kandahar

Personally, I think having a monument and guards is over-doing it, but it's his pond. Maybe Jubby could borrow the guards to keep the dogs/in-laws at bay?

I hope he posts some photos too

The photo thing depends on what svenivan sends to me. If it is worthwhile, I'll post it here. However, if the dress thing is sounding good to anyone else out there, PLEASE send a pic to me when you have made a choice of fashion and have the thing properly fitted. I can post the pics here and we can have a kind of fashion run-off to see who can really make it work and who can't.

Of course, I have to disqualify myself from being a judge. I can see no beauty in such things. Maybe the monks got to me and my eyesight already.

svenivan wrote:

1. "Ornamental Garden Pond! I have never heard about that before!"

Yes, as I have already stated, NONE of us have heard of it before. jubby's ears deceive him.

2. "Very interesting! Is it the Garden that is Ornamental or is it the Pond that is Ornamental?"

If I was to build such a thing, which I would only do in order to get jubby off my back about it, I suppose it would be a little bit interesting but not "very interesting".

3. "So Kandahar, is this a very costly operation to start an Ornamental Garden Pond?"

NO operation is costly to start. The Apollo program started with simple piece of paper with a signature on it.

4. "When will it be finished?"

This thing won't be finished until jubby is banned from the forum for posting false information. I have registered many complaints with the mods concerning jubby's unruly behavior but I think they are too busy with the CM bunch to spend time on small fry right now. I'm sure they will eventually get to this case, at which time they will be astounded at his brashness in flouting the rules. So, when they finally take this outlaw down, it will be finished.

5. "Are you going to have the monks to bless your new Ornamental Garden Pond?"

I have no faith in monks blessing anything. You shouldn't either. jubby's wife had jubby blessed by monks and look how he has turned out. It appears to me that a monk's blessing has a better chance of ruining someone's hearing than bringing about good fortune.

6. "And are you going to have an "New Ornamental Garden Pond Warming" ?"

There are hot spings, not too far from my home, that are hot enough to boil an egg. I couldn't top that, so no point in making a mediocre attempt at a heated pond and portraying it as something great when we all know it isn't

7. "And what are we bringing to the "Warming"?"

If you do come, bring money. That is always my favorite gift. In fact, you don't even have to come, Just mail it. The larger the amount, the more highly I will value our friendship.

8. "Live fish? What fish do you prefer? What size and what color?"

What the heck kind of question is this? Would you even consider bringing dead fish to put in a beautiful pond? And if you did, would the size or color even matter?

9. "Shall we bring beer? Food?"

Your previous question has caused me to doubt your judgement. I have concerns about the kind of beer and the type of food that you might show up with. So, again, let's just stick with the money thing. If you're willing to bring dead fish to a pond, who knows what you might choose for other offerings.

10. "Looking forward to the event!"

Better to spend your time looking over your shoulder. You never know when jubby will decide to leave me alone and to come after you instead.

11. "Just give us date and time and we will be there!"

Okay. I have never been much of a matchmaker but since you're asking, I'll have a go. svenivan, jubby will be your date. jubby, svenivan will be your date. Cute couple with great possibilities, especailly if your two can get a monks blessing on the thing.

12. "Thank you!"

No thanks needed

.....

..........

13. "Edit: Is there some special dress for an Ornamental Garden Pond Warming?

Sorry, I am not very updated about dressetiquette..."

I have never seen you in a dress. I really don't need to. I'm kind of embarrassed that you're asking me about this. jubby may have a preference. That is between you and him. Well, maybe the monk would have an opinion, too. Better to ask him and jubby this question. If you do go with the dress, please send a pic in the same envelope that you send the money in. I PROMISE I won't scan it and post it here on the forum. "Ahem."

I didn't say I was having an ornamental garden pond dug. I said I was going to see the Monumental Guards on Phan Dung. We have already returned from that trip. It was a disappointment. Save your baht.

Jubby is still having a bad week but now his hearing is going as well. Ornamental garden pond dug! HA!

I chatted to several people most of whom I warned against getting too familiar with dog, he tends to be timid and snap if liberties are taken.

