Wish I could do that kind of stuff. I'm limited to putting up blinds, hanging pictures, adjusting doors, grouting, basic plumbing, (forced) gardening, i.e. stuff my wife wants me to do in the garden, and that's about it. Haven't done any welding since I was 16 which was long ago.  

12 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Wish I could do that kind of stuff. I'm limited to putting up blinds, hanging pictures, adjusting doors, grouting, basic plumbing, (forced) gardening, i.e. stuff my wife wants me to do in the garden, and that's about it. Haven't done any welding since I was 16 which was long ago.  

Trust me! My aching back wishes I did not know how to do these things.

My brain still thinks I am 25, but my 66 year old  body vigorously  disagrees. And does nothing but complain.  

On 11/27/2023 at 10:03 PM, sirineou said:

It is strange indeed,

Perhaps an issue they are working on. 

Do you see any of the pictures I posted after that one?

I will post one that I did some work today below, let me know if you see those pictures

 

I see all the photos you posted after that one, including the building under construction in the last post on previous page.

 

Looks like it's going to be nice when finished.

It has been a little while since I have updated this thread. I am going to the US for Christmas with my daughter next week. and I wanted to finish the sala I started building. I am a bit of OCD, and if I don't finish something , I cant stop thinking about it LOL.

Anyway, being busy with the sala I have not bothered with the rest of the farm , and it seems that they are doing much better without my help. It seems I was killing everything with my love. 

String Beans are coming in nicely. Wife loves them in her somtom.

While in Greece last summer I got a bunch of seeds for different things. One of those was seeds for beefsteak tomatoes.  I never had much luck with beefsteak tomatoes in Thailand. which is why I am getting a bit excited with this try.

I started the in a tray, and then planted them in a raised bed , and left them along. They seem not to like my company because they are doing well without me and are full of flowers 

I am even starting to see tomatoes coming in. Let's keep our fingers crossed. 

Wife's 

Flower beds that we started from seed are flowering. Of course she is busy taking pictures and posting on FB.

And the sala is finally finished. Wife is feuding with her sister so brother in law did not help me much with it and I ended up doing everything on my own. Too big a job for one person by himself. Next time I announce I am building a sala, walk over to my house and without saying a word, smack me right side of the head and leave by just saying , "You know why!"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

^^^^^

Next installment when I come back from the states.  With either a WOOHOO!! because everything is growing well 

or a boohoo.  

I had to post this ,

Went downstairs to get the truck and go to the farm and water

Nog Noi was waiting for me in the car

Best and smartest dog I ever had. 

We have 5 dogs, all street rescues. Nog Noi and a brother or sister were abandoned in a lot behind our house, happy and playing with each other,  wife would go and feed them every so often, then one day Nog Noi was by herself. We dont know what happened to the other dog, I like to think that someone adopted it  but did not take Nog Noi because she was a female (all our dogs are females, and fixed), but it is also passible that it got killed. Anyway, Nog Noi started to follow my wife to our house. Wife said that she will feed it but it would stay in the street (remember we already had 4 dogs) . I knew that was not going to last, but what could I do. Nog Noi sat outside our gate , sticking her face in a small opening , looking at us with those big sad puppy eyes, 

How can someone resist that? So in comes Nog Noi too!!  LOL

I have a gate on the stairs leading to the upstairs balcony, because I dont want the dogs coming upstairs, and getting the place full of dog hair.  The gate has a slide lock. An impregnatable barrier  for all the dogs except Nog Noi she learned to jump on the gate until she hit the slide lok and open the door, 

In the morning I go out in the balcony to put my shoes on, so Nog Noi figure out that i must like shoes, so now when ever I put my shoes she will grab another shoe bring it and drop it infront of me . 

She loves going to the farm with me, hunts lizards and brings them to me, runs around like crazy,and then goes and sits in the pond to cool down.

