We have lots and lots of papaya growing on the property and everyone loves them, especially Poco our Spectacled Amazon parrot. These are the green papayas used to make Som Tum (green payapa salad) which is very yummy.

Today we got our DSL line installed so life on the internet should greatly improve. We are testing the line speed for a few days before deciding whether or not we need a faster version but so far this may be all we need. We next plan to run a LAN line over to our house from Athan and Sakorn's where the DSL comes in. They have a wifi router, which is what I'm using now from the guesthouse, but it won't reach our house. Anyway, this is a huge improvement.

Our friends in Krabi

These are our good friends and benefactors in Krabi, Athan and Sakorn. Its thanks to them and their generosity that we were able to have our new home here in Thailand. We met Athan on the tennis court, where you will still find him most of the time, over 25 years ago when we were living in our first home, a condo in Falls Church. Athan, a U.S. citizen now, is from Krabi but moved to the U.S. when he was a teenager. Just a couple years after we met, his first wife died unexpectedly and he later remarried Sakorn, also from Krabi. She is an attorney by education and training and he is a C.P.A. like me. You will be hearing a lot more about them since we live next to each other now, and more importantly, we can't do anything without them. They drive us around (we don't have a license or car here yet), they order food for us (they know the best places to eat and the best dishes), they translate for us, they are teaching us the Thai language, they do just about everything except breathe for us right now. Hopefully, it won't be that way forever.

It is still extremely dry and hot here with no rain since we arrived and none for some time before that. This is unusual but not unheard of here. This is the dry season but its been more dry than normal. Needless to say, we are all praying for rain since we have about 8 acres of land with lots of new plants and flowers that need watering twice a day. We have a well, but we have to pump the water out into buckets that then hauled them to the plants by hand. I'm developing some nice forearms and biceps in the process so there are some side benefits. Dusty, on the other hand, could care less about big biceps and is happy that there are less snakes around when it is this dry.

Spirit Houses

These are a couple pictures of our "spirit house" where the phra phum lives. Most houses or compounds have one and its part of Thai tradition. The phra phum (spirit of the land) is a good spirit that takes care of the land or area. Inside the little house is a figure carved from wood or clay of the phra phum and if he grants a wish he gets gifts like elphants or slaves represented by similar figures. You may be able to see a few near the door. The little cups or dishes are for placing offerings or burning incenses. These aren't part of the Buddhist or Islam religions here in Thailand . They are just part of the culture but with some religious origin I'm sure. I'd guess its Hindu related, but that would just be a guess.

The location of the house is very important and an astrologer is consulted as to its placement. Ours it between our houses and next to the fish ponds. I think they are really neat and some are quite elaborate in size and gifts. From what I've seen, our is about average I guess.

We need some rain!

Here is picture of the houses. Our is in the forefront, Athan & Sakorn's in the middle and the guest house in the back. You can probably tell how dry it is right now. We are having a drought so things don't looks so lush but this should change soon I think. Sakorn has planted a lot of things so we are watering twice a day to keep it all alive.

Yesterday we went to the local Tesco, which is sort of like a Cosco or Sams in the US. It had everything from refrigerators to candy bars, so I think we'll be able to get pretty much anything we need. There is also something called Home Pro, which I think is a lot like Home Depot or Lowes were we can get that sort of stuff. We haven't been there yet but maybe today. Sakorn has been there so much with building these houses that they know here real well.

Just got a call from Dad on Skype which was really cool since I can see him and talk, and since its computer to computer it cost nothing. He said they are having lots of rain which we could sure use some of here. But in the meantime it off to water again.

Our new home ... for now.

This is the guest house at our little compound in Krabi where we are staying until our furniture and household goods arrive next month. It is really neat and has two small bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen/dining area. Its all we need for now since we have only what we brought on the airplane. Athan and Sakorn's house is right in front of us and then across from them is our house. I'll try and get of picture of all three so you can get a better idea of the total layout.

Its been very hot since we arrived but nothing unusual, except for us. What is unusual is it has been very dry, so everyone is hoping for some rain soon. Athan told me today that some areas are even starting to ration the use of water. So far we aren't effected. Our water does come from a well, so maybe that's why I'm not sure.

Below is what it looks like from the front steps of the guest house. You can see the corner of the back of Athan & Sakorn's house and the karsts just beyond our property. The picture doesn't do justice to how they look in person. We couldn't see them when we got here in the middle of the night, so the next morning when we got up we were treated to this incredible view. It was just jaw-dropping to say the least. They just seem to shoot right up out of the ground in front of us and have this sort of prehistoric look to them. Really cool, I think.

Right in front and just to the right is the plant nursery. Sakorn has done an outstanding job of planting all sorts of native plants. Some are just for looks and shade , and some are fruit producing like papaya and banana trees.

We leave Wednesday or do we?

Well, in case you have forgotten this is what our house in Krabi looks like. At least that's what it looked like in June of last year. If we get the one last permit (don't ask) we need to take the bird with us by Wednesday, we will be hopefully standing outside our new home by next Friday. Right now we are too tired and stressed to get excited about it but I think as soon as we are in the air that will change. There will still be paperwork and bureaucracy to deal with at Thai customs, and probably something unexpected but hopefully nothing we can't handle. At least we should have Athan and Sakorn to help us navigate the system over there. Here we have been on our own. Maybe later, after this is all very far behind us, I'll tell you about all the trials and tribulations of taking the birds to Thailand. But that will have to be another day, we are both too tired right now.