When you look out our kitchen window here in BKK it is very hard to tell that Christmas is only 19 days away. We do have our Christmas lites up already and the tree is decorated. Both of them in fact.
But it isn't the same as back home in Canada. From our kitchen window there it would be a view of our flower garden, put to bed for the winter, all the trees and bushes standing in their winter silhouettes to a backdrop of cedar trees. And maybe, just maybe a lite dusting of snow. Oh Canada!
Not here. Only way you can actually tell from the weather is that it only gets up to 32 degrees. Humidity is down. Normally 75%, now only 60. So a little cooler, and especially at night. Much easier to sit out on the deck and have a beverage or two.
This is the big tree, couldn't get it in the house cause it is too tall and it looks awful if you cut the top off and stick a star on it. So we just left it out on the deck.
Diane is convinced that we will have presents under this tree come Christmas morning. We will have to wait and see!! I am not sure what the Santa rules are for Bangkok and Palm Trees?
This is the smaller tree that we have out on the balcony off the living area. This one when turned on at night does bring a feeling of Christmas. And of course we can always turn the air con up to 21 and we will be freezing our ashes off.
That is one of the funny things about the fam now. We sit around in 27 or 28 degrees very comfortably. Having the air set at 25 makes it way too cold. I guess we really have acclimatized.
We have Kyle and Lindsay here for a few days before they travel off to other parts of Thailand. They depart on Wednesday morning for Chang Mai. Then on Wednesday evening the family Vertkas arrive. A long awaited and much talked about trip. Tammy has this one planned down to the nines. Woa be the airplane pilot or other official that might get in front of this. Could be very nasty for them. They are actually in the air flying here as I write this.
So our little Christmas in BKK is shaping up.
Of course this is the first Christmas that Diane has ever had away from her family. No brothers, sisters or Ma and Pa around. Little bit different. But rest assured Lena and I will take care of her. And of course we will think of you and skype and stuff. It is different for me as well, cause I have been involved with the Brooks clan at Christmas time for 24 years now. Wow.
And although I do have a reputation for Christmas dinner and such there will not be anything so special this time around. Just the special that goes with it being Christmas dinner. Perhaps we will adopt a Jamaican tradition. A friend told me that they always set a place at the table for friends not present just as a reminder. Touching and thoughtful tradition for sure.
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| Merry Christmas |
I was looking for some kind of little segue I could do here to begin this next part of my blog.
It is after all my blog. I may have been pressured into actually doing it by little red haired girls and the like, but I am blogging nonetheless. So I usually put up pictures and other things to my liking, trying a little bit to play to my audience but not all the way. My blog remember.
Anyway, I have received numerous Leaf cat calls and the like that it behooves me to mention those poor suffering souls from Toronto and nether regions.
I am a huge hockey fan as you all know. And I do watch a number of games a week, especially here in BKK where I have NHL Game Centre. I can watch any game I choose, not like back in Mississauga where I can watch any game I choose as long as I choose a Leaf game. If I don't choose a Leaf game I wait until the Canucks or Oilers or Flames are on at 10 pm.
So dear Leaf fans I am aware, perhaps painfully aware that the team is finally, yes finally, god help us all, finally!!! having a season that looks like they will make the playoffs.
And I have upon suggestion and consultation reviewed my schedule for my return to the Great White North but sadly must report that the sock drawer is still a mess and therefore I will miss the cup parade. So sad. Don't think the worse of me please. But do enjoy the moment. And please beat the b's whatever you do. I could not stand to see them win two.
Well this is a picture from September, 2011. The lads at Centre Molson were putting the paint on the ice for the upcoming season and something is different. The centre ice line now has a number of Canadiens logos making up the line. For your information, there are 24 logos on each side of the blue dot.
Representing the 24 Stanley Cup banners that hang from the roof.
Sawasdee Krup