 

Great work on the sala. As to fruit and veg planting/growing/harvesting, I leave that to the wife. My role is heavy lifting, tidying up and doing as instructed.  We don't have a farm so that is a blessing for me (I may change my mind when fully retired and have nothing to do with my time).

 

We got a dog in May this year from a friend who lives quite close. A pregnant feral dog gave birth under his house, so he was looking to re-home her pups. While not as clever as your dog, Bobby is a great addition to the family. My wife said she wasn't a dog person, but it seems he has changed her opinion and she is considering getting him a friend.  

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

Great work on the sala. As to fruit and veg planting/growing/harvesting, I leave that to the wife. My role is heavy lifting, tidying up and doing as instructed.  We don't have a farm so that is a blessing for me (I may change my mind when fully retired and have nothing to do with my time).

 

We got a dog in May this year from a friend who lives quite close. A pregnant feral dog gave birth under his house, so he was looking to re-home her pups. While not as clever as your dog, Bobby is a great addition to the family. My wife said she wasn't a dog person, but it seems he has changed her opinion and she is considering getting him a friend.  

Yea they are such trusting animals. It is hard not to love them.

I know how you feel about farming and such, while you are still working, I was the same. 

Before retired I used to say "When I retire, I am just going to lay on the couch and do nothing"

The last year of my retirement was like "The longest yard", I seemed like was taking forever.

Then I retired and for a month or two I vegetated , but that got old after a while, and I got bored.

After being busy a lifetime it's hard to stop, so I had to find ways to keep me busy.

  The "farm", is not really a a farm. Someone was in need of cash and was selling a Rai at a very good price for the area. So we bought it as an investment and a hedge against inflation, ans since it was there we  decided to play farmer with it. 

Trust me , what does a good ole Greek American boy from New York city knows about farming,

So far I think I have killed more things than I have grown 

But I am learning and in the process keep too busy to be listening to the voices in my head. 

 

On 12/8/2023 at 6:56 PM, sirineou said:

Yea they are such trusting animals. It is hard not to love them.

Only living thing that will love a human unconditionally.

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Only living thing that will love a human unconditionally.

So true. I would never trust anyone who doesn't like dogs.

I can understand why someone might not want to have them,for a variety of reasons,

but anyone who doesn't like dogs has something  seriously wrong with them. 

 

Do you read science fiction?

Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky was a very interesting book, I have book 2 in my library to read on my trip to the US next week 

 

"A bio-engineered dog fights for its life and its right to life. From the Arthur C. Clark Award-winning author of CHILDREN OF TIME.My name is Rex. I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, Mexico. A genetically engineered Bioform, he's a deadly weapon in a dirty war. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies. But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash? 'Detailed and clever worldbuilding... Tchaikovsky pulls off an impressive feat in making Rex’s character evolution genuinely moving. Readers will be wowed' Publishers Weekly "

 

13 hours ago, sirineou said:

So true. I would never trust anyone who doesn't like dogs.

I can understand why someone might not want to have them,for a variety of reasons,

but anyone who doesn't like dogs has something  seriously wrong with them. 

 

Do you read science fiction?

Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky was a very interesting book, I have book 2 in my library to read on my trip to the US next week 

 

"A bio-engineered dog fights for its life and its right to life. From the Arthur C. Clark Award-winning author of CHILDREN OF TIME.My name is Rex. I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he's part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, Mexico. A genetically engineered Bioform, he's a deadly weapon in a dirty war. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he's got to kill a lot of enemies. But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash? 'Detailed and clever worldbuilding... Tchaikovsky pulls off an impressive feat in making Rex’s character evolution genuinely moving. Readers will be wowed' Publishers Weekly "

 

I'm waiting in hope of writing a book entitled "The android that loved me" from reality.

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm waiting in hope of writing a book entitled "The android that loved me" from reality.

That could go so many different ways, I am afraid you must explained more .

you are not trying to build yourself a girlfriend are you?

