Or maybe recovered is the better word. Either way, I overcame whatever it was that ailed me yesterday, and have now rejoined the land of the living. It’s good to be here!
Obviously, I wasn’t all that sick. It just seemed that my get up and go, got up and left. I baked brownies in anticipation of visiting the floating bar, but when it came time to shower, I just didn’t have the energy to make the effort. So I sat on my lazy ass and watched some TV. I was surprised to find Lonesome Dove, the Larry McMurtry Western series, available on YouTube (I’ve canceled Netflix and Amazon Prime). Been years since I’ve watched that program and I enjoyed seeing the first part of Part One again.
It was the first night in a very long time that I hadn’t gone out to enjoy a beer at one of the many fine venues available in my sweet little retirement town. Here’s to hoping it’s a long time before that ever happens again. I’ll be doing Friday night darts at Alley Cats today, so that will hopefully get me back in my groove.
What else have I got for you?
This pretty much sums up why I decline to argue with my Facebook “friends.” What’s the point? I posted this today with the admonition to not take my silence for acquiescence of their bullshit arguments. As I am wont to say, “all I know is that everything you know, is wrong.”Once I thought that I was wrong, but I was mistaken.This one was posted on a friend’s timeline. Not sure why I had a “you talking to me?” reaction. Yeah, it sounds a bit like my “friends with benefits” charity program. But I still believe that people helping each other is its own kind of charity. And it is certainly better than nothing.
Here are just a couple of photos from my Wednesday Walkers group hike I was too lazy didn’t have the energy to post yesterday:
Hey, maybe that’s why I was so tired!It’s burning season. Here they took out the whole side of the hill. Won’t miss the thatch grass, that’s for sure. Still have no idea how they avoid creating those California-type wildfires I grew up with.Harvesting bamboo looks like hard work to me…And so does doing laundry in a creek bed.We don’t have autumn here, but I did take a fall down this hillside. Luckily, I came down on my ass and didn’t hit anything hard or painful on the way to the bottom.And no, I didn’t forget to get a shot of Easter mountain. You’re welcome!After the hike, I did some lunch at Sit-n-Bull. Sorry, I took a couple of bites before remembering to take a photo. The ribs were good, the sides were excellent.
And that’s all I’ve got for today. I joined the Friday hiking group for a trip out to Tibag this morning. I’ll post about that tomorrow.
Another Wednesday is in the books. Here’s how I spent mine.
I’ll save the hike for the end. I already told you about the drama with my house. Nothing really new to report, other than one of the landlord’s family members, Pablo, is in town. He’s the guy I actually rented from originally. My basement neighbor told me he didn’t know anything about the rent increase. Hmm, maybe some family drama on the horizon. Meanwhile, the rental agent for my new place sent me a draft copy of the lease, which looks pretty standard. A concerning item on the “pet amendment” says only one dog is allowed. Obviously, that will have to be modified or it is no deal.
An image from yesterday’s dog walk. I love both of my boys. Buddy a little more than Lucky, but I ain’t letting either one go.
Put on my darts attire and carried my arrows down to Alley Cats for the tourney last night, but after arriving, I just wasn’t feeling like playing. Wednesday is league day, so the tournament starts later and there are more players than usual. I just didn’t want to invest that much time sitting around a crowded bar. A couple of beers and I was off to a less crowded venue, It Doesn’t Matter. Some more beers there, then I headed out to The Pub to indulge my Wednesday tradition of Korean-style chicken wings.
I get them to go and enjoy them with a side of kimchi at home. Had the leftovers for breakfast this morning.I’ve also been enjoying the full moon these past couple of days.
What else? Well, this is the photo I used for this week’s episode of making my liberal friends on Facebook heads explode:
It worked. Seems now that Trump is gone, the left and the media (but I repeat myself) need a new villain to be their Hitler. Looks like DeSantis is the man for the job!
I was taking a leak in Mango’s the other night and saw this cartoon posted on the wall. I like it because it provides a good excuse for me being such a slowpoke on our group hikes.
Of course, about the worse thing we encounter on trail is barbed wire. And some holes.
I guess that provides a good lead-in for my report on yesterday’s Wednesday Walkers hike. We did a relatively easy 6K trek with one moderate climb. That’s the way old fuckers like me like it! Anyway, lots of photos (many courtesy of Scott) will tell the story better than I can.
Our trail began at my house and ended at Dynamite Dick’s.A larger than normal group this time out in my front yard. Sorry my photo came out so blurry…And we are on our way!Down and out of Alta Vista.Regrouping before we start our big climb of the day...Up we go!Not real steep and not too long, but still plenty challenging for the likes of me…I see someone has smashed off the face of the Virgin Mother. Please watch over us as best you can anyway, Mary…Almost to the top…Hmm. This would be quite a change in lifestyle. No, I don’t think that’s the life for me!On the other hand, I would practically be neighbors with my sweet friend, Mary Jane Gamgam. Looking pretty good for a mother of three young ones…And a nice view from her house of the valley below…One of my least favorite obstacles on trail…barbed wire fences. A couple of years ago, one of them left me in stitches…Making a cookie delivery...Hiking on the familiar My Bitch trail.The descent begins…You can see the thatch grass is finally growing weak and brown. Lots of burning going on now, too.Pausing to enjoy the view…And what a view it is!Steps to the bottom……and down we go.Rehydration at Dick’s…
Another good day on trail!
I will endeavor to leave my faithful readers with a smile:
The Friday group hike turned out to be an all day affair. Got home in time for a quick shower before heading out to the darts tourney. Alas, that gave me no opportunity to post about the nothingness of Thursday’s events, but as you can probably imagine, you didn’t miss much.
So, as I’ve mentioned before, the Friday group tends to seek out adventure, at least to the extent that we like to hike in places we don’t normally visit. Yesterday was no exception. We took the Hashmobile and traveled about 40 minutes out of town to Cawag, where we hiked up into the hills and back again. A couple of the folks with has had done this hike several years ago, but things change. Once again, we didn’t find the trail we sought and wound up having to blaze our way through the first climb of the day. It was tough going.
We did find the trail eventually and it made for a much easier trip back down the mountain. A few of us came down ahead of the pack because we were tired and hot. We all regrouped later at a nice little roadside cafe that was just recently opened that we happened to find by chance. And in an odd twist of fate, one of our hikers knew the proprietor and she was familiar with the Hash because back in the day, her now-deceased husband had hosted several On-Home gatherings at his house. Small world, eh?
