Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

It has been fun being in Bangkok to celebrate Lunar New Year.  We hardly had time to recover from Valentine's Day  when there appeared to be dogs running around everywhere. We are of course celebrating the year of the dog! These larger than life canines are running wild under giant red flowers outside the Central Embassy shopping mall.  Inside, in the largest shopping centre in Bangkok, the designers had fun. Think bold,   think colourful  and joyous.  I know I keep saying it,  but I am still in wonder at the contrast to last year monotones  during the official year-long mourning period for its late   King Bhumibol Adulyadej.  If this was what was going on in the central business district, we couldn't wait to see how Chinatown looked. Bangkok's has a vast and substantial Chinatown. They say outside of China, this is one of the best Chinese New Year celebrations to attend. It lived up to all our expectations, it felt very festive.  Put your

Happy Valentine's Day How did it go at your place?  I have loved reading some of your blog posts featuring your Valentine crafts and seeing homes so beautifully decorated. No such fuss at our place, Mr Wren and I had a pact. No fuss this year! I do have a chuckle though every time we come home  as this is what we see! Hey, not bad for me making no effort at all, is it? You see we are waiting to move into our new nest, in the meantime,  we are staying at the rather gorgeous Dusit Thani hotel. They along with everyone in this crazy city seem to embraced Valentine's Day with several million teddy bears! The Thais are loving (excuse the pun) making a fuss of Valentine's Day Everywhere we go each shopping Centre is decked out in LOVE and roses. It is great to see the colour returned to the streets and the people smiling after last year's somberness following the passing of their adored King.  So imagine my surprise  when

Honey, I'm home!  My wonderful summer in Australia ended all too soon and before I knew it, I was back to pick up the pieces of my Thai life. I knew I was back when life is full of ' oh my gosh, look at that ' moments! If there was one person who was none too impressed with wandering off into the sunset (or in this case trying to sneak out without him noticing!) it was the Crazy Poodle. He's normally a happy, easy going Cavoodle dog, with oodles of energy and a real zest for life. He limped around wailing, off his food, the kids took him to the vets only to present me with a hefty bill and the comment the Vet thinks he's faking it! Ohhh, Bless he is so hard to leave but the good news is that he is back to bouncing around, so who knows! To distract myself I have thrown myself into a new course learning about Thai history and culture as a potential National Museum Guide. It has been full on, being two or three times a week, with pre-r