So, the plan for the Wednesday Walkers was to go up and over Kalaklan Ridge, then down into Olongapo City for a street walk before catching a Jeepney back to Barretto. It didn’t work out that way. The climb up was more than a little challenging, and then, about three-quarters of the way up, we encountered a carabao tied to a tree and blocking our path. We give those creatures a wide berth these days after learning about the damage one did to some Hashers in Angeles City. Anyway, as our frontrunners looked for a way around the mad cow, Scott and I were looking at the trail ahead. It appeared to be a lot steeper than I remembered it, and it was very much overgrown in the tall grasses that dominate the hillsides at this time of year. Ultimately, we decided it wasn’t worth the effort, so we retreated and took a different way back down. As fate would have it, the path we chose to descend was one of the more difficult downs we’ve ever taken from Kalaklan. Oh well, I made it to the bottom by the skin of my knees.

When beer o’clock arrived, I made my way to BarCelona. Swan was visiting a friend in Olongapo and joined me there later.

And then a scene played out in front of me that was unexpected.

Well, there are a couple of homeless folks living on the sidewalk. One of them is a tall, bearded guy who looks a bit like Jesus. I see this guy all over town, picking up recyclables from the trash to sell at the junk shops. He never begs, though.

So, the guy in the wheelchair has his gal roll him up to the homeless man. Then he holds out a one hundred peso bill for the homeless fella to take. And the homeless Jesus waved him off! I’ve never seen that before. He rejected more cash than he made collecting trash and walking around all day. Maybe pride does goeth before a fall. But what impressed the most was that cripple I was feeling sorry for going out of his way to help someone he viewed as less fortunate. Good for him!

Swan arrived shortly after the abovementioned event and enjoyed a glass of wine. I, of course, didn’t make her drink alone.

When we left BarCelona, I was ready for some dinner, and Myleen’s was practically right across the street. So, off we went.

We did our nightcap at Green Room—wine, beer, lady drinks, and watching some pretty good pool players. Oh, and I brought Choco Pies to share with the girls. Also, some lollipops so they’d have something to suck on. Home again by 7:30 for the second night in a row. I must be slowing down in my old age.

Finally, a day under 5000 pesos!

• Prescription Meds: 1400 pesos
• Alcohol: 1070 pesos
• Dinner: 720 pesos
• Lady Drinks: 370 pesos
• Tips: 320 pesos
• Trike: 200 pesos
• Total for October 9: 4080 pesos

Ah, those Facebook memories. Twelve years ago, my wife Jee Yeun and I had a visit with Dr. Yoo at his Soonchunhwang Hospital clinic, and this happened:

Jee Yeun and I had our doctor appointment with Dr. Yoo today. Jee Yeun’s doing great and I’m still fat. And we also got our flu shots.

Anyway, after Dr. Yoo finished checking Jee Yeun I said “Doctor, Jee Yeun’s always complaining about being bored. Can you prescribe something for that”? Without missing a beat he said “Viagra”.

Everyone’s a comedian these days.

Eight years ago, I was exploring Bangkok:

Today’s YouTube video from Reekay attempts to explain why so many of us baby boomers are choosing to retire in the Philippines. When I moved here, my homeland wasn’t the total fucked up mess it is today. I never intend to live there again. There are options other than the Philippines, of course. I like Asia, so my alternatives include Cambodia and Vietnam. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about the Dominican Republic, but at this stage of my life, that’s just a bridge too far.

Things I find kinda sorta funny:

Today, I’ll visit both the pulmonary doctor and the cardiologist (one after the other). I’m hopeful the news will be mostly good. And I’m overdue for spending some time at The Rite Spot, so I’ll be coming home after the docs are done with me and staying here for a change. I’ll share what I find out here tomorrow.

Mortality sucks, and I was especially saddened to learn that Kris Kristofferson has now exited this world of ours. I’ve been a big fan of his music through the years. He had a long and well-lived life, and here’s to hoping he’s in a better place.

I’m still among the living and trying to make the best of it. Part of that effort was a trip to Angeles City yesterday for a heart check-up.

So, the only test performed was another echocardiogram. I’m not sure what’s up with that. I got the impression my cardiologist didn’t trust the results of my first test. This one did seem to take longer to perform, so perhaps it was more thorough. I was expecting a stress test but was told, “Not yet.” Hmm. The results will be emailed to me in three days. I hope they will be worth the trip.

Since we were in town anyway, I had my driver take us across town for some shopping at S&R, a membership store similar to Costco. My membership will expire later this month, so I wanted to cash in one last time.

I was actually pretty disappointed with the S&R experience. I was hoping to find some long-sought-after items I can’t buy at Royal. Alas, even the things I could get at Royal weren’t available here, so I had to stop at Royal on the way home to fill in the gaps.

In a surprise coincidence, we bumped into Ron (the owner of Sit-n-Bull) while loading up our groceries. I’m used to chance meetings in my little town, but it was unexpected out in the wilds of Angeles.

After the Royal detour, I arrived home a little after two p.m. in a downpour. The Hash had started by then, so I decided to wait an hour and then walk to the On-Home gathering at Hasher Tung N’ Gruve’s place on the beach across town. The rain had ended when I did my own Hash trail.

A couple more after-Hash beers at It Doesn’t Matter, some pumpkin pie from Myleen’s, then into the trike for the ride home. And so ended another day.

And now, here we are in October. I’ve decided to track my expenses this month to get a handle on where it all goes. As a public service to my readers, I’ll document my daily spending here on LTG. Stay tuned.

A Facebook group about Westminster, California, the town I grew up in, included this photo today:

The vlogger in today’s YouTube video characterizes his move to the Philippines as “escaping the Matrix.” I hadn’t heard it phrased like that before, but it does kinda make sense. I know I’m glad not to be living a vanilla lifestyle and dealing with bullshit politics on an up close and personal basis. This guy made the move in his 40s, younger than most expats I encounter. In my do-over afterlife fantasy, I’d retire from the military at 40 and come to paradise. Of course, I’d be rich from the tech IPO stocks I’d purchased. God has not as yet confirmed my idea of Heaven, so I’ll be holding onto this life for the time being.

