Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

Pictures to accompany yesterday evening's words.

Labels: family, thailand

Brief note tonight. I need my bed.

Bill and I took Jamie to work - a drive of over 30 minutes and more each way.

The plumber came this morning to sort out blockage in drainage pipe.

Very heavy rain storm for a short while.

Mam went to village meeting. There is problem with the water supply. All water to be used for consumption is delivered in plastic drums. Tap water is used only for washing selves, clothes, dishes, cars and flushing loos and showering etc. At the moment it is yellow.
The health department say analysis shows buffalo and dog poo and two bacteriological infestations.
Wheels move slowly of course. But maybe today has been the start of putting it right.
Meanwhile we clean teeth with a mug of bottled water and Mam is worried about rinsing washing up under the tap - even worried now about showering in it.

Bill and I then went out on our own to Sapan Hin, a peaceful area not far from Phuket Town, with a river estuary, fishing boats and the sea.
We had some rice with chicken and prawns.

Bill was tired and stayed home when we went to meet Jamie - he knew we would be some time because we called in at the weekend market on the way home.
Big, bustling, brash and fascinating.
We bought a shirt for Jamie and one for Bill and me - though maybe Bill will have the one I chose.
We will return next Sunday - without the children - for a photography session.

Home then. Mam rang for some pizza for children and menfolk.
I wasn't hungry - we had eaten sausage at the market.

Tired now - the other 3 are watching UK comedy DVD that we brought with us - The League of Gentlemen.

Bed time soon for me - tomorrow is another day.

Have a look at Jamie's blog for family pics, news and pictures.

Jamie's Phuket Weather Blog

Firstly I am wishing Roger and Sue well.
They are doing a special presentation in the village hall about village history and the museum.
I hope it has been a good day for you both.

Latest pictures and snippets from Thailand.

Yesterday's task was to buy a new loo handle and plastic arm to the ballcock thing.

We parked in Central shopping mall with Mam and had some lunch first.
We went to Fuji - an American (I think) Japanese chain.
The food was really good.

Here is Mam with her spicy fish.




Later we crossed over the main road by bridge from Central Mall to Home Works.
That's a home and do it yourself for a man to drool over!


Looking south.
Nobody in the Monk house likes the huge advertising hoardings - but money talks of course.
Some are ginormous and really dominate the skyline.



Anybody want to buy a light bulb? Bill was looking for spares to fit the bedside lamps.
A whole aisle was devoted to bulbs of all kinds.

We found the bit needed for the loo too. Bill fitted it when we got home.


Mam cooked the evening meal for us all - left over green curry (yummy!) and chicken with vegetables, mixed vegetables, spare ribs and garlic - and rice of course. All very delicious.
Thank you Mam.




The family cats - who came scrounging in the past and have stayed.
They have chosen a very good home for themselves.




A dragon fly came to settle for the night as Bill and I sat outside with our cups of tea and our books.


Saturday - Jamie's day off.
Breakfast at the roadside noodle shop - next to the good basic restaurant on the Kathu waterfall road.



You can sit and eat inside or drive up on your motor bike to get a plastic bag full of noodles and pork,

We sat inside.



My noodles with bean sprouts, pork balls and pork slices, Thai basil and delicious soup.
I had rice noodles - the others all had wheat.




Jessica tucks into her first bowl of noodles.

Labels: family, thailand

No more rain.
Hooray!

Bill and I went out on out own yesterday.
We drove to the beautiful north west of the island to a small village by the sea, where we had been last year.
Almost all seaside places attract tourists, but Nai Yang is more basic than most places.

We settled into our little house for some lunch.
We didn't sit at tables out in the open.
This was my view from the little house.

Labels: family, thailand

Well, here we are......in rainy Thailand!
Actually hasn't rained much - very heavy rain for a while this morning.

