12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My photo isn't quite so rural, but I can see buffalo from my bedroom window

nice view!

On 7/1/2019 at 2:45 AM, villagefarang said:

Yesterday was our 22nd wedding anniversary and we spent it with a Bangkok friend and her group, visiting a Farm Homestay here in Chiang Rai.  It was a beautiful isolated location with many activities and delicious food.  We ate, talked, made soap, took pictures as well as a few other activities.  Mostly everyone was Thai, except for me and one Chinese friend.  Languages included Northern and Central Thai as well as English and French.  It was interesting listening to our Thai friend and her Chinese friend communicating in French.  They both work for a French company so that is their preferred language.  Anyway it was a lovely day and a nice way to celebrate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MORE stunning photos. Thanks VF. That buffalo sure looks relaxed. You have had and continue to have a full life. Any hints on where you'll be relocating to?

1 hour ago, HuskerDo said:

MORE stunning photos. Thanks VF. That buffalo sure looks relaxed. You have had and continue to have a full life. Any hints on where you'll be relocating to?

We have a little over four rai very near Singha Park.  If we can sell our house we will build on this new site.  If not, we will hold onto it as an investment for a few years.  Chiang Rai is home so we have no plans to live anywhere else.

On 7/1/2019 at 7:15 PM, villagefarang said:

 

Recently my wife pitched her ideas on what might be our next big move, to continue our ten year cycles.  I was skeptical at first but she has won me over with her well thought out argument, and at 65 I guess I have at least one more big move in me.

 

Sounds exciting & I'm sure you have another adventure left in you ????

On 7/4/2019 at 11:31 AM, villagefarang said:

We have a little over four rai very near Singha Park.  If we can sell our house we will build on this new site.  If not, we will hold onto it as an investment for a few years.  Chiang Rai is home so we have no plans to live anywhere else.

VF - Was curious how you cope with the nasty air pollution in the early months of the year there. The poor air quality definitely makes me nervous about living there. You are definitely a healthy guy so your perspective on how to deal with it would be appreciated.

 

Thanks VF.

5 hours ago, HuskerDo said:

VF - Was curious how you cope with the nasty air pollution in the early months of the year there. The poor air quality definitely makes me nervous about living there. You are definitely a healthy guy so your perspective on how to deal with it would be appreciated.

 

Thanks VF.

We simply stay indoors more and forgo our outdoor exercise for a couple months.  If it is really bad I wear a mask when walking the dog.  We are both healthy and have no underlying health conditions so the worst we get is something like allergy symptoms.  

 

I know smoke is bad for you and unpleasant but I do wonder about some of the loudest complainers.  Do they really live a healthy lifestyle including the right food, exercise, good mental health and body weight, adequate sleep, no alcohol or drugs and do they maintain a positive attitude?  I guess if someone is unwilling to change their own behavior it might be an attractive option to blame the Thai peasants for burning and making the air bad.

 

That said, if one has preexisting health concerns regarding ones lungs and respiratory system then northern Thailand is not a great option unless you can leave the area for two to three months a year.

59 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

We simply stay indoors more and forgo our outdoor exercise for a couple months.  If it is really bad I wear a mask when walking the dog.  We are both healthy and have no underlying health conditions so the worst we get is something like allergy symptoms.  

 

I know smoke is bad for you and unpleasant but I do wonder about some of the loudest complainers.  Do they really live a healthy lifestyle including the right food, exercise, good mental health and body weight, adequate sleep, no alcohol or drugs and do they maintain a positive attitude?  I guess if someone is unwilling to change their own behavior it might be an attractive option to blame the Thai peasants for burning and making the air bad.

 

That said, if one has preexisting health concerns regarding ones lungs and respiratory system then northern Thailand is not a great option unless you can leave the area for two to three months a year.

Thanks VF. Sounds like a healthy person should be able to manage the smoky season there. I had someone comment that time of the year is equivalent to smoking two cigarettes a day. I guess if a person spends most of the day indoors with air filtering and wears the N95 or higher mask when outside things should be fine.   

 

Thanks for the information VF. Your comments and knowledge are always appreciated. ???? 

No new adventures of late, though I am 48 hours into a 72 hour fast.  I haven't done this for a few months because I have been lacking motivation which makes it all that much harder.  Once you let your guard down or indulge a bit in social situations it can be hard to get back on track.  Maybe a trip to the gym will help keep my mind off food and help me make it through one more day.

