Diary of a farang in Isaan

[Fat is a type of crazy]

2 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

TBH HP, I sometimes read back a couple of years. Some of the old posters are not on-line now. At least not on Aseannow.

 

AT tragically died. Regular previous posters like Odyssey and Blue Sofa are no longer about. Thanks must go to Voulez Vous, who once ditched his latest bit of French skirt to help me out on one of my many holidays.

 

And it's worth mentioning that the tread started before C-19 arrived. Interesting to see how it was coped with by the locals.

Well done Owl. The farms looking good at the moment I must say. I wondered about Odysseus - hope all is well. 

[owl sees all]

Just now, owl sees all said:

Speaking of such, today is Mrs HP's birthday, shes celebrating by helping a friend cut mangos...

Well. congrats are in order. Please tell her happy birthday. And send her this little something. A hard copy would be better; or even a real one. But never mind.

 

 

Just to remind her how lucky she is to have you.

 

[HighPriority]

2 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Well. congrats are in order. Please tell her happy birthday. And send her this little something. A hard copy would be better; or even a real one. But never mind.

 

 

Just to remind her how lucky she is to have you.

 

I do at every opportunity... ????

Ill pass it on, with thanks Owl.

[marty147]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

 

Evidently there are a number of solutions. Mildred's solving differs form mine a bit.

 

But how someone can do it blindfold in just over 20 seconds is mind-blowing. And I've seen people do it just using one hand or even their feet. The blind-fold one is fantastic. It's on 'Rumble' I think. I'll dig it out.

 

????  Fun fact:

 

Every standard Rubik's cube can be solved in a maximum of 20 moves from any starting position, no matter how scrambled.

 

 

[owl sees all]

36 minutes ago, marty147 said:

 

????  Fun fact:

 

Every standard Rubik's cube can be solved in a maximum of 20 moves from any starting position, no matter how scrambled.

 

 

So, if that's the case, maybe better to try to see a pattern, before twisting and turning.

 

I've not counted, but I reckon I do at least 200 moves. With that many moves to do, I'll never be a speed champion. But I think 3 minutes is good. And of course the way to a bit of fluff's bed is by solving her cube. Not that I'm interested in that. But some of these Isaan girls look up to men who they perceive to have superior intellect. And lots of money naturally.

 

As my mate said; '''when we met she didn't care how slow I was to go to the ATM, as long as I could do her cube quickly. After we got married those two things changed places'''.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by owl sees all

[HighPriority]

29 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Well done Owl. The farms looking good at the moment I must say. I wondered about Odysseus - hope all is well. 

I sent Ody a pm earlier this year, he said he was "taking a break from the forum" such is the nature of fora i guess, but it also leaves one to ponder our mortality, at least I do on occasion.

I do hope that everyone is keeping warm, dry and well, particularly you Odyssius.

I'm sure that AT is with his bike and probably truck somewhere...

[DJ54]

Thanks Owl for providing an enjoyable read on Sundays…. First time e I had Chicken feet after playing

golf the customer said let’s eat lunch at the course.. .. he ordered being a local member… I got the soup saw the chicken foot immediately thought  <deleted> .. set it to the side and had the soup… 

 

had fried fish bones as an appetizer with customer in Japan… another <deleted> moment… he said hot or cold saki ?…. Told him I’ve never drank saki… he ordered both…  

 

have a great week and let’s hope we get rain for the yard ( think y’all call it garden)…

[bannork]

Happy Birthday to the thread, Owl. You've done a great job keeping it going, the variety of material: village life, the farm, Thai family and neighbours, gadgets, home inventions, <deleted> football teams, there's something in there for almost everyone.

Thinking about Thai family, my late wife's older sister is amazing. She's bringing up four grandchildren as well as helping her husband every day in the fields, whether it's taking care of the cows, planting/ harvesting rice, growing vegetables, she hardly has any time of her own yet there's always a smile on her face 

I take my hat off to her.

Thinking about animals, the ubiquitous presence of chickens upcountry and their constant search for food makes you realise how walking and scratching the ground is instinctive to them. How people can keep battery hens cooped up, only able to turn their heads in a cage is beyond me. They may argue it's the only way to provide chickens for the masses, you can hardly have chickens roaming free range all over the cities, but it's imposed suffering and as such is inexcusable.