Let’s do the pictures then:
The view of our hike from outer space. What I found most impressive was how much different the landscape was from what we find in Barretto. Almost no trees or foliage on the mountains out here. Lots of fucking thatch grass though…In the truck and on our way…13 hardy hikers made the journey to Cawag…Let’s get started!Our first decision point of the morning–turn left or go straight? Those boys adopted us as tour guides and indicated going straight would lead us to the pool we were seeking. We chose to take the path to the left. Unwisely as it turned out.Because instead of a well-used and easy-to-navigate trail, we had to maneuver our way through fields of boulders.A rocky road indeed!But we made the best of it and continued onward.The first of several stream crossings…Forgive us our trespasses…The scenery was different and that was what gave the hike a special feeling somehow….And eventually our perseverance paid off……we found the pool we were seeking!Judging from the litter-strewn about, this must be a popular picnic spot. We took a short rest before continuing on to the second part of our hike–the climb.Our trail was allegedly on the other side of the stream…But what we thought was a path was not. So, we were forced to blaze a trail in hopes of finding one…A mountain view…A view of Linda, Max, and me taking in the view.What’s everyone looking at?We eventually found our trail and came across this “waterfall”. Max refilled his water bottle here. I asked if that was a good idea and he said he didn’t see why not. Okay by me!This is Max an hour later after puking his guts out…Time to head on back to the truck. Our shoes had gotten muddy from the water on the trail, so the stream crossing served as a good opportunity to wash them off.The final kilometer for your intrepid reporter…But we had the good fortune to find a place serving up the liquid refreshment we were craving. Some of the guys ate burgers as well…Our gracious hostess who was married to a Hasher back in the day…Chillin’ out after a good day of hiking…And that’s it for this outpost…
I’ve got to rush out now for my singles league match. I’ll bring y’all up to speed on the rest of the doings and goings on in these parts tomorrow.
You didn’t think you’d get away without having to endure a bad pun, did you?
In the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, “Is it good, friend?” “It is bitter—bitter,” he answered; “But I like it “Because it is bitter, “And because it is my heart.”
Stephan Crane
A challenging night of darts last night. I teamed up with Billy, one of the top players, but we both struggled early on. Kevin and Troy, a solid team but one we should have beaten, knocked us into the losers bracket. We fought our way back against some other tough opponents, before meeting Kevin and Troy again in the semi-finals. This time we managed to secure a victory setting us up for a showdown with Cristy and Gerlie for the championship. Cristy is currently the strongest darter in Barretto and Gerlie is no slouch. We had our work cut out for us and almost miraculously I finally started throwing some decent darts. We needed them to play it out all the way to the final leg of the second match. And we won!
It was a great finish and perhaps my last hurrah.
During the evening some of the dreaded darts drama reared its ugly head. Nothing related to the tourney, rather some people were complaining about a decision I made regarding the singles league. I’d been drinking of course which does reduce my ability to tolerate bullshit so I might have overreacted a bit. But I take personal attacks, well, personally. And when someone doesn’t like something I’ve done, I’m fine with agreeing to disagree. It’s over the line though to accuse me of being “unfair” when the decision I made was predicated on fairness.
In a nutshell, here’s what happened: A player quit midway through the season, which is a chickenshit thing to do to begin with. So, I needed a replacement and offered the spot to Espie who I promised could have the next opening. Now, the guy who quit was ranked last in the league. Espie is a very solid player, certainly capable of holding her own in the top tier. I was in the process of splitting our 12 players into two divisions and placed Espie in the higher group. It seemed to me that letting her play in the lower division which she would likely dominate wouldn’t be fair to that group. I did reach out to the 6th ranked player and asked if he was willing to play in the lower division rather than the spot he had earned in the top division. He readily agreed. And so it was done. And several players proceeded to attack me and my decision. I went home pissed, slept it off, woke at 2:00 a.m. unable to go back to sleep thinking about it so I posted this on our league Facebook page:
AN ANNOUNCEMENT As most of you know, we had a player quit the league at the end of Round 1. The league format works best with an even number of players so I needed a replacement. Espie had asked to join the league at the beginning of the season but I already had 12 players. I told her she would be at the top of the waiting list. For this reason, I invited her to join the league for Round 2 Divisional play.
The player who quit finished last in Round 1. As you know, Espie is a very strong player. In my opinion, she would have an unfair advantage playing in the lower division. I asked the player who finished 6th in Round 1 and qualified for the upper division if he would object to playing in the lower division. He told me he did not have a problem with that. So I thought we were set and made the schedule and spreadsheets for Round 2 with Espie in the top division.
I have now heard from several of you that my decision to do so was unfair. I admit I was shocked to hear this. The whole purpose of Round 1 was to establish competitive divisions based on a player’s performance during Round 1. In my opinion, Espie is a much stronger player than the one who quit and belongs in the upper tier. If I’m wrong about that it is unfair to Espie, not the other players in the league. Again, to allow a stronger player to dominant the lower division is unfair to those players in my view.
I first founded this singles league format over 10 years ago. I have run the league in the USA and Korea. In Seoul, we had four divisions and 32 players. The intent of the league has always been to have fun in a competitive environment while improving our darting skills. This is the first time I’ve ever been accused of being unfair.
Therefore, I am resigning from the league. Espie can replace me which should be “fair” to everyone. I will leave it to the players to find a replacement for the vacancy in the Champs division.
I will continue to update the stats for the remainder of the season unless there is an objection to my doing so.
Good luck and shoot well.
You know, running a league is a pain in the ass under the best circumstances. I had avoided starting one after my move here because I didn’t want the headaches and hassles. But I know it really helps people improve their skills and strategies and I thought I should make a contribution to our darting community. I wasn’t looking for a thank you, but damn, I wasn’t expecting a fuck you either.
So, as of now, I’m taking a break. From the league, from tourneys, from the darts scene in general and the people who populate it. I certainly don’t want to be perceived as unfair so I think it is for the best. On the bright side, it is always a good thing when folks reveal what they truly think about you.
UPDATE: Wow! I feel vindicated:
Espie’s first match in Singles League against the top player in Barretto. She more than held her own and look at those marks! A 160 -In is pro-level. Can you imagine the shitstorm if I had allowed her to play in the lower division? Hell, she would have likely gone undefeated.
Yesterday my Friday walking group went off in search of new adventures.
Specifically, we made the 45 minutes drive up to San Marcelino. Ignore that thick yellow line, we went the other way.
Scott drove and notwithstanding his long-term residency here, he’d never ventured out to the area we had planned to hike. He still hasn’t. We weren’t exactly sure of the best driving route to take and we ended up on a road that was essentially impassable in less than a four-wheel-drive vehicle. So we just parked on the side of the road and hoofed it from there. Six kilometers later we arrived at the location we had intended to start from. Seeing as we still had 6K ahead of us to get back to the car we decided to save the planned trail for another day. We did at least find a different route back, so there was that.
Actually, the hike we did was pretty nice regardless. The first half was along a dike that holds back the floodwaters when the Santo Tomas river has had too much to drink. The only downside was a lot of dump truck traffic kicking up dust on the road. But it was really nice to be out exploring new vistas. I commented to the group that I couldn’t remember the last time we did a hike and didn’t have an ocean view. I haven’t walked that much river since my hiking days in Korea. Good times!
