When you are retired like I am, “hump” day pretty much loses all meaning and significance. Although as a member of the Wednesday walking group I do often spend some time and effort humping it up a mountain.
We did the big one yesterday but to his credit, our fearless leader Gunter didn’t make us climb the trail even he calls “Motherfucker”. The path we did take was plenty tough though. I hereby proclaim it will henceforth be known as “Nasty Bastard”.
Yeah, I was muttering to myself all the way up, but really the main reason I do the group hike is to see new places I wouldn’t explore alone and to push myself a bit harder than I do on my daily walks. Overcoming my inherent laziness and excuse-making is a good thing, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I’ve got some photos from the 8K hike to share, but first I want to post this one:
Via the Facebook memories feature comes this photo of me and my buddy William “Gunny” Tabul from six years ago. Gunny died from prostate cancer last year.
I was also astounded at just how fat I look in that picture. I mean, I’m still carrying around a beer belly, but all these miles I’ve walked since that day have taken their toll. And the photo also reminds me that I’ve lost so much more than weight. Friends like Gunny, James Stoy, and Bridget Werner are gone now. The wedding band on my finger represents the broken promises from the woman I expected to spend the rest of my life with. I guess in a perverted kind of way I did. That man I was back then, fat and happy, the dreams and hopes for the future, the house and everything in it, all gone forever. All that’s left is a dead man walking.
On yesterday’s trail. That’s a new couple that joined us for the first time. The gal is a Filipina and she amazingly walked the entire trail in bare feet. I was damned impressed.Three-quarters of the way up. The steepest part lies ahead.A look back from whence we came.Basketball is probably the most popular sport here in the Philippines. But this court out in the middle of nowhere was pretty shocking regardless.On up we go.Oh well.Horsin’ around.Flowers in bloom.Lunch break at the top.
As is our custom, most of the group popped into Cheap Charlies after the hike for rehydration purposes. There was some kind of party going on and the group had quite a spread, including Lechon (roasted pig).
The remains of the day. Er, pig.
Over the hump and back again. Carry on!
One morning I woke up and I knew you were really gone A new day, a new way, and new eyes to see the dawn Go your way, I’ll go mine and carry on
The sky is clearing and the night has cried enough The sun, he comes, the world to soften up Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on
The fortunes of fables are able to sing the song Now witness the quickness with which we get along To sing the blues you’ve got to live the dues and carry on
Carry on, love is coming, love is coming to us all
I’m not sure if yesterday’s Hash is best characterized as either a fiasco, a boondoggle, or a clusterfuck. I report, you decide.
Now, for the record, I was really looking forward to this outstation trip to San Narcisco. I imagined hiking through new terrain, ocean views, and sunset on the beach from our on-home at Mopes Resort.
This was the promotional shot posted on the Hash Facebook page. I actually wound up sitting in that exact seat. But let’s just say my view turned out to be a lot darker.
Needless to say, things didn’t go as planned. Let’s get started on the story through pictures:
Our chariot awaits to transport as from Barretto to San Narcisco, an hour up the highway.Traveling in air-conditioned luxury. Certainly much more comfortable than the Hashmobile.Upon arrival at our destination, the Hares (Leech My Nuggets and Anal Retentive) provided last-minute guidance and instructions. We were told it was a flat trail approximately 9 KM long.And then we hit the trail. On-On!Hashers at work.Flat and scenic. Just the way I like it! So far, so good.And then the first sign of trouble–a water crossing. Okay, that’s a Hare’s prerogative. It’s also the reason I purchased shoes that can handle getting wet.And that crossing was almost immediately followed by this one.It was nice to be back on dry ground.The natives seemed friendly.When you don’t have a lot you appreciate what you do have. I suppose this qualifies as a roof over your head…Now, this was an unusual sight. A rickety bridge to cross. I figured what the hell, my feet are already wet. So I waded across. Everyone else made it across the bridge just fine though.And onward we march.Okay, now this is getting ridiculous. Another water crossing! And this one was deep! Over my waist and we had short Filipinas who don’t swim in the group. One guy was Hashing with his kid and they turned around and went back. A think a couple of others refused to do this crossing as well. I also carry a ziplock baggie for my phone in case of rain, so I put it to good use here. Especially since while I was wading the phone somehow escaped my pocket! Then I heard the person behind me exclaim “Hey, did someone lose a phone?” The damn thing floated inside the baggie. I would have been so pissed if I’d lost my new fucking phone!One final water crossing. That bridge was useless. At least the water wasn’t deep and I was already soaked anyway.The final stretch. We saw a Hashmark with the message “beer is near”. That meant we were almost to the beach and a short hike onward to Mopes Resort.Good thing too!
Hmm. That sign was the first indication of the trouble to come. Up ahead in the distance I could see a group of Hashers congregated around a vehicle. Then I looked behind me and saw several motorbikes approaching. As they got nearer I noticed the men were wearing uniforms and heavily armed. About this time, the group from up ahead had turned around and were walking back towards us, followed closely by a military vehicle. This can’t be good.
