Diary of a farang in Isaan

[voulez vous]

44 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I heard they have a chess club.

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..

[chickenslegs]

5 minutes ago, voulez vous said:

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..

Welcome back Monsieur.

I hope this doesn't mean that Owl is on another compulsory holiday.

[voulez vous]

3 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Welcome back Monsieur.

I hope this doesn't mean that Owl is on another compulsory holiday.

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

[voulez vous]

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.

 

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

A Nissan EV for 500k baht ?? i very much doubt it, Nissan Leaf EV costs around 2 million baht and a proposed Nissan Ariya EV starts around 1.5 million baht.

You will have to go Chinese if you want a cheaper EV . BYD is the latest brand to arrive from China and the ones to watch if you want a cheap EV.

 

Detectorists is wonderful !! saw it all a couple of years ago . Spent some time with my daughter in the U.K. recently and tried to get her interested in Detectorists but she wasn’t up for it, i ended up bingeing all 3 seasons again. Top of my list for U.K. comedy/drama.

 

As for drought, same up north with some reservoirs and natural water reserves at an all time low. The mandatory hose pipe ban came into effect while I was there .

[voulez vous]

35 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

A Nissan EV for 500k baht ?? i very much doubt it, Nissan Leaf EV costs around 2 million baht and a proposed Nissan Ariya EV starts around 1.5 million baht.

You will have to go Chinese if you want a cheaper EV . BYD is the latest brand to arrive from China and the ones to watch if you want a cheap EV.

 

Detectorists is wonderful !! saw it all a couple of years ago . Spent some time with my daughter in the U.K. recently and tried to get her interested in Detectorists but she wasn’t up for it, i ended up bingeing all 3 seasons again. Top of my list for U.K. comedy/drama.

 

As for drought, same up north with some reservoirs and natural water reserves at an all time low. The mandatory hose pipe ban came into effect while I was there .

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.

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, voulez vous said:

And England has adopted so many of our words.. Réservoir being just one of many commonly used French words.

1 hour ago, voulez vous said:

Have to bee off now. I am going to give Zia a finger-tip massage/stroke. I did promise her one this morning.

More words borrowed from the French - "double entendre".

[Sterling]

Monsieur Vous,

Please pass on to Mr Owl that he needs to make sure the USB thumb drive he purchased is a legitimate one and not a counterfeit (is that word French?).

Man disreputable resellers are selling fake 1GB-8GB thumb drives and changing the code on the thumb drive itself to report a larger capacity.

 

Here are some options to make sure he got a legit one:

https://www.geckoandfly.com/22803/detect-fake-usb-flash-drives-sd-cards-ssd-disk/

 

[sotonowl]

11 hours ago, voulez vous said:

did promise her one this morning.

Did you manage to give her one Monsieur, this morning I mean. 

[voulez vous]

5 hours ago, sotonowl said:

Did you manage to give her one Monsieur, this morning I mean. 

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!

 

[voulez vous]

Bonjour farangsters. Vous here.

 

Monsieur Owl is unable to be with us today. But he has sent me an email. So he can keep his friends up to date with his diary. I can report that he has been attacked by those pesky Asian hornets again. But more of this in his report.

 

Michelle is waiting for me in the bedroom, so I'll post this for him and get back to her. The problem with us French men, is that we sometimes have to disappoint our lovely ladies. Not in the loving department, but when saying À tout à l'heure to them. Although they understand my position when I reluctantly leave them.

 

Monsieur Owl will be back with you all shortly. Refreshed and unfettered.

 

So it's au revoir from me; perhaps forever. Who knows how the haricots and onions will spill?

============================================

Owl Log - 11-09-2022 - Sunday morning.

 

Didn't see any rain for the first week of September. Started to get worried. But yesterday and last night we had a drop.

 

The cassava waste was delivered and now I'm waiting on the nut-man to start work on trimming around the trees.

 

 

42 tonnes all told. To be divided up to 745 trees, plus a few around the farm house. 329 in farm three, and 416 in four. That works out at roughly  55/56 kg per tree. Some might get more and some a little less. I have 200 sacks ready to rock n roll. Hopefully it will be a non-stop; fill the sacks - transport them to the trees - empty sacks and return for refill. Once the two sacks are tipped out, a lady will rake the cassava evenly around the tree. This week I hope.

 

Was in the Buddha having a butchers at the temple over the pond.

 

 

 

Still a lot of work to be done yet. Well into 2023, or even 2024, before any visitors are encouraged.

 

 

While there I was tempted over by an old structure in the corner.

 

 

I went closer and the hornets came to get me. Only two stings though. One on my left thump and the other next to my left eye.

