Porthole

Week 17 of the Year 180.

(exercise) = Exor. (observations) = obsv. (s***,shave,shower) = ss&s. (read something) = read. (comment blogs) = bogs. (BoyLove series on-line) = ytBL. (Thai TV BL series on GMMTV25) = tv25. (write poetry or prose) = PorP. (take a daily walk) = walk. (buy something) = shop. (take a photo) = foto. (video) = วิดีโอ. (speak Thai/Lao) = pôod. (learn Thai) Thai. (go-in-the-water) = pool. (clothes) = wash. (cook something) = cook. (tidy up) = mess. (travel) = trip. (noon) = เที่ยง. (talking to ex-pats/travelers/strangers in European) = chat. (Thai teaching book) = book.

16 july

exor. 100/50/100/250 = 500. It was 88 and hot at noon. Busy morning.
ss&s.
cook. Rice with squid and pork.
wash. Pan did a big wash.
PorP. "Count me out [180.61] J4 40w"  "Traveler, tourist, toad [180.60] " 
bogs. Mousethyme/Sara/Tracker
pool. So thrilled. Light sprinkle. Important for Pan's health.
walk.
foto.

"Personally, I think each contest entry should be answered with a comment or a review. Any type of acknowledgement is encouraging.

I renew here at WDC, now in my 18th year, because it was a virtual home when I had none. Writing is cathartic and I improved over time; although, with age and circumstance, I'm now fading.'

I should always carry my notebook. I was in the pool when my Muse spoke about sparrows and sorrows. No memory now.

Went to BK in search of the all cheese 'burger'. Maybe elsewhere... not here.

15 july

bogs. NormaJean/MightyJen/Lyn
exor. 300/100/200/400 = 1.000 = very good. 88 breezy degrees at 11:11.
obsv. pesky flies, scarce butterflies and birds, semi-cloudy, breezy, 'not hot', twitter, but generally hushed.

I change position, speed, direction on the 4 station exercise spot by Tower B. I do 'units' of 20, 40, or 50. Today went well. I would like to sustain this level every morning.

ytBL. Homeschool ep. 12
ss&s.
mess. progress.
shop. chicken and squid, coffee, Milo. Plastic bowl.
walk.
chat. David.
tv25. Enigma... very very very dark.
PorP. "Lessons to learn [180.59] J3 38w" 
Thai. Bpai/ma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ6HbV0ZoRo

Pan is home. 7 hour or more bus ride. He ate a little... sleeps. it's 22:11 and we have the a/c on.

I sketched a 'personal essay'. "Traveler, tourist, toad [180.60] "  I'll need to edit by 11 a.m. ICT and post to Petra's contest. It is what it is. It was worth an hour of musing. It's 23:24 and the rumble of thunder surrounds me as Pan gently snores.

80°F 27°C and sprinkles at midnight.

14 juillet

bogs. Nikola/Phyllis/Carloyn/Robert
exor. 250/100/100/250 = 700 It was 88 degrees or so at 10:20. Saw Tom and fledgling mynas.
cook. Rice with carrot, papaya, greens, garlic, eggs and flavor cubes. Took all day but I ate it all.
walk.
foto.
chat. Rick
ss&s. Even though Pan isn't here.
PorP. posted "From the window [66]"  to contest.
ytBL. Homeschool #11.

To Nikola on Newsfeed: Nice assortment of animals. Not everyone can get to a zoo or refuge so it's great that there are outreach programs. Children need to connect with the diverse world around them. Books and videos can help connect, but actual presence matters, jmho. Glad you work in a place that allows/encourages this.

To cappucine in her blog: Chicken: "Squawk". Poop.

I have tried to eat less; but, Pan is concerned if I don't eat with him. I suspect it's a cultural insult, so I eat a little of something cheap and simple. He's out-of-town today so I made rice with carrot, papaya, greens, garlic and seasoning. We have pork but I wasn't in the mood.

His work trip is buying second hand clothes and re-selling on social media. Lots of cheap clothes in Thailand. Lots of second hand clothes in Montana too.

I'm not reading books these days. I've focused on learning language and culture. My writing has suffered but I'm not as depressed as I was 2 years ago."

Is this Q? https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/07/sound-of-freedom-caviezel-ballard-tr...

Pan mis-messaged me and I thught he was home. I video messaged back to confirm.. He says he comes home tomorrow. Yes, I miss him.

