Diary of a farang in Isaan

[GarryP]

3 hours ago, owl sees all said:

 

Well we need something. Perhaps if the farmers prayed to the rain-god more. Or drunk 10% more Lao Khow. Or get one of those meat and two veg things.  like in the pic.

 

Wasn't this year supposed to be an incredibly wet one? I'm sure some government department said that.

 

 

Yes, rainy season was forecast to start in May and it would be a particularly wet rainy season. But doesn't seem to be going that way. 

[nobodysfriend]

11 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

You need one of those giant phalluses (or is it Phalli?)

Did they put it in the middle of the road like this ?

Some kind of accident is going to happen ... at night ... crushed to death by a giant phallus ...?

 

[bannork]

On 7/2/2021 at 8:11 PM, owl sees all said:

 

The weather up here is an absolute disgrace. It's supposed to be the wet season. I've a good mind to report it to Thai Trading Standards.

 

Have to bear in mind that the little hill between Pattaya and Jomtiem (where the metal letters are) is a mountain to us. To find a hill as high as that I'd have to travel 80 Km.

 

No rain to speak of for over three weeks.

Well, we're only 10 km from Bandung near the road to Phen and we got a nice drenching the end of last week. Rained on and off for over 24 hrs, sometimes medium to heavy 

But I know what you mean Owl, our main pond should have been full a month ago 

If it's any consolation, the forecast is for rain from Wed/ Thurs onwards. 

 

[owl sees all]

7 minutes ago, bannork said:

Well, we're only 10 km from Bandung near the road to Phen and we got a nice drenching the end of last week. Rained on and off for over 24 hrs, sometimes medium to heavy 

But I know what you mean Owl, our main pond should have been full a month ago 

If it's any consolation, the forecast is for rain from Wed/ Thurs onwards. 

 

 

What is the rainy season? To my mind it's that period of time where there is consistent and heavy rains. This doesn't seem to be the case as yet. There are showers, but they are very patchy. Last week I went to Ban Dung and it was wet going in, nothing in the middle and wet the other side. meaning that you're either lucky or not.

 

When the rain season truly arrives, whole provinces get drenched at the same time. Last year was much the same as this, and then, a very wet August, before tailing off..

 

Keeping 'em x'ed..

 

 

[bannork]

46 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

What is the rainy season? To my mind it's that period of time where there is consistent and heavy rains. This doesn't seem to be the case as yet. There are showers, but they are very patchy. Last week I went to Ban Dung and it was wet going in, nothing in the middle and wet the other side. meaning that you're either lucky or not.

 

When the rain season truly arrives, whole provinces get drenched at the same time. Last year was much the same as this, and then, a very wet August, before tailing off..

 

Keeping 'em x'ed..

 

 

In other words monsoons. Weeks of constantly lower temperatures with clouds of various hues of black, grey and silver scudding across the sky. And at night the sky is constantly lit up with lightning, even if it is miles away. And frogs are croaking everywhere.

Bring it on mother nature, please  

 

[Orinoco]

14 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

You need one of those giant phalluses (or is it Phalli?)

https://aseannow.com/topic/1220343-it-actually-worked-chachoengsao-locals-report-rainfall-after-phallus-erected-in-road/

And they want to give people 500,000 baht fines for posting pics of alcoholic drinks on social media !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

What Nut jobs they all are.

 

 

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

In other words monsoons. Weeks of constantly lower temperatures with clouds of various hues of black, grey and silver scudding across the sky. And at night the sky is constantly lit up with lightning, even if it is miles away. And frogs are croaking everywhere.

Bring it on mother nature, please  

 

 

For the first few years I was here I took a detailed note of the weather. I charted it, and everything seemed normal year upon year. There was the occasional upset. One year there was exceptionally heavy rain around New Year time, for about a week, and another year there was so little rain in early August that I drained out a pond.

 

left for England in 2015 and that was the end of my daily record keeping. When I came back - the week after the referendum - I couldn't be bothered to keep it going.

 

Considering where I actually am.

 

End of the wet season is generally October. Just very occasional showers then until the end of March. April and May; rain on about 4 days both months; but not necessarily heavy. June; traditionally the start of the wet season with 5/6 wet days; some heavy rain. July; the rain is coming for prolonged periods and heavy about 6/7 times a month. Into August, and it was, when I first arrived in Isaan, the second of the two heavy rain months; guaranteed to rain 7/8 times. September not dissimilar to August but not quite so heavy.

