About John McCrarey

Born and raised in southern California. My career exodus has taken me to Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC. And as of 23 January 2005, Seoul, Korea. Married with 6 grown children (blended family). First grandchild is in the oven! I created this blog to document my adventures as an expat living and working in Korea. I'm also pretty confident that I will on occasion feel the need to express my views on current events and other matters I find of interest.

Taking it to the limit…

Posted on 24/April/2022 by John McCrarey

…one more time.

***It’s mostly the same old shit around here.***

If you look hard enough though you’ll see things to keep it interesting.

***My standard stroll through Barretto. I usually do this walk once a week.***

***Nothing new about this view, but I always enjoy it anyway.***

***All these months later and newly widened Abra street remains a testament to incompetence.***

***I’m not sure I want to know what he has inside that van!***

***It’s election time here in the PI. I’ve never heard of a more honestly named political party.***

***Slow progress on the construction project right outside my back door. And now they are starting another new house across the street.*** ***I guess peace and quiet aren’t in my future***.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, when I returned home from my morning walk I discovered I had no access to the internet. A couple of hours of being disconnected from the world later, I headed back into town and used the WiFi at Outback. Later in the afternoon, the internet was restored at my place and life was back to normal. It being beer o’clock on a Saturday afternoon, I made my way once again to Barretto.

I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted to do or where to do it. I considered starting with some food at Sit-n-Bull, but I wasn’t really all that hungry. So, I went upstairs to BarCelona to contemplate my immediate future. I hadn’t seen Samantha for a while, so that would be another plus. Except she wasn’t there. A waitress who didn’t even know my name(!) brought me a beer and disappeared. And when I finished my beer she still hadn’t come back. I took the bottle out of the coozie so someone might notice it was empty, but no luck. When waving it around didn’t draw any attention, I gave up and went to the cashier to pay. Yeah, I could have gone to the bar to order, but why should I have to? BarCelona could be a great place to hang out, but it is very poorly managed. This is not the first time I’ve had service issues there. I doubt I’ll be back anytime soon.

Back on the street and still undecided about where to go, I started walking up the highway. Passed by It Doesn’t Matter and wasn’t feeling it, so I kept going. Hesitated at Blue Butterfly but didn’t stop. Ran into “mama” and gave her the usual100 pesos, but when another beggar approached, I rudely rejected her pleas. I was in a grumpy mood, but no excuse for that behavior. I felt bad enough to look for her later but she was gone. Shame on me.

I wound up at Hideaway and Joy gave me an enthusiastic welcome. I got one of the few seats left at the bar and Joy pulled up a stool beside me and grabbed some napkins to wipe the sweat off my neck, then gave me a nice back rub. That softened my mood and naturally, I rewarded her with lady drinks.

After three beers I was ready to move on. Next stop: Cheap Charlies. Yes, indeed, things are getting back to normal around here. Some “two-week millionaire” tourist had every girl in the bar surrounding him as he plied them with lady drinks. I noticed several of those were bottled beers that cost twice as much as the standard lady drink (I never buy doubles as a matter of principle, but will usually get the girl two singles. Yeah, that’s how I roll.) Anyway, there would be no company for me with the big spender present and I’m okay with that.

***So, I just enjoyed the view of the Kalaklan ridge and remembered some of the nice hikes I’ve had up there. I’m overdue for a return visit.***

***And then I moved over to the other side of the bar to enjoy watching the sun go down.***

So, even with all the girls busy with their benefactor, someone would always come by to bring me a refill on my beer. That’s the way it should be and something the staff at BarCelona should learn.

In a weird coincidence, while I’m drinking at Cheap Charlies I got a message from Samantha, the gal I had looked for at BarCelona. I hadn’t heard from her in a couple of weeks. As I suspected, she no longer worked there. Instead, she is now employed at The Green Room, a bar I very infrequently visit (I prefer the next-door venue, Wet Spot). She asked if I would come by and see her there and I promised that I would later on.

My next stop though was Hot Zone. I had a “buy one, get one” coupon I wanted to use. It was nice to see the girls on stage again even if there were only a couple of other customers present. It was still early for a Saturday and Hot Zone is more of a late-night venue. Not that I ever see late-night these days. Drank my two beers and treated my friendly waitress to a lady drink, then I was off to The Green Room.

Wow. The place was packed! I felt lucky to find an empty seat. Ordered a beer and a couple of GROs (guest relations officers) approached to ascertain if I might be interested in their company. I told them I was looking for Samantha, but they’d never heard of her. Hmm. About that time, Sam came over saying she hadn’t recognized me because I’d put on some weight. Thanks for noticing! Turns out, she’d only been working two days here and that’s why her co-workers didn’t know her name. About this time, the waitress from Sit-n-Bull came by. I ordered us a pizza to eat and share.

***The girls all seem to enjoy the Hawaiian. Who am I to argue?***

So, did a little drinking and caught up with Sam. The circumstances of her departure from BarCelona only confirmed my poor management thesis and convinced me they have no intention or desire to improve. And screwing an employee out of wages is completely unacceptable. Fuck them!

It was time for me to go, and on the way out I popped into the CR (which is located in Wet Spot) to take a leak. As I was leaving Wet Spot, Daddy Dave (the owner of both venues) called me over to his table and bought me a beer. Always a pleasure to chat with him and get the lowdown on what’s happening in town. The big news is the SOB dance competitions will be starting up again soon. That’s always a fun way to spend an evening.

My 9:00 p.m. bedtime was fast approaching so I said my goodnights and headed home. Made a smoothie (banana/mango/pineapple) as my nightly treat and called it a day.

*I do get asked too often when I expect to deliver the baby I’m carrying. Yeah, all that beer has to go somewhere. Can you imagine how I’d look if I wasn’t walking a couple of hours every day?*

Oh well. Just me trying to make the best of things and doing what I do best.

And when you're looking for your freedom
(Nobody seems to care)
And you can't find the door
(Can't find it anywhere)
When there's nothing to believe in
Still you're coming back, you're running back
You're coming back for more

So put me on a highway
And show me a sign
And take it to the limit one more time

Greetings from the Outback

Posted on 23/April/2022 by John McCrarey

I had to make the journey here unexpectedly, but I had no choice. My internet is downunder at home. Usually, I can use my phone as a mobile hotspot, but bizarrely, my data is not working either. I didn’t realize I was so internet-addicted until I lost all avenues of access. Plus, I owe my faithful readers a post here at LTG, so here I am.

***Poolside at the Outback Resort.*** ***Wifi and beer. Life is good.***

So, I brought the laptop but forgot the mouse. And using the fingerpad on the keyboard is not my thing, especially when it comes to saving photos I posted on FB to upload here. For that reason, I’m only going to be able to share one picture from the Friday hike:

It was a nice 8k hike and you can see most of the photos I’m not posting on the Relive video.

When I arrived for Friday night darts, Anabelle asked me if I wanted to play some warm-up games. She’s never done that before! I beat her three times, then bought her a beer. Pretty sure that was her real motivation anyway.

***Still looking hot for a mother in her 30s.***

So, the tournament format is a blind draw. Basically, we all draw a number and are assigned partners based on what we pick–i.e., 1 and 2 are a team, 3 and 4, etc. In the last two tourneys, I drew Anabelle and we wound up winning both times. Against all odds, we actually partnered up again last night. It is almost as if the fates are forcing us to spend time together. Not that I mind. Well, the fates can’t dictate the winner though, and neither of us played particularly well last night.

