Yesterday had some of both. We’ll get to that, but first this:

Yep, tomorrow we will be up on the roof to celebrate the anniversary of America’s Brexit. It’s also Fil-Am Friendship Day, so I’ll be flying the Filipino flag too. So, yesterday’s shopping excursion was focused on getting the items we needed to round out the food and beverage menu. Because Royal is notorious for not having things I need in stock, we hit the Pure Gold supermarket on SBMA first. Between the two, I stocked up on the beer, wine, condiments, snacks, and other items I was seeking. Mission accomplished!

Tomorrow’s menu will include hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and chili. Cole slaw, cornbread muffins, assorted chips and dips, and nuts will also be available for our hungry guests. I anticipate we’ll have the usual twenty to thirty attendees, but we’ll be prepared for all who want to join in the fun (I borrowed extra tables and chairs). I’m looking forward to this event at The Rite Spot!

After leaving Pure Gold, I stopped in an adjoining store to pick up a new belt and some underwear. I would say I got scammed, but I’m to blame for the fuck-up that ensued. The cashier rang up the two items, and the total came to 11,000 pesos. I handed her my credit card, and the transaction was completed. In my mind, I saw 1100 pesos (twenty bucks), not the $200 I was charged. I freaked out when I saw that the belt alone was $180. I don’t even like the damn thing. So, I was going to return the items, but the stamp on the receipt said, “No Refunds. No Returns.” Fuck it. I screwed up, and that is the fine for being stupid. It is painful even now to think about. Hopefully, I’ve learned my lesson and will be more attentive in the future when using my charge card.

My Fitbit tracks my sleep, and Monday night was the best slumber I’ve had in a long time:

Last night was the opposite. I couldn’t shut down my brain telling me what a fool I’d been shopping, and my lungs weren’t cooperating with the keeping me oxygenated either. I woke up at midnight with a reading on my oximeter of 86. The nebulizer got it back to 92, and I used my oxygen tank to regain my comfort level of 96. I still couldn’t get back to sleep, though. I tossed and turned until almost 4 a.m. before escaping to dreamland.

Between one and four in the afternoon we had the heaviest rainstorm of the season.

I feared the worst, but when beer o’clock rolled around, the rain ceased, and Swan and I were able to make our way into town without the need for an umbrella. Baloy is notorious for flooded streets after a storm, so we didn’t make our usual Tuesday visit there. Instead, we enjoyed the beach views from Mango’s Resort in Barretto.

Beer and wine and some snacks as we took it all in.

Swan drinks slow, and I drink fast. I must have been on my fourth beer when the waitress asked about the alcohol content of Zero. Swan showed her the 3% label. I guess she was worried I might get drunk or something.

The sun went down without showing any colors, so we crossed highway for a rare visit to Queen Victoria for our nightcap. I had a 500 peso voucher from the SOB to use, and we finished 480 pesos worth. It helped that the bartender included Swan’s glass of wine on the coupon.

So, that was the good and the bad of my yesterday. Today hasn’t been so great, either. I skipped the Wednesday Walkers group hike because of the breathing issues, but did do an abbreviated 3K candy walk with Swan. Along the way we saw this funeral banner:

Facebook memories reminded me of just how far I’ve fallen in eight years:

I’m not a subscriber to this YouTube vlogger, but the drone footage of Barretto is worth the watch. I don’t agree with some of his suggestions for transferring money to the PI. I don’t trust it and will not use GCash, for example. Also, while it is true that using ATMs (250 pesos per withdrawal) is expensive, you can take out 20,000 at a time with BPI machines. He paid 110 pesos for 6000. To each his own. The best transfer method is bank-to-bank via a wire service like Wise. I don’t have a Philippines bank account, but I pay my help and rent through transfers from my bank to their accounts. Anyway, enjoy the Barretto scenes and take the advice with a grain of salt.

Ready for some humor (such as it is)?

It was a finetastic Saturday, if I do say so myself. I was bored with my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll, so I decided to change things up. And for some reason, I thought a hike out Philseco way was in order. I asked Swan if she wanted to join me, and I was surprised when she responded with an enthusiastic “yes!”. So, we grabbed a Jeepney to the far side of Subic town and kicked things off from there. I basically replicated the Hash trail I helped Hare back in April, but I managed to take a couple of wrong turns along the way. No big deal; we still made it to the One-Three Resort for some after-hike refreshments without a problem. My tracker shut off for some reason, so I don’t have an exact count, but our Hash trail was around 7K, and we did pretty much the same thing yesterday.