 

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, bannork said:

Happy Birthday to the thread, Owl. You've done a great job keeping it going, the variety of material: village life, the farm, Thai family and neighbours, gadgets, home inventions, <deleted> football teams, there's something in there for almost everyone.

Thinking about Thai family, my late wife's older sister is amazing. She's bringing up four grandchildren as well as helping her husband every day in the fields, whether it's taking care of the cows, planting/ harvesting rice, growing vegetables, she hardly has any time of her own yet there's always a smile on her face 

I take my hat off to her.

Thinking about animals, the ubiquitous presence of chickens upcountry and their constant search for food makes you realise how walking and scratching the ground is instinctive to them. How people can keep battery hens cooped up, only able to turn their heads in a cage is beyond me. They may argue it's the only way to provide chickens for the masses, you can hardly have chickens roaming free range all over the cities, but it's imposed suffering and as such is inexcusable.

 

Thanks for the nice words Bannork.

 

I try to keep true to the title of the thread if possible. What would I write in a diary every day? So, sometimes it's little things that would get a mention. Like fixing a rail in the kitchen, or worrying about not having enough cat food.

 

Life in Isaan can be a challenge. I've given up trying to understand it. For me now, it's simply an adaptation process. Often, that's a line of least resistance. Other farang here see it differently, and I enjoy exploring their experiences and inputs..

 

With the 'footy round-up', and 'world focus'; that's really about my past-times. Reading about what is happening, not just about Isaan or Thailand generally. but further afield. In saying that, my problems (holidays) have mostly come about because I've gone against the western narrative that prevails I've learnt my lesson now, and as I'm getting older, I'm keeping my typing fingers more under control. It's that middle finger on my right hand that causes so much grief.

 

Ah yes! Chickens. Every day. when I go to the farm, I feed them. They are not ours, but when they see me with a bucket they come running, and it makes me feel good. As well as that, we may be the dominant species, but take away our weapons, and chickens might take over.; or cats!

 

My style of writing could best be described as 'dry and bouncy'. And as long as members enjoy it, and respond with a post or two, I'll keep it going.

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

Fixing up the rice-store.

 

We expect around 60 bags of rice to arrive during this month, so I had to get the store in order. There was a problem with mice and rats, and I decided to put a wire mesh right across the floor, and to reinforce the edges, where the rats could get in.

 

I enlisted Soo to help. He is always willing and anyway it's good to keep the close neighbours sweet.

 

Put the mesh down a week ago.

 

 

Mesh was a bit smaller gauge than before.

 

Got a bit extra done too.

 

 

Called into Daisha in Ban Dung on Friday afternoon. They have beautiful flowers outside.

 

 

I was after two sheets of 3mm ply. No sweat, they had plenty; just 130 baht an 8 x 4 sheet.

 

 

 

Took them to farm on Saturday.

 

 

Mrs Owl simply had to position them in the store.

 

 

I went over to help get the rice.

 

 

Bella helped. 22 sacks in all.

 

 

This batch was all Thai rice. About 50/50 Thai rice to Isaan (sticky) rice expected.

 

 

[bannork]

Are you watching the footy live on TV, Owl?

3-0 up against the terrorist regime at half time  .

 

[owl sees all]

27 minutes ago, bannork said:

Are you watching the footy live on TV, Owl?

3-0 up against the terrorist regime at half time .

No! Mrs Owl says I can't watch the TV.

 

But I am listening to it on Sammy SK football on the www.

 

5-1 now.

 

 

[HighPriority]

7 hours ago, owl sees all said:

No! Mrs Owl says I can't watch the TV.

 

But I am listening to it on Sammy SK football on the www.

 

5-1 now.

 

 

I’d be putting power and a tv in the rice shed, or Mrs Owl, whichever was easiest… ????

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, HighPriority said:

I’d be putting power and a TV in the rice shed, or Mrs Owl, whichever was easiest… ????

 

She was watching some Thai dancing. I tried to get her to relent. Talked all sweet to her. Told her that her hair didn't smell. But no use.

 

Tried to watch it on the www. Only commentary available. Roll on Wales and USA.

 

[BlueScouse]

https://worldcup.soccerstreams.net/

 

I use this website for all football games.