To the comic section, we go:

Since I did the shopping yesterday, I was homebound this morning—just as well since it was raining again. I haven’t decided yet if it will be a stay-at-home all day and night thing or not. My landlord came up from Manila, and I’ve signed a new one-year lease. I fed her and her crew and then paid the rent. Exciting shit, eh? Well, come back for more of this crap tomorrow!

In honor of Kris Kristofferson’s memory, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite songs he wrote. Here’s hoping he’s still beating the devil.

"If you waste your time a-talkin' to the people who don't listen,
"To the things that you are sayin', who do you think's gonna hear?
"And if you should die explainin' how the things that they complain about,
"Are things they could be changin', who do you think's gonna care?"

There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind,
Who were crucified for what they tried to show.
And their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time.
'Cos the truth remains that no-one wants to know.

Well, not much sun, but we didn’t let that stop the fun. Kicked things off with the weekly Candy Walk.

But the fun was just beginning!

After the feeding, I triked back home to get ready for dinner with the neighbors. Jeff and Divina were the hosts, and I met a couple of new folks at the party as well. Beer was cold and plentiful, and the food was amazing.

A nice ending to a fun day.

One year ago, I moved into my new place.

Lucky didn’t want to come with us and let me know in his unique way:

The landlord is coming up from Manila tomorrow to renew my lease and collect the rent (I pay one year in advance).

When someone shows you who they are, believe them!

Today’s YouTube video is pictures of Olongapo back in the US Navy days. Enjoy the memories!

The daily dose of humor:

By golly, I made it through a rushed post, so the LTG addicts out there won’t have to suffer. Now, I need to shower up and get ready for my journey to Angeles City to have my heart looked at.

Thanks for dropping by. Keep it fun!

It sometimes feels as if I’m living that old soap opera saying: Like sands through an hourglass, so are the days of our lives. One aspect of growing older is that you never know just how much sand you have left. I guess no one ever knows when the time will run out; older folks just think about it more often. At least I do. The other side of that coin is wondering if I’m wasting the days that remain. Yeah, my life revolves around routines, and as regular readers of LTG are painfully aware, there isn’t much new or exciting going on in the final chapters of the story of my life. But it occurs to me that’s okay. As I sat with Swan yesterday, enjoying cold beverages, good food, and bay views, I had a feeling of tranquility and contentment with this path I’ve chosen. You never know what the future brings, and everything can change in the blink of an eye. But for now, a nothing day like yesterday was oddly fulfilling.

So, my Tuesdays begin with a journey to the Royal supermarket on SBMA. As I entered the building, I was reminded that the “ber months” are definitely upon us.

Sometimes, shopping involves resisting temptation. Some temptations are easier to resist than others.

When lunch time rolled around, I was reminded that these are my salad days.

I wasn’t sure what to do with our Tuesday evening. I know Swan always craves a beach view, but Baloy or Barretto? Hmm. I decided on Barretto, but on the side of town we rarely visit these days.

The RSL (Returned Services League, the Australian veteran’s organization) was having their post-meeting bar crawl in the indoor bar, and some members came out for a smoke. A friend of Swan’s came by to say hello, and we had a nice chat. And he bought me a beer!

We walked up the beach to Mango’s when it was time for dinner.

The next stop was Whiskey Girl bar, a venue we hadn’t visited for several months.

We had our nightcap at Queen Victoria, another seldom-visited bar. Swan surprised me by ordering a Mai Tai cocktail instead of wine. I sensed this wasn’t going to end well when I saw the size of the drink she was served.

I’ve been floored before, so I’m not one to talk. And she wasn’t down there long. It is a rare occurrence when Swan over-indulges, but it didn’t ruin an otherwise fine day full of the pleasures that come with nothingness.

I do sometimes plan ahead for some adventure and excitement. Yesterday, I reserved spots for Swan and me to participate in the La Union Hash anniversary run in October and the Haggis Bash Hash (also in La Union) in early December. So, now I have even more to live for!

Tomorrow morning, I’ll be visiting the cardiologist and hoping for some positive outcomes. I’ve been feeling well and breathing better, so I want to make sure I can keep it that way.

No memories or politics to share today, sorry about that!

The YouTube video for today is the opposite of yesterday. This guy talks about why he left the USA. Obviously, I can’t say that I blame him. If you live on a limited income from Social Security, you can definitely live better here. It’s still not ideal, and I don’t recommend it, but to each his own.

To the humor then:

Speaking of wieners…

And so concludes another post about the days gone by. Here’s hoping there are many more to come!

When it rains, it pours, but life goes on. Sometimes, you tweak things up a bit.

But it being Friday and all, there was the group hike to attend to. Flat street walks around Barretto are getting a tad boring in a “been there, done that” multiple times kind of way. But our newest group member, Michael, has a nice roomy car and lives out on the far side of Subic town. So, we took a Jeepney to meet him in his neck of the woods, and he drove us to San Antonio. We hadn’t hiked out there in almost a year. We parked at the FRA (Fleet Reserve Association) and plotted a course from there. Given the weather, we stuck to the pavement for the most part, but everything had a fresh new feel about it anyway.

And that was how our rainy-day hike in San Antonio went down. Got home later than normal, so I decided to just hang out at home for my Friday night.

So, let me throw this out there. Spain ruled the Philippines for five hundred years. My Filipina prepared my meal. I say that makes burritos Filipino food. I mean, Spain brought them to Mexico, and everyone says they are Mexican food, so what’s the difference? See, I do eat the local food!

I fired up Netflix and decided to watch a Filipino movie with my Filipino dinner. Here’s the trailer:

In other news, John Kim posted this on Facebook today:

Glad to hear it! Keep fighting, John! And see you tomorrow for dinner.

Today’s YouTube video has Reekay expounding on the bar scene. I’m pretty much a “regular bar” guy these days, but Wet Spot is technically a dancer bar, Although they just stand around on stage waiting for lady drinks. Anyway, the stuff Reekay warns about are, for the most part, rookie mistakes. Even when I was single, I wasn’t really into the bar fine scene. I mean, I paid for sex in different ways (remember my friends with benefits program?), but I probably only took a girl from a bar once or twice a year. Some guys prefer taking bar girls home. As one whore monger told me, I don’t pay the girls for sex, I pay them to leave in the morning. Whatever floats your boat. But the lady drink thing was a lesson I learned the hard way during my first weekend in Seoul. When it was time to go, my tab was $300. Oops!

