Yesterday’s consult with Dr. DeLeon went fine. She explained the basics of aortic stenosis and some of the ramifications of that diagnosis.

So anyway, Dr. DeLeon was being careful about not stepping out of her lane as a pulmonary specialist, saying the cardiologist I’m scheduled to see next week can better explain treatment options, medications, and the way ahead. She did render the judgment that this condition is the likely cause of my breathing difficulties. As I understood her explanation, the oxygenated blood from my lungs is restricted by the stenosis from entering the heart, creating a lung backup.

Aortic valve stenosis ranges from mild to severe. Symptoms generally occur when narrowing of the valve is severe. Some people with aortic valve stenosis may not have symptoms for many years.

Symptoms of aortic valve stenosis may include:

• An irregular heart sound (heart murmur) heard through a stethoscope
• Chest pain (angina) or tightness with activity
• Feeling faint or dizzy or fainting with activity
• Shortness of breath, especially with activity
• Fatigue, especially during times of increased activity
• Rapid, fluttering heartbeat (palpitations)
• Not eating enough (mainly in children with aortic valve stenosis)
• Not gaining enough weight (mainly in children with aortic valve stenosis)

Aortic valve stenosis may lead to heart failure. Heart failure symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and swollen ankles and feet.

On the one hand, the only aortic valve stenosis symptoms I’ve experienced are shortness of breath and fatigue. On the other hand, I’ve had all of the heart failure symptoms listed above. We’ll see what the cardiologist has to say about that.

Another thing about Dr. DeLeon: she’s young, smart (obviously), and has a sense of humor. And apparently, she enjoys reading fiction. I cracked up when I saw this book on her desk:

So, I aim to make it until next Thursday and see what I need to do to keep things from worsening. I’m going to keep it mostly flat on my hikes and monitor my heart rate so I don’t exceed my 128 bpm limit. At least I have an excuse to wimp out of the climbs on Monday’s Hash. We’ll see.

But enough about my health. Let’s talk about John, from the Sushi and Steak place I like to eat. He is still in the hospital. He posted on Facebook asking if anyone had a wheelchair and a four-leg walker he could use. I messaged him that I’d be willing to help him acquire something if he hadn’t found anything yet. John responded that he had gotten what he needed, but his problem now was they wouldn’t release him from the hospital until his bill was paid. Yeah, that’s how it works in the Philippines. And, of course, the bill keeps going up for every day they keep him there. I couldn’t afford to foot the whole bill, but I told him I’d make a contribution. So, when I was done with my medical shit yesterday, I went to John’s place to leave some cash with his wife. She was very appreciative, as was John, so hopefully, he’ll be out and about again soon. Swan and my helper/caregiver, Teri, accompanied me to the restaurant, and we had an early dinner together.

Dr. DeLeon prescribed me five days’ worth of steroids to tide me over, and after dinner, Teri went to fetch them at the drugstore. Swan and I proceeded to It Doesn’t Matter for some liquid refreshments, and then we had a nightcap at The Green Room.

It’s good to be alive. Let’s see how long I can keep it going!

I saw this today and thought, hey that shoe fits:

Might as well wear it:

What would Kamala say?

But enough about politics, let’s watch today’s YouTube video. Our vlogger exposes what he considers “lies” about the Philippines. Well, he’s been here two years, and I’ve been here six. Opinions vary, and disagreeing with someone doesn’t make it a lie. But whatever, he likes the food; some do, and some don’t. I agree with him about the PI being relatively safe. I sure as hell wouldn’t walk through slum villages in the USA. I still appreciate hearing different perspectives.

And now for what I call humor:

Alright, sorry for today’s late posting. We went all the way out to San Antonio for the Friday group rainy-day hike. We got back home later than usual, which threw me off schedule. I decided to say fuck-off to Friday in town and just chill at the house tonight. Swan is making some burritos for our dining pleasure. We’ll eat downstairs. The Rite Spot is closed due to inclement weather. And life goes on!

Yesterday was another windswept rainy day here in paradise, but that didn’t stop the Wednesday Walkers. The four of us in attendance deployed our umbrellas and embarked on a 7+K walk to Waltermart on the far side of Subic town. We enjoyed periodic breaks in the downpours, and once our feet were soaked, wading through puddles no longer mattered. That voice in my head had been screaming for me to bail out and shortcut since early in the hike, but I successfully ignored its entreaties. I’ve never paid attention to my heart rate while hiking, but I was curious how my damaged blood pump was doing on this mostly flat walk. According to my Fitbit, walking at a thirteen-minute kilometer pace had my heart beating around one hundred times a minute. During the one gentle uphill we encountered, I got up to 120. According to this website, the maximum for an old fart like me is around 128. So, I was in the zone, but yesterday’s adventure was nothing like those hard climbs at the Hash. One more thing to keep my eye on, I guess.  

The rain kept coming and going all afternoon, but that didn’t stop us from heeding the call of beer o’clock. That’s why God created umbrellas, right? First stop, BarCelona.

I ran into a guy I know there, and he introduced me to his friend. This friend is in the process of opening a new bar in Barretto (the former McArthur’s) and a resort on Baloy Beach. I wished him well and dropped a big hint about opening a beach bar at his resort location. I’ll keep an eye out for the openings and do a review here.

