Meeting the Parents

Our landlords have arranged for one of the mothers  to pick us up at the airport in December, and show us around for a couple of days.  We are so excited to see our new home, shops, stores, markets and generally get the lay of the land and what we might need to furnish our home. We are overjoyed to spend time with her and a nephew but I am so terrified to offend in any way I am paralyzing myself and I can't seem to relax about this.  

I have a very large frugal gene in my DNA and during our 40 years of marriage we have only purchased a few pieces of new furniture, but usually found items at estate sales and  have been given furniture from family and friends.   We really like the eclectic feeling of different things that do not “matchy match” and like to imagine the history and stories the furniture could tell.    

So, I have no frame of reference for the price of furniture in Thailand.  Even though  I have champagne taste on a beer budget and just because I see something that strikes my fancy and my brain says, "Oooo lovely." I can't help but get sparkles in my eyes, doesn't mean I want to fork over the money to buy it. I have posted a few pictures below of the simple style we like. Of course we will be sure to post pictures of what our home looks like next August!

So what to do………..How do I communicate to Momma when I don’t speak Thai?   Oh, I recently read that it is impolite to point with your hand or fingers and if you wave your arms around when you talk you might be looked at like a crazy person.  Does anyone have  a straight jacket I can borrow?   

My family will tell you I wear my heart on my sleeve and when overwhelmed with the kindness of others I will burst into tears as I am so shocked by it.  This happened when we visited our son and daughter-in-law in Japan on our first day……..in the grocery store…...at the check out counter!  My sweet daughter-in-law was quickly using Google Translate to show the horrified lady behind the counter that she did not do anything to upset me!  On the contrary, “She is not used to good service in USA”    Well, toward the end of our three week visit everyone in the village knew Steven’s mother was crying at the grocery store!  I still laugh about it because that is just who I am.

I will not cry in the furniture store……..I will not cry in the furniture store!    No, It will probably be at the market over a piece of fruit.  Stay tuned to see where and when!