***Good enough for 3rd place though. I gave Anabelle my share of the winnings.***

Anyway, as I’ve said before, I had hoped to hook up with Anabelle as my GF four years ago. From my perspective, she blew me off. From hers, I gave up too easily. I’ve thought about giving it another shot but rumor has it she has a “sponsor”. If so, I don’t want to engage in that kind of drama. Take me or leave me. I’m your first choice or no choice.

Anabelle can match me beer for beer, I’ll grant her that.

***Yeah, I know how the game is played.***

After darts, I crossed the highway and made my way to Mango’s. I’d worked up a hunger and my waiter didn’t even offer me a menu: “Sir John, may I offer you grilled pork chops with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies?” If you insist.

***My favorite. It’s good to be a regular!***

After dinner, I moseyed down to Queen Victoria. My two favorites were nowhere to be seen. So, I asked my manager friend about them and she said they had both been fired. I didn’t ask for details. Finished my beer and left.

I wasn’t quite ready to go home just yet though. My mountaingirl friend that I’ve been supporting told me her cousin was working at Rosie’s, a bar I almost never frequent. It was nearby, so why not pop in and have a look?

I was surprised at how busy the bar was. I also didn’t remember the cousin’s name, so I sent mountain girl a message asking again. “Ann”. I asked the nearest gal I saw if Ann was around and she said, “I’m Ann”. Well, there you go. I sat her down at my table and bought her a drink. Twenty years old is out of my range though, and she looked even younger. She thanked me for the help I’ve been giving her cousin. We took a picture and I said goodnight.

***Another night, another new bar friend.***

And that’s the latest news from this iteration of my so-called life.

***One day at a time. The future is a mystery.***

Am I really that ignorant…

Posted on 22/April/2022 by John McCrarey

…or am I just apathetic? Well, I don’t know, and I don’t care!

Sorry for the old joke. I thought of it because when I was responding to a question in the comments I got to thinking about my days as a mailman and some of the shit I would say to my supervisor. My being a smart-ass ultimately led to discipline and to me becoming a union steward to defend myself and other like-minded individuals. Which eventually resulted in my promotion to the management team in labor relations. By the end of my career journey, I was the Human Resources Manager for USFK/8th Army in Korea. It was quite a ride with lots of trials, tribulations, and adventures along the way. I mostly enjoyed the hell out of it.

Ah, well. I’m just another old man remembering the glory days.

Here in the present, life keeps plodding forward. Although I guess it might seem like a broken record. Geez, even my metaphors are aged. Who even remembers playing a damaged album on a record player? Anyway, you know what I mean. I hope.

Dinner at John’s Sushi and Steak last night. Although I had neither.

***I went with the Philly cheesesteak and a bowl of bulgogi.***

Yes, you read that right. I did indeed have a “date”.

***With Joy, my friend from Hideaway Bar. And as an added bonus, you get to see owner John in the background***.

As hard as it may be to believe, this 66-year-old man was out on the town and dining with a sweet 23-year-old woman. It was Joy’s idea to get together, although she had something else in mind. I wasn’t in the mood for tomfoolery, so I invited her to dinner instead. I gave her a nice tip for her trouble and time at the end of the evening. I guess that’s a win-win.

Honestly, I’m tired of questioning the lifestyle and my motives. It is what it is and I may as well make the best of it and enjoy myself. I’m a failure at love relationships but I can partake in the company of various young women to help fill the void. Maybe that’s enough.

After saying goodnight to Joy, I had some beers with Agnes at It Doesn’t Matter. I teased the owner about adding “we provide prompt service no matter how long it takes” as the bar’s motto, but I guess he didn’t see the humor in it. He said they will be making some changes to speed things up. I felt bad because I wasn’t really complaining, just trying to make a joke. Ah well.

I finished my night at one of the new places in town:

***Sloppy Joe’s might well be the smallest bar in Barretto. It does have outside seating which is my preference. Sometimes it is nice just to watch the people pass by on the street while I drink.***

***Perhaps my life is passing by as well, but I’m living it as best I can.***

***Maybe I’m on the lamb, but I ain’t no sheep!***

Thanks for dropping by. It’s good to have folks to share my glory days with.

In fact I think I'm going down to the well tonight
And I'm gonna drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it
But I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
A little of the glory yeah
Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister, but
Boring stories of

Glory days, well they'll pass you by
Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days

For goodness snakes

Posted on 21/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Some good comments on yesterday’s post, hope you’ll check them out if you haven’t already. I spent more time on my responses than I did on the original post, Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, but I do enjoy the interactions with my readers.

Another whacked Wednesday is in the books. I’ll share some photos from the group hike at the end of this post. Dart league went well, with Lagoon defeating the Alley Hideout team, 9-4. I lost a singles game I shouldn’t have, but otherwise played well. Since I was already out in Baloy beach, I headed over to McCoy’s for a couple more beers after our match was over.

***This is the main reason I like to sit at McCoy’s. Life’s a beach sometimes.***

***I don’t usually eat at a place like McCoy’s, too many better options nearby. I was feeling a little hungry so I made an exception and ordered this taco.***

It was okay, I guess. But about three bites in, that hard shell exploded spewing some of the contents onto my shirt and shorts. And no, I wasn’t that drunk. The problem was I was wearing white shorts and now they were covered in red stains. There was no water available, so I poured some beer onto the mess and diluted the redness somewhat. My helper was able to clean the stains away this morning, so no great tragedy. Do I live an exciting life, or what?

Took a trike back into Barretto, and visited Joy in Hideaway for a bit. Then I moved on to Cheap Charlies, before finishing my evening at Wet Spot.

***Anna and Aine provided the company at Wet Spot.***

Had a little excitement on the dog walk this morning.

***That’s Buddy enjoying his “off the leash” time.***

***And this goat was keeping a watchful eye on us both.***

The excitement I mentioned came a couple of minutes later as I continued walking up the street–I encountered a live snake on the sidewalk! Appeared to be at least five feet long, but it slithered into the grass before I could snap a picture. Interestingly, the only place I’ve ever seen a snake in the Philippines is here in my neighborhood. And this is the first live snake I’ve come across. So, I know that snakes are out there but on all my hikes through the wilds, I’ve not witnessed any sign of those reptilian bastards. I hope it stays that way. A snakebite is not on my list of ways I might die in the Philippines.

Alright, the Wednesday Walkers did a pleasant enough hike through Alta Vista, over the My Bitch trail, then back down into the Naugsol valley. Nothing new or particularly exciting–and no signs of snakes!

***A high view from the neighborhood.***

***The day’s first cookie recipients.***

***There is something familiar about that mountain off in the distance.***

***An apparently abandoned church. Why it was built in the middle of nowhere is a mystery.***

***It’s been a couple of months since I passed this way and this shack was constructed since that time. The old woman living there was friendly enough but I can’t imagine living this way.***

***Jens waiting patiently for us old slowpokes.***

***Everyone survived to hike another day.***

Relive the hike here if you’d like:

Time marches on and so did we! More to come.

Easy come, easy go

Posted on 20/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Well, it didn’t necessarily come easy–I worked most of my life to earn that generous government pension. Now my only job is to spend it wisely and make sure the money doesn’t run out before I do. I do maintain and loosely follow a budget, and most months I’m able to stick a few dollars in my savings account for a rainy day. Which is not to say I don’t occasionally go on a bit of a spending spree. Take yesterday as an example.

I did my weekly grocery shopping at Royal as usual. Total came to 9500 pesos (I use a 50 peso to the dollar as my rule of thumb conversion). I paid my driver 1200 pesos for his vehicle and time.

A friend has an ill and elderly father hospitalized in a city several hours from her. I sent her 7500 pesos so she could pay him a visit. I remembered how much it meant to my mother when I came home a couple of weeks before she died.

I gave my regular weekly stipend of 2000 pesos to the woman whose family I’ve “adopted” since her American ex-husband died and the support money he sent to feed his three kids ended.

I heard from another young woman who advised that school is starting next week and she needs to purchase uniforms for her two kids. She said she was willing to “work” for it and since she asked so nicely, I agreed. I paid her 3500 pesos for her efforts.

Later in the afternoon, I headed out to Alley Cats for the dart tournament. We played doubles again and for the second time in a row, I drew Anabelle as my partner. I wasn’t expecting much because there were some very strong teams in the mix, but to my surprise, we made it through the winner’s bracket undefeated.

***We declared it a tie, and split first and second place money with Meica and Jo (650 pesos per team)***

Over the course of the evening, I bought two beer cards for me and several lady drinks for my partner, Anabelle. When it came time to pay the tab I owed 2100 pesos.

After darts, I hoofed it over to Sit-n-Bull for a late dinner.

The fish and chips were 350 pesos. I also got the last pecan pie available for another 350. I had the pie boxed up for take-out. Adding in the beer I enjoyed with my meal and a generous tip, my dinner excursion set me back an even 1000 pesos.

I took a trike ride home for 100 pesos. Got inside the house and realized that I had left my bag with the pecan pie inside the trike. Damn it! I was so craving that pie last night. Ate some rocky road ice cream instead, but it didn’t make me feel any better about my lost pie opportunity.

So, let’s total up how much my Tuesday set me back–hmm, 26,900 or $512.00. More than usual, but really not so bad considering the special circumstances I dealt with throughout the day. When I go out at night, I carry 5000 pesos with me. Most nights I don’t spend half of that. At this rate, I reckon I can keep on living large for the foreseeable future. My only real concerns are continued inflation and a fear that Brandon will cause the dollar to crash with his irresponsible policies. Since I’ve been coming to the PI I’ve seen the exchange rate as low as 42. Anything 50 or above I’m good. Now, obviously, I can cut way back on my frivolous spending habits (no lady drinks would cut my bar tab in half) but hopefully, it will never come to that.

So, there you have a snapshot of what it costs me to live here. YMMV. Of course, everything is relative. The beer that cost me six bucks a bottle in Korea is less than $1.50 here in most bars. I’m living a lot better here on a pension than I could there. But damn, sometimes I do miss those Korean sweeties.

***You’re the cutest thing that I ever did see, I really love your peaches want to shake your tree..***.

I came, I saw…

Posted on 19/April/2022 by John McCrarey

…I ~~conquered~~ survived.

A successful afternoon going up, over, and down the other side of Easter mountain. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as hard as I expected and remembered. That could be a manifestation of the Hares having found a more hiker-friendly way to the top. Which is not to say the climb was not difficult–it was. The steep downhill may have even been harder than the up; it was certainly more potentially treacherous. I slipped a few times but never lost my feet. Since I lived to tell the tale of my adventure on Easter mountain, let me get to it. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, this post will be almost book-like. Only better!

Given the special nature of the hike and the length and difficulty of the trail, the start time was moved up one hour to 1:30. And since the “sane” group always gets a headstart on the hardcore guys, we made arrangements to leave at 12:30. Since the VFW is right around the corner from Sit-n-Bull, I figured grabbing some lunch before the ordeal was a good idea.

***I’m not a big burger eater these days, but this big burger was on the specials menu at a reduced price of 350 pesos (normally 420).***

Wolfed that burger down and then headed over to the VFW and loaded up in the Hashmobile for the ride out to the trailhead.

***The trail. I did the Easter mountain portion, then hoofed it to our On-Home in Calapadayan on the road. The crazy Hashers did a second climb and some extra distance.***

***Offloading at the start of the trail.***

***Our sane group is ready to tackle the mountain.***

***What lies ahead. If you look closely in most of these photos you can spot the Hashers on trail ahead of me. Their size provides some perspective on what we are dealing with.***

***Keep on keepin’ on! I wrote about the big fires on Easter mountain a few weeks ago. Turned out to be a blessing in the sense that we didn’t have to fight our way through tall thatch grass.***

***Getting closer, but the hardest part is still ahead of us.***

***It was a very well-marked trail. Good job, Leech My Nuggets, and Vienna Sausage!***

***A look back down at where I came from. If you look closely maybe you can see a couple of stragglers still making their way up.***

***Crash Test Dummy experienced a bout of acrophobia. He eventually made it to the top though.***

***I’d actually forgotten that there is sort of twin peaks up here. That’s the one I want over there.***

***A view from the top. That’s Black Rock mountain dead ahead.***

***Here’s one of me if you are looking for documentation that I achieved the summit.*** ***That concrete slab is a bit of a mystery. Not sure what it was for, but damn, getting the materials up to construct it must have been crazy hard.***

***Not much to see up top except the graffiti…***

***There used to be a shrine for the Virgin Mary here, but it is no more.***

Here’s something I didn’t want to see. Who litters in a scenic spot like this? Good Friday is when a lot of the locals come up here and picnic. I guess carrying their trash back down is too much work. This ~~compunction~~ compulsion to litter is one aspect of Filipino culture I don’t like or understand. I see it everywhere and no one, rich or poor, seems to give it a second thought.

***Looking back up to the top from whence I came.***

Caught up with one of our newer Hashers, Liv (no Hash name yet), and wound up walking the rest of the way back to the On-Home with her. Interesting person. Danish gal who has been living in Manila for several years, having just recently made the move to Subic. She said she had hiked the entire length of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Impressive!

***Still going down but not so insanely steep.***

***Passed by a runner (don’t know his name).***

Back down on the Govic highway. That’s the Hash truck waiting to take anyone too lazy to walk back to the On-Home. I was feeling surprisingly strong still, so I did the 3K+ walk but stuck to the roads. I had my fill of mountains, thank you very much!

On-Home was at a place called Jurrasic. It was the first time the Hash has used this venue. Everything was new and pleasant, and the bay views were nice. They weren’t really prepared for 50 Hashers and ran out of food early on, but otherwise, it worked out well.

***We made Hash cake for the birthday girls.***

***And the sun goes down on another day in paradise.***

But wait! The fun wasn’t over yet.

***It Doesn’t Matter got invaded by a horde of drunken Hashers***. ***I’m sure the owner appreciated it. After all, his wife received her Hash name last night. Welcome to the Subic Bay Hash House Harriers, Gangster Bitch!***

And just for the record, I have confirmed that the mountain we call Easter is in reality known as Mount Batulao. You’ll always be Easter to me though.

UPDATE: Forgot to post the Relive video. Here it is:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vNOPoQgrKYv

Because it’s there

Posted on 18/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Today is the day the Hash makes the annual climb to the summit of Easter mountain.

I did the climb three years ago and it was a tough motherfucker. I’m attempting it again today as a matter of pride and also knowing it may be the last time I’m still physically capable to do so. At least I hope I am!

***It appears that it will be a fine day for a hike if the morning weather holds.***

A full report on the adventure (with photos) tomorrow.

The get-together at my neighbor’s place for an Easter meal was nice.

***Ed carving up the ham he’d smoked on his grill.***

A little smaller turnout than expected (Ed had said 12 would attend). There was plenty of food to go around, that’s for sure. I reckon Ed and Helen will also enjoy the bounty of leftovers.

You might have noticed there is one thing missing in the photo above. Everyone is coupled up and I’m the odd man out. I don’t socialize much (outside of the bars, that is) but I did feel the absence of someone by my side to share the experience. It’s a sad commentary that I have no one in my life that I feel comfortable inviting to an event such as this. This may be my new normal and I should just get used to it I suppose, but I left shortly after eating because I felt out of place.

Of course, there are places where someone is always willing to sit by my side and have a drink with me. So, I walked my sorry ass down to It Doesn’t Matter and commenced to enjoy the company of Agnes and Armie. Later, my pal Max came by and we had some white man conversation with our adult beverages.

My next stop was Cheap Charlies and my regulars were quick to join me and rub my back while we drank. I’m actually rather fond of Alma and could see her playing the role of loving girlfriend under other circumstances. But yes, I know and remind myself that she is just doing her job. We are Facebook friends and the fact that I never get messages from her outside of work tells me everything I need to know.

I was sitting at the street-facing counter in Cheap Charlies when I spotted mama setting up camp across the street.

***I sent one of the waitresses downstairs to slip mama the customary 100 pesos. She waved her thanks up to me.***

Nothing like a little perspective to end the night. My bed may be empty, but at least I have a home to go. And really, despite my whining, I’m really doing okay. I still think of my recent failed relationship frequently, but in the wee hours of the morning today when I woke up with her on my mind, I asked myself, “if she wanted to get back together with you, would you do it?” Remembering the good and the bad times, I ultimately concluded I would not. I never want to be someone’s second choice. And as good as it could have been, she never had the time to do the things we talked about and dreamed of. A life of loneliness is far better than a life of disappointment. How’s that for climbing a mountain of discovery?

***Last night’s full moon brought to mind the Don Henly song, “Talking to the moon”.*** ***I took that photo from in front of my house after I exited the trike that brought me home. Talk about being lucky!***

I was just talkin’ to the moon
Hopin’ someday soon that I’d be over
The memory of you
Too hard to hold

Wish me luck on the mountain today!

A far Easter

Posted on 17/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Jesus never made it out of the Mideast, so that’s progress! Happy Easter!

It was like old times last night at Alley Cats. The place was packed and we even had enough players to have a doubles tournament. It’s great to see some of the old faces returning from exile.

***Like Alan, for example. He left for a two-week visit home at the end of March 2020. The two weeks turned into two years. Welcome home!***

I honestly wasn’t that close to Alan before he left. He used to get on my ass about vaping in the bar (which I had the owner’s permission to do) and I just blew him off as another whining liberal Yankee (I believe he’s a New Yorker). So, I was somewhat taken aback by his “let’s go, Brandon!” shirt. Good to know he’s on the right side! And since I don’t vape anymore we should get along just fine.

I had a good warm-up session prior to the tourney and was hopeful that my mysteriously disappeared ability to throw a decent game had returned after a two-week vacation. I did throw much better than I have been. My partner wasn’t particularly strong, but she had some big throws now and again. So, I was pleasantly surprised to make it through the night undefeated.

***Alan and my upstairs neighbor John came up through the loser’s bracket. We decided to declare it a tie and split the pot.***

I met Anabelle playing darts as a tourist before I moved here. I actually tried dating her shortly after my arrival as a resident. Went out once and then she blew me off. I still don’t know why. I asked her again last night what happened and she insists it was just a misunderstanding. Hmm.

After the tournament, I hustled down to Sit-n-Bull to pick up my reserved pecan pie. It was there waiting for me. It was starting to drizzle a little and there were no trikes outside waiting, so I decided to pop into Wet Spot for a beer. Owner Dave was there so we exchanged pleasantries and he provided my second beer on the house. I was also joined by my “regular” Wet Spot girl.

By the time I made it home my helper had already emptied the crockpot and put the pot roast in the fridge. Oh well, I wasn’t that hungry anyway. And I still had my dessert:

As far as I know, there is no law against having pot roast for breakfast. So that’s just what I did.

Overall, I found it disappointing. Plenty flavorful, but even after over 8 hours of slow cooking the meat was still not as tender as I like it. The cornbread sucked too. Not sure what I did wrong, but it had the consistency of cheesecake rather than bread. Maybe I didn’t bake it long enough.

I did a short 6K walk this morning, mostly in the Santa Monica subdivision. It’s been a while since I’ve hiked those streets.

I’ve been invited to my neighbor’s house for Easter dinner this afternoon. Ed told me I was in charge of dessert. That can only mean one thing: brownies!

***The version on the left is more cake-like. The one on the right is chewy and has walnuts.***

Everything is ready for my Easter except me. I’d best shower up and roll on out of here. Thanks for coming by!

It’s bound to be a Sadder day

Posted on 16/April/2022 by John McCrarey

After all, it can’t get much gooder than Friday, right? Alright, I’ll leave my punniness be and get to the real stuff. And I’ve got lots of pictures to share, so let’s do it:

***Yesterday I enjoyed this ham and bacon croissant from Sit-n-Bull. Yeah, it was as tasty as it looks. I was surprised at how big it was and loaded full of meaty goodness.***

The dart bar was closed last night, so I decided to visit my friend Joy at the Hideaway Bar. She’d been sending me sad messages about not having money for an Easter meal with her family. So I figured she could use some lady drink commission. How do you get to Hideaway? Glad you asked!

***From my house, you head out on Shenandoah Bend…***

***Then take the path down to Everglades street.***

***Take this shortcut out of Alta Vista…***

***Then out onto the National highway heading towards Olongapo…***

***Go up the alley just before the Arizona resort and you are there.***

***Say hello to Joy for me, and buy her a drink if you can.***

I stayed long enough to buy her three drinks and tipped her enough to buy the food for her Easter meal. Mission accomplished!

My next stop was Cheap Charlies. I arrived in time to watch the sun pull its disappearing act.

***The circle of life or the end of days.***

It being Good Friday and with the local Catholic church located just up the highway, I guess I should not have been surprised to see an Easter-themed procession pass by on the street below. I didn’t really have a good angle for taking photos, but here is what I managed:

***I had no idea there were so many true believers in my little town.*** ***Almost as far as the eye can see.***

***Lots of floats depicting the usual suspects, but the body of Christ came last. See you on Easter Sunday, Jesus! No doubt about it!***

I had my beers, bought the girls some dinner, then headed on out. Next stop, Alaska Club. Not real busy there, but nothing really happening either. Some big spenders had brought all the dancers down from the stage and were plying them and the waitresses with lady drinks. I watched that shit show until I finished my beer, then said my goodbyes.

I finished my night out at Queen Victoria.

***Spent some “quality” time with Tina.***

So, I successfully completed my beer quest while traversing Barretto from one end to the other. Not bad for an old guy, eh? It was indeed a good Friday.

So far today I have completed my morning jaunt, doing a 7K walkabout in San Isidro.

***I was doing a twelve-minute kilometer pace for most of the hike. Damn hill getting back into Alta Vista slowed my ass way down..***.

I’ve got a pot roast cooking in the crockpot. Been a long time since I’ve done one of those. Also made some cornbread to accompany the meal I’ll enjoy later this evening. I also got a message from Sit-n-Bull saying they had made a batch of pecan pies and asked if I wanted to reserve one. I responded affirmatively, so tonight’s dessert is taken care of too. That’s a nice benefit of being a regular customer and a Facebook friend of the owner.

Since I couldn’t play darts last night, I’ll make a rare appearance at the Saturday night tournament. Baking up a batch of my popular brownies for the girls as an Easter treat.

And that’s where things stand as of now. As promised, here are some photos from the Friday group hike for your enjoyment:

***On the backstreets of barangay Matain.***

***The Philippines’ version of a rocky coastline.***

***Moving on to phase two of our hike in Calapacuan.***

***Then we finally left the pavement behind for a while.***

***A shady spot to let the slowpokes catch up.***

***Annabelle enjoying her first hike with our group. She thought the street walking was boring and wanted to head for the hills. Once we started climbing I think she decided that boring was better.***

***Troy takes in the view before we head back down.***

***Martin goes down but keeps his feet.***

And that was that. You can Relive the hike here if you’d like:

That’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll be back like a bunny for Easter.

Have a Good Friday!

Posted on 15/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Greetings fellow travelers. Here are the latest happenings from my little corner of the world.

A nice hike this morning with the Friday group. I’ll share the photos from that adventure tomorrow, but here are a couple of things I saw relevant to the holiday.

***Not a great photo, but these guys were marching down the road swatting their backs with some stick-like things. It looked painful.***

***Jesus Christ! That’s quite a cross to bear!***

*And then there is Easter mountain from a new vantage point. Today is the day that many locals make the climb to the top to worship at a small shrine on the peak. I’ll make that journey on Monday.*

Last night was my “first date” experience with Grace. She’s an interesting person, that’s for sure.

We met at John’s place. That was a bit of a problem logistically. Traffic was backed up for miles and there was a lack of Jeepneys available for some reason. I surmise they were taking the holiday off as well. Grace wound up taking a trike to and from Olongapo City.

The food, as usual, was quite tasty. I went with the New York steak and enjoyed it. It cost the equivalent of $30. That may be the most expensive steak dinner I’ve had. Inflation is really starting to rear its ugly head around these parts. ***I noticed there were pen and ink changes on the menu to all the prices for dinners featuring beef.***

The friends (one of mine, one of hers) who introduced me to Grace showed up and joined us. That was unexpected. It was fine but did add an element of weirdness to the evening.

So. I like Grace as a person but felt no attraction to her physically. She is a large woman, although she is taking steps to try and lose weight, including intermittent fasting. Am I really this shallow that the physical appearance of an otherwise perfectly fine woman would put me off having a relationship? I’m afraid so. I do hope that we can nurture our budding friendship though.

On the flip side of that coin, Marie, a woman I have no intellectual connection with, sent me a desperate message this afternoon. She says she has no food for her children and asked if she could see me. I guess I felt sorry for her, or horny, or both, and I agreed to let her come for a visit.

***We spent a pleasant enough thirty minutes together. She left happy with some money in her pocket. I was left shaking my head and wondering what kind of man I have become.***

Maybe this is as good as it gets and I just need to embrace the shallowness of my life. I imagine some folks might even envy the freedom of a no strings attached lifestyle.

Alley Cats is closed for the holiday so there will be no darts in my immediate future. I guess I’ll celebrate the crucifixion of Jesus by turning beer into urine. It’s what I do best.

Country roads

Posted on 14/April/2022 by John McCrarey

It’s Holy Week in the Philippines, and that’s a big deal here in this predominately Catholic country. I remember my first time visiting I made the mistake of arriving during Holy Week. Landed in Cebu, checked into my hotel, went out scouting around, and was surprised to see that almost everything was closed. Asked the hotel receptionist what was going on and she said matter-of-factly “it’s Maundy Thursday, sir.” I’d never even heard of it, and I was raised as a church-going Christian, albeit Protestant. Maybe they had a different name for it. And of course, the next day was Good Friday so almost everything remained closed. I did find a couple of open bars, but it wasn’t the weekend I had in mind.

I walked the highway this morning and the traffic was insane. This area has become the go-to beach destination for the big city folks down south and with the arrival of a long holiday weekend, they are coming in droves.

***Traffic coming into town was crazy last night too.***

Our team won the dart league match against The Curve bar, 9-4. My game didn’t improve much as demonstrated by the fact that I played a role in three of the four losses. I have no idea what’s going on with my darts, I’m just going to have to play through it and hope it improves soon.

After darts, I had dinner with a teammate at John’s place. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was excellent–a little moister than the last one I enjoyed. Also got a double order of Korean-style chicken wings for takeout. Shared those with the gals at Hideaway bar and they were pleased.

I’ll be back at John’s later this afternoon as the venue for my first date with Grace.

And that brings us to the Wednesday Walkers hike yesterday. We did a nice 9K walk around Easter mountain. We’ll be climbing it on Monday so it was a good opportunity to get a view of all sides and speculate how the Hares will get us to the top and back down again.

***Crossing the National highway–probably the most dangerous part of the hike.***

***Makes those shacks and shanties seem like palaces by comparison.***

***One of my regular cookie customers.***

***The first take on Easter mountain. We’ll be climbing up this side, just not sure where yet.***

***Passing the water pumping station on the way to bridge #4.***

***One of the very few times I’ve seen an actual tractor doing the work that the carabao was born to do.***

***The former landfill on the backside of Easter mountain. Speculation is that we will come down this way on Monday.***

***The fourth side of the mountain we call Easter.***

That was my Wednesday. Let’s see: Walk? check. Darts? check. Beer? check. Seems I did everything. Except get laid. Well, there’s always tonight. Stay tuned.

Not much Tue say

Posted on 13/April/2022 by John McCrarey

I’ll say it anyway though.

***Just go with the flow and see where you wind up.***

Tuesdays are my “nothing” day, but there are still hours to fill. Immigration granted me another 60 days in paradise, so there is that. Royal sold me another $200. worth of groceries. Every week the prices of imports continue to rise. I’m blessed that I can still afford to buy the things I want. So far.

Julie came along with me as she needed to pick up some stuff for her new place. She was surprised to see my overflowing shopping cart. “All that for one week?” Yep. She told me I was living large. Well, isn’t that the point?

Speaking of Julie, she started a new job last week as a recruiter for IT specialists. Her clients are in the USA so her working hours are 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. She messaged me last night a little before nine and asked me who my internet provider was. She was having issues with Converge (as were many others based on the FB outrage) and wanted to know if she could work from my place. I told her sure. She came over, we got her set up, and I went to bed. Woke up this morning and she was sound asleep on my couch. Looking damn sexy too! Of course, being the gentleman that I am, I didn’t disturb her. Later I cooked her breakfast and then sent her on home. I had the Wednesday Walkers to attend to.

***A nice hike. I’ll share the details in tomorrow’s post.***

I played darts last night even though I wasn’t in the mood. No real surprise that I threw like shit, although despite my incompetence I somehow managed a third-place finish. Go figure. Hope I throw better in league this afternoon.

After darts, I had a beer a BarCelona. The girl I kinda like there, Samantha, was giving me the cold shoulder. Maybe she had another customer. I didn’t stick around to find out. Went downstairs to Sit-n-Bull and got a roast beef dip to go. Had just finished eating when I found out I was soon to have company.

Speaking of company, I am having my first date with Grace tomorrow. She’s the teacher I’ve been chatting with these past few days. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, she can hold her own in intellectually stimulating conversations. Now, we do share many libertarian viewpoints but I’m not all-in with some of the conspiracy theories she espouses. Not saying she’s wrong, I’m just not ready to go there. For example, last night she sent me this:

I’m sharing with you the reply of my American cousin who used to work at biotech:
Oh my cuz that is very concerning. What the studies are revealing is that the shots were designed with snake venom and not a bat. That everyone who has taken the mRNA is now considered a tanshumanoid with reptilian blood. This is not a joke. That their body is producing reptilian peptides in their blood and that is why their immune system is compromised. Ugh this make me wish I just screamed bloody murder from the roof tops. No one wants to listen though and this is a very sad I told you so.

Like I say, it seems more than a little over the top, but it does make for some lively chats. It will be interesting to see how I feel after we meet in person. She’s older (50) and not the physical type I’m normally attracted to. I think perhaps I’ll be confronted with the true nature of my character–do I want someone I can talk and share with or am I only interested in the conquest of yet another smokin’ hot body of a twenty-something. Place your bets and stay tuned for the answer.

And that’s about it from these parts today. I’ve got the dart league to attend to, then after darts, I promised Joy I would stop in and buy her a lady drink or two.

***I was reminded that I had a bad attitude as a child.***

Nothing much has changed.

Discovering a new world

Posted on 12/April/2022 by John McCrarey

In fourteen hundred and ninety-two
We Hashed a trail that Guenter do
It wasn't long but it was hard
And when we got done, we was tired

Alright, I won’t quit my day job, but that verse did come to me while I was marching along yesterday.

Vienna Sausage (Guenter) was indeed the Hare for Hash run #1492. While the trail was over mostly familiar terrain, the “new world” to which I refer was doing a Guenter trail in its entirety. Granted, I took the short option (just under 3K) but this Hare doesn’t know the meaning of the word easy. The ups were all steep and so were the downs. And he managed to incorporate several of each jam-packed within a short distance. Still, I got through it alive and the miracle of miracles, I actually kind of enjoyed it. Will wonders never cease?

***The long and the short of it. The “easy” trail started from the VFW on the green line and eventually intersected again with the harder trail.***

***The “sane” group gathering at the VFW prior to our departure.***

***Assuming my natural position towards the rear.***

***The mountain dwellers have dug out some steps which made the going somewhat easier.***

***It was more fun when I was getting high as a teenager.***

***And suddenly, no more dirt steps and handrails. I guess that’s the climb it change I’ve been hearing about.***

***Hello there, Alta Vista. I could actually see my house from here.***

***We were lucky that most of the thatch grass had recently been burned.***

***Although there was still some around.***

***Almost there, Almoranus and Anal Retentive.***

***On-Home was at the home of the Hare, Vienna Sausage.***

***Perhaps you recognize the gal in blue, Whatever You Want, as one of the contestants in yesterday’s pageant.*** ***Hint: Her bikini was also blue.***

***The Hash concluded with the singing of our traditional closing song, Swing Low Sweet Cherry Ass.***

A good day to be on trail. Next Monday, we do our annual ascent of Easter mountain. I’m not exactly looking forward to that hellacious climb, but I want to do it at least once more in this lifetime, so I’ll give it a shot.

Darts tonight and more to come tomorrow.

Miss Fralics

Posted on 11/April/2022 by John McCrarey

***The stage is set for a beauty pageant.***

Yesterday’s adventure was journeying back out to the FRA in San Antonio to witness the competition to be crowned Miss Fralics. I actually knew three of the contestants which made it a little more interesting.

***Mountain mama MJ, my masseuse, was one of the participants.***

Let’s take a look around before the show begins.

***A large crowd gathered for the show.***

***Jerlyn and Jessel from Alley Cats were in attendance.***

And the waitresses were smokin’ hot too. I quite fancied the one in jeans, but alas, the feeling was not mutual. I have no idea what is up with the oval shape of this photo. I’m still learning my new phone/camera. I must have touched some setting without realizing it.

***Was she sending me a subliminal message?***

Alrighty, y’all are here to see some hot Filipinas in various stages of undress. Let’s get on with the show!

***This was the casual wear category…***

***I admit I didn’t handle my photography duties very well. Hey, I was distracted.***

***I didn’t manage to get a decent shot of all of them in each category though.***

***That’s Kate, one of our Subic Hashers.***

Then we had the talent contest. Not surprisingly, most of the gals had some kind of dance routine as their talent.

***Irene, another gal I know, did a pretty amazing booty twitch.***

***This one performed a sweet little song.***

Okay, time to get to the most important event–the swimsuit competition!

***Wait a minute, Kate! I missed your front!***

***This curvy one is a waitress at It Doesn’t Matter.***

***And last but not least, MJ. I guess she was feeling shy about taking her wrap off. But still not bad looking for a 35-year-old mother of three.***

***Time for the judges to do their work.***

***The contestants waiting for the results.***

***And the winner is—Irene! Good job everyone and congratulations to Miss Fralics 2022!***

That was how I spent my afternoon. Drank a lot of beers during this event. Hungry when I got back to Barretto so I had my driver drop me off at Sit-n-Bull. This morning I couldn’t remember what I had to eat there.

***So, I checked my phone and it turns out it was a burrito. I’m sure it was delicious.***

And now it is Hash Monday and time for me to get my lazy ass up and about. Come back tomorrow for some more wholesome goodness.

Fralicing

Posted on 10/April/2022 by John McCrarey

***The first Fralics event since 2019. COVID killed the last two, although I see they managed to repurpose the signage from 2020.***

My first time attending the Fralics and I had an enjoyable day. I had thought FRALIC was an acronym but it turns out it a just a play on the word “frolic” (hosted by the FRA, get it?). Anyway, some of my group participated in the horse shoes tournament, but I stuck with what I know and do best–drink beer and people watch.

There was a chili cook off in the afternoon. I sampled only three of the eleven competitors; I thought they were all good even if a little on the spicy side. I heard there was one entry with pineapple but I was already full and too lazy to look for that pot. I also didn’t see any chili with beans, but someone said there was at least one with some frijoles. People profess to love my chili but I’m an amateur compared to these cooks. I also go heavy on the beans and tomatoes, and light on the spice–I guess that’s not the way “real” chili is done.

I was a little surprised at how many familiar faces I saw making the 45 minute trip from Barretto.

***A generous customer rented a Jeepney so the Alley Cats crew could attend.***

Some new faces as well, including some very cute waitresses.

***This is the girl who was serving my beer all afternoon.***

It was a nice change of pace and I’ll be back for more this afternoon.

***The Miss Fralics beauty contest is the big event today.***

I actually know a few of the girls who will be competing so it should be interesting. I’ll try and get lots of photos for you guys who appreciate the beauty of the Philippines.

A change of scenery

Posted on 09/April/2022 by John McCrarey

More of the same old, same old around here. Hiking group, darts, dinner at Mango’s, then home to bed. This weekend though, I’ll be changing it up. The FRA (Fleet Reserve Association) is having its annual Fralics event in San Antonio. Today there is a chili cooking competition and tomorrow is a beauty pageant. It’s being held in San Antonio, a town I always enjoy visiting. So, I’m looking forward to attending and having something new to blog about. Yay!

A small group for yesterday’s hike. I led the first half, taking us up the mountain on the My Bitch trail. Almoranus took over and led us back down to the valley and around San Isidro, then back to Alta Vista. Only about 6K, but pleasant.

***I do believe that is Jolo Street down there.***

***…and Easter mountain from a lesser distance. I couldn’t decide which shot I liked best, so I posted them both.***

You can Relive the hike here if you so choose:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vJOKppJWww6

I forgot to turn my tracker on until we walked a ways, that’s why I say it was a 6K hike.

After the hike, plenty of time to rest up and clean up before I headed out for the Friday night dart tourney at Alley Cats. Mediocre performance in the early going, but I got better as the night went on. The highlight was beating Beth, who had put me in the loser’s bracket, in a tightly contested, well-thrown game.

***It’s always nice to go home a winner.***

Had dinner with Julie after the tournament. We are still just friends, but she had requested to meet up in order to repay some money I had loaned her. And in so doing she has the honor of being the ONLY Filipina who has ever repaid a “loan” from me. Congrats and thank you!

Alright, time to get ready for my San Antonio adventure!

Dreams and disappointments

Posted on 08/April/2022 by John McCrarey

Life’s a rollercoaster ride sometimes. Lots of ups and downs and usually a thrill or two along the way. And sometimes a day in the life can feel like that too.

***I did a longish (for me) solo hike in the morning. Nothing new or all that exciting.***

***I could use a couple of hiking buddies like this to liven things up a bit.***

Nothing as nice to see as those, but here is the Relive anyway.

https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYoorP9y6

A trike delivered a little Joy to my place in the afternoon. I’m trying real hard to be accepting of the reality that is my life. I did away with the old FWB program because it felt exploitive and wrong somehow. But a couple of the former participants continue to contact me, desperate for the opportunity to earn some cash. So, it puts me in the position of either denying them outright, letting them come over, or just giving them the cash as a matter of charity. None of those options are especially satisfying–it seems I can either be a prick, a dick, or a sucker. Or a combination of all three. I guess there are worse problems to have.

***An early dinner afterward at Sit-n-Bull. You can’t go wrong with the pulled pork sandwich.***

We said our goodbyes after eating and I moseyed over to It Doesn’t Matter to ponder the circumstances that led to a melancholy outcome. My regulars weren’t around, so I drank alone. I’m okay with that. I didn’t find any answers at the bottom of my beer bottle, so I ordered up another one. That didn’t work either, but I’m no quitter, so I kept trying. Eventually, I realized that the mystery would remain unsolved so I paid my tab and left.

The next stop was BarCelona. My Facebook friend Samantha had advised that she was once again at work. I figured I would welcome her back with a lady drink or two and see if there was any comfort to be found in her company. There was not. I feel sorry for her actually. A young widow who seems lost and showing symptoms of depression (she told me sometimes she just wants to stay in her room and cry all day). Well, I’m probably not going to be able to help her with that. It’s sad though.

Then the school teacher I’ve been exchanging messages with for the past month or so asked if we could meet up that night. This was surprising because I had not seen her in person since the night we were introduced. I was in no condition to do so last night. But what pissed me off was her caveat “will you see me or are you going to reject me again?” WTF? We had been chatting in the morning and in the early afternoon. Maybe if she had indicated then she was interested in joining me, I would have been receptive. Or maybe not. But damn, I don’t like ultimatums and that is what this felt like. So, I chose to “reject” her and I’m probably going to eject her from my life. She’s demonstrated that she is not a good fit for me. My bad mood was now foul. I said goodnight to Sam and headed out.

Where to next? I wasn’t in the mood for any of my regular haunts nor did I desire the company of a bargirl. Given those limited options I decided to visit Outback. It was more crowded than on my previous visits, but I spied an open seat on the far side of the bar. Except it wasn’t open, the floor in front of the chair had shoes and purses belonging to the bargirls. My bartender friend said something I didn’t quite hear but she also didn’t seem interested in having the space cleared. So, I said again “I can’t sit here” and she responded, “just take it home with you”. Alright then, I took that as a pretty clear indicator that my business wasn’t needed or wanted. So, I turned around, said goodbye, and walked out.

Granted, I might have handled the situation differently if I wasn’t already disgruntled. What I had hoped would be a safe space proved to be the opposite. At least I maintained my cool–didn’t shout, didn’t cuss, just left. I sent the bartender a message later though expressing my disappointment and reminding her that when I was the only customer during my last visit I had bought everyone a drink so they’d have at least some commission. She responded with an apology and that what she had said was meant to be a joke. I guess I just didn’t have a sense of humor. Anyway, I have no intention of going back. And in case you are wondering, yes, this is the bartender whose surgery I paid for a few months back. You’re welcome!

I finished out my night at Queen Victoria. Still didn’t want bargirl company, so I pretty much ignored my two regulars there. A Hasher came in a bit after I arrived and we had a nice chat at least. Once I had satiated my thirst I caught a trike home. Wasn’t even nine when I gave up the ghost and hit the sack.

But it is not all bad. Earlier that day I had been introduced online through a mutual friend to another schoolteacher working in Olongapo (a different school, thankfully). We hadn’t had a chance to get beyond the introductions, but we were connected through Facebook. I woke up early this morning (3 a.m.) and sent her a good morning message. She responded immediately. And then we engaged in one of the best chats ever. Both on messenger and in a video call. I was very impressed with her intelligence and ability to articulate some pretty profound viewpoints. One example: she asked me which vaxx I had received. I told her I wasn’t vaccinated. She let out a whoop and said neither had she! Got to say, that’s a pretty brave stance for a school teacher here in the Philippines to take. She and some other like-minded teachers have lawyered up and are fighting for their freedom. Anyway, suffice to say her stance on the whole scamdemic pretty much parallels mine. I like that. Oh, and she told me she likes Trump. What a gal, huh?

Anyway, she’s older (mid to late 40s with three kids in their early 20s), a college-educated professional, has a good sense of humor, speaks good English, and is a great conversationalist. Just the type some of you commenters said I should be looking for! Too soon to know if she is a potential soul mate, but damn, we are definitely kindred spirits. Looking forward to meeting her in person one day soon and seeing if there is a spark. At the very least though I feel like I’ve made a great new friend. Oh, her name is Grace.

It’s interesting how things go sometimes. Double-checking to make sure this post title was unique, I came across something I had written on New Year’s Day in 2012 called “Into the Great Wide Open”. In that post, I asked the question: If by some magic you could be shown your future life, would you want to view it? I had to smile at my musings from ten years ago and think of them in terms of my current life:

And today I wondered what would the me of back then have thought upon seeing the me of today mailing a letter of such importance and yet its contents were beyond my wildest imaginings just a few short years ago. I hope I would have laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Despite all the hopes and dreams and best-laid plans, we are after all destined to live in the moment. I never envisioned this life that I’ve lived turning out as it did. The detours and heartbreaks and disappointments all inevitably led me back to this place, but changed me almost completely from who that man looking down from the window way back then. And I don’t just mean those extra pounds around my belly. All those experiences that I never planned for, dreamed about, or even knew that I desired have not necessarily made me better, and I certainly hope not worse. But this is who I have become, and I am glad for it.

It’s funny. Everything has changed since then (the letter was for Jee Yeun’s fiancee visa). Still, I could pose the same question to that me in 2012. This life I’m living was unimaginable back then. And yet, it may be the best life ever. It’s definitely the best life I have.

A winning Wednesday

Posted on 07/April/2022 by John McCrarey

You gotta make the best of each day, and things turned out pretty well for me yesterday.

A very nice trek with the Wednesday Walkers group. Hiked from Olongapo City up to the Kalalkan ridge, then back down to Barretto. When I say nice, I mean nice and hard. I’ll put up the photos from that adventure at the end of this post.

As usual, after the hike I had to get myself ready for the dart league competition, We were playing our arch-rivals from Viking at our home venue, Lagoon Resort, on Baloy. I didn’t throw well but somehow managed to eke out victories in both of my singles matches and a 2-1 showing in doubles. So, I made my contribution to our surprising 7-6 victory. Yay, us!

***It’s a friendly rivalry, we all get along great in real life too.***

I did experience a bit of a runny nose, but I came up with a quick fix that impressed my cricket opponent, Cristy.

***She said I looked like a bull, but I don’t think she meant a stud.***

After darts, I made my way to McCoy’s for a little beachside relaxation.

***I always enjoy Baloy beach at this time of day.***

***And knowing my distaste for loud karaoke singing, the friendly bartender at McCoy’s set me up in my own Nipa hut where I enjoyed some beers and a decent chicken burger.***

As evening approached, I decided to make my way back into Barretto. I hadn’t had quite enough beer yet to soothe my loneliness, so I headed into Cheap Charlies.

***Pretend friends for the price of a lady drink. What a bargain!***

Home by eight o’clock and in bed before nine. That’s how I roll these days.

In the memories from Facebook department, here I was eight years making my way up Seroksan in Seoul:

***There was a lot more to me back then.***

It was five years ago I attended a meeting with the Ambassador at the American embassy and kind of messed up the photo op.

***What can I say? I’m left-handed. Fighting!***

The sewage disposal construction is in full swing here outside my house.

***So far, only the noise has been an inconvenience.***

***Trenches dug, pipes waiting to be laid.***

To the hike then:

***Our route up and over the mountain, then down the other side.***

***The first Jeepney to pass was full, but we caught this 3rd world quality bus for the ride into Olongapo City.***

***The brave souls in this week’s interaction of the Wednesday Walkers.***

***Man oh man, there were a lot of steps. Someone said 600, but I didn’t count.***

***The steps ended, but the climb didn’t.***

***Eric thought about taking a shortcut to the top but changed his mind.***

***Still not to the top, but getting closer.***

***Yeah, people actually live up here. It’s a helluva commute!***

***At last, the ridgeline is achieved.***

***Found some kids in need of cookies.***

***Hiking on the ridgeline road is the best part of the hike. For me, at least.***

***Time to head back down. That’s Easter mountain straight ahead. And see those houses way down there? The kids who live in them can hear (or smell) me coming a mile away.***

I’m only by here every six weeks or so, but they are definitely my favorite group of recipients. Always so excited to see me (and/or the cookies). All those happy faces for 50 pesos, what a bargain!

Well, that was my day and I’m thankful for the experience. Got some more excitement coming up this afternoon. It will be a Joy to tell you about it tomorrow! Stay tuned.

Is this the right Lane?

Posted on 06/April/2022 by John McCrarey

An interesting turn of events that may or may not prove to be significant. It actually began Monday evening when I was still at the Hash. I checked my Facebook and had a friend request from one of the Wednesday/Friday group hikers I’m acquainted with. I mentally shrugged, added her as a friend, and didn’t think anything more about it. Then I got this message:

Hi John. It’s Susan. Wife of Sam. Your hiking buddy. I have a friend here right now. I want you to meet her. She’s very pretty.
She will go hiking with us sometimes. She will be here on friday thru Sunday. I told her that you’re a nice and giving person. She like that. She wants to meet you and hang out with you.

Well, sounds good so far, right? The thing is, it turns out she wanted to meet up that night. By the time I found that out I was already home after a sweaty Hash hike and more than my share of beers. Susan sent me this photo of her friend to try and further entice me:

But as I said, I was in no condition to meet up that night. I did get her Facebook name and sent her a friend request. She accepted and told me she was playing pool at BarCelona while waiting for me. I broke the news that I wouldn’t be making it that night. She said we could meet the next day then. I asked her where she was staying and she told me she didn’t have a place yet. I suggested a couple of inexpensive nearby motels, wished her a good night and went to bed.

For some inexplicable reason, I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep. So, I fired up the laptop and noticed the new girl was online. I shrugged it off and went about my business, then I got a message from her. I asked her where she was and she told me she was waiting for a Jeepney to Olongapo. WTF? “You didn’t get a room?” She said no, she had stayed at BarCelona until they closed. I asked what are you going to do in Olongapo at three in the morning? She didn’t know, she would just wait for me.

Okay, this was a little crazy, but I didn’t know what else to do but invite her over. At least she’d be safe here. She told me her phone battery was almost empty. I sent directions to my house and waited for her to arrive. And waited. Finally, I hear the sound of a trike approaching on the road behind my house. And then when it got to the new construction, it stopped and turned around. I figured it was her, so I shouted “where are you going?” The trike stopped again, someone got out, and the trike left. I went out front and a few minutes later a pretty young woman walked up and introduced herself “I’m Lane.” Nice to finally meet you!

As you might imagine, she was quite exhausted. I gave her a pillow and she snoozed on the couch for a while.

***So, I enjoyed morning views like this…***

Tuesday is my grocery shopping day, so Lane couldn’t sleep long. I made her a nice breakfast and she come along for the trip to Royal. She seemed to get along well with my helper and my driver, that’s always nice to see. I asked if there was anything she needed at the store and she said no.

When we got back home, we were both ready for more sleep. Me being me, I tried to entice her into lovemaking, but she gently rebuffed my advances. So, we cuddled up and slept in each other’s arms. I like that too. I got up after an hour or so, she slept for three. When she woke up, I took her out to Mango’s for a late lunch/early dinner.

***I was pleasantly surprised when she ordered my favorite menu item–grilled pork chops! We have at least one thing in common!***

After our meal, I put her in a Jeepney and she headed into Olongapo to catch the bus back home to Angeles City. She wants to come back and join me for a Hash one day soon. We shall see what the future brings.

***She’s a cutie with a sweet personality. 34 years old. I hope to see more of her soon.***

Hash report

Posted on 05/April/2022 by John McCrarey

There are other things going on today and I’ll write about them later. For now, let me post the photos from yesterday’s Hash.

***I took the short version, only around 4K. Basically just did the part I didn’t do when I bailed on Friday’s walk. Familiar territory but a relatively easy hike.***

***We followed this road to the end, then began the big climb of the day.***

***Mother Mary keeping her eye on things.***

***Looking down on the less fortunate.***

***It can get lonely out there sometimes.***

***I am always impressed with these big-ass roots the trees lay out.***

***Arriving at our On-Home venue, Blue Butterfly.***

Sorry for such a lame post. Not sure what my afternoon holds in store for me today and wanted to at least share the highlights from yesterday. I am in the midst of a small adventure. I will write about that soon.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of memories Facebook found worthy to share this morning:

***That was seven years ago, Kevin Kim. Where does the time go?***

***I was pretty busy nine years ago too. That didn’t end well.***

That’s all for now. Stick around, it might get interesting.

Long Time Gone

Author Archives: John McCrarey