I enjoyed the day, it was a hard trek for someone as out of practice as me and I walked most of the way with an Australian girl who confessed she was surprised at the difficulty herself.

I only socialised briefly at the end of the hike, I was tired and my wife was sending out search parties as I'd left my phone in the car. The pooch had a great time, he doesn't get off the lead much, the village dogs have marked him down as unfinished business and he's a bit small for fisticuffs.

I'm not sure if I'll make it this weekend, it's further away... I could have almost walked to the last one, and I'm just back from Australia, those international plane flights knock me around a bit these days.

If you were the taller sandy haired guy I thought you may have been kandahar...

Well, the next one is almost a week away. Maybe you will have recovered by then. The next one is very near my house. But I won't walk to it. Maybe we will ride the bikes though.

I'm not the taller, sandy haired guy. But I'm pretty sure I'm always the guy with the most beautiful wife. That makes me easy to find.

We passed you and your friend as we all struggled up a fairly steep, long grade. That must have been about two thirds through the thing.

We didn't address your dog. The wife is afraid of dogs and I usually let the dog make the first move. Your dog was fairly busy checking out the creek as we passed him. Most dogs seem to think they have known me for years. I get along with dogs pretty well.

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

I must have been at the wrong place last month, can't recall meeting any of these.

I introduced my dog to number of people but no one owned up to being a ThaiVisa member.

But then I'm a bit like that myself...

So, that was you with the little dog. I had no idea you were one of the usual suspects. I'll remember this next time, maybe. I don't have much recollection of you on that day but the wife says for sure that she remembers the dog in this pic.

All four of the first mentioned Hashers were there. VF didn't make an appearance. I see that as a fault in him for not showing up but he sees it as something he "did", instead of something he didn't do. He refers to it as a "planned disappearance" instead of a failure to appear. That is just one man's way of looking at life, I guess. We all find different ways to stay sane.

Seems like a cheap plug for the "nice hotel"??

If it is, it is well-deserved, I believe. It is a decent place. I know of several dedicated customers of that hotel. They speak highly of the service there.

I have an in-law who worked there for quite a while. She was impressed with how the place was run and she was impressed by the honesty, efficiency and concern of the owners.

But as for getting the group together, I doubt it will happen, other than the new Expat's monthly meeting, which does seem to have drawn a few of us out of our hiding places. I would suggest to the OP that he attend one of those meetings and see if he meets the kind of people that he hopes to meet. I have not attended but I hear it is an okay gathering. And maybe, they will move their meetings around from place to place, so the local Farang get a better feel for what some of the local hotels offer. I might even show up if my schedule slows down a little.

If the OP doesn't attend the Expat's meeting, then I would advise him to attend the CR Hash House Harriers events. Now that is a fine group of characters, each and every one worth knowing. It typically isn't stressful, it is filled with leisurely walks and fun conversation and there is a short period of refreshments at the conclusion. The real beauty of the Hash is that a participant gets to see, close up, a lot of the countryside that he/she would normally not visit. There is so much beauty outside of the city and the time is well spent. Looking for a good building site for a new home? You will discover several. Looking for a close-up look at Thailand farming and even a question and answer session with some local farmers? You will find that, again and again. And the local country folk we meet are always very pleasant. Mostly, the Hash is a very leisurely social event, where you share a conversation with one or more individuals for a while and then, as paces start to vary because of terrain changes, you find yourself changing conversation partners as well, as you overtake people in front of you or are overtaken by people behind you. The conversations allow plenty of time to make decisions about whether or not you would want to spend more time with those individuals and add them to your "friends" list. The group is a pretty good mix of Farang, representing a variety of countries from around the world.

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.) At the finish "Circle", there is a recap of who's who, who did what and who didn't and, no matter who is in charge, we all get addressed at some point by "Soap". You really haven't experienced being addressed until you have seen "Soap" in action. That alone makes my month. Someone usually brings a dog. Someone usually wears the wrong shoes. Someone usually locks the refreshments in a car and the early finishers have to wait for the key custodian to come wandering in at the rear of the column. Someone usually slips and falls into a creek, down an incline or off of a bamboo bridge. There are a lot of "usually". But the most consistent thing is, I ALWAYS have a nice time, as does my wife. We have met some nice friends through the Hash. If the OP doesn't get a nice group together at Palm Garden, the Hash is a nice alternative, albeit outdoor, option.

