Sunday, October 11, 2009

REMODELING IS FUN( SOMETIMES)





















































I have been feeling a little under the weather the last few days went to the hospital and they said I did have the flu but not the " bad one".They gave me a bag of medicine and told me to get lots of sleep and rest , well you know me you don't have to tell me two times about rest,and I was in the hammock quicker than jumping up from the toilet, when a spider ran up my leg . Feeling a lot better today and still a little weak from not eating a whole lot and laying around , and the medicine kinda makes me dizzy at times . Soooooo I'm going to post the 2nd post I did about remodeling the house , some of you may not have read any of the oldies , but goodies so here's your chance to read one, for the rest of you , I'll be hunting and a pecking in a few days Malcolm
WELL WE GOT HERE ON THE 6TH OF OCT AND STARTED LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO
REMODEL THE OLD HOUSE FOR US. A FRIEND KNEW OF A MAN THAT DID SOME WORK AND WE CONTACTED HIM AND AWAY WE WENT . THIS WAS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT REDOING A OLD HOUSE AND ALSO WORKING WITH FOLKS THAT ONLY SPOKE THAI AND ME NOT SPEAKING NOT EVEN A LITTLE THAI. TRYING TO USE MY THAI WIFE CIEJAY TO TRANSLATE AND SOMETIMES EVEN SHE DID NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANTED DONE MADE IT SOME DAYS LIKE A THREE RING CIRCUS. BUT THE MAN IN CHARGE PIAK HAD THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT , AND THINGS WENT BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EVER HOPED FOR . THERE WERE LOTS OF TIMES WHEN THE WAY THEY DID THINGS SEEMED TO BE THE HARD WAY AND LONGER WAY , BUT THIS BEING THAILAND AND ME JUST NEW HERE I HAD ALREADY FIGURED OUT THEY WERE NOT ASKING ANY ADVISE FROM ME ANYWAY . SO I TRYED TO JUST BE A ONLOOKER MOST OF THE TIME AND SHAKE MY HEAD IN APPROVAL AT WHAT EVER THEY DID . PIAK HAD SO MANY YEARS EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING THAT HE KINDA KNEW WHAT I WANTED . AND CIEJAY HAVING BEEN IN THE USA FOR FOUR YEARS AND LIVING IN A WESTERN HOUSE HAD A FEW IDEAS OF HER OWN. OF COURSE HIGH ON MY LIST WAS A WESTERN TOILET THAT FLUSHED AND BROWN WATER THAT WENT INTO A UNDERGROUND TANK AND DRAIN FIELD AND NOT OUT ON THE GROUND, LIKE ALL MY NEIGHBORS. WE ENDING UP ,TEARING OFF THE OLD BATHROOM( IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT ) SQUAT TOILETS AND WATER TANKS FROM HELL AND NO HAND BASIN AND ONLY A RUSTY PIPE COMING OUT OF THE WALL ABOUT FIVE FOOT FROM THE UNEVEN CONCRET FLOOR FOR A SHOWER. AND BUILDING A LITTLE LARGER ONE WITH WESTERN FIXTURES AND A TUB AND SHOWER AND WASH BASIN AND A ON DEMAND HOT WATER HEATER FOR WARM WATER TO SHOWER AND THE FAMOUS FLUSING TOILET. THE FLOORS OF THE THREE BEDROOM HOUSE HAD NEVER BEEN TILED AND THERE WAS NO KITCHEN PER SAY ( A TABLE IN THE CORNER ) WITH A GAS BURNER AND ANOTHER TABLE WITH A PAN TO WASH DISHES ,I GUESS THEY MUST HAVE SIT ON THE FLOOR TO EAT, WHO KNOWS AND THAT WAS THE KITCHEN. SO I DREW OUT A KITCHEN I WOULD LIKE AND PIAK DID HIS BEST TO FOLLOW THE DRAWINGS , MADE THE COUNTER TOPS A FEW INCHES TO HIGH , BUT ALL IN ALL I AM HAPPY, TO HAVE A INSIDE KITCHEN. MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE OUTSIDE KITCHENS AND STILL USE CHARCOAL TO COOK WITH , WONDERFUL SMELLS COMING FROM THEM . BUT A LITTLE TO UNSTANITARY FOR ME , WHAT WITH ALL THE BUGS AND LIZARDS AND GEKOS AND DOGS AND CATS JUST TO NAME A FEW THINGS I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE AROUND MY FOOD WHILE IT IS BEING COOKED AND ATE.
WELL BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT IN TWO MONTHS ON DEC THE 5TH ( THE KINGS BIRTHDAY ) FOR GOOD LUCK WE MOVED INTO THE NEW HOME . IT FELT SO GOOD TO BE IN OUR HOME AND WE TO THIS DAY THANK GOD FOR ALL HIS BLESSINGS DURING THE REMODEL. SINCE WE HAVE MOVED IN AND FOUR YEARS HAVE PASTED WE HAVE DONE A LOT MORE TO MAKE THE HOUSE A HOME , AND AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE. CIEJAY LOVES IT AND NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD OWN A PIECE OF LAND AND A HOME OF HER OWN,AND I DO ALL I CAN TO SPOIL HER ROTTEN , HER FAMILY LOVES ME FOR BEING A GOOD FARANG HUSBAND . AND MY THAI WIFE IS ONE OF A KINDEST ,AND THE SWEETEST AND MOST CARING PERSON I HAVE EVER MEET, I HAVE LOTS OF STORIES TO TELL AND I WILL END THIS ONE HERE . HOPE YOU ENJOY MY STORIES AND I LOVE TO TAKE PICTURES , AND WILL SHARE AS MANY AS I CAN WITH YOU . MALCOLM










6 comments:

Lloyd said...

If you write without "Capslock" on it might make it far more readable and enjoyable for the viewer.

Lloyd said...

Well once I got home and could spend the time to read your blog through all the capitals I actually enjoyed it.

What you have done with the house should be an excellent starting point for a lot of Thais and expats alike. So many people turn away from the like of what you took on and are no better for it.

Malcolm and Ciejay Burgess said...

Lloyd , thanks for the comments and the critic about caps , got another of the same . yes you know thais belive it is bad karma to finish something left undone for whatever reason, but for me i saw it as a challenge, and a good buy.and as a added bonus , it was a good experience,and a great way to get to know who's who in the village . thanks again and feel free to critic anytime malcolm

Tipper said...

Loved seeing the photos-and hope you're feeling better soon.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Getting better soon M ! Your wife is waiting for more Happy memories with you ! Don't delay ! ;-)

MJ Klein said...

Malcolm, you are taking on quite a task and i don't envy you. although i don't own property in Thailand i've seen lots of building being done on my friend's resort and home. they certainly do have their own way of doing things. what i find especially comical is the wiring on the outside of the walls. instead of putting the wiring into conduits, the Thais actually think it looks better on the walls.