Christmas 2012

I arrived home from KL on December 10th - took me close to 2 weeks to get my body clock back on Texas time!



We had time to say "good bye" to our San Antonio friends before Roger's final full time day at work and then drove to Dallas on December 21st. My family all met at Joel and Rachel's to celebrate Christmas - they have a lovely townhouse near downtown Dallas. We stayed in a really nice RV park in Grapevine. We've never been to Grapevine before - it is a lovely little town, especially when it was all decked out for Christmas. Reminded us of Boerne, TX. As always, we had a great time eating, drinking and just being together - looking forward to next year when Kyle, Heather and the girls can join us.

We actually played golf on Sunday and then the weather turned ugly! Roger thought of leaving early but there were tornadoes blowing across the southern states and we didn't want any part of that action so we took a chance on Dallas weather. OMG! Christmas day was the worst weather Dallas has seen on December 25th since 1916 and there we were in the middle of it!! Snow, ice, wind and 20 degrees! It finally thawed enough on the 26th for us to head south but then we encountered motothome problems - the air suspension had a leak and wouldn't raise the motorhome so we could drive it and the jacks wouldn't retract! Think the Alpha was trying to tell us it does not like cold weather! Two service calls to the RV; 2 days in the shop and and over $1,000 later we finally got the suspension problem fixed and headed for warmer climate! Still need to get the jack problem solved but it doesn't prevent us from traveling - can fix them in Florida.
It sure is nice to have Roger "home" and to be back on the road. We stayed at a really nice state park in Gulf Shores, Alabama - 450 sites and it was full! We even played golf at their golf course on New Years Day. New Years Eve was quiet at a nice seafood restaurant and New Years Day finds us driving to Clermont, Florida. Outside temperature = 70 degrees - YES!!

And here is what our granddaughters were doing over the holidays in Khoa Lak, Thailand!!

Homeward Bound

I leave for the U.S. tonight at 8:00pm - fly to Singapore, then Moscow then Houston - arrive Saturday at 2:35pm. I have had a wonderful time here but anxious to be home. I am looking forward to getting home but not going home! I can't let myself think about the journey - just need to get on the plane and do it! A lot of positive self talk and remembering that Roger will be at the other end helps! Knowing the kids will be home next summer and that I don't have to do this trip again is a big relief!

Hard to get in the Christmas spirit here in the tropics! A sign at the mall read "Santa and Santarina" would be there every week-end until the 25th!

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Heather and I flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand early Saturday morning. A shopping trip for her new "business" when she returns to the US.  We had lunch with Gary and Phyllis Stolp, a couple I met in San Antonio, that owned an import business there and are now retired and living in Chiang Mai. They provided a wealth of knowledge about agents, shipping and customs and we had delicious Thai food.

We shopped around a bit in the afternoon, came back and took a nap (we got up at 3:30am!) and then went to the "Night Market." Saturday/Sunday are the big market nights here. Heather bought several "Hmong" bags but believe it or not I didn't find anything I couldn't live without! I'm hoping the Sunday night market will have better "stuff." We ate Italian food at a Giorgio's, came back and went to bed early.

Sunday morning was another lovely day here - a little cooler and less humid than in KL. We had an appointment at "Peak Spa" - they picked us up at 10am and brought us back to the hotel at 1pm! Three hours of pampering - they massaged me into oblivion - Heather said I was snoring! We had lunch at the hotel and then went to check out a store called "Ginger" and shopped around that area. Found a store similar to "Charming Charlies" in the US called "The Pink Pussy!" We went to the Sunday Night Market around 5pm - many more hand crafted items and less junk - got some good buys! We ate outside at a lovely restaurant called "The Whole Earth" - as is typical we had to take our shoes off!

Heather had an appointment with the owner of "Ginger" at 10am so we met him at their main store, we ended up buying quite a bit, so brought it back to the hotel and then headed out to her next appointment with Carlos, a wholesale dealer for Hmong bags. What an experience! His business is in his home in a "subdivision" near the airport - trying to find it was an adventure! Hmong bags are beautiful handcrafted bags, some made of vintage fabrics, made by the Hmong hilltribe people. The bags come in all different sizes and colors and of course we bought some!  We came back to the hotel and had a drink by the pool - overlooking the city. We ate at "The House" tonight - three out of three great restaurants!  

The Thai people seem to be a warm, gentle people and are very friendly - they smile a lot and bow slightly in greeting and farewell. Chiang Mai is near the mountains and the number one tourist attraction is "Flight of the Gibbons" - a multi-stage zip line tour through the rain forest with the monkeys. They also have "Tiger Kingdom" and an elephant preserve.