 

Here is a photo my wife took of some old guy in a contemplative moment, sitting on a bamboo sala, overlooking a rice field and sipping herbal tea.

12 hours ago, HuskerDo said:

I had someone comment that time of the year is equivalent to smoking two cigarettes a day

Actually it is more like a cigarette an hour which can be easily verified. This is not a thread about air pollution, but it should be noteworthy the smoke is a serious health risk for every person living there and that is a shame for such a wonderful, charming place so many of us fell in love with. To try to end on a positive note it's good the awareness seems to have reached the masses and the use of air purifiers and real time monitoring of air quality is becoming more and more common.
 

On 7/14/2019 at 10:31 PM, villagefarang said:

No new adventures of late, though I am 48 hours into a 72 hour fast.  I haven't done this for a few months because I have been lacking motivation which makes it all that much harder.  Once you let your guard down or indulge a bit in social situations it can be hard to get back on track.  Maybe a trip to the gym will help keep my mind off food and help me make it through one more day.

 

Here is a photo my wife took of some old guy in a contemplative moment, sitting on a bamboo sala, overlooking a rice field and sipping herbal tea.

Why is your wife taking photos of old guys VF? ???? 

 

Actually, if you hadn't mentioned your age earlier I would have guessed you to be no older than 50. You could even pass for early 40's if you were in the US as so many don't take care of themselves. Too much work, too much worry, too much stress and too much chasing the almighty dollar. I know people in their 40's that don't look nearly as good as you. The clean living you have subscribed to all these years definitely shows.    

 

Maybe you can start a thread about health and clean living. Seems like you'd have a lot to share in that area.

2 hours ago, HuskerDo said:

Why is your wife taking photos of old guys VF? ???? 

 

Actually, if you hadn't mentioned your age earlier I would have guessed you to be no older than 50. You could even pass for early 40's if you were in the US as so many don't take care of themselves. Too much work, too much worry, too much stress and too much chasing the almighty dollar. I know people in their 40's that don't look nearly as good as you. The clean living you have subscribed to all these years definitely shows.    

 

Maybe you can start a thread about health and clean living. Seems like you'd have a lot to share in that area.

I won’t pretend I don’t appreciate your flattering words.  Thank you very much.  While I can be generous with words of encouragement, I am much more frugal when it comes to doling out advice.  I have just been lucky in that the things I am drawn to and enjoy are also things which seem to have been good for me.  I seem to have pretty good genes but do worry about dementia if I live too long.

Villagefarang... and look what you’ve created a postive flow so people can share their happiness..... awesome stuff!

No pictures this time but last night I was reminded of something I often overlook.  While getting our animals ready for bed we stepped outside and noticed how many stars were visible, even with the lights on.  We decided to turn off the house and garden lights to get a better look.  Standing in the front yard our eyes quickly adjusted and the beautiful night sky erupted in a spectacle of stars.  Even the Milky Way was clearly visible and the Big Dipper was low on the horizon pointing in the same direction as our house.

 

We are lucky to live in an area with pretty low levels of light pollution but we often forget to turn off the lights and look up.  Something that simple can fill you with wonder and awe.  I know it is a small thing but I was very moved last night.

 If it is really bad I wear a mask when walking the dog

 

Hey - dogs have lungs too!  Get him a mask ????

9 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

Hey - dogs have lungs too!  Get him a mask ????

She is getting old and doesn't want to walk as much as before.  Often a few minutes in the front yard is all she is willing to do before going back into her air-conditioned room.  These days the air is clean, the plants are green and the sky is beautiful so I am happy until next year and so is she.

On 7/18/2019 at 12:45 AM, villagefarang said:

I won’t pretend I don’t appreciate your flattering words.  Thank you very much.  While I can be generous with words of encouragement, I am much more frugal when it comes to doling out advice.  I have just been lucky in that the things I am drawn to and enjoy are also things which seem to have been good for me.  I seem to have pretty good genes but do worry about dementia if I live too long.

Keep your mind and body active, some resistance training. Good healthy diet, an that should help keep dementing illnesses at bay.

2 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

On 7/17/2019 at 9:45 PM, villagefarang said:

I won’t pretend I don’t appreciate your flattering words.  Thank you very much.  While I can be generous with words of encouragement, I am much more frugal when it comes to doling out advice.  I have just been lucky in that the things I am drawn to and enjoy are also things which seem to have been good for me.  I seem to have pretty good genes but do worry about dementia if I live too long.

