Helping or hindering ?

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Geo: 16.3833, 103.933

Bepat left us before 06:00, better or not ... ?
People start to arrive next door to help with the preparations for their wedding before we have had breakfast.
It is a lot cooler again this morning as I bike into Phon Thong to start submitting Jai's visa application. Unfortunately I cant even get a connection to the website for the application so can make no progress. I print off a few things I need and will have to postpone until tomorrow.
Return to Khamnadie to find a small marquee across the road outside our house and people setting out tables and chairs in the street.
Next doors back garden has about 15 women 'helping' to prepare the food for tomorrow. I say 'helping' but apart from sitting around and talking nobody seems to be doing anything.
Roll on Saturday when it will all be over wit andf the bride's father Deu agrees with me and is hiding out at their farm.
John returns from Laos and brings me a large baguette filled with meat pate and salad that we always enjoy in Laos. Something good came from their French days.
As the day progresses more 'helpers' arrive but there still seems to be more eating and drinking than cooking. Jai spends most of the day there and insists that they are busy.
In the evening a karaoke starts up and some cooking actually begins. The beer and whisky also start to flow. The party is at the front of the house but Jai is cooking in the back garden so if I want to go for a beer or three it will be on my own and I cant really face them all.
I take the easy option and retire with a book !
With the karaoke volume cranked up there is no chance of any sleep tonight and midnight finds me sat outside our back door with a coffee. Neighbour Ang spots me and passes over a couple of beers but it is too late now for me to start on my own so I settle for the coffee and bank the beers for later.
The music stops about 2:00 but I am past the point where I can sleep tonight.

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