The Friday group ventured out to Philseco on the far side of Subic and walked the back way to Castillejos. We hadn’t made this trip since April last year, so it all felt pretty fresh. And then we took a different route up into the hills and came down quite a bit further out of town than usual. That long walk back to Castillejos after a climb was an ass-kicker for me. We finished at almost 10K, which is tough for me even on flat ground.

After lunch (the chicken wings were good), I caught an aircon bus back to Barretto. I took a much-needed nap, blogged, and then got ready for my Friday night at the SOB dance competition. Swan joined me there. When the show was done, we headed home and engaged in our “Shameless” ritual before hitting the hay.

And so ended another day in the life. Tonight, I’ll be going on a double dinner date on SBMA. So, you can look forward to something a little different in tomorrow’s post.

A good group hike with the Wednesday Walkers and a good dinner out with my sweetheart made for a good day.

The walk was especially nice because it was something we hadn’t done for quite some time. The reason for that is the logistics–we need transport out to Tibag for the start, and since it is a one-way hike, it has to be a drop-off. Last time we did this route, there were only two of us, so we had a trike take us for 200 pesos. We used my driver this time, and we all kicked in a hundred pesos each for the ride. So, we started out Tibag way and hoofed it through the foothills to Waltermart on the far side of Subic-town, then caught a Jeepney back to Barretto.

The big surprise for me was Swan came along for her first-ever group hike. And she brought my part-time helper, Inday, with her. When I asked her later why she decided to come, she told me it was because I hadn’t been feeling well the night before, and she wanted to be there to help if I needed it. Ain’t she sweet? And she asked Inday to come along because she wanted to make sure she knew someone there besides me. Whatever works. They both seemed to enjoy themselves.

Seven kilometers from beginning to end. Most of it was quite pleasant, and I look forward to passing this way again someday.

Swan had afternoon business in Subic, so while she did that, I paid a visit to Cheap Charlies.

When Swan got back into town, I took her to dinner at Sit-n-Bull.

So, I’ve switched from feeding the Hideaway crew on Wednesdays to feeding my girl. It must be love.

We were back home by seven, and I enjoyed a couple of more “Shameless” episodes. My lifestyle seems to be transitioning to something more domestic, don’t you think? I had a much better night’s sleep (no oxygen issues) and woke up at my usual early hour of four a.m.

Okay, that’s all for now.

Tuesday is my nothin’ much day, and yesterday was no exception. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And in keeping with my new Tuesday tradition, I ventured out to Baloy Beach late in the afternoon to spend some time on the Kokomo floating bar.

Back ashore, we went to Treasure Island for dinner. The menu featured some new options:

Triked home after dinner and did my “Shameless” thing on the couch until I fell asleep. Again. And then my night took a turn for the worse. I went to bed and awoke around midnight, not feeling quite right. I used my nebulizer, returned to bed, and still couldn’t sleep. I checked my blood oxygen and was shocked to see it was a dangerous 89. It has been months and months since I had that kind of low. So, I fired up my oxygen tank, breathed in some air, rechecked my reading, and it was up to a healthy 97. Back in bed and still sleepless, I got up to check once more, and I was now down to a 91. So, I took in more oxygen. I’m not sure what was up with that, although I have been hocking up phlegm, which may be the cause of my issues. Today, I’m back at 95, which is pretty much normal for me. Weird.

Via Facebook memories, I was provided a glimpse of my life six years ago in Korea.

I got a compliment on my garlic bread. Here’s my secret recipe:

I always suspected there was a training class for bargirls. Now, I’ve found the evidence:

Alright, it’s time to get on with my day. I had a great group hike with the Wednesday Walkers this morning, which I’ll share with you tomorrow. Until then, hasta la vista!

I posted the dragon shot on Facebook for shits and giggles. Folks were impressed with the view, and some of my Filipina friends asked if it was real. I answered truthfully that it was real. A real photoshop.

No hike yesterday, I just wasn’t feeling up for it. Hopefully, I’ll have more strength when I attempt today’s Hash trail. In positive health-related news, my blood pressure has been steadily dropping since I started my new meds. 123/76 this morning!

I got back on track later in the day with my Sunday feeding ritual at Hideaway. I told Joy not to count on me continuing the Wednesday feedings as I have other priorities now.

