My Christmas letter of 2008!

I came back to Bangkok this morning after long holiday! Gain 2.2 lbs. Great Holiday? My sincerely answered will be.... part of it is good and part of it is suck! The following letter was a Christmas letter for 2008 to all my good friends. I decided to blog it! Please enjoy.

My very good freind Helen Howard siad,

":It's one of the BEST Christmas letters I've read, Helen. It'd right from your heart, just the way you feel. You have helped me, Helen, in this time of my sorrow. Your strong, certain religious faith has helped to strengthen mine. Your "joy of life" is contagious.No wonder your shrimp farmer fell in love with you. Thank you. Another Helen"


Date: Sunday, December 14, 2008, 10:45 PM
Dear every one,

A Very Merry Christmas from the McIntoshes, Bangkok! I hope you do not mind that I did not wish Happy Holiday instead I wish to say "Merry Christmas"!!. For me indeed this is a Christmas Season like it or not it's coming! Hope and wish you all are in good health, good wealth, good spirit, be with family, friends and some one you love. I sent this out early because I am leaving soon for holiday. Planning to go all over.

I am sorry to send this email instead of proper Christmas Cards to you all. Santa said this way is much faster and he will have to do less job (one of my excuses??). Anyway by the blessing of Christ we are doing well.

Shan McIntosh: Shan, my son is doing good at Tennis and Computer only. He is one happy child without so much fuss even hormone kick in so badly. He is now 13 years old. Thanks God for he is good looking and not ugly too. His education??? hummm lets see..... Last 2 weeks ago we went to parent and teachers meeting. I requested to see all his teachers because I was not happy with his report card. It came home with like 4 B and 6 C. There was not an A for the first time of his schooling life. I was mad but my madness was under control (I was so proud of myself that I was controlling my anger so well. Normally I will cry or scream). I do take seriously of Shan's education. I normally just watched for the first semester then depend on the report cards I take in control. I already hired a British teacher for his English (can you believe it that a half white boy got C for English? May be writting like his mother??) and Math tutors. Anyway I was prepared for to hear some not good news but surprisingly the head of year 8 said, "I did not see to worry about Shan yet. He is doing fine!" (One of the teacher explained to us that Patana, Shan's school in Bangkok is somehow the education level is a bit higher level than in England for Key Stage 3. Oh I remembered this was Maths teacher who told us. Means if Shan is C in Maths in Patana (British Private School, Bangkok), in England this will be B). I told the head of year 8 teacher that I don't want to worry when I see the "D" which is I do not wish to see. I was very please when all the teachers said..."Shan is a lovely boy, he is very kind to others, well manner, thoughtful and very very quiet and does have lots of friends in class!". I am happy to hear that. Yes, my son is a good kid. No lie and I say that till today he hasn't say any bad language to us.....yet!. Surprisingly his effort was very good in the report card though. That's mean he is not a lazy bone. He tried. Above of all he is well accepted and that's make me happy all the way.

If I say I want my son to become a liver transplant doctor, would you think I am aiming high?? I don't care, I have seen mother who has ugly son still aiming for Hollywood Star. You never know!! (my wish is not for the money ONLY but for the time donation also). If the good God' willing and if Shan is smart, why not! ( for sure he won't be a transplant doctor with his recent report card. He has to study more, actually a lot. I think he should be at least plastic surgery. For sure this will make women happy.) OK, why I wish him to become a transplant doctor or liver GI? Because I wish he could donate his one month or 2 months work times of a year to those who are not so fortunate may be to Burmese or African or Shan people where there are so much liver problems. Sometime I do the thinking that my son has a smart father and a mother who is so loud and clear, he should be US President to say "NO" to all these new high class beggars in US Business World! I hate that 700 Billions Donation Plan. Now comes the latest beggars.....Ford and GM?? Let the people ride the bike.

Robins McIntosh:My beloved husband, Oh yah..... to be honest he is not doing well in his mind because of this bad recession (as everyone suffering right?). Unfortunately his recession came with the slightly depression. Beside this, he is doing alright. Yes he is still with CP and actually not bad at all. He just worried meantime some poor are still dancing and drinking on the street. For the moment he is in China doing the talking. You know, to be honest I am so so thankful to God that he is with job which is well taking care of him and he is in good health. The other day he said.."Very cold in China and who will come and listen my talking?". Actually some shrimp farmers are still making the money in Shrimp business. Last time when he gave the talk in Thailand, I went to see his talked. Very very bored, unattractive subjects and long talk for me but the farmer loved it. I wander do they really think that they should really talk about shrimps that much beside eat that animal?? There are 300 people showed up and one of the farmers was so thankful because he made 10 million Baht (about 300,000 US Dollar) profit!! There were some who make good money in the meeting.

I am sure Robins's investments are cripple or getting cripple who knows!!!. He is for the moment mad at Wachovia Bank, GM, Oil ta ta ta ta ta and his stock broker who even gave him bad suggestions.... By the way those brokers I never trust them. They talk big and talk like they knows every thing. What kind of brain they have to knows the future?? How can they tell you that this company will go up or this will go down?? They talk they know well. Are they ghost?? For me they just sit in the nice office with big belly and make the money jsut doing the bla bla bla bla by the phone. See this .....The other day we got 2 dividend cheques from Thai Stocks, one was 32 Baht (1 Dollar) profit and the other one was 5300 Baht (150 US Dollar) profit. Lets see the rest are still to come!! Looking at the 32 baht (1 Dollar ) profit is a bad joke folks! I can see clearing that this company is heading to down south or stop "Caminar". Well......... to be a positive person, something is better than gone with the wind.

In this time of our life, after marrying Robins to 17 years and if our relationship is getting bad because of due to the depression, I will blame the recession, the bad dividends and the BUSH! (Sound likes blaming every one who I can reached in my mind?). Can't blame Robins who taking care of my insurance which is another blog that I am intend to wirte.

Helen McIntosh: I think I am the only one doing very well and normal. Recession did not bother me at all. Knowing I can't help so I let it pass this recession. My new liver is still with me and working well. I thank you so much to God who has mercy on me and my family. I can't say enough that it is so wonderful to be still with my son. I love him.

This Christmas will be again "No Turkey" but will be with the "Pig" like last year. We are planning to be with that little church at northern part of Thailand. We booked a pig to feed on the Christmas morning. Where ever you are eating the Turkey just remember that some other part of the world there is no Turkey but thank God to have this Pig. I am sure some part of this world also will be eaten Chicken. What ever your are eating Turkey, Pig or Chicken, it is not the point!!! The point is... you and I are with our family and our friends in this special season.

Merry Christmas to you all. May you all be with full of good tidings in this year end 2008 and in the coming year of 2009.

Love,
Helen Layshan McIntosh