fat kids in penguin suits: welcome to december in thailand

for the past twenty two years decembers have always been a very warm month to me. while outside it has always been chilly, snowy, miserable and cold, the feeling in my heart has always been quite warm. being able to see my family at christmas, my mother and two brothers' birthdays, finishing exams, going home, wearing sweaters, knitting by the fire, smelling the cold on my father when he comes home from work.

but here in amazing thailand, things seem to work a little differently. today, for example...on a ride back from the beach on my motorbike, going 70km/hr, i was sweating like a hoore in church. breeze in my face and sweat everywhere. why? because today, it is 37 degrees. add in the sun, pollution and humidity, and...well...slightly different story from canadian and new england december tranquility.

i am in no way shape or form looking forward to spending christmas here. my mother sent me an advent calendar last week, and when i opened it i began to cry. not only was this a slap in the face that christmas will come, even if i am not there to welcome it in, but the chocolate was melted and messy and invited an entire colony of ants to inhabit my apartment, making christmas that much more fucking miserable. i am the christmas cheerleader if there ever was one. christmas has been so full of tradition and magic since i was a baby. a time when my family is all together and relaxed and all able to take time to do nothing together. this year, i will be in a bar, with some ladyboy dressed up like santa, fat kids in penguin suits, drowning my sorrows amongst a group of thais chilling in santa's grotto.

i can't wait.

*insert small small violin music here.*

for my mother, on her birthday...

I've got money in my pocket
I like the color of my hair
I've got a friend who loves me
Got a house, I've got a car
I've got a good mother
And her voice is what keeps me here
Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Facing forward
Be yourself
I've, I've never wanted anything
No I've, no I've, I've never wanted anything
So bad... so bad
Cardboard masks of all the people I've been
Thrown out with all the rusted, tangled,
Dented, God Damned miseries
You could say I'm hard to hold
But if you knew me you'd know
I've got a good father
And his strength is what makes me cry
I've got a good mother
And her voice is what keeps me here
Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Facing forward
Be yourself

happy 50th mum

playing with fire 

friday was a bit of a downer on my part and so at rachel's after setting out kratongs out into the sea she put on a pricate poi (firedancing) show for me. it was so beautiful. the wooshing of the fire, the soft music, the waves only steps away...quite a nice evening 

out into the sea 

kratong up in flames on the beach before being sent out into the sea 

loi kratong was this past friday. it is a thai festival during which people build these little things out of banana trees, leaves, flowers...put in a few baht, a hair, incense, a candle and anything else they want to rid themselves of and sent it out into the sea. the second one back was mine...and boy did it ever go up in flames. 

fun times at seua saming, as per usual 

rachel and her "american thai" and i went bowling on what should have been a quiet monday night. it had been years.(note to self: if ever want to bowl in thailand again, invest in own shoes.) 

disco bowling