Our next stop was the Green Room downstairs, and we had a pleasant visit there as usual. We did our nightcap at Wet Spot and ordered takeout from Sit-n-Bull for dinner at home.

And that’s the way I rolled through another Wednesday.

Way back in 2007, I was feeling the blues at 3 Alley Pub in Itaewon, Seoul. As I recall, a gal I had been crushing on showed up with another guy and was playing kissy-face with him across the table from me.

This was also in my Facebook memories feed, but it rings as true now as it ever did.

Today’s YouTube video tells the story of an expat in trouble for a crime he didn’t know was a crime (neither did I): he kicked his girlfriend out of his condo. Swan is the first gal I’ve lived with here, and as I like to tease, she came with the house.

The vlogger gives all the background you need in the video above, but if you want to hear more of the story, here’s the original video he references.

Thousands of comedians out of work, and I’M trying to be funny:

Okay, it’s time for me to get ready to have my consultation with the doctor about my heart. I’ll share what I learn tomorrow.

And as an added bonus, here is one of those first reaction to this song videos:

Another Tuesday is in the books. The exclamation point of the day was finding out something is wrong with my heart. The doctor who performed the echocardiogram wasn’t that great at English (or I wasn’t good at discerning her words), but she said something about the left side of the heart being the most important and that there were three arteries that bring oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart. It seems that one of mine isn’t doing its job. Whatever the hell that means.

Interestingly (to me), it was just a little over ten years ago that I was diagnosed with a 50% blockage in one of my arteries. I don’t know if this latest development is related to that or if it is something else entirely. I’m going back to the pulmonary doctor who referred me for the ECG tomorrow for her review of the results and guidance on what happens next. The cardiologist mentioned something about a “treadmill,” which I assume means a stress test. I’m not sure if this latest diagnosis is pertinent to my breathing issues or not. Anyway, we shall see.

I got the grocery shopping done before the hospital visit and spent a hundred bucks less than last week. The ECG was 4000 pesos, so I finished in the black.

When I got home from the hospital visit, Swan had my lunch ready:

So, I decided that staying home last night was The Rite Spot to be.

Fired up some music on the speaker box, sat in my rocking chair, and watched the daylight go away.

And then Swan called me down for supper.

Spent some rare time in front of the TV, but didn’t see anything worth mentioning. I’m too lazy to start another multi-season series, and I don’t have the attention span to sit through a two-hour movie. Instead, I watch crap YouTube videos and waste my time. I need to do better.

And that was how I filled those Tuesday hours.

Two years ago, I posted this on Facebook:

Man, oh man, I’m making lefty heads explode with the Cat memes I’ve been posting on Facebook. To me, it’s a joke, not a serious election issue. Well, the influx of illegals is a big issue, just not so much what they are eating. But given the reaction, I guess the Dims see this as a reminder of one of their big failures. So, I’ll keep playing along.

Today’s YouTube video is less than five minutes long, which suits me just fine. Our vlogger expounds on what the Philippines is really like for foreigners. Everyone has an opinion, so I gave him a watch. He called life here “a blessing and a curse”, but it seems to be all about how women perceive men as “rich.” While that may be true in some cases, I don’t see why that would make your life here a curse unless those women are all your life is about. As I said, it’s a short watch, so it’s not a total waste of time. I’m just glad I don’t share his outlook.

Your daily dose of what passes for humor here at LTG:

And the rain is back with a passion today. The Wednesday Walkers did an umbrella walk anyway, and it turned out alright. I’ll tell you all about that tomorrow. I’ll brave the weather to show support for the bars later on because that’s what a good citizen does, right?

“Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Ah, it takes me back to those long ago years when I delivered mail for a living (1976-83). Welp, we weren’t gonna let a little rain stop us from our appointed rounds on the Candy Walk yesterday. I wondered if we’d see many kids out and about in the wet weather, but by the end of the walk, we had sweetened the lives of over 200 children. Mission accomplished!

A few hours later, I was back on the road, this time to Hideaway Bar.

The bar was surprisingly busy yesterday; I’ll take that as a good sign. It really is a nicer vibe when you are not the only customer.

The next stop was John’s place for my Sunday dinner with Swan. Sadly, John is still in the hospital. A crap public hospital. I couldn’t help but wonder whether this would be our last meal while John is still among the living. Hopefully, I’m wrong about that.

We did our nightcap at Green Room and enjoyed the conclusion of our Sunday evening out.

So, it turns out the Philippines is a world leader:

Today’s memory is from those long, long ago high school days when I fancied myself a writer.

I can’t decide if this belongs in the politics section or is it better suited to humor?

Here’s another:

Today’s YouTube video talks about the do’s and don’ts of living rich in the Philippines. My monthly pension puts me in the “elite” category, but other than living in the big house in a gated subdivision and not worrying about money much, I don’t think I flaunt my “wealth.” I could have lived a comfortable life in the USA or Korea (I did for the first five years after retirement), but that life was taken from me, so I chose this one as the alternative. So far, so good. I absolutely disagree with the vlogger’s assertion that living in a big city is the best choice. I enjoy my little town; if I ever left here, I’d find somewhere similar

And now for the non-political humor:

And here it is, another Hash Monday. Let’s see how I do.