Credit to Scott for most of these photos:
Our path in the river basin. (that purple line on the left bank) This shot also gives you a sense of just what this river becomes when it is in flood stage.Scott getting ready to get started.An example of why we parked the car and walked.An example of me walking.You needed this kind of vehicle to drive the road that stymied us.It dawned on me that here in the Philippines rice-growing season is year-round. Duh!The first of several water crossings. Oh well, once your feet are wet you are free to enjoy whatever the trail has in store for you!What, you thought bananas grew on trees?Hello, children……do you like cookies?We made it to the river!This river basin was buried in volcanic ash after the explosion of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Those Andisols are still being harvested today, apparently for use in mixing cement. That peak in the center of this shot is Mount Pinatubo today. Well, yesterday. But you know what I meant.The water level was so low that I watched folks walking and riding motorbikes to get to the other side. There is a village called Santa Fe on the opposite bank. We’ll save that visit for another day.Digging it out and loading it up.We were rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river…Look at that water. You need water to make beer. Ah, beer. I miss you. I need you. I want you…On our alternative path coming back. Passed through several small villages full of friendly folks.But we still had to walk through some water…You coming, Scott?Um, no thanks! We like coming here.Even if it is kind of a hole in the wall place.A field of flowers is always nice to see.And here’s my tree shot from the hike.Um, Jim. The correct bridge is over here!We stopped in a small bar/restaurant out in the middle of nowhere on the way back. Very friendly staff and decent food at reasonable prices. I’d go back if I’m ever in the area. Despite the good meal and cold beers, this is the only thing that caught my imagination enough to pull out the phone for a picture. I’m not sure why.Our hike came in right at 13K. I added some more to that throughout the day. Speaking of Fitbit, it monitors my sleep patterns as well. Today it told me: “Night owls go to bed late and wake up late, while larks do both earlier. Based on your trends, you’re more of a lark.” Well, if Fitbit says it, it must be true!
I did make it out to Mango’s to watch the sunset.
Some sexy gals were playing volleyball (without a net) on the beach as well.
And like the lark that I am, I was home and in bed before 9:00 p.m. and up at 0500 to start my day.
These posts don’t write themselves you know!
And there you have another day in the life here at Long Time Gone.
This morning I’m laying trail with my co-Hare for tomorrow’s Hash. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some random shit from my so-called life.
The tools of the trade: Powder and chalk. I’m a big fan of a well-marked trail.A good afternoon of darts yesterday. I threw pretty well and I had a good partner for a change. Made it through the winner’s bracket undefeated.After the tourney, I headed out to Mango’s for my weekly grilled pork chops fix. Delicious as usual.A sunset for dessert. I always assumed there was something not quite right about Lucky. I had it pegged as retardation. I mean, is he winking at me? The other eye has a look about it like there is some evil plot afoot ( a paw?).
I may be a pervert but that’s no reason to treat me like trash. Another non-traditional breakfast–chicken pot pie. Yum!I was planning to gift my old laptop to a “friend” who lives nearby. Figured she could use it for her kids’ homeschooling tasks (they are always borrowing her phone). I invited her to drop by (she literally walks past my house to get to her housekeeping job) but she always had some excuse. No, I didn’t specify it was a laptop I wanted to give her, I just said I had a gift (it was her birthday yesterday). Not going to beg someone to pick up their present. Sheesh.Let the payback begin!I like this one too…Looks like trouble ahead!C’mon! That’s pretty funny…
Alright, that’s all I’ve got for now. That powder isn’t going to lay itself!
No real complaints about yesterday’s Hash trail. A good 6K hike with one moderate climb, nice weather, and no falls or injury. Just the way I like it!
Our path as seen from above…We headed out from Alta Vista which was certainly convenient for me.On-On!Bum Burgler bringing up the rear. No pun intended.Speaking of the rear, I kept my eye on What’s Up Doc for a goodly portion of the trek.You cross this bridge to get to the other side.At least the Hares were honest about it this time.Passing by Easter mountain.There are only so many ways to get to the Hunter Jo on-home from Barretto. I appreciated the fact that the Hares found a couple of places along the way that were new to me.They also did a good job marking the trail. That’s really important. The big up for the day…An outpost in the wilderness…The way ahead.A view from the top…Looking back.A portion of the Hash circle…or should I say a slice?I voluntarily joined the Hares on the ice as a testament to their fine trail.An assortment of Gash.Our newest named Hasher, Where’s My Money?Cream Filled Cupcake received the Hashit. She’s so damn cute!And then the sun set on another Hash day.
I took a tricycle back to Barretto and devoured some pork chops to satisfy my well-earned hunger. Then it was on to home and in bed by 8 p.m. Not as sad as it sounds, it was a fine day.
Pubic Head and I will be Hares for next week’s trail. More on that later.
It’s election day back in the USA. As of this writing, I have seen no returns or other reports on the potential outcome of what just might be the most important presidential vote in my lifetime. I’m nervous about the outcome, not because I have any questions about who is the better-qualified candidate to lead our nation these next four years, rather I have my doubts about the competence and intelligence of the electorate.
I guess the above sounds pretty generic in the sense that a supporter of either of the candidates could reasonably make that statement. Although I don’t delve into politics much these days on the blog, regular readers I’m sure know where I stand on the issues our nation faces and the leadership we need to successfully move into the future. I’m no Trump fanatic, far from it in fact. But just as I chose the clown over the crook in 2016, I’ll take the asshole over the idiot in 2020. I do hope it turns out that way and I reckon I’ll know for sure soon enough.
All of this is a leadup to a post that appeared on my Facebook newsfeed yesterday, written by a “friend” from back in my Korea days named Martin Kelly:
No, that’s not what I am saying. ….I’m not saying I think all Trump supporters are Nazis. I’m saying I know that for a fact. The sky is blue, the sea is green, all Trump supporters are Nazis.
But surely you are not accusing 39 million……
Yes, I am. Sure, of course, some of them are nice guys. But there were nice guy Nazis too
Wow. That is without a doubt the most ignorant thing I have read from someone I know on Facebook in all the years I’ve been wasting time on that platform. And if he is any indication of just how stupid my fellow Americans have become then I truly do fear for my country. I actually went back and looked at his profile page to see if maybe I was missing his sarcasm or some context where such an outrageous comment would make sense. There was none.
I don’t know why I even bothered responding. Someone that far gone with Trump Derangement Syndrome can’t be saved by offering up a rational opposing view. Instead, I said this:
Reductio ad Hitlerum (/ˈhɪtlərəm/; Latin for “reduction to Hitler”), also known as playing the Nazi card,[1][2] is an attempt to invalidate someone else’s position on the basis that the same view was held by Adolf Hitler or the Nazi Party.[3] One example would be that since Hitler was against smoking, this implies that someone who is against smoking is a Nazi.[4]
And just in case the words were too big for his closed little mind, I added a helpful illustration:
I haven’t unfriended him on Facebook or even checked to see if he has canceled me. The other comments on his post were from fellow travelers though. Scary to see that people really believe this shit.
Oh well, nothing I can do about politics except live as best I can with whatever the future may bring. Thank God I have the benefit of living thousands of miles away from my troubled homeland.
