End of Buddhist Lent

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Geo: 16.3833, 103.933

I am told that this Thursday is Awk Phansa, the end of the 3 month Buddhist Lent, Monks Rain Retreat, or whatever you cre to call it. Lots of things go on at the village temple this week but the single event that seems to bring everyone together is making large pans of sticky toffee. With this in mind we walk to the temple this morning and make an offering towards the sugar etc that they will need to be buying for the job in hand. When people make offerings at times such as this it is announced over the village PA system so that everyone knows who has given what. Seems a bit unfair to me but ...
After the soaking I gave the back garden last night it is suitable for digging this morning and I get stuck in. Fin comes to stay for the day and helps Jai with some weeding along the side borders whilst I am digging. It is quite cloudy today with a few spots of rain every now and then which means that the soil stays damp which is good. I stop late morning and soak another area which I dig later in the day. Seem to have been at it all day but looking at the results it doesnt look as though I have achieved a great deal.
Brother Yut turns up with a sack of rice for Jai as payment for her work on his farm last week. I think it should have been four sacks but no surprise that she has been underpaid as it happens all of the time with her family and I cant believe that she still does the work. What do I know ... ?

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