GreasyFingers

But still in love.

Are you thinking of moving from your beloved America?

But she is only PM because of her father so she did not need to learn diplomatic skills, apart from knowing when to run.

Yes mate, the problem is we do not know what the baht will do when things hit the fan. Most of my money is in cash (missed the rise in silver even when I thought it was undervalued V gold) but do have enough gold to survive as long as I don't live too long. My problem is the wife will rely on the cash that is left plus some real estate after i am gone. If the food prices stay low she will survive but not if they go to the wests' levels..

Damn the cool season. All of the tourists from hot Bangkok will be arriving soon (actually they have started aleady).

You were lucky the lavatory outlet was at the correct distance from the wall 300-305mm. Our handyman replaced two old bowls and the outlets were at the wrong distance so he had to butcher the old outlet and do a makeshift connection. 67 yo was a long time ago.

I was really referring to our local area. The BIL is a licenced electrician so knows all of the people who work in trades around here. He cannot recommend anyone who is a trained plumber so we have to put up with the handyman.

Thanks for that information. Do you think they will come to Khao Kho to fit a tap correctly. How much do you think they will charge.

As far as I can gather from experience here that there are no "plumbers", only handymen that think (that is too strong a word) they know what they are doing. An extension 4 years ago still has problems in the new bathrooms. A recent upgrade of the original bathrooms led to water leaks in the wall (though this was probably due to the original construction) and a new vanity that is not secured to the wall so moves if I lean on it, and the tap (faucet for the Americans) twists when turning off and on. In younger times I would have fixed all these things myself but as you noted the body is not what it used to be.

No way would I return to work or anything on a permanent basis. Having settled up here in a semi-rural area I would hate to be committed to working for someone else. With 2 rai to look after there is always things to be done but the energy levels are not what they used to be so they get done on a most needs basis. The lack of energy also leads to lack of motivation to do anything outside the property or even go anywhere. Even though the wife is much younger she is starting to have the same attitude. However she does have family and friends that interrupt her mini farming lifestyle. As to contributing skills to the community it is difficult to find a Thai that wants to learn and not do it their way.

We have a 2015 Avanza and the first class insurance is only 200,000 so the price seems a bit high. However a good car with 140,000km on the clock.

Similar to my FIL. Son wanted to come and stay with him for a couple of nights. Fortunately my wife is smart enough to hold his ATM card so her brother will get nothing.

If she has a welfare card she should have received it already. The FIL (no phone) and other family members did.

AI: Artificial Information

It is the peak of wet season in the north, nothing special.