Alright, to the humor then. Such as it is.

Alright, I’m running late to get started on my Saturday evening out. Back with more of adventures tomorrow!

I always enjoy these “first-time hearing” song videos. Here’s what they said about this one:

So, on this stormy Wednesday morning, I woke up in my own bed instead of at the Wild Orchid Hotel in Angeles City. But at least the power is on. I still long for a change of scenery, so on a whim, I messaged my driver to see if he was available for a road trip today. He is, so Swan and I will be heading to Pundaquit in San Antonio for an overnight stay.

And just now, this alert popped up on my phone, and the clouds opened up once again.

Maybe I didn’t think this trip through properly, but what the hell? The rain at the beach can’t be any worse than the rain is here. I’m ready for some new perspectives! We saw a place on the beach last trip we want to try, but neither Swan nor I can remember the name. I doubt they will be full on a rainy Wednesday, so we are going to take our chances and go without a reservation. It’s all part of the adventure!

Instead of hanging out in AC yesterday, I was back to my normal routines, starting with a trip to Royal for my grocery shopping. One of my Tuesday traditions is baking morning muffins. This week, they were cranberry-orange. I share them with my helpers and driver, of course. “Mama,” the homeless umbrella lady I’ve been helping a bit since before I moved here knows my schedule and is usually waiting outside Alta Vista as we drive by. Yesterday was no exception.

It poured rain all day, and I was beginning to think there would be no night on the town in my immediate future. But Jesus loves me, and when it was beer o’clock, the rain became a light sprinkle, and we made a dash for Barretto.

Our next and last stop was the Green Room. As usual, we shared drinks with waitress Chu and enjoyed watching a pool tournament in progress. Swan was talking with a GRO (Guest Relations Officer) that I didn’t recognize. Turns out she is the sister of the woman I mentioned in another post. That woman, also a GRO, helped her daughter get hired at the bar when she turned eighteen. That freaked me out, not understanding how a mom could countenance seeing her child doing what GROs do (basically catering to the whims of male desire, including take-out). Swan knew them from when she lived in their neighborhood and did give the mom some shit about her actions. We hadn’t seen either in the bar recently, and the sister informed Swan that the daughter (her niece) has an enlarged heart, and the doctors say nothing can be done for her. So, the plan is to make her as comfortable as possible at home until she passes. Damn.

I wound up adding the sad sister to my lady drink recipients and also had a pizza delivered from Sit-n-Bull for the girls to share (Hawaiian with pineapple, of course). Swan sipped her wine, and I had my fair share of beers. During the course of the evening, Swan snapped a photo of me in full party mode:

We brought us home some Sit-n-Bull goodness for dinner (roast beef dip for Swan, pulled pork for me) and had pecan pie for dessert. It was a pretty good time for a Tuesday!

And now for the memories:

Four years ago, I was mocking the COVID Nazis:

In today’s YouTube video, the Filipina Pea interviews an OFW (Offshore Filipino Worker). These workers are probably the largest export from the Philippines, and the money they send back is a significant portion of the economy, not to mention essential to the support of the families left behind. I met many OFWs when I lived in Korea, and I know several of them here now. And yes, I’ve heard the horror stories of exploitation that occurs, especially in Middle Eastern countries. I have two friends now looking for OFW work, and I will share this video with them as a heads-up.

And now to soothe your funny bone:

Alright, time for me to pack my bags and get the hell out of town. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow!

Loved this song back in the day. As an added bonus, here is one of those “hearing it for the first time” videos:

There was a huge storm that washed hundreds of starfish onto the beach. A little boy was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean one by one. An old man approached and said, “Little boy, you can’t save all these starfish.” “Maybe not,” the lad replied as he picked up another and threw it in the water, “but I saved that one.”

I’ve mentioned that we had a chance encounter with a youngster named Jason during a candy walk who wanted to attend school but didn’t have the means to do so. Swan talked to the mother and offered her assistance. Since the mother doesn’t have a phone, Swan interacted directly with the teacher to determine what Jason required.

We did the handoff during yesterday’s Candy Walk.

According to the mother, the next hurdle is securing a birth certificate. Apparently, one wasn’t issued at birth, so there is government bureaucracy and paperwork to be dealt with, which involves money, of course. We are standing by to help if we can.

As alluded to above, we kicked off our Sunday with the weekly Candy Walk through the streets of San Isidro.

A couple of hours later when we were safe at home, we experienced one of the hardest downpours I’ve seen this year.

Luckily, the rain let up some and I could do an umbrella walk to Hideaway without getting too wet.

I opted not to visit John’s place this week. Swan wanted the Mango’s pork chops for dinner anyway, and I was still disappointed about last week’s lack of red wine. I’ll give John another shot next week.

When I arrived at Mango’s, I was surprised to see neighbors Jeff and Divina sitting with Swan. When Swan left the house to meet me, Jeff and the wife were looking to escape the continuing power outage. Swan got a ride into town and company while awaiting my arrival. The neighbors left before our food came, but we agreed to meet up again after dinner next door at Thumbstar.

After our meal, we went to Thumbstar as promised for the meet-up. I don’t go to Thumbstar for personal reasons, but it is a nice enough venue. We had one drink there, then moved to the more familiar and friendlier Green Room to finish our evening out.

Not a bad Sunday. And now it is Hash Monday and things aren’t looking good.

I saw part of today’s Hash trail on the Candy Walk yesterday. It’s not a bad rainy-day walk, except for the muddy roads. Right now, I’m on the fence about doing the trail or just making my way to the On-Home venue at Smokes and Bottles. We shall see if things let up in the next hour or so.

Ah, the memories:

Funny story about that photo. We spent the first night in Angeles City. We went into this bar after midnight and were the only customers. I guess the girls had never seen a Korean female before, and they all came down off the stage for a closer look. They treated Eun Oke like a movie star, and she told me, “Buy them all a drink!” I told her the way it works is you pick your favorite and buy her a drink, but she insisted on getting one for each of them. The next morning, she asked me how much we had spent, and I told her it was 5000 pesos. Then she asked how much do we spend for just the two of us in Seoul? I grinned and admitted it was about the same.

