Linda decorated these three new pecan Ghristmas trees I turned on my lathe. Gary

The two ornaments are made from pecan wood and dark walnut wood. The ornaments are from a plan by Bill Bowers “twisted Icicles” in AAW article. Please note I also made the stands in years past. Each ormament has a captured ring which are a challenge to make. Gary

These two snowmen are made with a single log each of pecan wood. I spent 4 hours turning each one. Lots of work.

These are pictures of Fort Bliss's Museum. It is terrific with many displays, weapons, written material, etc. Very large and comprehensive.

This week our Son Earl visited us. One of the places we visited was White Sands Missle Range. It is a terrific place to visit. Many, many military missiles and artillary pieces. It was fun to see the items and to read the descriptions on the various plaques. Gary

Friday I gave a class on firearms to Earl, our son. We then went to a firing range and Earl fired 100 rounds of 9MM amunition into these silhouettes. Earl did a very good job of hitting the targets and practiced good firearm safety. Gary

Here are two bowls and a large box made from mulberry wood. I have thrown out the rest of my mulberry wood because it is too old and I am getting too much tear out with it. I have chopped up my remaining wood and it is ready for turning.

A Trip to Albuqurque Baloon Festival

This week we went to Albuquerque for the Ballon festival. It was the 50th anniversary of this activity and the Wednesday event was expected to be a spectacle. It was a “bust because of the rain.   It rained all day on Wednesday and was predicted for the rest of the week.  We took Lyft to the festival and then walked around the field after paying the entry fee.  None of the balloons were set up and all were packed up on their carrying vehicles.  The vendors were sad also because the viewers were not buying their goods and were leaving.  We were sad to see the various visitors, families huddled under blankets to stay warm and dry and then not seeing beautiful balloons soaring up into the sky.  We had difficulty getting back to the hotel.  The Lyft driver parked in the wrong pick up area and after a long delay walked to where we were at (the correct area for Lyft pick up).  We walked to her car and had a very long wait to get to the road to leave and she took a long circular trip to get back to the hotel. A sad story and experience.  Well, we were here once before and had a very good experience. So, I will concentrate on the past positive trip.  We came home on Thursday. We got out of the house for awhile and that was good.

Linda did a good job of decorating our house for fall. Gary

I made a birdhouse and bowl out of mulberry wood.

Thailand 2022 Final Thoughts If I knew what I know now after over two weeks traveling to Thailand and returning, I would advise anyone not to go. The big issue is the transportation. I thought I would treat myself and go on the top rated airline, Qatar. The ride on this airline was good and the service was good. The connections did not work. American Airlines had two flights delayed causing me to miss my flight from Houston to Qatar. Then in Qatar, the staff at Qatar would not help me and American Airlines staff could not access Qatar airlines reservation system and from their it continued to be messed up with me walking large distances between agencies in one of the largest airports in the world at Doha late at night. Returning to the USA, Qatar airlines cancels a flight causing me to have to wait 4 hours and having to arrange another flight with American Airlines through their customer transfer desk. This is not done from the comfort of on line changes. I was required to go through security checks and my hand carried items were also required to be checked. At this time I had become sick from two weeks of constant activity. The new reservations in LA were a whole days delay and required me to stay a night in a hotel in LA. Qatar paid for it along with two meal vouchers. I would rather have made my connective flights. So, until the flight industry settles down, and is more consistent, do not go on long out of country flights with multiple airlines involved. So, if I had to do it over, I would take a Southwest flight to LA (they are free with our credit card). If I had to stay over night in a hotel, so be it. I then would take a one airline company flight to Thailand. There are cheap flights that I would have saved over a thousand dollars using. In addition, I would only make reservations on a flight that included two bags. I was swindled on my golf clubs. It started OK with American who only changed me a 100 dollars for the clubs. On the way back from Thailand, even though I had a round trip ticket, Qatar made me pay 500 dollars to check my golf clubs. Wow. Black mail. I see the airlines are still suffering from the COVID long period of time with no passengers. They plan to make it up now by gouging those of us that they perceive who have money, carrying golf clubs. The next thing I want to point out is in Thailand how the recreational schedules have not been completed because tourists are just now returning. I am used to playing bridge three days a week and golf three days a week. The opportunities were not there. In addition, the hotel I was staying at Areca, (once a high water mark of service) had gone down hill. The bathtub leaked water on the floor when I showered (repaired at end of second week), the WIFI was weak until the end to the second week when it became stronger. The linoleum floor was chipped in my room. The last major issue for the room was the daily ration of water. Normally in Thailand’s tourist hotels, a room is given two free waters bottles a day. I experienced where I still got the water and they charged me a bar fee daily which I paid at the end of the two weeks. Though not significant, it was a downer. Because of the long period of time with no tourists, they were using any method to obtain more money from “guests”. Another issue is sitting next to a person for 17 hour segments on an airplane. One of my flights to Thailand, mask required, I sat next to a women who coughed the entire time of the flight. It is not like I can get up and get away from her. I am trapped for the entire 17 yours. I probably was exposed to who knows what during that time. The CDC standard is to stay six feet away. So my suggestions are to think hard before going to my favorite vacation spot, Thailand.

