Mowed My Grass For The Last Time Today....

[BKS22]

Got me thinking as I was mowing my nice green yard for the last time today...that I will miss the peace and serenity I often find when I do yard work. Yes, it may be labor intensive at times, but I enjoy the soft feel of the grass under my feet and the well maintained greenery around me. I actually get a lot of deep thinking done when I'm in the yard mowing or trimming away. Silly? Maybe, but I just kind of zone off while I'm out there working and tend to get into some deep thought.

Then it hit me, I'm moving to the concrete jungle of BKK in less then 48hrs and I will miss that.

Anyone in Thailand (or anywhere else for that matter) that does NOT have any of the soft green stuff to manicure anymore actually miss their time taking care of their yard or garden???

B-

[Naam]

Anyone in Thailand (or anywhere else for that matter) that does NOT have any of the soft green stuff to manicure anymore actually miss their time taking care of their yard or garden???

yes there is. my gardener took all that joy from me

[lovelomsak]

Yes I miss that also. Just being outside working at my own pace,making my personal environment attractive and pleasant. I also miss doing renovations at will. Those things used to be a hobby of sort. I would remove walls change the whole living space in a home just for the fun it gave me and to do it simply because i could. In Thailand I cannot do the work( against the law for me to do). Gutting a house and doing a complete reno by myself was something I could always feel proud of when I would sit around and talk with the guys at the Club. I wasnot a contractor or builder just a hobbiest. It also helped with my creative side, designing at all by my self and implimenting my design myself.

[losgrad]

Mowing hundreds of lawns during my weekends in grammar school, H.S. and college motivated me to finish school and get an office job with AC , but after a few years became a farmer and then later back into the office . While my kids were young, i kept a lawn on our family suburban house (within walking distance to the farm), but when the youngest hit his teens - low maintenance and water preservation prioritized. In retirement, I enjoy condo living , the gym, bicycle riding and my electronics.

To each their own, but I understand your pride of a beautifully landscaped and maintained yard, and the solitude physical labor can bring to oneself. We find our niches and change with our environments. Enjoy and congratulations on your move.

Edited September 4, 2012 by losgrad

[ignis]

Yes I miss that also. Just being outside working at my own pace,making my personal environment attractive and pleasant. I also miss doing renovations at will. Those things used to be a hobby of sort. I would remove walls change the whole living space in a home just for the fun it gave me and to do it simply because i could. In Thailand I cannot do the work( against the law for me to do). Gutting a house and doing a complete reno by myself was something I could always feel proud of when I would sit around and talk with the guys at the Club. I wasnot a contractor or builder just a hobbiest. It also helped with my creative side, designing at all by my self and implimenting my design myself.

There is a Law? working on your own home?

As for the Topic of cutting the grass, changed myself a couple of years ago, now only 1x small area of grass for the dogs, the rest is a mixture of tiles and gravel........ main reason no matter what make of electric mower/strimmer I bought, it would stop working just after 6 months....... still plenty to do in the garden just no grass cutting.

[meatboy]

you WILL miss the peace and serenity,the feel of the soft green grass under your feet,instead you will have the dogs howling 24/7,you will have the soft feel of shit on your shoes and the first farang bar you visit will be playing

ITS GOOD TO TOUCH THE GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME[tom jones].good luck.

[davejones]

Yes I miss that also. Just being outside working at my own pace,making my personal environment attractive and pleasant. I also miss doing renovations at will. Those things used to be a hobby of sort. I would remove walls change the whole living space in a home just for the fun it gave me and to do it simply because i could. In Thailand I cannot do the work( against the law for me to do). Gutting a house and doing a complete reno by myself was something I could always feel proud of when I would sit around and talk with the guys at the Club. I wasnot a contractor or builder just a hobbiest. It also helped with my creative side, designing at all by my self and implimenting my design myself.

This is no law that forbids you working on your own house. Where did you get that from?

[submaniac]

Well op if you miss mowing grass, I have a lawn in BKK you could mow. I won't even charge you! (I am feeling generous today.)

[canuckamuck]

The laws surrounding what skills a farang may perform in Thailand are open to wide interpretation. Painting your house for example could get you in trouble because you are doing a job foreigners are forbidden to do here. However, I have not seen evidence of anyone in trouble over working on their own house.

