Diary of a farang in Isaan

[owl sees all]

35 minutes ago, Sterling said:

A dash cam is definitely worth it nowadays with the number of scammers about trying for an easy pay day.

I bought a Viofo A119S last year on recommendation from dashcamtalk.com

They do constant reviews and updates and have a "Best of" every year with several recommendations based on your usage.

 

For you USB flash drive, have you tried booting up a computer into Linux and seeing if it can read your files?

If you have a computer with an optical drive, just download an Ubuntu ISO, burn it to CD, boot the computer from the CD and see if that will read your flash drive. Good luck!

Do I have to find a computer with Linux running? Or can I load it on mine? I've got plenty of space (800,000 gig).

Edited July 17, 2020 by owl sees all

[Sterling]

If you burn the Linux ISO to CD, you dont even have to install it on your PC.

Just boot the computer off of the CD and it will run there temporarily. Long enough for you to plug in the wonky USB drive to see if you can get your files off it and copied onto a 2nd USB drive.

 

[Kadilo]

4 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Making me feel homesick.

Happy to swap Owl. .......minus the missus of course. 

[owl sees all]

7 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Happy to swap Owl. .......minus the missus of course. 

Yes well!

 

Mrs Owl said she will start selling the lottery tickets around the villages next month to get some money. "Gonna go on your cycle teerak."

 

"I take pick-up." "I need new man who can good look after family."

 

Another day another idea. 

 

"Right you are then. I'm no good any more?"

 

"You are rubbish farang. No money."

 

Half hour later made me a nice cup of rosy. Everything seems calm now.

 

 

[owl sees all]

9 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Do I have to find a computer with Linux running? Or can I load it on mine? I've got plenty of space (800,000 gig).

Have to correct myself. Not 800,000 gig. No, just 800 gig.

[Kadilo]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

Yes well!

 

Mrs Owl said she will start selling the lottery tickets around the villages next month to get some money. "Gonna go on your cycle teerak."

 

"I take pick-up." "I need new man who can good look after family."

 

Another day another idea. 

 

"Right you are then. I'm no good any more?"

 

"You are rubbish farang. No money."

 

Half hour later made me a nice cup of rosy. Everything seems calm now.

 

 

If you don’t mind me asking Owl, how many years together?

 

 

[owl sees all]

15 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

If you don’t mind me asking Owl, how many years together?

 

 

Thirteen years this year. Mildred will be eleven in October.

 

Thirteen years of misery; punctuated by nice cups of rosy, and the occasional decent footy score (sorry TBL).

 

Milly is my life. And the kois, and eucas of course. Oh yes! English footy (especially if I win). And I know that if I'm down and sad, Charkie will come lay next to me; until Mrs Owl gets jealous and chucks her off the bed.

 

As my father once said; "take great care in making your bed son. You have to lay in it."

 

What are you doing up at this time? Still celebrating the Iron's win?!

Edited July 18, 2020 by owl sees all

[Kadilo]

43 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Thirteen years this year. Mildred will be eleven in October.

 

Thirteen years of misery; punctuated by nice cups of rosy, and the occasional decent footy score (sorry TBL).

 

Milly is my life. And the kois, and eucas of course. Oh yes! English footy (especially if I win). And I know that if I'm down and sad, Charkie will come lay next to me; until Mrs Owl gets jealous and chucks her off the bed.

 

As my father once said; "take great care in making your bed son. You have to lay in it."

 

What are you doing up at this time? Still celebrating the Iron's win?!

I could imagine you smirking when saying “are you going to get on your bike”  especially as it has a double meaning back here. 
 

I admire your resilience, I know mine would not be that strong. That said if I had a Thai child then I may be different. I don’t tend too last long with moody women and even less with ungrateful ones. My current partner tried  the “my friend gets 50,000/month off her boyfriend” game a few years back. Needless to say I told her to go find herself one and wished her all the best. I genuinely meant it. She’s never mentioned it since and if she did I would walk away and she knows it. I’m quite happy for her to keep anything I’ve bought. She’s been a great investment and changed my whole outlook on Thailand but I will never be disrespected or feel used. I’m quite happy to go it alone if I felt the need. 