And it wasn’t. It seems we had ventured onto land that belonged to the Philippine Navy and we weren’t welcome to be there. We all assumed we were being escorted off the base. It wasn’t exactly the Bataan Death March or anything, but we did go a couple of kilometers before reaching a paved road. Again, we all thought we’d just walk on to the highway and catch transportation back to the on-home resort. Nope.
After standing around awhile, this bus arrived and we were directed to board it. And that’s just what we did. We thought they were driving us to the base gate so we called the Hare’s and told them to send the bus for us there.
But the bus stopped short of the gate, although we could see it from where we were. Which was the base security headquarters building. Now we were told they just needed to get us to all write down our names before we were released. Okay, sure no problem.
I guess 24 Hashers were quite the spectacle. The enlisted guys were all pretty friendly though and even posed with us for a photo op.
After we had filled out our names we were told to wait until the officer on duty came to formally release us. In due course, a couple of officers came by and asked some questions. They had no clue what a Hash is or what we were all about. More importantly, the officer in charge appeared totally indecisive as to what to do with us. We did note that our trespassing had been inadvertent and unintentional. Our mistake was facilitated by a lack of any fences or warning signs that we were in a restricted area. That didn’t seem to make a bit of difference to the officer. Apparently “we should have known better”. Our assurances that it would never happen again didn’t sway him either. So we all stood around while he dithered and dathered and consulted with his staff. The sun went down and there we were standing in the gloom. We could see our bus in the distance, so near and yet so far.
Some of the guys were getting pissed. I was hungry and aggravated, but I also knew that being rude towards our captors was not going to improve our situation at all. Finally, the officer made some kind of decision, then got in a car and left. One of his underlings advised us that we would have to be photographed before we could leave. So, we all stood and posed individually for said photo, and wrote our name once again on a sheet of paper. Now can we go?
Um, no. Not yet. It seems they wanted us to be checked medically so as to preclude any future claims that we had been abused or mistreated. Okay, now I knew this was all bullshit. They were intentionally holding us without recourse for as long as possible. To what end I do not know.
Finally, after we had been held up for nearly two hours they advised we could sign a waiver in lieu of the medical exam. The thought crossed my mind that once we signed they could beat us with impunity. Oh well, I signed anyway. And for some reason, I remembered a Cheech and Chong skit from way back in my stoner days called “sign ze papers”. I hadn’t thought of that in 40 years! Good stuff though. I’m going to embed it at the end of this post. Although it was probably funnier when you’re high.
Anyway, after we had all signed we asked if we could leave. Not yet, someone needed to make an announcement before we left. They did let us call the bus to come to where we were and pick us up, so that was a good sign. Finally, an obese woman in a Navy uniform came out and formally released us, but first, we would all have to be individually called by name and have our nationality added to the previous papers we had signed. And so it was done and we finally departed the custody of the Philippine Navy.
Here’s the trail. I’m not sure if you can see it, but the map indicates where we were captured. So close to the beach. Not sure why they just wouldn’t let us proceed.Finally got to Mopes. Well, in a roundabout way. The bus couldn’t actually drive all the way to Mopes because the road was too narrow. That meant catching a ride or walking another kilometer. I caught a ride. And oh yeah, as hungry as I was, the food at Mopes still sucked. The beer was cold though.And we did an abbreviated Hash circle as well. I got gigged for littering on trail (my phone) and was also recognized for completing my 75th SBH3 Hash. It is one I will definitely not forget!
The bus ride home was fueled with more beer drinking and the singing of Hash songs. One of the more popular songs is “Jesus Can’t Go Hashing”. Here’s a sample:
Melody: The Battle Hymn of the Republic Lyrics: Jesus can’t go hashing ‘cuz his feet are tied together Jesus can’t go hashing ‘cuz his feet are tied together Jesus can’t go hashing ‘cuz his feet are tied together Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves Chorus: More beer for all the Hashers More beer for all the Hashers More beer for all the Hashers Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves
Jesus can’t go Hashing ‘cos his Dad knows all the trails Jesus can’t go Hashing ‘cos his Dad knows all the trails Jesus can’t go Hashing ‘cos his Dad knows all the trails Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves (chorus) Jesus can’t go hashing cuz he turns the beer to wine Jesus can’t go hashing cuz he turns the beer to wine Jesus can’t go hashing cuz he turns the beer to wine Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves (chorus)
Anyway, you get the idea. What we do is make up new verses as we go along. And last night this was my contribution:
Jesus can’t go hashing cause he’s in Navy custody
Jesus can’t go hashing cause he’s in Navy custody
Jesus can’t go hashing cause he’s in Navy custody
Jesus saves, Jesus saves, Jesus saves
And so ended a cluster fuck of fiascos leading to a day of boondoggles. But I survived.
I had a pleasant stroll down the beach this morning then popped into Arizona Resort for some breakfast. I was pleased to see my favorite waitress (and Facebook friend) Grace would be my server.
