red shirts, red skies and making ties

Wow what a week! I will start with the red shirt update. Thailand is heading towards civil war if they don`t get this under control. Over the weekend 36 people have died and over 140 injured. In the past two months the numbers are 65 deaths and 1669 injured and increasing daily! Not good at all. We feel sorry for all people involved. So much corruption, in both the government and military with the lower paid poorer working class out there battling in the streets. North Americans complain about our home politics, maybe take a look to see behind the doors of the world and a different perspective on real crisis may become apparent. This week was to be the start of the school year and they have postponed that date for a few days (and counting) while the embassies are closing, even the families of U.S. embassies are encouraged to go home. Forty-five countries now have high level travel warnings for Thailand. We hope that there is resolution on this very volatile situation soon and to see a cease to the street battles so that this country can return to it`s claim to fame as "the land of smiles". We on the other hand are safe and far away from Bangkok with all its protesting. We are spending most of our time enjoying what the sleepy southern tip of Phuket island has to offer. This includes a few beach days with our buddy Dave, (extra large ex-cop from Australia) his girlfriend, and Herwig (retired ex-cop from Austria). I have to say that for the first time I was out in some big waves, Dave`s Thai girlfriend New, who isn`t much of a swimmer is out there and even trying to surf, so I had to try the big waves (no peer pressure), I even had fun and didn`t get washed away! We have been bringing the beach dogs rawhide bones (Denise would be so proud) and Lulu, this lady we met has been bringing dog food. She gave the food to one dog by our beach chair, so then the dog who we've named Lizzy, decided to hang out and spend the day with Steve and I. Poor thing she got dragged by a vehicle, not too sure about letting a sleeping dog lye as there seems to be a pattern with the pooches sleeping under vehicles and being drug off. Here people need to do a look see under their rig before driving away. Now onto more pleasant things, I totally enjoyed my seaside massage. It started out with a lady massaging me, then part way through she was preoccupied with trying to deal with her two young children, then I felt another set of hands on me and they were strong while rubbing me with the amount of pressure I like, for awhile I had two of them working on me. Wow talk about treatment. After the hour session, as always it is hard to get up and walk away. Should be doing this more often but some days it is difficult to fit it all into our not too busy schedule. Went to the movies this week and saw Iron Man 2, a great action packed film with awesome music and special effects. It wasn`t shown in the first class cinema with the phat lazy boy recliners so we had to downgrade to the almost as good lounge sofas. Wish we had this kind of theater comfort back home. As in the last time at the theater after the previews and just before the show was to begin we all stood while they had their movie clip anthem tribute to his majesty the King and his wife. Perhaps a little patriotism can go a long as the olympics recently demonstrated.
Proud to be Canadian.

