Recovery I?
Thats the question... since last year November I very suddenly aand rapidly left Holland, it was because I needed Kiks signature on papers which would give us an extra year tto wait on the sale of my house and prevented me to force selling the house on an action.
Though this year has been a rollorcoaster, thank God it looks like we will arrive relative safely though at the end of it... last week I have been able to sell my house, at least it still needs it written confirmation.........sso, the outlook looks good, BUT due to our 2008 experience, "it aint finished till the fat lady sings", as the say in the USA ;-)
Recovery II?
Simultaniously, while leaving in a hurry, I received a phonecall from my hospital that I had a serious liver problem which needed immiidiat attention, making me totally forget commitments I had to cancell, etc because of my sudden departure back for Thailand.
When I arrived in THailand I immidiatly went to hospital here for second opinion and to agree on treatment, as well as contacting my health inssurance about it. A very hectic week, 2 weeks followed.
As I wrote before, both went okay in the end, but what a hectic 2 weeks those have been!
Now, allmost a year later, the house in Delft seems to be sold and my health seems to be back on track again... end of October I will finish my pretty nasty treatment wwith side effects I hope never to have to experience again, because they hit on my mental state of mind and general well being in a way which was pretty hard to deal with. Not only for myself, but also for the those around me!
If the treatment has been succesfull, only lab test willl be able to tell, and while back in Holland again early november, that will be checked, as well as again early spring 2011..... we can only keep our fingers crossed.
It would mean that sping 2011 will see the finish of a very difficult period, health wise as wel as financially.
Lets say we keep our fingers crossed ;-) !!!
The Backstage
Call me crazy, but while all of the above was taking place, partly because I had to keep myself foccused on the positive, I started to create The Backstage, a two in one concept. See http://backstagethailand.blogspot.com for all about that!
Sofar things do not look too badly BUT I got myself a hell of a work cut out with trying to please two different 'markets' as we say here. The Thai, when going out, have a somewhat different pattern as the foreigners here ..... The Thai in general do not order a drink, they order complete bottles, of whiskey! They like to sing karoke and most disturbing they expect to be able to go on till they want to go home.... meaning you think you thought to close at 2 am, but in the end your staff can go to bed not before 9/10 am, allreay we had twice that it was noon again.
LOL, and then my staff has to be fresh and ready again when we open up again at 6 pm!
BUT the combination of trying to cater to two different groups is paying off same time aand if things continue then I think I might have actually a formula that works and also is able to occupy its own niche in the Patong market for going out, enjoyment, etc.
BUT do not think big, think relative small ... because The Backstage has to earn it to grow... same time its also more wise from the financial/economic point of view ;-)
Birthday and weddingday comming up!
In a couple of weeks, my 52d birthday will be upon me, as well as a day later Kik and my 2d wedding aniversary. Also we will be preparing for the wedding here of a Delft friend of mine with his Thai girlfriend/fiancee (Ton & Bow). Hence because all of this and because another friend of Delft comming to Phuket to be present at the wedding of Ton & Bow, is also celebrating his birthday on the 7th, we decided to trow a hopefully great party at The Backastage, with the theme: "Birthdays & Weddings"
in other words, celebrating life and romance/life long commitments ;-)
Its comforting to know that some of the people I celebrated my first birthday in Delft with, in 2006, will be here with me to celebrate again, and that brings a smile back to my face, I assure you... that is a true gift looking forward to receive ;-) A birthday with a little bit of my home country present!!
O, and in case you wonder about typing mistakes, or otherwise, I decided to post this without checking every word... so oyu read it as I typed it first time round without me correcting it afterwards again ;-)