There was a little controversy in the comments yesterday over the political memes I’ve been posting. No apologies, but I also realize it is a waste of time. Nothing I post here is going to change any minds.

Today’s YouTube video from the Filipina Pea addresses women who don’t want their man to act like a man. I’m joking, of course, and I don’t condone cheating on your significant other. That said, couples need to have shared values. I know of guys in open relationships, and both sides enjoy the variety. Pick your partner wisely!

Let me leave you with these:

Still raining out there, so it’s looking like a wet Hash. I also think there is a Hash birthday cake in my near future. Good times! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Some cuntry boys from Barretto ventured out to the city called Olongapo yesterday for a walkabout. Once we had enough of that squalor-town, we moved onto the old Navy base (aka SBMA) for some comparatively wide-open spaces. Getting a taste of both made for a pleasant hike.

I sprang for a taxi ride back to Barretto, got some R&R at home, then prepared for our dinner outing with the neighbors at Hops and Brews.

So, Maksil bought a round of tequila shots, and later, Matt bought a round of tequila rose shots. I was polite enough to drink them, but it’s not my norm. They seemed to have hit the women-folk the hardest, and I’m told that over the course of the evening, each of them did a little vomiting (outside or in toilets, thankfully). It was also decided that with the upcoming power outage on Wednesday, our group would take a trip to Angeles City on Tuesday and return Wednesday night when the lights are back on. Davina made reservations at the Wild Orchid Resort for everyone from the table. I used to stay there back in my tourist days fifteen years ago.

After dinner, we ventured over to the Green Room for some more liquid refreshments. When the group said they were going to Red Bar next, Swan and I said our goodnights and wished them well. I do know when to say when. I saw Jeff this morning, and he told me we’d take the drinking much slower during our upcoming Angeles visit. Yep, I know I will.

And that’s the way I lived my Friday.

From the Facebook memories files:

Life goes on until it doesn’t.

How about some political viewpoints:

Today’s YouTube video is from Rose Hall, and she discusses red flags to look out for with Filipinas. Jealousy was always my number one bugaboo. The last thing I want in my life is the drama that comes from a jealous girlfriend. Thankfully, Swan has not demonstrated any such trait (nor have I given her reason to do so). Anyway, Rose always has nice background scenery in her videos, so it is worth the watch for that alone.

Humor time:

And that’s all I’ve got for now. We’ll see what lies ahead and I’ll report back here tomorrow.

Well, I guess I’m not so little, but Swan and I took a morning walk to the marketplace in Subic town. We purchased some school supplies for Jason, the little boy Swan met on one of the Candy Walks, and also restocked our chocolate cache for this coming Sunday’s mission.

The walk itself was mostly on the National Highway, which is never that pleasant. In Calapandayan, we came upon the scene of an accident that occurred minutes before our arrival.

Some more pleasant photos from our trek:

Next on our agenda was a trip to the beauty salon for a foot spa.

With our feet scraped and nails clipped, we crossed the highway and visited Papagayo for some beachside dining.

Needless to say, Papagayo will not be a regular stop on our dining itinerary. Oh, and Swan didn’t get wine because she thought 300 pesos a glass was too pricey. Which means this venue won’t work for a beach bar alternative either.

As we were finishing our meal, Swan got a message from our neighbor Davina asking where we were so they could meet us for a drink. We got together at Green Room.

After a couple of drinks at Green Room, we had a comfortable ride home in Jeff’s car. We’ll be getting together again this afternoon for the dinner meetup at Hops and Brews along with Matt and his wife.

And I’m thinking an out-of-town trip is coming in my near future.

So, I’m sure you’ve read Zuckerberg’s admission that Facebook censored content at the government’s request during COVID and the 2020 elections. Today’s surprise was seeing this cover on a friend’s post:

I shared this on my feed and told folks to see for themselves how fucked up our world has become.

But, thanks for the memories, Facebook:

Today’s YouTube is from a channel I wasn’t subscribed to, but I gave it a watch. For the past two years, this Yank has lived in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), a very upscale area in Metro Manila. He thinks things are changing (for the worse), citing inflation and women’s attitudes, among others. Well, I’ve bitched about higher prices, but there’s no escaping that. I think his real problem is living in Manila. Things are as good here in my neck of the woods as they ever were.

The daily dose of humor:

Today began for me with this beauty:

Well, our group hike took us to Olongapo City, so I couldn’t go collect the gold. Maybe next time. Now it is time to get ready for the Hops and Brews gathering. See you here tomorrow to tell you all about it.

Didn’t do shit yesterday, but the nice thing about dementia is that I won’t remember doing nothing for long. Now, what was I saying? Oh yeah, the day I sat on my ass until beer o’clock. My next-door neighbor, Jeff, messaged that he was meeting Matt and his wife at Hops and Brew at 5:00 p.m., and we were welcome to join in. Jeff said there was room in his car, which was an extra bonus, given the ongoing rain. When five rolled around, I was waiting on the porch for Jeff to come out, and he never did. It is not like a retired Marine Colonel to be late. I sent a message to see what was up and then re-read his original message. The dinner meet-up is for FRIDAY. Damn, I didn’t have reading comprehension on my next-to-go Bingo card.

Well, Swan and I were all dressed up and had nowhere to go, so I made the command decision to spend the rainy evening on Baloy. We walked under umbrellas to the highway, then grabbed a trike to take us to the beach. We hadn’t been to DaKudos for a while, so we started there. It turns out that my old friend Jessa no longer works there. That new owner keeps finding new ways to diminish his business. We had one drink and left. I gave Swan the option of Lagoon Resort or Treasure Island for dinner, and she chose TI because it has bay views. That girl sure does love the water. We plopped down at the bar (the only place with a roof over our heads) and watched the raindrops fall while waiting for our dinner to be served.

When we finished eating, we grabbed a trike for home. And so ended a pretty much empty day, but I have no complaints. I’m still driving the body vehicle on the road of life, and if I occasionally want to spend it at a rest stop, so be it.