The afternoon rains held off, so my plans for a Saturday evening at The Rite Spot were not ruined.

When I was done at The Rite Spot, I spent a rare hour in front of the TV watching a BBC documentary from the 80s about bargirls in Olongapo. It was interesting to see the Navy base in operation and the impact of those sailors and Marines on the young ladies of that era. Thousands of them found husbands. Thousands of others were left pregnant and brokenhearted. Swan recognized one of the girls, a friend of her aunt’s. One of the featured bars, Rock Lobster, was located in Barretto. We have a Rock Lobster bar here now, but it is nothing like its predecessor. The bar scene now is just us old retired expats with a few tourists sprinkled in. But when one of those Navy supply ships is in port, the girls still get excited about the young two-week millionaires. Here is the video if you want to give it a watch:

I haven’t weighed in on the recent debate, but if you were surprised, you haven’t been paying attention. I’m enjoying the memes, though.

And then there was Hitler’s reaction:

I have this memory from six years ago to share:

Alright, not much to offer in the way of humor, but I do have this:

Alright, I’ve got a Hideaway feeding to attend to, and after that dinner with Swan at John’s place. See you here tomorrow!

That’s the drone footage from Friday’s hike. I’ve never seen myself walking before, and it’s nice to have an aerial perspective of the surrounding landscape. Thanks, Brian!

I awoke to another morning rainstorm yesterday, but it let up in time to do the dog walk on schedule.

My Standard Solo Saturday Street Stroll didn’t meet my usual standards. I just didn’t have the energy to complete my normal route, so I shortcut and called it quits at 4K (the regular walk is six).

Swan had a visit from a girlfriend in the afternoon, and she joined us for a bit when we ventured out to Treasure Island to see the Engine band.

Hmm, maybe sipped should be guzzled. When it came time to pay the tab, I was shocked to discover I had downed ELEVEN San Mig Zeros. On the plus side, they had Zero. On my last visit, I had to drink San Miguel Light (5% alcohol versus 3%). And even after all that beer, I was only slightly buzzed. So, the night ended well.

I reckon when the tensions between two nations are escalating, it is only natural that memes would begin to appear.

I saw this and had to laugh. Facebook has slapped fact-checks on my posts now and then and even deleted one with a warning that my account would be suspended for similar violations in the future. Most of my “lies” were Covid scamdemic related, and I have subsequently been proven correct in my assertions.

Facebook did share a memory from way back in 2009 today.

Today’s YouTube video is an update on the response from the Philippines to China’s attack on one of its supply ships. Maybe it was all a misunderstanding. Henceforth, the Philippines will tell China when it is sending supplies to an island within its own territorial waters. What a ballsy move! And be sure you say please.

Let’s laugh while we can:

Hey, Thompson, are you okay? Haven’t heard from you and I’m thinking maybe you pissed the girlfriend off again and she grabbed another rock.

Gonna do the Hideaway feeding soon, then meet up with Swan for dinner. She requested we go to Pujon Corner, a grilled meat place here in town. I’ll let you know how that goes tomorrow.

Or maybe we circled back. Either way, we started and finished our Wednesday Walkers trek at Mad Willie’s in Castillejos. We did the Govic Highway for a bit, then veered off through houses, farms, and fields on the way back. It made for a rather pleasant 7K hike and since we only come out this way a couple of times a year, it had a fresh feel to it.

Anyway, it was an enjoyable morning jaunt. Swan was busy taking care of some business in Olongapo, so I had some “me” time when beer o’clock rolled around.

Nerissa, my old friend from Cheap Charlies, is now working at BarCelona, so at least I had a familiar face for company. BarCelona is for sale, and it is a very nice venue, except for the lack of customers thing. Nerissa said they get busy late at night, so there’s that. I had planned to go to the Green Room, but they were having a wake for an expat who recently passed away. I didn’t know him, and the place was packed, so I moved next door to Wet Spot. Once again, I was the only customer. Had a nice chat with the manager, Brett, and he bought me a beer, so it’s all good. I ordered a chicken burger from Sit-n-Bull and was home by seven. Yeah, I’m not the barfly I once was.

In the memory department, Facebook reminded me of how I used to roll during the 80s in Poteau, Oklahoma:

Eight years ago, I was scouting Samal Island as a possible Philippine retirement destination.

