Thailand Letter
Dearest Family, Friday December 11, 1998 7:45 a.m.
THANK YOU PATRICE FOR YOUR DARLING CHRISTMAS POEM AND LETTER. I HOPE TO GET ON MY PERSONAL COMPUTER WHEN I GET HOME AND WRITE TO RICKY. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IS ALMOST TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.
I also can't believe it but it is finally time to pack my last suitcase and get ready to leave Thailand - I am just hoping I will be able to get everything I want to bring home in that last suitcase. Bob and John were SO sweet to bring me extra suitcases and now they had to buy one to take their own things home - they have bought some gorgeous suits and they don't think it is a good idea to take them in a suit bag as they had planned!!!
Yesterday was such a fun, fun day but as usual my plans were changed. I had written that I was going to a luncheon with PraPa but after I wrote that letter I had a phone call from Supon from the BMA telling me she wanted Bob, John, Myrth, Betha and me at the Grand Palace at 10 a.m. I don't argue with BMA so we changed our plans and PraPa came to my townhouse at 9 a.m. to say goodbye - she will always be my most favorite person in Bangkok and I will miss her. She is a very successful director of a big school and yet she finds time to do the little things that mean so much.
We met Supon. Watchana and Pong at the Grand Palace at 10 a.m. and there was a guide there who had taken Myrth and Betha to Ayutthaya the day before so she acted as our guide and it was just wonderful. That was the fourth time I have been to the Grand Palace and I learned more this time than before and IT WAS COOL - very comfortable. Then our BMA people took us to lunch and it was very good and then we went to the Teakwood Museum - the former home of King Rama V and we wanted to go to China Town before all the shops closed at 5 so we asked to be excused and left the museum at 3 p.m.
China Town was SO much fun - John bought some crab legs, and some baked chestnuts and Bob bought some cashews and we just ate and shopped and it was WONDERFUL. I felt safe being with them and I LOVE CHINA TOWN.
THEN we came back to Puangsap and went to a Thai dinner at our neighbor's home and it was SO delicious - they had EVERYTHING and then ended up with three desserts - sticky rice with mangoes and a sweet noodle thing I really like and then all kinds of candied fruit. I AM SORRY TO LEAVE SUCH GOOD NEIGHBORS.
Bob and John helped Betha with her laptop and it was late before they left here. I am waiting for John to call to see if he will come over here today while Bob is at the hospital. I have a friend coming to bring lunch, I am trying to do some washing and you wouldn't believe how I look. Myrth and Betha had to go to a meeting and Mr. Wit the superintendent of schools just came and brought me a lovely piece of Thai silk and we had pictures taken together - I have shampooed my hair and I was in a house dress. I want to take John to see where I live in the village but I'm not sure there will be time with all the phone calls and visits - OH ME!!! We are going to meet Nut at some bank where they have a good restaurant for dinner at 6 p.m.
I hope we get all our luggage taken to the airport tomorrow. THIS HAS BEEN ONE HECTIC BUT WONDERFUL WEEK AND I WILL NEVER FORGET IT.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL. Grandma B