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Thread: An Isaan Pond

  1. #951
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    Quote Originally Posted by armstrong View Post
    It would freak me out being in that pond when I couldn't see what was in the water.
    Well . You know what they say..youve been living in Korat to long when you spend a mon
    th or so to build a jetty over your green pond full of tilapia when you can get tilapia at makro. And peas, but fook all lamb. But thats another story. Anyway it turned out great i reckon. The fred was a bit long winded with all the varnishing, welding etc. But entertaining none the less. I raise a glass of ya dong to you sir mendip.

  2. #952
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutree View Post
    That said, respect for seeing the project through. Well done, nice piece of work.
    More so, keeping us TD'rs entertained.


  3. #953
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    ^^ Yeah, I know I get a bit verbose at times... but it keeps me occupied.

    Most of it is of course about giving the young'un stuff to do and getting her off those damn screens...

    ... but nah... who am I kidding... it keeps me busy as well, I need stuff to do.

    And as for the narrow bar... yeah, it is narrow but was only meant as a place to plonk down a morning coffee of an evening drink when walking around. But I must admit I enjoyed no end sitting at the 'bar' with the daughter last night and having a chat... and she loved it too. Maybe this could be a good place for those chats in the future.

    The problem with a lip on the bar... I've seen that before and it's bad. You slide your glass over, it hits the lip and you get a wet lap full of beer. Been there, done that.

    I'll have to think about this.

  4. #954
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    Fine craftsmanship Mr Mendip

    A dandy little spot on the water for ruminating and imbibing.

    I like this photo.

    Puts me in mind of one of Nigel's bucolic oil on board Constable-esque creations.


  5. #955
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    The problem with a lip on the bar... I've seen that before and it's bad. You slide your glass over, it hits the lip and you get a wet lap full of beer. Been there, done that.

    I'll have to think about this.
    Ummm ... the 'lip' goes on the Pond side, not on the Jetty side.

    If no lip then ... You slide your glass over, it hits the lip and your beer/single malt/phone/tablet slides into the pond

  6. #956
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    who am I kidding... it keeps me busy as well, I need stuff to do.
    Yep. I am the same way around here, especially with Covid controls and cannot go off and travel around. Wife and I usually take off every month and a half or so for a week to go relax somewhere on a beach or island. Being "trapped" at the compound I like to have projects to pass the day. Wife and I keep tracking down unique plants and planting them. If this keeps up, I won't be able to walk around the place

    Nice Job Mendy.

    What's next.....??? You gonna drain the pond now or grenade the fish?

  7. #957
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    Quote Originally Posted by JPPR2 View Post
    What's next.....???
    Is there a 'Decathlon' in Korat?

  8. #958
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrille View Post
    Is there a 'Decathlon' in Korat?
    Yes. The finish line is at Mendys Jetty.

    Beer 30 yet?

  9. #959
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    So Mendip, now that Brighton Pier is finished ... what is next?

    Any plans to get a haircut and a real job (back on a survey vessel)?

  10. #960
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    He needs to finish the bar top first.

  11. #961
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    He needs to finish the bar top first.
    I was thinking he could weld a cross bar as foot rest in the front. Of course that would mean more math, metal and paint but it would match the top better.

  12. #962
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    Yeah... what's next?

    The daughter's long school holiday starts next Tuesday so I don't want any more major projects for the time being. Mind you... what to do with the daughter? After the lockdown last year I promised her a trip to Europe this summer... but once it was obvious that wasn't going to happen, earlier this year we decided on trips to Koh Chang, Rayong and Bangkok... but none of that seems possible now, at least not without quarantining on the return home. You've really got to feel sorry for the kids with this Covid.

    I was pretty spot on with the metal and wood quantities for the jetty, although I guess you could say I was short of one wide plank of wood. But... there is still around three quarters of the cube of sand and cube of stone left, and three bags of cement. I was way off there and need to do something with it.



    I've toyed with the idea or putting in a second concrete plinth on the far shore of the pond and making some kind of suspension bridge... but I think that's for another lifetime.

    ^ A brass foot railing would really finish off the bar area, but again, it's not planned as a bar and I don't want to spoil Maya's fun jumping off the end of the jetty.

    Draining the pond and netting out the bad fish is definitely on the list.

