Tag Archives: thank you

August 2, 2026 · 2:03 am

Sunday 8-2-2026

@inotternews on Substack

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Since I wrote last, we visited Harvey at the nursing home, and then saw him again this morning at the hospital at his routine doctor visit. Yesterday he was still coughing and on oxygen and barely said a word to us. Suddenly he was staring at his Happy Wall. Brian asked him if he was thinking about the artwork I had made for him. He nodded and said, “We have to take it down.” On further questioning, we found out he was thinking about moving to Tate (the place in Georgia we went to a hundred years or so ago) and didn’t want to leave without the paintings. Then he said, “I want you to paint them again, on 4’x8′ sheets so we can hang them on the walls.”

In the hospital today, he was still feeling pretty bad and just looked at us, not saying anything. When the doctor came in, though, he seemed to rally. The doctor said, “How do you feel?” Harvey clearly said, “Crappy,” making the doctor laugh. Then as the doctor examined him, Harvey said, “Your hands are cold. You’ve been working with too many dead people.” We got the paperwork we need in order to renew Harvey’s medical visa. It was 12:30 by the time we got home. I was was exhausted and took a nap.

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My chameleon jigsaw puzzle is coming along very slowly. This one is odd because I seem to be working it from the inside out. I can’t make any progress on adding to the border, but I’ve found areas that are coming together.

This gives you an idea. I did find part of his mouth and eye, but otherwise, it’s all unnconnected ‘flowers’. I THINK I found his elbow…

Puzzle

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I’m going to get my act together and head over to the cafe very soon. Here is the last painted sketch –

These are called, “elephant pants.” I see lots, and lots, and LOTS of tourists wearing them. They seem to be a HAVE TO purchase if you’re visiting Chiang Mai. It’s unfortunate because they look truly awful. I haven’t seen anyone who looks good in a pair. The design goes all the way across the front making the wearer look like their bodies are about 3 feet across. Men and women both wear them, too. This is a style I will firmly ignore, embracing my status as having a retirement visa here…

Mary Hampshire

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June 15, 2025 · 9:56 pm

Why I Write

  1. “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. 🤗

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November 5, 2021 · 1:04 pm

Quite a “Thank You.”

Depositphotos

We just got back from Lunch Bunch and errands.

Our friend gave us quite a ‘thank you’ today for making the Freedom sign for her last week. She paid for our lunch, brought us a home-baked cake/bread with a huge, pretty bow on it, and hugged both of us. I feel that we should make her another sign for the extremely nice ‘thank you’! :0)

The sign said, “Don’t want $ – Want FREEDOM.” She stood on the side of the road across from a busy intersection off the expressway in Ft. Smith. She had a flag in one hand and the sign we made in the other. She said she had people honking and waving, and one man rolled down his window so he could yell, “Freedom!” and smile. It was a good experience for her and probably made some people who saw her happy.

(I’m happy to report that no one has damaged Yosemite Sam (our mailbox decoration) today. I’m relieved, and I hope to be able to one day take it for granted again, rather than driving down our driveway with dread. I will try to finish the repainting of the back of Wonder Wart-Hog this afternoon.

I hope that you are having a happy day, too.

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