Now, normally I’m an order off the menu kind of guy. But then I noticed they had this build your own breakfast deal going–pick 5 items for P240 ($4.80) so I called Grace over. “Let me have the eggs, bacon, sausage, and…” She stopped me and said, “That’s already 6”. I was incredulous, and told her, no, that’s 3. She said “2 eggs, 3 bacon, and a sausage is 6.” Although we like to tease she was dead serious. So, I looked at the menu again and asked about a waffle. She said the waffle only comes with the build your own breakfast. I took a deep breath, relaxed, and accepted the Filipino way. Then I told her “Okay, give me one egg, one strip of bacon, one sausage, one piece of toast, and one waffle.” She smiled and said yes, po (sir).
Now, I’ll concede that maybe the flyer for the build your own breakfast was a little ambiguous, but it seems to me there is only one reasonable way to read the intent. You get to pick 5 items. What do you think?
After eating my piecemeal (literally) breakfast, I pointed out to Grace that the flyer shows 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, and at least 3 strips of bacon–that’s 7 items by her way of counting. She just shrugged and gave me an “I just work here” kinda look.
Anyway, no big deal. I got my waffle and the rest was more than enough to satisfy my hunger.
I had better luck with the Sunday dinner from Foodies. They offer both roast beef and roast pork. I obviously opted for the pork. Had it served to me while I sat at the bar in Cheap Charlies chatting up my two favorite bargirls, Rose and Maya. Life is good!
Let me hit you with a newsworthy pun:
Yeah, that was painful. Sorry!
Well, we are all God’s children so this should really come as no surprise:
It’s a miracle!
Truthfully, I never vomit from beer. Get me a few shots of whiskey and I’m liable to be all over the place.
Time to head out for our special Hash at San Narcisco. It’s a beautiful area. I’ll try and get some decent photos to share here tomorrow.
It seems I’m in a bit of a funk lately. Feeling unmotivated, either because I’m tired or lazy. Or maybe both. Heh, reminds me of the boss saying “John, are you ignorant or just apathetic?” My response: I don’t know and I don’t care! Yeah, that’s as good as it’s gonna get around here today.
Anyway, I’m blowing off my afternoon walk. I’ll make up for it tomorrow. We are doing an “outstation” Hash in San Narcisco, about an hour from here on the South China Sea. Looking forward to the change of scenery.
Took a second place in last night’s darts tournament. Pretty surprising in that I wasn’t throwing particularly well and my partner seemed to be math-challenged. Here’s an example: in the finals, he had a 38 out and one dart left. The ONLY shot in that situation is the double 19. For some reason known only to him, he threw a 13. Non-sensical. Our opponents took full advantage and eliminated us on their next throw. I was glad to be done with it.
Well, here’s something newsworthy–I’m going to criticize someone else’s writing. And that’s a pretty big deal considering all the mistakes I make. Anyway, Sarah Hoyt is a pretty well-known sci-fi writer having published numerous books. I’ve never read any of them though. She’s also a regular contributor over at Instapundit. And she also has her own blog. This morning I followed a link there for the first time.
One of the things that’s puzzling hell out of me is how the democrats are acting this election.
I always assume they have better on the found intelligence than the republicans, because they know not just who is voting for whom, but also all the dead who’ll be voting, how many illegals they can commander, and precisely how many votes they can “harvest.”
Between the “human wave” of illegals, which they credit with flipping Virginia (no, seriously. The left is saying this. Which makes you wonder if they’re even AWARE of the difference between residence and citizenship. They seem to be convinced if you cross the border, you can vote. Perhaps that’s why they think our opposition to this stuff is “racist” since they’ve lost the concept of citizenship.) and the fact felons now vote in FL (which means we’ll never win it again. Not until after the troubles.) and btw the same for another state, though I can’t remember which right now, I’d think they’d be sure of victory.
But they’re not acting like they’re sure of victory. Unless they’re very, very stupid — which, I grant you, is possible.
Sorry, Kevin Kim. That must have made your head explode. Please, please tell me that even on my worst day I’m not that bad! Anyway, I couldn’t read past the quoted portion above. It was just too painful. And that’s from a “professional” writer. Maybe she was drunk.
I’ll leave you with a couple of memes I saw on Facebook that made me smile:
At least she’s good at something!It’ll fit.
And there’s this. A song by Tom Waits came up on my Spotify playlist during my morning walk. I’d never heard it before and for some reason, it really resonated with me. There might be a blog post about that, but I’m not ready to write it.
Well I hope that I don’t fall in love with you ‘Cause falling in love just makes me blue, Well the music plays and you display your heart for me to see, I had a beer and now I hear you calling out for me And I hope that I don’t fall in love with you.
Well the room is crowded, people everywhere And I wonder, should I offer you a chair? Well if you sit down with this old clown, take that frown and break it, Before the evening’s gone away, I think that we could make it, And I hope that I don’t fall in love with you.
Well the night does funny things inside a man These old tom-cat feelings you don’t understand, Well I turn around to look at you, you light a cigarette, I wish I had the guts to bum one, but we’ve never met, And I hope that I don’t fall in love with you.
