Good morning from sunny Thailand…not for long methinks as the chance of rain stands at 80% and the clouds are gathering which they did yesterday AM…the heavens opened…and it is the same forecast for the next 8 days at least but it is low season so expected and the rice fields love it…

Me… I love a walk in the rain and a lovely puddle to walk through…it also clears the air…

Welcome to Whimsical Wednesdays where I indulge my whimsy…

Seen first on Darlene’s FB page…What a lovely idea…Darlene has followed my blog since day one …Thank you, Darlene and she herself is the author of the very popular Amanda Books which are loved by many…The bear idea was started a while ago by a Paris cafe owner…

Teddy bears always make us smile, don’t they? Unlike clowns who scare the bejesus out of me…We are talking Stephen Kings IT here…

Did you know that fear of clowns is called Coulrophobia?… Neither did I…

One of Elvis Presley’s most embarrassing moments was when he appeared on the Steve Allen Show on July 1st, 1956 singing “Hound Dog” to a Bassett Hound…Elvis’s fans were not happy…

I love dogs and think they are very cute and intelligent…Zoom is something quite new to me and many others and has taken off during this pandemic…There have been some very moving moments and some funny ones and this one is quite funny…Enjoy!

It was however on July 6th, 1971 that one of the world’s most influential musicians sadly passed away but his legacy plays on…one of my favourite Louis Armstrong tracks is Mack The Knife…although Bobby Darin also comes a close second and recognised in the billboards top 100…I could write a whole post on the life of this track…and it’s birth in a Threepenny murder opera …Franks version is also high on my list…

Who loved to sleep under the stars as a child with a tent made by throwing a sheet/blanket over the clothes line? I know I did…it is a childhood dream that carries through to adulthood for many of us…

This secluded retreat in South Iceland caters to guests who want to be surrounded by nature—and you will be literally immersed in it, staying in your own private bubble nestled in the forest.

You can sleep under the vast sea of twinkling stars and be entirely enclosed in the glass bubble—and if you are lucky, you’ll get a once-in-a-lifetime view of the aurora borealis over your head.

Robert Robertsson, the owner and managing director of the Bubble project based in Reykjavík summed it up saying, “Some childhood dreams stay with us for our whole lives.”

“Sleeping under the stars or watching the aurora borealis dance is one of those lifelong dreams.”

This made me smile…everyone knows who Charlie Chaplin is…Don’t they?… Not everyone it seems because Charlie Chaplin once lost a Charlie Chaplin look-alike competition…In 1975, a few years before he passed away, Charlie Chaplin entered a look-alike contest in France. He came in third, not first. A theory as to why he didn’t win is that he has blue eyes that couldn’t be seen in black and white, so the judges didn’t recognise him. Whatever the case, though, he was apparently a good sport …

Lastly to all my American readers have a great July 4th...I know that usually as its a National Holiday that there are Fireworks, family reunions, concerts, barbecues, picnics, parades, baseball games some of which may not take place this year but however you safely celebrate wear masks and observe social distancing it does work look at Thailands figures…and enjoy!

That’s all for today…Be well and stay safe don’t forego those precautions too quickly as many areas are seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases…It ain’t over yet folks…Better to be safe than sorry…xx

About Carol Taylor: 

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous week and stay safe these are troubling times xx