So, after that experience, I went out to ease my mind with some darts competition. Somehow the headgear of the tournament director was comforting:
I like your style, Billy!
Good fortune was with me as I drew Christy, one of the top players here in Barretto, as my partner. She did the heavy lifting and I made some meaningful contributions as we sailed our way to victory without losing a game.
Well played, partner!
I also received my meat delivery yesterday. How’s this for a slab of beef:
That layer of fat on top and bottom was disconcerting the first time I ordered one. It looks nothing like the beef roasts I used to get back home. But it turned out to be quite tasty last time.So I sliced it up and smothered it in vegetables. Looking forward to chowing down tonight!
A small turnout for today’s Wednesday walking group.
Me, Steve, and Jim braved the fine weather and did a pleasant 6K hike together.I was tasked with leading the hike and chose to do a trail featuring My Bitch. Y’all have seen that one a million times already, so not many photos today.Thank you, Mother Mary, for keeping us safe!And thank you Easter mountain for watching over us.
And as always, thank you to my readers for blessing me with your presence here at Long Time Gone.
Oh wait, I almost forgot. Turns out that litter DOESgrow on trees here:
Will wonders never cease?
And I’m also going to share the unlikely news that I DID NOT see a discarded facemask during my hike today.
I’ve got a friend in Cambodia who is making a difference. A big and lasting difference.
He is acquainted with a family who was living in this shack……so he provided the funds to have this house built for them.
That’s quite the legacy. Now granted, I don’t know anything about his financial resources other than to say he worked for me on and off for the past twenty-five years or so. Which is to say, he didn’t get rich working for Uncle Sam. He’s no Biden after all! So, his generosity is all the more impressive. Well done, sir!
Now I on the other hand like to pretend to be a caring and giving person. Sure, I’ll help someone I know out of a tight spot occasionally. Throwing out the equivalent of fifty or a hundred dollars now and then isn’t going to change the world though. Hell, it doesn’t even make a lasting difference for the people I’ve helped. It makes me feel good to know that I fed “mama” for the night or that Ester won’t be getting evicted (this month anyway). But that’s chump change really and I’ve acknowledged before that what I’m really doing is selfishly buying some peace of mind for myself.
But it gets worse, or should I say that I do. Lately, I’ve been losing patience with some of those continually begging for my assistance. One of the downsides of my beachside stool at Mango’s is that there is nothing separating me from the souvenir vendors who ply the sandy shore searching for suckers tourists. I try to be friendly and polite with them but I’ve made it clear I have no interest in the trinkets they are selling. I’ve helped one guy out a couple of times when he said he needed milk money for his daughter because after walking all day he had found no customers. I’ve given him advice along the lines of the tourists won’t be back anytime soon and that you are a healthy young man and need to pursue another line of work. Hell, he could ask the hotels if he could rake the littered beaches for them. He nods and says he understands, but every day he is back. So, I gave him another 100 pesos ($2.) last night but told him not to expect me to continue doing so. It is not my responsibility to feed your daughter. He smiled and took the money then went on his way. I’m sure I’ll be seeing him again.
Not long afterward yet another vendor comes and obstructs my view. I didn’t recognize this one but he didn’t want to take no for an answer. I finally had to get up and move to the inside bar to avoid a confrontation I knew I’d regret. I told the bartender they should really not allow the vendors to harass customers but by then the guy had moved on. When I came back to my regular stool I saw him a bit down the beach and he waved and smirked at me. I raised my hand to give him the finger but then lowered it again. He ain’t worth it.
So, what is my problem really? What’s a dollar or two to me when I’m dealing with people who from all appearances have nothing? The best I can come up with is I don’t like being played for a sucker. I gave the one guy some pesos, he tells his friends, and the next thing I know they are swarming around the fool who gives away money for nothing. I don’t want to be that guy. When I give it is in a time or place of my own choosing. I don’t want to be shamed or guilted into giving money to people whose true needs I can’t be sure of. Mostly, I want to be left alone to enjoy my beer, and once you have outed yourself as an easy mark that ain’t gonna happen.
But wait, there’s more. Not long after the vendor incident, I got a message from Nikole, the woman he does my weekly massage. She told me her daughter was sick and she needed a 1000 peso advance to buy medicine. I responded that I was sorry to hear that but I had no way to get her the money. She said I’m in Barretto now. So I told her I’d meet her out in front of Mango’s. This was the third time she has asked for money from me, both of the previous requests I declined. Harder to say no when a sick child is involved (if that was truly the case). Still, it pissed me off. So, when she walked up I handed her the money and told her, this is not an advance, it is your severance pay. She asked me what I meant and I told her it means you are fired. Then I turned and walked away. She messaged me later that she was very hurt to be fired and that she was crying. That working for me was a big help for her kids. I haven’t answered her messages.
I do feel shitty about it though. I overpay for the massage as it is, I don’t want to be hounded for money when I’m out trying to enjoy myself. Now, my friend Ester had hinted around that she would like to add meat products to the vegetable stand she opened but didn’t have the money to do so. I ignored her hint. She also said she is hoping to be called back to work at Alley Cats soon. Well, last night I found out that Alley Cats has hired a new girl which is reprehensible when you have at least three women thinking they will be getting their job back “soon”. That pisses me off and makes me not want to patronize the bar again. I’m planning to go for darts today but that may be my last hurrah there. I’m also toying with the idea of starting up some darts tourneys in a different bar. Just out of spite. We’ll see.
Anyway, I’ve been feeling guilty today so I sent Ester a message asking how much she needs to add the meat business to her stand. Yeah, I need to buy myself another dose of peace of mind.
My dinner at Mango’s last night. A roast chicken salad and a bowl of seafood chowder. That and my beers cost more than the money I gave to Nikole and the vendor. Pretty strong evidence that I am indeed a selfish bastard.The view was free though.
I know I promised photos from yesterday’s hike but I think this post has gone on long enough. I’ll share them with you tomorrow though. I promise.
She calls out to the man on the street “Sir, can you help me? It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep Is there somewhere you can tell me?” He walks on, doesn’t look back He pretends he can’t hear her Starts to whistle as he crosses the street Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh, think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise Oh, think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you You and me in paradise Think about it
Not that that has ever stopped me from saying it anyway. Just more of the same around here. Beers at Cheap Charlies and Mango’s last night. A nice hike with the Wednesday group this morning, but I’ll post about that tomorrow. So, what does that leave?
Short ribs in the crockpot and cornbread muffins in the oven. I’ll let you know how that turns out when they’re done.
Budai joined in the dog walk again, hobbling along on three legs. She’s a trooper. Gave her a meal as a reward.Facebook memories felt compelled to remind me of this moment from 7 years ago. Geez, I was a piece of work back then, wasn’t I? And then four years ago I was winning a dart tournament in Bangkok. What a world!
And that leaves Alicia. Not much to say about her either. She started messaging me last night. I actually don’t recall adding her but we have some mutual friends so I guess I did. Anyway, she says she is 22 with no kids and is looking for a serious relationship. I told her I was 65 with grown kids and a granddaughter just a few years younger than her. She told me she likes guys my age. That whole age is just a number thing. Actually, I had no real interest but was bored sitting at the bar alone so I did the chat thing.
I guess I should be thrilled that a young woman would want to be my partner. I just don’t see it happening though. I mean, what are we going to talk about?
I’m going to leave it there for now.
Oh, and for some unfathomable reason, WordPress is throwing all the comments here into moderation, including mine. I really enjoy the feedback from my readers, so don’t worry–nothing’s changed. I check the queue regularly and will continue to approve any and all comments. Say your piece without restraint!
Let me tell you about the last 24 hours. Nothing special, nothing exciting, I can promise you that. But sometimes reflecting on “just another day in the life” can provide a deeper understanding of what is truly important and insights into how to make the most of the blessings that come from being alive. Other times these reflections provide fodder for another boring blog post here at LTG. And honestly, isn’t that why you are here?
Tuesday morning is when I do my weekly grocery shopping. That in and of itself constitutes a break from my regular routine. Since I can’t get my morning steps in anyway, I just blow off my daily goal and give myself a break. Most of the time I still manage to achieve the weekly 20,000+ step average I strive for.
One of these days is different than the others.
I’ve been frustrated in my shopping excursions at the Royal supermarket for the past several weeks as many of the items I seek have continually been out of stock. I’m not sure what’s going on or whether it is somehow COVID related, but damn, give me a break. How do you not have Coke Zero?
In an effort to find some relief from my frustration I had my driver take me to the Pure Gold supermarket which is also located on the old Navy base. They had a couple of items I wanted but their frozen foods were very limited and you guessed it, no Coke Zero. From Pure Gold we moved on to the old Royal store located nearby. I always shopped here before the new Royal opened closer to home. Again, they had some things I hadn’t been able to find, but not the stuff I wanted most. And still no Coke Zero.
When I got back home I cooked me up some lunch, Mexican style.
Mucho gusto!
After my meal, I wrote up yesterday’s Hash post then took a refreshing nap. When I awoke I headed into Barretto to the vape shop to get some supplies. They too didn’t have exactly what I needed but promised to have some sent over from another store. We’ll see.
Since it was only four o clock I wandered over to the salon where I get my haircut and had me a long overdue foot spa.
If I’ve ever seen a face that said “they don’t pay me enough for this!” this is it.
She did a good job scraping off all that dead skin and clipping my toenails. I gave her a 100 peso tip on a 245 peso bill, but that wasn’t enough to put a smile on her sullen face. Oh well, I tried.
Back out on the street and wondered where to go next. I figured it would involve beer drinking and since Cheap Charlies was nearby, that’s where I started.
The view of my hometown from my barstool perch.
I had three (or was it four?) Zero’s and bought one lady drink for my waitress. These days I actually prefer to drink alone most of the time. I know the girls need those drink commissions though, so I will usually spring for one or two, then stick a generous tip down their blouse.
Next, I moved on up the highway to my regular haunt, Mangos. I had a few more beachside beers and enjoyed another sunset.
Somehow watching the sun go down always gives me a peaceful, easy feeling.
Stumbled on home, no wait, I took a trike, had some leftover burritos, mixed up a batch of strawberry smoothies, and was in bed before 9 p.m. Yeah, I’m living a life of sheer excitement, ain’t I?
Back to normal this morning. A good long, but boring, street walk in Barretto followed by a beach walk in Baloy. We took it easy because Scott is recovering from some unknown illness. Coincidentally or not, we did have three American expats in Barretto allegedly test positive for Corona this week. I say allegedly because all three were asymptomatic and were only tested for the purpose of getting travel documents back to the states. It seems from what I’ve been reading there are a whole lot of false positives at these testing centers. And this being the Philippines and all I don’t have a lot of confidence that whatever procedures they are using are up to standard. Anyway, I’m doing well health-wise so far and I hope to keep it that way.
A couple after walk beers at Cheap Charlies, then home for a nap, and now I’ve almost completed today’s blog entry. It’s a tough life I know, but someone has to do it!
Before I go let me share some gems I found out there on the internets, including this quote from one of my favorites–Charles Bukowski:
Yeah, it’s a dilemma. I’ll cop to feeling lonely sometimes but there is also comfort in the freedom to do what I want when I want, and of course, with whoever I want.
And I still have my sense of humor, such as it is:
That I find this one funny might explain why I’m a single old man.I hate it when that happens!I may have used this one here before. But there is always hope!
Alright, well, these are serious times I guess and that means politics can’t be ignored. I can agree with this sentiment:
Pretty much.And while you are at it, Joe, why not explain just how YOU got rich during 47 years in Congress.
Anyway, I’m not here to argue or try and change your mind. Mine is made up though. There is peace in that.
And I found out a long time ago What a woman can do to your soul. Oh, but she can’t take you anyway, You don’t already know how to go.
And I got a peaceful easy feeling. And I know you won’t let me down ‘Cause I’m already standing on the ground.
I get this feeling I may know you As a lover and a friend. But this voice keeps whispering in my other ear, Tells me I may never see you again.
‘Cause I get a peaceful easy feeling. And I know you won’t let me down ‘Cause I’m already standing I’m already standing Yes, I’m already standing on the ground
Another Hash Monday and that means I’ve got a full day ahead of me. So it is blog now or not at all. After this post, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree I’m choosing the wrong option. Ah well, what else is new?
So, I’m the Hare and that means I’m responsible for laying a trail my fellow Hashers can follow without getting lost and perhaps even being a fun hike. My co-Hare and I have hopefully achieved both aspects for today’s Hash. It didn’t rain last night but I’m going out later this morning anyway to re-walk the trail and make sure everything is still well-marked. The On-Home today will be at Derelick’s house on Rizal Extension. Actually, doing my trail isn’t much longer than the walk to Derelick’s on the pavement. Going to take along some sausages to grill up for my lunch once I arrive On-Home. And there will be plenty of cold beer to wash them down.
Here’s a peek into the future. Today’s trail comes in right at 5K. It’s probably a little more difficult than folks are expecting for an old fucker like me. Three decent climbs. Still, it should be fun.
In other news, Facebook is getting lots of pushback of late for their less than honest fact-checking and outright censorship of political views the lefties in charge disagree with. I posted this today for shits and giggles:
Suck it, Zuck!
Speaking of giggles, I thought this was funny:
But then again, I guess that comes as no surprise to my faithful readers.
I liked this one too:
That joke is made to order for someone who loves puns the way I do!
And I do believe that’s just about enough for now.
UPDATE: Geez, I used the Hare today, gone tomorrow title last October. You’d think I could go a year at least before re-using a bad pun like that. Sorry!
I was tasked with picking the trail for our Wednesday morning hiking group. I opted to go up the mountain from the Barretto side behind Angels Bakery. It had been some time since I’d been up that way and the concern was that the thatch grass would be out of control this time of year and obscuring the trail. My workaround was to take a path that’s a little lower with lots of tree cover, hence less grass. It worked for most of the climb, but the last portion up top was indeed covered in grass. The trail was still discernable though. After that, we intersected with My Bitch and followed that path to its terminus at Rizal Extension. We next walked to the end of Rizal, then followed Abra street back around to the National highway. At that point it started raining so we had a wet hike to Cheap Charlies and our scheduled Hash mismanagement meeting. 7K all told.
The route we took.Up we go!My fellow Wednesday walkers–Troy, Jim, Dan, and Scott.What are we looking at?This……and that. It was a beautiful day indeed.A grassy knoll. Luckily, there were no Kennedys amongst us.Dan and Jim were in it over their heads…And Troy was consumed by the stuff.The obligatory view of Easter mountain.And way down there on the bottom is our destination–Rizal Extension and Abra street.I guess I wasn’t the first one to spot this post.
So, while we are having our meeting at Cheap Charlies, I get a message from “Janey”. She wanted to come there to see her girlfriends but wanted to be sure I was okay with that. I told her she could go anywhere she wanted without concern over my presence. Then she said she had had a big fight with her boyfriend and wanted to get drunk. She asked if I would buy her a tequila shot and I responded of course. She came in a little later and joined her friends (the girlfriends of other Hashers).
When our meeting was over, Janey beckoned me over to the stool beside her. I sat with her and had a beer then told her I needed to head home. I was tired after the hike and needed a nap. So we said our goodbyes and I left.
After my nap, there was another message from Janey asking me to join the group at BarCelona. I had mixed feelings about that and gave a non-committal answer saying I hadn’t showered yet. She responded she would wait for me there. As I showered I tried to decide what to do. On the one hand, this was exactly the situation I wanted to avoid–being her rebound boyfriend. On the other hand, I was going to go out anyway, and since I purport to be her friend I probably ought to act like it and accept her invitation. Frankly, it was the first time in weeks that she had even pretended to want to see me. So, I wound up going to BarCelona.
As I presumed would be the case, Janey was quite intoxicated when I arrived. I sat at the bar, across the aisle from the window seats she and her friends occupied. Their boyfriends had left them there while they pursued a guy’s night out. I had a couple of beers and a little chat, but clearly Janey needed to quit drinking while she could still stand. The problem is drunks rarely grasp that fact. Then Janey suggested to her friends that they buy a bottle of tequila and drink it at her house. I thought that was an excellent plan and even gave her the money to pay for it. So, I thought it was all decided and then suddenly another round of drinks arrived. That pissed me off and I didn’t hide it well I suppose. I told Janey she was being foolish and got up to pay my tab. I guess the girls got my message as they left while I was waiting to pay. When I got downstairs the girls were still there waiting outside. One of them said Janey wanted to come home with me. I responded that I wasn’t taking a drunk girl home, said my goodbyes, and left.
So, how about that? I stuck to my guns and maintained my singleness posture and I also showed some moral character by not taking advantage of a woman under the influence of alcohol. I’d call that progress!
And yes, I’ve done some second-guessing of myself during my longer than normal two-hour walk today. I need more time alone though before I’m ready to even consider entering a relationship.
What that something is I haven’t quite figured out. Maybe I never will.
Last night’s get together was something of a roller coaster ride. Mary was a little late arriving at our rendevous location and we were bumping up against the pending curfew. No trikes were available so she walked with me to the house without complaint. Mary said she wasn’t hungry, so I made up a batch of strawberry-banana smoothies.
I tried to engage her in some conversation but she seemed shyer and more reserved than during our first meeting. I’d had a few beers while waiting for her so I probably wasn’t providing much inspiration either. I remember asking her if she likes me and she responded by holding up her thumb and index finger maybe an inch apart and said “a little”. Hmm, that made me wonder why she had even bothered to come. Oh. Probably for the money. This led me to broach the subject of my being her Sugar Daddy. Mary had never heard of the concept and after I explained it she simply said “will it pay the rent?”
Mary strikes me as being quite the enigma–equal parts shy, innocent, and mercenary. But I guess desperate times require stepping out of her comfort zone. So I took her upstairs to the bedroom.
The next morning she came downstairs acting like nothing was wrong. The dogs like her at least. She didn’t want breakfast and after a couple of minutes of small talk, she asked if she could take a shower. I took her upstairs and showed how the shower water heater worked.
While she was in the bathroom, I put the rent money under her phone. She came out, saw the money, and asked “what’s this?”. I told her it was the rent money. And she didn’t want to take it. I finally told her it was her birthday present and her severance pay. She asked why and I told her I wasn’t interested in spending time with someone who couldn’t even pretend to be interested in me. Mary said, “but I really do like you a lot!”. I’m like, WTF? We just had this conversation on the bed and you agreed that you weren’t attracted to me. Her response floored me: “I really couldn’t understand much of what you were saying. You talk too fast.” So I said, well, you know, if you don’t tell me you don’t understand me, how am I supposed to explain or slow down? You kept nodding and agreeing with me, so I assumed you understood. So, anyway, we agreed that I would try to slow down my speech (my domestic helper agrees I’m hard to understand at times) and Mary will tell me to repeat myself as needed. We’ll see.
I told Mary to keep the money and consider it an advance on her first month’s salary. She reluctantly agreed to this. We haven’t really defined the terms of her employment yet. I’m just looking for a little company and companionship. And satisfying boom-boom now and then. I have no idea how that is going to work out, but I’ll give her another shot anyway I guess. I don’t really have any other irons in the fire right now.
And oh yeah. I walked her to the Jeepney stop and said goodbye. On her way home she sent me a message: “I think I’m falling in love with you.” Oh boy, here we go again. I’m a LONG way from feeling that emotion so I just told her we’d take it slowly and see where it leads us.
Bottom line: No, I don’t think she is a scammer. I think she is inexperienced and naturally shy. I’m not sure what her ultimate goal is, but it probably revolves around financial security, i.e. “the rent”. I think she has been pretty upfront about that. Now if she can just up her game and learn to make me feel special we could potentially have a win-win. Otherwise, I’m prepared to walk away.
UPDATE: I did something I very rarely do here at LTG…edited a completed post. I deleted some of the details about last night because it just seemed like too much information for a public blog. Sorry if what remains is more disjointed than usual.
It was hot out on the trail today. Blazing hot. Four bottles of water hot. We cut short our planned hike but still wound up with a 10K morning. A different way (for me) up the big mountain and a brand new way down for all of us–there was no trail so we just blazed our way the best we could. Got a little dicey in places, but made it to the bottom in one piece.
Thatch grass the way I like to see it…harvested and ready for new duty as a roof on a nipa hut.Making our way up…Scott crossing the requisite rickety bridge. Not sure what’s up with my camera, he looked a lot closer when I took the photo.It wasn’t the hardest way up, but I was still sucking wind and falling further behind than usual. Scott and Jim were patient though…Wash day on the mountain. Hard to imagine doing laundry in a creek, but when that’s the only option it is the best option I suppose. I sweetened their day with some candy…The final push to the top.One view……and another. Both from the same vantage point.Jim took the lead on getting us down. What he thought was a trail petered out, so we made our own. Really steep and slippery in places, but we found a way.Onward!I guess I should have taken this as an omen for what was in store.Kevin Kim’s last post about his crazy hike included some nice flower pics. Two can play that game! What I liked about these was that they were growing right out of the concrete. Good job, guys!And I also managed to break the 20,000 step barrier for the first time in quite a while.
In other news, I came across this Kevin James short film and it was really funny in a sad way. Less than two minutes long, give it a watch!
And I’ll leave you with this Wuhan virus moment:
I wear a mask because it is required of me. I know and I suspect the authorities know it doesn’t make a damn bit of difference. Especially since ANY face covering is acceptable. Lots of folks just tie a bandana over their face. Those with actual masks usually wear them pulled UNDER the nose. Ah well, the show must go on!
Anyway, it was a good day. I’ve got enough beer here at home to get me through the night so I reckon I will pop one open and enjoy some Game of Thrones.
Which reminds me. Did anyone else notice the parallels between some current events and the sad demise of Ned Stark? Michael Flynn is no traitor but he gets railroaded on bullshit charges. He finally pleads guilty to keep his son from being prosecuted on another made up charge (the bogus Logan Act). Ned was an honest man too and confessed to a crime he didn’t commit to protect his children. At least Flynn didn’t lose his head. Those damn Lannister’s are a lot like Hillary, aren’t they?
Alright, I promise you this won’t be yet another post of me bitching and moaning about how much being under quarantine rules sucks. In normal times I could mix things up with scintillating stories of my bar life. Alas, those days are gone for the foreseeable future. Although I did have a nice evening (well, from 4-5:30 anyway) up on the rooftop with Jay and a few other friends. Other than walking, that’s pretty much the extent of what passes as my social life I’m afraid. So today I’m going to write about my hike.
But first, let me share this link: The Worldwide Lockdown May Be the Greatest Mistake in History. This article supports what I’ve been saying since day one. Yeah, the lockdown is an inconvenience for me but I’m mindful that it is much much more than that for many of my neighbors.
The forcible prevention of Americans from doing anything except what politicians deem “essential” has led to the worst economy in American history since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is panic and hysteria, not the coronavirus, that created this catastrophe. And the consequences in much of the world will be more horrible than in America.
The United Nations World Food Programme, or the WFP, states that by the end of the year, more than 260 million people will face starvation — double last year’s figures. According to WFP director David Beasley on April 21: “We could be looking at famine in about three dozen countries. … There is also a real danger that more people could potentially die from the economic impact of COVID-19 than from the virus itself”
I’m trying to remain optimistic that the powers that be will see the light soon and let folks get on with their lives. Sadly, I’m not seeing many hopeful signs in that regard. These decisions are above my pay grade but it is astounding to see the people in charge turn a blind eye to the very real suffering of so many people here in the Philippines.
Just the other day I got yet another request from a gal I know for a “loan” to buy some food. I know that in Filipino a loan means a gift. I guess I was in a foul mood because I responded gruffly: Blow Me! She said, “okay.” Bada bing! Yeah, I joke but I did help a girl out with some cash for her needs and she took care of mine. A quid pro quo if ever there was one. I felt kinda bad about it as if maybe I’d taken advantage of the situation. But she’s been burning up my messenger ever since wanting to come see me again. Maybe that’s an old fashioned “win-win”.
Shit, I guess I broke my promise about not writing about the quarantine. Here’s the walking part of this post:
It was just Scott and me today and we decided to change it up a bit. I had my driver drop us in Olongapo City then we proceeded to climb the mountain and hike back into Barretto from there. Not a particularly long walk at 8K, but with the stairs and heat it was plenty.Where we started from.The first steps were, well, steps. And lots of them!It was almost exactly like climbing Namsan, only completely different.Here’s a view of Olongapo from about halfway up the mountain.And here’s one of me showing off my quarantine belly. It’s a work in progress, trust me.About 2/3 of the way up, the stairs gave way to a rocky trail.Either I’m really slow or Scott is really into social distancing. One of those.And when we finally reached the top this little old lady was sitting there. Made me almost ashamed of my huffing and puffing all the way up. She lives up there so I guess those steps are just a part of her life.The view from the top.After a brief rest, we walked on.And on.Came upon this well, but it appeared to have run dry. Well, the rainy season is right around the corner though. I did make it a point to hit that pail with my foot so I could truthfully report that I kicked the bucket on trail today…Looking down on my hometown of Barrio Barretto…Contemplating the freedom of the open trail…I had recalled hiking past this “house” several months ago. It appears that three generations of a family are residing within those makeshift walls.I gifted the matriarch some Oreo cookies I had brought along to sweeten someone’s day.
Going on two years here now and I’m still impressed by the resilience of the Filipinos I encounter, making the best of the harsh circumstances in which they live. I truly respect them more than I pity them.
Meanwhile, this is how I eat.
It was a good day to get up off my lazy ass and make the best of the blessings I have been provided. Like an amazing sense of humor:
Which came first–the chicken or the egg? I’m guessing it was the rooster.
So, here we go again. My hopes for some relief from the “enhanced” quarantine rules were dashed with the announcement that Zambales province would continue with the current restrictions through May 15 (at least). And to add insult to injury the mayor of Olongapo has decreed that we will once again suffer a total lockdown on Saturday and Sunday. Not even using the “disinfecting” pretext this time around. I guess there is no point in having power if you aren’t willing to abuse it.
Here are today’s numbers for the Philippines. They are essentially meaningless in my opinion because almost no one has been tested that wasn’t already displaying symptoms. We know now that a huge percentage of people get the virus and have no symptoms and no lingering ill effects. Here in Olongapo, we’ve had four cases total. What the hell is all the fuss about?
I’ll admit this shit is getting depressing. So I decided it was time to take stock of things in my life. And one thing I was short on was my supply of beer. This morning I set about rectifying that situation.
I sent a message to my bar owner friend Jay asking if he had any beer in stock he wanted to sell. He responded that he was going into Olongapo shortly in search of some and I was welcome to ride along. And that is just what I did. Jay was driving the Hashmobile (he’s the Subic Hash Grandmaster, aka H.I.V.) and I didn’t think it was possible, but he drives even crazier than my own driver Donny. Anyway, we arrived safely at the market, and alas, they had no beer. Plenty of hard liquors available and Jay stocked up on those. Jay told me he would contact another bar owner to see if he had anything for sale. We drove back to Barretto and as we were offloading Jay’s purchases he realized he’d left his credit card at the store in Olongapo. Jay asked if I wanted to ride along again and having nothing better to do, and wanting him to pursue the alternative source for beer, I agreed. And then this happened:
The front tire blew out. And what a pain in the ass it was to change. I wound up calling my driver and it’s a good thing I did. The jack in the Hashmobile was totally inadequate for the job at hand. Donny’s jack saved the day.