7th Report, Thailand 2022 July 26, 2022 Today played golf with BJ’s group on Soi 3. Had my usual thrilling ride to get there on a motor cycle taxi. Laid clubs across my legs while riding which is an improvement over letting it hang from my shoulder. Hurts. I repeatedly told the driver Soi 3 and yet he took me to a driving range. He was shocked when I told him no. We finally got there and I sat waiting to leave for Pattaya Country Club to play golf with Paul Sharples. Very nice person from England who has lived over seas for many years. I read him my two poems about playing golf and Vacationing in Thailand. He was feeling weak this morning and eventually went to play golf with us after eating food. I road in the van and sat next to BJ himself who told me his history of owning a bar in Pattaya for 20 years and other activities. He had gone on an R&R to Thailand from Vietnam and liked it so much he came here after leaving the military and made his life here. Very nice person. There has been YouTube interviews on him and are posted on YouTube. It was a good day of golf, hot as usual. My caddy named Tuk was very nice and worked hard at taking care of me. I shot a 103 from white tees. The course had lots of hills, water hazards and was very demanding. I was able to complete the round and was running out of energy towards the end. I walked over 11,180 steps with 15 flights to climb. I am tired after such an effort. I did par four holes. The par fours were long. I played with Bill and Doug both from the USA. Very nice people. BJ entertained us with jokes on the way back to town. A small lady motorcycle taxi driver drove me back to the hotel. On the Van ride back to town had a talk with Tom from Australia who had not been vaccinated for COVID, had it and is adamant not to be vaccinated. He quoted various alleged experts who he sourced as advising not to get vaccinated. He admitted experiencing extreme discomfort during his illness. He had lost jobs in foreign countries for not permitting vaccination. He is a FOX news channel watcher and did not like MSNBC or CNN. I took my last laundry to the my laundry source for cleaning and picked up a batch. After this batch, too close to leaving to leave any more for cleaning. Just one more golfing activity this Friday and will leave to return home on Saturday late in the day, to fly out early in the morning the next day. July 27, Wednesday Played bridge with Jim from Minnesota today. Says he plays the precision system and does not do transfers. He played standard American with me and except one bid where I thought we should have done a transfer, played well. I have not seen the results yet. We must wait until next week. Had some dental work here and said that this work will almost pay for the trip for him. To get to the bridge area it started raining and I drove on the back of a motorcycle taxi in the rain. My sleeves of my shirt, forehead were wet from the ride. One area that I struggle with each time I take a motorcycle taxi is hoisting me leg over the seat. I struggle. It is a chore. Also, getting off the motorcycle is difficult. I need to develop and exercise for this at home. Linda is having a lot of fun coming up with ideas for this exercise. Most of her ideas are unrealistic. She loves doing it though and chuckles with each suggestion. The traffic here is chaotic at its best. It is a learned skill to move around the the vehicles without being struck by one. Dangerous. July 29, played golf with the Stay Smart Group which does not have competition. Played with Shawn and Todd from Australia and Mark from Houston Texas. Tough day at golf shot miserable score. It was fun to play. Golf here is a whole different experience. I need to use at least two clubs more to make what be my normal distance. Also, where I would normally use a 54 degree wedge, I need to use a six iron and run the ball up. The balls stick and do not move. Took over 11,000 steps today climbed 7 flights. I got a full body massage and ate at my favorite 5 star restaurant which is a considerable commute. I had an emergency allergy attack from ointment the massage person used to massage me. It should have gave me a hint when she suggested that I take a shower before I left the massage place. I finally figured it out after going on to a late operating drug store and getting some antihistamine. I also took a shower and took off all of the clothes and slept on the other side of the bed. I am ready to come home.

6th Report Thailand 2022 July 24, 2022 Quiet day in Pattaya. Went to the movies today. Saw Jurassic Park movie. I have never seen so many angry dinosaurs opening their big scary mouths with lots of teeth and heard people scream. It is a screamer. I almost walked out initially and after a while I got into it. Really. It did have a plot other than screaming at fighting, growling dinosaurs. Glad this type of movies was not around in my youth. It has the potential for a lot of night mares. I figured out today that I was missing my escape cloths (clothes that I wore here and plan to leave wearing). One of the items was an expensive vest that I wanted for sure to get back. I went to the laundry facility first thing this morning and needed to walk in an alley to the laundry facility itself. Fortunately it was still there and I was able to retrieve it. Terrific. The breakfast area was full today so ate breakfast by the swimming pool. I ended up with a lot of little mosquito bites and itching ankles. They find me delicious even in El Paso. So I could not stand it any longer. I went to a telecommunication center where they sell lots of telephones an sim cards and up graded my iPhone 5 travel phone with a juiced up sim card. I talked them down in price since I would be only using it a week. I am afraid to have them put one of their sim cards in my iPhone 12. Tomorrow is bridge. I will get another one of their vegetarian pies to take home. It was delicious. Monday July 26 Did long walk to find room other then where I am staying in future trips. I used face time and took Linda for a beach view as I walked. Nice views. After long walk, I ended up on Soi 10 and visited three hotels there and a sample room in each. Page 10, The Stay and See Me. The Page 10 was the most impressive and a guest in the lobby said the wifi is terrific. The Stay had nice balcony with no view. It was still very nice. The See Me had the best view with their Sea Deluxe. Get to see the beach with full landscape (the meal arrangements seem shaky). I went to one last hotel next to my present hotel called the Centra Hotel, down an alley and the rooms seemed small. So this is my research for a future hotel. My present room at the Areca is nice. The floor has chipped linoleum at entrance. The bathtub needs to be caulked and spills water on the floor when I shower. I wrote a report on this to the front desk and my maid later informed me that all the rooms are like that. My wifi in this room is sporadic so I do not like that. A disqualifier. Also, I have to walk a number of steps to get to and from the room. This is also a disqualified. I do not want to fall down and the steps make me vulnerable to do that. At 78 I am susceptible to fall down. Monday, July 26, played bridge with John one of the bridge coordinators. The opponents are very good. I made at least two mistakes and yet we did not come in last. As usual, the trip to the place we play bridge at (The Meat Stuff) was and exciting motorcycle ride. Took baht buses to my favorite vegan restaurant and repeated having a gorgeous Vega ham burger.