Edit:

And a P.S. to the OP. Welcome to CR. I hope to see you around.

I see there is more to appreciate living here in Chiang Rai than I thought. I get a quality haircut and a shave for 50 baht.

I know she sells her breads to quite a few cafes. I also have noticed that the number of Farang tourists in town is down right now. Really down. So, some of her commercial customers probably aren't buying as much as before. She will need to cut back on production if she is to maintain her base of Farang regular customers. Fresh bread sells. Old bread disappoints people.

The BKK turmoil is showing its influence in CR. Too bad for that. CR is pretty much turmoil free. Sorry to see businesses here pay the price.

maybe they've 'rubbed him up the wrong way' once to often and he's finally snapped

Or the right way and he's finally 'sapped".

jubby, it is pretty quiet on here.

How are the in-laws?

Thanks for the informative post, Limbo. Sorry to hear of your friends having those troubles. I hope everyone heals quickly and I hope they have the support they need each day.

The motorcycle crash rate in this area is very noticeable, isn't it? With motorcycles being the number one form of transportation, it makes sense that the crashes occur so often. I walk a lot in this town and while out walking, I have witnessed a great number of motorcycle spills in my short time here. The good news of that is, almost always, the riders can walk away. The speeds in town usually aren't so great as to cause great harm. In my old country, a fatality usually accompanies a motorcycle wreck. Here in CR, almost every Thai man that I know has his share of scars from such crashes but they survived them. Still, we lose a fair share of good citizens every week.

As for the room where Carsten is these days, his situation did improve a couple of days ago. He finally got a bed next to an outer wall. For quite a while, his bed was in the center walkway of the room, along with several other guys. Everyone who walked by his bed had to bump into it and squeeze by. Even now, being close to a wall, he doesn't enjoy any air-conditioning. The large rooms don't have it. He does have a fan that circulates back and forth between himself and the guy next to him. It helps, but he is still hot, specially during these blazing hot daytime temps. It is too bad his countrymen can't visit him in person. A picture shows a lot but a lot is left out of a picture. I think the average person in Denmark would be horrified by a visit to Carsten right now. For us that have grown accustomed to doing without the amenities, it isn't such a shock.

Thanks Kandahar for keeping us all informed. It always seems that it takes a bad situation to highlight the good that people can do. Brian seems to have worked tirelessly to help Carsten.

I'll be in Chiang Rai on the 20th of this month so I'll try and visit if our patients are up for a couple of new faces.

Kandahar, I'll pm you closer the time for details, directions etc. if that's ok?

I can only imagine how hard it must be for both these guys.

Indeed, it is okay to PM for that info.

kandahar

Brian reports some good news today concerning the financial burden facing Carsten. The publicity that Carsten's situation is getting in Denmark has led to enough contributions to cover the debt that Carsten has incurred at the hospital up to now. It has also led to some donors offering to pay for Carsten's children to make the trip to Thailand to see their father one last time. Carsten's children have had to watch from afar as this thing has unfolded, as their financial situations have prevented them from making that trip. There is also presently enough money available to make certain that Carsten can get the care that he needs, in a facility that can provide the care.

Carsten has more options now. I don't know if he will move to another facility. Initially, when the hospital was threatening to throw him out, he was reluctant to move. He has some support from friends here that he knows he will lose if he moves. Now that the financial burden isn't consuming his thoughts, we will see what happens.

He is currently in a room with about 40 other guys, pretty much elbow to elbow with patients and visitors. The good thing about that location is, he does get the attention that he needs from the nursing staff. Those girls stay busy and don't shirk their duty. When he was previously put into a private room, he was obviously a burden to that group of staff. He certainly isn't going to want to go back to that unless a caregiver can be assigned to him. I won't go into a lot of detail about his previous private room fiasco but, suffice to say, ringing for a nurse ONE time during the night turned out to be a bad move on his part. I guess when they say that 800 baht a day will get you a room by yourself, in that wing, on that floor, they mean COMPLETELY and ABSOLUTELY by yourself, with no expectation of any nursing staff being needed. He learned his lesson and tried to get out of bed by himself to visit the toilet the next night. He ended up on the floor next to the bed and stayed there for a while. With that said, I will say that other parts of the hospital seem to operate just as any hospital should and people seem to be well taken care of.

