owl sees all

Of course not CL. Some might think I'm of neanderthal, or cave man, mentality. But no! I've been there with that 'in touch with his feminine side', and it didn't work for me. No! In fact I was unhappy about it. But I expect a lady to be tough too. I'll show her once, and if they can't do it after that, then too bad. Especially when I took a new bird fishing, and she wanted me to put the maggots on the hook for her. I'll show her the once, but after that; well!! I'm not suggesting that we go out and whack a lady with a club, and drag her off to a cave. But there is a lot to be said for cutting the sarnie across, instead of that corner to corner namby-pamby nonsense. What I don't like is that kissing and hugging by footballers when their team scores a goal. Then tears when they lose. Mrs Owl is calling me. Finish this rant later.

Of course, when one is married, one has to compromise a bit. I usually have a little of a 20 Baht note sticking out of my top pocket. Mrs Owl often comes around to my way of thinking once she notices it. We all have to compromise. It's an acquired art for a married guy; especially in Thailand.

Beckham types! Oh, he is so much in touch with his feminine side. He wears my undies. Air con. Sarnies cut corner to corner. Hair spray. Umbrellas. Creases in trousers. Cups. Hair clips. Shaving armpits. Nivea for men. Using a fork upside down. Soldiers to eat boiled eggs. Wearing knee pads in bed. Footballers jumping on each other's backs. Fox hunting. Sleeping with a dog. Using tissues to blow nose; then throwing them away. Putting plastic flowers in pots in the home. Ducks on the wall. Writing a letter on lined paper. Tattooing eyebrows. The list goes on and on. Where's my club Mrs Owl?

It was yourself that gave me the impetus to order the units. Just 74 Baht each! Been looking at the LEDs on the internet; very interesting too. Sun's out.

Just a snippet to add to the last Owl Log. Got the other light up and running. The first pic is without the green diffuser. Then the green circle placed in. Mrs Owl says "much better", but where are my ear-phones that you ordered from Japan? "You are useless Farang. Next time I will get in Big C. Too slow delivery." Fan working silently away. Beats air-con any day of the week.

Owl Log - 11-10-2021 - Monday morning Lion Rock on its way. Better get my brolly fixed. No! That's a joke. I wouldn't use a brolly if I was paid. I like the sun and the rain. Umbrellas are for David Beckham types. Happy, the dog from the farm next door, is gradually taking to us. He lets Mildred stroke him. Keeps his distance from me though. Thanks to one of our regular posters, and quick service by Lazada, I sorted out one of the two kaput lights yesterday. Just 74 Baht each. With packing and a 20 Baht tip to the delivery man; 200 Baht all told. Gonna fix up the other one today. It had some little magnets on the underside. So very easy to fit up. BUT!!!! Mrs Owl said it was too bright. Easily fixed. Have to keep her on-side. And the finished job. At the farm Chelsea and Grandma paid a visit. That's not Charkie back from the dead.No! It's a new cat; Beauty. Someone had left it at the farm. It had been well looked after and liked to be stroked. But it didn't end well. Took Beauty home and gave her some grub. She made friends with Jack and we celebrated the addition to the family. Next day (Saturday) she was nowhere to be seen. Now Monday morning and still no sign of her. Showed her pic on the mobile to a few people and said there was a substantial reward on offer. No news as yet. The coconut tree by pond one is looking good. Mrs Owl says next month. Mildred's lilly has blossomed in its new home. The lilly flowers in pond seven are showing promise, but have not yet done the biz. Poom and his cousin were at their farm. It's right next door. I've just remembered that they installed a solar panel a couple of years ago. I'll see if they are running their water pump off it. Some lovely skies at the week end. Is there a better place to live than Isaan in these troubled times?! I stopped the pick-up and did a short video. vid sky at dusk.mp4 Well done England and Tyson Fury. I listened too the fight live. Sounded like a real cracker. Hats off to Wilder too. Sounded as though he took a whacking and still had it in him to floor Fury. I'll have a look on YouTube for a vid of the fight later today. Talking of fighting, one of my footy heroes Mark Lazarus, originally from South London, settled in Romford (Essex). Well, he took up the invitation to fight Colombo on the same bill as Ron Redrup (whose bruising fight with Cliff Field can be found on YT). I had a long chat with Mark after the fight, and he said that he took the fight with just a few days notice. A fascinating character. In fact his whole family is interesting. Unfortunately he didn't see eye to eye with another one of my heroes; Stan Cullis, when he went to Wolves. Just had the teeniest of showers. Enough to stop a game of cricket? Not in Dagenham! I think this is Mildred's last week of 'Zoom' teaching. If so then it's a month off soon. I've already discussed with her about doing some work with me on the English and Maths fronts. And a game or two of chess; naturally. If not completely bowled over at the prospect; she said OK. That young lady Knows what side her bread's buttered already. Bought another Hatari wall fan last time in Ban Dung. Not stopped yet! Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

Lion Rock?!? More like Lion Pussy Cat.

