Jae Gan

Jae Gan, the word for flower pot. That's my new word today. The neighbor brought over a huge bunch of beautiful tropical flowers. She is decorating her shop for the Ngaan Khun Baan May, the party for the opening of her new shop. They are busy scrubbing and preparing shellfish, horsecrabs, big silver fish and all kinds of delicacies for the Buddhist monks that will come and chant to bless her new store. She is setting up chairs and tables for the dinner she will invite the whole shophouse block over for. My friend Eew warned me not to refuse if invited to come to dinner. It would be disrespectful, she is our neighbor and her husband has a high position in the government, too. I have a gift ready for tomorrow. Flower arrangements seem to be the norm, but since she is opening a flower shop I'm sure she would prefer something else. So I have a big basket with goodies, a favorite to give at the New Year. I'll have Eew inspect it first, though. Everything must be done carefully, as we've learned through the years. The more status a person has, the more careful you are supposed to be. Tomorrow night will be a night of blasting music, I just hope it won't also be a big drunken fiasco like it was a few doors down last month. That was awful. Kennedy went to go ask if they could turn down the music a little, it was shaking our shophouse, and all the dancing drunk men saw him coming & got all excited. They wanted him to come drink and dance, too! He gave it up and came back. We just let the music and DJ vibrate our house until they were done. I doubt the respectable flowershop lady will do the same. I hope.