After Hideaway, I took the back alley to the beach.

We did a quick nightcap at Wet Spot; then I scored some pecan pie from Sit-n-Bull for our snack while we watched an episode of “Shameless” at home together.

I got up to pee in the wee hours of the morning and saw this out the window:

Even a nothing Sunday was a blessing.

I saw a meme mocking Biden as a nowhere man: “doesn’t have a point of view, knows not where he’s going to…”

A full and fulfilling day is behind me now. Here is how it went down:

Swan joined me on the morning hike with a bag full of candy to hand out to the children we encountered along the way.

At the end of our journey, I was feeling a tad hungry. And the urge struck when a Jollibee was conveniently located across the street. So I went in and brought some home.

I still needed to make some final preparations for the grand opening of The Rite Spot On The Roof, so I had my driver pick me up and take me SBMA for some shopping. I purchased two rocking chairs and a folding chair at American Hardware.

The chili had been cooking all day in the crockpot, but I still had some cornbread muffins to bake.

The party was scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m., so I went upstairs and began getting everything set up before the guests arrived.

The beer lasted until 9:30 or so; by then, it was past time for this early bird to call it a night. Still, it was a good time and nice to hang out with the neighbors. It was also a pleasant change of pace to take a night off from the bars in town. I’ll definitely become a regular at The Rite Spot.

I took today off from walking; just wasn’t feeling it. I’ll be out for the Sunday Hideaway feeding later and will likely do some time on the Arizona floater. And life goes on.

Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl
And you've got me wanting you

…the better the view.

Yep, we did it again. Another group hike, another route to explore and see what we could see on Kalaklan Ridge.

But there was still more highness in my day to come. I ventured out as usual at beer o’clock, making Sloppy Joe’s my first stop. I made the decision not to attend this week’s SOB primarily because the venue (Voodoo) is small and gets crowded. I see it as sacrificing my seat so an out-of-towner can enjoy the show. Once or twice a month is plenty for me.

Lots of familiar faces to socialize with at Sloppy’s.

At six o’clock, I moved on to a new rooftop venue, The Rite Spot. Swan was waiting for me there.

The grand opening of The Rite Spot On The Roof will be tonight. I invited my neighbors to join me for some beers upstairs. I also made a crockpot of chili and will serve it with some cornbread. Swan is making a sausage casserole. I went out this afternoon and bought a couple of rocking chairs to add to the seating options. I’ll be sharing photos from tonight’s event tomorrow.

Well, maybe there are spiritual needs. And puns.

Had enough? Me too. Besides, that cornbread won’t bake itself!

I experienced one of my favorite excursions with the Wednesday Walkers yesterday. Once again we tackled the Kalaklan Ridge, this time assisting the Hares for next week’s Hash scout a trail. The route we took to get to the top was interesting. First, we’d go up, then down, circle around some, then back up and down until we eventually made the final push and achieved the ridgeline.

I was once again suffering at the start. My heavy breathing led to a hacking cough. Then I started spitting up hunks of phlegm. And after a while, I could breathe better again. I guess a hard climb is a good extraction method for the shit that accumulates in my lungs. At least it worked yesterday.

My evening out was pretty much routine. I fed the crew at Hideaway, such as it is. Down to two waitresses, a bartender, and a cashier. Not sure what’s up with that. I’m probably going to cut to a once-a-week feeding on Sunday.

Swan was working last night, so I didn’t have meeting up with her to look forward to. I filled some time at Cheap Charlies, then Sloppy Joe’s, before finishing up at The Green Room. I got home around seven and spent some time with my friends from “Shameless.” Swan arrived home from work just before nine, and we enjoyed some couch time before bed.

Swan is working again today but finishes earlier, so we will get together for dinner tonight.

I was walking the beach at Baloy and had to take a leak, so I stopped at Treasure Island.

It’s funny looking back at all my “conspiracy theories” that have recently been proven to be the truth.

And I also came across evidence that I really am a rich man. At least in the Philippines.

What am I forgetting? Oh yeah, the puns!

Was that a big sigh of relief I just heard? Well, I’ll be back with more tomorrow. You have been warned!

