Boring

 Today's song is: One Night in Bangkok - Best watched full screen ... Murray as usual

I must admit, although pleasant, living in Canada is very boring compared to Thailand. Even walking down the soi you live on in Thailand is interesting. The street vendors always saying hi, as do the motorcycle taxi drivers, and the massage girls are always entertaining.

Here in Canada walking down the street, you are anonymous.

I was researching billiards bars, getting ready for my buddy John's return to Canada. Just one sounded interesting with lots of tables and a live band, until I got to the spot where it was the happening place for Algonquin College students. I doubt that we senior citizens would fit in.

Perhaps I would be better to search out Irish Pubs but the vast majority of then are down in the market which is a hike and parking is a challenge.

But then again, Bangkok and indeed Thailand is a unique place and not easily replicated if at all. Cambodia is similar fun on a much smaller scale with an unique French flavour thrown in.

So, I find myself looking forward to picking strawberries and apples with John and Fon and John mentioned he was looking forward to going to Timmy's with me. Major sigh :-)

I do believe you can adapt to your boring home country after a walk on the wild side but I do believe in BYOTG (Bring Your Own Thai Girl). It is no wonder that there are so many return visitors to the Land of Smiles.

TTYL

Nature Wins

 Today's song is: Right Place, Wrong Time ... Dr. John

Speaking of the alternate Dr. John from Bangkok ... He will be arriving back in Canada for the foreeable future on July 2nd. Many jars will be drained to celebrate his home coming.

I like to walk around the neighbourhood at night and just look at how people live. One thing I noticed is that all the front lawns have gone to weeds since Ontaio banned private use of herbicides and pesticides. The ban came about because the doctors lobbied that they thought these chemicals were causing cancer in children although there was no evidence that was the case and all the federal studies showed that the chemicals were safe. I supposed if you let your kids forage for food on the lawn that might be the case. Who knows, with the price of food these days parents may be using the grass for leafy greens in their salads.

One thing we learned during the pandemic is that quite a few doctors are a brick short of a load. Doctors should not pretend to be chemists. Look at the job they did pushing pain killers and getting many people hooked on them.

Back to the homes, enterprising folks are filling their lansws with rocks and pavers. Just as well as I can see a ban coming on gas powered lawn mowers. 

THe other major event was a huge, huge, huge major thunderstorm that rolled across the National Capitol region and destroyed mych of the power grid. 95% of homes lost their powere for 1 to 7 days and there are still thousands of homes without power at teh 10 day mark. Needless to say, this will get chalked up to global warming and another reason to ban the lawn mowers, or should we rename them weed mowers>

Many people, myself included, lost hundreds of dollars worth of food stored in the fridge and freezer.

Some Pics

We have settled into our new place nicely and we all seem happy, especially Thavorn sho loves her new kitchen and how bright and airy the new place is. Some pics, hopefully with the next post.

TTYL

A New Adventure

 Today's song is: It's a Good Life ... Tragically Hip

Tomorrow is a big day as we move from the country back to the burbs. Matter of fact, about 1 kilometer from the last house I owned before the big adventure that lead to where I am now, in my life.

The new neighbourhood is Barrhaven which my older children used to refer to as Farhaven as there was not much there. Nowadays, it is a city onto itself. I will now be able to walk to everything except for Costco which be a 5 minute drive. Matter of fact we are between 2 Costcos, each equidistant from our new home.

Our new home is what is referred to as a stacked luxury townhouse. We are the middle unit, so we just walk in up a few steps from the street. It is about 1200 square feet which was the size of my starter home. It is all one level, 2 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. Thavorn will get a walkin closet!

Jaidan will be attending a new school, which isCatholic, which will hopefully supply some answers as he has been asking some questions about God, etc.  Jaidan is not baptized and I suspoect he will explore Christianity and Buddhism before making a choice, which is probably the way it should be done, rather than chosen for him.

Thavorn seems to be looking forward to the move and getting our own space rather than sharing. I really can't blame her. It will, however, mean a longer commute for her to work.

I finally get some decent internet speed :-) and a reliable cell connection.

We get the keys tomorrow at 9 am and I will follow up with some pics once we get moved in.