 

I am a victim of a life of shift work and sleep very little Despite a 20 mile trek yesterday I’m wide awake at this ghastly hour not helped by the warm evening.
 

Watched the Hammers win which has eased our worries for another season which is a good thing, gonna be stuck with Moyes which is not so good. As was pointed out we have a good record with him beating teams in the bottom half, that’s where he belongs. For me, he will never take us to the next level. He will probably prove me wrong by getting  something at Man U but I doubt it. 

Enjoy your day. 
 

edit. Well done Leeds too. Great to see them back after 16 years! 

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by Kadilo

[Andrew Dwyer]

32 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Thirteen years this year. Mildred will be eleven in October.

 

Thirteen years of misery; punctuated by nice cups of rosy, and the occasional decent footy score (sorry TBL).

 

Milly is my life. And the kois, and eucas of course. Oh yes! English footy (especially if I win). And I know that if I'm down and sad, Charkie will come lay next to me; until Mrs Owl gets jealous and chucks her off the bed.

 

As my father once said; "take great care in making your bed son. You have to lay in it."

 

What are you doing up at this time? Still celebrating the Iron's win?!

Probably celebrating Leeds making it to the Premier League ?? ( yup, doubt it ????).

Another point on Sunday from Derby and will be champions too.

 

 

 

Sorry TBL 

( not really )

[Odysseus123]

51 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Sorry TBL 

( not really )

Oh..that's so sad...????

 

Now..looking at Kadilo's photos of Essex I am reminded of the historical fact that the 'Mayflower' puritans came from-in the main-a small group of villages in Essex.It's amazing that football (or soccer if you are Antipodean) never caught on across the pond.

[faraday]

1 hour ago, Kadilo said:

I’m wide awake at this ghastly hour not helped by the warm evening

Valerian will definitely help you sleep. 

 

 

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/search/?isSearch=true&query=Valerian

 

[owl sees all]

18 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Oh..that's so sad...????

 

Now..looking at Kadilo's photos of Essex I am reminded of the historical fact that the 'Mayflower' puritans came from-in the main-a small group of villages in Essex.It's amazing that football (or soccer if you are Antipodean) never caught on across the pond.

It caught on recently. Since about 1950, the USA has gradually improved their footy.

 

The yanks watched our girls play netball and after a few minor adjustments it morphed into basketball. Cricket became baseball, and rugby turned into American Football.

 

There is no hope for them Ody. Didn't even understand Tommy Cooper (his tricks don't seem to be working). 

 

But for me; the biggest crime, is putting the handle of a fishing reel on the right.

Edited July 18, 2020 by owl sees all

[Odysseus123]

18 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

 

But for me; the biggest crime, is putting the handle of a fishing reel on the right.

Possibly for reasons of religious dissent?Damned High Churcher's and their angling..????

 

Hmmm..just checked out my fishing gear..damme the handles are all on the right...colonized by the Yankees...!

[Kadilo]

1 hour ago, faraday said:

Valerian will definitely help you sleep. 

 

 

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/search/?isSearch=true&query=Valerian

 

I’ll give it a try. All the lads I worked with were taking Melatonin. I was up to 5 tablets a night at one time and never made a difference, but I’m up for trying anything that works. 

[faraday]

1 hour ago, Kadilo said:

I’ll give it a try. All the lads I worked with were taking Melatonin. I was up to 5 tablets a night at one time and never made a difference, but I’m up for trying anything that works. 

I can't get on with Melatonin gave me bad dreams.

 

Valerian always gives me great sleep with awesome dreams.

 

Then of course, there are Benzos, but as I'm sure you know, they need to be treated with caution.

[Kadilo]

24 minutes ago, faraday said:

I can't get on with Melatonin gave me bad dreams.

 

Valerian always gives me great sleep with awesome dreams.

 

Then of course, there are Benzos, but as I'm sure you know, they need to be treated with caution.

I was buying Xanax when I was over there. Done the trick but no good long term. 

[bannork]

Sorry to change the topic from drug taking lads, stick to beer followed by 2 shots of whisky if you want to sleep well, imo.

