Oops

I have been a slacker.  Big time.  And it's not for want of material.  More because I've been intermittently sick and uninspired/lazy.  Bottom line: I need to be much more disciplined about posting.

OK, pep talk done.

So, on New Year's Eve, in light of the disasters in Bangkok on December 31st 2007 and 2008, we opted to throw a house party.  It was a low-key, grown-up affair. with about 20 or so people.  Our house guest cooked his native Italian food and all were happy and well-fed.  Not to mention well-watered with many bottles of champagne, wine, and T's failed attempt at infusing a watermelon with vodka (throw in some jello shots and we could have had a classy version of a frat party...)

The centerpiece

The chef and T hard at work in the kitchen.

We were up until 5am.  I think that's the latest I've stayed up since my early Bangkok partying years.  Fun times.  But, the next morning was not so fun.  We had a 1pm plane to catch to Krabi in southern Thailand.  Once there, we had ample opportunity to recuperate.  We spent a couple of days in Railay where we did some rock climbing and hiking and met up with some friends.

T aka "Big Monkey Man", as one of the guides called him

A tiny frog in our bathroom in Railay

We agreed that the Anyavee Hotel was livable and clean, but left a bit to be desired and so opted to leave a day early and head to our next destination for some luxury: Anantara Si Kao.  While the others went scuba diving and snorkeling, I sat on the shore or by the pool and read, read, and read some more.  It was the epitome of relaxation.

The view from our room at the Anantara

 

I finished The Girl Who Played with Fire, which was an engaging page-turner like its prequel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it was equally long and unedited and used many of the same literary tricks.  Still, I want to read the last in the Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Today, while T is off golfing, I'm going to get ready for London!  Yes, that's right, we're off to colder climates this week for our friends' wedding.  It will be a very short, 4-day trip, but I am so excited!  I'm arriving before T and leaving after him so that I have time to kick it with my bff, J, from college.  Whoohoo!  Today's plan is to search for little gifts for J and for the other friends who we're staying with (and who were our house guests over New Years).   I'm thinking:

• homemade granola for all 
• some (requested) wooden bracelets for J 
• some of this soap for our hosts 
• and, I was also told about a fancy Japanese chocolate shop in Paragon Mall; if I can find it, we'll bring some sweets
  

Hopefully, I can get my lardass in gear and go for a run today since I haven't gone in more than a week!  Eek!

And I'm off!