Things continue to ramp up in the disputed waters off the coast of the Philippines. China has now resorted to violence. The article concludes with this bottom line:

At this point the Philippines has to make a choice about whether it wants to escalate and match China’s belligerence at sea or simply back down and cede the territory. Either way, there will be a price to pay.

Today’s YouTube video also addresses the incident of China boarding a Philippine craft, injuring crewmembers, and stealing weapons. The Philippine government declared it an act of piracy.

Things are going to get uglier I fear.

In the meantime, let’s have a laugh:

So, another day, another post. I’m having a date night with Swan, and we are going to make the trip out to Kon Tiki for some quality beach time. Or so we hope. Tell you all about it tomorrow.

When it comes to grammar, I’m not very punctual. My comma tutor has used examples like the above before, but I’d never seen it portrayed quite like this. Anyway, I don’t eat cats, although I’ve had my share of pussy.

A pretty quiet Tuesday around here. The ATM was working, the groceries got bought, and the day proceeded from there. In the afternoon, Swan and I went to the salon, where I had a haircut, and she got a foot spa. I was done before her, so I waited at Snackbar. Two beers later, Swan rejoined me, and we proceeded to Kokomo’s for some beach time.

After our Kokomo’s time, we went next door to Foxhole and had some grub. Then we headed back home. A day doesn’t have to be exciting to be good, and I had no complaints about how we filled the hours.

In the Facebook memories department, I was reminded of a “where I stand politically” test I took three years ago:

For shits and giggles, I took the test again this afternoon. I was a bit surprised at the results:

There was a collision between a Filipino ship and a Chinese ship out in the disputed waters off the Spratley Islands. So, things are ramping up. Today’s video discusses the implications:

One more from China’s perspective:

I’m sure Biden has things under control.

Ha! I guess that last statement qualifies as humor. Here’s some more:

I’ll try and do better tomorrow!

Yesterday was a special Hash for me–the three hundredth time I participated in an SBH3 run.

Not for the first or last time, I deviated from the path plotted by the Hare and made my own way. I walked from my house to the start, but just wasn’t feeling it when I reached the hill climb portion of the trail. All reports say it was not a bad up and now I regret wimping out. Still, you have to listen to your gut and given the sorry state of my lungs, I opted for prudence.

Both trails ended at our On-Home venue–Red Bar.

After the Hash Circle was completed, I joined the group for the after-Hash at It Doesn’t Matter. After a couple more unneeded beers, I made my way home via trike.

It was another rough night, breathing-wise. This time, I was lying in bed, and the wheezing noise when I exhaled was keeping me awake. I decided to get up and put on my headphones to drown out the annoying sound with music. Then, I had an idea and went to the closet to retrieve a pillow.

I never wheeze when standing or sitting, so I figured avoiding lying flat in bed might help. It worked! I wasn’t sitting completely upright, but a 3/4 posture seemed to do the trick. The wheezing stopped, and I had a decent night’s sleep. A 96 reading on the oximeter this morning, so perhaps whatever it is that ails me can be satiated by a Jefferson-style sleeping posture.

So, I’ll see how this sleep style works out going forward.

The Philippines is a land of volcanos, and one was rumbling last week.It’s not near me, but we do have our share here in Luzon, including the infamous Mt. Pinatubo. Anyway, I need a YouTube video for today, and this one is mildly interesting, although the narration is a tad irritating.

And, um, you can cleanse your palate with these:

I parted ways with the Wednesday Walkers yesterday morning and then had a boy’s night out to say farewell to Gary, who is heading home to the UK for a couple of months. The days keep rollin’ on, and I’m still rockin’.

I fancied a flat walk yesterday, but the group opted to find some shade up in the hills. I tagged along for a bit, but when I saw the up they were taking, I said farewell and went my own way. Martin (18 Kilo Ass) who has been having some knee issues chose to join me. We did the My Bitch trail and came back to town via Rizal Extension.

Yeah, that’s being a bit melodramatic, but something ain’t right, and I was feeling it yesterday. The lung issues have flared up again, although not as bad as they were previously. I’m also feeling pain in my lower legs and feet and a generalized lack of energy. I think these symptoms are exacerbated by the intense heat we are still experiencing. At least I felt better during the shady portions of the hike.

Oddly enough, when we reached the mountain family’s place, Onelia said something about another group of hikers passing by earlier. And when Martin and I finished our journey, we stopped by Dynamite Dick’s for refreshments, and some of the Wednesday Walkers group were there. They, too, had done a portion of My Bitch, but had taken a different way down and back to town. So, while my route had avoided a hill climb, it was 2K longer than what the rest of the group had done. That felt like vindication.