Is this the room for complaints?

I wanna complain about the weather. This is supposed to be the height of the rainy season and there's nothing but relentless sunshine 12 hours a day.

These droughts are becoming a pattern, I hope not.

Rant over.

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, bannork said:

Sorry to change the topic from drug taking lads, stick to beer followed by 2 shots of whisky if you want to sleep well, imo.

Is this the room for complaints?

I wanna complain about the weather. This is supposed to be the height of the rainy season and there's nothing but relentless sunshine 12 hours a day.

These droughts are becoming a pattern, I hope not.

Rant over.

I always found (in the distant past) that action with a good woman is the best way to get to sleep. It's nature's way of getting the male to stay put after the act; well at least until the female has made a bit of grub and a nice drink.

 

Next week is officially the start of the 'monsoon' season in our area. Only 60 minutes of rain here since the night of July 2/3 The weather systems have been turned on their heads.

 

You are well established in Isaan now bannork. What you up to? Any pics for sharing?

[bannork]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

I always found (in the distant past) that action with a good woman is the best way to get to sleep. It's nature's way of getting the male to stay put after the act; well at least until the female has made a bit of grub and a nice drink.

 

Next week is officially the start of the 'monsoon' season in our area. Only 60 minutes of rain here since the night of July 2/3 The weather systems have been turned on their heads.

 

You are well established in Isaan now bannork. What you up to? Any pics for sharing?

Lots to say regarding the farm and plenty of photos, just a question of finding the time to get it all together.

Daily schedule (no days off). Today for instance.

Out the door at 6.30 post breakfast to feed the hens ( layers).

6.45- feed the fish ( 2000 plus) , (need to buy a meat grinder to feed them economy meal (shredded Napier grass, rice bran and fish food หัวอาหาร).

7.00 - cut and shred Napier grass for our cows, cut sweet Israel grass too.

Water tree saplings beyond the sprinklers. 

9.30 - back to the house fir further breakfast ( mackerel and sticky rice).

10:15 back to the farm ( 1 km away from house) to fertilize banana trees ( 280 in all), 2 and a half kilos of cow manure per tree.

12.00 back hone for lunch and siesta 2.00 pm -Feed chickens, collect eggs, continue banana trees' fertilization.

4.00 - home for tea and sandwiches.

5.00- back to the farm, feed the fish, continue banana fertilization.

6.00- home for dinner and beer. 

We have a shop right in the middle of the village so sales are constant from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm.

 

 

[owl sees all]

12 minutes ago, bannork said:

Lots to say regarding the farm and plenty of photos, just a question of finding the time to get it all together.

Daily schedule (no days off). Today for instance.

Out the door at 6.30 post breakfast to feed the hens ( layers).

6.45- feed the fish ( 2000 plus) , (need to buy a meat grinder to feed them economy meal (shredded Napier grass, rice bran and fish food หัวอาหาร).

7.00 - cut and shred Napier grass for our cows, cut sweet Israel grass too.

Water tree saplings beyond the sprinklers. 

9.30 - back to the house fir further breakfast ( mackerel and sticky rice).

10:15 back to the farm ( 1 km away from house) to fertilize banana trees ( 280 in all), 2 and a half kilos of cow manure per tree.

12.00 back hone for lunch and siesta 2.00 pm -Feed chickens, collect eggs, continue banana trees' fertilization.

4.00 - home for tea and sandwiches.

5.00- back to the farm, feed the fish, continue banana fertilization.

6.00- home for dinner and beer. 

We have a shop right in the middle of the village so sales are constant from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm.

 

 

Wow!

 

Makes my life positively mundane.

[elliss]

On 7/14/2020 at 2:38 PM, pineapple01 said:

This is more like Mrs Dales Diary.

 

 Correct , give him the money Mable .. 

[bannork]

6 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Wow!

 

Makes my life positively mundane.

I wouldn't mind a bit of mundane, maybe once a week.

[elliss]

4 hours ago, bannork said:

Sorry to change the topic from drug taking lads, stick to beer followed by 2 shots of whisky if you want to sleep well, imo.