[owl sees all]

 

A tiny drop of rain last night. Maybe enough to stop a game of cricket; but not in Dagenham, where we would be fishing at The Chase and certainly not dressed up in white clothing, prancing about with a little ball. We would be in camouflaged attire; using skill and tactics, to snare 'Big Bill' or 'Scarface',

 

Don't know about you voyeurs on this thread, but I'm fed up with being told what 'real men' are, or what 'real men' should be doing.

 

It all started going downhill for me when Henry, one of England's greats, went on TV and splashed it on all over.  I just had to go to the Roundhouse and drown my sorrows. Then we had that David bloke prancing about in his wife's panties; allegedly. Oh, he is so much in touch with his feminine side. I cringed at the way things were going. so more trips to the Roundhouse.

 

But recently it has gotten much more serious.

 

We have a cream that you put on ya skin to smell nice; to attract women!! !Smell nice!!!!??? What happened to the days when a good whack over the head, with a stout club, could get any woman into ya bed? Of course we never whacked our ladies in Dagenham. We simply promised them a ride in our Cortina.

 

Now, there is this LED light that is strapped onto the forehead of 'real men'. Good for searching out those wayward ladies in the wood, at the back of the Without Hope pub, on a Saturday night. And it has an anti-mozzie, 'red mode'.  Those mozzies will be sick as pigs, when Global Warming really kicks in. and it's warm enough to invade Kent. That 'red mode' will certainly fool them in the Dover area, where this head-band will mostly be used. In Dagenham Dock the mozzies will just have to be content with a slap. They have paraffin lamps there don't ya know.

 

Things are bad enough, without getting the shock of my young life this morning. It must have been a David Beckham type who wrote that the largest ever 'goldfish' had been caught in Champagne, France. Most of this ilk, think that this area is only good for that stuff that 'real men' are now drinking. Not because they can't afford beer in their local, No! Another way but to impress those ladies, along with the smells the lights, and the wife's panties.

 

"Hello luv. I'm not wearing my last conquest's panties. What would ya rather have? A fast ride in me motor, or a night fishing at The Chase?" The true Dagenham way.

 

But I am getting side-tracked. Real men do not go fishing for goldfish!! We brave the elements to temp that most majestic and crafty of fishes; the carp.

 

 

Well done Andy. A real man in the true sense of the word.

 

 

Weighed in at 30 kilos. Andy returned it safely after showing the camera what real men can do.

 

 

 

[HighPriority]

Come to Oz Owl, bring your floaties you’ll need em, and you can have all the stinking carp you want !!

[sotonowl]

18 hours ago, owl sees all said:

 

A tiny drop of rain last night. Maybe enough to stop a game of cricket; but not in Dagenham, where we would be fishing at The Chase and certainly not dressed up in white clothing, prancing about with a little ball. We would be in camouflaged attire; using skill and tactics, to snare 'Big Bill' or 'Scarface',

 

Don't know about you voyeurs on this thread, but I'm fed up with being told what 'real men' are, or what 'real men' should be doing.

 

It all started going downhill for me when Henry, one of England's greats, went on TV and splashed it on all over.  I just had to go to the Roundhouse and drown my sorrows. Then we had that David bloke prancing about in his wife's panties; allegedly. Oh, he is so much in touch with his feminine side. I cringed at the way things were going. so more trips to the Roundhouse.

 

But recently it has gotten much more serious.

 

We have a cream that you put on ya skin to smell nice; to attract women!! !Smell nice!!!!??? What happened to the days when a good whack over the head, with a stout club, could get any woman into ya bed? Of course we never whacked our ladies in Dagenham. We simply promised them a ride in our Cortina.

 

Now, there is this LED light that is strapped onto the forehead of 'real men'. Good for searching out those wayward ladies in the wood, at the back of the Without Hope pub, on a Saturday night. And it has an anti-mozzie, 'red mode'.  Those mozzies will be sick as pigs, when Global Warming really kicks in. and it's warm enough to invade Kent. That 'red mode' will certainly fool them in the Dover area, where this head-band will mostly be used. In Dagenham Dock the mozzies will just have to be content with a slap. They have paraffin lamps there don't ya know.