Greetings from the land of all-day brownouts. At least they gave us advance warning that there would be no power today from eight until five, but it is still a pain in the ass. I’ve got a cold shower in my future. Luckily, I have my mobile hotspot so I can engage with the internets.

Well, I’m joking, of course. That’s Swan and my helper Teri in the waiting room. The primary purpose of my visit was to have my blood pressure medications reviewed.

Dr. Jo prescribed some new pills to add to my daily collection. As I suspected, there is not much to be done with my COPD symptoms except to continue my current regimen of meds.

After the doctor’s appointment, Swan and I hoofed it down to Baloy Beach to spend some time on the floating bar.

(I just got a warning that my battery saver is on. We’ll see if I can finish this before my power is gone)

Okay, no battery for additional commentary…here’s the jokes:

Back tomorrow when I have some electricity!

I was alone in the morning because Swan had a family event to attend. In the evening, Swan joined me on the Arizona floating bar with her friend Mercy. And in between I did a Hideaway feeding. Here’s what the day looked like:

And then the time came to head into town for my feeding chore. I stopped at Jewel Cafe and ordered some meals for delivery to Hideaway, then delivered myself there as well.

A few beers and lady drinks later, it was time to hit the beach, conveniently located right behind Hideaway.

Mercy needed to head back home to feed her husband, and as Swan and I were walking down the highway, a trike driver called out to me by name: “Going home, Sir John?” It seemed like fate, so we decided to screw the nightcap and make it an early night. I cuddled up on the couch with Swan and some “Shameless,” which was a nice way to say goodbye to Sunday.

Now it’s another Hash Monday. The trail begins on Rizal Extension, which is a pain in the ass to get to. I’m going to go over the mountain on my own to get there. Wish me luck! Assuming I survive, I’ll be back with a full report tomorrow.

But enough is enough, and I’m thankful for that. Even by my low standards, nothing about yesterday was particularly noteworthy, but it was still another link in this chain we call life. A morning walk with Swan handing out candies to the kiddies we encountered kicked things off, and an uneventful bar crawl to end the day. Isn’t that the story of my life?

Erik, a hiking buddy, tagged along for my evening bar crawl. One beer at Sloppy Joe’s, one at Cheap Charlies, and three more at Oasis (Swan joined us there). Then we crossed the highway and had some dinner at Mylene’s. We went international–carbonara for Swan, tacos for Erik, and a chicken burger for me. Everyone professed to have enjoyed the meal. We did our nightcap and Wet Spot, then bid farewell to Erik and triked on home.

See, I told you the day was nothing special. But to give this post a semblance of substance, let me share this video about the US Navy bringing a tanker full of weapons grade fuel for storage at Subic. Why, it’s almost as if someone is preparing for the outbreak of war. But with who? Oh, about those elections in Taiwan–China ain’t pleased.

One of my favorite vloggers posted some advice to avoid losing your Filipina girlfriend.

A commenter accused me of being a lefty and cited this photo of my insurrection at the US Embassy in Seoul as evidence:

Today’s joke is on fire:

I’ll take as many more days as I can as long as I am able to keep doing the things I enjoy. Getting old sucks sometimes, but it beats the hell out of the alternative. And my little retirement town provides me with everything I need: hills to climb, beaches to walk, and beers to drink. I want to keep on keeping on as long as I can!

The Wednesday Walkers gathered up at the usual place and headed up into the hills to see what we could see.

In other news, Swan started a new job yesterday. She’s a part-time waitress at the Subiza Beach Resort on Baloy. Her shift is 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and for now, she only works on Wednesday and Thursday. She wanted to work, even though she doesn’t need to work as I would, of course, support her as needed, in addition to her monthly allowance. I’m in favor of whatever makes her happy.

I did the feeding at Hideaway last night. They are down to four girls now, and I was the only customer. Not sure what’s going on with that. I had some SOB coupons to expend, so I made my way to Green Room and stayed for a couple of beers. Next up was Wet Spot, and it was pretty dead as well. I decided to make it an early night, so I could be home when Swan returned from work.

