My Daily Routine at Pun Pun,

I have developed a somewhat regular and yet always new routine here at Pun Pun. Breakfast is at 8 am, and is usually something I would never think to eat for breakfast, but am now used to and enjoy. Examples would be rice soup, barley and mung beans with soy milk, fried rice, last night's dinner and so on. At 9 am the community work starts. Everyone is expected to help out in some way. I have alternated between building with adobe and working in the garden planting and weeding. I have also helped prepare lunch, which is between noon and 12:30 pm. Before lunch I usually jump in the pond with all my clothes on, to wash off my muddy, sweaty stuff and self. Lunch is always delicious and the buffet table always starts with a big pot of brown rice. After lunch is siestaand then the afternoon is unstructured, so I have time to read, or help my buddy Pop with seed saving, anything that doesn't involve being in the sun too much, since the afternoons are extremely hot (between 30 and 40 celcius). 4:30 is watering time, so whoever isn't doing anything important grabs a watering can and we douse all the beds. Recently we have started installing a watering system similar to driplines, but it will take some time before everyhing is set up. I have often used that time to get some more building done instead, since the temperature is pleasant again by that time of day. Another jump in the pond is necessary after building with mud, followed by a solar hot shower before dinner. At 6:30 the bell rings for the last time of the day to announce another wonderful meal of brown rice and tasty soups and salads. In the evenings I either just read, or hang out some and then read. I dream about building an earthen house and wonder what life has in store for me. I use the internet briefly at the neighboring hippie farm run by a group of non-thai volunteers following permaculture principles.

Today was a special day. Even though yesterday was my birthday it felt like it was today. I weeded and jumped in the pond, so far on track for a normal day. Then after lunch we got into serious baking mode. I made bread dough, Justin made pizza dough and the baker, Yao, made chocolate cake, bread and pumpkin pie. I also harvested tomatoes and squeezed out the seeds to save them. I fixed the wobbly table that has been bothering me since I got here and we fired up the home made pizza oven. Glorious pizza kept sliding in and out of the ovens mouth and at the end I got to bake my bread the way bread was always meant to be baked. After dinner the lights went out and the chocolate cake made its appearance briefly before being distributed among 20 politely eager adults and a pair of surprisingly restrained kids. This was not just any chocolate cake. The cocoa mass came fom Nate, one of the community members from the states who also owns some land in bolivia where he grew, harvested and processed the cocoa. Talk about fair trade, I help him build a coffee shop, he gives me the best cocoa I have ever tasted to use in an oozing rich cake. The wonder of the moment was enhanced by it's rarity in Thailand.

Now I'm wondering how I can find a way to build a sod roof on my nonexistent earthen home built on land I can't even conceive of in a country yet to be determined with money that I don't yet have. So if you want to give me a birthday present, find me a plot of beautiful land that your buddy wouldn't mind me building on without a permit.

Love to all

P.S: I think the hot season is officially starting.