I think the larger two monkeys had put her up to it, so spaghetti was on the menu. So Ja and I were off to the market to buy some freshly ground beef, some fresh onion, garlic.
Back home Ja insisted on helping me cut up the onion and crush the garlic but I finally got her out of my hair and she went and played with Noot and Ben. Here Noot and Ja are scribbling in her Ben 10 book.
Dinner was served, some mashed spud with pumpkin, a little bit of mayo, butter, milk and salt and pepper. The spaghetti the girls really like, I like to have fresh bread with it and make sandwiches.
Ja didn’t want to eat but keep drawing in her book, Ben wanted to eat and finally we convinced Ja to eat.
Ja and her new chair, it cost 80 baht or just over $2.60 Australian, because they were on special where you bought one and got one for free.
Ja wanted to still play a bit and was pulling faces at me.
As always with Ja and spaghetti, plenty makes it onto the floor or her.
And each picture she would make her way over so she could make sure it was up to standard.
Ja made a spaghetti with sauce, mashed potato and bread all jammed into her bowl.
And she tucked in, she eats a lot of western style food but also loves her Isaan food. She loves somtam, fermented bamboo, and bitter green mango to just name a few things.
So that was the most exciting thing that has happened all week.
Life is hard in Isaan Thailand.
Brunty
2 comments:
I take it you don't like Ja's parents much - that's who you were referring to at the beginning of the post?
I wouldn't blame you. I cannot fathom abandoning my child.
Hi Amy, no I was referring to the monkeys being Noot and Ben.
I used to get very angry at the Thai way of leaving kids with relatives and grandparents while the mum and dad go off and work.
When I first saw this in the villages and they would say the parents of this kid and that kid where off working and would come back once or maybe twice a year.
I would shake my head in disbelief and disgust, how many 60 plus grandparents are bringing up young kids.
But after many years and understanding this is the “Thai way” I just accept it.
Ja’s Parents are the same, Jack and Joom her dad and mum both work and if Not and I didn’t look after her she would be living in Bangkok with jack’s parents or with Noot’s mother in the village.
I said straight away we would look after her as Jack is near us and can see her often, and Joom returns every 6 weeks or so for 5 to 10 days at a time.
We always tell Ja jack and Joom are mum and dad and Noot and I are Aunt and Uncle. She does understand this.
I am not angry at Jack and Joom, Thais just think this is the normal thing to do. They don’t understand that back in our countries we work and be a parent and so much more all at once.
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