I can see that you are lonesome just like me, and it being late, You’d like some some company, Well I turn around to look at you, and you look back at me, The guy you’re with has up and split, the chair next to you’s free, And I hope that you don’t fall in love with me.
Now it’s closing time, the music’s fading out Last call for drinks, I’ll have another stout. Well I turn around to look at you, you’re nowhere to be found, I search the place for your lost face, guess I’ll have another round And I think that I just fell in love with you.
Nothin’ much happening and nothin’ much to say. Not that that has ever stopped me from sayin’ it anyway.
A successful night of darts at Alley Cats yesterday. I drew Allen as my partner so at least on paper we were the team to beat. No one did, but a couple of close matches. As is my custom we offered our opponents in the finals to pool and split first and second place money. They agreed, and we put away our darts and focused on the important stuff. Like drinking beer.Yes, I’ve been turning beer into urine at an amazing rate!Ain’t she sweet? Didn’t even know we were Facebook friends…
And that really is all I’ve got for y’all today.
Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose, And nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free, Feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues, And buddy, that was good enough for me, Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
UPDATE: Well, geez. I was talking about what a nothing my life was back in June 2017 too. Honestly, looking at the pics from back then (I was in Pyeongtaek) makes me realize that about the only thing that’s changed is my venue. That’s a tad depressing truth be told.
More or less. Today’s big adventure was overseeing the installation of some CCTV cameras and a motion detector here at Casa Rosenda. Turns out there’s an American here in the neighborhood he is selling home security devices as a sideline. Interesting guy too, enjoyed meeting him.
The view from the kitchen looking into the dining and office area of my humble abode. You might be able to see my new laptop there on the same desk where my old used to be. I intend to keep a better eye on things this time round. And the living room. To the left is the sliding glass door where the intruder forced entry into my house. To the right is my front door. I honestly don’t see anyone getting in the same way the thief did again. Without breaking glass anyway. I have the motion detector in this area as well.
The equipment and installation ran me P8200 ($165.), not a bad price for a little peace of mind. I admit I’m still a little skittish, made two trips downstairs for a look around last night. At least now I can just check my phone to see what’s happening.
I kinda hate that I’ve limited my political discussions almost entirely to memes these days, but really what’s the point? Minds aren’t likely to be changed but I remain confident the American people are not as stupid as the deep state powers that be think we are.
Not likely.
Oh well. I’m glad I’m in the Philippines. At least for now.
Don’t think sorry’s easily said Don’t try turning tables instead You’ve taken lots of chances before But I ain’t gonna give any more Don’t ask me That’s how it goes ‘Cause part of me knows what you’re thinking…
Don’t say words you’re gonna regret Don’t let the fire rush to your head I’ve heard the accusation before And I ain’t gonna take any more Believe me The sun in your eyes Made some of the lies worth believing
I am the eye in the sky Looking at you I can read your mind I am the maker of rules Dealing with fools I can cheat you blind And I don’t need to see any more To know that I can read your mind, I can read your mind, I can read your mind, I can read your mind
No real significance to the title of this post, just an old song by Traffic that came up on my new Spotify music app (fuck you YouTube!) while out walking this morning. Well, this post is mostly about Wednesday’s hike, so I guess that’s the connection. Let’s get to it!
Just under 8K, but a couple of hard climbs…The first climb commenced with these seemingly endless stairs…The remaining 1/3 of the first climb was on a trail which is preferable in my opinion. Stairs just kick my ass.The view from the top of the first climb…
From there we made our way around to Rizal Extension via the My Bitch trail. But that f’n thatch grass made what should have been an easy hike a real pain in the rear. Burn it down! Burn it all down!
So, we get to Rizal Extension and I had a decision to make. Do a second climb up a higher mountain or make my own way on back home via the familiar paved roads? Well, part of the reason I do Wednesday is to push myself out of my comfort zone, so despite my reservations I made my way on up. Damn it! Either there was no trail or the leader lost it, but before long we were winging it. Steep, overgrown, slippery in places. A freakin’ nightmare! I made it of course, but it kinda pissed me off. There are ways up that mountain that are challenging, but doable without being overly dangerous. Anyway, it was my decision to do it, so no one to blame but me.
This is one of the biggest trees I’ve seen in the area. Sorry I didn’t get a better picture of it. I don’t plan to be back that way again. EVER!The view from the top of the second climb. This picture doesn’t capture the um, gravity of the situation, but that’s the trail-less way we came up…I came. I saw. I conquered.
I took a hard fall on the way back down but luckily there were no “impalers” in the area. And so ended another Wednesday Walkers adventure.
What other excitement do I have to share? Hmm, well I tried this new recipe for slow cooker salsa chicken I found on Instapundit.
I didn’t try to pretty it up for the picture. But damn, it was tender and very tasty! Will definitely be part of my rotation in the future.
I guess this is where I’d normally say something about politics, but I’m going to shit can that today.
You’re welcome!