Is this the room for complaints?

I wanna complain about the weather. This is supposed to be the height of the rainy season and there's nothing but relentless sunshine 12 hours a day.

These droughts are becoming a pattern, I hope not.

Rant over.

 

        Half n hour , on Tvforum ,  works well for me . 

         I sleep like a baby ...

 

[Kadilo]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Lots to say regarding the farm and plenty of photos, just a question of finding the time to get it all together.

Daily schedule (no days off). Today for instance.

Out the door at 6.30 post breakfast to feed the hens ( layers).

6.45- feed the fish ( 2000 plus) , (need to buy a meat grinder to feed them economy meal (shredded Napier grass, rice bran and fish food หัวอาหาร).

7.00 - cut and shred Napier grass for our cows, cut sweet Israel grass too.

Water tree saplings beyond the sprinklers. 

9.30 - back to the house fir further breakfast ( mackerel and sticky rice).

10:15 back to the farm ( 1 km away from house) to fertilize banana trees ( 280 in all), 2 and a half kilos of cow manure per tree.

12.00 back hone for lunch and siesta 2.00 pm -Feed chickens, collect eggs, continue banana trees' fertilization.

4.00 - home for tea and sandwiches.

5.00- back to the farm, feed the fish, continue banana fertilization.

6.00- home for dinner and beer. 

We have a shop right in the middle of the village so sales are constant from 6.00 am to 8.00 pm.

 

 

My MIL has about 20 hens and she wants more but the supplier she used seems to have gone missing. They came from a long way away so maybe just ignoring her.
Any idea where she can buy again. I believe the last lot were about 200 baht each. 

[bannork]

Kadilo, where is your mother-in-law?

A nice dose of heavy rain tonight. The first for a long time. Every plant and tree is grateful, along with the weeds.

Step up to the plate, rainy season, don't let up.

 

[Kadilo]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Kadilo, where is your mother-in-law?

A nice dose of heavy rain tonight. The first for a long time. Every plant and tree is grateful, along with the weeds.

Step up to the plate, rainy season, don't let up.

 

She’s up in Bueng Kan Province. I hear today she has lost some through sickness too. She’s wanting to buy another 20 I think. 

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 20-07-2020

 

A few little dramas in the village, but on the whole a normal week.

 

Cutting around the eucas with the trimmer at the farm. Tried the new attachment.

 

 

It seemed to do the job OK, but was not as fast as I'd have liked. Back to the chog-chog (hoe) for tomorrow; Mrs Owl says. Sharpened up Pook's chog-chog before taking Milly to school this morning.

 

 

Sister Pook (in pic) was giving the vitamins. Gonna be at it all this all month; and the next, and the next.

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

In the next village they had a couple of sick dengue fever people recently. So it was no surprise to hear the rumble of the 'mozzie-killer' earlier. 

 

 

 

Got them to pose for a pic outside the house. A bit smelly, but it's for a good reason. And they absolutely rip through the sois,,,,,,,,,,,. As long as the machine is working.

 

 

Now with dengue fever there is a remedy for relief. Can't call it a cure, as I've not tested it myself. But @frotting (TVF member) has a concoction that is more than promising. I would definitely try it out if I caught it.

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

Talking of things breaking down!! Our little clock stopped working. I tried a new battery,,, but no! There was more to it than a flat bettery. Took it apart and sorted it though. This 20 baht, made in China stuff, all goes wrong; eventually.

 

 

Gave putting the glass front back on a miss. Cause, I had to turn the hands upwards a little, and they would have touched the glass and stopped. I had difficulty actually getting the card disc past the hands, so had to cut the card up.

 

Put it back in place on the wall.

 

 

As good as new.

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

Those little things that we rely on so much to run things; clocks, cameras, portable fans etc. Batteries! Have always had problems with the ones I get in Thailand. I've had ever-ready, super-ready, long-life, extra-long-life and others I've forgotten about, that I've chucked away as soon as I've bought them. The rechargeables promise so much, but deliver next to nothing after a few charges.

 

I was gonna bite the bullet, put my hand in my pocket, and get a pack of four lithium rechargeables. But! When I saw the price; 649 baht. I almost fainted across the Big C counter.