 

The monsoon season is the name given to the period of heaviest rain. Up here would be mid August until the end of September. Then a sharp tail off from the start of October.

 

The monsoon up here has definitely changed in 13 years. It was very heavy rain from mid-July til the start of September. 10 years ago; now it starts much later in mid-August.

 

Over the period of a year there has been a steady reduction of rainfall. From 1.2 metres in 2010  to a little over 750mm now.

 

The ground water-level up here is gradually dropping. It was at four metres; now at six. That of course depends upon specific areas. But that's the reading at the farm. We have four bore-holes and I check them every month or so, with a view to using solar powered deep-well pumps in the future.

 

One of the reasons for planting eucas was to eliminate the need for the season to be wet. Eucas are adaptable and can withstand a bit of drought.

 

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 05-07-2021 - Monday morning

 

Still no rain. Where is it. July should see 6/7 downpours. Think it's gonna be like last year. Nothing until August; then fifteen rainy days.

 

Not been to town for a week. Busy at the farm every day. Have decided that I'll just do the eucas in number four for now. Have finished about 25%. That includes chopping down the invasive weeds. My new chog-chog has come in handy for sorting those out. I have others, but I needed a light one.

The weeds are fast growing and can grab hold of a euca branch and pull it over.

I try to get each tree sorted in about a minute. A lot of weed cutting slows me down though.

Mildred helps me every day. And she is as fast as me with the tree trimming but she don't sort out the weeds.

A neighbour found a terrapin down by the river and gave it to us as a pet.

Mildred is not so keen on holding it.

She let it go in number six pond.

After a couple of hours in the euca farm I've usually drank over a litre of water.

It's very humid in there and I feel it. I've not been swimming.

The toilet at the farm near us is finished. Just in time for the workers.

The black cat is creeping around. Caught it in our kitchen a week or so ago. Looking for an easy meal.

Mrs Owl gave me such a whack last week. I hadn't noticed that Charkie was sitting next to me. The Mrs don't like cats in the house. Stuck out my leg to protect the cat and took the brunt of it. Didn't break the coat-hanger fortunately.

 

Richard Dawkins book still not arrived. Nearly three months now. I have a e-copy, but it's not the same as holding the real thing. We are going into Ban Dung tomorrow. I'll call into the post office there. Pre-ordered Tony Gosling's new book. Could be with me this year.

 

Mildred is still on zoom lessons; although it's nine thirty and nothing so far. She's off until the 16th. Then back? Who knows!

 

Some of the plants are still suffering from the leaf eating bug. I'd better make up some neem brew to spray the leaves.

 

 

So, it's England and Denmark in the week. Who would we rather meet in the final?

 

The tennis is into its second week. Must find out who has departed. Not seen Nadal mentioned anywhere. Is he not playing? I'll check.

 

George Galloway (GG) couldn't get the votes for the Workers Party, and it was a narrow victory for Labour. Can't help thinking that Mr Hancock had a big influence on the Batley and Spen result. Not over yet evidently. GG is gonna contest the result in the courts. See how that pans out.

 

As soon as I've posted, I'll wake up Mrs Owl for a cup of rosy, and settle down to listen to GG's show on RT

 

Three Lazada deliveries due. The cropper, the electric chain saw and a new blade for Mrs Owl's grass cutter. Now she's into the swing of it; don't want anything to slow her.

 

 

Very warm last night. Couldn't get comfortable at all. Is a storm coming?

 

Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

[JetsetBkk]

How did she get the name "Mildred"?   

[owl sees all]

11 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

How did she get the name "Mildred"?   

 

One day, many moons ago, in the desert, I had thoughts.

 

I was down to my last drop of water, and had sewn up some wounds, with the slithers of bamboo, that we special forces people kept in our emergency packs. The sun was scorching, and sand was hitting the skin like a thousand needles. It was in my eyes, up my nose; I was almost eating it. I had a cloth wrapped around my face, but the sand kept coming.

 

It was tough going. I was carrying a comrade (Bert) across my shoulders and wondered if i would ever see the greenery of Essex again. Let alone Dagenham's Robin Hood; the best pub in the world.

 

My mind began to wander, and I thought of my mum. Just at that point I noticed a sand lizard moving against the flow of sand. 'He knows something', I thought to myself. So I changed direction and followed the lizard as best I could. Then I saw other lizards.

 

Sure enough, there was a small water hole. The lizards had saved our bacon; so to speak. My comrade and I rested up for a few days. I gathered up some bracken and lit a fire. They would surely come for us. Then the familiar 'whoosh' 'whoosh' sound of a chopper, and the 'hum' of its engine, broke the silence. It came faintly into view.