 

 

No sympathy from Mrs Owl. "Take pictures in Buddha. Cannot. Own Fault. Farang ding dong."

 

The twins are a delight.

 

 

They have great co-ordination, and dress sense.

 

 

Took the pick-up in for a service on Tuesday. Oil change, replace blown light-bulbs and generally tinker with this and that. Just 1800 baht. Drives like a new un. Much quieter too.

 

On the way back from taking the pick-up to the repair man, I walked back; risking the dozen or so frenzied dogs encountered on the journey. It was 07-36, and a bus was leaving for the Witty-something or other school on the 2022.

 

 

This was the school where daughter Nan went for a while. I had an embarrassing experience with them. I was at home and Nan arrived at about 11am. "Why are you not in school Nan?" She said that she had been sent home to get a hair-cut. I was not at all amused. I put my English hat on and went to the school to let them have it. Both barrels. "What do you think you are doing letting a student out of school? She is your care until closing time." By the time they found a teacher who could understand me, I had calmed down a bit. It transpired that Nan hadn't even been to school that day. Or any day that week. Her hair-cut story was all nonsense. Ate a slice of humble and gave a couple of wais. Got out of there double quick. Her mum was working in her sister Pook's farm. Later I told Mrs Owl the story. She was annoyed, but didn't seem too upset. Good lesson for me that day. Still learning to this day.

 

Oh no! The pineapple came a cropper at the farm.

 

 

Looks like it had just snapped off.

 

 

It wasn't quite ready to eat, so took it home and thought I'd look after it.

 

 

Was gonna keep it in water until it ripened.

 

Would you Adam and Eve it. Someone only had it away. And had the cheek to put what was left back on the pot.

 

 

It can be a great life here, but little things still baffle me.

 

Discovered a reishi at the farm. I'll give it a week or so and cut it off. It will make a nice drop of wine.

 

 

Thinking of that mushroom reminds me that I went into the hat-lady shop a week ago. She was busy, but without saying anything she handed me two packs of shredded reishi. Is there some sort of mind-reading going on? Hope she wasn't flustered by my thoughts for the next few minutes.

 

Mildred has produced her best work ever. She seems to getting to grips with face texture. I've got hopes for her artistic future.

 

 

Had to fix up a couple of racks for the wife. I don't like going into the kitchen for a couple of reasons. Due to bad experiences in England. But had to calm myself to do a bit of drilling and hanging.

 

 

Loony's farm opposite us has pulled down their charcoal igloo and started growing onions.

 

 

She has a couple of pygmy papaya trees also. They are just one metre high but are abundant with fruit.

 

 

Sent away for some pillows. They were on Lazada, and were said be the softest pillows in the world. Bought three. And was not disappointed. Boy! Are they soft. Just 210 baht all in; including a tip for the driver.

 

 

Another lady finding a use for the old sewer pipes.

 

 

The shop-lady next to us has bought some exercise contraption. I was there with the camera, but wouldn't embarrass her by doing a vid. What she does is put her legs in the rings and arms in the loops and do an Andy Pandy dance. Be good if it has any effect.

 

 

Speaking of dancing. Went to Ban Dung Friday. It was a big Buddha the following day (Saturday) and both Mrs Owl and sister Pook got tons of veggies. Saturday came and the Mrs went round the four farms putting out candles, food and incense sticks. Good luck will ensue. I think number 44 this time.

 

But I'm jumping forward. While I was at the vegetable soi, I found a dancing and singing man. Very cute! Dressed in traditional Dancing and singing clothes. Matching mask.

 

 

What an eventful week England had. A new Prime Minister and a New King; Charles 111.

 

The footy was cancelled right across the board, so no footy report. Except to say that I feel for any Brighton fans out there, and the ones in Brighton. Hope they finish above Chelsea this season.

 

Mrs Owl is around the side of the house clearing foliage. She has just chopped the water pipe. No problem as she has turned off the mains tap. So that's a job for me after posting the Owl Log.

 

Mildred beat me 3-0 in our chess games yesterday. I'll try to get my own back in our games later. And world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, walked out of the international competition in St Louis (US). He was earlier beaten by a teenage American; who played black would you believe!?.

 

Mildred is doing well in the English at school. She told me some vague story of going to Bangkok for a competition. Nothing official as yet. Would not want her to go anyway.

 

Dull day today. Just like a June day in Essex; fishing at Hainault.

 

Went into Big C. Still 90% mask-wearing inside the shop. The stalls outside and independent shops about 50%. I noticed was that all the mobile air-conditioning units had gone. Couldn't see one. Had some chicken-foot soup for lunch.

