20070904

070904 Thaikarl in USA - what 's happening now?

friends,

it's been over a month since i returned to the US.  settling back into place.  somewhat.  got some handy-man work going, which is good.  re-built a set of exterior stairs for one client, deep cleaned a house (3 bathrooms!), and now i'm in eastern washington working on a property that has a long list of jobs to do - painting, fixing, tractoring, moving logs, moving dirt, fixing machines, and the big job: refinishing the exterior of a log cabin.  four levels up on scaffolding is an exciting place to be.  the old finish has to be striped, sanded, scraped and two coats of stain and one coat of topcoat applied.  phew.  but the environment is nice.

i talk to tok on the phone everyday, sometimes several times a day.  i sure miss her cooking!  they are draining the pond as part of clearing for the new big road.  we still owe $750 to the lumber shop, the new room still needs stain and finish, and the stairs still need to be replaced.

so my objective is just to work work work, save money, and as soon as i have enough to take care of things, go back home to thailand.  tok and i have decided that the most expedient thing to do is to get civil marriage in thailand and start application for regular immigration for her.  that way, she will be able to come to the states with me on work trips.  but it will take many months for the immigration to come thru, so the sooner we can get it started the better.  we will have the REAL marriage ceremony later. i know i said april or may 2008 before, but it might have to be later that year - in the fall perhaps.  that is actually a better time for falangs to visit thailand - after the rainy season and cooler.

the united states is a strange place when viewed from thailand experienced eyes.  strange indeed. but very rich and interesting in it's own right.  as long as i don't watch the "news" on TV or in the newspapers- so much death and destruction and fear mongering.

onward!

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Read my Thailand adventure ::: http://www.thaicountrylife.com