The usual excuses but this time I've been busy......

Keep saying this is my last time I will write with such a long time between posts.

So much as happened but I do not record it as I used to. Suffice to say the usual statement follows "  I will try harder, for you the reader and for me for the memories...".  Think I've written similar words quite a few times recently.

Last week Jane arrived in Thailand.  She has planned to stay in our house in Rayong but I has asked her to first come up to Khon Kaen and have a few days to settle in then we took her down to Rayong. I should add the house in Rayong had been empty for about 12 months.  We had been down a month ago just to give it a clean.  But being next tot he road and beach it accumulates a lot of dust. Also we have a cat decided to use our rear balcony. Don't know who was more shocked us or the cat when we returned. I think he also decided to stay on...

So very busy time in Rayong.  First job was organisation, as we had finally managed to rent our 2 condos.  They had been empty for over a year.  Don't know why empty for so long but then we got a new agent and done deal.  Thank God. So spent a day running round to get them Internet and remove the stuff they did not want. We re"owned" an unused microwave, water kettle and odds and ends including a load of coat hangers....

Then to help Jane settle in we have a few bits and pieces to do and we also developed "Tour Guide" techniques showing her the various spots and local restaurants etc.

It's difficult when you move to a new place  and everyone says Oh its easy !!  Shops are here, restaurant is there etc etc. But this was different.  Jane is not planning on a few days but months. So,  so much more to advise.  Where to buy drinking water, replace the cooking gas cylinder, which market/shop is open when.  Where to buy this or that. Lots of stuff.  Add in that she is only now learning to use Thai words.  A big ask !!!!

But we did it.  Much to our amazement we had a very good and lucky time, all ran smoothly. Internet installation with new box etc was supposed to take a week but second day after paying deposit we were fully connected.

Jane got herself organised with a bicycle. So now able to go off exploring etc. Exciting times ahead for her. I suspect quite a head on experience for her as no doubt so much looked different and yet at the same time looked the same if you follow my drift. It was not helped by Wanna and I constantly proving a narrative or explanation on this or that. I know it would have done my head in !!!!!   But it all worked out good.  It is only by showing other people around you appreciate how much there is. Rayong is a great town. Love it.

Yesterday evening we  returned from 5 days in Rayong back home. On the way back we bought some avocado and durian trees for our garden. We had bought about 10 lime trees a few weeks back and have about 50 Pawpaw ready to be planted.  Busy few days coming up...

Crashed..... But only after checking on my home brew, setting up the bread maker and feeding the crays and pond fish. A mans work is never done !!!!!! (Don't let Wanna read this bit.)

 And its a beautiful morning for sure.

And today off to make more cheese and get back to my Guitar.

More news tomorrow.....  For sure....



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Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Had a very lazy Sunday afternoon.  Stayed home only to "pop" out for lunch. Actually the reason we  went out was to buy a new tank for our  Crayfish.

But in any event we stopped of at a local restaurant.  Usual good choices and service. Some food was already cooked and you could just choose by pointing.  Others were made up while you wait.
Actually this place is quite famous in the area and have a coffee shop, snackbar for takeways, biscuits etc and excellent food.  A But as I've been slow in posting so to have I been slow in taking enough photos. In this case I have nearly finished  my meal before I snapped a couple of shots. But trust me it was good.  I think you can even feel the chilies heat through the computer...!!!

I had rice with two dishes. One Panang curry and the other a pork in sauce.  Wanna had grilled fish. Very like a mackerel and rice and various salads. Also complimentary there were an assortment of veggies and sauces and even some purple flowers.  Ice and water provided.  As you can see all in a very clear open environment.  All up cost Baht 105.  That's 2 pounds !!!!!

Rayong Lunch with 'er indoors and friend

Had a lovely lunch few days back relaxing on the beach side. Sunny, warm good food and excellent company. 

Rayong - Fishing Boats

I was going home from work last evening, taking a different route. There are several cross country routes to work all about the same distance but in the mornings I seem to be in auto-drive and go the  same way each time.  Saves thinking I suppose... Obviously.....

Anyway, for a change, last evening I decided to take the route with the longer beach road section. Along here are several fishing communities and lots of boats, many were sitting up on the sand. Can't say they were moored as they are driven up the beach at full speed and parked ! Then once driven up the beach everyone jumps out and unloads fish etc. Simple as that.

Took a few photos and tried a little "photo shop" on them.

Rayong - House Progress Status Report No 5 Final....

So where are we on all this? I'm making this my last "Rayong - House Progress Status Report".  I've included a couple of before and after photos....

Before

After Pink Paint....

Well folks we've been at it for what sees like for ever but in reality has only been a few weeks. Last night our workers completed the painting. We took the worker to dinner and put them on a bus back home up to Khon Kaen.  They did a good job. No complaints. But its nice to get our place to ourselves and finally move in.

Dinner at home last night. Steamed mussels and Tom Yum soup. Washed down with red wine while sitting up on our roof.