Gary messaged that he wanted to meet at the Annex bar at four, and I was there on time. We had two beers and then moved on to Cheap Charlies. Erik messaged wanting to join us, so now there were three in our group. I checked my SOB coupons that were due to expire and saw I had a couple that provided a 50% discount on customer drinks. So, we made the Green Room our next stop.

We had talked about moving on to Red Bar next, but after the manager bought us a round of beers, I had had my fill. I had a 15% discount coupon for Sit-n-Bull I needed to use, and the roving waitress conveniently came by our table with a menu. I told her I was bringing something home for my girlfriend and asked if she had any suggestions. She immediately said, “bring her the roast beef dip.” That cracked me up because that was what I had intended to order. It’s another small-town moment when the waitress remembers your gal’s favorite foods.

Woke up this morning a little after four and saw something peeking in at me through the window:

A rooftop gathering at The Rite Spot is on tap later today. Chili is in the crockpot, muffins and brownies are baked, and Swan has prepared the meat-on-a-stick for grilling. I’m looking forward to a good time.

Today’s YouTube video is from someone I only recently discovered. He lives in Pundaquit and I’ve walked past his house before (without realizing it until I saw one of his vlogs). Anyway, this one shows the beauty of one of my favorite weekend getaway areas, just an hour away.

Here’s some more poor attempts at humor:

Alright, have you had enough? Me too! See you tomorrow…

I started my day with a trip to the blood lab. They withdrew several vials of my precious liquid from a vein and 7500 pesos from my wallet. They will be testing for twenty-five elements, including a prostate PSA. I’ll pick up the results tomorrow and then schedule a meeting with Dr. Jo to see what it all means.

Of course, part of the bloodwork routine is the requirement to fast for 10+ hours prior to the withdrawal. That’s why I scheduled an early morning arrival at the lab, so most of the fasting was spent sleeping. After the samples were taken, I was ready to eat. The lab is located at the Harbor Point Mall, and as I was leaving, I spotted a Pancake House franchise. I rarely frequented this diner back in the USA because I had better options like Waffle House and Cracker Barrel. Those options not being available here, I decided to give it a try.

I was tempted to order a caramel waffle, but I opted instead for a ham and cheese omelet and cinnamon toast. I can’t remember the last time I saw cinnamon toast on a menu—how could I resist? After placing my order, the waiter returned and advised that they were out of raisins for the toast. I told him no problem; I wasn’t expecting raisins anyway.

With my hunger satiated, we headed out to do the weekly grocery shopping chore.

Home for the usual afternoon activities, and at beer o’clock, we ventured out to Baloy Beach. I wasn’t sure if the floating bar was still out, but there she was, bouncing in the rougher-than-normal bay waters.

After our time was done on board, we headed ashore to Treasure Island for some dinner.

A nice night out and a happy ending to a busy day.

The Facebook memories took me back to 2016.

Today’s YouTube is from another vlogger I’ve enjoyed over the years, The Filipina Pea. She has some advice for men coming to the PI in search of love.

Some more lame humor:

That’s all for today; we’ve reached the end of the line.

Yesterday’s trail wasn’t particularly hard or otherwise challenging, but I wussed out anyway. I’m going to blame the heat. I told myself the light-headedness I was experiencing was a warning sign for heat stroke, so I decided prudence dictated that I refrain from strenuous activity. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it! Anyway, I followed the shortcutters as usual, and then I shortcut the shortcutters. I still logged a hot and flat 5K to the On-Home at McCoy’s on Baloy Beach.

After the Hash, I walked back to the highway and had a couple of more beers with my friends at Snackbar. I might have been a little generous with the lady drinks, but I hadn’t seen them for a while as this venue is no longer one of my regular stops.

So that was my Hash Monday. Been a busy Tuesday so far, and I’ve got a visit to Dr. Jo coming up later this afternoon. Tell y’all about it tomorrow.

Today’s Quora Q&A:

Q: Where can I find a city in the Philippines that is safe, has a high-quality lifestyle with a low budget, has greens and beautiful sea view sights everywhere, that is not far from commercial areas and a place to start a new life?

A: Well, I chose Olongapo/Subic Bay, and it meets all of those criteria. Safe is a relative term, but I certainly feel as safe here as I would anywhere in the USA. As for the quality of lifestyle, that’s somewhat subjective and contingent on your personal preferences. For me, hiking in the mountains and on the beaches are my favorite daytime pursuits. For the nighttime, lots of good restaurants and bars. I like to play darts, and there are venues with tournaments and a dart league available. Pool leagues, too, if that’s your thing. There is a close-knit expat community and a small-town feel about living here that I like.

