pgrahmm
-
Posts
10,566 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Events
Forums
Downloads
Quizzes
Gallery
Blogs
Posts posted by pgrahmm
-
-
-
Shhhhhh
-
Strait
-
Lighthouse
-
Submarining
-
Sunken treasures
<that would be Queen Mary> unless there's another subtle meaning......
-
1
-
-
pearl diving
-
Diving
-
Intimate
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
Very nice story.....
I am also lucky to have a "farm family" on my wife's side......never ask for anything and when out and about Papa is usually the first to offer to pay - and he's farmer tight fisted.....when we are there or they are visitng us we do everything as a family with me having an equal or deciding vote and I don't abuse the privilege or respect they give to me...I am the 1st farang anyone/everyone in the family has known but I'm also just one of the family - but I am a curiousity at the local markets, temple, etc - I smile my way through it and actually have fun with it......we are in CM - they're 700 k south but if we are down that way - at the beach we'll spend 4 - 8 days there and they will drive down for one of those days - spend a nice beach day with us to spend/have time with us - then go.....
Coincidentally - on one of our 1st trips down driving about an hour away from the farm ..... we hit passing gear to go around a vehicle and heard a cracking noise - looking out the back saw some small white pieces...I thought maybe I'd hit some styrofoam in the road that I'd not seen while clearing on all sides to pass......about 20 minutes later on a small road steam from the hood and temperature high on the gauge.....stopped to check out - the plastic fan had broken and wiped out the radiator.....Wife called Papa - in the meantime people stopped to offer help - he got there with his Hilux - used a piece of hose (like firehose) to tow us to the radiator place in where they sealed off the 8 leaks caused by the fan breaking ..... we drove further into town - bought another fan - radiator place installed - total cost for both 1200B & done in under 2 hours with Papa's help - gotta love Thailand for that.....
The Thai people generally like to please....when we (with our blunt western mores) take that away from them - that's where the troubles start - we are making them act/react in a way that is unsettling to them....I think this cause problems in a lot of Thai/western relationships.....
But I'm with you David - I was lucky and found genuinely good people as inlaws/family - in fact the only thing I have here in Thailand for family......someone wrote non-intrusive but friendly - (respectful & friendly) - good description.....
-
3
-
San Tropez
-
Temple
-
-
Zenith
-
Whew - got it right - was scared it was the - "backing in - parking pole" and I'd mistakenly got the wrong forum.......thank my lucky stars.....
-
Century
Sensory
-
Bubbles
-
It's all purely subjective...when in the US at 60+ I dated women from 37 to 59.....the 59ish - 50+ all wanted to settle in settle down - a few of the 40's did too - one of which I have very fond memories & will always think about/miss (Thai 45/one son)....and I dated almost exclusively - but not exclusively Asian women (I like them smaller than me and I'm pretty big) because they were more genuine and less entitled.....
The 50ish's wanted to settle into life and go from there - the 40ish's want to be valued (miss-treated along the way) and have a good time/experience...all had their benefits.....a lot of the 40+ women had children and felt trapped/stunted.....I didn't want to become a "Daddy" again...especially right after losing a good daughter.....
Fast forward 5 years - married to a beautiful, in all ways, Thai woman and have a good family....two step daughters that we see every couple of months and love spending time together - family Thai style - no expectations other than mutual respect.....
Times change - people do too.....so - listen to yourself - the settings and the rules might change before your very eyes - and you might just find it's right for you.....
-
- Popular Post
- Popular Post
Well - this is a virtual expat community - how ya doin' so far??????
I've noticed in CM the expats meeting are filled with expats showing off their "throphies" - some congregate together but not many.....when the bell rings and the meeting is over it looks like someone shouted bomb! -- or fire! - everyone exits quickly.....no real common bond.....some Thai business self interested entrepeneurs parading around looking to score (but damn fine looking).....
We are all individuals and here they seem to echo that - I mainly pass on these and will not subject my wife to it.....not really interested in one upping anyone - it's not a contest.....
Their "socials" are even worse - the drunk braggarts congregate to drink, brag, and talk and the wives mingle together and gossip.....while others wander around wondering where the (seasonal) party is or when it will start.....no band - no dancing - just drinking.....
Saving the best for last ---- there are a lot of special inerest groups from computers to music to gardening where like minded people do get together and share a common interest - from there friendships may be forged.....
-
6
-
I'm not even sure they use mirrors...they just seem to ride/drive eyes forward like OK the wheels are headed that way - let's go ...... never mind the fact they just pulled in front of a 2 ton SUV that was going at a constant faster rate of speed.....a couple of days ago one car in the designated out of traffic lane right turn lane at the light - another car next to it in the straight forward lane....the light turns and the car in the far right turn lane goes straight and the car in the sraight lane turns left......my wife just laughs at Thai drivers (and she's Thai)....
Now it's rainy season and their tooling along on their bikes - sometimes with kids front and back - holding up their umbrella with one hand to their ear talking on the phone - while I'm saying to myself - don't drop that phone - don't drop that phone.....
Boggles.....
-
-
Can't believe we went from nipples to Japan ????? - try to keep abreast of the topic
.......OK.........Ah....errrr......
Oiran
-
Nipplese (sunseekers)
-
Guess I'm lucky - always stored in zip locks or rubber maid + in the fridge - and ANYTHING out aged = gone and all exp dates are watched before purchase and consumption.....rice seems pretty ?indestructable?....have seen it drying in the PI on the roads wth exhaust fumes...the wife has been great at adapting to the proper refrigeration and aging pretty well - our rice cooker is too big for two but always churns out a full pot - not sure if it goes in us or binned (no dogs)....I don't eat chicken - when she gets it and cooks she puts it in the unused oven to store during the day - seems OK to/for her - if I find it later in the day I stick in the fridge <> anything I am unsure about if out goes in the fridge - probably a good teaching tool (without a word)....If we walk around the local markets that are stifling and I look at the food that has been sitting there in the heat and fumes all day as well as pawed by how many unwashed hands and wonder how people can eat it and survive - but they do - for how long I don't know....she buys in season veggies and fruits sometimes if we happen to go and are looking for something (usually dry goods that I wouldn't have thought existed there - like for crocheting or painting)......
Tried the meat from the huge daily market in CM once........big mistake - good price but big mistake (the one next to the US consolate)
We mostly buy from Makro for cooking veggies and fruits & Rimping for meats...I feel better thinking they've been handled better (think so - less reaction).....I think astute shopping is also important......
Thai's are funny - but once the logic of whatever situation sets in it's etched in stone.....we constantly amaze/surprise each other - and that's a good thing......
.......OK.........
Word Association
in ASEAN NOW Community Pub
Posted
Pence