Steel Work

Never thought you'd be excited by rebar did you? Here's some ... The house is starting to go UP now!!

DW

Missed Opportunities

Wherever i go i normally take at least one of my cameras with me, even if it's onlya phone camera.

Except for this evening when ...

The sun was sitting behind a cloud just before sunset

There was a flock of large Stork like birds flying around above us and then they settled the trees nearby

There were two water Buffalo paddling in the lake

The scenery was very photogenic

We will go there again tomorrow at the same time, armed with a suitable camera, to see if we can recapture any of what we missed today!

DW

Steel Arrived!

We were promised some foundation work on Thursday and whilst I thought it couldn't happen, some steel work arrived this afternoon. So, maybe we're on track after all!

I hope so because we have to go back to  Bangkok on Friday.

DW

Eureka Moment

I've tried many times to take photos in very low light settings and have always been frustrated.

A power cut arrived so we wandered outside and once my eyes had got used to the dark ... brilliant stars all over the sky. One shooting star to boot.

I thought, let's have one more try at taking a photo of the stars. Camera on! Change  the ISO setting to its maximum 1600. Point! Shoot! 

Nothing :(

I put the camera away and went back to star gazing. Then i had my eureka moment ... the camera can't take a photo because it is set to automatic by default. So, I thought, if I set it to manual focus maybe it will do as I want!

I went and got the camera again. Changed the focus setting to manual. I already had the shutter open for 5 seconds but I increased that to 6 seconds.

I pressed the shutter release button and after a delay of a second it took a photo ... of the stars!

I did it! Eureka!

The power cut is still with us so i can't post any photos here yet but I will as soon as I can.

UPDATE: here are three photos for you ... sorry but very low resolution although the originals are 5 Mb in size.

DW

Day One of my new Chez Moi Part Two

They did a lot today, considering they are using just hand tools.

A few more snaps for you. As i type this it is almost 7 pm and there are still 300 superblock blocks to unload.

DW

Proper Building Site Now

Take a look ... site mapped out, 3,000 superblocks delivered, a further 45 lorry loads of soil dumped, gravel and cement delivered ... the photo shows SOME of all of that!

DW

Proper Building Site Now

Take a look ... site mapped out, 3,000 superblocks delivered, a further 45 lorry loads of soil dumped, gravel and cement delivered ... the photo shows SOME of all of that!

DW

Day one of the new Chez Moi!

Right on cue the builders arrived and started mapping out the layout of my new abode. Here it is ...

DW

A Big Flower

Anyone know the name of this flower? I have seen several of them over the last few days.

They are about 6 inches across.

DW

The Local Fauna

This morning as we drove into town we came across several Elephants, of which this is one.

DW

What do you call a Frog Around here?

I think you might have guessed the answer to that question already. Around here a Frog might easily be called ... dinner!

Take a look at these specimens, though: eyes are gorgeous and their skin is smooth but LOOKS like sand ... camouflage.

You'll also see the Frogs before and after. You'll know what i mean when you see the photos :(

DW

Insects

Sitting outside next to a light anywhere in the world that i know brings insects to it.

I didn't take very good photos but this is what i got.

DW

I go for a walk and the dogs go for a Marathon

I have been taking a walk every evening here and one or more of the three household dogs go with me.

I walk for about an hour and the dogs run all over the place: even just one dog on its own will cover 5-10 times the distance i do i think.

In one place today, one of the dogs picked up the scent of something. That sent the two bigger dogs off on a digging frenzy. The Terrier idled its life away at the time!!

DW

The 30,000,000 Baht Folly

Someone has been building a very grand house near here. I believe it's not finished yet. So we went to have a look at the thing which, it turns out, is for sale.

I will not mention the nationality of the man who masterminded this folly but take a look at the flag in one of the photos below ... it contains a clue.

DW

Rain ... it knows how to rain

It's a long time since i lived in the tropics. I last lived tropically in Malawi although i have travelled tropically a lot since rhen.

Two nigjts ago i was woken up by the loudest rain i have ever heard. It lashed it down.

At the moment it's happening again: a veritable downpour. A deluge. Torrential.

The electricity has gone with the storm too: i don't know for how long.

Mental note to self: don't forget to buy a generator for the rainy season.

DE

Farewell Dinner!

Chimichanga in Halifax: au revoir they said but don't come back!

Joking I am!

Snaps ...

DW

Almost Ready!

Packing, shifting, hanging ... waiting, driving, forgetting!

Let's look at the last of these:

wanted to renew my international driving licence ... carefully put my UK driving licence in the glove compartment before going to the Post Office. How daft is that? Had to go back to get it.
earmarked so many books to donate to charity: all thought through. I waited and waited for the men to come and clear my stuff and that made me fretful as i needed to do other things too. So when the men came i completely forgot the books in my office. Aaaaggghhhh! Have to do that myself now!

I had made lists of everything else and so far so good.

I leave tomorrow.

DW

Lads' Army

You've heard of Dad's Army well here's Lads' Army.

I'm not in this one but my nephew David is: centre, front.

DW

Who Wears Short Shorts?

Not me, that's a fact.

Here i am ... how many years ago??

Which one is me?

DW

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright!

Here he is, tiger. My friend and companion for several years. He went to a new home today.

I gave him a hug and wished him well!!

😥

DW