Here’s the view from my living room:

Plenty of green, along with views of the bay and the mountains. I shop at the duty-free grocery stores on the old American Navy base, where I can find most of my favorite American comfort foods. There are several shopping malls, all within 30 minutes of my house. A convenient international airport (Clark) is just over an hour away in Angeles City. In the worst-case scenario, I can go to Manila if necessary, but other than doing business at the embassy there, I try to avoid the big city hassles and traffic.

I started my “new life” here about 18 months ago, and I’m very happy with my choice so far.

That was answered over four years ago. My view has changed since then (I think for the better), and I’m still convinced that Barretto is the best fit for me.

Some quick humor before I go:

This too shall pass. Hopefully. Gonna take a break from posting today while I sort things out. But hey, I did this one on my phone. That’s a first!

And a Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll plus a five-bar crawl equals ten beers. Funny how that works. Let me show you what I mean.

Walking the back streets of Barretto is nothing new for me, and there ain’t much to see that is particularly interesting. I’ll prove that with a photo from every one thousand steps.

Have you recovered from all that excitement yet? Okay then, let’s do a bar crawl:

My plan was to start at the first bar (i.e., closest to my house) and go up the highway from there, visiting each bar in order.

I have a lot of history with this bar, including a broken heart. It’s been a while since my last visit, and it was nice to see owner Paula has hired back most of the old crew. It’s a small place with most of the available seating outside on the sidewalk and in the parking lot. It was too hot for that yesterday, so the the three of us customers sat inside in the aircon.

My methodology for this bar crawl was two beers and out at each venue. I was tempted to extend my stay and catch up with everyone, but I decided it was best to stick with the plan. There is a new SB2 upstairs, a disco bar, that doesn’t open until 8 p.m. and goes into the wee hours of the morning. I’ll visit someday out of curiosity, but discos have never been to my liking.

Nice bar that I seldom visit, despite the outdoor ambiance I like. Go figure.

Welp, I was tired of bar crawling alone, so I messaged Swan to join me, and she agreed. I ordered some food for us to eat when she arrived.

So, that was the end of the bar hop. I might make doing an abbreviated bar hop like this every Saturday as a change of pace and a way to visit places I seldom enter. We’ll see.

After our meal, we crossed the highway (a challenge on a Saturday) and stepped inside the newest bar in town, a place called Nipsy’s. It is where Alaska Club used to be, but it has been remodeled. I was surprised it was so crowded. I didn’t recognize any of the patrons. I’m told it is a bar that caters to the Navy civilian crewman on those freighters in the bay. The outside of the building has similar ships painted on the walls. It has dancers on stage who actually dance, although I didn’t care for the music. Again, I’m the grumpy old man, and this bar isn’t trying to cater to my likes. I was surprised when the waitress asked me if I wanted a Zero since I’d never been here before. She laughed and said she used to work at Alaska. Oh, okay. Anyway, the bar seems to be doing well and good luck to them.

Just for the hell of it, I decided we’d finish our night at the new Alaska bar. We had a nice time there, as usual, with our regulars. I’d reached my limit, and it was nearing 9 p.m. (late for me), so we headed back home in a familiar trike.

I may not have been a perfect day, but it was close enough for me.

Speaking of memories, Facebook took me back six years in time to my last month in Korea.

And then, there was this from three years ago:

Okay, let’s move on to the Quroa Q&A:

Q: What is the most inappropriate thing to say to an amputee?

A: Can I lend you a hand?

Maybe I don’t have a leg to stand on with that kind of humor.

Let’s get to the real funny stuff:

Alright, gotta go. I have a Hideaway feeding to attend to. Back tomorrow.

The day began with a sweet candy walk and ended in sour disappointment with the Fralics beauty pageant. Well, as they say, you’ve got to take the good with the bad. Let’s start with the good.