Great pics Rick. The water table in our farm is low; very low. Checked it yesterday and water is six metres down. I'm having second thoughts about the solar pump now. If it's six metres now - when it should be at its highest - what's it gonna be after four months without rain? How deep can the water table be and a solar deep-well pump still function? Regarding Barking and Ilford. Do have a butchers at John Rogers vid of the area.

No chance of rain until well into next week. If we get rain heavy enough to stop a game of cricket I'll eat my,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!

Good news fellow posters. A storm is on its way. Bringing with it RAIN. It should be in our area on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Could this be what we have been waiting for?

To be honest Rick, the larger of the ponds is a lake! Ah yes! Overstocking! A Thai pastime. When I first dug out our ponds, 13 years ago, I also had the stocking planned out. I ordered 5,000 fast growing pla nin (talapia) from Nam Sai. Put 1,000 in each of the first five ponds. The other three ponds were gonna be for different fish. The were growing very well. One day when I went to feed them, I noticed that in a couple of ponds there were a lot of tiddlers. I spoke to the Mrs about it, and it turned out that a pick-up with small fish, selling from the back, had happened to pass. Of course the guy said there were not enough fish in the ponds and persuaded Mrs Owl to buy 3000. She put 1,000 in each of the first three ponds. Fortunately the original fish carried on growing with only a little difference between the ponds that had the tiddlers added and the others. When the three ponds were drained there were all sorts in there; including some small commons. I said that they were free for any helpers that wanted them. The Mrs didn't like that much but I got my way. Had a similar event with the eucalyptus tree that were planted last year. The supplier said that 1.5 metres was the best distance apart for maximum yield. I said 2.5 metres. We settled at 2 metres. I've not seen a euca farm planted at 1.5 metres that has done well. I used to fish at South Park in Ilford many years ago. Might have chatted to your daughter Rick, as she walked her dog. Small world! Remember the river boat at Baring Park; and the steam train?

Wish you were there!

Always been one to give it a go. Ready to fit a solar deep water well. Keeping an eye on the water table. How is your huge water tank HP? Filled up yet?

Checked on lazada. Have just what I need. Not expensive. Ordered two. Thanks guys.

Welcome. Any contributions that keep in with the very broad areas of discussion are appreciated. What are your fish Rick?

Just in from farm. Had to feed the fish and chickens. That sounds interesting GT. There is a cover that goes underneath. I'll watch the video now.

Owl Log - 07-10-2021 - Thursday afternoon Me and Mildred went and had a butchers at the small euca farm near us. Their trees are a different variety to ours. According to Mrs Owl they are faster growing but not quite so dense and therefore lighter. The are well into their second year now. Found the biggest. Weighed in at 44cms. Mildred and her friends have been making really useful things from drinking straws. What artistry! What imagination! And to think that these straws would usually be making Thailand untidy. Think Cha cha should take note. He likes to see things clean and tidy. I'll ask Mildred to get a couple of pics of her friend's efforts. I'm informed that there are two different ways of connecting up the straws. One is to squeeze the end and slip it into the other end; then put a fold in it so it can't pull out. The other way is to simply push one end into the other; wetting it first of course. Mildred wants to do me a nice belt next. I am a little baffled by the guy opposite to us. He has recently put up a mesh fence to stop his fish escaping. But there is hardly any water in the pond! He must have something in mind. I'll keep watch. More action in the other farm. Don't know where they are getting their water from. Rain has ended for the year. Must have a deep water well somewhere. There is no pond. No idea what he is growing. Mrs Owl drinks about 2 litres of the chlorophyll water a day. Had to send off for more. Potted both avocadoes. I had a feeling that the larger or the two wouldn't take. And so it proved to be. It's root had not developed enough. The smaller one is doing great though. The light in the lounge went out. New starter-motor couldn't help. So next time in town it's trip to the leccy light-fitting shop. Wouldn't be an Owl Log without a couple of pics of the wonderful skies we get. Happy is growing in confidence. As soon as the chickens come over for their grub he arrives. The lillies have doubled their pad numbers in just a month. There are quite a few ready to blossom. That will be so nice. I want to see the pond filled with pads. Poom and his younger cousin came over to help us feed the fish yesterday. Had a major row in Ban Dung in the week. We went to pay the percent on the gold the Mrs had hocked. Last time I paid two months off; 1,000 baht. This time I wanted to pay off just one month. The gold man wanted 560 baht. I wouldn't pay it, and asked for a reason why the price hike.He kept showing me the figure on the calculator. It got a little heated and I walked away. The Mrs paid up. On the way home the row kept simmering. "He was trying to cheat us teerak." She couldn't keep the pretense up any longer. "I took another 3,000 baht to give to Nan before she went to Pattaya." It all then fell into place. "Why didn't you tell me in the shop?" Thailand; land of secrets! Just paid 1,000 baht for the washing machine. None of this stuff, gold, furnishings or washing machine is mine, yet I pay up with a smile. Went ito Ting's shop to get some reishi. She wasn't there! Gutted!!! Went past Nan's old house on the 2022. The new people - who are renting the property - were at work fixing up motor-bikes. Good for them. The villagers are gradually getting their jabs. Only two families on our soi not done yet. Us and Guy's lot. That's it for the rain this year. Two very poor years on the turn. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

