It's not easy learning two languages....

Saying Dada and making Lee's day too...

 

 

 

Love u lil girl :)

Where did the Thai Mmmm go...

....since my last visit to Thailand in March.  Six months have passed and my lil Angel granddaughter Lia has grown so much.  I've spoken with both Lia and Poon at least two to three times a week, sometimes less with time differences, and little by little Lia is now enjoying (or not in some cases!) her time on Skype!

When I say "or not" I mean she now has the awareness and opportunity to just turn her back on the cam when she doesn't wish to talk... how easy life would be if we could just do the same to those we didn't want to speak to! Got it down pat, my sweetie pie!

This is going to be such a wonderful trip.  The Dickers all together for the first time in over three years and we've even increased our family by 40%.  Thank you Lee!!! Ha!  We are, even if I say so myself, a phenomenal family when altogether.  We have such a connection and love each others company.  Life is never dull and the boys' memories are amazing when it comes to past holidays, meals out, movies they've seen and don't get me started on their movie antics reciting scripts verbatim... As they say, you'd have to be there!  But I feel it's definitely worthy of a mention here! :)

It's definitely the big countdown now... just six more sleeps before we arrive in the Land of Smiles... and boy will it be emotional!!  Got my hankies packed already!

Be back soon... with more trials and tribulations from the Dickers... :)

I've Landed in the Land of Smiles...

Well it's about time I started my blog... It took a couple of days to get my bearings and fall into the Thai hours and lifestyle... What a beautiful feeling knowing after all the waiting and anticipation that I'm now here and living as my lil Thai family do... No hotels, breakfast hours and trying to find restaurants to eat... No this is bliss (not saying our holiday in September wasn't) but its the nature of the beast... Lee and Poon having their own home here just made my trip extra special, being able to live with and like them, being on hand to look after Lia should either of, or both of them want to go out... and living like and with the natives as I love to do on any holiday...

Travelling from London to Bangkok via Mumbai was an experience and doing it alone made me notice a lot more than I would have, had I had Fred to chatter to! The length of time it took to get through security at Mumbai airport and then immigration at Bangkok seemed all that bit longer as I was a lone traveller with no one to speak to in the arduous heat laden queues. :(

Once through the departure gate, my family awaited. Hugs all round I turned to look down at my lil Angel in her pushchair. Looking up with saucer like eyes she perused my smiling face and a distant look came over her... Searching the corners of her tiny mind for where she'd seen this lady before and then as though watching a movie a spark occurred and there it was, the biggest smile spread across her face! Oh deep joy I thought, Lia remembers me! Ha!

Arriving 'home' I emptied my case downstairs so Lee could take it half empty upstairs... The teddy, toys, books, DVDs, walker and of course, Minnie Mouse, spread on the floor in front of Lia... Christmas had come all over again, as most were gifts I was unable to send in December.  I guess I had overdone it, but hey I'm her Nanna and allowed to spoil her rotten... It's what Nanna's do... Again that winsome look came over Lia's face and yet again it was followed by a smile to melt your heart... Loving you so much lil girl x x x

OMGoodness... Into Single Figures...

It's quite frightening how time flies, whether having fun or not... It doesn't seem a moment ago I was telling everyone I had 100 days before I would be leaving to visit my little Thai family again in March and now March is just around the corner.

My lil granddaughter, Lia is growing so fast... now with three teeth (two bottom and one top)... crawling, standing alone for a few seconds at a time and saying Mumma and Bubba already... I'm so willing the next few days away so I don't end up meeting at the airport our little baby toddling towards me... give me one thing I can see first hand when I settle down after my trip... hehehe!!!

Lia loves clapping, and tapping or banging on a surface, her little face lights up and she giggles as she claps... ask her to say Mumma or Bubba and she follows amiably, but ask her to say Dadda and she stops chatting and just smiles... cheeky lil thing knows you want her to, but has made the decision not to say it... Ha! I wonder if she knows it in Thai (Por) though!