Swan wanted to join me for my Saturday stroll, so that meant I had to come up with something other than the usual Barretto street walk. It had been a while since I’d done the Philseco loop, so we grabbed a Jeepney and headed out to the far side of Subic. I planned to do around 7K, but when we got back to the highway, I wimped out again. I just don’t seem to have any staying power these days.

We made it home before some heavy afternoon rainfall, then later broke out our umbrellas for the walk into town. First stop, It Doesn’t Matter.

We didn’t stay at IDM long. After a couple of drinks, we wished Vharry the best and then headed to Myleen’s for dinner.

We changed things up for our nightcap and gave Alaska Club a visit. Owner Jerry is out of town (back home at that other Alaska), and we were the only customers on a Saturday evening. Those two factors are related, I’m afraid. Still, we made the best of our visit. I gave the dancers something to suck on and 50 pesos each for their efforts. They seemed pleased. It’s always refreshing to see the girls in a dancing bar actually dancing, even if there are no customers to buy them drinks.

When it was time to go, we grabbed some pecan pie at Sit-n-Bull and then hopped in a trike for home. Yep, done by 8 p.m. on a Saturday night. I’m such an old man!

Today’s YouTube video offers a more positive outlook on why Filipinos are moving back home from overseas employment. When a nation’s biggest export is its workforce, something needs to change. These folks want to put their talents to work here.

Today’s lame attempts at humor:

A disturbing post on Facebook from John Kim:

Help. I am at Gordon Hospital. I was collapsed this morning. After a few IV, I am able to type. Still cannot sit up my own. Due to rainy season, I am suffering. Not asking for big help. Order a birger or fish & chips. Feel in the mood for big help, order steak. Thanks

That was yesterday, and there have been no updates. Swan and I will dine there tonight to see if we can find out if he is getting better. We’ll go there after I feed the girls at Hideaway.

There were five participants in the Friday group hike yesterday, and as the old-timer of the group, it was up to me to chart a course. It’s been wet, and I deemed the hills too risky an undertaking (hey, that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!), so we did a mostly flat street walk. There was not much new to see, but I took some photos anyway.

I hit my wall at 7K and opted to bail out for a trike ride the rest of the way. Yeah, I felt like a pussy, but it just wasn’t worth it to continue when each step was painful.

Next on my Friday agenda was attending the SOB dance competition at Wet Spot. I only attend once or twice a month these days, and I find it mildly entertaining at best. The home team put on the winning performance. At the other end of the spectrum, all La Oficina could muster was a solitary dancer. She was good, but seeing her have to dance alone was sad.

When the show was over at eight, we called it a night and headed home.

Facebook memories took me back nine years to my dart playing days in Seoul.

I made this meme back in my Pyeongtaek days:

It’s election season, and this is my mantra:

Kevin Kim has a post today in which he mentions the rudeness of Koreans. I had a similar experience last night. Wet Spot has only one comfort room, so naturally, it is co-ed. I’m standing at the urinal, and a woman calls out, “Remember me? I used to give you massages at your house. You’ve gotten fat!” Yeah, I know. Thanks for reminding me. Apparently, she is working at Wet Spot now as one of their GRO/back rub girls. She offered to massage me, but I declined and mentioned my girlfriend was with me. She came to our table later and offered to massage Swan, but she also declined. Whatever her name is looked vaguely familiar, but it’s been years since she touched me. And she never will again. This fat old man is off-limits.

And that’s a good lead-in for today’s YouTube video. I do not subscribe to this vlogger, but he makes some valid points. Indeed, not ALL Filipinos are these kinds of rude, but some are. I will say that I’m guilty of the peeing wherever I am when I need to go thing, but like I tell Swan, I’m just adapting to the Filipino culture. And at my age, when you gotta go, you gotta go. The being obnoxiously loud thing is probably still my biggest pet peeve on the rudeness scale.

I’m not sure these all qualify as funny, but here goes anyway:

Gonna start my Saturday on the town at It Doesn’t Matter to wish manager Vharry a happy birthday. We’ll see where things go from there.

I didn’t venture far from home yesterday other than the afternoon jaunt to visit my pulmonary specialist, Dr. DeLeon. My oximeter reading on check-in was a record-high 99, and when she listened to my breathing, she said my lungs sounded clear. I told her about the morning I registered 85 on the oximeter after some, um, strenuous activity. Still, my bigger concern was the occasions when I experienced heavy breathing while inactive and my blood oxygen was in the high nineties normal range. It could be a manifestation of my COPD, but I want to eliminate other possibilities, such as heart problems. To that end, I’m scheduled for an echocardiogram on Tuesday. If my heart checks out okay, I’ll do a pulmonary function test (PFT) to see what my lungs are up to. When I was first diagnosed with COPD eight years ago, I was judged to be at Stage two (of four) of this progressive disease. I’m curious if I’ve gotten worse since then. So, we shall see what the future may bring.

For some reason, I wasn’t in a bar mood at the conclusion of my doctor’s visit, so we came back home. It just felt like The Rite Spot to be, so I headed up to the roof.

Back downstairs, I tried a dish Swan prepared for dinner:

Watched some crap on YouTube to kill an hour, then called it a night. Another Thirstday satiated.