 

Will be back next week. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

[HighPriority]

Please pass our best thoughts onto

Mr Owl and our many thanks to you Mr Vouluvont for being his good friend ????????

[Andrew Dwyer]

Another good round up there Owl, particularly liked the school haircut story !

Agree with you totally on the “ still learning “ phrase, I had a lesson in Buddhism yesterday .

Had seen the small gold elephant at many Wats and seen the faithful lifting it , or failing to lift it , with their little finger. Had even had a go a few times.

So, yesterday, visiting a new , to us , Wat my gf spotted the elephant and encouraged me to have a go at lifting it 3 times with my little finger. Proud of myself after succeeding and nursing a sore finger my bonfire was promptly pi$$ed on by a lady monk (?) who dashed over to correct my gf, and myself, on the correct purpose of the heavy elephant.

Apparently , the first attempt is for good luck( lottery, health etc ) and should be achieved easily.

The second attempt you should wish the elephant to be very heavy and should be impossible to lift.

The third attempt ……… I don’t remember what the third attempt signifies as I was still reeling from my gf’s face as she struggled, yet failed, to lift the elephant on the second attempt yet successful on the third attempt !! ( It’s a miracle I hear you cry !! ).

I was prompted to try again but declined, not sure my acting skills were up to it …… or perhaps I was to succeed 3 times again showing the unholy farang for what i am !!

 

A lovely Wat , with the miraculous elephant left of centre .

 

[HighPriority]

The heathen I am I have been spared knowledge, let alone attempts of lifting this elephant !

[Andrew Dwyer]

5 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

The heathen I am I have been spared knowledge, let alone attempts of lifting this elephant !

Yes, my successful attempts at lifting the elephant were probably met with scorn and “ look at that smug heathen farang barsteward  “ comments !!

[voulez vous]

6 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

A lovely Wat , with the miraculous elephant left of centre .

 

 

That is a cracking pic Monsieur

[bannork]

I went back to the monthly market, Owl, and bought 20 more durian saplings, now only 80 baht each, plus a mixture of grapefruit, mangosteen and rambutan saplings. 

Come next month or November, I'm going to need some black cloth to protect the saplings from the increasingly harsh sun. Not sure what percentage to get.

One shop was selling cloth with 80% protection but that seemed too high, could stunt growth I reckon 

[rickudon]

Owls ill-health might have been Covid. It finally got me 2 weeks ago, headache and severe fatigue, took a test 3rd day and positive - daughter also unwell so she was then tested and positive also. Wife panicked and took her to hospital for 3 days..... leaving me at home with my son who had just arrived from the UK. Other family lurkers evaporated for 4 days, until i recovered. Food supplies got a bit low, had to order some takeaways. Some of the others had been unwell the week before but wouldn't test. M-in-L has only just recovered after 3 weeks - at 80 and only one vaccination she is lucky.

Still a bit tired, need a nap if i do any work.

 

Although a fair bit of rain over the last month, ponds have gone up only a bit (some banks overflowed). Worst flooding on the Roads was July.

Did Khon Kean zoo on Saturday, was pleasantly surprised, but visiting at this time of year not pleasant as a bit hilly and exhausted after one and a half hours due to the humidity. Just got to see most of it and then a big storm - was soaked and still damp when we got back to Udon. Caught a bit of a chill. A week or 2 before i am back to grass cutting.

[owl sees all]

8 hours ago, rickudon said:

Owls ill-health might have been Covid. It finally got me 2 weeks ago, headache and severe fatigue, took a test 3rd day and positive - daughter also unwell so she was then tested and positive also. Wife panicked and took her to hospital for 3 days..... leaving me at home with my son who had just arrived from the UK. Other family lurkers evaporated for 4 days, until i recovered. Food supplies got a bit low, had to order some takeaways. Some of the others had been unwell the week before but wouldn't test. M-in-L has only just recovered after 3 weeks - at 80 and only one vaccination she is lucky.

Still a bit tired, need a nap if i do any work.

 

Although a fair bit of rain over the last month, ponds have gone up only a bit (some banks overflowed). Worst flooding on the Roads was July.

Did Khon Kean zoo on Saturday, was pleasantly surprised, but visiting at this time of year not pleasant as a bit hilly and exhausted after one and a half hours due to the humidity. Just got to see most of it and then a big storm - was soaked and still damp when we got back to Udon. Caught a bit of a chill. A week or 2 before i am back to grass cutting.

Thanks for the info' Rick. There does seem quite a lot of illness/sickness around our village too. And this year there have been half-a-dozen deaths. A couple of them young people in there 40s.

