Well, I guess technically, every day is my kind of day; what other kind is there? Nothing really special occurred, but it was satisfying regardless. Let’s do a playback, shall we?
I guess a good place to start might be with what didn’t happen. I crossed the National Highway in busy weekend traffic several times and managed not to get run over. Hot Zone owner Jay posted this video of someone not so fortunate. Word is that he survived with a broken leg, but damn, it could (might?) have been worse. Of course, he was leaving the bar at 0130, so I suspect he wasn’t feeling any pain.
I began my day in the usual way: up at 0400, coffee, internet, feed and walk the dogs.
I also saw on the dog walk that yet another new house is beginning construction on my street. At least I’m far enough away from this one that I won’t have to hear the noise. Not that it matters since the four being built on all sides of my place ensure that peace and quiet are not in my immediate future.
I had a brief meeting with my future landlord later in the morning, and everything appears to be on track for me to move in around the end of March. I am so looking forward to that!
I modified my standard Saturday walk somewhat, given the delayed start due to my meeting. And when I had my steps in, it was lunchtime. Not so coincidentally, I finished my trek at Sit-n-Bull. When I saw the lunch specials, I knew it would be a blessed day.
I was so inspired after my leftovers luncheon that I actually walked home (I usually am lazy and take a trike). I took a nap, blogged, played some solitaire, then baked up a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.
Facebook memories reminded me that it was one year ago that my love and I climbed the mountain together in Pundaquit. I sent her a message saying, “what a difference a year makes.” She didn’t take the bait, saying only that she would be at Snackbar later. But that’s okay; I’ve moved on. She may have been my destiny, but she’s not my gonna be (I had a girl that I just met actually say that to me once). Still, the words of John Greenleaf Whittier resonate: Of all the sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these–it might have been.
Life goes on, and so do I. Beer o’clock on a Saturday evening rolled around, and so I headed out. I didn’t have a specific plan in mind, but there are a couple of newer bars I still need to review. Or maybe I’d just visit the venues where I have coupons to expend. I decided to start at Snackbar and figure out what to do from there.
And in a very unusual turn of events, I got to Snackbar and never left. Thought about it a few times, then said, “one more beer.” One beer led to another, the lady drinks started flowing, and I finally figured wherever else I might go wouldn’t be any more fun than I was already having, so why bother? I got drafted into DJ duty again and got some positive feedback on my song selections from other customers. See, I’m not totally worthless after all.
I have some pretty strong evidence regarding just how entertaining the gals found my wit and witticisms.
In fact, we were talking last night, and I somehow mentioned that what Barretto needs is a nice beach bar that caters to expats. Heidi knew of one that was available, and the location sounds excellent for my imagined bar. The lease is 25,000 a month ($500), which to my mind at least, is doable. Granted, I’ve not crunched any numbers or done any background inquiries. It’s just a fantasy. That said, I agreed to meet with her this afternoon to take a look at the property. Everything is preliminary, but if I like the venue, I may look into seeing what the next steps would involve. Of course, I’d just be doing the financing–I’d need someone to actually run the place competently. Heidi says she can help me with that too. Hell, I probably spend five hundred a month in the bars; maybe I should spend it in my own place. So, we’ll see. The Rite Spot On The Beach. It’s got a ring to it.
My former love did make an appearance late in my visit. She was friendly and kind, just like she was to all the other customers. I’m nothing special now was the message I received loud and clear. What a difference a year makes, indeed.
I’d had all the fun and beer I could handle by nine, so I said my goodbyes and grabbed a trike for home. It was a good day, and I lived it without remorse or regret. I’d call that progress.
I was going to call this post “The best of all possible worlds,” but my archive search showed I used that previously. Those results also featured a post I wrote in October 2017 called “Should I stay or should I go” as I pondered the timing of my future re-retirement. Yikes! The Philippines life I had envisioned is not quite the one I’m living. In fact, it might be eerily reminiscent of the one I thought I was leaving behind. Maybe I haven’t progressed as much as I’d like to believe. Or perhaps this is as good as it gets.
Cause there's still a lotta drinks that I ain't drunk Lots of pretty thoughts that I ain't thunk, oh yeah Lord there's still so many lonely girls In this best of all possible worlds
Tried to click on the video. From my phone, I was unable to access Facebook—got sent to a login page. From my computer, I got sent to a Facebook page that said, “This video isn’t available anymore.” Go figger.
Nice pics of the dawgs. Good to see they’re still peppy and happy.
Construction, construction, construction. The development never ends. In a few years, you’ll have more houses than grass along the habitable parts.
Thanksgiving leftovers look scrumptious. I’m working on my own leftovers right now.
I’d eat that misshapen cookie. Looks good. If you ever did want to make your cookies more circular (but why?), there are at least two methods. One involves using a cookie cutter (or a cup’s rim, or a mayonnaise-jar lid); just trim away the excess dough. The other involves rolling your cookie into a sphere between your hands, then either pressing it onto the tray or leaving it as is (the heat of the oven will soften the dough and create a circle). This method won’t result in a perfect circle, but it’ll be close. Or just throw the circle idea out and run free, liberated from oppressive concepts of rigid circularity.
Good God, what’s up with that long scar on Lydell’s hairy leg? There must be a story behind that.
I appreciate the Biden-sniff picture.
what Barretto needs is a nice beach bar that caters to expats
Aren’t there already a ton of such bars? Or is Barretto, specifically, bereft of them?
The life you’re living might not be the life you intended, but in some sense, it’s your best life, i.e., the one most suited to you.
Weird you can’t see the video; I accessed it from my blog to show several people last night. Maybe it’s a location out-of-the-country thing. I generally won’t post links back to FB, but I couldn’t find a way to save the video otherwise. Oh well, it was pretty gruesome.
I’d say we are still well under 50% developed in Alta Vista, but the number of houses has doubled in the four years I’ve lived here. With more houses will come more traffic and associated ass pain. At least my little blue house is isolated at the end of a cul-de-sac.
Thanks for the cookie-cutter ideas. I might try the jar lid next time. Other than aesthetics, they taste just fine, so not a lot of motivation. Maybe if I were having company over.
Lydell’s scar is from a motorscooter accident a couple of years ago. Scars don’t bother me in the way a tattoo does. I’m still trying to get used to unshaven legs, though.
Re: the beach bar. No, surprisingly, almost all the bars in this area are on the street side. The only one for foreigners in Barretto is Mango’s, but most folks go there to eat rather than a bar hangout. I do think a nicely appointed bar on the beach would be popular; I’m just not sure I’m up for the pain-in-the-ass factors involved in opening one. I’ll post some pics of the location today.
“The life you’re living might not be the life you intended, but in some sense, it’s your best life, i.e., the one most suited to you”
Yeah, that resonates. This lifestyle is a choice, and while not always ideal, it does seem to work for me. Maybe all this is missing is accepting that this is what I’ve become.
John, you are aware of the bar joke, right?
“Here’s how you make a million running a bar in Barretto. First, start with two million…..”
Yeah, I couldn’t access the video – from the description, probably a good thing. LOL
Life is what you make of it, and you seem to be making the most of what life is giving you. So many people do what they HAVE to do in retirement. You are doing what you WANT to do, so that is definitely a win.
Brian, yeah, I’ve heard that joke before. Luckily, I don’t want to make a million! I would like to at least break even month to month.
Thanks for the encouragement. It is easy to get wrapped up in disappointments and forget that you are living the dream. I’m trying harder to appreciate just how lucky I am.