It is both sad and hilarious to see the left freaking out and pretending we don’t have a refugee crisis. They seem to care more about the claim that Haitians are eating pets in Ohio than they do about the murders and gang violence taking place nationwide. Oh, well. At least it is easy to make heads explode with stupid memes these days.

I’ve never really been a cat lover, but I’ve eaten my share of pussy:

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay weighs in on all the negative takes from vloggers lately, some of which I’ve posted here. He calls bullshit on the notion that things are changing for the worse for expats here in the Philippines. In my six years, not much seems different, for better or worse (other than during the scamdemic). Hopefully, I’ve gotten a little smarter when it comes to the ladies. Not to mention lucky in finding Swan. But if you are sending money to someone you’ve never met in person, then yeah, you are dumb. Rule #1 and all.

Let’s see if I can put a smile on your face:

Oh, well. I’ll try again tomorrow. Going to do the SOB today at Wet Spot, so I’d best start getting ready. Hasta la vista!

The Wednesday Walkers ventured out to the native Aeta village of Iram on the far side of Olongapo for yesterday’s hike. We last visited Iram in December 2023 for our annual charity outreach. A lot has changed in less than a year. A massive construction project is underway to build a solar panel farm. The panels will be placed near the top of the surrounding hills, and new roads and infrastructure will be required to accommodate the solar farm. I have no idea what impact this will have on village life a little further up the road, but hopefully, they’ll get reduced electricity rates (assuming they are even wired for power).

It was a good hike. I’m looking forward to seeing how much the solar project progresses between now and December. Someone has invested a lot of money, so I expect they will want to have some power to sell as soon as possible.

This was the afternoon sky as seen from my patio yesterday:

Here’s the view when we arrived at Kon Tiki less than an hour later:

And that’s how the Wednesday went down.

I posted a meme about the pet-eating story from Ohio and caught a lot of flak from my leftie friends saying there is no “evidence” that has happened. Well, if you listen to what the media is calling unconfirmed instead of what the residents are saying, maybe so. The fact is the government dumped a shitload of refugees in a small town without support. That was Kamala’s doing. I’ll go with what Vance says.

Today’s YouTube video is from vlogger George, who takes us for a stroll on the old Navy base.

And here’s a bonus short my Fil-Am friend, Maksil, sent me. I think the obvious answer must be yes.

To the humor we shall go:

I’m going to visit the pulmonary doctor this afternoon for a consultation on what may be triggering my recent bouts of breathlessness. After that, who knows?

My Tuesdays are typically my most blasé day of the week. No hiking, doing the grocery shopping, and then, later in the day, some bar time. Nothing much to tell you about, so I’ll let the photos do most of the talking.

It was raining pretty hard as the day began, so I skipped walking the dogs. We let them run around some in the cul-de-sac, but they didn’t like the rain much either. Tuesday morning is also my muffin-making time. Danny, my driver, enjoys them, and lately, I’ve been sharing them with “Mama” too.

So, that filled the morning hours, but there was still more to do. I got my daily dose of blogging done, and then it was beer o’clock. So, we took a walk to Baloy Beach to see what was happening.

Some pecan pie a la mode for dessert, and then off to bed bringing my Tuesday to a close. Did any of you readers make it this far?

And, of course, today is the sad 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. It is a day that changed everything for me, and I experienced it a little too up close and personal in Washington, DC. Several of my neighbors perished at the Pentagon.  The post I did on the 20th anniversary tells the story of that day from my perspective. In short, it was the day I left the herd mentality perpetuated by my primary sources of news, such as the Washington Post and network television. Discovering blogs like Instapundit gave me a much broader perspective, and I realized that the bias in media comes from what they DON’T report.

And I promised to always remember two brave firefighters in NYC who lost their lives trying save the victims of that attack. So, James Raymond Coyle and Samuel Oitice, you are gone, but not forgotten. May you always rest in peace in the land of heroes.

And this song with the 9/11 images is also something I watch and share every September 11.

I’ve been posting some memes like this on Facebook:

Switching gears, let’s enjoy some Filipina Pea for today’s YouTube video. Some poor wanker can’t seem to meet a worthy Filipina even after ten visits. I hired “tour guides” I met on dating sites back when I was a tourist. And yes, perhaps he is lucky to have not found some of the women I hooked up with.

And now for some humor:

That’s it for today. I think we are going to do a KonTiki visit this evening and enjoy some more beach time. Things will be more normal for tomorrow’s post, I promise.

Well, we enjoyed it while we had it, anyway. It’s raining again today, but life goes on. Until it doesn’t. Started the day yesterday with a bit of a scare. I woke up around 4 a.m. feeling frisky, but the happy ending triggered a severe and scary breathing attack. I took a couple of puffs from my inhaler, but it didn’t seem to help much. I stumbled to my desk, and while Swan loaded up my nebulizer, I slipped the oximeter on my finger, which rendered a reading of 85.

Fortunately, my nebulizer had me back up to a 97 in short order, and I’ve felt fine ever since. I’m going to schedule another consult with the pulmonary doctor and perhaps a cardiologist to try and see WTF is going on. My oximeter reading right now is 98, so whatever it is that ails me seems to be something that is triggered, not constant.