Speaking of life and its alternatives, Swan’s dog Snickers died today. He barked his way through eleven years here on Earth (that’s 88 in people years), and I hope I can live a similarly long life. The vet said it was a liver problem (as far as I know, Snickers never tasted alcohol), and he died peacefully here at home.

Facebook shared this memory with me today:

Today’s YouTube video features Reekay providing three reasons expats wind up broke in the Philippines. They all seem to have stupidity in common. I live on a federal pension, so my financial security is every bit as solid as the US government. Oh shit! I’ve got some savings as a safety net, so that’s as strong as the US dollar. Fuck! Well, my fallback plan is that I’m an old geezer who won’t live forever anyway. Dying in a Chinese air strike is rising on my list of ways I might go, but it is still behind crossing the National Highway in Barretto.

Things that pass for humor in my weary brain:

The Smiths were unable to conceive children and decided to use a surrogate father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife goodbye and said, ‘Well, I’m off now. The man should be here soon.’

Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer happened to ring the doorbell, hoping to make a sale.

‘Good morning, he said, “I’ve come to…”

“Oh, no need to explain,” Mrs. Smith cut in, embarrassed, “I’ve been expecting you.”

‘Have you really?” Said the photographer. “Well, that’s good. Did you know babies are my specialty?”

“Well that’s what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat.”

After a moment she asked, blushing, “Well, where do we start?”

“Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch, and perhaps a couple on the bed. And sometimes the living room floor is fun. You can really spread out there.”

“Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn’t work out for Harry and me!”

“Well, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results.”

“My, that’s a lot!” Gasped Mrs. Smith.

“In my line of work a man has to take his time. I’d love to be In and out in five minutes, but I’m sure you’d be disappointed with that.”

“Don’t I know it,” said Mrs. Smith quietly.

The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. “This was done on the top of a bus,” he said.

“Oh, my God!” Mrs. Smith exclaimed, grasping at her throat.

“And these twins turned out exceptionally well, when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.”

“She was difficult?” Asked Mrs. Smith.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. I finally had to take her to the park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep to get a good look.”

“Four and five deep?” Said Mrs. Smith, her eyes wide with amazement.

“Yes”, the photographer replied, “And for more than three hours, too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling I could hardly concentrate, and when darkness approached I had to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just had to pack it all in.”

Mrs. Smith leaned forward. “Do you mean they actually chewed on your, uh .. . . .equipment?”

“It’s true, yes. Well, if you’re ready, I’ll set-up my tripod and we can get to work right away.”

“Tripod?”

“Oh yes, I need to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It’s much too big to be held in the hand for very long.”

Mrs. Smith fainted.

Swan and I took a walk to the Subic marketplace this morning, and we’ll be going for a foot spa later this afternoon. If the weather cooperates, I’ll treat her to some beachside dining at Papagayo this evening. Yep, we’re getting back to normal—or as normal as it gets around here anyway.

Things weren’t quite right yesterday. Not horrible or tragic, but moments of disappointment cropped up. Didn’t let them ruin the day, though. When things are a little off, you appreciate when it all comes together that much more.

Another Sunday, another Candy Walk. We altered our course to avoid grumpy old men, but we found ample new faces for chocolate-induced smiles to replace the ones we disappointed with our absence. Swan is also making arrangements with the mother of one of our “regulars” to facilitate the child attending school this year. It’s difficult for people living hand-to-mouth to find money for school uniforms and supplies, and that’s something we are willing to help with. Swan wants to buy the necessities directly, as she fears handing over a lump sum of cash may not result in the desired outcome. What was “off” about the walk? My bladder. I felt like I constantly had to pee, even when there wasn’t much liquid to expel. And I had little to no capacity to hold it in until I found a place to relieve myself. Made for some uncomfortable moments during the walk. It seems somewhat better today. I’m doing a prostate screening in the morning.

Next up on the Sunday agenda was the Hideaway feeding. Everything was going as it usually does, although there were a few more customers than I’ve seen in a while. I baked blueberry muffins for the girls this week for a change of pace. Things got a little off when I bought Joy a lady drink. She doesn’t do alcohol, and that’s fine by me. When Joy reached for a bottle of Coke, the cashier told her to use the bottle of Sprite that had already been opened. Joy did as she was told, but it really pissed me off. I’m paying 150 pesos for a soft drink; by God, the girl can drink whatever she wants. I’m the fucking customer. Joy kept telling me to calm down; she didn’t care. But that’s not the point. So, I ordered a lady drink for one of the other girls (something I rarely do) and loudly proclaimed, “But only if it’s a Coke.” I guess the cashier got the message because when the food arrived, she didn’t come to my side of the bar to have any. Like I give a shit either way.

I was happy when it was time to cross the highway and meet Swan at John’s place for our Sunday dinner.

Sadly, things were a bit off at John’s, too. Swan ordered her usual glass of red wine, and the waitress returned and advised that red wine was not available. WTF? How does one of the nicest restaurants in town not have wine in stock? It just doesn’t make any sense, and it was disappointing. We make a special effort to eat here each week because it’s good and also to support John’s business. The lack of concern for the customer left me shaking my head.

At least the food was good.

The rain let up some, so we marched on up the highway in search of our nightcap destination. I offered up IDM or Green Room, and Swan chose Green Room so she could share here leftovers with her waitress friend Chu. But something was off here too–the music was blasting so loud, I got up as soon as I sat down and headed for the door. That is so unlike Green Room. We did Alaska instead, and it was fine overall. They have a pool tourney on Sunday so there was a pretty good crowd. Owner Jerry usually keeps up with the music, but for some reason AC/DC songs were playing one after the other. I’m not a big fan, but I can handle their music in small doses. The music videos with that creepy guitar player in a schoolboy uniform was as irritating as the songs. So, I finished the free beer owner Jerry provided, then moved next door to Wet Spot.

Wet Spot also had a good crowd, including a “two-week millionaire” buying multiple lady drinks for the multitude of gals at his table and ringing the bell to provide shots for the rest of the staff. He spent more money in the thirty minutes I was there than I do in a month. Guys like that keep the bars in business, I suppose. Aine is still ignoring Swan, but there is nothing off about that–it’s our preference!

And that was how my Sunday went down.

Ah, the memories.

Today’s YouTube video features the SOB dance team from La Oficina. They are one of my favorites.