Brian is overwhelmed right now, dealing with phone calls and e-mails from Denmark residents, organizations and media outlets. Lots of people are getting involved and trying to make sure that Carsten can at least retain his dignity during this time. Of all the things that Brian tried to accomplish, that is the one thing that kept driving him to get the story out and get some help for Carsten. With the time difference between here and there, he isn't getting much sleep. Of course, he isn't complaining. He is not a complainer. He is a doer and he is doing. He is a hero to me tonight. He has given all he could give to make this happen. Concerning the amount of time that he has given, some of you will recall that he posted here very recently about his new marriage. Well, the newly-wed thing has been on hold for quite a while now as both he and his wife devoted all of their time to this thing. Financially, he has given all he could, all that she could, and some that they couldn't, to help Carsten with the bills. I hope he uses some of the money to get his own ship righted after forking out all that he has in the last month. I think that is the right thing to do and if he does, I would hope that no person would criticize him for it. I think the right thing to do is shift that burden back to those who have volunteered to help Carsten and can better afford to do so.

The prognosis for Carsten's health hasn't changed. I don't think that it will. The prognosis for receiving the proper care has changed and I had doubts that it would. I like good surprises. I really like the kind of surprises that involve other people seeing a true need and filling it. It is a wonderful planet sometimes.

Brian knows that some of you here in Thailand have offered financial help. He appreciates the offers. At the same time, he knows that most of the ThaiVisa crowd here is retired and getting by on their savings or their fixed pensions. He was very reluctant to take money from anyone who has those financial limitations, knowing that some people would do without and that most of them also support extended Thai families. His hope was that people in Carsten's own country would come to the aid of a fellow citizen and that, of those people, it would be people that could afford to give without leaving themselves short. Brian would rather spend from his pocket and be short of money himself than to have anyone else do the same. So, for those of you who have offered, either through your forum post or a private message to Brian, thank you.

For those of you in Denmark, who have begun following this thread because of the recent media attention, thank you for any donations that you have made. Of the many things a person may donate some hard-earned money to, this one happens to be a worthy cause. It is my understanding that the Thai forum in Denmark, in the Danish language, has been inundated with postings referring to Brian's request for help for Carsten as being possibly fraudulent and even going so far as to suggest that Carsten does not exist. Carsten does exist and his health condition is dire. The financial difficulties have been real. I have been privy to some of the discussion with hospital staff members concerning Carsten's financial shortfalls. Those exist and have figured heavily in the treatment and care, or lack thereof, that Carsten has received. Your financial help will make a difference for Carsten during his final days.

Brian is not a fraud. Brian is an honorable man and it is my pleasure and my honor to know him. He is the kind of man that restores our faith in the goodness of mankind. Don't doubt his intentions or his efforts. Be proud that such a man comes from your country. Your country is well represented in Thai society when you have men like Brian coming here and showing us how things ought to be done.

A footnote here. I thought that Brain should write this news tonight. I talked to him about that. He replied that he could, and would, write this but he would rather I did because he is overwhelmed with replying to people who have shown an interest in the situation. If he isn't replying to e-mails, he is talking on his mobile phone with an interested party and his wife is answering her mobile phone and asking the caller to please return the call in a few minutes when Brian is free. Man, the guy is busy. In the past, he has been overwhelmed with getting people interested in the situation and has left the writing here for me. I don't mind doing it. I'm happy to take some pressure off of him.

Overwhelmed. That describes Brian these days. He hasn't been overcome. There is a big difference in the two words. I doubt that he could ever be overcome. Something inside him just wouldn't allow that.

I haven't seen ImageDude for two days. His room was dark when I stopped by yesterday and I didn't want to bother him in case he was asleep. I didn't make it to the hospital at all today. Maybe someone else stopped by and can give an update. Maybe ImageDude will update us. But, I know that ImageDude, like Brian, doesn't figure to let "overcome" into his personal outlook. I doubt that "overwhelm" has much of a chance, either.

