My Journal - Oct 10, 1993

October 10, 1993

Sunday, again up bright and early, today we are going to the Orchard to work. At 8:30 we all get in the truck and drive to PePytoon’s parents house, his sister has a beautiful house next door, but she lives in Chang Mai, working for the Dam. Then we get back in the truck and drive home. Later PeJim goes to the house (with the baby dead), I told her I would rather go with PeNoy who was going to the Wat later. When she was ready to go, I told her I would rather stay home because I needed to study. I am becoming very Thai! I hung out with Kuhn Yii, she is 79 and I can’t understand a word she says, but she loves to sit and listen to me talk, so I get lots of practice. This morning PeNoy  braided my hair, it is getting very long.

There is a dog here that breaks my heart. It got hit by a car and got its hip broken, it drags itself around with its front legs. In pretty good shape considering, but skinny and fleas/lice pretty bad that his hair moves. Nobody wants him around because he smells so bad. I have seen a tiny spark of compassion, Kuhn Yii feeds him, he growls at the chickens when they try to steal his food. PePytoon chased the chickens away so he could eat. KuhnYii and I picked some neem leaves and she crushed them in a bucket with water. Monday morning the bucket was empty, I hope she put it on the dog…

Sunday afternoon we all went to the orchard, it was great, they have about 300 mango trees, the sweet kind. Plus farang (guava), and som-oh which are like grapefruit, sort of. We sat and ate som-oh and PePytoon explain what they were up to. They are grafting a ton of these trees, probably about ten on each tree. They get them started on a branch and then cut them off and put in a plastic bag in the nursery by their house. They grow them there for about 2-6 months, and then sell them for 20-30 baht. I have a feeling PeNoy is responsible for their financial success. On the way home we stopped at PeNoy’s buddy’s house, we ate a farang that we picked earlier, PePytoon had a drink and PeNoy, PeLenn and I went to the market. We bought some more whiskey, a beer and some vegetables. And, of course, it turned into another party, sort of.