Remembering!

      This is another day minus original thoughts. With that in mind I'll recount a past adventure from my travels in SE Asia.

    On my first trip to Laos I flew to the capital, Vientienne. After a few days there I flew to Luang Prabang, the former Royal Capital. It is 200 miles between cities. Spending some time there I then took a bus back to Vientienne with the intention of continuing to the south tip of Laos. This being 2009 it was before smart phones and tablets. At an over night stop in Takhek, the internet cafe was out of order for two weeks. The men in the cafe told me to cross the Mekong to Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. Returning to Laos, after going to Thailand, I was refused re-admittance because they had stamped my visa "expired."  Thus ended my attempt to travel to southern Laos.

    Back in Thailand in 2012, planning to teach, with some days to use before teaching, I decided to finish the journey begun in 2009. Back in Takhek a local guide offered to take me to the local caves. Entering the second cave, out of which water was flowing, I slipped and fell, gashing my legs. The guide took me to the local hospital where I was stitched up, minus anesthetic, or at best, a light dose. The next day I was infected so went to Bangkok for medical treatment, see the hospital pictures a few blogs ago. Never did I see southern Laos.

Takk for alt,

Al

The view from the first cave.

Lacking!

       Another day lacking an original thought.  "Better to remain quiet and be thought a fool, than speaking up and proving you are one." With that thought it mind this posting will be brief. If I don't post anything you both get nervous about my well being. So then...

Takk for alt,

Al

That's a hundred and twenty pound python I'm holding. It was on my shoulders but it was constantly moving so it slipped down. They also had 200 pound Burmese python but I was too wimpy to carry that. This was on a stop on a boat trip I took in northern Thailand in 2012?. Boarding in Chiang Mai the trip ended in Chaing Rai.

A Skiff of snow!

    The title of this blog is incorrect, it was more than a skiff.  Today's snowfall began at 6am and continued a few hours. It was steady but not hard. The roads were extremely slippery.  Morning traffic was heavy and some drivers follow much too closely for the conditions. 

    Venturing from the comfortable confines of the OFH, I had to make a trip cross town for a medical appointment. Crossing Minneapolis and St. Paul is somewhat different than crossing Sinai. It was a 22 mile trip one way. Surprisingly no accidents or cars in the ditch were observed. Minnesota drivers have adjusted to winter driving. It reminded me of my good fortune in not have a daily commute.

Takk for alt,

Al

skiff of snow, which means a light dusting of snow that is not enough to make roads slippery and still allows the ground underneath to be seen. The term is of Scottish origin and describes a small amount or light flurry of snow, rain, or wind. 

Past snow!

WOW!

    Neighborhood House is a St. Paul multi-service agency. Recently they added an additional service site on Montreal Ave., which is about three blocks from the OFH. Multiple times during the year inmates of the OFH organize benefits for Neighborhood House. Today there was a gathering of Winter Gear; coats, boots, gloves, etc. for them. The announced time was 1:00-3:00. When I dropped a jacket off at 1:00 there was already a truck load of gear donated.

   Sometimes there is a food drive, a gathering of toiletries, etc. for Neighborhood House. The announcement of the OFH, 4th floor, Christmas party potluck, lists the foods to bring. Then there is this sentence, "Cash gifts for Neighborhood House will be received."  It's a worthy cause and well supported by denizens of the OFH.

Takk for alt,

Al

"Neighborhood House on Montreal offers a cost-free food market where people can shop for food for their households. There is also a Family Center where families can get support with services ranging from basic needs to other resources to support them."

No Sheep!

      The OFH is about two miles from the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. So close that when I would meet arrivals I wouldn't leave my apartment until they texted their landing. Now I've been excused from that duty because the traffic is horrendous. There are no flight patterns over the OFH so there is no noise issue.

   My cell in the OFH faces SE. The building is up at the edge of the Mississippi River Valley so my view is over the Valley to Mendota Heights. Just beyond Mendota is the suburb or Eagan. Eagan lies under a major flight pattern. Those flights are visible from my windows. Once I saw eight planes flying simultaneously. At night, lying in bed, I can count planes so there is no need to count sheep. 

Takk for alt,

Al

This is the plane that we flew on from Thessaloniki, Greece, Athens. No jet wing as you can see, and my knees were jammed against the seat in front of me. We then flew to the island of Crete, about a forty minute flight.

"O for dumb...."

       It all started with a printer out of ink. At least I was smart enough to do an internet search for a office supply stores nearby. There are none. Advised to try Target I found one generally in the location of the Costco Store I was planning to visit.

    The friendly Amelia (so named for the forever lost Amelia Earhart) in my GPS reliably brought me to target. Parking among the mass of cars I trudged into the store. In the store a ways an employee pointed out that the ink cartridges were on the back wall, farther than the back forty. There was an actual employee nearby who looked at the cartridge number, walked to the shelf, and announced, "We don't carry those anymore." 😡 Ya then...

   It was my own stupid fault for being fixated on going to a store. Later, on the OfficeMax website, there were the cartridges I needed. They include same day delivery.😛

Takk for alt,

Al

One time, after Joanne's death, I hosted a dinner party. This is the table I set. Now, in the OFH, I just take guests to the dining room. See Trygvie looking on.

Coming and Going!

    L & C are friends since 1962. In fact, Joanne and I double dated with them before any of us were married. They now reside in downtown Mpls., near where I lived previously. Our schedules don't match. Thursday they leave for a winter in Arizona. Tuesday I returned to the OFH in St. Paul. In the spring I'll return to The Little House. In May they will return to Mpls.

   So tonight we said goodbye before they leave for the winter.

Takk for alt,

Al

This was a snowy scene from our 15th floor condo downtown Minneapolis. The architectural gem in the picture was build for Northwestern National Insurance. Vacant for two years it was recently sold and will be preserved.