Here is the latest CR tailor thread. I don't know of any newer establishments.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Tailor-Chian...l&hl=tailor

Here is the latest CR used bookstore thread. Ditto.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Books-Chiang...ml&hl=books

Carsten had a new doctor looking after him two days ago. The new doc put him on an IV and says the IV will not contribute to the lung problems. Within a couple of hours, Carsten's condition improved, as well as his mental state. He became hungry and began to eat regular food. He smiles now. He even laughs sometimes. He has gone from a dehydrated, starving case of despair to a case of small hope. He says he wants some hotdogs from the 7-Eleven for lunch today. He will get hotdogs.

Brian has tirelessly pursued support from the folks in Denmark. After many false starts, it appears that the last couple of days may be bringing some results. Getting Carsten home to Denmark is no longer a part of the quest but getting some help with his hospital bills is a part of it. Things are looking up for some financial support. Some of the media in Denmark have finally responded to Brain's requests and Carsten's case is getting some attention. Some people there are now making some small contributions. The quality of care that Carsten can afford will surely improve.

I'm very moved by the turn-around in Carsten's case. When Carsten had lost all hope and the dark truth about his circumstances had gotten the best of him and his regular doctors, I shared some of the grief that visited Carsten and Brian. Tears and sadness, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of loss, brought me to the same acceptance of his fate that the others had accepted. That was difficult. It is tough to watch someone who you have grown attached to, submit his resignation from life. It was difficult to learn that the doctors had accepted that decision and were willing to let go. In just two days time, with something so simple as an IV, Carsten has found the will to live. With a newspaper article and a filmed interview with Brian and Carsten, some folks in Denmark have found the will to love. Thanks to the doctor who made the decision to not let a good man starve to death. Thanks to George, a free-lance photographer, reporter and humanitarian from CM for capturing Carsten's story and sending believable evidence of the situation to the media outlets in Denmark. Thanks to Brian, who has spent countless nights writing e-mails and letters to any groups or individuals that he thought might be able to offer some support for a more comfortable, more dignified, last days, weeks or months.

ImageDude continues his progress. He is hopeful that he can leave the full-time care of the hospital and return to his home in less than two weeks. I think he will meet that target. He is looking forward to the resumption of his old life in some ways and new beginnings in other ways. What an optimistic man he is and his optimism is well placed.

If you folks get the chance to visit either of our fellows in that hospital, don't pass it up. A visit with either of them will boost their spirits and yours.

I bumped into John - Kae's wife and he told me she has the stall in the night Bazarre, selling Mex grub.

I concer that the Muslim Restaurant near the mosque off Tanalai Road is good. I regularly eat there, generous piece of chicken on yellow spiced rice with a bowl of soup and a bowl of spicy salad --35 baht.

I won't tell anyone that you are referring to John as Kae's wife. But he might read it here.

Can anyone direct me to a good shop or crafts-person in CR where I can get a sign hand-painted in cursive English and just a bit of painted decoration on it? I'm looking for a small sign on a couple of boards to hang over a doorway, not a billboard.

Just in case anyone is looking for her, she is now located in the Night Bazaar food court. First stall on the right, in the long line of food stalls in the "new addition". No more table service now that she has moved. You order at the window and then go back and get your food when it is ready. She still has the Mexican food but has dropped a lot of other items from her menu. She is closed on Mondays, I believe.

Carsten has stopped eating. He had chemo several days ago and it knocked him flat. He hasn't eaten since. I asked the staff tonight why he wasn't on an IV. They reported that he can't have an IV because it will contribute to the amount of fluid in his lungs and he has too much already.

He isn't going to eat. He isn't going to the care center in CM. He isn't going to allow any more chemo or any other treatment.

There comes a time when a person has had enough.

Welcome to the forum, sonny1.

I'm pretty sure there are enough of your former neighbors living here. It might take a while to find them. Even if you don't find them, there are enough nice folks here, from all over the world, that you'll soon find enough new friends who share some of your interests.

Never mind the smart remarks you find posted here. If you check the postings of folks like jackdawson, you will find that the best they can do is little one-liners of sniping, without helping or contributing in any way. Just look at it like you would the rest of the crap that seems to dot the landscape.