It being Sunday and all, we loaded up our bags and ventured out for the weekly Candy Walk.

And then we were forced to alter our planned route by events beyond our control.

At first, my thought was to wade across the river. But after making our way down to the bank and seeing the strong current and not knowing how deep the water might be (or what was on the bottom), prudence dictated a retreat. Instead, we followed a path I’d never seen before, and it turned out that it led to Bridge #3, a pedestrian crossing. It was an interesting walk as well.

Swan slipped one of the guys a hundred pesos so they could enjoy some gin with the meal. I enjoyed a close-up view of how the other half lives and it was nice meeting some happy and friendly folks along the way.

The planned dinner at John’s place went awry due to a lack of red wine availability. I stopped in after Hideaway and asked, and for the third week, there was none to be had. I messaged Swan and had her meet me at Jewel Cafe instead. I also messaged John this morning to let him know. He thanked me and said he would take care of it today.

Jewel Cafe is not one of my regular dining venues (other than my weekly purchase for the Hideaway girls), but the food is always good. A steak for 499 pesos is unheard of (that’s less than half of what John’s charges), so I knew the portion would be small. It was, but the meat was very tender and well-prepared. With the veggies and mashed taters, my appetite was satiated.

We did our nightcap at Wet Spot. We got there shortly after opening and were the only customers.

One of my neighbors, Maksil, came by and joined us at our table. We had a nice chat about how to turn BarCelona, the rooftop bar that’s for sale, into a successful operation. We both had the same ideas–a barbeque grilled meat menu and an elevator to get to the third floor. Our expat community of old men don’t handle stairs well.

Anyway, I don’t think either one of us needs the hassle of bar ownership in our lives.

And that’s how I survived my sweet, sunshiny Sunday.

Facebook memories today are all from five years ago when I visited Saigon. I ought to go back again, I really enjoyed myself.

Today’s YouTube video ponders why expats leave the Philippines. Well, I ain’t going nowhere. And if I ever do, it won’t be back to the USA.

Things you might find funny:

Geez, I’m bad. Anyway, it is Hash Monday. Today is the Grand Master’s birthday, and he is also the Hare. Today’s trail, if I understood correctly, will consist of a Barretto bar hop. It is a good day for one of those. I’ll let you know how it works out tomorrow.

Yesterday’s hike turned out to be a surprising adventure. It all began when Swan said she wanted to come along. She thinks my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll route is boring, so I tried something a little more creative. We took a Jeepney out to the Kalaklan barangay area and got off at the hillside cemetery. My plan was to go down to the beach at the lighthouse, then walk the sand to the Bantan Bayan neighborhood, and make our way back to Barretto from there. It had been a while since I walked this route, and I belatedly discovered how much things had changed. One of those changes was the lingering impact of the recent storm, including a higher-than-expected tide combined with rough waters. In the end, these obstacles proved insurmountable. Here’s how things went down:

Splurged for a trike ride home after our abbreviated adventure. Not much distance, but lots of excitement.

Went out for some bar time after a two-day break and started at It Doesn’t Matter. Enjoyed some brews and then Swan’s brother-in-law popped in and joined us for a bit. We went to Wet Spot next, but it was so dead that we carried our drinks next door to Green Room and enjoyed them there. Ordered some food to bring home and called it a night.

And so ended another day in the life.

And now a word from our sponsor:

Today’s YouTube video is from Reekay. I’m not sure what is going on, but numerous vloggers are posting on expat fuckups. Reekay has been around a long time (I was following him prior to my move) and he offers sound advice.

Here’s the funny stuff:

Alright, I’m running late. Got to feed those hungry gals at Hideaway, then meet my sweetheart for our dinner at John’s place. Until tomorrow then.

It’s almost time to bitch and moan about the rainy season and start looking forward to those hot, sweaty days again. Until then, you just gotta make the best of the situation. We had four hearty streetwalkers for our Friday group hike, and we all brought umbrellas for what little good they did. A few sprinkles in the beginning, then some heavy rain for most of the rest of the way. I was soaked when we finished, but as I kept reminding myself, a couple of months ago, I would have been soaked with sweat. At least we didn’t have to worry about heat strokes.

Our journey took us from Barretto, through the backstreets of Matain, into Calapacuan, then some of San Isidro, a taste of Santo Tomas, then back to Barretto. A 9K junket all told.

The other event of the day was attending a dinner party with neighbors Jeff and Divina and the other invited guests.

I fucked up and didn’t do a good job documenting the food. Here’s what I got:

Anyway, hanging out and enjoying the food and beverages with the group was great. I left about the time the videoke kicked in and felt a little rude for doing so. It wasn’t the music, but I experienced a breathing attack for some reason. That’s very unusual for me when I’m not going uphill and just sitting on my ass. My oximeter read 90, the lowest I’ve been in a long time. Fortunately, my nebulizer brought me back up to 97, and I felt fine when I hit the hay an hour later.

More rain during the night, but as forecasted, the rain finally let go this morning.

September 7 will always be a special day in my life.

Today’s YouTube video is from another vlogger I don’t subscribe to, but he offers five reasons why the Philippines might not be for you. I only struggle with one of them: patience. Back before Loraine broke my heart, she taught me this mantra: Take a deep breath. Relax. Accept the Filipino way. I still use it on occasion, and it does help keep my head from exploding.