Back to Monday - it was a smooth and easy journey. Malaysian Airways excellent.
Of course it does take too long, but we never found it too tedious.
Good films to watch - Bill didn't watch the same as me. I can recommend Letters to Juliet.
Whilst waiting to board the plane we chatted with people we have met before - almost on the family tree!
The couple are the aunt and uncle of our nephew/niece Scott and Lisa. Bill's sister Sheila was married to the uncle's brother.
We met up again at Kuala Lumpur - and so there we were having a drink together in Malaysia at a time that felt to us as 2 o'clock in the morning.
Bill did their wedding photos and this trip to Singapore and Borneo is a Ruby Wedding treat.

We boarded our plane to Phuket.....and ate again.
Malaysian Airways certainly feed people well.
We were through formalities at the airport very quickly and there were Jamie and Mam to greet us.
Lovely.
Jamie went off to work.
We went to Tescos with Mam. We also began to look at chairs.
Then we collected Jessica and John from school.
It all feels so familiar.

In the evening we went to a good basic restaurant not far from home. I had chicken and cashew nuts and rice, Bill had prawn fried rice. There were 6 of us eating and drinking and the bill was under 10 pounds.

Time for bed then - we had had virtually no sleep for 33 hours.

I slept well. Bill was more restless - his old man's troubles meant frequent visits to the loo! We got up this morning after the children had gone to school.

Mam and Bill and I had lunch at a restaurant we have been to before in Phuket Town. I enjoyed delicious rice noodles, chicken and green vegetables.

Then it was back to think more about chairs.
Bill and I wanted to buy 2 very comfortable chairs as Christmas presents for Jamie and Mam.
And we can use them for 3 weeks.
But what to buy?
This one or that one?
Sit down in one, try another one.
Finally the decision was made.
What could me more comfortable than the good old Poang chair from Ikea?
These chairs do not say Made in Sweden or Ikea anywhere on them - but we were told that they are imported.
But there was one big difference between Ikea and Home Pro. A young man constructed the chairs for us and wrapped them in cling film to transport them back home - no flat packs and alum keys and frustration here!
They look really good. The choice was a really good one.

Talking of choices.....at the checkout Bill was offered the choice of the credit card coming up in Thai baht or British pounds. "I don't know....what's the difference.....its up to you" Basically he was asking the young shop assistant to decide for him.
Mam laughed and commented that she could now see where Jamie gets it from!

In half an hour it will be time to go to school for Jessica and John.
They seem so much more grown up every time we see them of course.
Jessica is quite the young lady and very caring.
John sings and runs, but is also a diligent worker.
Recently Jessica did an English test organised by some private testing company who private schools tie up with. Our brilliant grand daughter was 14th in the whole country.
Now we wait for results of a similar test in Thai and biology.

It is still cloudy - but not raining.
Warm of course.
Mam is cooking this evening, so it will be an evening at home with good food, comfortable chairs and maybe a film.

We must still arrange our clothing a bit. I must hang up some items.
Somehow I managed to transport just 2 and a half pairs of sandals! One flip flop sandal must be on the bedroom floor at home.
Never mind they are a very cheap style - bought here last year. I will buy another pair for about 4 pounds.

I wonder how Harry is....and have enjoyed having Ginger cat on my lap here. The family adopted a couple of strays.

Bye for now. Blogging will be quite spasmodic I expect. Photographs will come later.
Love to all family and friends.