To educate man best go through his balls first.

Fancy a change of toothpaste?

We got a confirmed case in our village this afternoon. Whatever that means?! Symptoms, or a PCR test, or doctor's pronouncement; just don't know. Don't really want to know. Just try to keep my head down for a while. Have to go to Ban Dung for supplies in the week. Lots of little things to get as well as food. Also pay the leccy.

Last time in Ban Dung, half the shops had closed. That must have been because of the covid scare. Some of our villagers have had the jab. Not so many down our soi.

Owl Log - 01-10-2021 - Friday afternoon Not been to Ban Dung for over a week. Every day is spent in the village or at the farm. Just wonderful. Have to share some of the lovely pics of the area and clouds. Sun has just retired for the evening. Looking North East towards the VOA compound. At night can see the flashing lights from all of the transmitters. Going up the hill towards the village. The dog from one of the adjoining farms comes over when we feed the chickens. We have named him 'Happy'. Sometimes there is a bit of something he likes. If not, Mildred gives him a bit of fish food. We have a great harvest of this small green fruit at the farm. Has to be licked and dipped into salt. Called 'star gooseberry'. Loaded with vitamin C. But very bitter. Might make good wine. Thinking of putting a couple of handfuls; sliced up, into my next brew of reishi. Farm one to the right and four to the left. The road is 280 metres long. Built in 2008. I'm always keeping it in good order. There are a couple of small repairs needed now. I'll check on the price of a pick-up load of stone. Mrs Owl found a fruit from a tree that was growing without help. Just the one. A tree along the main road to the village has decided to do its thing. Quite unusual. Gonna just leave it. Been putting up signs. Well not me or Mildred, but the guy harvesting the nuts. Two signs. And for those that don't understand Thai. It says ""Do not take worms. Fine 5,000 Baht a worm."" I said to the Mrs, ""Let them take the worms and we'll pocket the fines."" My input not appreciated one little bit. That washing machine is causing some contention. I want it moved to the MinL's house. She has tons of room. Instead it's another bit of junk we can do without. And to think I'm paying for it. Just not enough room. Must get a bigger house. Another win for the Irons last night. If we don't get top 4, then we can crash the Champions League by winning the Europa Cup. Exciting times ahead for the team and supporters. Orient looking good too. Have not seen the sun yet today. But no rain. Going to Ban Dung on Tuesday next. Have to get a couple of starter motors for the lounge lights. Both are flashing away. If I take out the starters as soon as the lights come on, they are then OK. Probably get them at the 20 Baht shop. The sound is giving problems on the computer. The audio card is fine, but when I plug in the headset; nothing! I think the wire has come adrift from the female sound jack on the side. Have to take it apart to see. Sure it's something simple. Still writing the chapters of my book. Completed 22 to date. Two of the shrimps have died in Mildred's blue tank. Mildred and her friends are collecting used plastic drinking straws. They are making costume jewellery and belts. What a great way to help save the planet from the plastic menace!? Pics next Owl Log. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

Not yet. Had a shower in the night. Lasted for 20 minutes or so. I'm being totally selfish. Only want rain to fill the ponds.