Overcast, very humid and hot. Gave photos to neighbors.

We made a trip into Na Klang today to the shop that has the equipment to print digital photos. On August 11th a neighbor family up the street welcomed us during one of our walks and gave Phai a lot of plants. While we were there I took a few photos of the family. I used three different photos to create portraits of their beautiful children and had them printed out as 8 x 10 prints. We picked them up this afternoon and walked down and presented the photos to the grandmother. She was very appreciative and tried to pay me for them which I refused. I did learn it is more expensive (almost double)  to get prints made here than in the the States. The pleasure on her face was worth it. 

I also had to pick up some cereal and milk which should last me until we leave on Sunday. I had my cereal this morning around 7 am and then about 10 am Phai cooked one of the fish my friend gave me and we had a wonderful snack. When we got back from town I had my bowl of soup for lunch and then took a nap. Naps are becoming a habit and I sure do enjoy them. 

We also took a walk over to Phai's Son's house to look at the addition he is building. He is using the materials from tearing down our rice storage shed to build a shaded parking area for his motorbikes. On the way back we passed the girls house that has the boyfriend from England visiting her. Phai met him yesterday and was really upset when she came home. We had heard that this guy (he owns a bar in England) was a jerk. He wants nothing to do with his Thai girlfriend's family and will not even speak to her grown children. She told us she was going to have a birthday party for herself when he came but he told her he doesn't want any parties at his house. When Phai met him yesterday our 6 year old granddaughter was with her so Phai introduced our granddaughter to him and said "don't bother me with bullshit". Well, Phai has been in the States long enough to know what that means. She got mad and told him "You're bullshit" and walked away. She did say the other guy traveling with him from England was really nice to her and she liked him. So I was just waiting for this guy to say something and I was going to let him have it for using that kind of language with my wife in front of my grandchild. Well, they were coming out of the house as we walked by. The nice guy walked over as we walked up the driveway and introduced himself and we shook hands and started talking. Then the boyfriend and his Thai girlfriend came out and he just climbed in the car about ten feet from me. I heard the girlfriend say "come meet my friends"  but I didn't hear him because I was still talking with the nice guy. The boyfriend got out of the car and walked over. I introduced myself and put out my hand which forced him to shake it. He didn't say much and I did not raise any issues. When we left Phai told me that when his girlfriend asked him to get out of the car and meet her friend he said "your friends not my friends". I wish I would have heard him say that because I would not have shook his hand and would have told him what i thought. The funny part is that the Thai girlfriend had been telling us her boyfriend has such a good heart and is handsome and much younger than me. Well, this guy was short, balding with a huge beer belly and a long way from having a good heart. I guess since he built her a house and sends her money every month she chooses to view him through rose colored glasses and define "good heart" as "gives me money". 

When I was here as a young man I learned that one of the tricks the working girls like to do is call their "boyfriends" Darling. Only they mispronounce it on purpose as Dakling. Well dakling means "monkey butt" in Thai so the guy thinks she is being affectionate when if fact she is putting him down. So as Phai and I walked away I said under my breath "goodbye dakling" and Phai loved it. I heard her telling everyone the story the rest of the day. 

Well, time is growing short. Only three more full days in Isaan. 

This is the family I gave the portraits to which were close ups of each the three kids. 

Turns out not all the bananas got stolen from my farm and this bunch was brought back from the farm today. 

I just happened to look out front a couple of minutes ago to see this sight. I grabbed my iPad and took a photo. I tried to get closer to take more but the little boy got scared and started crying. Phai went over and comforted him after the big bad falang scared him. I sure am going to miss these kind of photo ops.

Sep 4, 2013

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