I brought Swan a pecan pie, her favorite, and awaited her arrival on the front porch. When the trike pulled up a little after eight, I pulled out my wallet intending to pay the fare but Swan beat me to it. So, when she came up to me, I handed her the fifty peso note. And she refused to take it, saying I give her enough already and she could manage her budget. I tried again and she still wouldn’t accept my gift. So, I threw the money on the ground, grabbed a beer, and went up to the roof to pout. Yeah, I can be a real asshole sometimes. I don’t handle rejection well, and I thought it was rude to not appreciate my kind gesture. Anyway, I eventually regained my sanity, we talked it through and made peace before going to bed.

My plan tonight will be to imbibe on Baloy and visit Swan’s workplace before she gets off so we can ride home together. I’ll pay for the trike!

Facebook memories took me back to my final 8th Army days six years ago, when I participated in a meet and greet with the Secretary of the Army.

I found this on my Facebook feed as well:

In the land of Star Trek there is this:

One bad pun deserves another:

And that’s just about enough for now, don’t you think?

Like a Sunday should be. Here’s a taste of the flavors I experienced.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. Aine and Irene were both missing in action. That saved me some money on lady drinks, so I decided to splurge on this:

A couple of commenters mentioned the lack of drama in my life now that I’m in a relationship. That’s true, but there are always potential landmines where you least expect to find them. At Wet Spot last night, I got up to go to the CR. That’s when I had the bright idea to grab some pecan pie next door at Sit-n-Bull. I used the side exit from Wet Spot and was gone for less than ten minutes. When I came back in through the front door with the pies, Swan had a weird expression on her face. She loves pecan pie, so I was expecting something more gleeful. Swan told me that when I didn’t come back right away from the CR, she assumed I was seeing another girl in the bar. She was happy the sweetness that distracted me was pie. So, everything was good after that, and it never reached the level of drama. I still need to watch my step, though.

Home early for pecan pie a la mode and a re-watch of the “Shameless” episode I’d slept through the night before. And now it’s Hash Monday, and the trail starts here in Alta Vista, so that will be convenient. In fact, my stroll yesterday covered a good bit of today’s trail, except for the climbing part. It’s alright; I’m up for it. (ahem)

How about some food puns today?

Okay, I’ll let it be for now. More of this banality tomorrow. Come back and see!

I had no idea this song originated in the 1920s.

You don’t have to go far in my neck of the woods to change your view. Our Friday group hike demonstrated that loud and clear. A Jeepney ride three kilometers out of town, then a climb up to Kalaklan Ridge, a stroll through a hillside graveyard (nobody whistled), and a long, wet walk on the beach. It doesn’t get much better than that.

It was interesting heading up to the ridgeline again so soon after Monday’s Hash. The trail we took up was within a hundred yards of where the Hash began, but it was a completely different path and experience. For one thing, half the climb was on steps. Most of the rest of the way up was through a hillside shanty village. The big difference came in making a right turn at the ridge (the Hash trail had turned left), which provided a gentle descent instead of the arduous climb in the opposite direction.

It had been a couple of years since I last hiked through the cemetery, so that felt like a fresh adventure. Same with walking the beach from the lighthouse back to Barretto. There had been some changes on the shoreline that necessitated wading into the bay in several places. We were fortunate it was low tide. Otherwise, our route wouldn’t have been walkable.

Lots of pictures taken along the way, and here they are:

I had to hurry home to shower and blog; then, it was off to the VFW for the AGPU meeting. I had done some looking for a new Hash truck, but it turns out the Hash is losing money every month, so there is no budget for that. We did elect a new GM:

So, the meeting was over at 3:00–too late to go back home and too early to start drinking. I resolved the dilemma by drinking anyway. I began at Sloppy Joe’s, then moved to the Green Room when they opened at 4:00. The Green Room was hosting the SOB, so I secured the best seats in the house by arriving early.

I was past the stage of had enough when the show ended at 8:00. Still managed to enjoy an episode of “Shameless” before bed.

This morning I decided to bake a batch of blueberry muffins. And then I saw this:

I had a follow-up appointment with the ENT doc who performed my surgery this morning, and she seemed pleased with the results of my healing. So there’s that.

And here’s something I haven’t seen before–a Lord of the Rings meme/joke:

Today’s Star Trek smile:

I’ll close with these words of wisdom that appeared in my Facebook memories:

Sometimes the light's all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long, strange trip it's been.