    I have until September... ish when I should be back doing a 'proper' job. But we shall see.

  13. #963
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    The daughter's long school holiday starts next Tuesday so I don't want any more major projects for the time being.
    Whaddya mean any more? You haven't finished the current one yet.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    I've toyed with the idea or putting in a second concrete plinth on the far shore of the pond and making some kind of suspension bridge...
    Yes, do it, do it, do it!

  14. #964
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    making some kind of suspension bridge
    You need one of these. Maybe a little less extensive:



    Last edited by OhOh; 26-06-2021 at 10:29 AM.

  15. #965
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    Mendip, to your recipes for dog feeding:

    We are buying rice 15 Baht/kg for the dogs, cooking always a pot for 2 - 3 days. Then mixing with chicken scraps from BBQ at market, bags stored in freezer.

    The mixture divided in 3 portions, the cat awaiting one pla-tu smashed with a bit rice.

    An Isaan Pond-img_20201014_093522-jpg


    The old bowl has ceased its service after 2 years of harsh dealing with hot rice straight from the cooker. When today organizing a new bowl what the cat thinks it's for her?
    An Isaan Pond-img_1968-jpg

  16. #966
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    ^^ Now, there's a thought, OhOh!

    ^ Klondyke, I think it's worth occasionally mixing in good quality dry biscuits as they're supposed to have some essential vitamins added, although as your dogs and cats look full of health they're obviously getting what they need. Our dogs love a bit of fish now and again for a treat as well.

    We also get cheaper rice for the dogs as we get through so much. It all tastes the same to me but the wife seems to enjoy 'higher quality' rice that costs more. One day I will do a taste test on her and I bet she won't be able to tell the difference.

    By the way, I thought it was only teenage girls and my wife who used 'selfie' sticks! Are you sure you're not too old for that kind of thing?

  17. #967
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    Stepping aside from my usual asshole self, Would anyone recommend an inflatable pool like this for the holiday/hot/songkran season, I have a nice open area under the main house, but is concrete and tiled, I would hate for a kid to slip and crack their head open.
    I was thinking that maybe buy some of that fake turf and lay under and around the area for a few meters?
    What do you think.

    https://www.lazada.co.th/products/in...bOub5&search=1


  18. #968
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    By the way, I thought it was only teenage girls and my wife who used 'selfie' sticks! Are you sure you're not too old for that kind of thing?
    Sometimes a live real person is needed in the pictures (for a better aesthetic and decoration). I do not have a daughter on hand to take such impressive snapshots as you are showing. Time by time I need to prove to my people on the other side of the world that I am still alive - and they are always quite surprised. An older photo, testing such a selfie stick that ,however, does not work for an Apple (in my eyes) I am lately having.

    To the dog food: Do you mean by biscuits the dry food in big bags? That's what I buy for some variety in the nutrition - however, not in shape of biscuits but round or pellets. And not always is the rice immediately available cooked or not at all. And the cat likes the dog food as well.

    And sometimes I throw the dog food also to the kois, they do not recognize it - at least I think so. And of course, an older bread goes to kois and to the dogs as well...

    (Now, I am only afraid you will have again problems with reading, then sorry please...)

  19. #969
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrille View Post
    Is there a 'Decathlon' in Korat?
    Yes, in the Mall.

  20. #970
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    Do you mean by biscuits the dry food in big bags? That's what I buy for some variety in the nutrition - however, not in shape of biscuits but round or pellets.
    We use dry food mixed with chicken and egg occasionally. WI found buying animal by products in bags is actually more expensive and more work with a shelf life. Buying a few big bags of Good dog food off Lazada is easier and if you add some stuff from time to time the dogs love it. Of course I am not feeding a lot. Just 3.

  21. #971
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    I finally Christened the jetty tonight... but it wasn't the special Christening I as hoping to carry out with the wife. That's never gonna happen.

    I've spent three consecutive nights fishing off the jetty this week.

    The great thing about the new open-sided jetty is that there is nothing to obscure the view... so I can leave the rod out there and watch the float from the comfort of the shade provided by the sala.



    The ceiling fan provides further relief from the stifling heat and humidity and we all eagerly watch the float in comfort together.



    Or of course when it rains we can fish and stay dry under shelter.



    But anyway, after two consecutive blanks this week I went down to the pond tonight and saw this...