Things aren’t totally back to normal, but they are getting there. I’m still waking up during the night and coming downstairs to check on things. I’m working with a guy on installing some cameras and maybe some motion sensors. Honestly though, I’ve made it so it is not that easy to break in now but you can’t stop a determined thief with locks alone. I just need to get to where I’m diligent but not paranoid.
Lucky says anyone who breaks in can kiss my balls!
That ought to scare them off!
If I gave you everything that I owned And asked for nothing in return Would you do the same for me as I would for you? Or take me for a ride And strip me of everything, including my pride But spirit is something that no one destroys And the sound that I’m hearing is only the sound The low spark of high-heeled boys (heeled boys)
UPDATE: WTF? I specifically chose today’s title with the thought that I hadn’t ever used that one before. Nope. I had a “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” post way back in April of THIS year! Geez, I think I’m losing it.
Things are pretty much back to normal around here, but man what a pain in the ass this recovering from the theft of my electronic devices has been.
I’ve managed to reset the passwords on all the accounts I could think of. Oops, just remembered one more. Be right back.
Alright, that’s done. You know I understand the need for the two-step verification process, but in some cases, I’ve been logging in automatically for so long that I was clueless on the password. That coupled with the fact that I’m attempting to log in from a new device (both computer and phone) apparently raises a bunch of red flags. I was jumping through hoops most of the afternoon yesterday to prove I am who I say I am.
Today I’ve been engaged in the business of installing the apps I frequently use on my phone. Slightly less burdensome, but still no fun for a techno-peasant like me.
What else? Well, once the sanctity of your home has been violated it takes some getting used to the new normal. I think the only way anyone is getting through my locked sliding doors is by breaking the glass. I did a security sweep of the house and determined this area in my downstairs bathroom is probably my biggest weakness.
I can and will begin locking the door from inside the house. I’m also considering have some wire mesh around that opening.
The other thing I’m going to look into getting is some CCTV cameras around the outside of the house, which might offer some deterrent value. You don’t have to have the best security in the neighborhood, you just want to avoid being the easiest target.
Oh, and I’m sleeping with this big-ass bolo (machete) blade. Anyone who does break in will have to deal with this badass mofo.
Anyway, I have now gone over 24 hours without an incident, so my new measures appear to be working.
Given all the bullshit I had to do yesterday and my lack of sleep the night before I just wasn’t up for hiking the hash trail. The beer-drinking part afterward I was down for, however. I had to sit on the ice for being a socialite, but at least I was able to tell an interesting story as my excuse.
Cold beer and a beautiful sunset on Baloy Beach really hit the spot!
And life goes on.
Did you ever read about a frog Who dreamed of bein’ a king And then became one Well except for the names And a few other changes If you talk about me The story’s the same one
But I got an emptiness deep inside And I’ve tried But it won’t let me go And I’m not a man who likes to swear But I never cared For the sound of being alone
“I am”… I said To no one there And no one heard at all Not even the chair “I am”… I cried “I am”… said I And I am lost and I can’t Even say why “I am”… I said “I am”… I cried “I am”… I said
Well, technically you might call it a burglary. Since I was in the house at the time it felt more like a home invasion though.
Here’s how it went down. At the conclusion of a typical day, I shut off the lights around 10 p.m. and headed upstairs to bed. As has become their custom I allowed the dogs to accompany me. At around 2:30 a.m. I awoke to the sound of Lucky emitting a solitary bark. In my sleepy daze, I thought that odd. I noticed Buddy was laying over by the patio door and seemed to be looking outside. Lucky was beside me on the bed but his ears were perked up and his attention was elsewhere. I decided to see what was going on downstairs.
Buddy followed me out of the bedroom but instead of bounding down the stairs as he normally does, he went halfway, then poked his head through the railing and sniffed. Now I knew something was up. When I reached the bottom I looked over to my desk and immediately noticed my laptop computer was missing. I looked in the living room and discovered the sliding door to the patio was halfway open.
I turned on the lights and began to do a damage assessment. Laptop gone, but the plug and mouse were still there. My phone was missing from the desk too. Then I noticed the shopping bag containing my new hiking shoes and socks I purchased yesterday was gone. Finally, my backup phone had been stolen as well.
Damn. I guess I’ve been lucky maybe, but this was the first time I’d ever experienced anything like this. I got dressed and walked over to the guard station at the entrance to the subdivision and reported the crime. They came back to the house and shined their flashlights around the yard, but of course, the perpetrator was long gone. People can check out Piotrowski Law practicing Miami to solve criminal cases.
I remained sleepless the remainder of the morning and didn’t have the internet or Facebook to keep me company. So I stewed in the realization of just how foolishly complacent I had been regarding home security. First of all, my house is not protected by a high wall like most of the homes in this subdivision. That makes me a target as a path of least resistance. And those sliding glass doors even when locked are easily opened. I’d done so myself one night after forgetting my key. Letting the dogs stay with me upstairs behind closed doors was also foolish and at some level, I knew that was the case. If they’d been downstairs they would have been barking like crazy, waking me up and likely scaring off the thieves (I’m assuming more than one because someone alone would have a hard time carrying everything).