Do they do lunch? What do you call a reasonable price? Explain yourself man....

The noise wouldn't bother me I'm deaf any way.

Sooooo, you return from your little trip and you're just full of questions. Well, let me try to help you out here.

I have no idea whether or not they serve lunch. But I am hoping that you will find out that answer and post it here.

I used the word "fair" when referring to the prices. Basically, for the quality and the size of the serving, it was a fair price. But I don't recall the prices. The wife says the fish and chips was 150 baht, the ceasar salad was 80 baht and the bangers and mash was 120 baht. She has a pretty good memory for baht-related things. I have to actually make a mental note to remember such things if I want to and my mental notebook didn't have any blank pages that night.

If you can get past the loud noise, or if it is a quieter time when you visit, I think you may well add the place to your list of favourites. I would like to add it to my list but I really believe that the owner thinks that loud music contributes to the experience. It may well do that for some. I'm old and irritable and I don't need to be shouting to enjoy a conversation. I was so impressed with the fish that I will be sorely disappointed if the loud music is standard fare there at that time of evening. Later, it would make sense. A bar full of people perhaps justifies turning up the volume. A few quiet people enjoying an early evening meal doesn't qualify for such treatment.

As for how the place is decorated and laid out, it is pretty standard for that type of establishment in CR. And don't go to asking me to expound on that. I'm trying to do nothing today.

You know the parking situation on that street. But we take the Phantom when we are going to areas like that. A guy can always find a place to park a motorcycle.

Now, what did I leave out? Oh, yeah. Jubby's in-laws were nowhere to be seen.

I'll leave the math or maths to you if you don't mind

Nice to hear you considered my offer. You could always take them on a trial basis. return them if not completely satisfied. The two females would make a nice addition to an ornamental Garden pond, The two males will ocasionally chop wood and tidy the garden removing harmful pests etc.

Theres little breeding potential i"m afraid. But I could get them nutured if it concerns you at all

Just throw them some scraps and hose them down once a week. You know it makes sense.

Man, I don't have a pond. Too bad about that. No wood to chop, either. Strike two. And you say they remove garden pests, but in the past, you have referred to THEM as the pests so that doesn't make sense to my tired, old brain. Strike three.

Have you considered e-Bay?

I recently tried the food at Coconuts on Jedyod road. The place is located between the Cat Bar and the Siam corner restaurant. My companions ordered different items from the varied menu. Quite a few western style items are available. I had the fish and chips, as well as the ceasar salad. The fish was a large breaded fish-steak. It is the best piece of fish I have had in Thailand. The chips were surprisingly good; not the usual tiny french fries that are offered at so many CR restaurants/cafes. My companions were pleased with their selections. The prices are fair, in my opinion. Our visit occurred in the early evening, prior to "party time" on Jedyod Rd. The only detractor I found in my visit was blaring music from the sound system that seemed intent on informing passer-bys that a huge party was in progress inside. There was no party; only a few people enjoying a meal but having to communicate in loud voices in order to be heard over the sound system.

I will give it another try sometime. The food was too good to not give it another chance. If the music is being played at that volume level again, that will be my last visit. Maybe I should mention to the owner that the music is too loud but a person shouldn't have to tell an owner something like that. The ambience should be well thought out and planned. With that supposition in mind, I think the owner must prefer to allow that style of atmosphere to define his establishment. Those choices will define his clientèle as well.

Thanks for the offer Khandahar. I'm going to leave the roof a while until I know the winds have finished. Its only a problem on a Car port sort of extension anyway. I started on the clean up yesterday evening, albeit quite late. I must have got my 'perspective' back temporarily

A Coffee next week maybe of more help.

I had thought about electric fence but I'm sure the Villagers would be in uproar if I electocuted a Dog on purpose . Now if the Dog died because I was practicing my berserker skills with my new found throwing hammer as is the right of every swedish mafia Viking then it would have been an accident. I have decent walls anyway around the area and its only the two dogs that ever visit.

