By Dick McKenzie
January 24, 2006
Well, our “Christening” for our new house is over and it was a smashing success. Only minor damage. Dung put a vase of artificial flowers on a window sill in a guest room, above a glass top chest. The wind blew a curtain over it and it fell, smashing the vase and the top. These things are so cheap here and so easy to get, that you just don’t worry about it.
We had about 50 guests and I only fell asleep once when the pastor was praying. Unfortunately, I was sitting right in front of him and I was still asleep when everybody stood to pray. I felt my brother-in-law, Tin, gently nudge me to wake me up. Usually at a Vietnamese social event every one arrives late. They started coming a half hour early because they wanted to see the house.
Dung arranged for a caterer, who supplied the food and soft drinks (no alcohol at Protestant events) the tables and stools and eating supplies for 50 people, for 3.5 million dong, about $210. The food was delicious.
Then, we had our second “new house” event. Our swimming friends asked Dung if we could have a party at our house. They would chip in for the food and bring the beer. There were 10 people including our American friend Rob, who I invited to have someone to talk to. It, too, was a huge success.
We’ve also had two visits from the police. At the first, a local captain shook Dung down for 100,000 dong, about six dollars, to “insure good relations with the neighbors”. At the second, a policeman asked for money for security for the neighborhood. The amounts are ludicrously small so it isn't a problem, except as a concept!
Dung has done a lot of planting for the new house. She’s got huge plants in the waterfall pond, which she says are a variety of lotus. One blossom just opened and it is spectacular. She has smaller things in the front pond and plants and flowers everywhere, inside in pots and outside in pots and in the ground.
We are now planning our house warming. We are inviting over 100 people so we want simple things that don’t necessarily have to be served hot. We will probably hold it around February 20th, just after my 71st birthday.
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