The quickest and easiest way to get around in Chiang Mai is to ride in a "tuk tuk" - a scooter with a bench seat across the back. They also have red pick-up trucks with bed covers and bench seats along each side - a better way to stay dry when it rains! You climb in, hold on tight, and pray the driver understood where you want to go and knows how to get there!

Thailand currency is in "bahts" - 1,000 = around $30 US. Most "tuk tuk" rides cost us 100 baht or $3.
We found ourselves bargaining at the night marker, negotiating for a better price, and then would realize we were haggling over less than $1-2 dollars!!

There are over 300 Buddhist temples in Chiang Mai and hundreds of "street" temples where people can worship anytime!

Kyle had a major catastrophe at home, while we were gone - August, Renu, the maid's son, told the girls that Santa is not real - just your Mom and Dad!!! The girls were all upset and full of questions when we talked with them on SKYPE! Think we were able to convince them that Santa is real because Mommy and Aunt MeMe saw him one year at Grandpa Dick and Grandma Kate's house!

In the meantime, Sonny, the elf, is still watching. They found him in the copier one morning with a picture of himself in the paper tray! Tonight he is tucked up in my bed!

Samantha Kate's 7th Birthday Party

Today was the day Samantha has been waiting for for months - her "Disco" birthday party! Her real birthday isn't until December 17th but we celebrated early because I was here and all her friends will be gone for the holidays. It was a huge success - Heather always does such a great job planning all the details to make it so special!
How could I have forgotten what it is like to have 15 screaming first graders in one room!!! They played musical stars and "freeze" dance and did the "Limbo Rock." They all watch enough music videos to know all the latest dance moves!
Sonny, the elf, was sitting on the rotating disco light this morning. They can not touch him to move him - Emily was so worried he was going to get dizzy and fall off - and when Heather said he would think it is fun, Emily said "he gonna' puke!"
We got Samantha a James Avery charm bracelet with two charms - and "S" and two little girls holding hands - sisters! It will be fun adding to it over the years!

Thai Massage

Heather and I went to one of my favorite places in KL and had a body massage yesterday. A 90 minute massage for $50! It was heavenly! I picked "peppermint oil" and smelled like a candy cane all day!

We put the Christmas tree up on Monday and "Sonny," Santa's Christmas Elf, is back! He hangs around the house until Christmas Eve watching who is naughty and who is nice! He flys to a new place every night and the girls have a fun time each morning trying to find him. He was riding on the elephant statue yesterday and in Barbie's hot tub today! Emily told me "Santa's people live at the North Pole and in England but not in the 'Nited States!"

Heather and I went back to the Country Club where the girls rode horses and walked the hiking trail today. It is paved but up and down hills - about an hour to make the circle - between the heat and the humidity I was pooped! I figured I was getting plenty of exercise just walking up and down the stairs to my "princess suite" on the third floor but I guess not!

Culinary Adventure

Jared and Lesha took the turkey we didn't eat home so the traditional leftover meal wasn't the same as usual! Samantha had a birthday party so Emily got to pick her favorite restaurant for lunch - you'll never guess - sushi!! I wasn't too enthused so she went into this long explanation about how good it is and what I would like - so off we went! Can't let my 4 year old granddaughter be more adventuresome and worldly than me! She even let me borrow Samantha's chopsticks so I could learn how to use them! Actually, it was good - it helps to have someone knowledgeable order for you. But, I must confess I liked the carmel cupcake from the bakery next door for dessert better!

On Sunday night Kyle and Heather took me to their favorite Vietnamese restaurant. It is located on a narrow busy street  near the "night market." The market is difficult to describe - food tents line each side of the street and the sight and smells are amazing! The Vietnamese place was excellent - spring rolls, salad, prawns, a "pancake" with shrimp and chicken and a beef noodle soup.

Thanksgiving Dinner

We had a traditional U.S. Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday. Jared, Lesha, Claire, Catherine & Sam joined us and we "pigged out" as required on this holiday. Jared fried the turkey so making gravy was a challenge - too bad Izetta wasn't here - she could make delicious gravy out of nothing! We started mid-afternoon with Thanksgiving cocktails made with apple cider, vanilla vodka and cinnamon - very tasty!
Heather and I took the girls horseback riding this morning. One of the country clubs has an equestrian club that offers riding on Sunday mornings. The girls took carrots to feed the horses - Emily says "no beans, horses can not eat beans!"