 

The daughter's school did a Khon Kean zoo visit a couple of years back. I did a feature on the Farang Dairy  back in 2019. If my memory is still intact, I think she enjoyed the birds most.

 

My latest disappearance was due to a long standing personal avocation. In short DD. Which in everyday talk is 'disinformation disorder'. Obviously I have to sort this out. And I'll start by upping my reishi wine intake, and watching the BBC..

 

Sister-in-law Pook called us at about nine last evening. She had bad belly ache and wanted Mrs Owl to take her to Ban Dung Hospital. They were back at 11ish. Just a couple of injections did the trick. My remedy of drinking a few litres of water was poo-pooed. That had mostly worked for me in the past. But i guess Thai women are different. Which they obviously are. But most bellies work the same; don't they?

 

Gonna make a reish brew soon.

 

Vous is spending a week in a log cabin with a lady friend in the woods.

 

Thank you all and take care out there.

[owl sees all]

On 9/11/2022 at 10:01 PM, bannork said:

I went back to the monthly market, Owl, and bought 20 more durian saplings, now only 80 baht each, plus a mixture of grapefruit, mangosteen and rambutan saplings. 

Come next month or November, I'm going to need some black cloth to protect the saplings from the increasingly harsh sun. Not sure what percentage to get.

One shop was selling cloth with 80% protection but that seemed too high, could stunt growth I reckon 

Please keep us informed on sapling progress Bannork. Pics!!

 

I think that black cloth you are speaking of also comes in green. That might do the trick just as well.

[sotonowl]

11 hours ago, owl sees all said:

My latest disappearance was due to a long standing personal avocation. In short DD. Which in everyday talk is 'disinformation disorder'. Obviously I have to sort this out. And I'll start by upping my reishi wine intake, and watching the BBC..

If you're suffering with DD Owl, you'll need to stop watching the BBC, that'll be where you're picking it up.

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, sotonowl said:

If you're suffering with DD Owl, you'll need to stop watching the BBC, that'll be where you're picking it up.

Thanks for the tip fellow Owl. I can remember the great BBC shows from years ago. We would rush home from school to catch the Wooden Tops or Twizzle. and later, as I grew older, Match of the day on a Saturday evening.

 

Anyway, I've got to stop the DD. I'll stick with the Owl Log from now on. Although I might venture over to the footy threads every time the Irons win.

[sotonowl]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Thanks for the tip fellow Owl. I can remember the great BBC shows from years ago. We would rush home from school to catch the Wooden Tops or Twizzle. and later, as I grew older, Match of the day on a Saturday evening.

 

Anyway, I've got to stop the DD. I'll stick with the Owl Log from now on. Although I might venture over to the footy threads every time the Irons win.

Oh without a doubt Owl, a very British Institution previously and the pride of the nation. Not with the <deleted> it peddles now though which is little better than sedition IMHO.

[Golden Triangle]

 I'll stick with the Owl Log from now on. Although I might venture over to the footy threads every time the Irons win.

 

That won't be very often then ???????????? ( Only joking ) ????????

Edited 13 hours ago by owl sees all

 

[owl sees all]

57 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

 I'll stick with the Owl Log from now on. Although I might venture over to the footy threads every time the Irons win.

 

That won't be very often then ???????????? ( Only joking ) ????????

Edited 13 hours ago by owl sees all

 

The Irons are off to a bad start. That's a fact. But we'll pull ourselves up the table soon. Maybe after the World Cup?

 

But my number one team is well clear at the top of their fourth tier league. I still live in hope that I will see the Orient get into the Champions League. As for winning the top European trophy; well Man City and Arsenal still have not done the deed. So I know it's hard. But not beyond us.

[Golden Triangle]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

The Irons are off to a bad start. That's a fact. But we'll pull ourselves up the table soon. Maybe after the World Cup?

 

But my number one team is well clear at the top of their fourth tier league. I still live in hope that I will see the Orient get into the Champions League. As for winning the top European trophy; well Man City and Arsenal still have not done the deed. So I know it's hard. But not beyond us.

Well knock me down with a feather, that's 2 Orient supporters in the same country, my mate is a big Orient fan, he lives tu'p north ????

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Golden Triangle said:

Well knock me down with a feather, that's 2 Orient supporters in the same country, my mate is a big Orient fan, he lives tu'p north ????

Regular 6k home gates.

 

Only a stone's throw from WHU's new ground. As the 'O's move up the leagues a lot of Irons's fans will come over.

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Regular 6k home gates.

 

Only a stone's throw from WHU's new ground. As the 'O's move up the leagues a lot of Irons's fans will come over.