 

Things are bad enough, without getting the shock of my young life this morning. It must have been a David Beckham type who wrote that the largest ever 'goldfish' had been caught in Champagne, France. Most of this ilk, think that this area is only good for that stuff that 'real men' are now drinking. Not because they can't afford beer in their local, No! Another way but to impress those ladies, along with the smells the lights, and the wife's panties.

 

"Hello luv. I'm not wearing my last conquest's panties. What would ya rather have? A fast ride in me motor, or a night fishing at The Chase?" The true Dagenham way.

 

But I am getting side-tracked. Real men do not go fishing for goldfish!! We brave the elements to temp that most majestic and crafty of fishes; the carp.

 

 

Well done Andy. A real man in the true sense of the word.

 

 

Weighed in at 30 kilos. Andy returned it safely after showing the camera what real men can do.

 

 

 

I see that urine treatment you've embarked on is finally showing results.????

[owl sees all]

10 hours ago, HighPriority said:

Come to Oz Owl, bring your floaties you’ll need em, and you can have all the stinking carp you want !

 

I'm sure OZ values its wildlife. The bin-chicken and smelly toad get a free reign.

 

Unlike some retards in New Zealand who go hunting for kois with a bow and arrow. They call it 'bow fishing'.

 

I was in conversation with some of these 'real men' a few years ago, and they told me they were looking after the environment. Sounds like cruelty to me. How can anyone harm such beautiful creatures?

 

It rained in some parts yesterday and last night. Not in our parts however. Just unlucky I guess.

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by owl sees all

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, sotonowl said:

I see that urine treatment you've embarked on is finally showing results.????

 

You are not wrong there fellow Owl.

 

As well as improving my condition, it has given me clarity of thought. And is helping me unravel the secrets of football prediction. Had a decent result last week end. Yes! I've almost cracked it.

[gomangosteen]

Koi carp are an introduced noxious pest fish in New Zealand "rats of the river".

 

It is illegal to sell, breed or distribute them.

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by gomangosteen

[rickudon]

Yes, carp in the wrong place can be a pest. I once went fishing at lake Burley-griffin in Canberra. All i could catch were carp, mainly stunted. A passer by had the biggest for his cat.

 The Australian CSIRO were looking at Carp herpes virus when i was there as the myxomatosis equivalent for carp. Do not think they went country wide with it, just not deadly enough. Most of the indigenous fish in southern parts of Australia are now rare due to carp, and of course agricultural practices/dams polluting the rivers or changing the aquatic environment. In the far North the fish were still the indigenous ones (Catfish similar to Plaa sawai and barramundi were main ones, also Tarpon, saratoga (a type of arrowana), archer fish and longtoms). At that time no cane toads, i fear many of the rarer predatory animals are on their way to extinction due to Cane toad poison - although some birds seem to have learned how to deal with them). An interesting 18 months of my life mainly spent in the Northern territory, with more crocs than humans.

[owl sees all]

38 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

Koi carp are an introduced noxious pest fish in New Zealand "rats of the river".

 

It is illegal to sell, breed or distribute them.

 

 

 

 

Very sad to see these beautiful fish being slaughtered like this.

 

In some countries they are a delicacy on the dining table. If they ate them there would be an excuse for this wanton slaughter.

 

Hope NZ you get smashed in the World Cup.

 

[owl sees all]

11 minutes ago, rickudon said:

Yes, carp in the wrong place can be a pest. I once went fishing at lake Burley-griffin in Canberra. All i could catch were carp, mainly stunted. A passer by had the biggest for his cat.

 The Australian CSIRO were looking at Carp herpes virus when i was there as the myxomatosis equivalent for carp. Do not think they went country wide with it, just not deadly enough. Most of the indigenous fish in southern parts of Australia are now rare due to carp, and of course agricultural practices/dams polluting the rivers or changing the aquatic environment. In the far North the fish were still the indigenous ones (Catfish similar to Plaa sawai and barramundi were main ones, also Tarpon, saratoga (a type of arrowana), archer fish and longtoms). At that time no cane toads, i fear many of the rarer predatory animals are on their way to extinction due to Cane toad poison - although some birds seem to have learned how to deal with them). An interesting 18 months of my life mainly spent in the Northern territory, with more crocs than humans.

Sad to know that some OZ people have such a strange view of anything, or anybody, that is not related to a convict. There is just a handful of people sharing a vast expanse of land, and they still disrespect the animals.