At noon, my driver picked us up for the trip to San Antonio. My helper Terri and Swan’s sister came along. We also picked up Tom and his gal Kate to join in the adventure. Or should I say disappointment? Tom met Kate a couple of years ago when she was a pageant contestant. I’ve attended two or three of these events previously, and I have always enjoyed them. Yesterday was pretty much a disorganized fiasco. Indeed, when long-time fans like us leave almost angry in frustration, you are doing it wrong. Some of the issues were logistics and timing–way too much downtime between events, and some of it was just not giving a shit about why those in attendance were there. The contest seemed secondary. The MC for the event stood on stage practically begging people to buy tickets for the 50-50 raffle (half goes to the winner, half to event organizers). It was pathetic, to say the least. He wouldn’t allow the contest to continue until the raffle pot had grown to at least 15,000 pesos, saying they needed the money to pay the rent and stay open. I enjoy the FRA venue, but I won’t be going back for the Fralics events next year. Okay, rant over.

Oh, well. Shit happens. A long way to travel and not have a good time. Lesson learned.

The Quora Q&A:

Q: Can I say an employee didn’t give a 2 week notice when called for a reference?

A: It’s generally true you just state the facts about employment history…date hired, date left. I did have a tough situation once. We had fired a mailman for drinking and driving in his mail truck! So, I got the call later for a reference check. Gave the basics as specified above. The caller asked if there was anything else I could tell them. I asked what job is he applying for…school bus driver! Yikes. So I honestly said, “I wouldn’t want him driving my kids.” The caller thanked me and said that is all I needed to know. No regrets and no repercussions.

Time to lighten things up a tad:

Another Hash Monday has arrived. Vienna Sausage is the Hare, so I expect I’ll be looking for alternatives. I’ll go to the start and decide from there. I’ll let you know how that goes tomorrow.

But this post is about Sunday, so let’s get to that.

Next up on my agenda for the day was the Hideaway feeding.

A bar devoid of customers can’t survive for long, and Hideaway was deserted when I arrived. I’m only there once a week now and only for a couple of hours, so I can’t say for sure what’s going on. Joy tells me she goes home every night around 7 p.m., even on the weekends. Not good!

One thing Barretto doesn’t lack is options, and I exercised mine with a visit to the Arizona floating bar.

But we weren’t done with our night on the town just yet. The manager at Green Room was celebrating a birthday, so we popped in to extend our greetings.

I’m trying to watch my food intake, so I passed on most of the offerings. But for some reason, I just couldn’t resist this cupcake:

Anyway, it was a pretty good day.

Quora Q&A time:

Q: What was the age difference of the youngest/oldest person you ever slept with? Was it a fling or did it last?

A: Well, we didn’t sleep a wink, but a couple of weeks ago, I had sex with a 22-year-old woman. I’m 65. Not that unusual, really, because, as they say in the Philippines, “age is just a number.” It only lasted about 30 minutes or so, which doesn’t even qualify as a fling. It was a basic transactional relationship. We both got what we wanted.

That was over three years ago. Subsequently, my lowest threshold was achieved with an eighteen-year-old. That was too weird even for me. And thankfully, those days of meaningless casual dalliances are behind me.

Speaking of perversion, there’s this:

Alright, time to get on with the rest of the day. The map of the Hash trail I saw looks like a tough one. Only one way to find out!

With a stop in BarCelona along the way. A quick post today because I’m running late and don’t have a lot to report anyway. Here goes:

I did my solo Thursday walk as usual. It was hot, and I wasn’t really feeling it, but I overcame the urge to shortcut and managed to log almost 9K when I was finished.

Swan had some business to attend to, so we agreed to meet up when she was done. As I was heading out, Erik messaged, asking where I was going to be hanging out. I decided a trip to BarCelona was overdue, so we got together there. I really do like the ambiance of this bar (and it is still for sale), but I’m at best a once-a-month customer. I’m still not sure why.

Alaska Club lay two floors below us, so we popped in there to check on Daddy Jerry. He greeted us at our table and said he was through with ladders. Good! The surgery went well, and he had high praise for the newly reopened hospital in Barretto. I was especially glad to hear that. Hopefully, there will be no more trips to Baypointe, and while I don’t ever want to need an emergency room nearby, I’m glad we have one.

We had an enjoyable visit in Alaska, quenching the thirst of our waitresses, and I tipped the dancers 50 pesos each for their effort. Jerry played almost all 60s music, including some of my favorite old country songs. I grew up listening to Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, and Johnny Horton when my dad came home from work, put on an album, and opened a bottle of beer. Quite the stroll down memory lane hearing some of these songs for the first time in many years. I even looked up Johnny Horton to see what he’s been up to and was shocked to learn that he died in 1960 in a car wreck at the height of his fame. I didn’t know (remember?) that.

Dinner to go from Sit-n-Bull, then home sweet home.

Anyway, let’s do the Quora Q&A thing:

Q: How can a US citizen stay in the Philippines for a one-year vacation?