13 july

exor. 200/100/100/200 = 600. 09:00 (not hot yet) Weighed myself. 80.0 kg.
ss&s.
walk. Added baht to my phone. Treated myself to an onion pastry.
foto.
tv25. Home School.
bogs. Joy/Whirls
PorP.

Pan went to Ubon today. Got up early! Arrived around 3 p.m. He's shopping. This may be good.

Splotch and Shelly. "Splotch hadn't eaten in three days. He nibbled on a toe, avoiding the nail polish. Shelly had always smelled good. She tasted good too. ... Found after wandering for two months, Splotch was skin and bones ... Ted and Letitia hugged him. He wagged his tail until he caught a glance of the half-empty nail polish bottle. It glared at him."

07/13/2023-'tiny' "So small, like glitter flittering between the flowers. Jojo sat in awe at how tiny flickers of light had gathered by the hundreds. The truck pushed them out of the way. But they gathered again. Safety in numbers. Hoards. He got up to join his friends. Edited in "Safety in numbers [180.57] 40w J1 "tiny"" 

I hope to get back into the daily routines. 12 days in Laos was a nice but expensive break.

07/14/2023-'high' High. Low. Hello? No. Hi? Lo! As in...? "Lo, the nightingale singeth upon the tree..." Oh... that Lo is... Not Lois, not a person named Lo. Oh, Lo is a bird? Nope. "Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad..."

07/15/2023-'lesson' What can I learn from you? You're sweet. You're kind. You're steam-rolled every day like a rug. I'm harsh. I'm self-centered. I'm a bulldozer. Yes. Need a hug?

07/16/2023-'count' Vampires only count the centuries. Single digits means you're still young. Are you a teenager yet? Look into my eyes and see my vast past... and the short path of your future.

07/17/2023-'myth' Myth Judith wuvs me; this I know. Her witchy friends on me bestow... the ground below my feet that grow, tendrils reaching towards the core, the raven croaking, nevermore.

Midnight: 81°F 27°C; Precipitation: 6%; Humidity: 83%; Wind: 4 mph = a sultry tropical night.

12 july

walk.
exor. 200/50/50/200. Evening.
trip. approx. 10:00 - 16:00
foto.
post. Card sent to Gary from Luang Prabang.

Not enough sleep last night. Drowsy. 2 hour train trip Luang Prabang >> Vientiane was brilliant and comfortable. We caught the bus directly to the border (20.000 kip). No problem at the border. My new visa expires August 10.

I'm worn out. Pan cooked but I have no appetite. Rained. Very gusty and refreshing. Did a short workout. Not much else.

Word: psithurism... wind in the trees.

11 july

WDC: "So many choices; but, let's start with bread. The smell of fresh baked bread reminds me of my grandmother and I'm 7 again. It brings me happiness. I like a crisp crust, a doughy inside, a sweet rye (think Swedish limpa), the thin flatness of lavash, the thicker pita. Add some raisins and cinnamon. What does bread feel like? Soft. If it's hard as a rock it's good for dipping; if it's croutons ... soup; crumbs ... stuffing. Add corn, rice, oats, rye... why not. What does it sound like? A crunch, a child begging, a scream when the ants have found it, a thud when it falls on the floor. How does it move? It has the wings of a raven or the legs of a hungry mutt. And it floats until the ducks or goldfish eye it." I should've added: sweet, sour, spicy, cardboard...

It's a sky blue day as Pannya and I are wearing semi-matching light-blue shirts.

We went to an old wat. This made Pan happy. Took fotos and video. 20k entry/each.

walk.
foto.
วิดีโอ.

Paid for an extra night in Luang Prabang. We both like it. An Austrian mentioned that it reminds him of Graz. I've been to Graz... I see what he means: river, old town, hill.

Graz is European but so is Luang Prabang. A mix of Lao and French culture with more recent Vietnamese. European and Chinese tourists.

Walkable. Beautiful. Vibrant.

10 july

Went to the waterfalls. Long winding trip by mini-van. 250k total for two. Met Wong TianYu from Giulin, China. I went in the water. Very nice but cold and the slippery rocks created problems for me while the fish nibbled. Met a woman from Gent, Belgium, a couple Australians from Sydney, a 21 year old man from Wien who has worked as a volunteer in Viet Nam and Guatemala (I was impressed).

Pannya loved the waterfalls and the pools. Keeping him happy is a priority of mine. We are having problems communicating. Long walk in the evening through the wonderful night market.

walk.
foto.
ytBL.
chat.
pool.
trip.
วิดีโอ.

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