So yeah, I have to accept the blame for not remembering where I am and for making myself such an easy target. Today I had some workmen out to make those sliding doors much harder to get open. The dogs will be sleeping downstairs henceforth the better to keep watch on things. And the guards will be keeping a closer eye on my house, at least for the time being.
And life goes on. I bought a new phone ($300), a new laptop ($500), and a new pair of hiking shoes ($100) today. Experience is a bitch sometimes, but a great facilitator of learning. I’ll be more careful and aware of the risks moving forward, that’s for sure. I also know that things could have gone much worse. If I had been downstairs a few minutes sooner I may have encountered the intruders. They might very well have been armed. A knife to the chest would have ruined more than my day I reckon.
My breakfast this morning. Been a while since I’ve had a hot dog (the menu called it a “German frank”). Now, I’d call a German Frank a Fritz, but what do I know?
Anyway, I’ve been keeping busy workin’ at nothin’ all day but I guess that’s the point of being retired, right? Well, I’m continuing my walkaholic ways and there was a little twist to my normal routine yesterday. Friday night darts featured me and Steve, the Englishman who doesn’t drink, going head-to-head. I put him in the losers bracket, he came back and revenged/avenged himself later in the tournament. Typical night for me and I was satisfied with third place money for my efforts.
Steve asked me about the Saturday walking group and I advised him that I don’t do that one as it is too intense for my liking. He told me he enjoys walking but was bored with the city streets and wanted to see some countryside. I invited him to join me on my morning hike and we exchanged phone numbers.
Bottom line, Steve got to see some country scenes and he professed to enjoy himself.
What’s not to like?
Well, the f’n thatch grass for one thing. I guess it has reached its zenith and now it is falling down. As bad as it was when it was standing tall and proud, now it has become an almost impenetrable obstacle, making the trail difficult to see and even harder to walk.
This was an easy section, in places I actually had to lift up the heavy stalks and move them out of the way. Tiresome work it was. I finally gave up on my intended course and headed back down the mountain.
Even so, Steve got in a solid 5K+ hike. I had turned on my fitness ap (map my run) when I left the house. So I got an extra 2K walking to where I rendezvoused with Steve. And after we parted, for some twisted reason I just kept on walking. That is so unlike me!
Seems like I can’t figure out how to post an image mapping my walk, but it does let me post code, let’s see how that works out.
The above doesn’t include my 30-minute dog walk or the hour I hiked around the neighborhood in the afternoon. All told, my day went like this:
It is very rare that I accumulate 30,000+ steps. Now granted, I didn’t do them consecutively which is a whole other animal.
What else?
Well, it’s Fiesta time. And what’s a Fiesta without a parade? They were lined up right outside my subdivision this morning.Saw the Queen of Sheeba and she even waved at me!And you can’t have a parade without a marching band, right?And floats……lots of floats.
How about some politics?
This one pissed the liberal ex-wife off for some reason. Maybe hit a little close to home?I lived in Virginia when I was married to #3. Was born and raised in California. Glad neither are in my future.
Me, I’m just going to kick back, chill…
…and grill.
Why not? I mean, it’s not like three years ago:
Back when Uncle Sam owned a third of my life.
These days my problems are centered on avoiding traps and obstacles.
And muddy streets. I hate those!
I mean, you just have to be careful where you tread:
Somebody had a bad day!But not my boys! Every day is a good day for Buddy and Lucky. Lazy bastards!
I guess that’s about enough for now. I need to head into Olongapo City and get my watchband repaired or replaced. And later this afternoon I’m going to help Meica, one of the Alley Cats girls, celebrate her 25th birthday.
I’ll be bringing along some brownies…one plain, one with walnuts.
But I’ll be in Korea for Thanksgiving. I’ve got an e-ticket on Korean Air that says so!
This is kind of a spur of the moment thing. And it will be a quick trip, arriving on Tuesday evening and departing on Sunday morning. I will spend a couple of days in Seoul and a couple in Pyeongtaek. One thing on my to-do list is spending some time with my former Deputy. Donna is leaving Korea in December and life being what it is and all, I expect it will be our last time to see each other. I reckon I’ll get together with the nephew as well and hopefully meet up with some old friends as time and schedules allow.
Everything is just dandy, thanks for asking! Here’s what passes for a good day here in my world:
A first-place finish in darts last night was a fine way to end the day.
I haven’t been playing very much lately. Just haven’t been in the mood I guess. The lack of practice certainly hasn’t helped to improve my inconsistency, but I had my moments of goodness during the tourney. No win is complete (or possible) without taking down Steve, the Englishman who doesn’t drink, and that’s just what me and my partner managed to do. By the way, I’m getting to know Steve better and really enjoying his company. He has a wicked sense of humor.
Yesterday morning I did the Sausage Walkers group hike. We were all disappointed that our planned out of town sojourn had to be postponed because of the uncertain weather. This was going to be one of those do a hike then cookout gatherings that gave the group its name. Our planned destination included a river crossing and with the recent rains, the river was deemed too high for our vehicle to safely drive through. Ah well, another time.
