This evening as I write this, it is winter here in Ottawa. With the temperature and the wind factor, it was minus 24 at eight this morning. The beginning of a long cold four months or so.
I must inform my readers that my sister passed away while I was last in Thailand. She passed just two weeks after I departed Canada. I did not wish to relay that information until after I was back home.
Today,I received more shocking news, this time from my Thai family that live in So Phisai, up in North-Eastern Thailand. A number of years ago, I assisted this family to get over some rough times, and back on their feet. I have spent a lot of my time in Thailand there, and take the kids to the water parks, and such. Papa Don always has a good time when there. One member of the family is an underwater welder, and was not able to fine more work at home. After getting matters straightened out, he was offered and accepted a job in Abu Dhabi, working on under-sea pipelines, and at his profession, making a good salary. As with most workers in that part of the world, he was rotated home every six months or so for vacation time. The family farm is about 200 acres, 60 in rice, 200 oil palm trees, and 800 rubber trees. As with most farms, what is paid at the farm gate is peanuts when compared with the price the public pay. I met these people when they delivered a truckload donation of rice to the Orphanage where I sometimes work. Today, I am informed that my friend has been sent home, is in very serious condition with suspected Leukemia!. Three kids...under 15. I did not have the time to go up there last trip, and visit with the kids.
As for me at this time, I am looking at options for the winter and am not sure what I will be doing, but probably not sitting idle for long.
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