More or less.

First up was the Friday group hike. We took a Jeepney to the far side of Subic and commenced our journey on Philseco Road, then over the hill to barangay Balaybay, finishing in downtown Castillejos. We had a new hiker visiting from the USA with us, and he struggled some due to the heat and improper footwear. Also, one of our regular old-timers was experiencing some fatigue and weariness during the hike, possibly related to low pressure. Both of them made it down to the other side of the hill climb but took frequent rest stops along the way. Once we were back on the pavement, they bid us farewell and grabbed a trike. I saw both later in the afternoon, and there didn’t appear to be any repercussions from their ordeal. It all goes with the adventure!

We had to wait on the busy highway in Castillejos to catch a ride home. The first few Jeepneys and busses were all filled to capacity. Finally, one came along that we could all squeeze inside, and the long ride back to Barretto went without incident.

I didn’t have much time to kill once I got back home. I got showered up, had a bite to eat, and then headed out to the VFW for the annual Hash meeting that began at 2:00 p.m.

There were no changes in leadership or other excitement during the meeting. I did make a motion that Subic Hashers, with over 1000 runs (there are only four), should have the weekly Hash fee (300 pesos) waived in recognition of their longstanding loyalty and achievement. It passed! So, there was that. This being a Hash meeting, beer was available, and I had four of them during the ninety-minute duration of my participation. Then, we moved on to It Doesn’t Matter for some after-meeting comradery.

So, I’m not much of a day drinker, much preferring my usual 5-8 p.m. window. Starting early means I finish early and drink more in the process (twelve bottles of Zero yesterday). I did have an early dinner of chicken nuggets from the IDM kitchen. Home by 6:30, had some sugar-free jello, surfed the net, and went to bed before 8:30. Swan joined in a Hash girls’ night out and seemed to enjoy herself judging by the pictures. She was beside me when I awoke this morning, so all must be well in the world.

My Friday weigh-in has me at 235.5 pounds, down 31.6 since November 1. My goal is 199 pounds, so I’m not quite halfway there.

So, here are some memories from this date in history:

Eight years ago, I blogged about my health issues on an ill-fated trip to the Philippines to ring in the new year in a post called Stayin’ Alive. This was before I was diagnosed with COPD. My Korean doctor wanted to hospitalize me and pump me full of antibiotics. I bought a nebulizer instead, which kept me going until I got the proper diagnosis and treatment at the Army hospital on Yongsan. That post has now been updated as an episode in The Story of My Life.

So, I went looking for the book this morning, and it was in the spare room where Swan stores her things. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve frequently seen her reading my poetry books. My quest was to find the poem I posted here on LTG a couple of days ago.

And when I was preparing to take that photo above, I noticed that the page corner had been folded down. I asked Swan about that, and she said she always likes to mark her favorites that way. Wow! A girl with the same taste in poetry as me! What are the odds?

It’s good to be alive to remember those days from the past and great to be alive to make new ones!

I feel sorry for the true believers that trust the lying “experts.”

Today’s YouTube video is from The Filipina Pea, and I really enjoyed this one about the “ten bizarre things that will shock you about the Philippines.” Well, I’ve been living here going on seven years now, and I’ve seen most of these up close and personal. It made me smile when she mentioned the half-finished buildings I frequently photograph. And she has a strong rant about the litter culture here. Give it a watch; she’s easy on the eyes!

Now, it is humor time:

So, that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone. And so am I until tomorrow!