 

Hard, at first, to know its origins. Was it Russian? Was it American? Was it Australian? Did I care? As it got close I could see that it was English.

 

That episode ends with me and Bert taken away to safety.

 

Some years later, sitting behind the power station wall at Dagenham Dock. Chucking bottles into the Thames, and throwing stones at them. I was reading a letter from Bert, and his words reminded me of those special forces days; and the lizards. A thought came into my head.

 

I'll go to Thailand, produce a daughter, and name her Mildred. It was my mother's name after all.

 

[FarFlungFalang]

Got a pretty good nights rain here last night Mr Owl.I've been shovelling more manure and a pile of dirt for the driveway.After a career as a busted arsed chainman surveying about 2 million roads and rail formations Mrs FFF insists on getting the local drunk onto the tractor to spread the dirt before I get a chance to show how a road formation should be constructed with at least a crown and a minimum of 3% crossfall they like to spread the dirt perfectly flat so when the monsoon arrives we end up with 2 trenches filled with mud.I've let Mrs FFF drive through the 10 meter long  mud trenches for about 12 months so now I've shovelled the dirt into a hand cart similar to the one in the photo and bring it from the pile which is located around the corner to the right behind the end of the wall near the hand cart.Other than the last ten meters Siang the drunk did, the section I did has held up remarkably well.So now Mrs FFF has learned that the stupid falang was right yet again.I did wait until she started nagging me to do just to prove the point.I've also bee trying to teacher about wheel rolling which is something that peeves her when I drive through a muddy track but don't follow the smooth dried track that everyone else sticks to leaving a mound of mud that dries leaving long ridges along the track. 

 

 

I've run out of bags for the manure and room to store them so now I'm dumping it in the yard next to the compost heap which is comprised of decomposed straw and cassava stalks which use to get burnt but I need to cover it with the tarp to stop the neighbourhood chooks from raking it to kingdom come stealing all the bugs and grubs.

Manure There's some bullsh!t in there as well.

 

Compost

 

 

The tarp in place.The tarp leaks which is why the rice straw became compost plus some idiot didn't tie it down properly and it blew off during a particularly heavy storm.Ah well thems the breaks.

 

 

So I know how much water you're drinking Mr Owl and how much sweating you're doing and how much better you're feeling after you've recovered.Wouldn't be dead for quids!

[owl sees all]

9 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

So I know how much water you're drinking Mr Owl and how much sweating you're doing and how much better you're feeling after you've recovered. Wouldn't be dead for quids!

Great pics FFF.

 

Yesterday I was absolutely soaking wet after working in the plantation for two hours. Called it a day around 18-30. When I stopped, during the next 10 minutes I drank a half litre water.

 

At home. later, Mrs Owl gave me a meal of rice and egg; topped with tommy sauce. An hour or so after I had mild heartburn/indigestion. After going to bed at 21-30 the heartburn got considerably worse. I was simply dehydrated. During the next hour I drank nearly two litres of water. The heartburn stopped (and has not returned). I didn't go to the loo until seven this morning.

 

Water is important for the digestive system and there just wasn't enough of it. Looking back, I think I lost a couple of litres; through sweating. Lesson learned; hopefully! Drink whilst working. Little and often.

A bit of rain in the night. Not heavy, and not for long. But we'll take anything that's going now.

[FarFlungFalang]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Great pics FFF.

 

Yesterday I was absolutely soaking wet after working in the plantation for two hours. Called it a day around 18-30. When I stopped, during the next 10 minutes I drank a half litre water.

 

At home. later, Mrs Owl gave me a meal of rice and egg; topped with tommy sauce. An hour or so after I had mild heartburn/indigestion. After going to bed at 21-30 the heartburn got considerably worse. I was simply dehydrated. During the next hour I drank nearly two litres of water. The heartburn stopped (and has not returned). I didn't go to the loo until seven this morning.

 

Water is important for the digestive system and there just wasn't enough of it. Looking back, I think I lost a couple of litres; through sweating. Lesson learned; hopefully! Drink whilst working. Little and often.

A bit of rain in the night. Not heavy, and not for long. But we'll take anything that's going now.

