – Beth Robertson Fiddes via @womensartbluesky.bsky.social

Water is ‘impossible’ to draw or paint – so says ME – – – this is magnificent, isn’t it?

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I’m getting ready for my housekeeper to come tomorrow – changing sheets on the bed, getting out fresh towels, gathering trash, straightening, etc. Soon I’ll go get cash for this and my massage tomorrow.

I had a good session walking at the gym, ate a delicious breakfast, got my laundry hung on the balcony, and then felt sleepy. So – this decadent lady took a nap! Ahhhhh! And I don’t even feel guilty. 🤭 I feel much better now.

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These are my latest painted sketches.

I’m doing the base painting on more so that I can work on them when I go to the cafe later today.

Speaking of the cafe, I had the NICEST thing happen yesterday. I was in the elevator and a young couple joined me. The man turned to me and said, “You’re the lady who paints in the cafe! I love watching you work.” To say I’m still walking around 3 inches above the ground is an understatement. 🎨 😁

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Today is Thursday. That means that I’ll do my exercises with water bottles today. I’ll also do a couple of practice sessions with my guitar.

By the way, since my fingernails are shorter, it’s easier to press my fingertips down on the frets on the neck of my guitar now. I had a better practice session yesterday. I still have a long way to go, but I’m making some progress lately. Since the two songs I would like to work on playing and singing use different chords than the basic ones I’m practicing now, I’m going to see if I can find finger placement diagrams for the other ones I need. 🎸

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June 17, 2026 · 9:44 pm

Thursday 6-18-2026

Petra Michaela-@petramichaela.bsky.social

This makes my mouth water! Such a happy place to spend some time!

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Yesterday I practiced tuning and playing chords on my guitar twice. I am GRADUALLY building some callouses on my fingertips, but still don’t last long before they are screaming at me. I’m going to try for two or three practices a day. I’m getting a BIT clearer sound, but nothing to write home about. 🎸🤭

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I’m hoping to finish a sketch or two today. I’m doing some base painting and hope to spend some good time at the cafe this afternoon. Otherwise, I’m doing my chores to get ready for my housekeeper tomorrow (did you hear that? “My housekeeper.” Having never been able to enjoy having help in my life, I treasure each and every day she (or her sister right now) comes.

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Yesterday we took the bank paperwork to our lady at the visa place. She had me sign a gazillion other pages ( I had already signed enough to buy a house!) Tuesday – and finally she was finished and confirmed that we now go to the immigration place tomorrow to finish.) Even though it’s a hassle, I think it’s good that the Thai people know who is in their country, pay attention, and can tell at a moment’s notice if you’re here legally or not. If you’re not – out you go!

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June 3, 2026 · 10:54 pm

Thursday 6-4-2026

Tenor

Shout-Out to my SIL who is having a birthday. (I’m celebrating today because it’s the 4th here, but she won’t be celebrating until tomorrow because of the time difference. Please join me in wishing ML a very happy celebration whenever she has it!!!! 🥳

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Adobe Stock

I’m not really feeling THAT bad, I AM having to stick close to my place again today, drinking lots of fluids plus Gatorade, taking meds, eating very carefully with Brian, and getting lots of naps off and on. I wish we knew what it was we ate, but we don’t. We have a HINT that it MIGHT have been a chicken and rice and sauce dish that was really good…

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This is the latest painted sketch I finished yesterday.

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I’m working on two sketches now – one of a woman caressing a cat, and the other – hopefully – a more successful sketch of the elegant woman in the flowing dress. We’ll see. Fingers crossed. 🤞

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Meanwhile, I’m using whatever energy I have to try to get ready for my housekeeper’s sister to come clean tomorrow – I’ve changed the sheets, gotten out fresh towels, gathered trash.

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Spiritual Sundays

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March 18, 2026 · 9:20 pm

Thursday 3-19-2026

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This one says it all. I think it was made for me.

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This is my latest painted sketch. I consider this almost a self-portrait of me over the past two years or so, stuffing my face while piously ordering a DIET coke, looking a bit guilty…

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It’s 80 and sunny here. Windows are open, breezes are pouring in, I’m smiling as I type. I’m planning to concentrate on my puzzle today, seeing if I can finally make some good progress. I want to see that beautiful turtle emerge!

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I’m doing basic stuff today to prepare for Khun Nong to come clean my place tomorrow, such as changing my sheets, gathering my trash, putting out fresh towels, etc. I will get cash today so I can pay everyone tomorrow for my massage and the cleaning.

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Thanks to Linda Smith (thanks, Sweet Linda ❤️) I’m going to try this today.