Even my humor is off a little more than usual:

I’ve had another lazy day today. And I’ve decided not to Hash either. Once again, the trail begins and ends at the end of Rizal Extension. Vienna Sausage is the Hare and his trails generally don’t suit me. And I don’t feel like wearing a Hash cake this week. I’m thinking I might walk the My Bitch trail, stop by the Hash On-Home, the leave before the circle begins. Or maybe I won’t bother at all. I’ve got about thirty minutes to make up my mind.

We’ll kick things off today with some good news–my buddy Kevin Kim is still alive, barely. He gives a harrowing account from the hospital of what happened to put him there. He is a lucky man, indeed! The road ahead for him sounds like it will be a painful battle, but for a guy who has walked Korea end-to-end numerous times, I know he has the strength and willpower to overcome this broken heart and come out stronger on the other side. Keep fighting, my friend!

My Tuesday began with a trip to the immigration office to extend my tourist visa for another sixty days. This shouldn’t be a problem because I’m in compliance with all the rules associated with a tourist stay. Still, I’ve recently been seeing vlogs and reading posts indicating that stricter reviews of applications and additional scrutiny of the reasons for long-term stays in the Philippines have been occurring. This includes an interview with an immigration officer as part of the approval (or denial) process. Accordingly, I was a tad more nervous than usual as I prepared for my visit to the Bureau of Immigration office in Olongapo City.

I was the first person to sign in and hand over my passport and paperwork. The only agent I saw behind the counter was busy preparing forms and getting ready to do her job. She got around to me after about fifteen minutes. She did the usual typing into the computer, then called me to the counter to collect my 2800 peso extension fee. I sat back down and waited, then five minutes later, she called my name again. I stood at the counter, and then she handed me my passport and an approved extension through October 17. No questions asked!

I wore a relieved face as I completed my grocery shopping at Royal.

I was in a generous mood, so I baked a batch of brownies to share with some bargirls, although I wasn’t sure where. Like me, Swan enjoys the outdoor bars more than the girly bars, so I figured we’d start at Sloppy Joe’s. Our waitress there used to work on the Kokomo floating bar, and she told me on a previous visit that she missed my brownies. She seemed pleased when I gifted her a freshly baked batch to share with her co-workers. Mission accomplished.

Next stop was It Doesn’t Matter for some more outdoor ambiance as I drank my beers and Swan sipped her wine. I brought along some lollypops so the girls there would have something to suck on. We ordered some food, which proved to be a fiasco. Ashley, the manager, apologized and advised us that the kitchen was managed separately from the bar. She gave us a round of free drinks anyway. We didn’t let the kitchen snafu spoil our good time.

One of the things I enjoy about the outdoor venues is taking in the views. Last night, I saw a couple of European expats out on the street.

We our time was done at IDM, we headed for home where some sweetness awaited:

And so ended another day of living.

Facebook memories carried me back to a day spent with the kids in the early 80s when we lived in Poteau, Oklahoma.

Politics, anyone?

Today’s YouTube is from a vlogger I’m not subscribed to, but his catchy heading sucked me in. He claims to love Angeles City. I despise it for the most part. Watch the video and decide for yourself if you want. Perusing the comments, I see most of the viewers agree with me that AC is a shithole. All that it has to offer are those whore bars, but that was never my thing.

Ready for some humor?

Alright, a nice hike today I’ll share about tomorrow. Beer o’clock is on the immediate horizon, so we’ll see how our evening in town turns out. Hasta la vista for now.

I’ve already told you about my yesterday morning in La Paz, San Narciso. I spent the rest of the day here at home in Alta Vista, and there ain’t much blogging fodder in that, is there? But posting here is one of my daily rituals, so I’ll tell you how I filled those hours anyway. I’ll keep it short and sweet to ease your pain.

I fired up the television, tuned into Netflix, and began watching a “mockumentary” a friend recommended called Cunk On Earth. I don’t recall viewing this comedy genre before, but I rather enjoyed the series. I wasn’t familiar with the show’s star, Diane Morgan, but she did a nice job. I especially liked the interactions with real-life experts on historical events and seeing their reactions to her intentionally stupid questions. It’s a British comedy, and their humour can be as cringe-worthy as a misspelled word (or lack of a comma), but you still gotta laugh. The episode where she talks about the American Revolution was the typical loser’s perspective, but it gave me a chuckle anyway. (I recall I had an English bloke as a history professor in college, and he recounted how the “ungrateful” colonists revolted because they didn’t want to pay taxes for the protection our merchant ships received from the Royal Navy. Yeah, right. We said we wanted representatives in Parliament, and King George told us to fuck off. Anyway, that’s history now.)  Cunk On Earth is only five thirty-minute episodes long (I saw four of them yesterday), and I say it’s worth watching.

And when it was time to eat, this is what Swan and Teri put on the table:

I saw this humorous take on Facebook today, and it left me thinking it’s a great example:

A Harley biker is riding by the zoo in Washington, DC when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion’s cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the collar of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his Harley, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker brings the girl to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A reporter has watched the whole event.

The reporter addressing the Harley rider says, “Sir, this was the most gallant and bravest thing I’ve seen a man do in my whole life.”

The Harley rider replies, “Why, it was nothing, really. The lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right.”

The reporter says, “Well, I’ll make sure this won’t go unnoticed. I’m a journalist, you know, and tomorrow’s paper will have this story on the front page. So, what do you do for a living, and what political affiliation do you have?”

The biker replies “I’m a U.S. Marine, a Republican and I’m voting for Trump.”

The journalist leaves.

The following morning the biker buys the paper to see if it indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on the front page:

“U.S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT & STEALS HIS LUNCH”

And THAT pretty much sums up the media’s approach to the news these days!

Facebook also hit me with the usual memories today:

Actually, now that I think about it, Duke left in 2009. And since he’s wearing a jacket, I’m sure it was not in August. It was eleven years ago that I posted that picture on Facebook.

I also posted this nine years ago, and I don’t regret it:

"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.”

-- actor John Barrymore

"I dream of having no regrets."