It was a lovely sunny day in Sussex.
We didn't get up very early, but we did go to a car boot sale.
We chose the one at Poynings, which doesn't start until 9 o'clock.
We enjoyed a couple of hours being normal. Mind you that field is sloping and rough and so it is not enjoyable to push the trolley round.
I bought quite a lot of books.
Bill has cut the lawns today. The rain has had the grass growing at quite a pace.
If he didn't do it today, then it would be another 4 weeks before it could be done.
I popped up to see Rose.
Thank goodness - she put my mind at rest that she will keep an eye on both Harry and Frieda. She has a key and might pop in to give Harry a cuddle.
The bags are all packed now.Who knows if we have got all the things we might find we wish we had got! As long as we have medication and bag requirements we need not worry too much.
A taxi has been booked for 7 o'clock in the morning.
We normally catch the bus to Gatwick - but in our old age we thought we should have a little ease and comfort.
It won't actually cost very much more - because we would have to pay for the bus; our bus pass is for trips after 9 o'clock.
About 21 hours after we leave our house we should be walking through Jamie and Mam's door.
That will be a good moment.
This evening I have been listening to the concert from Hyde Park, commemorating Elvis Presley. I love Elvis! And Tom Jones sang Elvis songs really well, as did lots of other folk.
Now to make a cup of tea, sort out last needs (needs means wee bags!) and get some sleep.
I shall write some lines on the blog most days that we are away - not tomorrow of course.
Have fun everybody in your lives.
We will back in Sussex on October 6th.

Labels: home and daily life

What have I done today?

Labels: family

Its has been a bits and pieces sort of day.
We enjoyed a long lie in and a cup of tea in bed.

Then it was time to deliver my wee sample to the hospital. I have started on the antibiotics now; at least if there is an infection it will start to be dealt with before we go away.
There were a few more little chores to be done.

This afternoon we went to the shop for a quick visit. We wanted to put more things on the shelves and collect money for items sold since Monday. I have had a good few days.
Monika was there on duty with Claudia. They were attempting to create a new window display - but had been interrupted by customers all day long!
Just as they were getting going, there was further interruption as friend Mark came in, with Willow, the baby.
This took Monika's mind from the job in hand - Willow is a delight.
Bill and I helped as much as we could.
But it was not finished by closing time. Monika said she would go back this evening and do it.

We watched the Dr Who prom this evening - the concert that Ashley and Ecky went to in the summer at the Albert Hall.
I think I would have enjoyed it too.

More bits and pieces to do tomorrow. I still have the dining room table to clear!!! I think I shall end up sticking a label on each item with the amount I paid for it and then dump them in a box until October. I want to re-colour my hair too.
Bill will paint my toe nails for me - poor old lady that I am, I find I can't reach my toes well enough to make a good job of it. Jamie suggests I go for a pedicure in Thailand. I might.
I also have to do a bit of re-packing. The white M&S tops I bought yesterday at Ford are just so ideal to take with me to Thailand.

That's all for now. Goodnight. Looking forward to a refreshing cup of tea right now.

Today was the very best that my life can be.
How often can we say that?
I banished my wobbly brain and enjoyed life.
We have been to the Ford car boot sale, had breakfast in Littlehampton, walked in the sunshine by the river and on the beach, enjoyed conversations with people, taken lots of photographs and relished exploring new views.

I love the Thursday car boot sale at Ford - very relaxed and with plenty to browse amongst.
I guess I didn't really buy much for selling on. I did buy a goodly pile of Marks and Spencers blouses and a brand new embroidered denim long pinafore dress.
People have more time for talking at the Thursday sale - quite intimate little interludes.
One woman told me of her husband, aged 73 who has been ill for some years. "I don't know how long he will last" she said...."I wake every morning and look to see if he is still alive".
Another elderly man wanted to tell us of his days with the gas board and his time on National Service.

We breakfasted in Wetherspoons - very busy this morning.
There were groups of women and push chairs, the men with their pints and their racing pages, a 65th birthday group in best clothes....and then in came a familiar figure - the elderly old man who walks with the aid of two white sticks.
I have taken pictures of him dozing on a bench by the river before.
Today he slumped down in a chair and dozed in Wetherspoons - didn't buy a drink.

We popped into a couple of charity shops and I found a pair of shoes for £3 and a book called "Cooking for Blokes"


Today we decided to explore the other side of the river.
The town is on the East side of the River Arun.

Labels: Sussex