Painter

OK, so my non-prediction was 2 out.... 399 to win, with just over 2 days to get 'em. It ain't gonna be a draw!

Wondering if I should join this lot, who were jumping along the beach. The thought soon passed...

I was thinking the same in the last match, and look what happened! 😀 My money's on needing 397 to win in two days, and winning by 6 wickets

Yup. I'm walking the beach daily, but missing the southern end due to the works going on. Tend to cut up through 13/3 to 2nd, then up to buckhou for a smoothie from a favourite stall at the market before home to crash. I had heard a rumour that they hadn't started the bit opposite Mike's as they didn't know what do do with the raised bit, which was created as the late Elvis once launched his Finn sailing dinghy from there.... however, the way they have put piles of new slabs there seems to say they're about to start... I wonder if it'll be complete when I return in October, as I doubt it'll be finished when I leave in late March.

Ah, Port Stanley, then.... Safe travels

90 minutes later, only a few minor puddles remain, decreasing quickly Opposite Tuks, this sign is a recent addition, together with its Google translate

Thailand.... where water I expected to run uphill to reach a drain....

Fontok mak mak.... At least it'll start to clean out the debris in soi 15s new drains.... assuming of course they are connected somewhere...

Never in doubt...! 😀 That Tom Hartley did well... a day he'll remember. Impressed with Foakes aswell. Great win by the Windies as well

Burger "shack" on soi buckhou with great reviews on fakebook. Filled a gap, but that's all....

Well..... this is going well, isn't it....!

Phone call from manerat Thursday 3pm... 36ish hours after dropping passport off. Their collection system has changed since last year... it always was one of the ladies at the desk on the right hand side as you entered who gave them back.... they now have a dedicated desk and staff member at the back of the shop, left hand side, and the drawers they keep passports in has been increased in number. My estimate is 20 drawers, 2 with UK labels on which had probably 35 passports in each....

Rear of the Avenue "beautification" works continue Wondering what is going to happen to the old beach brick walkway opposite Mike's? My first thought was these had been dumped to be used for the new inland pavement, but then I saw these.... You'll have to imagine pics of rebar waiting for concrete beach side between 13/1 and 13/3 as my battery died...

55-0 becomes 60-3. Guess who's batting...?!

First time I've seen this for some time. They were blocking the walkway, but had moved by the time I got in camera range Something happening at the bottom of klang

One insurer (staysure?) used to issue one, but that was many years ago. I put together a business card sized thing, name, passport number, my thai phone number and insurance policy number and emergency contact number on one side, and next of kin numbers (both for Thailand and uk) on the other. One is on the table under the TV in the condo, one in my wallet, one in my phone case, one at the condo office. There's also a copy with my two powers of attorney in the uk. Probably overkill, and hopefully never be needed, but...

I expected the bkk bank visit to be the longest wait... but it seemed well set up. The manerrat employee there must have taken 8 pictures in thr time I was there, so the wait afterwards will have been longer. The 4 tellers were all doing whatever they do. A thought did cross my mind... if I'd been logged onto the bkk bank app at the same time as the money was deposited in my account, could I send it somewhere else before the bank withdrew it? Then I realised that the bank had my passport, so I probably wouldn't have got far....

Yup... it was literally 2 minutes, stand there, smile, free to go...

There's this strange wet stuff falling out of the sky...

Just visited Manerrat's office to extend my retirement extension. Arrived at office at 0955. They'd done all they needed by 1005, including taking a pic. Arrived at Bkk bank beach road branch at 1012. Greeted by a manerrat employee in a pink shirt, who got me a ticket (number 7), and took a pic of me with my passport. Sat and waited no more than 5 minutes, became very rich then very poor in seconds, signed 32 documents, and was out of the branch by 1025. Into a Bolt (very nice, almost new BYO electric thing) for a trip to immigration. Phoned manerrat's employee, who took me inside, stood me by a desk, took a pic, and said goodbye. Walked to the beach, got another bolt (ancient Honda jazz with boy racer exhaust and remnants of rear suspension), and sat in slow moving traffic back to the condo. The whole process took 1 hour 14 minutes, the longest bit being the return bolt ride in traffic. If I'd known so many people wanted a pic of me, I'd have had a shave before I went! Incidentally, immigration has changed since I was last there, pre covid. Two new buildings, it seemed more efficient. Having said that, there was a queue of people 80 long lining up inside and outside the new building on the left. I'm glad I didn't have to join it...

Almond croissant.... and it was!