I drank half a litre between each load which was every 15-20 minutes Mr Owl and in these conditions you really should increase your dosage to about 250 ml every 15-30 minutes which is something I learnt from all the safety inductions when working in the Pilbara where I would easily empty my 5 litre water bottle twice a day.I also learnt this lesson from my first week of FIFO work (Fit In or F88k Off) Fly In Fly Out where I got a splitting headache on my first day, and decided never again.Over here because of the humidity I find myself slipping and only catch myself when my urine turns yellow I try to keep it a clear colour with no yellow at all.Gotta flush those kidneys.I go for a lot often option,or try to.I save the little less often approach for the amount of work!

[bannork]

3 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Great pics FFF.

 

Yesterday I was absolutely soaking wet after working in the plantation for two hours. Called it a day around 18-30. When I stopped, during the next 10 minutes I drank a half litre water.

 

At home. later, Mrs Owl gave me a meal of rice and egg; topped with tommy sauce. An hour or so after I had mild heartburn/indigestion. After going to bed at 21-30 the heartburn got considerably worse. I was simply dehydrated. During the next hour I drank nearly two litres of water. The heartburn stopped (and has not returned). I didn't go to the loo until seven this morning.

 

Water is important for the digestive system and there just wasn't enough of it. Looking back, I think I lost a couple of litres; through sweating. Lesson learned; hopefully! Drink whilst working. Little and often.

A bit of rain in the night. Not heavy, and not for long. But we'll take anything that's going now.

Owl, you should take a kaditnam ประดิษฐ์น้ำ with 5 or 10 Baht's worth of ice inside every rime you head to the farm. The only way to work uno. I ease up about 4. 00 pm to build up a thirst for that delicious first cool beer at dusk 

[Golden Triangle]

I sincerely hope that you guys up in Issan are getting some of the torrential rain we have had on the darkside of pattaya right now, it's been hissing it down for well over an hour and no sign of a let up just yet, fingers crossed for you all.

[colinneil]

3 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

I sincerely hope that you guys up in Issan are getting some of the torrential rain we have had on the darkside of pattaya right now, it's been hissing it down for well over an hour and no sign of a let up just yet, fingers crossed for you all.

Yes mate we are getting some heavy rain at the moment, been raining heavy for 2 hours.

[HighPriority]

On 7/5/2021 at 12:33 PM, owl sees all said:

 

 

I see Mildred has her mother’s scowl… ????

 

Where’s my bloody emoji Charlie ?

 

[owl sees all]

49 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Yes mate we are getting some heavy rain at the moment, been raining heavy for 2 hours.

Nothing here. Perhaps later.

[Golden Triangle]

49 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Yes mate we are getting some heavy rain at the moment, been raining heavy for 2 hours.

Still going here Colin, it could be in for the rest of the night mate according to my phones weather app.

[Golden Triangle]

2 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Nothing here. Perhaps later.

Fingers crossed for you Owl 

[owl sees all]

Just now, Golden Triangle said:

Fingers crossed for you Owl 

Just had a butchers at the weekly forecast and it does point to rain this week. Especially on Thursday night.

 

What we need here is heavy rain a few times over the course of a week. My ponds are only half full.

[bannork]

Spelling error on the Thai ice bucket in the last post, should be กระติกน้ำ 

Onto the weather, got the steady drizzle again Owl but as you can see from this screenshot, we could be in for some serious stuff if that rain in Vietnam reaches us 

[owl sees all]

At 17-00 this evening it was so dark the lights were put on. It's 18-35 now and it's brightened up considerably. No rain though.

 

Hope you are right about that drizzle over Vietnam reaching us. We will see.

 

No farm today. Now I wish I'd gone. Feel guilty.

[Golden Triangle]

Sorry for being the bearer of not good news but yet again its hissing down again here, Started about 40 minutes ago & still  going ????

[Mutt Daeng]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:31 AM, owl sees all said:

 

There are lots of this type of electric cutter on the market. They range from 800 baht to 4000 baht. The one that CharlieH pointed to seems to be very good value for money.

 

I've ordered one from Lazada and it should be with me this week. I'll give it a good workout on the plantation and report back.

 

As they say; watch this space.

 

@owl sees all Don't worry about feedback for the mini chainsaw. I ordered one anyway which should be with me tomorrow.

[Will27]

8 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

@owl sees all Don't worry about feedback for the mini chainsaw. I ordered one anyway which should be with me tomorrow.

I'd like to see some feedback ????

[Mutt Daeng]

1 hour ago, Will27 said:

I'd like to see some feedback ????

Mine should be arriving today. I have a few jobs lined up, so I can report back on the saws performance.

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 09-07-2021 - Friday morning

 

Drizzle from Vietnam arrived. Big deal! Four showers. One of them enough to stop a cricket match. Keeping 'em crossed that next month will be the biz; like last year.