Some more of what I call humor:

Welp, it’s been over two days since I set foot in a bar. I aim to rectify that situation tonight. I’m not sure where, but I know the bars of Barretto are counting on me, and I won’t let them all down. I’ll tell you about that and the nearly disastrous rock-climbing adventure from this morning in tomorrow’s post. See you then!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained to blog about. I posted about my trip to Pundaquit yesterday and I stayed home last night. So, there’s not much left say. Staying home proved to be a good call because we had some of the heaviest rain of the week during the evening and overnight hours. And yes, it is still raining today. The Friday hikers did an umbrella street walk this morning, but I’ll save that adventure so I have something to post about tomorrow.

We’ve been invited to a “Fajita Party” at the next-door neighbor’s place later this afternoon. I’ve got a batch of brownies in the oven, and Swan will be making some nachos as our contribution to the gathering. I’ll share how the party goes tomorrow as well.

So, what does that leave to write about today? Swan loves to cook, and she surprised me this morning by asking if I wanted a Monte Cristo sandwich for my after-hike lunch. I asked, “You know how to make a Monte Cristo?” She responded, “I know you like them, and I just watched a YouTube video, so I’ll try it.” Ah, ain’t that sweet?

Here’s the video she watched.

Speaking of videos, I’m part of a COPD information group, and today, I received a link to a video about walking and breathing. It’s pretty simple, really, and I may be doing it naturally, but I’ll give it a try and see if it helps.

Still in video mode, a commenter recently sent me this YouTube of a Filipina giving Tagalog lessons. In my stay-at-home boredom last night, I learned five new words (the first five in the lesson). Swan was quite impressed. Of course, I don’t remember them today, but I’ll go back and review again. Maybe something will stick in my addled brain.

No funeral banners today, but this one caught my eye:

From Facebook memories comes this reminder from eight years okay. It was the last day of our Philippines vacation and we were enjoying our final dinner at the Arizona Resort here in Barretto.

Today’s YouTube video is from someone I don’t subscribe to, and after watching this one, I’m afraid I have to disagree with much of what he has to say. He seems bitter and cynical, and his advice to NEVER do certain things seems a bit overboard. Not all Filipinas are scammers. And if you meet a good one and treat her the way this guy suggests, you will lose her. The trick is knowing the difference. I certainly had my share of fuck ups along the way, but that’s just the tuition to the school of experience. Anyway, it’s worth a watch if for no other reason than as a warning not to become as disillusioned as this gent is.

Okay, let’s cleanse the palate with some humor:

Okay, I’ll stop now. Hopefully back with more substance tomorrow.

I have arrived safely back home after my twenty-four hour whirlwind adventure to Barangay Pundaquit, City of San Antonio, Zambales Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.

We arrived at our destination at noon time. I sent Swan to the beach hotel we didn’t have a reservation for to check availability and price. I had her go to avoid the “skin tax” that occurs when a foreigner is quoted a higher price than a local. She returned to report that the resort was undergoing renovation, and no kitchen or bar was available. They did offer Swan a reduced rate of 3000 pesos for the night (down from 3600). Swan also checked the newer and nicer place next door, and they wanted 5500 pesos for the night. It wasn’t THAT much nicer, so we went with the original plan. We did use the restaurant facilities at the other place for lunch.

The restaurant across the street was devoid of guests, and the upstairs section I had been wanting to try since seeing it on my last trip was closed. The bar was the only area not exposed to the wind-blown rain, so that’s where we sat. Being outnumbered by the staff had an eerie feel about it, but the service was good. The wine prices on the menu were shocking–the cheapest being 500 pesos, so Swan had a beer instead. When I got a closer look at the wine on the shelf, it included Carlo Rossi, the brand we buy at Royal for 350 pesos a bottle. Then the lightbulb in my head turned on, and we asked the waitress if the wine prices were per glass or bottle. It turns out that they only sell wine by bottle. So, getting a whole bottle for 500 pesos was practically a bargain, and we bought one.

After our meal, we walked up the street for a look around. I saw a place I had stopped in once a few years back while on a hike and decided to try it again.

Kevin gave us a tour of the facilities. He also has a variety of rooms available, from Nipa huts to aircon rooms. He’s owned the Surf & Sand for eleven years but said they’ve never recovered from the COVID lockdowns. I was a little surprised because Barretto is booming with mostly Filipino tourists, at least on weekends. He said that’s not the case in Pundaquit, and the foreigners who used to come pre-scamdemic have not returned. That’s a shame. He said the place needs several thousand dollars in renovations, but he doesn’t expect he’d be able to recover that investment. He’s considering just walking away from it all and returning to the USA. Damn.

I began drinking much earlier in the day than I normally do. I was drinking San Miguel Light (5% alcohol) rather than my usual Zero (3%). And I didn’t get my daily afternoon nap. So yeah, I fell asleep at the bar. I also ordered take-out food from the Car Wash restaurant up the road but have no recollection of doing so (the unopened containers were in the room this morning). Swan says I was unsteady on my feet but made it back to the hotel without incident.