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

That could go so many different ways, I am afraid you must explained more .

you are not trying to build yourself a girlfriend are you?

Those clever Japanese have already created lifelike female dolls. I'm hoping they manage to put a robot in them to make an android for fun and games before I pass over to the other side.

I'm not going to build my girlfriend myself, but if I'm still around when they do get perfected I can order one that looks just the way I like, that is programmable to do anything I want ( but not murder etc ).

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Those clever Japanese have already created lifelike female dolls. I'm hoping they manage to put a robot in them to make an android for fun and games before I pass over to the other side.

I'm not going to build my girlfriend myself, but if I'm still around when they do get perfected I can order one that looks just the way I like, that is programmable to do anything I want ( but not murder etc ).

I will be 67 in June, I am afraid by the time they create one, I wouldn't know what to do with it. 

Ok, Ok, hopefully  I will still know.

But knowing and doing are two deferment things.  but as the song says . "We got high hopes" 

 

"Just what makes that little old ant
Think he'll move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, can't
Move a rubber tree plant

But he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes
He's got high apple pie, in the sky hopes"

I remember about 20 years ago in my wife's village, her uncle came down to the house and picked up one of the dogs from in front of Ma and Pas house and starting patting it. He picked it up and walked off with it. I said to the wife "Does you uncle like dogs?", and she replied "Yes he loves them"

So an hour later we walked past the uncles house, and here's the dog getting cooked over the charcoals on a wooden fork. 

He invited me in for a drink of whiskey and a feed, to which I declined. 

And then the pickup truck came driving through the village beeping its horn. They were picking up stray dogs, and giving the locals a bucket in return. I guess it was a win win situation. The dog population was kept under control, and the locals got a free bucket. And the restaurants got free meat. 

On 11/13/2023 at 2:54 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

I think it's always funny when farangs in Thailand become farmers.

I have to admit I buy my vegetable on the fresh market or in the supermarket. That is so convenient. 

I find it funny people want to eat veges

3 minutes ago, sipi said:

I remember about 20 years ago in my wife's village, her uncle came down to the house and picked up one of the dogs from in front of Ma and Pas house and starting patting it. He picked it up and walked off with it. I said to the wife "Does you uncle like dogs?", and she replied "Yes he loves them"

So an hour later we walked past the uncles house, and here's the dog getting cooked over the charcoals on a wooden fork. 

He invited me in for a drink of whiskey and a feed, to which I declined. 

5555

That's funny. It shouldn't be but it is.

I reminds me  when  my aunt's husband  who was from England had his father visiting in New York at the time , and we had dinner over my then mother in law's house.  A the dinner was also  my mother in law's sister Eileen whom we called "the cat lady" for her love if cats who was also a bit of a dingbat. I don't remember how the conversation came to cats. and while eating dinner Eileen asked  the  elderly British gentleman 

"Do you like cat"  to which with a straight face replied  "Ohh yes indeed! but I can't eat a full one"  

You should see the look in in Eileen's  face  . not knowing if he was serious. 

I practically  chocked and spit my food across the table. 

 

 

 

On 12/8/2023 at 10:10 AM, sirineou said:

I had to post this ,

Went downstairs to get the truck and go to the farm and water

Nog Noi was waiting for me in the car

Funny the i posted this.

Today on FB there was one of those "One Year memories" 

So Igues Nog Noi is Nit Noi older than a Year 

Below is a picture with her brother and sister in the lot they were abandoned in a few days before we adopted her .

 

19 hours ago, sirineou said:

I will be 67 in June, I am afraid by the time they create one, I wouldn't know what to do with it. 

Ok, Ok, hopefully  I will still know.

But knowing and doing are two deferment things.  but as the song says . "We got high hopes" 

Even if we can't do the pole vaulting there's more to fun that just that. Just waking up next to a beautiful body always made my day brighter, and I just loved cuddles while going to sleep when I was able to have them.

