What's that noise???????

I woke up early this morning with the sound of sawing and grinding and hammering , I ask  Ciejay "whats all that noise"?. I don't know was her answer , which was a little strange , because normally the neighbors tell each other everything they are doing(well almost) , especially when they are building something . My curiosity got the best of me and I could not go back to sleep with all the noise , so I got up dressed grabs my first cup of coffee and out the door to see what I could see. I found two strangers ,with all kind of wood-working tools laying everywhere on the road and it looked like they were going to make something , well, I sit down on a stump and watched for a bit while I enjoyed my coffee and the smell of wood being planed and sawed , I love the smell of worked wood. Well it didn't take long for me to figure out that they were going to make a table out of the wood that my neighbor had saved when they cut down a jack-fruit tree that was about ready to blow over near their house . I love the yellow color of the jack-fruit wood, and I have been enjoying a rather beautiful table made from a Jack-fruit tree that I use for my computer and (Ciejay calls it my Junk table) and stuff. I watched as these men, here on the side of the road and in no time at all made a table that after it has been sanded and finished with a clear coat of wood preservative like varnish or poly-urethane , and rubbed to a glossy finish . If you were to buy a table like this, in the USA, where I'm from, it would cost you at least $300.00 US DOLLARS and that is a very conservative guess, but here in the LOS with wood free for the cutting ( if it's on your property and for your use ) and a couple of skilled woodman you can have one for as little as 1,000 baht (US $30 dollars) and if you have a relative that is skilled even cheaper. I love to watch the Thai's at work building , it would take a shop and lots of tools and money to build a table like this in the USA  , but here in the LOS  any place with a little shade and somewhere to run a cord for power and  the next thing you know ,you.ve got a table.Well that's my story and I've included a few pictures for you to look at, hope you enjoy. Malcolm

Went to take a look this morning andf they had made 3 more tables and had enough wood to make a small book shelf , took a couple new pictures for you to see.  Malcolm

All the tables in our home are made from wood left over from our remodel in 2004 ( the wood is sooo hard that you have to pre-drill  , before you can drive a nail into it,) except the computer table , which is made by Thai craftsman from a Jack-fruit tree we cut down a few years ago.As a side note the Thai's use the jack-fruit wood for the backs of guitars made in Thailand.

THE HAMMOCK OF LIFE (another repost)

Our friend Florance giving it a try

Ciejay has pretty well figured it out

And me,I am a master hammocker

Seven years ago, when I was living in America , I ended up in the emergency room one evening with what I thought was a heart attack, fortunately it was not.After a overnite stay the Dr. came in to discharge me and to give me some instructions about my health and my life style and, how to prevent a real heart attack, "this time it was just a warning sign" he said, and you have a severe case of stress related heart problems, being brought on by your work habits and lifestyle. My suggestion is that you make a change at once and get all this under control. Well I gave it a try for a week and then went back to my old habits , and would'nt you know it his prediction came true , only this time I needed a triple by-pass to save my life. After the operation and six months of recouping , I felt strong enough to go back to work. Then I meet my Thai wife , Ciejay , and we took a trip to Thailand and at the same time it was time to retire. So, here we are in the LOS and no stress Thailand . with the good weather and , food , and easy living , I feel like a new man, and my body feels like it, and, my kids and wife say I look like a new man too.

The one thing I do remember the Dr. saying was this " Malcolm the best thing you can do for yourself is to take a NAP, every day for at least one hour". AND THEN I SAW IT, the ultimate napping object, and answer to my prayers, the all mighty HAMMOCK.

The hammock is a fabric sling used for sleeping or resting while suspended above ground,it normally consist of one or more cloth panels,or woven network of

twine stretched with ropes between two firm points such as trees or poles.Hammocks were developed by native inhabitants of tropical regions for sleeping or resting.

There is an art and sometimes hard learned lesson to sleeping or resting in a hammock ,one wrong move and you will find yourself on the ground with a sore back or lump on your head, I seem to have mastered this very quickly and as per my Dr.'s advice I force myself to take a Nap every day. Ha Ha. If you have not yet discovered this wonderful invention of the natives in tropical regions , I hope you do soon , it will change you life . If you need help mastering ,and figuring it out come on over about three o 'clock every afternoon and I'll personally show you how it's done . I have a extra hanging nearby for guest.

You'll hear the cry of the obedient expat "Hammock Time." Malcolm