--faker John McCrarey

Today’s YouTube video is from the Filipina Pea; in it she shows what living large in the Philippines looks like. She features a one-bedroom condo near Dumaguete that rents for 75,000 pesos per month. I pay 40,000 for my comfortable house in Barretto. The money I save on rent goes to pay my helpers, who occupy two of my downstairs bedrooms. I don’t have all of the amenities that come with that condo, and admittedly, they are very nice, but I’ll stick with The Rite Spot and the Barretto lifestyle. Thank you very much.

And now for your daily dose of humor:

That’s all, folks! I did a rainy and muddy solo walk this morning and I’ll share some photos from that adventure here tomorrow. Not sure what’s in store for our Saturday night, but whatever we do, we are going to need an umbrella. ‘Tis the season!

I’m back from my twenty-four hours in San Narciso. We arrived around noon, checked in, had lunch, and then took a pleasant beach and street stroll. Swan brought along candy to hand out to some lucky kids, but there weren’t very many out and about on a Thursday afternoon for some reason. The Mope Resort has undergone some upgrades since my last visit, including adding a swimming pool and a bar near the beach. We didn’t swim, but we gave the bar a go last night and enjoyed the venue and views. We got hit with a rainstorm and had to move to a more protected area to enjoy the rest of our beers (they didn’t have wine, so Swan made new with Red Horse, a popular local brew). Another walk this morning, then hung out in the room until our 11 a.m. checkout time. More rain just as our driver arrived, but we made it safely back to Barretto.

I’ve got some pictures of the overnight getaway to share:

We drank our fill, headed up to the room, and had a basic night’s sleep. Downstairs this morning for coffee and pancakes, then another walk.

The drive home was thankfully uneventful. Swan did stop at a nursery to buy some planting soil, and then we restocked the candy supply at the Subic marketplace. And now that I’m home, I’ve decided to stay here. Yep, I am not going out on a Friday night, not even for the SOB. But don’t worry, I’ve got beer in the fridge. It’s looking like more rain, so the Rite Spot may be a no-go. It could be that rare night when I watch TV.

Four years ago, I posted a poem on Facebook that I had written fifty-two years ago in high school. Get ready to cringe:

Alone in my fantasies
Alone with my dreams
But when I wake with the dawning
One sullen fact remains
That I am alone in my love for you---
The sun doesn't shine; it rains.

Today’s YouTube video has some worrisome news regarding tourist visa extensions. I’ve been living here for over six years as a tourist. Under current immigration law, I can extend my visa in 60-day increments for thirty-six months. Then, I’m required to depart the Philippines, and when I return, the clock is reset. That may be changing. Coincidentally, I’m going to the immigration office on Tuesday for my next extension. I guess I’m going to find out then whether the rules have changed.

Anyone up for a laugh?

Okay, I’m outta here. Not sure what I’ll have to post tomorrow, but that won’t stop me.

Here’s a bonus for you. When I was pulling up that Marty Robbins tune, I came across a video of a vlogger’s reaction to hearing it for the first time. I’ve never watched reaction videos before, but I see now there are a whole slew of them. It was kind of fun to watch someone hear a song by an artist I grew up with.

The old adage is true that when it rains, it pours
Even here in our little town of whores
But for the hardy among us, it's onward we march
Through the mud and the puddles and weather harsh

For we know what's coming soon enough
And the scorching heat will be just as tough
The misery that comes with being drenched in sweat
Will make us miss the rain and mourn its death

During a downpour, we may bitch and moan
But we'll look ahead and adjust our tone
For it won't be long until we again regret
Losing the comfort that rain begets

Be careful what you ask for, Mr. Kim!

Anyway, yesterday wasn’t as totally empty as I anticipated it would be. When I presented Swan with the option of staying in or going out, she said she wanted pizza. Hmm. I guess I could have ordered one for delivery, but then came an unexpected break in the rain, so I took that as a sign that Jesus wanted me to head into town and spend some money in the empty bars. And that’s just what I did.

We started out at BarCelona, and we were the only customers. Some beers, some wine, and a lady drink for our waitress, then we headed downstairs to Alaska Club. Once again, we were the only customers present. Greeted owner Jerry and enjoyed more beer and wine. The dancers on stage were actually making an effort to perform in unison, so I tipped them each 50 pesos for putting the moves on. Next up was Wet Spot, and no other customers were there except for us. Weird, but I guess the rain and flooding kept sane people at home. Waitress Irene got a lady drink, and thankfully, there was no sign of Aine. When the Sit-n-Bull waitress came around, we ordered our take-out food (pizza, lumpia, and a burrito). We also treated Irene to some chicken fingers. When our order arrived, we headed home.

And so ended another day. Honestly, I think I would have been just as happy staying home. What the hell is wrong with me!?

It’s raining again today, but not constantly, and not as hard as the past few days. Perhaps this storm has finally died. I had planned on attending the SOB dance competition this evening, but it has been canceled for weather-related reasons. I’m not sure what my alternative plan will be, but I’m thinking we might head out to Baloy Beach and see if it is still there.

Facebook took me back nine years to the going away party for my pal Lonnie.

Then there was this memory from four years ago:

Ah, her name is Mary. I’d actually forgotten that brief period of drama she brought into my life. And then looking up the post I linked above, I came across this picture of the initiation of a virgin Hasher in July 2020:

Maybe I should post this next to my laptop, but I doubt it would help much. I mean, I know what punctuation is; I just don’t always remember to use it properly.

Today’s YouTube video is about life in the Philippines from this particular vlogger’s perspective. Everyone is different, of course, and not everyone is suited to live happily here. There are all kinds of options, from city life to province life and everything in between. I’ve found my niche, and I’m happy with it for the most part.

And now for today’s dose of humor, such as it is:

And that’s all for now, folks.

…but I don’t date them anymore, either. Now that I’m in a relationship, I take comfort in my daily routines. On Sundays, that means the candy walk with Swan, the feeding at Hideaway, and our weekly dinner date at John’s place.

The candy walk was our regular (routine?) route through the streets of San Isidro. Once again, the kids were out in force awaiting our arrival—so many, in fact, that we ran out of candy two streets early. We felt bad for the ones we missed, but we’ll try to stock up more for next week.

Another sweet Sunday morning.

