9/11 Wedding

America's 9/11 translates to 11/9 in Thailand and much of the world, who prefer day/month/year order (makes sense). Numbers, their ordering, and symmetry are respected in many parts of Asia, and 11/9/11 was a popular day here for weddings. Many Thais also have Chinese heritage and revere the Chinese calendar, where there are just a few "lucky" dates each month on which to marry... yesterday was believed to be one of them.

And so on this day we attended a wedding reception for someone at Rob's work. They were married earlier that morning during a tea ceremony with parents. I would have loved to witness, but we were  only invited to the Western-style reception.  

A sweet serenade

Chili shrimp, squid and octopus. At most formal events we have attended, family-style dining with many, many courses is the rule. Yesterday shared at least 16 dishes plus desserts for our table of 9 guests: the above and crab cakes for starters, followed by fried tofu, Peking duck, differing shrimp plates, and rices, braised vegetables, early/mid/late meal soups... it kept coming out, and Rob & I wondered, "Where's the whole fish?" A few minutes later it arrived. Every big event must have a celebratory fish that stares back at you.

The beautiful couple served cake to guests. Rob said they shared same planning woes common back home, hoping to keep guest list small, but ballooning to 300 (to which we say, "ELOPE!"). There were many tables of work colleagues and their families. We were honored guests, seated in front next to the parents and given special Chinese mooncakes in red box as well as customary green oranges. Job is highly respected in Asia, where groom's boss typically gives the speech... he is the best man considering he signs respected paycheck. I wonder if this tradition will continue as women begin to take the helm. 

Readying for the toss...

...which will forever remind me of our dear friends' wedding a few years back in Michigan. Allie excitedly caught the bouquet, I think she was 10. She then mistakenly realized she would have to marry the guy who caught the garter, and began crying, bawling, "I don't want to marry him!" Gotta love weddings, though I'm still a fan of eloping.

Gotta love and be grateful for the freedoms to marry, or not marry, who we please and how we please to do it. Peace to all!

Bonfires

 

Autumn days & nights are tempered a tad by Thai monsoons, yet still blaze past the very hottest days of muggy, Michigan summer. No bonfires here, except in poem. Ry found this one at school, "Mom, I thought of you and our woods," and she handcopied it for me and my love of autumn fires. 

Bonfires - Robert Frost

in the other gardens
and all up the vale
from the autumn fires
see the smoke trail

pleasant summer over
and all the summer flowers
the red fire blazes
the gray smoke towers

sing a song of seasons!
something bright for all
flowers in the summer
fires in the fall

Lovely Weekend

 Pineapple Season! For 10 baht (about 30 cents), we get 1/6 of a pineapple, cleaned, cored, chunked and iced on any street in Thailand (same price all year, just sweeter fruit in season). Our darling driver brought us 2 whole pineapples yesterday from his home in the north. I couldn't quite remember what to do with them, as it's been a couple years since I've had to slice one up. I figured it out and it is probably the best pineapple we've had, ever.

Tuk Tuk ride through Bangkok, Saturday

Lunch atop Baiyoke Tower, Thailand's tallest building with 84 floors, the world's 48th tallest

Interesting stats behind Rob... of  80 tallest buildings in the world, only 1 is in Europe (Moscow), vast majority are in Asia (Dubai & China), and Chicago's Willis (Sears) is now 8th tallest.

The 7 weeks patient, before cast removal

And celebrating afterwards at a bookstore, our familial favorite air conditioned hang

Friday night Ry & Maria concocted Blue Velvet cupcakes 

The cast is off, fever has broken, and some joyous family time was ours this weekend. Home with pizza & cupcakes Friday night, bumming around Bangkok and its world class hospital (Bumrungrad) for cast removal on Saturday. Al's arm was in pain Sunday, so we lazed about watching Harry Potter. We can't easily get the Michigan games this fall, so we're all having fun with Harry each weekend...3 down, 5 to go.

Rob's off to Singpore this week to hash out details on Japan. I'm still kind of in awe of our possibilities there. Heck, everywhere. 

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safte harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain