A brand new view

That last post seemed a lifetime ago. No, did not go in City to Surf (too hard, too lazy, too tired), finished painting house, sold house, bought house, moved house (on last day of school a week before Christmas).
Present projects - getting fit - yes I know, heard it all before (well you might not have, but I have, and those around me). But for 3 weeks now have been going to gym for 3 days/week and an hour power walk 2-3 times a week. It helps that our new home has a full view of HUNDREDS of people attempting to get fit everyday from dawn to midnight.
We have been thoroughly enjoying new house (with views and a pool! and a huge mortgage ...). Kids are settled sort of in their new schools and life is back to its hectic daily pace.

We did do that trip to Thailand in September. Stayed in Pattaya at a great resort and had some interesting trips around the area. Talk about extremes - the luxury of the resort was one block away from the main street which features titty bars all the way down the coast. Sightseeing was a matter of risking your life to cross the road. Cannot believe there aren't more deaths of scooter riders, some held whole families and their shopping!  We loved it.  Even if we took our lives in our hands just walking down the street - the electricity wires hang at head height in a mass of tangled black. There was even a power box nailed to a tree! Our 7yr old son was loving haggling and was loved by the Thai people.  At one point my daughter got sick of everyone giving him the attention and complained, then 10 minutes later a Chinese couple came up saying "beautiful, beautiful girl, can we have a photo?" to her.  She gladly wanted to shrink back into oblivion.  Felt decidedly uncomfortable about the chained gibbon used to drape over tourists for photos (but of course golden boy did it) and almost on the verge of depression watching performing elephants. Daughter very upset and scared. Not used to such a constant push of crowds around potentially bone crushing creatures.  And of course as a lover and collector of Buddhas, I was in heaven!  Overall it was a wonderful trip and made us very thankful for the place and life we live - clean air, space and blue skies, welcome home!