Happy Veggie

We love love our new place, it is cheaper 20m from the sea and the bungalow is totally basic but comfortable and just what we wanted.

 The beach here is beautiful and empty.  It is so unlike over crowded Phuket, it is just fabulous.

 Best massaman curry of all time.

 To make matters even better the number one restaurant on the island (from Trip Advisor) is a vegan/veggie restaurant.  We did not get in there yesterday but the second best veggie on the island, Happy Veggie.  It was so delicious and packed out.  I just can't see why Phuket has very little veggie places.  They do so well, even loads of meat eaters just for a change.  The food was fabulous.

And we even got to have cocktails with our summer Lola sitters.  They are here volunteering in the dog shelter, well after three months they are pretty much running the show.  They are an inspiration.

Koh Lanta

Finally half term, finally a holiday!  We decided on a Lola holiday as well I missed her while I was away in November and December and she is not totally better yet.  Also we have done little exploring of Thailand.  We arrived yesterday to Koh Lanta, another island in Andaman Sea, much smaller and laid back.  Our arrival is not easy though as the 'dog friendly' place I booked turned out not to be dog friendly.  The island is pretty much full so that was fairly stressful.  We then found another 'dog friendly' place near a beautiful beach and we got all checked in went to the beach and upon return they decided that actually could only sleep in the car.  Well not chance I was doing that, first in 90 degree heat she would certainly suffocate and secondly I would just never do that anyways.  They let us stay the one night as was late, and now we think we have secured a place that will take her that is probably the best of all three.  Beautiful beach and beach hut, but I will only be confident once we are there and checked in.  Otherwise back to Phuket!  A good lesson to double check everything, this is a muslim island and they really have a problem with dogs.

Besides Lola issues it has been a great start to a much needed beach week!

Missing my Dad

There is not a minute in the day that I do not think about my Dad.  Today I am meant to be in Canada spending his birthday with him and I still cannot believe that I am not.  Everyday I wake up hoping that it is the end of a horrible nightmare.    I cannot say enough what an amazing man he was and everyday I want to call and ask or tell him something.  A man of many names and hats, a man who was the definition of kindness, a man I will miss everyday for the rest of my life.  

Happy birthday Dad.  We all love and miss you x

Dinner, Sports Day and Beach

It is always a busy week, the lead up to half term.  There are loads of grades to input, reports to write, tests to mark and a week off to prepare for.  This week had not been much different, it has been a full week with dinners, BISP Sports Day and family time.

 Lola has started small walks at the beach, she is very out of shape so these are only tiny ones to get her strength back up.  She is so excited to be there, especially as the crabs seem to have let their guard down a bit.

 We also had the pleasure of going out to dinner with Luke and his Mum.  I just love meeting people's parents and she was just lovely.

 Yesterday was a scorching hot clear day, perfect for me and Sports Day (other complain about the sun, but of course I am not one).  

 I was put back on Shot put with my tennis coach, Rachna.  I really wished I had a racket for down time, she could have helped with my stroke.

Some of my lovely students.  It was a lovely and exhausting day but it is so nice to see them do something other than Mathematics.

Little Lola Cola

Little Lola Cola is putting back on some weight and looking better and better.  Her hearing is still minimal and I am still really hoping it is temporary as it will end her off lead days (too nervous for her not to hear us calling her).  She has a test tomorrow on her liver and I am positive we will have good results.  She is just so sweet and just actually grows sweeter every day (a bit more laid back in her later years).
Last night we stopped to stay hi to Sarah and Richard and Sara got these great photos of her.  Just love her!

Look at those big brown eyes!

Hopefully, by tomorrow I will be able to report that Lola is finally making a full recovery :)

Saturday Singing

I tried to make a list of 40 things to do that included many things I thought I would never achieve (run in a race, be artistic, play an instrument ect).  But one thing I could not put on the list is singing, I have such a block when it comes to singing.  But last night I thought I would be brave and join a ladies night out of Karaoke.    What I discovered is I am still not ready to try..

 We started the evening at a lady from schools house.  That was really nice, lots of lovely people and some delicious food.

 We then took a bus to a place in Phuket Town to try some singing.

 I have no pictures of me singing as I did not even try.  It was actually a little intimidating as it was only a room full of people singing, like there was no where else to direct your attention except the singer.  So not a bar with pool tables and what not, just a karaoke room.  I wimped out of having a song but I guess this means I have something to put on my 50th list when this comes up!

Back at it

My list of 40 things to do this year was back benched for the past few months for obvious reasons.  Therefore, I have extended my year to include my 41st year and at the top of my list is tennis.  I suspect that no one walks away from the death of a loved one without regrets or wishes and I have not either.  One of the things I so desperately wish is that I let my Dad buy me a tennis racket.  He was so thrilled I was taking it up again and really wanted to buy me one, when I went to visit.  But the day we went to look for the racket, I got grumpy at the not so helpful and impatient staff and refused to get one.  I know he was disappointed and I just thought that we would buy one another time with happier helpful staff.  I was sure we could do it at Christmas.  But of course I was wrong and I just really wish I had let him now as I know it meant a lot.  Therefore, I am now going to become the best tennis player ever and hope that he is able to watch from somewhere.  Based on my tennis lesson today, this could take some time...

Luckily, I have a pretty fabulous (patient) coach, Rachna.  I was fairly impressed I did not throw the racket tonight as had some frustrating moments.  Overall I loved it and thinking possibly Wimbledon 2019.. Or maybe 2020..