Swan asked me this morning what time it was when I went to bed. I checked my Fitbit stats and was surprised to see this:

At some point during the night, the power went out. We had no electricity until nine in the morning. I didn’t even bother unpacking my laptop.

Back at our hotel, the staff kindly heated a pot of water on their gas stove so we could enjoy some morning coffee on our front porch.

After our coffee break, we loaded up a bag with cookies and lollipops and headed out to explore the backstreets of Pundaquit.

I’m back home this afternoon, and the deluge continues. In fact, a new storm is approaching, so there is no relief in sight. They have even canceled tomorrow’s SOB as many employees are home dealing with flooding issues.

So, that’s the story of my adventure. All in all, it was a good one.

We need to stop those crazy Trump voters from stealing the election. Here’s a plan that could work:

Today’s YouTube video is a short expose about the sextortion scams and the impact on its victims. I’ve heard tales of this over the years, but it always seemed to me to be limited to a few whacked individuals. Apparently, it’s an organized racket luring in victims these days.

And now for some humor:

Welp, wind and rain are telling me that tonight is a good night to stay safe and dry at home. And that’s just what I’m going to do. Later, gators!

Here in the Philippines, they call it the “ber” months, and it is the traditional start of the Christmas holiday season. Yep, decorations will be going up, and Christmas songs will be blasting in the shopping centers. For the next four months. I have found a way to cope at least:

Ah, the first ad of the season from right here in Barreteto!

Anyway, everything is going pretty much as it always does around here. Yesterday, there was a bit of a modification to my Standard Modified Saturday Solo Duo Street Stroll. Swan came along, and we walked a slightly different route than I usually do.

Once again, Swan wanted to go see The Engine Band at Treasure Island on Baloy. They serve cold Zero there, so who am I to complain?

We listened to the band’s first two sets and then headed home at 7 p.m. I fired up the TV and finally got around to watching the second half of Filipina Dream Girls on YouTube. It is a nice trip back in time to the early 1990s in Manila, with some English guys looking to hook up with bar girls. My hearing is not great, and some of those Brit accents were tough to decipher at times, but it is still a good watch.

And so ended another Saturday in my simple life.

Once again, Facebook memories carried me back in time to my former life.

It’s pretty scary when I see otherwise intelligent people regurgitating the lies they’ve been sold about Trump as justification for supporting ignorant Kamala. I guess they are not as smart as I gave them credit for being.

Let’s take a three-minute stroll back in time with today’s YouTube video. I couldn’t help but think how everyone you see is dead now, but I guess that’s part of the time travel phenomenon.

And some humor before I go.

Welp, the lighting is flashing, and the thunder is booming outside my window right now. But I’ve got a feeding to attend to at Hideaway, so hopefully, this, too, shall pass. I’m going to pop into John’s and ask if they have red wine in stock. If not, I’ll take Swan to Mangos for dinner. She’s been craving those grilled pork chops. I’ll be back tomorrow with more of this goodness.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my Standard Saturday Solo Street Stroll was shorter than usual. I got to the end of my street, said, “fuck this,” then turned around and went back home. I just wasn’t feeling it for some reason.

So, I spent a lazy day at home doing jackshit other than blogging and napping. I was feeling energized when beer o’clock rolled around, and Swan and I headed into town. The first stop was Sloppy Joe’s. Swan was served a rancid glass of undrinkable wine. To his credit, the manager comped her a gin and soda instead. After a couple of drinks, it was time for dinner, and I had something special in mind–a rare visit to Hops and Brews. The last time we ate at Barretto’s only smokehouse, Pugon Corner, we were severely disappointed and vowed never to return. That same day, I saw a Facebook post from Hops and Brews saying they would start their own smoke yard. I figured it was time to give it a try.

We were going to do our nightcap at Green Room, but the place was packed, so we went next door to the nearly empty Wet Spot. Owner Dave came by our table, and we had our usual pleasant chat. One of the things we discussed was some recent complaints about Barretto on one of the internet forums, comparing our little town unfavorably to Angeles City. Well, that’s apples and oranges, and I’ll take our beaches and mountains over that shithole city any day. Sure, there are more bars in AC, so there are more options for the guys who have to pay for sex. The complaints about pricing were especially ignorant. We have bars charging as little as 60 pesos if you want cheap beer. Good luck finding that in AC. I’m no expert because I don’t barfine girls, but in Barretto, the transaction is between the guy and the girl, with the girl compensating the bar for leaving work early. So, sharpen those negotiating skills if you want cheaper sex. Damn, I’m glad I don’t have to live a nickel-and-dime existence in my retirement. And I’m also delighted I don’t have to pay for sex!

Went home with some pecan pie from Sit-n-Bull and had a sweet ending to the night.

Facebook reminds me how Lucky looked when I brought him home six years ago.

I see ignorant people:

In today’s YouTube video, Rose Hall explains things to be on the lookout for if you want to avoid a toxic relationship with a Filipina. NOW you tell me! Anyway, it worked out okay for me in the end, but my big red flag was the drama queens. I have almost zero tolerance for that bullshit. Swan has gone into silent mode a couple of times (we’ve been together for over a year now), but we always manage to talk things through and come out stronger on the other side.

Ready for some lame humor?