 

Then help came my way. In the form of Besico'. I spotted them hanging up and thought they looked different. So I bought a pack of 10 for 99 baht a month ago, and I'm still on my first four. The camera has not even thought about 'peeping'.

 

 

I have tried Besico, in years past, and been disappointed. But not with these little beauties.

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

Still getting fish die in number one pond. Yesterday, there were 8 snake-heads, two small nin and a small featherback.

 

I'm at a loss to explain. I don't trust my farm neighbors. It wouldn't come as a shock to me if something had accidentally been dropped into the pond.

 

 

It's a mystery.

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

Milly and me went fishing in number 5 pond on Saturday. The plan was to feed the fish at the far end, and fish for the pla nin at the other. It didn't work out as planned. Only caught one nin, but Milly hooked a mekong. Has it on for about 5 minutes and never even saw it. Just what we didn't want. In the end it took the line around a cage and that was the end of that.

 

Wow has come back on the scene. He likes to help, and with Milly they fed the fish in the two ponds that actually have them; one and five. Just can't see me stocking any fingerlings this year. Rain! Where are you?

 

 

$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#$#

 

The quality of my pics on TV has improved. I'd been reducing the images down in 'JPG' form, and been less than impressed. So today I tried 'BTM', but the TVF up-loader wouldn't recognise them. Then I tried 'PNG'. Bigger files, but excellent quality. I'll stick with that.

 

Reset the mileage recorder on the pick-up this morning. 397 klms for the last week. Ten trips to Ban Dung and a bit of local running about. Unreal! It'll be about 1600 for the month at this rate. Work out at 3k baht. Dear me!

 

Absolutely traumatic at Milly's school this morning. The private policeman was not present for some reason, and it was simply horrendous for the children to cross the road. 

 

The worst offenders seem to be women, with a child or two, on the back of the m/c, weaving around kids that are walking across the panda. The other bad road users were young boys (none of them with crash-helmets on), doing 50 km and hour among dozens of children. Both are going to other schools. There was one bad accident last year on the crossing; forgotten so quickly.

 

I did a 30 second long vid with the camera, but couldn't upload it. I'll do the same tomorrow using Milly's mobile.

 

Shame about Bournemouth. Only a small club. They might never get back to the EPL. And shame on the authorities for deducting Wigan 12 points. Some funny goings on in that club. I'll keep my fingers x'd for them. They need a win, and other results to go their way, to stay in the Championship.

 

More to follow.

 

Bye y'all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Odysseus123]

Hi Owl and fellow travellers..

 

I went for a little trip on Sunday and Monday for the first time since March.My wife went off with her Thai friends to the seaside and my mate and I headed towards my old fishing spots in the mountains-excellent for trout,bass and perch.Considering that it is mid-winter the weather was glorious with temps ranging from 5.C (41.F) to 20.C (70.F)..

 

Into the mountains..just to take some photographs..

 

[owl sees all]

4 hours ago, Odysseus123 said:

Hi Owl and fellow travellers..

 

I went for a little trip on Sunday and Monday for the first time since March.My wife went off with her Thai friends to the seaside and my mate and I headed towards my old fishing spots in the mountains-excellent for trout,bass and perch.Considering that it is mid-winter the weather was glorious with temps ranging from 5.C (41.F) to 20.C (70.F)..

 

Into the mountains..just to take some photographs..

 

Absolutely stonking pics. I especially like the last one. But they are all great.

 

How is the water situation in your parts Ody? Here in our part of Isaan the situation is dire. We have had just 60 minutes of rain since the night of 2nd July; three weeks ago.

[bluesofa]

3 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Absolutely stonking pics. I especially like the last one. But they are all great.

 

How is the water situation in your parts Ody? Here in our part of Isaan the situation is dire. We have had just 60 minutes of rain since the night of 2nd July; three weeks ago.

Just jumping in front of Ody for a minute:

I see you say we've only had 60 minutes of rain in the past three weeks.

From some of your posts, I always feel you seem to have more than us in Udon, although I think we've had about the same very recently.