TBT: Leaving Bangkok 1978

It was a late night flight from Bangkok to Rome, on our way back to the United States.  One of us was not very happy about it and was not even wearing his jasmine lei. I had forgotten that mine and my husband's included the colors of the Thai flag. I wonder if this is still a custom in Thailand.

As with many images taken back in the years of film, it didn't occur to us to take more. It also didn't occur to us to take a photo of our maid Somchit who was taking this photo or possibly it was her husband Payot. They were both so very good to us during our 3 years in Thailand but the photos we have are few. Constantly carrying a 35mm camera was not easy or normal either. What a convenience an iPhone is now!

One other tidbit about this flight was that we stopped in Tehran on our way and I recall saying I hoped I never had to live in this hot dusty country. Little did I know I'd be living there a couple of months later.

Five on Friday: February 28, 2015

Goodbye February! After many years of mild winters, I am so not used to cold and snow and especially COLD cold.  We used to think just below freezing was cold. Not anymore.  I'm done with it.  I'm not sure if Mama Nature hears me.

1. Totally addicted to spy and crime type shows especially those new ones with female leads. I watch 'on  demand' so I don't have to start a show at 10pm. The latest episode of  'State of Affairs' had me gasp. I knew it would happen but still... I really hope this series is picked up again. If not, I have my own ending.

2. There is this great ad/film on creativity for iPad. If you watched the Oscars, you probably saw it. I watched Downton Abbey so I only saw it this Monday.

Now don't you wish this had been your high school???

3. I saw this on a blog and thought it would be ideal for a friend of mine. Now I wish I had a cat again so I could make one of these. Well almost want ta cat again. Our late Siamese Sebastian was a darn hard act to follow.

click here

4. Long ago, when my chicks were in their 20s, I told them to get new passports. They had had ones via their father's job most of their lives and two of them were born outside the US. Only the adopted is a naturalized citizen; the other has citizenship as the child of two US citizens.  I told them several times during the 90s etc but now years after 9/11, one has an 'prove it' issue.  Oh well, Mama said...

5. Did you know the Easter Bunny is bringing something for the grownups this year? Oh yeah, save some chocolate for 10pm because this crowd is coming back. Perhaps some of you would prefer a snifter of brandy?

With the snow flurries of this a.m. hopefully over, I look forward to my dh's return from a week in Boulder CO. Snow here, snow there. I guess February deserves its winter reputation. Have a great weekend wherever you are!

Not What I Had Imagined

When the arrival of a new granddaughter came, I had visions of scrapping lovely photos. Gentle, sweet images. Alas, that does not seem to be the case, and I'm glad I didn't purchase a bunch of pink, girly supplies to gather dust and clutter up my hard drive! I can probably make do with my two sheets of pink paper, and recolor any others that I might need. Oh, expectations!

My first two children were boys, and despite my (2nd) husband's feeling that this is how boys are, it isn't how my boys were. Perhaps spending their earliest years in England was part of it, but even when they were royally spoiled by Thai maids, they were not rowdy or hellions. But times change and all children are different. This little man is as smart as a whip and seems to have the brains of his PhD dad to balance his high energy level.

So, sometimes, you just go with what you've got as opposed to what you thought you might get, and make the best of it. Not just in scrapping, but in life. Seems like a good way to avoid regrets. It works for me!

Flashback Friday

Look at these little darlins. They are the sons of a friend of mine from my overseas days. Her boys are close in age to my sons and so while I'm thinking it could have been taken in Bangkok, it could also have been in England. We have "Ian"s as bookends to our sons, but mine is an Iain.

Just a fyi...each of our older boys is now in his 40s, so that tells you how time flies! Hope all is well with you Sterling, wherever you may be.

If only...

Control a Kid remote

But not my children...

Pets are better than kids because:

1. They eat less.
2. They don't ask for money all the time.
3. They don't raise your car insurance.
4. They don't hang out with drug-using friends.
5. They don't mind when you pass gas.
6. They never roll their eyes at you.
7. They are never embarrassed to be seen with you.
8. When they give you c**p, you can bag it up and throw it away.
9. They love you unconditionally even when you're sick in bed or have garlic breath.


And (drum roll . . .)

10. If they get pregnant, you can sell their kids.

new to Easter routine

The tiny one doesn't belong to me but she was just catching on to what an Easter egg hunt meant. So sweet... Don't you just love those tights?

A Walk in the Park

Kensington Gardens to be exact. We had a gorgeous sunny day the other day and walked up to Kensington Gardens and then onto ...another museum. The latter will be a surprise as it needs a post of its own. Typical British weather, the sun was behind the clouds by the time we got to the park, but that never interferes with an activity in England. I learned early on that no matter what the weather, it will change several times each day. So just go!

The Thai embassy is for my daughter.
We caught this mummy coming out of a house that Benny Hill once lived in. My late mother became a fan of Benny Hill late in life which amazed (shocked!) us all.




The Diana memorial which the children certainly love. Well designed for the little ones to play in.


The parks in London really are amazing acres of green in a densely populated city.

This is ... my creation

bettythegeek picked this week's theme in threebutton's meme. Well done ladies!

Well, the first thing that sprang to mind was from long ago. Two blond haired, blue eyed boys...that became blond-ish, blue eyed, 6'2' men. There is also a raven haired, black eyed girl but as she was adopted she is not quite my 'own' creation.



and the most recent creation I'm proudest of - created with This Dear Husband - my kitchen.