Back online

I cannot believe how long it has been since I last posted. Thanks for the recent emails from concerned readers including a phone message from Canada via Australia!

Three reasons can be attributed to my absence.

One: Busy. Very busy. Sine I returned from Bangkok it has been full time back in the shop however I have managed in that time to score a total of three days off which were just wonderful and exactly what the Dr ordered.

Two: No news. Spending so much time in the shop makes Jack a dull boy. Until yesterday there hasn’t been much to report.

Three: Procrastination. There has been a few times when I have opened the computer ready to tap tap away only to do something else instead. Sometimes it is good for a break and I hope that it has re-inspired me!

As I said the last three weeks have been busy but perhaps not as busy as the previous three weeks before that. Just the other day we employed two girls to help out in the front and already they are settling in well which will mean more time off soon as well! The shop has slowly been increasing sales which is great but we still have a long way to go yet. We are still getting positive feed back and have a few small catering orders under out belts. Next Monday we have our first in house function with lunch for between 22 and 34 people which we are looking forward to.
The shop is still fun, we are still learning and we are confident that Peppers will be successful.

As I mentioned I have had three days off in the last week which has been great for me and the kids. The first day I took the kids out after breakfast to do some shopping and lots and lots of eating checking out two different places in town. The kids just loved it when it was me who went into their room in the morning to get them up and not the nanny Joy. They literally beamed and we had a great day. I was heartbroken when Ariya asked me before I put her to bed that night ‘Daddy stay home tomorrow?’ and I had to say no. She was so upset.

My second day off was spent at Toyota. You may be asking what kind of father would take his daughters to Toyota? Well read this post to refresh your memories!
I had booked it in for a service and so we spent an enjoyable 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room. The kids played while I read and then we ate apples, bananas and popcorn before Ariya and I did a little bit of school work before playing again. It was then off for lunch before home for afternoon sleeps.

The third day off was a little more boring as I have become so far behind in my other work that I just had to catch up on some paperwork. I am still way behind but at least I have made a start. The ATO (Australian taxation Office) are at least happy with me again as I was so overdue on some payments!

With the new staff some more regular days off are in the pipeline but that will all need to be rescheduled when Nong heads back to NZ at the end of the month to give birth and then her husband Ben will follow shortly after. This still gives us about two months to get this ship sailing smoothly so that I can get back to where I need to be, with my kids and in my office.

On Monday after work we loaded up the family and headed back to the village for the 100 day ceremony since my father in law passed away. We arrived around 8.30pm and thank fully managed to get the kids to sleep shortly after. The next day a huge crowd of people had gathered to start helping out. Marquees were once again erected, tables and kitchenware was brought in and the cooking began. This went on all day and into the evening. A few hours sleep then back up at 2am (not me) to kill the cow and continue the preparation. The monks turned up at 5pm on the first day and 6am on the second day to do their bit. I watched a bit of the first ceremony but missed the second as the kids were still asleep so I had a lay in with them.
The kids loved being in Thailand. That’s what Ariya calls it. Ubon is Ubon or the new house and the village is called Thailand. However by the second day the constant poking, prodding, pinching and cooing had grown very thin and they wanted to go home. I managed to take them away from it for a while by escaping up to my brother in laws Somboons house and then down to the pig farm to play with the little piglets for a while. Having been in air con almost constantly for the last few months the heat was quite a shock to the system as well.
By 3pm yesterday we had packed up and were on our way back to the ‘new house’
The next few months are going to be very exciting. In two weeks time my brother is going to be visiting for 1 or 2 days on his way back home from Laos. I then have some other very special guests arriving in August (more about this later.) Also in my previous post I wrote about helping my friends the Martins settle into life in Bangkok, well they are planning a trip up here soon. Work permitting I am also tempted to go somewhere for two days when my next visa run is due in 5 weeks time. I have always wanted to go to Hanoi and if Clint is keen to come with me, I will try and organise that.
Well that is about it for the time being, will post some more photos over the next few days and will hopefully be in more regular contact with you all.