voulez vous

How long before that super-fast train start whizzing the farmers from Nong Khai to Pattaya in under an hour? Surely one of the great things about Thailand is the incompetence. They are behind the curve on many things. But it's what makes it so appealing for many to be here.

I'm not so familiar with Pattaya. Were the pumps actually turned on and working? Are the electrics under water and tripped?

Putting in bigger drainage pipes sounds like a good idea. But do the pipes run down hill? If not then the water needs to go somewhere and be pumped out to somewhere or other. Perhaps to the sea.

Indeed! But a look at the nature of fats and protein will unravel some interesting truths. The snail moves slowly. It's muscles are mostly slow-twitch in nature. Not 100% because it has to have the ability to pull its head into its shell quite quickly. The frog, on the other hand, is full of fast-twitch fibres, I'm not sure ifs that's fast-twitch 'a' or fast-twitch 'b' fibrils. But the tongue of the frog is almost 100% fast-twitch, as are its legs. Anyway, the ideal diet is a combination of all the different foods that nature has to offer. Snails, frogs, insects and of course fish and birds. Throw in a few vegetables, fruit and fungi, and there's a good eating plan available for anyone. We French are very food conscious. A meal can last hours and can be romantic. So we don't rush, and that helps keep the kiloes off.

Looks more than cigarette butts and a dead rat problem to me. Why don't they sort it out? Put in a bit of drainage and invest in some water pumps. Or could it be that the area is a bit low?

We French do not simply indulge in basic practices. That's not to say we do not make love. But for us the romance and the anticipation is the important thing. I have often gave my lady a stroke - that is a light finger-tip stroke all over - in the evening and by dawn she has fallen asleep. It's not as the Americans would have us believe all about climaxes. No! The secret is to keep the lady yearning and longing in anticipation. It's what sets us aside from the others. There is also the food element. Food is an important aspect of romance. Put food on the plate and enjoy. Lick the plate clean so to speak. That is why we eat a cheese-burger with a knife and fork. Seductivity. Look into her eyes as the food is carved. What is romantic about taking a giant bite of a hot dog, with the mustard slopping down your shirt? Thai PM Chan-o-cha was very impressed when he visited France a couple of years back. "So clean" he said. Monsieur Owl tells me that there is a big difference in Thailand. since his visit. Plastic bags are as good as gone. French influence!

Some natural fat is fine. Not cooked in oil. Steamed or braized. A kilo of best snails; a few clothes of garlic, one big onion. Dice it all up and spread on a French loaf. Women will love it.

Try the French diet. Natural food like onions, olives, dates,figs and garlic. If you feel the yearning for meat then snails and frogs are fine. Eating big animals like pigs and cows will be outlawed soon. Milk is also due to be eliminated. Cow's milk at least.

In France we have almost all districts under some sort of water control. The world weather is changing. We humans must adapt. Europe is under stress due to differing factors. A mild winter across all of Europe would help. Many of France's nuclear power stations have been ordered to 'fire up'. What could go wrong there? Monsieur Owl said to watch the Detectorists. I tried to watch it but couldn't see any humour and it was very short on romance. Not for me. I prefer French Foreign Legion films. Although not a French film; Beau Geste shows the French to be tenacious and uplifting. A more recent film is Down By Love. Very romantic and suspense filled. Of course the French have left their mark on many countries. In your area Laos is one. Producers of fine French style wine and bread. And England has adopted so many of our words.. Réservoir being just one of many commonly used French words. Have to bee off now. I am going to give Zia a finger-tip massage/stroke. I did promise her one this morning. So, au revior.

