Thai Project

[pslamont]

Mella, please email me directly. I am in Thailand and Bob is in California. Don't keep me in suspense... I would love to know so I can make some decisions asap. Thanks , Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

After a small "incident" on the motor scooter, some minor repairs to me and the bike and a couple days rest, I am back in the saddle! Having returned to Omkoi and the village for my "last hurrah" I am loving it. With Bob's mom's passing we have a little extra money so $1000 has gone to the house building project and we have enough to do the whole thing. Yayyyyyyyyyy... thanks to all of you!

Alcoholism is a disease that affects not only the drinker and huis/her body and psyche but that of everyone around them. I am thrilled to say Dad has continued to work every day. During my absence in Chiang Mai City he built a small 10 x 10 "hut" that is in better shape than the house was and the family is sleeping there. He has completely disassembled the old house, carefully saving every board, post, roof section and even straight nails! Each is stacked in a seprate neat pile so we can see what we have and what we need to buy to rebuild. He continues to be motivated and works each day. I have not seen him drinking, nor hung over in a morning. His thrill at a new axe head and sharpening stone plus a kinfe used here for cutting branches was immeasurable. He already made a handle for the Axe and is puttingit all to good use.

No matter how it goes in the long run, KNOW THAT YOU ALL MADE THIS HAPPEN. Theo and I had an idea and you gave us the "tools" to make it reality.

We are currently looking for two baby water buffalo and the ten laying hens. All is on track. Mom coninues to plant every day. This morning she showed me green beans she is planting. The lettuce is nearly all harvested and I think new plants will go in that space soon. We shall see.

Off I go to shop for this evening's dinner. The school teacher is coming over again to translate and we will have another "meeting" about specifics on the house now that we know we have the budget to do it.

Love you guys.... Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

I have definitely bent the "prime directive". The cabin I am residing in now haw a kitchen off the floor... three sides of counter top and a built in set of shelves. Everyone is amazed. The guy I hired (they told me he is too expensive at $10 a day) is a housebuilder, not a finish carpenter but with my guidance he got it done. It was a good dry run before we do the house. I am ecstatic!!!

Dad continues to work. As I have said before, I am waiting for him to fall off the wagon but every day of work and good spirits is a gift to his family. He enjoys people stopping by seeing him planing boards in his yard. They obviously have something kind or complimentary to say as he beams and works on. I have taken a few photos but can't get them off the camera yet. I smashed mine in that little motorcycle crash and am using Theo's... but we will get it all put together for you to see.

Their 14 year old son, Natee, has asked to be in charge of the chickens. He is building a chicken house today. We will buy the laying hens in the next couple days. They asked for 10; I told himto build for 20. It turns out that when we buy the pig food, they will give us chicken scratch for free! What a deal....

Okay, off I go to cook some dinner for us all. Just keeping you posted.

Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

This is one of my last entries from Thailand. I will leave the village Sunday morning and fly out of Bangkok on Tuesday.. they you all have to put up with me in Hawaii again!

I am busy distributing funds for the building of the house, gardening and farming supplies, animals and supplies.... Theo will supervise this all for us since I will be gone. Out little "adopted" family continues to do well. We have convinced mom to visit the local clinic to discuss tubal ligation as they have 5 children... the last two unplanned but......

It has given me GREAT JOY to be here and with the support of you all, to provide the missionary action without the religious angle. Wow, how cool this has been. I even got to be the guest teacher at an English Conversation class in the High School.

Theo will keep me posted, and I all of you. Looking forward to seeing many of you soon.... PAM

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

Here in am in Chiang Mai. Four hours of shopping at Global Home Store and we have a kitchen sink, a two burner stove, roofing, window frames, windows and about 4 boxes of nails, plus about a zillion other things for building the house. Whole pricetag was 33000 bhat, which is just over $1000. It is shocking that you can build an entire house with $60 in nails here. We bought 7 windows!!! Oh, and a front door made of teak for $50.... It is going to be a shock to get home and have to buy groceries.... ugh.

We came to buy a breeding pair of "white" pigs an 20 chickens only to find we suddenly need a permit to transfer animals from one district to another. This Theo will take care of while I am gone. A laying hen is about $3.50 for a 16 week pullett....they don't have any in Omkoi district so our little family will be an industry onto themselves for the eggs. All they have there are jungle fowl like we have running around in Hilo.

Today I am flying to Bangkok and then hotel it for the night. Then off at oh-dark-thirty to Honolulu. I will be in Hilo sometime Tuesday, depending on a connecting flight. See you all soon. I am bringing lots of photos.

Pam


Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Carey]

Had to smile - today, the day Pam is returning home, the lead story in the Grinds sec. of the Trib-Herald is an epicuri-ant feature on Chiang Mai.... complete with a lavish color photo of water bugs on a plate... and I remembered Pam's dinner description.... No Legs!
Welcome Home Pam! We have enjoyed your updates, but do miss your smile....

[pslamont]

After 24 hours + of awake travel time (Chang Mai - Bankock - Taipei - Tokyo - Honolulu - Hilo) I am back home! My body is beaten up, but my spirit soars. I got home to half a dozen small checks.... you guys just are so darne wonderful! There is too much to tell just yet... I am really exhausted and intend to sleep off this first ady pretty much. After that, back to the grind. House sure seems big!! Anyone know a team of hard core housekeepers I can hire? It's really overwhelming what happens in two months of absence.

Hope to see many of you soon. Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[Carolann R]

Aloha Pam and welcome home!

Carey - I was so grossed out and told my new friends about Pam's dinner date! LOL!!

Carrie

http://www.carrierojo.etsy.com
http://www.vintageandvelvet.blogspot.com

"Freedom has a scent like the top of a newborn baby's head..." U2

[pslamont]

Home I am indeed, still dreamimg of the wonderful adventure... we shared some samples of the shirts and purses made by the ladies in the village and sold two shirts and a bag! I will be shipping the funds via a pay pal account. The ones chosen were all made by the same lady. She will be thrilled. Come see what I have left at the next "event" of contact me and stop by. If there is continues interest we will ship some more over for you ...

As always thank you for your wonderful support. We have photos on the computer and will plan some kid of simple gathering and slide show soon, if there is interest. Let me know.

Aloha All..... Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!

[pslamont]

Rob,

Thank you for your ongoing support of me and all my nutsy projects, inclding this one. It is still moving along. Wood is being delivered as I type and I believe building begins around the 8th or 9th. I can hardly wait!

I do not remember if I mentioned it already or not but we sold two shirts and one "purse" (what would be considered a purse here; all the men use the there for carrying tools and stuff....

Thank you everyone. Will keep you posted. Still working with Andrew to try to get photos up on the web. Anyone else able to help with that?

Pam

Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!