The afternoon was also sweet and stormy. Used my umbrella on the walk to Hideaway, but took care of business. Speaking of business, the bar was surprisingly full yesterday. This was partly because of the pool league match but also because owner Griff was in attendance, and that brought his drinking buddies in. I got some suckers for the girls and told Griff I’d help attract more customers by posting on Facebook that the girls at Hideaway are happy to suck your lollipop. That earned me a laugh and a free beer!

Three (or was it four?) beers later, I crossed the highway to meet my sweetie for dinner at John’s place.

We did our nightcap at Green Room, grabbed some pumpkin pie from Myleen’s, then headed home to end our sweet day. Crazy heavy rain throughout the night, and there is more on the way.

This doesn’t bode well for today’s Hash. I’m one of the Hares today and marking a trail during a rainstorm is even more challenging than hiking the trail. Depending on how bad it gets, we may have to revert to a street walk. We’ll see how that goes.

The big news politically is that Biden has bailed from his failing re-election campaign, as I predicted he would. How he can remain President in his condition is a question his puppet-masters haven’t answered yet.

For any of my readers who happen to be foodies, this post and photos from Kevin Kim’s meal prep for a work luncheon are not to be missed. I wish he offered delivery to the PI.

Facebook memories showing history repeats itself? Turns out, I was one of the Hares five years ago, too.

Speaking of rain, it has arrived now. And today’s YouTube video doesn’t bode well for the pleasantness of today’s Hash adventure:

When it rains, it pours. Oh, well. We’ll figure something out.

You can either laugh or cry:

One more to cleanse the palate of that nastiness above.

Okay then, gotta prepare for whatever the immediate future might bring. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, the appointment with Dr. DeLeon went well. I dated a doctor once, and she told me medical practice was as much an art as a science. There are rarely clear-cut answers leading to diagnosis; it’s more a process of elimination. Since it was my first meeting with Dr. DeLeon, she took the time to explore my pulmonary history, beginning with that first diagnosis of COPD eight years ago. We talked about the drugs I’m taking for that condition, the symptoms I’ve been experiencing, and their varying degrees of severity. She wants a chest x-ray to get a clearer picture of the current situation and some blood work for additional assessments. The pulmonary function tests I want are not available at the new UniCare Hospital yet, so we will schedule those at Baypointe Hospital.

Based on the information currently available, Dr. DeLeon believes the most likely cause of my recent exacerbation of breathing issues was triggered by a virus, and when coupled with my existing COPD condition, caused the symptoms I’ve been suffering under. She prescribed a five-day antibiotics regimen and seven days of steroids. I’ll make a follow-up appointment when I get the aforementioned test results back.

I continue to feel like I’m making progress. The lowest reading on my oximeter has been 93%, the others have been 95 and above. I slept through through the night. I’m no longer experiencing discomfort from acid reflux symptoms. I did my long dog walk this morning and didn’t suffer much.

I also did a 7K+ flat street walk this morning. I wasn’t as strong or as fast as usual, but it felt good to be out and about again.

My evening on the town last night went well too. We started out at BarCelona.

We didn’t stay too long at BarCelona because I had a wallet full of SOB coupons to use or lose. So, we headed downstairs to the Green Room. I gave Swan a “buy a lady drink, get a customer drink free” coupon while I used the remainder of my 1500 peso voucher. That lady’s drink made our regular waitress, Chu, very happy. When our other regular, Lea, came to the table, I got her a lady drink too, and Chu used Swan’s coupon again, giving Swan a second glass of wine on the house. And the party was on!

Now, I’m not a big spender, but I can be generous. So, the lady drinks at my table kept flowing. I bought some snacks and finger foods for sharing as well.

I spent a tad over 2000 pesos on my quest to be generous. Two tourists came in and sat at the table next to mine. A few minutes later they were surrounded by twenty girls or so, and damn, they bought them ALL drinks. And pizza. I’m sure they didn’t get out of there for less than 10,000 pesos.

Swan’s three glasses of wine put her over the limit, so we headed for home a little after seven. Swan allowed me to break my ice cream fast with some pecan pie a la mode.

It was a good day, and hopefully better days are yet to come.

Is this politics or humor? I guess both.

Today’s YouTube video discusses five major construction projects taking place in the Philippines, including a new airport in metro Manila, which is sorely needed. That solar panel farm was disgusting and didn’t appear environmentally friendly. Why not just build a nuclear plant? Well, this is the PI, and given the construction standards and lack of maintenance, maybe that’s not a good idea either.

Shall we take a stab at humor?

Yeah, I’m a bad boy but I’m behaving. I invited Swan to Kon Tiki this evening. Let’s hope the rain holds off.

Some folks disparage routines as boring and indicative of a lack of motivation to try something new. I tend to enjoy mine, though, and us old retired guys appreciate being in the comfort zone. The Sunday routines I follow fill the hours in a manner that satisfices my needs. See for yourself:

I did the blogging, napping, and showering routines, then headed into town for the Hideaway feeding.

There had been a pool league match before I arrived, so at least there were a couple of customers this time. The owner of Hideaway is due back from the UK this week. Hopefully, he can turn things around. The future doesn’t look bright for the bar if he can’t. Good luck!

Next up was the best routine of the evening—dinner with Swan at John’s place. I arrived first and was disappointed to learn they were out of red wine. Wine doesn’t spoil, and for a restaurant not to always have a bottle on hand makes no sense. I gave Swan the option of dining elsewhere, but she took it in stride and ordered a San Miguel Apple beer.

Dinner is served:

We did our nightcap at The Green Room, then headed home for the final routine of our Sunday.

And now it is Hash Monday. In a break with the normal routine, Swan has consented to join the Hashers for today’s hike. It is her friend Jo’s birthday Hash, and Jo asked her to attend. Swan asked if she should bring anything, and I told her no, we would make Jo a birthday cake during the circle. Swan said, how do you do that? I told her to wait and see.
I’m looking forward to the look on her face when she sees what making Jo a birthday cake looks like. I’ll try and get a photo or two.

Something interesting is happening in the lot across from my house:

I sometimes think about what life would have been like on the old Navy base. Today’s YouTube video from the days when China didn’t fuck with the Philippines is the closest I’ll get.

Puns and more today!

Oh, they get worse:

I hope you’ll come back for more tomorrow.

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!