Lee and Poon are finding all sorts of fun things for me to do whilst I'm over in Thailand. Lee has located a lovely little Temple in a village by a river not more than five minutes cab ride away. It's going to be a beautiful trip, experiencing the culture, cuisine and day to day living of my little Thai family. I'm so looking forward to spending quality time with Lee, Poon and baby Lia.

Cute just reading and singing with Lia.  Playing games and I have a few bits and pieces I'm sure she will absolutely love.  Cannot wait to give them to her and see her face light up!!!

Oh well... it's Monday 20th February and I have 9 days left before I fly out from Heathrow to Bangkok... not like I'm counting or anything... hehehe!!!

It's a Leap Year... so 29 Sleeps to go...

before I jet off to see my lil Thai family.  I've started to sort out my "bits and bobs" for my trip and am beginning the proverbial lists... not for what I need to take with me, that's a given... but lists for what needs to be looked after whilst I'm away :)

23 days away from my home... will it still be standing when I return...? lol... I'm sure it will, but to make sure, I'm leaving every possible scenario covered, by writing notes of instructions, should the electricity blow a fuse, should the heating stop working, should the dishwasher, washing machine or oven take a break (as they have in the past!)... My lot have always had me to sort the above-mentioned and with me thousands of miles away, I'm sure my list of instructions will come in very useful and more cost effective in the long run.  Lists done, I can rest assured I have for my part all the bases covered!

I've arranged tomorrow for a courier to pick up a beautiful playpen for Lia, winging its way to her before I arrive.  Saving me £s by buying it here, I misjudged the cost for volume kg and ended up saving a little, but not as much as I'd have liked to... still I know that if Lia were here in the UK I've no doubt my purse would be pretty much empty all the time... lol

I've had some lovely pressies for Lia since Christmas and am so looking forward to seeing her face with one particular present... unfortunately you will have to wait until I arrive and post again as Lee and Poon also read this blog and I want it to be a surprise for them too!!!

I've been lazy with my Thai and am trying to find the time to learn a few lines of the language so I don't look a total foreign idiot!!! It's definitely not the easiest language to learn and many words if not said correctly can lead to all sorts of problems... hehehe!!!

Time to head back to my suitcase and sort yet again!  The countdown now begins in earnest... 29 sleeps and counting... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

x x x

Trip of a LifeThai Mmmm... Part II

I now realise I am blessed!!  I've come to the conclusion that no matter what barriers or obstacles are put in my path, I always have someone watching over me, who provides the way forward.  I couldn't have been home more than a couple of weeks from our previous trip to Thailand, when Fred provided me with the funds to purchase a further ticket to see our little family again!  This time alone, I will travel in March, which by all accounts is a lovely time to be in Thailand as the weather is just starting to warm up and enter into the hot season (March to May) and not much rain at all.  Although we travelled in the rainy season last year, we had very little rain and even Lee was surprised at the amount of sunshine we had in the ten days we were there.  What was I saying about being blessed!!

Lee, Poon and Lia in hotel pool in the sunshine

Thailand since our last visit has endured torrential rain and floods that have been unheard of for over 60 years.  After we left Thailand in September, Lee and his little family were supposed to be moving into their new home.  On a beautiful gated community, their home was all they had aspired to, providing both of them and little Lia the best possible standard of living and somewhere truly their own. 

Mother nature had other ideas though, and no sooner had they put down their deposit and made plans to move in at the beginning of November, flooding, like never seen by most, took hold and ravaged Thailand.  Their new home was now under threat and they were unable to move into the property until the floods subsided.  Who knew when that would be!