We left for one of our standard local walks under cloudy skies. And as if on cue, once we reached the mountain top the rain commenced to come pouring down on our collective heads. And everything else, we were drenched. That’s how it goes, and once you are thoroughly soaked it really doesn’t matter anymore anyway. Coming back down the mountain was a muddy and slippery nightmare though. I somehow managed to keep my feet but I had several close calls. Not to overstate why avoiding a fall is my primary goal, but I couldn’t help notice the path was strewn with broken tree trunks sticking several inches up out of the ground. I nicknamed them “Vlad the Impaler” and my overactive imagination could picture the end result for some unfortunate who happened to fall on top of one. Yikes!
The calm before the storm. We began our march through the peaceful streets of Alta Vista.On trail with me falling behind the pack as per usual.And then on up we go. The rain began shortly thereafter so I had to put my phone/camera away in a ziplock bag to keep it dry.There was a pause in the storm just about the time we reached the flat ground again. I snapped this picture of Easter mountain in the clouds.
Gunter the Austrian is the leader of the pack but I take his leadership with a grain of salt. When he deemed it wise to climb yet another mountain shortly after my self-congratulation for surviving the previous descent, I balked and bid the group farewell. Made my own way back on flat ground.
I still managed a 7.5K hike and more importantly, lived to tell about it!
What else? Well, I’m always trying to engage in self-improvement efforts. So, I took this information to heart:
Yeah, I know.
Things are going well so far today too. I’m getting more creative in my breakfast selections these days.
Welcome to the club! Hey, it’s got egg and bacon on it, so that makes it a breakfast sandwich, right?
I took a stroll down Baloy Beach after breakfast and was in for quite a surprise. The tide was high but not as high as it had been a few hours ago.
This picture doesn’t really tell the story that well but it’s the best one I got. The water came all the way up to the wall of this resort. And the places with Nipa huts on the beach were shoveling sand out of them this morning. As I stood there watching a wave came up behind me and soaked my shoes real good. Sneaky bastard!
What I really wanted to see though was how the Kokomo’s floating bar was faring.
Not well I’m afraid. Now, I don’t think it sunk because there was no wreckage on the beach. I assume they had it towed back to storage. It will be interesting to see if they bother bringing it back out.
This reminded me that sometimes humor just doesn’t translate well. Especially puns:
Oh well.
I woke up this morning with the sundown shining in I found my mind in a brown paper bag within I tripped on a cloud and fell-a eight miles high I tore my mind on a jagged sky I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in I watched myself crawling out as I was a-crawling in I got up so tight I couldn’t unwind I saw so much I broke my mind I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
Someone painted April Fool in big black letters on a Dead End sign I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in I said I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
I do drink more than my fair share of brew and I have the belly to prove it! Geez, guys bragging about their six-pack abs; I’ve practically got a keg under my shirt. Anyway, I walk so I can drink with impunity. And notwithstanding my girth, I’m maintaining my weight in the 200-205 range.
I’m sorry, what were you asking?
Which is not to say that I don’t consume calories in more traditional ways. I’m not talking about ice cream, although that’s a sweet tooth indulgence I can’t seem to resist. Last night I enjoyed a home-prepared meal:
Ribs, corn, and not shown, freshly baked cornbread. Slow-cooked those ribs to optimal tenderness, then baked on a bbq sauce crust. Pert near perfect if I do say so myself!That’s how it looked all together on a plate.
I did manage to get my steps in yesterday afternoon, despite the rain.
I played it safe and stayed close to home in the Alta Vista subdivision. I managed to hit at least some of every street in just under an hour. That squiggly looking “5” near the bottom center is my house.
I took a few “between the storms” photographs from one vantage point on my neighborhood walk.
This one was my favorite. I like the sunbeams illuminating the water of Subic bay.But this one generating the most “likes” and comments on Facebook.
It rained again like a motherfucker last night. I was glad I had the foresight to carry my umbrella with me to Cheap Charlies. I still wound up taking a trike home. And as infrequently as I use something other than my legs to get home, the driver not only knew where I lived but called me by name. Even after several beers, I found that somewhat disconcerting.
Speaking of the rain, I’m sorry to report that the Kokomo’s floating bar I recently visited hasn’t faired too well in the current stormy weather.
I’m advised that all crew and passengers made it safely to shore.
In other disconcerting news, I received this email from my older brother today:
I received a voice mail from some very rude bitch who did not identify herself or her firm. She stated she had a right to contact me because she is unable to contact you.
Her message: There is a formal complaint filed against you. You must call 833-960-XXXX and reference file BFA 14598 regarding the pending allegations.
I honestly have no idea what this is all about. My scam radar went off, but that doesn’t really make sense either. The 833 prefix is a toll-free number apparently. Anyway, as far as I’m concerned she can keep on looking, I have no intention of calling. I haven’t lived in the USA for years and years, can’t imagine how I might have generated a “formal complaint” from anyone. If it were something from my working days, well, they have my email address. Hell, even a Google search would probably reveal my current whereabouts.