Quite few of us have done some building projects here.

[chooka]

I enjoy gardening but unfortunately I do not have a work permit so all I can do now is pull up a comfy chair in the shade, put my feet up with a cold beer and reminisce of those carefree joyful days in the sun as I watch my wife push the mower and turn the soil. It's a downside of living in the land of smiles I guess.

[DLock]

I love gardening...I could watch my staff do it all day.

[geriatrickid]

One is allowed to tend to his own garden, particularly if it is a hobby.

However, having a non native grass is foolish. Best to go with local vegetation and to consider the benefits of rock gardens.

I love gardening...I could watch my staff do it all day.

Do you have uniforms for your staff? I find that many foreigners do not appreciate that groundskeepers must be suitably attired in proper work pants and shirts. Allowing these men to work in the typical state of undress, particularly when shirtless, can only lead to trouble for many foreigners. They will have no one to blame but themselves when their young wives leave them or have affairs with handsome viirile Thai men. A young woman looking out her window may see one of those muscled men working in the sun, the light bouncing off a taut pec glistening with sweat, be overcome with lust and allow her emotions to run wild, inviting the lansdscaper up to her boudoire where they would engage in amorous activity. This is why the staff must be suitably attired. Better yet, only hire kathoeys.

[thenervoussurgeon]

Yes i love my garden ,its such a joy watching the wife at work while i supervise.,i even get her a cool drink from time to time ,i know i have a heart of gold.

[ignis]

The laws surrounding what skills a farang may perform in Thailand are open to wide interpretation. Painting your house for example could get you in trouble because you are doing a job foreigners are forbidden to do here. However, I have not seen evidence of anyone in trouble over working on their own house.

Quite few of us have done some building projects here.

Why do Thais paint outside of houses ? the state of many houses I think not, myself never thought twice about painting the outside.. or doing building work.......... After the floods helped the next house, I have a high pressure washer, also have used my electric plainer on his doors, and other odd things and his is Military/Policeman.

[travelmann]

Anyone in Thailand (or anywhere else for that matter) that does NOT have any of the soft green stuff to manicure anymore actually miss their time taking care of their yard or garden???

yes there is. my gardener took all that joy from me

Bloody Thais stealing our jobs!!!

[billd766]

Well op if you miss mowing grass, I have a lawn in BKK you could mow. I won't even charge you! (I am feeling generous today.)

Or if you reallywant to get back to your roots I live on 14 rai that needs maintaining.

[BabyJebus]

My grass is rough.. i have no what the heck im doing

[Gary A]

My wife won't allow me to cut anything in the yard because I cut good stuff. I'm also not allowed to take out the trash because I throw away good stuff. Since I try to get along with her, I'm content to let her have her own way.

[RogueExpat]

If you add up all the money wasted on gardens every day around the globe, you could probably feed the starving, cloth the poor, and house the prisoners.

Shame on you garden owners.

[mauGR1]

If you add up all the money wasted on gardens every day around the globe, you could probably feed the starving, cloth the poor, and house the prisoners.

Shame on you garden owners.

No shame here.

Gardens are the product of love between mankind and nature.

Taking care of a garden is a source of a quiet, long lasting happiness ( and it keeps you fit too ! )

[klikster]

After a run-in with one of these critters, I am very careful about walking barefoot in gass.

One can ruin your month and scar you for life. Think 2nd and 3rd degree burns!

Roughly translated as แมลงน้ำกรด

[lovelomsak]

Yes I miss that also. Just being outside working at my own pace,making my personal environment attractive and pleasant. I also miss doing renovations at will. Those things used to be a hobby of sort. I would remove walls change the whole living space in a home just for the fun it gave me and to do it simply because i could. In Thailand I cannot do the work( against the law for me to do). Gutting a house and doing a complete reno by myself was something I could always feel proud of when I would sit around and talk with the guys at the Club. I wasnot a contractor or builder just a hobbiest. It also helped with my creative side, designing at all by my self and implimenting my design myself.

This is no law that forbids you working on your own house. Where did you get that from?

I thought a foreigner couldnot do any work that a Thai was capable of doing without the proper work permit. I wasnot saying guys donot do it. I just donot want or desire to be the foreigner in trouble for taking work away from a Thai. The rest of you can risk it I willnot..