Hello farangsters. Vous at your service. Will sent Monsieur Owl's email as soon as I've finished cooking a special treat for Zia. Her farther was French and her mother Algerian. She is so nice. Hairy on the lower leg and her back. But just like all red-blooded French men, I like natural. She is waiting for me in the bedroom. I'm cooking a specialty of mine. A mix of snail, onion and garlic. With a little French red wine as a source. We French have to continually show the world that we are the leaders in certain important things; cooking/chefing, loving/romancing and football. Could put dressing into that also, but wouldn't want to upset my Italian friends. Anyway that's the food sorted. I'm off back to the bedroom to put some food into Zia's mouth. She loves to be pampered. And I am an expert at making ze woman feel so good. So it's au revior from me, and I'll send over Monsieur Owl's email. ========================== Owl Log - 04-09-2022 - Sunday morning. I'm on holiday for a while. Fortunately Vous will help me out until I'm back. Some bad news about my home country. To be more specific, the area around Cirencester. The three springs that form the source of the great River Thames in the area have dried up. My friend John Rogers reckons it's a good 15 km downstream before there is enough water to launch a canoe. Some blame it on the weather, but John is sure its due to excessive water extraction from boreholes. Whichever one is responsible It's worrying. That venture opposite us seems to have been abandoned. Never found out what was going on. Was it catfish? Or plants? Anyway it's gone. Measured up the fattest tree in number four farm. In the ground 2 years 3 months. Measured in at 46cm. There is another one about 100 metres further back that is a cracker also. Measured that one yesterday at 44cm. Getting approaches about the cutting about once a month. Mrs Owl wants to buy an electric Nissan car when we do our first euca cut. Only 500k she tells me. We are keeping an eye on euca prices, but I reckon it will be two years before we can think seiously of the car. Had our first load of cassava waste delivered in the week. 19 tonnes. There is another load to come. I'm thinking that we will be able to give each oil palm 40 kg of waste. There is also got 15 sacks of 46-0-0 to be delivered. The plan is to sprinkle the Nitrogen granules around each tree and cover then straight up with the cassava. That will stop any Vaporization; or a good deal of it. I've got 200 sacks ready to be filled. I'm continually impressing on Mrs Owl, that what we do now will bear fruit 18 months down the road. Getting a steady good yield from oil palm is a long process. The most important factors in getting a successful yield are consistent rainfall, sunshine and good healthy soil. I'm looking at some loads of sugar waste next year. And plenty of it. But that's 6 months time. The Mother-in-law (Mrs Owl's mother) had been complaining about her TV. so it was hand in pocket time once again. Only 800 baht. Everything is OK now. Found some wires in Ban Dung that had fallen. Look like they had been that way for some time. Don't think they were live wires, but all the same, not good to let them droop onto the floor. Sent away for a flash drive last week. I checked the price of an 128gig in Big C on the last visit. I was horrified to see the price; 475 baht!!!! What? Ordered one on Lazada. 148 baht; including P&P and delivery. Gave the delivery man 12 baht tip so that was 160 baht. Already transferred 2000 images over. A bit slow. But I didn't necessarily need fast data transfer. Just reliable storage. But it got me thinking. How can this stuff be so cheap? Yesterday's model perhaps. The farm next to us built a lovely bird house. Lovely. and they have put pots of food in there for our feathered friends. That Buddha wall is finished. Just wants a lick of paint. TBH I couldn't be bothered to get out of the pick-up for the pic. Not that Mrs Owl throwing eye-daggers at me, for stopping for a few seconds, had anything to do it. I'm less bothered about eye-daggers. It's the real ones that worry me with the Mrs. What a row! Moo, moo moo. Moo, moo moo. Went on for 10 minutes. I had to go see what the problem was. This little cow had got itself trapped in the veggie garden; just two houses along from us. It wasn't the calf that was making the racket. Mum was at the roadside calling junior to get out. The owner was soon on the scene to sort things out. Seeing more of the little cats on the farm road. Thought there was three, but no; four!! Gave them a bit of cat-biscuit. Getting more and more busy at the bus stop in the mornings. Bus takes about 40 kids. All go to different schools in Ban Dung. The bike kids are off to the local school about 1km away. Footy round-up. Lucky Chelsea and Liverpool do it again. Are these refs on the Lao Khow? And that VAR! Been hacked! Owls get turned over and the 'O's go marching on. Roller coaster for any Peacock supporters. Had to go to the Land Office in Ban Dung on Friday. I was the only one in there not wearing a mask. No one said anything to me though. Have to fix up a rail in the kitchen for the Mrs later. Wants to hang up her pots and pans. Bought a ball in the 20 baht shop to give to the twins. Went along to get Mildred from the bus Friday evening and chucked it into their compound. Anyone been watching the Detectorists? I've watched all three series. Great theme song too. Filmed in northern Essex and Suffolk. My old fishing haunts. Kadilo, ex-member and Iron's fan, knew this area too. Listening to the song makes me yearn for Essex. Don't suppose I'll ever see the sunrise over Hainault Lake again. Or throw a stone at the bottles bobbing along in the Thames behind Barking Power Station. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

He is unavailable for a while. But he will will be back later this month. 'Get to the chopper' as Monsieur Arnie might say.

Monsieur Owl will be pleased to hear that. He likes a game or two of chess. Had an email from him earlier. I'm a little busy with the ladies at the moment I told him, but I'll try to help..