Golden Retrievers, Starbucks, and Papaya Salad

I posted many pictures to the blog this morning. I am caught up with the pictures that I want to post. When I post and edit pictures I use Picassa, an excellent free program from Google. I could improve the editing of the pictures by using Photoshop, but my goal now is to share. When I return I will work on a web site and will use Photoshop. I especially miss using the Photoshop Multiply and Screen command. I also would love to have the Shadow/Highlight command.

Today, after finishing a Thai lesson we walked over to the entry to the park to have Papaya salad. It was a wonderful taste, not "cooled" for non Thai taste. Jit was with some of her friends and for some of the time I was the subject of conversation. It is strange to be the subject of an animated conversation that you can only catch about 10% of the meaning. Some times I asked Jit "What did you just say?" It was fun. And the way back I was told that the small crocodiles, the monitor lizards, live under the greenhouse. Another thing to watch for.

Ooy, who makes a living as a motorcycle taxi, has a beautiful dog. It looks just like one of those long hair golden retrievers that you see in TV ads of an American family. I guess she bought it as a puppy. Its temperament was much more like I am used to. The dog was attentive and focused on the humans around him. I could even pet it. I was surprised. I always bug Jit by mentioning how beautiful a dog is, or how smart a dog looks, she is afraid that I will want to own a dog here. Her fear is justified:)

Back to Thai lessons for know. It is a beautiful day, it looks, from the cumulus clouds like there might be rain later. One of the neighbors just brought an excellent coffee drink buy, it is sort of a sweetened espresso. It is really good, better then Starbucks. I sure wished I could understand the Thai language.....