What is in your cup?

[CRussel]

Lion Mountain Keemun this afternoon. Trying to get myself back into work mode. Not that I have a gig right now, but I do see some hope on the horizon, and that means I really need to start thinking about working again. Sigh.

[poohbear_nc]

It's been so hot & humid here - sticky! - that I created the Ardbeg "slushie" - take a chilled tulip-shaped whisky glass, fill it with chipped ice cubes (large chips), pour Ardbeg over the chips, add a splash of Perrier to 'activate' the aroma & taste, and give yourself a brain freeze you won't forget! Ardbeg's unique flavor works quite well (IMHO) in this chilled environment.

[Yes, I know, the forces of Scotch purity will hunt me down for this.]

[Stitchawl]

Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
And all the nights magic seems to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush

( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsmF9JTpuI )

Good morning, everyone! Well, my predictions yesterday were correct. The Ping River is over its banks in some of the lower areas. Oh well... nothing new here. Just have to drive around those spots if needed. I'm drinking East India Company's "Royal Breakfast" tea today, and getting ready to go visit the Food Lady. I overslept this morning by an hour, and I'm really hungry!

Originally Posted by cromag

Tea #3. The label on the cannister says that it's "Tin Koon Yim Tea." I'm guessing it's an Oolong.

Most likely 'Tea Qwan Yin' with a different spelling. That is an oolong.

Originally Posted by CRussel

Lion Mountain Keemun this afternoon. Trying to get myself back into work mode. Not that I have a gig right now, but I do see some hope on the horizon, and that means I really need to start thinking about working again. Sigh.

That's one of the difficulties of working for yourself. The boss keeps reminding you to go to work!

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

It's been so hot & humid here - sticky! - that I created the Ardbeg "slushie"

They do this with beer here too. It's the only place I've ever seen people put ice in their beer. With whiskey, they will take a child's beach bucket, fill it with crushed ice, pour the liquor over it, and stick in 4-5 straws. The group will gather round and all drink together. Great way to get drunk really quickly.

OK... gotta eat something....


Stitchawl

[CRussel]

That's one of the difficulties of working for yourself. The boss keeps reminding you to go to work!

Yeah, and is totally unsympathetic and disbelieving when you come up with some lame excuse for why you missed a deadline. Ah, well. It still beats commuting.

Glenlivet this evening. The fruits of a job for a friend. Now, if I could only convince her that there are good single malts she's never heard of... Nope. Can't complain. It's still quite respectable and a very generous thanks for a job I would happily have done for nothing but a simple "thanks", since she was one of the first and most welcoming people when we moved here.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by cromag

First mug of tea for the morning. Phones still don't work, but we've got the cell phones. My knee is still sore, but I'm getting an increase in range of motion. All in all, so far so good.

I've spent most of my adult life as a telephone tech, if you want to troubleshoot with me, I'd be more than happy to help.

[cromag]

Thanks, kindlekitten! I think I've got my side covered. Problem is, the house is 50 years old and the phone lines are in the most inaccessible corner of the basement -- between the water heater and the well tank, and behind the furnace!

Right now I've got a cup of almonds and dried cranberries.

[Stitchawl]

Late afternoon cup of Ahmad's "English Breakfast" tea, as we sit here waiting for a washing machine to be delivered, and a few more shelves and drawers so we can unpack the rest of the boxes. We can actually begin to see the floor in the dinning room. Only about 7 more boxes to deal with! Yippee! Then the real problems begin as we try to locate stuff we've put away in a hurry...

Unfortunately, I was correct in my morning's forcast; there is substantial flooding in the lower areas all over Thailand. Here in Chiang Mai, several streets are blocked off, and the water is still rising. There is a large moat surrounding the Old City, with the remains of the high, thick wall. That moat is getting seriously filled, and in some spots ready to flood the grass banks. Here is a map of the area. The roads closer to the river flood every year, but people don't seem to move out of the area. And the moat frequently overflows, but never enough to slow down traffic around it. We live on the opposit side of the Old City from the river, on the first rise of the mountain to the west of the city, less than a six minute walk to the corner of the moat.

Stitchawl

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Late night glass of Bombay Sapphire as I cry in my beer...er...gin over doing exactly what I promised myself I wouldn't do this time... Plug a 100volt unit into a 220volt line... I've done it every time I've come to Thailand and I was praying this time would be different.

Most of Europe used 220V. The UK used 240V. This caused problems for the "Single Market" and electrical appliances. The problem is now solved. The standard voltage in the EU is now 230V +/-10.

Of course, European power sockets are still almost always about 5% below the nominal voltage, and UK power sockets are still almost always about 5% above the nominal voltage...

A lunchtime Coke Zero, after a couple of glasses of cool water this morning.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Most of Europe used 220V. The UK used 240V. This caused problems for the "Single Market" and electrical appliances. The problem is now solved. The standard voltage in the EU is now 230V +/-10.

The US uses 110/120v, Japan uses 100v, and Thailand is, in theory, 220v. Most long-time ex-pats put in voltage regulators, and most certainly good quality surge protectors for most of their electronics here. I just picked up three step-down transformers (better late than never) to put in different parts of the apartment just for the odd items we brought; soldering iron, stick blender, hair trimmer, glue gun, etc., etc. Now all I have to do is remember to use them before I plug the items into the mains.

I think it's time for pucker power... a might hit of Thai Lime juice over ice, with just a touch of sugar and some water!

Stitchawl

[Latinandgreek]

Ahmad Earl Grey tea here in my cup. I'm off to go develop some pictures for my brother.

[cromag]

First mug of tea for the day.

[orlok]

Kopparberg pear cider. Perfect start to a balmy evening.

[CRussel]

Second steeping of Peet's Lion Mountain Keemun. Still one of the better reasonably priced Keemuns I have had the pleasure to drink.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

The US uses 110/120v, Japan uses 100v, and Thailand is, in theory, 220v. Most long-time ex-pats put in voltage regulators, and most certainly good quality surge protectors for most of their electronics here. I just picked up three step-down transformers (better late than never) to put in different parts of the apartment just for the odd items we brought; soldering iron, stick blender, hair trimmer, glue gun, etc., etc. Now all I have to do is remember to use them before I plug the items into the mains.


Stitchawl

Maybe plug an adapter (or a baby-protection plug stop) in every outlet you have, so that you have to think about it before plugging something in?

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Maybe plug an adapter (or a baby-protection plug stop) in every outlet you have, so that you have to think about it before plugging something in?

Or a fork. Put a fork in each, that will make you think about it for sure.