We Started Out Early,

to pick up Slim Jim,

 then it was off to Makro to buy some food and cleaning bits and pieces for the Mercy Centre, we were joined by Fred the organiser of the centre plus full time helper Lhen Lhen,(who was a bit shy to be photographed) and another helper,

 back of the pick up loaded up with meat and fresh vegetables,

then we were off on the new highway 7 to the Mercy Centre's new home, the difference being this land now belongs to the Mercy Centre unlike the previous location, for information on how to get there it is best to phone,

 all of the buildings are new, 

 the plot of land is huge,

 there are plans for other buildings in the pipe line,

 all of the play things have been brought along from the old premises,

with new play areas already mapped out,

also needed as well as donations of money and goods, are volunteers who are also a great help to the running and maintenance of the home,

it was now time to start unloading the truck,

many hands make light work, this year Slim Jim thought it would be a good idea to split the purchases into two, so with his donation he bough 6 electric keyboards, a guitar and a huge load of small toys for the kids Christmas presents,

Diana and myself spent our donation on stocking the freezer, fresh food and cleaning goods,

 I bet I know which donations the kids will prefer!

Fred then took us on a tour of the new home, the day room, it was a shame for us that the kids were not there, it just so happened that they were enjoying themselves at a pre Christmas party, but then the musical instruments that Slim Jim had bought would not have been a surprise on Christmas morning,

 the main entrance hall,

 the office,

 one of the dormitories,

 bathroom for the small and big kids,

kitchen area, Fred has many more plans for the development of the home, as we were there the entrance from the road was being concreted and a well for fresh water dug, we wished Fred and his helpers a fond good bye a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, their web site is http://mercypattaya.com/ if you wish to make donations of money, goods or time, we all wish them well,

then back to Slim Jim's, for a coffee and a chat, 

Slim Jim's spirit house, he very kindly gave us amongst other things some Christmas lights, we had see some in Amorn, the store in the basement at TukCom but were 359 baht or more, but he had paid just 59 baht for his,

when we returned it was of to Amorn to buy some, sure enough before we must have been looking in the wrong place, there they were for 69 baht, up 10 baht, so we bought two sets so we could use those and return Jim's next time we see him,

then it was time for me to fight with the tree again, it has grow so much this year I could not reach the top,

 all too soon the afternoon had slipped past, so it was glad rags on,

the lights on the tree actually worked!

 and off to China Garden,

 we were joined by Mr. Tony,

 'Cheers!', from all of us,

the kitchen was very busy, when we first called here I was a little worried that they would not be enough customers, but a year or so on there was hardly a spare table to be seen,

 we started with a crispy duck with pancakes, followed by a selection of starters, finishing with mixed chow mien and prawns served with crispy beansprouts,

 Diana looking as lovely as ever,

then time to head home, the meal with lots of wine came to about 600 baht each, roughly £12 a head, great food, service and company,

 and on getting home the lights on the tree were still working! wonders will never cease,

we spent so long in the restaurant it was more than quite late when we returned, so just one DVD for this evening/morning Africa, The Serengeti, the film covers the movements of herds of a million wildebeest, as some six million hooves pound the open plains, with more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing, stunning image's, then for us off to bed.