The remodel is consuming all of us: our money, our time, our synapses, everything.  Saturday morning we met Khun Guang, our contractor, discussed the progress of the work and went through his estimate for the entire project and negotiated lower prices on an item-by-item basis.

The tile arrived already and is being installed in the bathroom.  Now that I’m seeing it on the wall, albeit without the benefit of adequate light, I don’t feel very good about the choice.  Maybe as the rest of the bathroom is installed, it will look less like a pale shade of toothpaste.

Right: Tawn, Khun Guang and the primary laborer discuss the possibility of relocating the water heater into the ceiling.

I think we’re fast approaching the moment of stark realization: the dreams we hold for the condo are not within our reach.  Actually, I think I’ve been at that point for several weeks now.  But this is a team effort, right?

Below: Tawn negotiates with Khun Guang, cutting the estimate by about 20%.

Enough of the remodel.  I’m tired of it already.

Good news – we’ve received our first piece of (non bill) mail at the new condo.  Khap khun maak khrap to Nong Ryeroam, who sent a thank you card from his new house on the outskirts of Paris.

Saturday evening we drove up to Nonthanburi to attend a bon voyage party for Tawn’s friend, Prince.  Prince will be heading to the Gold Coast of Australia to get a graduate degree, likely gone for the next two years or so.  It seems like we know a lot of people heading to Australia.  Maybe it is the next big place to be?

Below: Tawn and his friends.  Prince is in the middle of the picture.

Today is the Queen’s birthday and, as such, Mother’s Day.  Tawn has relatives in town from Hong Kong and has headed over to his parents’ house for dim sum at Landmark Hotel. 

I need some coffee…