Keep your mind and body active, some resistance training. Good healthy diet, an that should help keep dementing illnesses at bay.

Good advice...I do that and more but only time will tell.

29 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

We are lucky to live in an area with pretty low levels of light pollution but we often forget to turn off the lights and look up.  Something that simple can fill you with wonder and awe.  I know it is a small thing but I was very moved last night.

Good point, I also don't appreciate the night sky as much as I should! we have friends who come to stay who rave about the night sky where we are outside Udon due to no light pollution.

13 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Keep your mind and body active, some resistance training. Good healthy diet, an that should help keep dementing illnesses at bay.

 If I might add one more thing to your good advice.

The Use it or lose it rule applies. 

When learning new things , new neural connections are created . For instance there is research that learning a second language  can delay Alzheimer's by four years. Another good reason to learn Thai.????

https://www.alzheimers.net/1-1-15-resolutions-reduce-dementia-2015/ 

31 minutes ago, sirineou said:

 If I might add one more thing to your good advice.

The Use it or lose it rule applies. 

When learning new things , new neural connections are created . For instance there is research that learning a second language  can delay Alzheimer's by four years. Another good reason to learn Thai.????

https://www.alzheimers.net/1-1-15-resolutions-reduce-dementia-2015/ 

We both forgot to mention restrict alcohol intake

3 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

We both forgot to mention restrict alcohol intake

Alcohol is not a problem for me.  I don't smoke, drink or take drugs but thanks for mentioning it.

Just back from a 12 km hike.  I enjoy weightlifting and I have both lost weight and added muscle over the last year.  My wife and I can converse in both English and Thai plus she is twenty years younger and part of the Life Coach trend which seems to be big these days.  Her active life and younger friends keeps me a bit more involved than I might be on my own.  As I said above, I don't smoke, drink or take drugs and most of the time I follow an intermittent fasting schedule of 20/4.

 

Here is something from my hike.

 

Nice pictures, thanks for posting.

 

What type of defence do you use to ward off stray dogs during your hikes?

 

Does that area get affected by smoke during the burning season?

My only defense against dogs is a calm demeanor and a soft voice.  I have always found the dogs in my area easy to deal with.  I try to familiarize them with my appearance and voice so when we meet again they won't be so fearful and loud.  One single approach doesn't work with all dogs but I have never resorted to violence.

 

Yes, the entire north of the country is affected by smoke during the burning season.  Smoke is both regional and local so gets worse when the neighbors burn something.  We simply find ways to cope. 

My wife has us signed up for a 20 km trail run at Singha Park in about two months so I am trying to put in a little more time on the trails, in hope of surviving the day.  It rained earlier today but cleared up in the afternoon so we got in a little over 10 km today.  It is so green these days.

 

We did come across some noisy dogs on the trail.  Most of them just ran away but I got a few of them to come over and be friendly.  They were more afraid of us than we were of them.  The main danger I find is that of getting dirty, as some are jumpers when they find out you are friendly. 

 

 

Stunning pictures..... went to the dentist dreading.... just the drilling...no problems...missus says she will invite me for lunch...(rare)... always nice to eat after having teeth cleaned and polished....to my amazement....15 Kms away from where I live... take a look... unbelievable!




Please excuse spelling mistakes/Grammar and Misunderstandings!
Best
Hash

are you kidding me if i had the woman and income id be in a desert island somewhere

Nice Thought... but food like this!?

Please excuse spelling mistakes/Grammar and Misunderstandings!
Best
Hash

On 8/7/2019 at 6:53 AM, bowerboy said:

Nice pictures, thanks for posting.

 

What type of defence do you use to ward off stray dogs during your hikes?

 

Does that area get affected by smoke during the burning season?

when you see a man scared of a dog, he is usually wearing shorts.

On 8/2/2019 at 2:14 PM, sirineou said:

 If I might add one more thing to your good advice.

The Use it or lose it rule applies. 

When learning new things , new neural connections are created . For instance there is research that learning a second language  can delay Alzheimer's by four years. Another good reason to learn Thai.????

https://www.alzheimers.net/1-1-15-resolutions-reduce-dementia-2015/ 

The ONLY good reason to learn Thai is to protect ourselves from the pervasive Thai predatory environment.

 

If one can speak Thai, he can watch the predators.