    At first I thought this was a dead pla nin floating on the surface.



    But occasionally it moved and even swam down a bit before floating back to the top. It was alive but clearly not happy. I netted it out and amazingly this fish was still alive. The poor thing was missing it's rear end and also most of it's mouth. It was a decent size too... that's my right size 45 Puma for scale.



    I knocked what was left of this pla nin on what was left of it's head and Dan will enjoy steamed fish tomorrow night. She loves a bit of fish.

    But this was clearly more evidence of our thriving pla chon population. I've been busy lately and taken my eye off the ball, but the pond desperately needs draining and the pla chon removed. The problem is we're getting so much rain now that the water level is around 18 inches above the usual level and it will take an age to pump, out... and heavy rain is forecast every day for the foreseeable future. It's a problem but I'm on to it!

    So anyway, after sorting out that poor fish I tried a few casts but without much hope. I've had two consecutive blanks when I used to catch 6 to 8 fish in an our... and have a bite every cast.

    After 30 minutes I was in!

    Yeah, if you didn't recognise me, that's because I'm 9kg lighter than I was a few months ago!



    The dogs were well excited!



    No landing net but I risked it. Yogi has inherited my love of fishing.



    There, the jetty finally Christened.



    I carried on a bit longer while being watched by the gang. Even on her holidays I use any available time to continue my daughter's education but sadly she still can't pour a beer.

    Look at the head on that!



    Although not to worry... if we were back in the UK I would welcome her trying a bit of bar work to make ends meet while studying in the future... but not so much in Thailand!.

    The fishing gang soon lost interest... so only the one pla nin tonight before I gave up, but just enough for a small fish an' chips dinner tomorrow night!

    Last edited by Mendip; 14-07-2021 at 10:05 PM.

  22. #972
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    Look at the head on that!
    look at the face on her too, she ain’t happy

  23. #973
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    ^ She should be, I pay her 10 Baht a bottle when we're fishing and it's only 50 metres back to the house. Kids have it easy these days!


    I've been seeing fish swirling around the margins the last few days and close inspection showed loads of fry swimming close to the edge of the pond. I don't think these orange ones were pla tabtim... we also have a few of these big orange carp kind of things which I guess must have started breeding.



    We also have loads of pla nin fry and unfortunately I also see a few juvenile plan chon (snakehead) as well. I deliberately introduced the snakehead to control these fry, but that has obviously not worked and now the snakehead are so big that our adult pla nin are being eaten. Does anyone know of a small size predator that would just eat fry?

    Anyway, having watched these fish swirling at the margins - what I assumed as snakehead going for the fry - I decided to have another go with my 'never fail' lures... and I nearly caught a 40 pounder.

    Yes, every time I cast in, bloody Maya jumped in the pond and started swimming after my snakehead lure.



    As much as it was amusing at first... the novelty soon wore off and it became a bit annoying after a while... and also did nothing to improve my chances of catching one of these bastard snakehead.



    When Maya started trying to leap out of the water trying to get the lure I gave up... there was no chance of catching anything and besides, I didn't fancy taking her to the vet with a size 4 treble hooked through her nose.



    Bloody dogs!

    I switched to a float with worm for bait set up, and soon caught a lovely pla sawai.

    I would say it was around 1.5kg and fought like the devil... these fish have extremely powerful tail fins.



    That's a size 45 Puma there... not a small shoe. I gave the pla sawai to the gardener... he likes to make a jungle curry using them, but to me they taste like shit. I will try his next curry though... I'm never sure if it's the strong bamboo flavour or just too much chilli in these jungle curries, but I always struggle to eat them.



    This success seemed to hone Maya's interest... and I swear she started watching the float (just to the right of her right ear)...



    Until she ruined it all... every time I cast out she started to swim out after the float...



    And the every time I wound in, she followed the tackle in and tried to get it. I wish the fish were so keen.



    I love my dogs but I also love my fishing... this is gonna be a problem,

    Last edited by Mendip; 19-07-2021 at 10:20 PM.

  24. #974
    Thailand Expat lom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendip View Post
    That's a size 45 Puma there...
    which has seen its better days..

  25. #975
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    ^ My left foot wears an old 'Under Armour' flip flop... we look after our money up in Isaan, Lom.

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