Sunday is the day of routines. Candy Walk is in the books. Next up, the Hideaway feeding, then dinner with Swan at John’s place. Life is good.

It turns out good intentions are not a source of energy. I led the Friday hiking group on a journey that included a couple of moderately easy climbs but was mostly flat. And it was fun as long as it lasted, but somewhere around the 6K mark, my body started screaming, “That’s enough!” So, wanting to avoid arguing with myself, I sent the others on without me. I detoured over Bridge #3 and grabbed a trike to carry me home. Yeah, I call it pooped out, but the reality is I pussied out—shame on me.

And yesterday afternoon was Filipino family day here at The Rite Spot. I guess it went okay, I was the only white guy and my Tagalog is practically non-existent, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. I was a bit surprised when my pending birthday was celebrated along with Swan’s sister. The crew had worked in the kitchen all morning making various Filipino delights, although I did not partake. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for pancit with a side of chicken feet.

I bailed early because that’s the way I roll. Swan said the party went on until midnight. I guess that qualifies as voting with your feet. We’ll be doing a more foreigner-centric party upstairs this coming Tuesday.

Facebook reminds me of my former life thirteen years ago when I formed a darts association in Columbia, South Carolina.

The darts association lives on, but the name has been changed to Soda City.

Evil is always on the prowl.

In today’s YouTube video, Reekay follows up on the so-called “enhanced” review of tourist visa renewals. As I mentioned, when I recently renewed, nothing had changed (other than my wearing slacks and collared shirt) during my visit. That’s not to say that it won’t, but it seems there has been no significant increase in visa extension denials.

And now for the comics:

Now, where was I? Oh, it’s Saturday night! I haven’t made any plans as yet, but I expect I’ll be feeding Swan somewhere and worshipping at the beer alter. See you here tomorrow!

Another Thursday has been quenched. Things kicked off with a solo walk of just over 6K. Nothing significant to report other than some leg pain I had to endure for most of the hike. It was bad enough that I wanted to sit down for a spell, but every time I got to a shady bench, it was otherwise occupied. So, I trudged on, and eventually, the pain receded, or maybe I just got used to it. I’m just going to have to accept that, along with the wisdom that comes with old age, aches and pains are par for the course.

When I got back home, Swan asked me if I wanted a meat pie for lunch. Sure, why not.

Swan said I needed a haircut and she wanted one too, so we headed into town for the barber.

After we were done at the salon, I had a surprise in store for Swan. Loaded her into a Jeepney and took her to her favorite beach bar.

For our nightcap, we decided to visit Whiskey Girl, a place we hadn’t been to for several months. Nothing much had changed, except my regular waitress, Kim, had traded in her belly for a daughter. She wondered when I might be due, but I bought her a drink and changed the subject.

While we were at Whiskey Girl, a storm came through, and we could hear the rain pounding on the roof, even over the music. That was a bit of a surprise because we hadn’t seen any rain for a couple of weeks, and the skies hadn’t appeared threatening. But we definitely needed the cleansing that comes with rain. You may have noticed in many of the photos above that the sky looks almost smoky. It turns out it’s not smog, but something called “vog”–the gasses and dust spewed from the Taal volcano on the southern end of Luzon island.

Isn’t life grand?

I came across an excellent example of just how important punctuation truly is.

Facebook memories took me back to a luncheon with my team on this day back in 2017:

Couldn’t resist sharing this political meme:

Today’s YouTube video shares the story of an American retiree who finds himself in a Filipino prison. My number one objective has always been to avoid doing anything that might result in my being jailed. I doubt I’d survive more than a month or two under those conditions. So, being smart and avoiding anything illegal (like drugs, even marijuana) goes a long way. Sadly, if you piss off the wrong person (like your ex-wife), you can be set up for a fall. Sort of like they did to that Trump fella in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLcQSNKcRYM

(For some reason, I can’t embed the video. Sorry about that. Just click the link above to see it.)

And now for some humor:

So, Swan invited her family to the house this evening. I guess we will all hang out at The Rite Spot and do things Filipino-style. This is a big milestone in the relationship spectrum. I’ve met some individual members of Swan’s family, but having the whole crew over to the house is kind of a welcoming ritual where Swan shows that we are the real deal. My introverted nature is a little bit in the dreading mode, but I imagine a beer or three will help alleviate that. Wish me luck!

The Wednesday Walkers took a little stroll on SBMA (the old Navy base), trekking out past the golf course, up into the Binictican housing area, and then through the El Kabayo horse stables before completing our 9K loop. It was almost all blacktop, but as the first timer to this area, Michael, put it, it is like being in another country—clean roads without much traffic and a quiet and safe vibe. No Jeepneys or trikes allowed!

Later in the evening, Swan and I enjoyed our visit to It Doesn’t Matter. The girls seemed pleased with the brownies I baked them. We did our nightcap at Wet Spot and I remembered to use my Sit-n-Bull discount coupon for some food to bring home. Aine continues to ignore, and that’s fine with us.

Today’s YouTube video from Reekay delves into the “friends with benefits” relationship issue. I gave that a try for a while, but the transactional nature (at least the way I was doing it) over time turned out to be unsatisfying.

And now for the funny stuff:

That’s it for today’s post. More to come tomorrow.