Ayutthaya under floodwaters

Flood victims moved home, pets and all possessions

The Thai people are resilient to say the least.  They have a get up, brush yourself down, and start all over again attitude.  So as the floods receded, so work began to restore their country to some sort of normality.  At this time Lee and his family were looking forward to moving into their property on 1st December, as flooding receded around that area.  But, once again, fate stepped in and Lee was rushed to hospital with a ruptured appendix.  This was a time I truly felt helpless and called on every ounce of strength and faith to get through the next few days, which eventually turned into weeks.  Poon was beside herself with worry and stayed by Lee's bedside continuously, Lia too!!! This poor little family had had so many setbacks in such a short space of time, but like myself, they are blessed too!  Lee recovered, although slowly, and they moved into their new home just before Christmas.  A beautiful time of year, but even more so because they were all healthy and together. 

Lia's first Christmas was an event both in Thailand and here as Skype made our Christmas that much closer.  She is a treasure to watch on camera and is growing at such a speed, I am conscious that she might even greet me in March, walking!!!

Lia's First Christmas (and first present from her Nanna Sue and Pops)

* * * * * * * * *

For those of you not conversant with Thai, I've been told it's not good to say "Goodbye" lah gorn, as this is meant for those who will possibly not see each other again!  So I say sawatdee ka! which is "Hello" also, but is not dissimilar to Adios, whereby the meaning is "until we meet again!"... so until we do...

Sawatdee ka!

Sawadee ka Thailand... until we meet again x

Sitting here quietly and alone in the rooms that have been home for our little family the last 10 days I at last, relented and decided to write this last blog of our trip… Fred very emotional, decided to go for a swim and “thought walk” around the pool… as he left, he suggested I write my blog, hmmm… like that was going to help me today as we both were nigh on emotional wrecks… but after a shower, last minute tidy up and whilst drying my hair, so many thoughts of the last ten days were whizzing through my head and the need to not forget anything meant I had to write it down… so here I am!

This was a trip with a difference and one I had no intention of putting a stamp on beforehand.  Everything we did was as a family and impromptu.  Nothing was planned, decided ahead of time and even whilst out together our trips would change at every turn.

As I said in an earlier blog, Leelawadee is an absolute angelic baby.  Born in the Land of Smiles, my granddaughter lives up to the name fully.  In her waking hours she is an absolute treasure, and not because she doesn’t whine or cry, but because as soon as you call her name she responds with a beaming smile that would melt the hardest of hearts.  Grown men have peered into her pushchair and chatted with her only to receive that token smile and their faces then say it all, another broken heart…. Hehehe!!!  She is absolutely adorable and I will sorely miss our baby conversations as I peer around the door to her bedroom and call her name each morning, greeted with her smile and baby chatter, I could have stayed with her like that all day. 

No one prepares you for grandparenthood and we were certainly no exception.  As soon as we held Lia for the first time we were besotted.  It beggars belief that any grandparent can say “at least when a grandparent you can give them back”… to that I say I’m sorry we definitely do not fall into that category… I joked that I had an extra bag in my case ready to bring her home with me… darn it that empty bag is still empty and packed in my case… lol

Lee and Poon not only attentive to Lia, but us also, gave us the trip we so wished for.  Hand in hand with visits to lovely restaurants, shops and spectacular views from the highest point in Bangkok (Baiyoke Sky Tower) we were all also treated to a beautiful hotel with superb service, food, stunning vistas and in a prominent, but unpretentious part of the city. 

The hustle and bustle that is Bangkok was on our doorstep for us all to savour at every turn.  Lia revelled in all the attention given her by us and the ever present hotel staff.  Everyone knew her and loved her.  Her winning smile and excitement at being spoken to just got more of the same and Sawadee was offered to her everywhere she went.  I truly believe it will be her very first word… she already seems to put her hands together as if to imitate anyone offering the pleasantry. 

I personally want to take this opportunity of thanking my son, Lee and Poon his loving partner for making our trip so very special.  Your love of each other and your baby girl know no bounds and that very same love also shown to us throughout our trip will remain in our hearts, always.

X X X