 

They shoot the roos, slaughter the carp and the crocs get a very raw deal. And it's not as though they need the room. Good job they are respectful of the Aboes. In saying all this, I have relatives living there, who have been there for yonks. Who doesn't? I don't bother with them now after the last couple of years. Very stubborn lot they are. Couldn't see it my way over C-19.

 

Was gonna get some barrimundi fry a few years ago. With the droughts of recent years I'm glad I didn't. Although they are a quite hardy fish, they still need water.

 

 

 

[bannork]

Owl, have you heard of Leigh Gallagher? He's a very keen fisherman in Kampaeng Phet.

https://www.facebook.com/leigh.gallagher.332?mibextid=ZbWKwL 

Sad to see Wales lose 2-0 but glad to see the Iranian protesters of their murderous regime won.

England at 2.00 am? Nah, too early but I'll set the alarm for three to watch the second half, then have an early breakfast and head to the farm for some watering.

We've been unlucky, I had to go to Udon today expansive puddles in Na Kha and Nong Mel but nothing in Ban Dung 

 

 

 

 

[gomangosteen]

58 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

 

Hope NZ you get smashed in the World Cup.

 

Bizarre comment, yet you are so bold as to refer to others as 'retards'.

NZ does not feature in the FIFA World Cup. As if that is relevant to anything.

NZ has incredible native biodiversity borne out of its geographic isolation, no common land borders.

People make huge efforts to support, retain and boost near-extinct species and no need for introduced pests.

Edited November 25, 2022 by gomangosteen

[owl sees all]

4 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

Bizarre comment, yet you are so bold as to refer to others as 'retards'.

NZ does not feature in the FIFA World Cup. As if that is relevant to anything.

NZ has incredible native biodiversity borne out of its geographic isolation, no common land borders.

People make huge efforts to support, retain and boost near-extinct species and no need for introduced pests.

Carry on like this and the beautiful carp will be extinct. The carp in the photo are not kois in the true sense of the word, but a colour variety of the common carp. And as a side-issue, they are all commons rather than leathers or mirrors.

 

The NZanders should start learning how to cook them. Like the Poles and some jewish groups.

[owl sees all]

16 minutes ago, bannork said:

Owl, have you heard of Leigh Gallagher? He's a very keen fisherman in Kampaeng Phet.

https://www.facebook.com/leigh.gallagher.332?mibextid=ZbWKwL 

Sad to see Wales lose 2-0 but glad to see the Iranian protesters of their murderous regime won.

England at 2.00 am? Nah, too early but I'll set the alarm for three to watch the second half, then have an early breakfast and head to the farm for some watering.

We've been unlucky, I had to go to Udon today expansive puddles in Na Kha and Nong Mel but nothing in Ban Dung

 

I have not heard of this chap. I will take a look thought.

 

That fickle substance; rain. Our area is not blessed with much.

 

All I have seen with the footy, is the England goals against Iran. Went to Ban Dung today and inquired about the True exposure. To watch any, I had to upgrade, and pay another 300 baht a month. I'll keep trying to get a watch on the www, but it seems it's sewed up. Years ago I used Fox Sports. But that's a no-go. Best bet, I reckon, is a VPN, routed to England. Watch it on my beloved BBC.????‍♂️

 

More important things for me in life than watch the WC. Even though it's one of my favourite sports, along with swimming and chess. Some shocks already. I see that Wales lost today. 15 minutes of 'injury time'!?

 

Darts start up soon.

 

 

[owl sees all]

12 hours ago, gomangosteen said:

Bizarre comment, yet you are so bold as to refer to others as 'retards'.

Anyone who gets their kicks out of killing beautiful animals for fun is a 'retard' in my book. And those NZ lads are right up there.

 

Plenty of them in the world. My ex-country has many. So I'm not just taking about those down-under nitwits.

[Phnom Penh Trader]

On 11/21/2022 at 11:44 PM, owl sees all said:

 

She was watching some Thai dancing. I tried to get her to relent. Talked all sweet to her. Told her that her hair didn't smell. But no use.

 

Tried to watch it on the www. Only commentary available. Roll on Wales and USA.

 

Download BBC iPlayer and the ITV app on your phone or tablet and you can watch them all live,you’re welcome!

(You may have to Google a British postcode to enter?)