The Boss got it right in "The River" when he sang

"At night on them banks I'd lie awake
And pull her close just to feel each breath she'd take"

 

It'll be unconditional love from something more cuddly than a dog.

 

 

19 hours ago, sipi said:

And then the pickup truck came driving through the village beeping its horn. They were picking up stray dogs, and giving the locals a bucket in return. I guess it was a win win situation. The dog population was kept under control, and the locals got a free bucket. And the restaurants got free meat. 

That ended a while ago, so the soi dog problem got bigger.

We were at the Khon Kaen University Garden market. Nice place  to go for a walk and see what new flowers they have, Usually they have very nice Orchids . I like to find weathered wood on my walks through the fields and attach orchids to them, I don't have any pictures  right now, and I am too lazy to go outside and take any. so maybe later I will.

But on one side of the market there are a bunch of shops that sell tropical fish, and birds, and for the first time ever, I saw this Butterfly koi. and we bought a few for our pond. 

I am not sure if its something new, or they have always been around and I just had not seen them, but they are very nice, and are also very active. If you have a pond I highly recommend them .

The picture is during feeding, so the white dots floating are food pellets.  By the way if you have a pond, an automatic fish feeder is a must, also dont have a picture right now. But set the timer, fill the hopper with food and forget it. also excellent for when you go away. 

 

On 12/11/2023 at 1:11 PM, sirineou said:

We were at the Khon Kaen University Garden market. Nice place  to go for a walk and see what new flowers they have, Usually they have very nice Orchids . I like to find weathered wood on my walks through the fields and attach orchids to them, I don't have any pictures  right now, and I am too lazy to go outside and take any. so maybe later I will.

But on one side of the market there are a bunch of shops that sell tropical fish, and birds, and for the first time ever, I saw this Butterfly koi. and we bought a few for our pond. 

I am not sure if its something new, or they have always been around and I just had not seen them, but they are very nice, and are also very active. If you have a pond I highly recommend them .

The picture is during feeding, so the white dots floating are food pellets.  By the way if you have a pond, an automatic fish feeder is a must, also dont have a picture right now. But set the timer, fill the hopper with food and forget it. also excellent for when you go away. 

 

We are a strange species that we spend out money to keep pretty things, that a more pragmatic species would regard as dinner.

 

I kept tropical fish, though I never had much luck keeping them alive.

So I had been away to the states for the holidays and just came back. While away I had told the  wife (she did not want to come this time) to pinch the new sprouts at the base of the tomato branches to keep the tomato plant from getting bushy . Well we all know how good Thai wifes listen to stupid farang.

I came back and my tomato plants were huge. Luckily I had a lot of green tomatoes, with which I made fried green tomatoes . Arroy mak mak. 

First time I had success with beefsteak tomatoes in Thailand. Well so far.

When vacationing in Greece last summer I had had a side dish of greens called Horta, that I enjoyed very much . Horta is a generic name for greens in Greek, unfortunately I forgot the specific name for this ones. But when we came back I brought with me some seed, and they seem to grow very well. 

I like them boiled with olive oil and lemon 

While at the states I picked up a couple of sprinklers on tripods, at Amazon. They were surprisingly well made  and only about $30 each. Good thing I did because it has not rained here for a very long time and the grass was all dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have not posted for a while , so due for an update. Was back in the States fir a month and a half so late to plant the watermelons, pumpkins , and cantaloupes,  but they are coming out fine , just ate the first cantelupe yesterday and it was delicious 

The watermelons have another couple of weeks before start harvesting. Counted over 50 of them , lets see how many of them make it. Hard to see in the picture because they are Green and in the grass. 

 

 

 String beans and cucumbers doing well. Just had a salad today.  

 A break from arguing about tramp and Harris  

 

 

Pumpkin soup with sour cream is great.

1 minute ago, susanlea said:

Pumpkin soup with sour cream is great.

Wife makes a great pumpkin red curry with a bit of coconut milk dish