A: You can extend your tourist visa for up to 3 years before having to physically leave the country. I get an extension every 60 days. Of course, getting here now is the hard part with the COVID restrictions in place.

Well, the scamdemic nonsense is over now, but my three years ran out, and I had to get the jab. No repercussions so far, anyway.

Today’s funny business:

Sorry! I am heading out for tonight’s SOB soon. Hopefully, I’ll do better here tomorrow.

Every few months, I get frustrated with fruitless searches for things I want and need at Royal. Well, fruit isn’t the problem, but you know what I mean. So yesterday, my driver hauled us out to the S&R membership store in the neighboring province of Pampanga. It’s a pain in the ass drive that takes over an hour with heavy traffic much of the way. For the most part, the effort was disappointing. Many items I was specifically searching for, like sugar-free pudding, were unavailable. Other items I wanted but couldn’t have, like some of my old favorite brands of ice cream, tortured me as I resisted the urge to place them in my shopping cart. I did come away with things I’ll enjoy snacking on, like this:

A couple of other pictures from the journey:

I’ll likely make another trip before my membership expires in September and then decide if renewing it is worthwhile. Some items were a little cheaper than Royal, others more expensive. But the main issue is the time and expense of making the journey and still not coming home with everything I wanted.

I also maintained my Tuesday tradition of visiting the Kokomo floating bar. Music was loud again, making it difficult to talk, so I just sat there and sipped my beer, taking it all in. There was a large group of Filipinos on board (I understand they are guests at the Kokomo Hotel), and it was surprising (to me) to see them engaged in behaviors normally only seen from “two-week millionaire” tourists. They rang the bell to buy all the girls a shot (3500 pesos) and lots of bottles of beer as well. I was certainly in no position to complain; it is folks like that that keep the floater afloat.

I didn’t stick around long enough to watch the sun go down because I’d had enough of the loud party vibe. We walked up the beach to McCoy’s, and I was gobsmacked to hear the videoke blaring as we approached. The last few times I’d visited, the barangay Captain (also named Baloy) had banned videoke, but that’s now been lifted, which is a shame. We started to sit down, but I just couldn’t take it, so we moved on.

Where to next? I suggested Snackbar, but Swan didn’t like that idea (there were too many memories there for her), so we tried Subiza. It was totally empty; no one greeted us as we entered, and her friend was not working. Nope. It was too depressing for my blood. So, we made our way to the highway, and the first bar we went to was Queen Victoria. But when we walked in, the bartender advised there was no San Miguel Zero in stock. Well, damn. After my bad experience with SM Light on Saturday night, I’m trying to confine myself to Zero. So, we turned around and walked out.

Next, we crossed the highway and popped into Whiskey Girl. It was shortly after opening, and we were the only customers. I ordered my Zero, but they didn’t have any wine flavors that Swan prefers, so she drank a San Miguel Apple beer. A bit later, my buddy Chris and his gal Shie arrived with a couple of other folks. We exchanged greetings, and they went to play pool. Then suddenly, the bar came under attack by moth-like critters that were attracted to light. I’ve never seen them swarm indoors before, but there they were out in force. The bar turned off as many lights as possible, and we moved to the back, but the bugs were still bugging us, so we finished our drinks and left.

Our night out seemed cursed, so I suggested we grab some food and head for home. Swan agreed, and our best option was Sit-n-Bull. Now, we could order take-out inside the restaurant, or we could go next door to Wet Spot and order from there. Wet Spot it was, then. While we waited, Swan got her wine, I had my Zero, and her friend Aine and our waitress Irene got a lady drink. And nothing went wrong! Our food arrived, we said goodnight and headed for home.

And that was how I filled the hours on Tuesday.

I posted this on Facebook, and not surprisingly, some of my lefty friends weren’t happy.

Ah, politics. It is pointless trying to change the minds of people who are unable and unwilling to reject the dogma they are being fed each day. I’m still hoping people wake up and see what is happening before it is too late, but I have my doubts about that.

It has been so hot here lately that the schools are closed. That’s the first time I’ve heard of that happening. Closer to home, I’ve used the air conditioner in my bedroom for the last four nights in a row, and I almost never use aircon. We changed our hike today to a location where we could mostly walk in the shade. Yeah, it is always hot here, but not this hot.