I won't be keeping Ducks in future, they've been massacred far too often, I suppose they are easy prey because they are too slow unlike my new racing chickens .

you know, You could help with the Inlaws. You could offer them employment. make lovely House keepers. Don't dismiss the Idea too quickly, think about the entertainment Value

I'm happy to hear that your perspective is returning.

You are most generous in your offer of in-laws. Alas, I cannot accept. Please note that this is not a hasty decision. I have considered your offer for an extended amount of time, weighing the cons and the cons. Even after considering that two negatives CAN make a positive, the whole thing seems unworkable in my situation. I just don't have your experience with such matters. I'm afraid that, in the end, the in-laws would long for the fun and excitement available to them at your home. It is pretty much all work and no fun around me.

You know, I have to comment on this math thing that you have presented here. I have mentioned before that I am no math whiz but certain errors do catch my attention. You say that there are ONLY two dogs that cause a problem there. It would seem that TWO is not a significant number in your situation. However, when I use my trusty desk-top calculator, it shows that even ONE dog can be a problem. Knowing that the calculator is old and that the batteries may not be up to snuff, I used my wife's new, scientific calculator and ran the numbers again. Same answer. But, knowing that her new, scientific calculator was made in China, and therefore, may be of questionable quality, I went in search of an online calculator that is specially designed to calculate the specific value of bad dogs compared to good ducks. It shows the value of two bad dogs to be equal to the value of one bad dog. I upped the numbers of bad dogs, keeping the number of good ducks at one, and find that no matter how great the number of bad dogs I entered, (1256, for example), the value of the bad dogs still comes out to zero. ( Just an anecdotal mention here- I later added worthless brother-in-laws into the calculation and the value of the bad dogs does actually start to rise.) So, with all of that in mind, explain to me how you come to the conclusion that ONLY TWO DOGS aren't a great enough number to get excited about.

We won't even get into the comment about having decent walls around the place and the dogs still come. I think maybe that one is best left for a face to face debate over that cup of coffee that you mentioned.

Well, as I said, it is all work and no fun around here. I have a list a mile long and it only gets longer as I sit here and type. The first thing on today's list is to do nothing at all. I had better get started or I won't even be done with that by bedtime and I'll be facing that same task tomorrow.

Jubby, let me know if you need help with the roof. I will come give you a hand. I have the tools available and a tall step-ladder. I can whack a few trees into smaller pieces also, if you need help with that. Sometimes, we just need someone to show up and lend a hand to get our perspective back. It sounds like you have lost yours, temporarily. You need to make sure it doesn't become permanent.

I can't help with the in-law thing. I can't help with your homeland government thing, either.

As for the ducks, which are sadly gone, there may be help for any future ducks that you find yourself purchasing. Electric fences are typically cheap and do wonders for dogs that don't know where they aren't welcome. My father was very fond of the typical livestock electric fence and it worked well on cattle and horses but not for swine. However, for neighbor's dogs, he used household current and he put those wire fences where they were needed and usually only ran them hot when he was home and could be watching when the dogs showed up. He would see the dogs coming, apply the electricity and enjoy the show. He even wired up a metal trash can that the neighbor's dog was fond of overturning during the night. He just set the thing on a rubber tire, which was setting on a large piece of wire mesh, attached the wiring and listened to the dog go nuts in the middle of the night. It actually took the dog, a large boxer, two nights to learn his lesson. I guess he thought the first time was a fluke. He never came back after the second time.

Except for the corner posts, which can be trees or buildings, the rest of the fence posts can be PVC pipe, set in concrete-filled coffee cans. That makes them very portable and easy to adjust the wire height up and down for different sizes of animals. I know they sell fence chargers here somewhere because I have seen them around. That type only needs one bare wire. If you go with household current, two strands of bare wire is best and you will need to be able to monitor the fence when it is on so that you don't hurt innocent people or animals. There is a good chance that you will kill the dogs if they can't get away from it when it hits them.

Now, whether or not you take my offer of help or my advice, please keep us posted here, and often. Like you said, the ol' forum is running pretty quiet these days.

And for the animal lovers out there that aren't going to like this, think about the ducks and forget about the dogs. The dogs have it coming and they stand a chance of being educated instead of killed. The ducks don't have that option.

kandahar