 

Little electric chain saw arrived. So too did a spare blade for Mrs Owl's cutter. I also ordered another battery for her. Not with us yet.

 

Nice carry box. Would only use the box when storing the tool away for the season. As can't pack it with the blade attached.

 

Contents; box; tool; blade; battery; charger; screwdriver and shield; 860 baht. Putting it together was easy peasy.

Let's test it.

Mrs Owl wanted to try it on one of the palms that was not looking too good.

Lets see how it's done.

 

Have to give the cutting a bit of thought. Cut from the top down. If it binds then it's game over. And then, if the saw is twisted to get it off, the chain could get damaged.

 

I'll give it a go.

 

No problem.

 

The day before the saw was delivered we were trimming in number four. Poom, from the next farm, was helping. Told him to concentrate on the weeds. He was bashing them into submission.

Came across the biggest tree so far in number four farm. It's just 13 months old.

Fantastic specimen. There is another giant in number one farm; even bigger. We are only about 30% through this farm, with the trimming, so could easily find more giants.

 

Croppers arrived yesterday at five. Report on them soon.

 

Going to Ban Dung later today. Have to get some fish food, cat food, and a bit of shopping in Big C. I'm not on friendly terms with Mrs Owl, so don't want her to go with me. Need to check on the where-a-bouts of my Richard Dawkins book at the post office too. Three months now. That customs man must have read it by now. I'm sure to get it soon?

 

Oh yes; pay the leccy. It's well overdue. Fill up with that 10% bio-diesel and that's it. Pay for the internet; forgetting to pay that wouldn't go down well. Might go into the 20 baht shop for a mooch round. Anything I've missed?

 

Be interesting to see how the pipe layers have done since I last was there.

 

It's England v Italy at the weekend. Spain should have seen them off in the semis and to be truthful I'd rather have them than Spain. More than 30 games since they last lost for Italy. Shame to spoil their run. No Problem.

 

Mildred is working from home. The class do an hour in the morning, and should do the same in the afternoon; but twice this week the teacher has had to go somewhere.

 

Paid up all the land-tax on Wednesday. 230 baht in all.

 

Had a visit from my mate Gerd in the week. He's moved to Jontiem. Drove up in one go. Looks very tanned. I know what he's been up to. Sold his house in Isaan for 2.2 million. His Ex will be sorry it has ended. She'll not realise how well off she was, til her half has gone. Good job there were no kids. Perhaps he'll bump into her in Patts in the future.

 

Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

[Mutt Daeng]

6 hours ago, Will27 said:

I'd like to see some feedback ????

The mini chainsaw arrived this morning while I was out riding the bike. Same model as @owl sees all bought, but has 2 batteries - cost 1105 baht (inc postage). The wrench/screwdriver are cheap & nasty (as they usually are when free with power tools). As you can see I've bust the screwdriver already. As already stated, it was easy to assemble - although there was a small issue with the bar. The gap where the chain fits in was a little narrow at one end, so the chain wouldn't sit properly. This was easily rectified by widening the gap a little. Thats probably where I bust the screwdriver. Tested it on a few logs 2-5 inches diameter and some coconut fronds. Seems to work OK. The big deal for me is no pi$$-farting about with lubricating oil. As OWL has already said, it can't be stored in the case with the blade attached, so for me it will remain permanently assembled outside the case.

All in all well it's worth the money IMHO.

 

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

The mini chainsaw arrived this morning while I was out riding the bike. Same model as @owl sees all bought, but has 2 batteries - cost 1105 baht (inc postage). The wrench/screwdriver are cheap & nasty (as they usually are when free with power tools). As you can see I've bust the screwdriver already. As already stated, it was easy to assemble - although there was a small issue with the bar. The gap where the chain fits in was a little narrow at one end, so the chain wouldn't sit properly. This was easily rectified by widening the gap a little. Thats probably where I bust the screwdriver. Tested it on a few logs 2-5 inches diameter and some coconut fronds. Seems to work OK. The big deal for me is no pi$$-farting about with lubricating oil. As OWL has already said, it can't be stored in the case with the blade attached, so for me it will remain permanently assembled outside the case.

All in all well it's worth the money IMHO.

 

I checked these little cutters a year or so ago. The bottom end was then over 1200 baht. Didn't look again until ChazH pointed this model out.

 

I do have a 16inch chain saw. Cost me 9k baht. Not used it for 5 years. My tool will not be used for heavy duty. Just fronds, as in the last Owl Log, and in the euca plantation.