[DLock]

One is allowed to tend to his own garden, particularly if it is a hobby.

However, having a non native grass is foolish. Best to go with local vegetation and to consider the benefits of rock gardens.

I love gardening...I could watch my staff do it all day.

Do you have uniforms for your staff? I find that many foreigners do not appreciate that groundskeepers must be suitably attired in proper work pants and shirts. Allowing these men to work in the typical state of undress, particularly when shirtless, can only lead to trouble for many foreigners. They will have no one to blame but themselves when their young wives leave them or have affairs with handsome viirile Thai men. A young woman looking out her window may see one of those muscled men working in the sun, the light bouncing off a taut pec glistening with sweat, be overcome with lust and allow her emotions to run wild, inviting the lansdscaper up to her boudoire where they would engage in amorous activity. This is why the staff must be suitably attired. Better yet, only hire kathoeys.

I find that keeping my fantasies to myself usually works out better in the long run...

[canuckamuck]

After a run-in with one of these critters, I am very careful about walking barefoot in gass.

One can ruin your month and scar you for life. Think 2nd and 3rd degree burns!

Roughly translated as แมลงน้ำกรด

What the heck is that thing, and did just one of them do that damage, and did it happen to you?

And how big is it?

Edited September 4, 2012 by canuckamuck

[kokesaat]

One of the great pleasures of living in Thailand (that I wouldn't otherwise be able to afford) is having a gardener and a maid. In this case, the grass is indeed greener.

[WebBangkok]

When I first got here in January, I used to mow the grass.

Then when April hit, it was soooooo hot I was like F that. I pay some old lady to do it. I have a fairly large yard too, poor lady.

[canuckamuck]

Grass would be nice, the home piece is 5 rai of man eating weeds.

[soundman]

After a run-in with one of these critters, I am very careful about walking barefoot in gass.

One can ruin your month and scar you for life. Think 2nd and 3rd degree burns!

Roughly translated as แมลงน้ำกรด

What the heck is that thing, and did just one of them do that damage, and did it happen to you?

And how big is it?

Translated - Acid bug. Doesn't look pretty at all.

[klikster]

After a run-in with one of these critters, I am very careful about walking barefoot in gass.

One can ruin your month and scar you for life. Think 2nd and 3rd degree burns!

Roughly translated as แมลงน้ำกรด

What the heck is that thing, and did just one of them do that damage, and did it happen to you?

And how big is it?

The thing is called something to the effect of 'acid insect'. They are actually pretty small, about 3-4 cm long. I'm not sure if it was one or more, and I think it got inside my boots when I was cutting my lawn. Apparently they like to live in grass.

That photo is not me, but my leg was just as severe.

I had never heard about those insects when it happened. At first I though it was a gout attack as my toes started hurting. I hadn't felt any stings. That night I got chills and next day my leg was pink from toe to just above my knee. It took several days to blister.

The thing got my foot and leg. My blisters were mainly on 4 areas. The worst were on top of my feet, behind the toes. Another cluster on my heel and another severe spot on my calf.

The blisters burst and the skin sort of died. About 30% of the area of my lower leg was raw -- down to the flesh. It took almost a month to recover, daily rituals of hydrogen peroxide followed by boiled water followed by medicated gauze then wrapped from toe to knee.

All the time I'm sleeping with my leg on a towel on a plastic sheet because of the ooze. Now my leg is scarred like it had been burned. Well, it actually -- apparently -- is an acid burn.

Months later we saw some folks on TV with similar problems and an entomologist explained about the insect.

You don't want these thing anywhere around you. All the have to do is crawl around on you. If you see one on an arm or leg, flick it off quickly with -- something. Whatever you do, don't squash it. Maybe that what I did inadvertently when it was inside my boot.

It that isn't enough, the entomologist had one in a jar and it had wings.

[FrankieFourFingers]

The laws surrounding what skills a farang may perform in Thailand are open to wide interpretation. Painting your house for example could get you in trouble because you are doing a job foreigners are forbidden to do here. However, I have not seen evidence of anyone in trouble over working on their own house.

Quite few of us have done some building projects here.

They turn a blind eye to foreigners working on their homes as they know fully well you can pay the Thais to do it but then you'll have to pay them again in 3 months time to do it again and then again in another 3 months after that.

Preparation is a f'ing joke here unless you do it yourself.