Tom Yum

Chili/lemon sauce

Steamed Mussels in lemon grass

Happy Cook

I've added the view 360 Deg taken from our roof top. It shows the beach front and the river behind. Climbing up there I realised more than before we have got ourselves a beautiful spot....

Some outstanding things we would like to have done by now, but they have other commitments which seem to centre round planting their rice etc. Timing of which is of course everything. So they can do their planting come then back for a week or so, to finish off bits and pieces.

We have completed all the painting inside and out. Used yellow out the back and Pink in front. Wanna calls it pink, me I think more purple so ow she's convinced I'm colour blind!!! We decided to keep all the burglar bars. Painted white.  There is a local chap who other neighbours tell us is light fingered. He keeps coming round to say "hello" and ever asked Wanna "When are you removing the burglar bars...." bit of a give away don't you think !!!

Inside we've painted a lovely concoction of nearly every colour we could find. Very cheerful.
Whats left? I could do a list... Downstairs bathroom need to install the hand wash basin,  Add in additional electrical plugs in several rooms. And in first floor bathroom remove the old bath and tidy the room up.

Our front roof top area

Ready for the Bar B Q

Bright Stairs

One landing

Bed Rooms.. That's a king sized bed even thought it looks small !

Bathroom

Happy Steps

Safety Bars on Balcony

Rear Balcony

Test panel of colours.....

Front Ground Floor Wanna sorting a few things out !!!

I'm planning on making the top room on the roof my hideaway/office/studio and music room. This seems to make sense for several reasons. Its on the top so good for exercise, Won't disturb the neighbours with my music and I'll got my aquaponics on the roof close by.

Wanna is keen on using most of the roof for Bar B Q in the evenings. Lovely spot over looking the sea. We'll be adding a simple open style kitchen in due course and probably a small fridge to keep the beer cold.....

Out the front we have room for His and Hers motor bikes.....

That's it for house progress reports. We're done here....

Rayong - House Progress Status Report No 4

No so much a progress as a photo of the back wall. As you can see we have no garden. Only about 80 centimeters of land behind the wall.  This for the services and some access should some one build behind us.

Ours is the bright strong yellow coloured house on hte left handside. Interesting we can see it from our Condo !!!.  For some reason I cannot fathom the painters are leaving the horizontal concrete edging to paint later.  Also I will also be rerouting the water pipe which feeds into the house. We earlier added in a tank on the roof, which is fed from the mains via our own pump.  We added a control float switch and its all working OK. We connected in to the house by going in through the bathroom wall and plumbing into the system..Works well but needs to be tidied up as you can see....\

Our house the bright yellow one  !!!!

Rayong Traffic

Got stuck in a traffic jam on way to work this morning. Someone had decided to resurface the middle section of hte 4 lane road. Few signs adn everybody driving down middle.... How it will get completed is anyones guess.

Anyway sitting there I saw a "saling"  three wheeled motor bike or mobile shop. Just seems to add to the general traffic situation... Hes fully equipped with work top, roof, foods, gas bottle, ice box  etc etc. So almost self sufficient. Had I stayed in the jam much longer I could have ordered breakfast.....or a cold beer !

BTW "Saling" is three wheels in Chinese.

Rayong - House Progress Status Report No 3

Its been just over a week since we had the boys arrive from Khon Kaen to clean and paint the place.

They spent the first few days sorting out water, electricity and cooking facilities.  Arrived by bus with just a few bits and pieces and got on with it. They elected to sleep up on the roof. Wonderful to see.

Been an agonising week for me also. Decisions.. Do I build a patio? Do I add in extra doors, cut walls etc. So been running round getting prices. etc. A lot of monies to go out the door............. Many good reasons to do it now. Gets it over with. No more future mess, spend funds now and its over and done with. I've even borrowed a cutting disk for the wall demolition and a wheelbarrow to cart away the rubbish.

Final decision different to my usual " just do it " but correct in this case.  Do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just add minimum items required and clean and paint up the place.  Other things can follow later in the year or next year.

Of course there were some things to do and some that have to be done. Install a new water tank on the roof, connect the water and power. First off to put a water tank on the roof you need some rope and a couple of guys... Done that..... Then followup by connecting the water pump at ground level to the mains and tank on roof. Will be adding a float control switch in next few days.

We've found a chap living about 6 doors down who is a carpenter so some door and window frame repairs will be delegated to him. All falling into place.

Next will be Internet and TV connection and we are nearly done. Sure I've forgotten a few things along the way.

And yes almost forget to mention. Local rubbish collection is everyday so building rubble etc is disappearing as fast as we produce it.

My Khon Kaen guys can do electrics and internal plumbing.  We will replace the toilets and shower heads, some tiling but not much more. Added a few power points. Most rooms only have one and its always next to the light switch. Strange I know but TIT.....

Some photos below showing rooms cleaned and being readied for painting.


BEFORE

Anyway Wanna let loose with an array of colours.  Beginning tot look much better.  We started on the roof and worked out way down room by room.   Work in progress.

Should finish inside paint work in a couple of days then do the outside walls and front parking area. So small movie to follow.

That's it for this update. We plan to move in on 20th July so lot to do...