Stings, rings, and things

Just another week at the beach in sunny hot Thailand. Enjoyed the few days where the water was flat, it's my fave. Steve prefers the big wave days. This week we both got stung by a jelly fish, me on the arm, Steve on a different spot, anatomy not on my body. Oh yes you guessed it right!!! Ouch, ouch, ouch! Did the vinegar pour, gave him an ibuprofin and called it a day. Had fun skyping this week, Candace and Lawrence doing it too. It's great to see each other and be silly in front of the screen. Some are much better at it than others (no names mentioned). Paid up our rent for the month, a whopping $500.00 bucks, crazy cheap. Includes bungalow with kitchen, air con, tv, wifi, swimming pool, and daily room service. Gotta love this place. You know you have been in a foreign country long enough when you've rediscovered favourite products, such as toothpaste, shampoo, lotions, cheese, yogurt etc... as well as the places to purchase them. Does that mean time to move on, or hunker down for longer? We are in the low season now so things are cheaper and not as busy ( just the way we like it). When we were here (on Phuket Island) at Christmas time they had gone from two rows of beach chairs to three, now we are down to single rows, nice and mellow. This week at the beach we have had real life guards show up with flag markers, yellow life saving belts, and surf rescue boards. Makes me feel better while Steve`s out in the big waves! It is the beginning of monsoon season with riptides and undercurrents being prevalent this time of the year. Speaking of time, it has been great to have the gift of time and be able to have the experience of living here. In some ways we have seen more by seeing less.When your in a community for awhile you really get the true vibe of the place, not just the touristy vibe. While shopping the other day we were even recognized by the cashiers, they gave us the local discount without the card and a free fabric shopping bag. Kinda cool. Also had a familiar feeling like I was back working in the salon when one of the neighbours told me a secret. This couple we see daily in our complex tell me that they are getting married on Tuesday and then asked me to keep it a secret, she's very excited and just wanted to share it with someone. I feel quite honored and it reminds me of the ole hairstyling days... so many secrets... so many stories. Same same but once again completely different. Yesterday was Mothers Day. It was harder for me than I thought it would be. It has been two years now that Mom has passed away and we are told that time heals all, I look forward to that time as it still weighs heavy on my heart. Steve was great and encouraged me to express my feelings and supported me in all decisions for the day (in other words I got to pick the restaurants and cry when ever I wanted too). For lunch we went out for green curry soup and a big plate of jumbo tamarind garlic prawns. Logged in some beach time, then later that evening after sunset it was traditional roast beef and yorkshire pudding dinner. The sunset was wild as it's usually yellows, oranges, and reds but last night it was all of Mom`s favorite colors, purples, pinks, and shades of mauves. It was a sunset tribute to that incredible Mom of mine. I just know it!!!

Scuba Steve and Snorkel Master Sheri

Busy week it was. Had a day at the beach where for the first time it was super quiet, overcast and most of the beach umbrellas were closed and tied up . We thought we were going to get rained on but not to be. Saw the biggest jelly fish yet, it was huge, 18 inches in diameter. Glad it was on the sand and not in the sea while swimming. Steve for the first time got stung by one, better him than me. One day this week I witnessed a little dog surfing. It was hilarious. The owner finally had to knock him off so he could take his daughter for a ride. The dog would just plow threw the surf, hop on the board and catch the next wave, and repeat again and again. Too funny, wish I was as adventurous as the pooch! Steve logs many hours body surfing, I enjoy walking the beach. Ran in to our old landlord Annis and his buddy Thomas from Denmark, a couple of characters at their finest. We also ran into our buddy from Australia, Dave and his Thai girlfriend. We see they are getting serious as there is talk of him going to meet her Mom. He's a good guy and they make a nice couple. We finally got to see our Grandson Henry while skyping Bristol. He is adorable! She has asked us not to put his picture on the internet, we would love to show him off but will give them there privacy. We sure look forward to the first time we get to hold him. Met up with our fellow B.C. buddy, Theo, his friend Leese, and went out for a yummy pizza and good conversation. We later listened to Theo play his harp with other locals while jammin at the Karma lounge. After that went back to Theo`s and smoked sheesha. It is an Indian water pipe with flavored apple molasses tobacco, it was yummy and fragrant. Took some funny pictures as a tribute to my Dad of his past being an orchardist. Booked a dive trip for Steve and some snorkel time for Sheri, while Steve was being sized up at the dive shop I had this cat jump on me and bury his head in my crotch, he just layed there with out moving, it was pretty funny. On our snorkel-dive trip I saw many different fish and beautiful coral. The water was so clear, from the boat deck you could see the blue coral and fish below, great clarity. One fish I saw was an irradescent pink with what looked like matching fushia lipstick. Saw some squid and for the first time ever I saw a fish poop in the ocean. Now when this happends do the other fish smell it? Steve, Theo, and Leese, were able to hang out with a wall of barracudda`s. He said there had to be thousands, without exaggeration. One of the most outstanding things he's seen on any of his dives. This week just outside our door on one of the rain grates we saw a baby alligator, very cute, (from a distance). Nothing like the all the little geckos we see daily, this guy had nasty written all over him. Same, same but yet again different.