Oct
28
Ferrari
October 28, 2007 |
I do not now for sure. Who can read the mind of these women anyway. But Nan gifted me yesterday with a bright red Ferrari jacket, complete with “Ferrari” in bright yellow letters on the back, and a bunch of patches from various Ferrari, I guess Formula 1 sponsors, across the chess and arms. Is she secretly hoping I’ll one day come thundering down the Moo in one of those Italian sports thingies?
She got herself a jeans jacket and also a new shirt for me. She claimed it was a steal at the market. My lady is preparing for the cold season you see. As she heard this winter would be extremely cold, with night time temperatures predicted to plummet as low 15 degrees Celsius in Bangkok, the gods only know how cold it will be up here in Isaan.
Nan claims that last winter it was so bitingly cold here that she had to wear 3 pairs of jeans to keep warm. When asked how cold was it? It turned out that bitingly cold is about 16 degrees at night. This winter is going to be really fun. But I can’t help to wonder how she will react to minus 15-20 degrees in January in my part of Norway.
Else at the hut, we are still painting. It’s slow work, now that the heat is back after 3-4 weeks of relatively pleasant temperatures. The rainy season I guess is over. Luckily for us or rather me, the afternoons is quite shady around the house, so I try to get things done then
So this afternoon we have been painting. Nan has been varnishing all the windows doors and shutters, while I was given the task of painting the underside of the outside roofs.
In the morning we again ventured to Putthaisong. This time to pick up Nan’s Honda Wave 100cc. It’s got a new exhaust pipe and muffler, changed the brakes, battery and oil, and had the front wheel balanced. So now that one should be a little bit safer to drive. Except that Nan, like any other Thai driver is a complete maniac when operating a motorized vehicle.
Her mirrors f.ex are used solely for the purpose of checking her own appearance before venturing out and about. But to my surprise she is actually using the indicator lights. Albeit only to indicate that she has performed a turn (note the past tense).
I had a full job of trying to keep up with her on the way home. But we got here safely. That drive down to Buriram is going to be real interesting. But I think I’ll simply put myself in front, at least then I can dictate the speed.
Okay, but first we need to get the kitchen finished. Nan had a talk with the dude today, no doubt hinting about the public flogging he can expect if he don’t show up, carpenter tools in hand soon.
That’s it!
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Comments
11 Comments so far
Youve just been downgraded to Newbie again Rune! You have about as much chance of keeping Nan behind you on the Wave as the chippy has of keeping the skin on his back! Patience is not a virtue that any Thai woman I’ve met has ever possessed. Better borrow some of the red chewing tobacco from mama, gets you speeding and keeps the flies out of your teeth…haha!
I just had a minor brain fart. I forgot that we are talking about a woman heading in the direction of a shopping mall. Our speed will probably Warp 9, so beam me up, Scotty!
The strange thing is that when I am driving and she is passenger she is always yelling “slooooowly!!, and if that does not help, punch me in the kidneys while hizzing “teerak!”.
But then she got abaout 15 years more experience driving those little buggers than me!
Tony, what is that stuff called? Man it looks like orange lipstick when they chew it.
Hey Rune, 0* celsius is 50*F, right?
The stuff they chew is the betal nut. It’s generally a habit of the old and country folk.
Dago, 0* celsius is 32 F
0 is when water is freezing. So - 20*C is -4*F
and 15*C is 59*F
The conversion formula is like this:
((F-32)/9)x5=C
“A bright red Ferrari jacket” - that’s a wonderful present! I bought one for my bro a few years ago.
The good old betal nut. It’s very popular in Northern Australia, Thursday Islands and Papua New Guinea.
They chew it as it gives them a nice “buzz” and makes them happy.
The first time I seen it was in Papua New Guinea and the ladies scared me with their teeth and gums.
Have a good trip to Burilam I have a Thai mate who has opened 5 stalls in the new Big C there and he speaks English really well.
Thai people and indicators! They think they are for decoration that’s all. They make nice colours at night time.
It’s cold here in Ubon now and I am wearing a jacket most nights and no fan in the bedroom. It will be a cold winter and I am sure the jacket will come in handy on a foggy cold morning there, maybe once!
OK, guys - minus one C (30F) here today. Ice is spreading on the roads, and I had to slow down making the curves tonight. I guess winter is coming.
[…] for sure. But that doesn’t take away the fact that it is still cold in Thailand. It is the cold season, as Rune noted a few weeks ago in his blog. Temperatures dropping from over 20° during the night […]
I am guessing but I think last night it was down to about 15 degrees. Or was it MINUS 15 degrees judging by the speed Nan had as hse ran from the shower to get under the duvet on the bed….lol
I bought a nice, warm, plushy dressing gown for Nong the other day, with those long, cold, five meters in mind…