We're back!

We have a new computer! (Huge thanks to our very generous and anonymous friends...)

So now all those photos that have been collecting on our camera can finally be viewed. It's a bit hard to know where to begin so I'll start with the most recent photos taken and then work backwards a bit as I have time.

We were given this great car seat and Khaw has discovered it's a great place to sleep. So Victor's getting some practice.

And our frangipanis are in beautiful flower. We have 3 white frangipani trees which Victor saved from pruning being done at the hospital. All the trees have taken well and 2 are now in flower.

Dad's visit

We've just had Dad staying with us for a week. It was lovely to have him here and to have the opportunity to share our life in Chiang Mai with him.
He came with me to my work at Sunshine House, to my church and bible study, to Spaghetti Dinner. He visited my favourite coffee shop, my favourite Italian restaurant, my internet shop (where I'm sitting right now.)
And we did a fair smattering of tourist activities: the elephant camp, the hot springs, Doi Suthep (the big mountain next to Chiang Mai).
And we had lots of time in our home looking at photos, chatting, touring 'the estate' and eating yummy Victor-cooked meals.
I love having family here. It reconnects me with much of myself that gets faded at other times.

Our baby

Last week we had the 20-week ultrasound for our baby. What an amazing experience!
He was sleeping this time, so not as active as at 14 weeks, though his little heart was keeping busy and he was swallowing lots.

Yes, it's a boy! At least the doctor was "100% sure". I'm always conscious that Megan was told her first baby was a boy - then Eowyn arrived! - so I'm still reserving a little bit of doubt.
We looked at baby's brain, kidneys, liver, stomach, bladder. We counted his fingers. We looked closely at his heart and saw the 4 chambers and no holes in any walls, and the aorta as it should be. We looked lots at his face - I think he looks like Victor, though his nose is longer!

I wish we could put a picture here. Actually, we have the whole ultrasound on dvd, so some of you will get to see it ... at some stage!

He is starting to be very active and I love it! It makes his presence so much more real.

text only, i'm afraid...

Since our computer was stolen I haven't been blogging as I can't add photos. I realise that this shouldn't have stopped me but the photos are always the best bit. How else can I show you where our house is at and how we're settling in?

Mum helped out a lot when she was here. The kitchen is finally finished and I have my BEAUTIFUL shelves, handmade by Victor! They had long been part of my vision for the kitchen and, although it took some time to convince Victor that they were a good idea, we got there in the end. I am enjoying them very much.

Our garden is developing beautifully too. One of our frangipani trees has flowered. And our fruit trees are all enjoying the constant heat and moisture of the wet season. We have mango, lamyay, pomelo (my FAVOURITE Thai fruit!), banana... that's all I can think of right now, though I'm pretty sure there's more than that. We also have lots of palm trees, coconut trees, fig trees, and 2 beautiful (still small) shade trees.

Please let me know if this is too much text to get through without pictures. Thanks if you've made it this far!

The Farm

How wonderful to visit the farm. It's such an amazing place. Being there I felt that it is the real world and that everything and everywhere else is the distraction. Such complete peace.

This is the tree I planted when I was about 8. I remember being amazed the first visit when the tree was taller than me. Now it's a huge grove!

And here is our 1983 Christmas tree! It was tiny and in a pot (and nearly buried under presents!) back then.

Happy Mum and Dad.
And the good old 3-cornered-jacks! I picked out more than 80 from each shoe!

ANZAC Day at the MCG

Time to catch up on my blog!

I recently had a wonderful nearly-3-weeks in Melbourne. It was a spontaneous visit inspired by homesickness and very worthwhile.

It began with a wonderfully Australian ANZAC Day at the MCG with Dad and Steve Hanslow. Dad managed to get us seats in the members stand, so my meat pie and sauce came on a plate with a knife and fork! (I had dreamt about that pie for many, many months...Mmmm!)

The pre-game entertainment was great. Here are the first of the parachutists falling onto the ground. You can see the first one is carrying the great Australian flag.

Then there was the army band, Wendy Matthews, some others I've already forgotten, and then the Last Post. I joined in the National Anthem heartily! It's good to be Australian.

The game result wasn't so cheering but it was a great day despite that. You can see that we all had a good time.

Village visit

On Saturday after spending time at our land we went to visit Victor's family. Here he is with his Mum (and the great bananas she gave us), his sister (who is very pregnant) and his Dad (who recently had a bad fall but seems to be fine now.)






It is nearly Songkhran, the Thai water festival and New Year. Our nephew, Banjo, is preparing himself by practising with his water pistol! (Or do you call that a water rifle?!)



Victor's Mum proudly showed me the nuts on their macadamia tree. Last year it had only 3 nuts but this year it was full. Victor's brother, Somnuk, works on an experimental macadamia farm and he planted this tree.
I got quite a surprise when I took the photo of Ranee to suddenly hear chickens above me!