House Mother - The Stratton ABC Foundation Childrens Home Chiang Mai

February 2012
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Introducing Bpaa Zang

Jan 202012

As some of you will already know we unfortunately lost House Mother Muay, on Boxing Day, after she decided to leave the job to spend more time with her own family. The stresses and strains of helping to care for 10 children can take their toll and we wish Muay all the best for the future. Whilst here she did a great job.

This has meant an extra workload for myself whilst waiting for new staff.

Thankfully, after a couple of non-starters I am pleased to introduce our new House Mother, Zangboon. Now known as Bpaa Zang. She has pitched into the job straight away since starting on Tuesday and all the signs are that we have yet another great member of staff. Floors are sparkling, children are getting lots of hugs and our stomachs are being treated to excellent quality Thai cuisine. Zang apparently had her own business in the past cooking Thai food to sell at local factories at lunch time.

No We Didn’t Forget :)

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Aug 292011

Bit late getting round to this post but rest assured we did not forget Jors 15th Birthday last week. On getting home from school she first received a card and very nice T-shirt sent from England by my Mum. She was very happy with it…and yes Mum , I did approve

After a light dinner it was Happy Birthday time, with the cake Jor chose at Big C and assorted snack food and pop.

With the usual rendering of the Happy Birthday song., Jor made her wish, blew out the candles on her cake and everyone tucked into the party food.

Jor , hope you have a great fifteenth year as you grow up into a proper young lady. We are very happy and proud of all you do around the house, you help Bpaa Muay so much…..maybe a job as future House Mother.

Termite Attack

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Jul 062011

What happens when you keep forgetting to buy the deterrent? Take a look at the state of one of our doors. All the children looked on as House Mother, Muay and part-time carer, Somboon cleared the termites nest that had appeared quite rapidly. “Repairs to the door” is on today’s job list!

Children Doing Their Bit

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Mar 212011

More evidence that the children at Stratton House don’t just sit around waiting for good things to happen. We do our best to make this a “Family” home and in any good family everyone chips in to their bit.

Yesterday House Mother Muay got lots of help in the kitchen.

And over the whole holiday the children have done their bit in the garden to, tidying, weeding and improving.

With plenty of time inbetween for relaxing and enjoying the holiday.

Eunjey Volunteers

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Jan 142011

A New Year brings us a new volunteer, Eunjey, a 22 year old American guy on his break from working as a teacher in Korea.
He arrived yesterday and will be joining the crew for a couple of weeks.
Already he has been getting to know the children, joining in with after school fun and games with the football.
You will also see our new House Mother, Muay, joining in.
Wasanaa left to concentrate on her family business and we were very lucky to find Muay to take her place. As well as being equally handy in the kitchen Muay is now giving Buddhist readings and meditation lessons to all the children.
Eunjey will be helping out around the house and garden in the daytimes and spending time with the children when they get home. He also plans to give English language lessons on the weekend.
I hope that Eunjey will enter a post of his own describing his experience helping out here shortly before his stay ends.
Look out for more of his exploits here in the coming days.
Mums still loving it but took time out with the dogs rather than join in the rough and tumble this time.

Huay Tung Taow..When will The Water Stop Rising?

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Sep 062010

After all the hard work on the weekend it was good that we had a dry and sunny Sunday afternoon to head off to Huay Tung Tao and cool off and relax.

The rains have certainly continued to make a difference, with the water being right up to where we normally sit.

As usual the kids had a great time, all in attendance with House Mother, Wasanaa, and even Wispa along to.

An Afternoon in Buak Hard Park, Chiang Mai

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Dec 142009

Friday 11th Nov
Take a day when the schools are closed and House Mother has her day off and you get a day when I can’t get much of my own work done.
Thankfully the kids slept in till nearly 9am, giving me my first lay-in for ages. But then it was up and at it preparing breakfast for the hungry threesome.

xmastree1 As it happened I had a plan to go into Chiang Mai later in the day to purchase a paper guillotine in order to make a proper job of the greetings cards we are producing.

This being the case I figured it work work well to take the children in to town as well and take them to Buak Hard Park for a couple of hours.

So a deal was struck where I gave them some more card designs to work on quietly in the house if they wanted, whilst I got a little admin stuff done, or else they could play outside and not worry about having to be quiet.

I could have guessed the result.
draw (Custom) They elected to do more drawing with Boon.

Somboon has always been a keen sketcher himself and he loves to pass on hints as to how the children can improve their skills.

It has been a delight to see how well Boon connects with the kids and how they are keen tolisten to his instruction.

I think he calls on his days as a Novice Monk and uses methods used by the elder Monks on him.

dk (Custom) So after lunch, ably produced by Somboon, we headed into town and to DK Book store where I got my paper cutter, envelopes and a few more accessories to enhance future designs for the cards.

That done it was off to Buak Hard Park as promised.

This is a lovely spot on the bottom left hand corner of the Old City that, as well as a sports courtyard and large ponds, has a walking path all the way around and a childrens play area at the far left side of the park.
bkhard22 (Custom) This may well become another regular as if affords a safe play time for the kids whilst the adults can watch from a distance and get some relaxation time.
I was most impressed with how well Jack made friends with other boys there.