Grapes and Lemons

I have bought a couple of grape vines, they are not available round here as far as I know, but this area, Buriram, does grow grapes according to my research on the net. I believe they are red grapes. I made a raised box for them and they are doing very well. I am hoping that they will grow over the shelter round the back of the house.

The lemon tree is 5 ft high now and is the best one of 6 I have grown from seeds from a lemon that I bought in the supermarket. They prefer a cold season, which is prbably why no one grows them here. We will see what happens.

The Pond

The pond has been doing well, we have been catching catfish for people in the village, the Nin fish are just about big enough to eat, but I want them to get bigger. I put another 200 small nin and 100 small catfish in 2 days ago. Round the edge are a couple of banana plants, 4 bamboo, eucalyptus trees, coconuts, and some other fruiting trees.However the soil is horrible at present, much of it from 2 or 3 metres down when they dug out the pond. So the trees are struggling at present.

Golf

Surprisingly I had started playing golf twice a week. I was absolutely loving playing, even though I was usually 40 over par for 18 holes. My best 9 holes was my last 9 holes, 53 only 3 off my present target. Unfortunately during my next round my back went, so golf is on hold at the moment I am hoping to try playing Friday or next week.

Lottie

An update to the blog is never finished until I have put new photos of Lottie on. She is great, just getting over a bad cold, she had a high fever, but is just left with a cough now. Even so she was hardly a problem, no crying and even took the medicine without the usual spitting it out.

Drying Fish

Something I haven't seen around our village before. Someone brought a load of fish to a neighbour. They went round in a truck selling them off the back. They sold a lot, but still had some left, the women gutted the fish in the village hall and then they attempted to dry them, however, it rained soon after this photo.

Snooker Room

The extension to house the pool/snooker room, store room and outdoor kitchen is finished. It looks great, though the roof leaks in one area of the pool room. But Uncle E-at who made it is away working in Bangkok at the moment so I am waiting for his return to mend it. Here are some pics from when it was being made.

Planting Rice

Most of the rice directly around us is just thrown into the fields from a bucket. However if there is enough water in a field it can be hand planted. The seedlings are replanted about 10cm apart. This increases the yield and obviously cuts down on seed costs. But it is back braking work. Here are some locals getting bundles ready to go and replant.

Patanar

Cleaning the village. This year as well as tidying up the village, all the houses made name/number plates (except us, we still have to make ours) The village looks a lot better now. Lottie and I went to watch, and I bought the people some whiskey and pop.

Fishing

I have been learning how to throw a Thai fishing net. I am not very good yet. Five men from my village and I went fishing in a large lake about 15km from the house. I caught about 15 fish, however, everyone else caught over 200.

Elephant in the garden

As usual when I see an elephant in the village a picture or two appear on here. Lottie loves elephants on the TV or on her cartoon DVDs. Elephant is chang in Thai and Lottie must say chang at least 50 times a day. However she was very scared when she saw a real chang.

Seaside

We popped to the seaside for a short holiday. Lottie loves the sea, well she loves water full stop. There are swimming pools in Buriram so will have to start swimming lessons soon. A girl from our village works on the beach doing manicures and massage, so Paa got a manicure.

Bangkok

We went for a short holiday in Bangkok, we have been before but not taken many pictures. So here are a few, the Grand Palace, the river etc.

Little Scarecrows

Throughout the villages around here, little scarecrows have been appearing on peoples gateposts. They are to ward away a female ghost, who is after men who were born on Tuesday or Wednesday (some say Thursday). Unfortunately I dont know which day I was born on. The girl in the picture is making one for her brother.

Lottie

She is now walking and nearly always smiling, but she has just realised if she screams/cries if she doesnt get her way, it may make a difference. She loves going out around the village, in the morning she plays on our bed until Paa says "by dtea-o" (go visiting), then she gets very excited. Comes back for a sleep at about 11am, a bath which she loves and eating rice congee (thick rice soup with finely minced pork). All the other children make a fuss of her, as do all the women in the village, and many of the men. She is a very happy child.

Pattaya to see Craig and Terry

Unfortunately Craig and Terry didnt have too much time so werent coming to visit me, so I had to visit them while they were in Thailand. We did the usual, went to the island, went to the big Buddha on the hill, we went down the coast to a beach at Sattahip, eating seafood at Bang Seray, and also drinking excessive amounts interspersed with breakfast and dinner, and playing a lot of pool. It was really nice to see them again, I hadnt seen terry for 5 months and craig for a year and a half. Aussie Paul hooked up with us as well. And a couple of other friends Jamie and Roger were around so we had a great time.

My Fishing Pond

I have been wanting a fishing pond behind the house for two years. However my mother in law said that it is unlucky to have one behind the house, even though many people have them behind the house. She finally relented however. After some negotiation and Paa showing a lack of bartering skills, I managed to get a digger organised.

Lottie's First Birthday

From a small party, suddenly we had a sound system, marquee, monks coming round to eat and bless Lottie and us. In Thailand any excuse is good enough for a party. I felt that we should just have a small party for Lottie with children and cake. Paa wanted to feed everybody and have a lot of drink as well.

Childrens' Day

Thailand has a Childrens' Day, the local school, put on a show. Various people sponsored various things, my friend Ron from the next village did the ice cream, I paid for a few hudred packets of crisps and various other people sponsored other things.