Home...chickens and snakes..... kind Hoa ...Gunnar and the Villa Villekulla/Kunterbunt

 I wake up and it is not dark outside.....let's call it 5:15

It is the longest day of the year...

..summer solstice !

there are messages from Kealy, Marion, Fabian....

6:15

Choi shows up for coffee.....we move inside because it is TOO sunny outside.....

7:00

I talk to Eda..... she's TIRED..... "talk tomorrow"

8:00

Nhat shows up for a chat

9:50

Quang shows up......again he mentions that a friend of him in Saigon can get me a SIX months visa..... I ask Quang whether Tina knows about this...... he waves the idea off the table...... OMFG....THEY can NOT make friends here.....

Choi comes back...there is loud bickering on the construction site again....I talk to Lisa.....they're threatening to play Karaoke forever and shout "no one will sleep tonight".... I just laugh.....

13:00

Buy some Wine and milk and Coke from Linh

nap

eat an anchovy omelet with capers !?!

14:15

do dishes..... again.... I need a wife or a cleaning lady ....

15:00

Screw it....I walk over to the hotel and talk to the interesting looking guy...... Warren, English carpenter, nice, but not enough to keep my interest.... I leave after half an hour....

16:00

People keep showing up....

Monkey

Khai

Nhat

2 chickens, 2 snakes.... we have fabulous fun until 22:00

NEED to pass out .....

5:00

OUCH...everything HURTS..I really NEED to stop these nightly drinking sessions....

thinking about Phap.... I miss his oh so GENTLE demeanor..

5:30

What now?

Kai is still sleeping in the hotel hammock ....

6:15

too tipsy already.... don't like it.....

6:30

I have tears in my eyes...... realizing how lucky I have been...... (emotional Drunk ;-)

I've always wanted to make my house into the Villa Kunterbunt... (in SPIRIT, not ARCHITECTURE)

VILLA VILLEKULLA

.. then a guy walks over from the hotel ..... older than I.....his name is Gunnar Nehls

We talk.....He tells me that he is one of only 8 professional engravers in the world who still know how to engrave the metal printing plates for currency notes (bills) by hand.....Nowadays it is all done by computer 

I tell him the story about me trying to create my own Villa Villekulla..... 

He stares at me with a strange look......and says "Wait a minute".....and goes to his room.... and comes back and gives me money....

Money for which he engraved the printing plates by hand...... 

.....I still have that 20 Kronor bill... And YES, that is Astrid Lindgren (and Pippi Longstockings who lived in the Villa Villakulla ;-)

and Gunnar engraved the plate !

.. and now my house has become just what I intended it to become..... a place for NICE people to congregate and laugh.....

I need to ENJOY every moment .......The Monkey will go to university in September; Khai will quit his job in October..... the summer (not of 69) of 23 is ending soon

Sleep.....

7:00

I email Phapie with love....

Khai and Warren (the latter returning the Nivea ;-)

8:30

Phap replied...... ;-)

LOTS of people drop by..... it's a good life....

Hoa from Blue Dragon replies..... and it's a NICE & KIND email.....

Chào anh Chris,

Wow anh đang được ở biển Phú Yên. Thích quá! Biển Phú Yên đẹp lắm. Em rất thích.

Thank you so much for your additional 'egg' of kindness. I hope that young man will have great results at the exam and pursue his dream in university. He is really fortunate to get to know you and receive your kind support, just like the kids at Blue Dragon. I'm happy for him, and grateful to you, Chris!

Chúc anh một mùa hè tuyệt vời và hẹn gặp anh ở Hà Nội.

Best wishes,

Hoa

18:15

doc sach?

Nope....Monkey shows up again .....

21:00