So, since Donny was there I figured I’d go ahead and have him take me to the supermarket where I’d purchased beer and groceries on Tuesday. Knowing we were going on lockdown made me remember all the things I’d forgotten to buy on my earlier trip.
I guess everyone else was thinking the same thing…buy now or be fucked.
Once I was allowed into the store I set about my business. Only five cans of beer left on the shelf, so I grabbed them. Stocked up on dog food, chicken nuggets, canned goods, and the like, then headed home. On the way back Jay messaged that he had secured the three cases (24 bottles each) of beer I was desiring. WooHoo! That ought to get me through quarantine!
Bringing home my treasures!
Yesterday, I did a 12K hike with Scott and Jim.
We rendezvoused at the home of my mountain friends, JR and Jennifer and family. I brought along a sack of provisions to help them weather the virus storm.We decided to keep it mostly flat this time. Monday’s hike was a killer doing the big climb in the heat.So, I guess you could call this the ‘high” light of the hike as we worked our way back down from the mountain family’s place.Scott took a photo of me taking a photo of Easter mountain…Scott on the trail…Me on the trail…Gemini. (see what I did there?)Jim is always leading the way (he’s got 10 years of youthful advantage on us) so he gets to sit and wait a lot.Some things never change, this is the Philippines after all…We crossed that bridge when we came to it. It was pretty dicey though…On the home stretch of our hike. The trail led us to Alta Vista so I invited the guys in for some leftover chili, cheese nachos, and of course, cold beer to wash it all down. Which put a BIG dent in my supply and had a direct bearing on my beer seeking adventures today.
Still, having a couple of tech-savvy guys over was a good thing. Jim ran a clean-up program which sped things up on my computer quite a bit. Scott showed me how to download torrents from Pirate Bay and I’ve got season 1 and 2 of Game of Thrones to dive into this weekend now at least.
So, my high school girlfriend actually posted this on her Facebook page today:
OUCH!
And I’ll leave you with this which is both funny and sadly all too accurate:
As Glenn Reynolds notes, the Babylon Bee has become America’s paper of record.
Sad news. I got a call this morning from the manager of the Speakeasy informing me that the bar was closing down, effective immediately. That’s the last place I knew where I could enjoy a beer. I reckon henceforth I’ll be drinking at home. While supplies last anyway.
I guess I’m not all that surprised. I’m told the owner just decided the risk wasn’t worth it. I’ll confess that I screwed up the other day and really got reamed by the manager for my actions. My friend Jim from the walks had sent me a message about going to the Speakeasy. I knew he’d been there before so I assumed it would be alright if he were with me. We were supposed to meet at 3:30 on the highway and I’d guide him to the back way from the beach. He was a no-show so I went on without him. Later while I’m in the bar I get a message that he’s outside. So I go out and Jim’s there with his girlfriend and another guy. The manager was livid. I stammered an apology but I expected he was going to throw us all out. He eventually had us go inside the bar and then recited the rules again to our group. I really felt like shit about it.
So, that was Saturday. Sunday was the total lockdown day. I was back in the bar yesterday and everything did seem fine. I bought the manager a couple of beers and we chatted. When I left there was a plan for me to return today and bring brownies to celebrate the birthday of a waitress. And then the call this morning to announce the closing. Part of me wonders if I’ve just been banned, but maybe I’m being paranoid. Either way, it’s over for me.
And oh yeah, the mayor of Olongapo has just announced that he’s adding Saturday to the business closures for “disinfecting”. A total lockdown weekend is in store. That’s not a good omen for the quarantine being lifted on the 30th.
I foresee some television binge-watching in my future. That should be exciting!
Living in a plague is just an intensified way of living. It merely unveils the radical uncertainty of life that is already here, and puts it into far sharper focus. We will all die one day, and we will almost all get sick at some point in our lives; none of this makes sense on its own (especially the dying part). The trick, as the great religions teach us, is counterintuitive: not to seize control, but to gain some balance and even serenity in absorbing what you can’t.”
Well, I’m just rolling with it all one day at a time. Yesterday I found an open restaurant that is still permitting sit down dining.
I enjoyed the grilled pork chops, my favorite dish at this place that will remain unnamed for now. Actually, the photo was from a dinner there in happier times. Forgot to take one last night. Looked pretty much the same though.
And yes, of course, they were also serving beer. I had several in fact. A couple other of expat diners as well and we enjoyed some chat with our brews. One guy just moved here a couple of weeks ago (talk about bad timing!) and it turns out he is a Hasher as well. Of course, he won’t get to do a Subic Hash until the quarantine is lifted, but he’s looking forward to it.
A very nice late afternoon view from my beachside dining/drinking vantage point:
Without all the tourists around, the sand was free of litter…The water in the bay was also very clear and calm…Okay, here’s a shot of the beach and bay without that annoying distraction in the photo…
It was a pretty pleasant evening all and all, and I left in plenty of time to make it home prior to the 8 p.m. curfew. In fact, I plan to go back again this evening. It only seems fair and right to support a business that has elected to stay open during these troubling times. And in case you are wondering, all of us patrons were in fact keeping the recommended distance from one another. I’m not putting myself or others at risk.
Another day without any symptoms indicating the Wuhan virus has invaded my body. I’ve incorporated taking a morning temperature check along with my other stats. 35.6 C today. BP a little higher than normal at 137/94, but a good resting heart rate of 61 bpm. So far, so good.
Today is the one year anniversary of my adoption of Lucky.
Lucky’s first meal at his new home.He was skinny and ravished with Sarcoptic Mange at the time.Lucky was a little shy at first, but he really enjoyed his dog house.
I kept Lucky outside until the meds cleared up the mange which the vet told me was highly contagious. Once he was healthy I moved him inside with his stepbrother and best buddy, Buddy.
Here they are last night doing their duty and guarding the house against intruders. Good boys!
No Hash today, but Scott (Pubic Head) joined me for a pleasant 7K hike this morning. Scott’s been Hashing here for going on 15 years now, so he pretty much knows all the trails. It is always nice to have him guide me on a new path.
I had breakfast at the unnamed restaurant, then headed out to meet Scott at our rendevous point in Marian Hills.
Steppin’ up… Alta Vista.Leaving the neighborhood……and arriving at Marian Hills.Scott says “let’s roll!”A cabin in the woods. Such as it is.A tree fall blocked our path at one point. I thought we’d have to turn around and go back, but Scott suggested we climb over the obstacle. And that is just what we did!At the top of our climb.I overcame my bridge phobia. This one was quite sturdy and no problem for me.Scott followed suit and we both completed the hike unharmed.
For today’s “interesting” photo I’ll offer up something that reminds of a quaint and simpler time, long before the nightmare of the current pandemic.
Yes, hard as it may be to believe, at one time people actually worried about rabies. Ah, to return to those carefree days!
Here’s a shot of a guy that is technically in violation of the quarantine restrictions, but he has good intentions and takes appropriate steps to avoid contracting or spreading the dreaded virus from China.
A free man will not be chained! Possibly deported, but hopefully not.
