Picture post…

Wow, two posts in one day!

Just to avoid confusion, keep in mind that captions are above the pictures. Enjoy.

First strawberry.

I was on my way out the gate with my bike the other morning when I handed Jube the keys and told him to take them to Daddy. Instead, he stepped out the gate and dropped the keys in the gutter that runs along the road. I was gone by then but he ran inside to tell Daddy that he’d dropped the keys in the water. After much scooping and slopping and some prayers, Dru finally found them.

Yes, he’s still in his pajamas.

Doesn’t Dru look disgusted?

Now this is truly disturbing. It was brought to my attention that a rat had been visiting my kitchen. One evening, about a half hour after setting a sticky trap, said rat was heard squealing  and hissing. Several days after the death of the rat, Dru spotted two young rodents, such as you see below, scuttling across the floor. They seemed to be slightly unhealthy and sluggish. They were found to be living in the old air conditioner, which was soon hauled out the door. The next day I spotted this fellow about 2 feet behind Dru who was sitting at his desk studying. He was calmly washing his whiskers among the children’s toys. Also seemed to be tired and ill. I am disturbed looking at this picture. And last of all, there was a small rodent of the same size as this, in a bucket outside the door the next morning. Only this mouse was lively and fit as a fiddle. And cute. He, I must admit, was cute. The rest were mostly disturbing. And I think I’m all done with rodents in the house now, but you can never be sure…shiver.

Mae Wahn  took us to the Ratchaphruek Garden. It was the wrong day to bring blond farang babies to such a place as this. A lot of the people there came from different provinces and were not as familiar with farang children. I was a bit upset that they were so rude and would not leave Jube alone. He was rude and they still wouldn’t let him be. One man wanted to hold him! Everyone wanted to take pictures of or with him. We couldn’t walk 20 feet without our children being bombarded by cameras at one point. Below Jube and I are running…away, away from the paparazzi…for a couple of minutes, if we’re lucky.

Below, the children with a monk. Just one of the many, many people who couldn't pass up this golden opportunity to be in a photo with farang children.

Jube is very easily overwhelmed by people, whites and Thais alike, when they come in crowds and demand his attention. He wants to be left alone. He wants to explore the territory at his own pace. Additional coaxing will only make him less personable. Part of me wants to train it out of him. Part of me thinks it’s probably not possible at this point. All of me is sympathetic to his plight. There are people he must be nice to. But I don’t think it’s necessary, or even safe, for us to make him be friendly to every stranger who comes along. Our good friend George would, when his children were at our stage, tell the adoring fans that it was “Paugh laow,” or enough, when the hoop-a-lah had gone on long enough. It’s nice to know that that is okay if I ever find it necessary to do so.

Orchids below.

Last but not least, pictures of last Saturday when Arlin’s came over and helped put in a walkway, and a fire pit. He did the fire pit alone, but Dru put in a good part of the walkway until he was done with that. So credit goes to both Dru and  Arlin. Arlin ordered pizza in exchange for labor. Done deal! Pictures tell their own story here.

This good looking man is making hot dog sticks.

The fire pit is wonderful! Thanks Arlin!