Just checked the 'O's only year in the top flight (62/63).

 

After being promoted alongside Liverpool the previous year - with the best defensive record in the league - we were optimistic. At the beginning of October we were 12th. Had solid wins against Everton and and Man Utd, but a run of seven straight losses, starting in March, sent us close to the bottom. We couldn't recover. And not taking a point from the last five games didn't give a life-line.

 

On an up-side; we shared the points with The Irons - both 2-0 results - and took 3 from 4 against Fulham.

 

Down!! But as Arnie famously said; "We will be back."

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - September 18th - Sunday morning

 

Fixed the PVC water pipe that Mrs Owl chopped.

 

 

That'll do 'til I get a 3/4 inch straight.

 

Who half-inched the pineapple from the front wall? Not been solved; yet. But I have my strong suspicions. Anyway! The bit that wasn't taken has been placed into water and!!??

 

 

Out with the old; in with the new.

 

 

Roots! Lots of them.

 

 

One of out cats has developed a bird-catching skill. It's a natural thing for cats to catch animals and take them home. Jack-the-first caught any number of small snakes. And New Jack likes a rat. But Poo has a passion for birds. This was the third bird so far. One was let go immediately and the other was found dead with hardly ant feathers under the table.

 

Fortunately Mildred rescued the poor thing before the cat had totally mutilated it. I'm sure Bradbury Blue would know what variety it is,

 

 

Popped it in with the budgies for a few days to recover.

 

 

Let it fly away Saturday morning. Hope we don't see it again.

 

 

Loaded up the pick-up with 29 sacks of rice last Sunday. BeeApp got the sacks out and I loaded.

 

 

Mrs Owl shouted instructions to me on how to best load up.

 

Then it was off to the whole-seller in Ban Dung. The place was empty. In about six weeks time the place will be packed out with farmers selling and trucks loading up to take to the mills.

 

 

Had to go onto the weigh-bridge to kick things off. Then the guys began unloading.

 

 

Finished up with just under 9k baht. Two of the sacks were mixed and we got 8.2 baht a kilo. 13 sacks were Isaan, or sticky rice, at 9.2 baht, and 14 sacks of Thai rice at 13.7.

 

Not too bad. Although 8k disappeared for a future gold bracelet investment!

 

 

Was having a tidy up at the farm. I moved a sack and a rat jumped out. Mrs Owl was quickly on the scene and rescued three babies.

 

 

For a moment I thought she was gonna eat them. Perhaps she would if I hadn't have been watching. She said she would put them somewhere safe. "Why you look me farang? Go away and let me put them safe."

 

 

Looney's onions are just beginning to show.

 

 

More crabs! This time I kept them secret from the wife. She would have had them away for sure.

 

Next day put a dozen in number one pond and the rest in number seven. Transferred them into a bucket before releasing them

 

 

I had the pleasure of watching them crawl to freedom.

 

 

The village Buddha has had its first paint job.

 

 

I thought it was a bit premature. But maybe they wanted to take the scaffolding down.

 

 

Yesterday (Saturday), just after three there was a darkness. Lights on in the house. We thought there was gonna be a storm coming, as there was thunder rumbling in the distance. I had to go to the farm to feed the chickens, Happy the dog and the fish.

 

 

No storm! No rain! In fact this month has been a huge disappointment. Last year September was rubbish, and the biggest rain of the year was on 22nd October. Plenty of time yet then.

 

Footy round-up.

Orient continue their march  towards the Champions League. 25 points from a possible 27. Looking good. Spurs hit the Foxes for six. Easy win for Man City. Top four all played each other in Div' one. Both games 2-2 draws. What a mess the footy fixtures are. No games last week end and postponements all over the place since.

 

Had a visit from one of the posters in the week. spent a few hours having a natter before he had to get off. He like Mildred's artwork.

 

Have gradually changed my diet in the last few weeks. In the mornings I eat a muesli based meal, with some extra dried fruit, and some cornflakes in the mix. Afternoons, a variety of meals, but finished off with fruit. Early evening; chicken-foot soup.

 

Poor Alex Belfield. Five years for stressing out BBC people by excessive texting. One of those victims was Jeremy Vine. Sensitive soul he is.

 

The list is out for those fortunates invited to the late queen's funeral. No President Putin?

 

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

[chickenslegs]

I enjoyed your log as always Owl.

 

I'd not heard about the Alex Belfield case, so I looked it up. Not just a case of excessive texting but full scale harrassment (albeit not physical).

 

The judge's summary is worth reading.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/R-v-Belfield-sentencing-160922.pdf