TTYL

Big Change

 Today's song is: Change by Taylor

The first time we came to Canada on Thavorn's PR we stayed in a AirBnB for 6 months. We lived downtown and we could walk to everything and did not need a car. We quite enjoyed it!

At the end of that stay my son Jordan and his GF suggested we look for a house together to share. I thought, good all around, as I could help them with a mortgage. We found a beautiful house on 2 acres out in the country with 6 bedrooms, 4 car garage, etc.

When we arrived back in Canada we moved in on March 2nd, 2020, just over 2 years ago. Apart from continual construction, things went pretty well and I invested in a treadmill and a new motorcycle, as well as a car.

However, covid struck and we had online schooling for the first year and a heavy dose of cabin fever, but things were okay, not ideal, but what the heck, we were helping my son out.

However, covid was not kind to their relationship and they are splitting and we move out on May 1st. Back to my original plan, we are renting a luxury 2 bedroom, 2 bath, stacked townhouse in Barrhaven. Hooray, we can now walk to most things and drive to everywhere else in 5 mins or less. Jaidan will probably change schools in September but that is still to be decided.

Change has never really bothered me and it is through change that we grow. I had to sell my motorcycle as we will not have a garage. I am still undecided on selling the treadmill, but it may not be needed as we will be walking a lot more.

There will certainly be a lot more kids on the street for Jaidan to disvover new friends.

Thankfully, I am a minimalist and the move will be easy! My son moves out the same day so this time around we will share a truck. :-)

Pics, after we move in ... TTYL

Winter Almost Done

 Today's song is: The Top 10 from the Tragically Hip

On another note, Thavorn has beautiful Thai hair that I just trimmed. Jaidan has inherited Thavorn's hair which is a good thing.

We visited my sister on the Quebec side and I believe the winter is almost over.

Tomorrow, it is supposed to be 14 degrees. I am planning to wash the car and start my motorcycle up for a quick run to celebrate spring. The first official day of spring is March 20th. It has been a long winter!

Jaidan is at a camp during March break, this week. Apparently he has learned to skate, which just make him, a legit Canadian. Learning to skate is a nrite of passage for Candian children. 

TTYL

Today - Once in a Lifetime

 Today's song is: Bat Out of Hell ... Meatloaf ... RIP

My buddy Shaunny in Samut Prakan has informed me today is one of those special days that occur once in your lifetime. Today is Tuesday, February, the 22 of 2022. What makes it special is it is the second day of the week, the second month of the year, the twenty-second day of the month , in the twenty-second year of the second millenium. Don't let it pass by without doing something special like:

• do 2 acts of kindness
• do 22 pushups, situps, plank for 22 seconds, etc.
• give 2 compliments
• talk to 2 people you don't normally talk to

Whatever, just go for it.

Today, they cancelled the school buses as their is a threat of freezing rain. Sign of the times, wimps!

The truck convoy is cleared out of downtown Ottawa and the politicans are claiming success. Depriving people of their freedom is not a win for anyone. I was not for the convoy and they could have proved their point by voluntarily pulling out after week one. However, they did expose the ineptitude of our politicians at all level.

I am looking forward to Spring and getting back on my motorcycle. Now that is a freedom convoy I could endorse. Bikers Againt Boredom ... Piss Off Covid. I love the New Hampshire licence plates ... 'Live Free or Die'.

TTYL

No One is Interested in Something You Didn't Do.

 Todays song is: Wheat Kings ... Tragically Hip

A young Bieber :-)

I listen to the Tragically Hip every morning when I do my stretching workout. Their music actually has some pretty good lyrics and the lyrics get me thinking. One of my mottos is, 'I don't regret anything I have done, only the things I have not done. What is in the past you have to let go to move on, but you have choices in the future. Go for it :-)

It appears that covid19 is winding down in the world and Ontario is starting to open up, so I look forward to going to Chapters, and University basketball games, as well as a visit to the Prescott among other things.

Thavorn says the snow covered fields reming her of the ocean, albeit, a bit cooler. She has now amassed $22K in her bank account which makes her very happy. She should reach her goal of $50K this time in 2023. Pretty impressive :-)

TTYL