“Qigong (pronounced “chee-gong”) is a 4,000-year-old traditional Chinese practice that combines slow, gentle movements, deep breathing, and focused meditation to cultivate and balance vital life energy (Qi). It is a mind-body-spirit practice aimed at improving health, reducing stress, and enhancing vitality through dynamic movement or still meditation.”

“Being happy isn’t having everything in your life be perfect. Maybe it’s about stringing together all the little things.” ―Ann Brashares, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Enjoy your day or evening!

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February 11, 2026 · 10:42 pm

Thursday 2-12-2026

@wholesomememes.bsky.social

“Zooming out” allows you to see what’s going on in the world in a different light. That helps a lot.

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Thailand Hilltribe Holidays

SEASONS – it’s hard to believe we’re almost to the ‘hot’ season –

HotMar – May
RainyJun – Oct
CoolNov – Feb

It was 68 when we went to the gym this morning and it’ll soon be 92 this afternoon. It really doesn’t seem hot unless you’re out in the direct sunlight. The humidity is low.

I am enjoying a really nice breeze with a fan on in my place as I type. I will regret it when the “hazy” part of the hot season arrives, when the farmers are burning off the crop residue. I’m getting really spoiled with the “cool” season right now. 😁

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Begin Learning

I’m going to try to do some sketching this afternoon. I’ve painted the last of my sketches, so I will enjoy spending time in my art alcove, or propped up with my sketchbook on my legs on the couch.

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I just returned from getting cash for my massage and my housekeeper tomorrow. I stopped and got some stuff at the 7-11 before coming back to my place. I met two of the kind cleaning ladies while getting on the elevator. The one I know the best smiled from ear to ear and started talking a mile a minute. I couldn’t understand a word. I said, “sorry” (caw tote ka-ah) and said I didn’t understand. She said it twice more and I still was a blank. Finally, she mimicked ‘sleep,’ and I simply smiled and nodded. She did, too, so it didn’t matter what my actual plans were. She is SUCH a sweet lady. (I gave her a Christmas card and she is the one who showed up at my door later with a bamboo-filled sweet for Brian and me to share as a thank you.) I ask their names and they answer with words that are so long they boggle my mind. So far, I feel I “know” TWO of the three cleaning ladies I have seen…

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Javier Perez, Artist

I have changed the sheets on the bed, changed out the towels, gathered the trash, put out cash and her weekly thank you card, and am now pretty much ready for my housekeeper, Khun Nong, to come and make my place shine tomorrow.

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I want to write two more posts and then I’ll see what I can sketch. ✍🏼

I hope that you are having a very, very pleasant day.

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September 18, 2025 · 4:46 am

Thoughts on Thursday 8-18-2025

Carol

“Celebrating my life for everything that it is” includes being grateful that I can visit my husband, hug and kiss him, tell him I’m glad to see him, and be happy that he’s not hurting, even though he wasn’t cooperating with the nurse on taking his medicines and made little sense when we visited today.

It also includes the fact that on the way home from the visit, we went to an arts and crafts store called, “Chunya Art & Craft” where everything in the store was handmade by the owner/artist.

I bought two things: a handmade notebook and a tablecloth.

The photo doesn’t do the notebook justice. The painting on the front is very subtle, but shows an elephant with a beautiful cloth on his back walking in dense jungle of green, blue and purple. The rope that ties the pages together is done in an intricate, lacy pattern that allows you to open the book, lay it flat. I thinks it’s wonderful.

The tablecloth is batik. The card that came with it says, “Each piece of Batik painting has a unique feel as a result of endless combinations of the dye coloring., wax effects, the fabric typs, and most importantly the story-telling of love and joy we want to pass on. Hope you love our Batik!” – Nisa C. Tanakorn.

I think it’s a work of art. I LOVE the way it brightens up the whole end of the room.

The owner/artist of the shop could not have been nicer to us. She answered questions and was honestly thrilled I was so happy with my purchases. I can’t recommend her shop more highly. I left a review with pictures on Google Maps that I hope will send more appreciative customers her way.

I’m getting my place ready for my housekeeper to come tomorrow. I’ve changed the sheets, will change out the towels and empty the trash, trying not to leave a mess (other than my puzzle table, where there is only so much I can do to neaten it up.)

I’ve been sketching, working on the puzzle a bit, and reading, since I haven’t been able to get to my computer until now because it was in the middle of doing an upgrade. It turned out that it didn’t work the way it should and Brian said he would try to get it to work again later.

This has been a good day. We’ll share some dinner soon and then I’ll enjoy listening to music on YouTube. I like it that I can use the remote on my TV to request music by people I like or want to hear for the first time, just relaxing with my headphones so I don’t bother anyone. 😁

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