And one of the FB pages I follow about life in Angeles City gave me a laugh today. Lots of expats there are moaning about the Korean “invasion”–lots of their old favorite bars have Korean owners and some of the girls working the bars prefer Korean men, aka “triple three.” So, with that background in mind, this strikes me as funny:

How about we chill with some Quora Q&A:

Q: Does living in Korea make you feel like just giving up?

A: I spent almost 12 years living and working in Korea. Loved the country. Had my heart broken a couple of times but that’s not unique to Korea. I don’t believe in giving up.

I still miss much about my days in Korea. A lifetime ago now, though.

And things that may make you smile:

Thanks for stopping by!

Yesterday began sweet and ended sour. I joined Swan for her weekly candy walk and took a different route that worked out well. It’s still too damn hot to enjoy walking the streets, but the kids were out in force and we were well-stocked with goodies.

When it came time to make plans for our Saturday evening, Swan wanted to go to Treasure Island on Baloy to hear the live band. And that’s what we did.

I’ll grant that they have talented musicians and singers, but as always seems to be the case, the sound mixing wasn’t done right, which made everything seem distorted and unpleasant to my ears. Maybe it’s just me, other audience members seemed to be enjoying the performance.

Treasure Island doesn’t stock San Miguel Zero, which forced me to drink SM Light, which has additional calories and alcohol content. But that didn’t slow me down. Over the course of the evening, several friends came by and joined us. So, the beverages were being enjoyed along with the camaraderie.

And then I forgot how to say when and imbibed to excess. No, I wasn’t falling down drunk, but I was drunk enough not to remember much else about the night. That’s not my style and I strive to avoid it. So, hopefully, lesson learned. I had the rare hangover this morning, so I napped instead of taking my hike. That’s not good either. Anyway, what’s done is done, and hopefully, it won’t be done again.

I’ve never seen this live and in person, but one of the rituals engaged in during Holy Week is crucifixion reenactments. Yes, devout believers are actually nailed to the cross, albeit through the palm and not the wrist, but still.

Okay, Quora Q&A time:

Q: Why would a girl tell a guy that he looks hot?

A: She is probably worried that he has a fever and might need to get checked for COVID.

Yep, I have all the answers!

Smiles for today:

This has been a dead Easter for me. I’m still unsure about having some hair of the dog that bit me, but I will probably have a couple with dinner. We’ll see how I feel later.

And I made the best of it. Starting with a long hot group hike.

And that’s how I spent my morning. When evening rolled around, Swan and I decided to visit the Arizona floating bar. Yeah, that’s our Sunday thing, but this Sunday, the girls are going to have a party, and everyone gets wet, even the customers. Nope. Not my thing. So, I baked a batch of brownies off we went.

And shortly thereafter, so were we. We were headed to John’s place for dinner.

John wasn’t there, but we were surprised to see my waitress friend Em Jhae back. She said she had time off for the holidays and John messaged asking her if she could help out for the weekend, and she agreed.

Swan got a message from a friend that she was at It Doesn’t Matter for a pool tournament, so we visited there for our nightcap. And John was there playing. It was great to see him on his feet and enjoying playing pool again. How Good was my Friday? I stayed out until the ungodly hour of nine p.m.! Hey, sometimes you just have to let go and party hard!

Facebook memories included this old joke from 2012:

A Scotsman, an Englishman, and an Irishman are playing darts at Dolce Vita in Itaewon (you guys know who you are, so I won’t mention any names…).

“Y’know” said the Scotsman, “I still prefer the pubs back home. In Glasgow, there’s a wonderful little bar called McTavish’s. The landlord there goes out of his way for the locals, so much that when you buy 4 drinks he’ll buy the 5th drink for you.”

“Well,” said the Englishman, “at my local, the Red Lion, the barman there will buy your 3rd drink after you buy the first 2.”

“Ahhhhh, that’s nothing, laddies,” said the Irishman.

“Back home in me own Dublin, there’s Ryan’s Bar. Now, the moment you set foot in the place they’ll buy you a drink, then another, all the drinks you like. Then, when, when you’ve had enough drinks, they’ll take you upstairs and see that you get laid. All on the house.”

The Englishman and Scotsman immediately scorn the Irishman’s claims. But he swears every word is true.

“Well,” said the Englishman, “did this actually happen to you?”

“Not to me meself, personally, no,” said the Irishman… “but it did happen to me sister.”

Still as funny as it ever was.

Today’s Quora Q&A:

Q: How is it that amnesiacs don’t forget as much as most people think they do?

A: I don’t remember…

We are on a roll here, so let’s get to the rest of the humor.

Back with the Saturday report tomorrow.