Oh, wait a minute! Did one of you readers finally complain about the boring drivel I post here every day? Damn it! Guilty as charged.
It’s not like I’m washed up or anything, but yesterday’s Hash was a washout for me. Or more precisely, a rainout. The skies opened up around 3:00 and the rain continued periodically throughout the afternoon. Of course, the Hash goes on, rain or shine, but I just wasn’t feeling it. The Hare, Vienna Sausage, has a reputation for doing Alps-like climbs and I just wasn’t prepared to go there in the rain and the mud. I was not alone in that decision as probably only a third of 39 Hashers in attendance actually did the trail. I opted for a one hour hike on pavement and left it at that.
The runners are already gone, these hardy walkers are being driven out to the start of the short (5.7K) trail.
After I’d completed my own trail I popped into Cheap Charlies to await the beginning of the on-home activities across the street at Hot Zone.
I had to laugh because the place was packed with like-minded Hashers.As seen from the vantage point at Cheap Charlies, the first of the runners arrived after completing the muddy trail. That was the signal for the rest of us to join them and start drinking our free beer. (Hash tradition holds that socialites and other early returners are precluded from partaking in the liquid refreshments until the first person to complete the trail returns. Oh, and the beer is technically not free. Men pay 350 pesos ($7.) in weekly Hash dues for the privilege of enjoying an all-you-can-drink on-home event. I always work hard to get my money’s worth!)The rooftop provided no shelter from the rain showers that periodically came down upon us. Umbrellas did help though.
Anyway, it wasn’t a great day for a Hash but we made the best of it. Still raining off and on today as well. I guess if all I’ve got to complain about is the weather things must be going pretty good, right?
Oh, I did come across some more Fiesta related information on my personal Hash trail yesterday. It’s a barangay-wide event as opposed to being city-wide, with events taking place in the various puroks around town. (A barangay is a village within the city, a purok is a neighborhood within the village).
Lots of exciting events are on the menu! Barrio Barretto will be rockin’ this weekend! I’m especially looking forward to the “Gay basketball exhibition”. Well, actually I don’t give a hoot. But one of the things about Filipino culture that I do admire is that gays/transgenders are totally accepted as part of the community. No one gives a shit about sexuality or how you identify. Be who you want to be and leave us to be who we are. Folks back home would do well to give that a try!
Damn it! It’s pouring rain again, just when I was fixin’ to do my afternoon walk. Now what? Well, I came across this mildly interesting article today:
I talked to a Russian man who, during the 1980 Moscow Olympics, found himself working near the stadium box where Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev was going to sit for the opening ceremony. He was standing by when Brezhnev’s security detail stormed in ahead of the General Secretary, and demanded to know what certain metal poles were doing in a particular place. Technicians explained that these were the supports for the TV lights that would illuminate Comrade Brezhnev.
“We didn’t agree to these things!” one of the KGB men barked. “Get rid of them!”
You didn’t argue with the KGB. Down came the poles. And so, at the 1:25 mark in the opening ceremony (see above), when the camera lands on Brezhnev as he is introduced to the crowd, and to the watching world, the General Secretary is shrouded in darkness.
“That was the first clue I had that the system was going to fall,” said my Russian interlocutor. He meant that a system that caused a globally humiliating mistake like that to happen, because certain people in authority thought they knew better, and everybody below them was reasonably terrified to tell them no — a system like that was going to collapse.
I guess the reason I found it noteworthy was that it reminded me of one of the highlights of my government career. As usual, the Korean government was not wanting to pony up the amount of money the Americans thought necessary to pay for the US forces stationed in Korea. So, the USFK Commander (a four-star General) was frustrated and decided to pursue action that would send an appropriate message to the Koreans. I was invited because I was the civilian personnel director with oversight of our Korean workforce. So, the General’s big plan was to furlough our Korean workers. The room was packed with General Officers, Colonels and the like. They were all nodding their heads approvingly and saying “yes, sir!”. I’m sitting in the back of the room pretty much unnoticed. So I raised my hand and said: “excuse me, sir”. “Yes, what is it?” the General barked. I responded “I can do the union notification and issue the furlough letters. But I hope you understand this means we won’t have anyone to drive the school buses, clean the hospital, serve food in the mess hall…” The look on his face! He turned to the 2-star Marine General next to him and asked: “why wasn’t I informed of this?” Woo boy! Suffice to say we didn’t do the furlough and I got a lot of dirty looks from the yes men after that meeting.
This is the sight that greeted my weary eyes when I awoke at 0600 this morning:
I’d call that a good start to the day!
After taking care of my morning chores (coffee, perusing the internet, walking the dogs) I headed out for my traditional a.m. hike. And I noted that it is fiesta time once again in our fair city. Honestly, I’m not all that clear on the concept, check out the link above and you’ll know about as much as I do. I have noticed that at least in Olongapo the fiestas are celebrated within an individual purok (neighborhood), and not necessarily on the same dates.
For example, the folks on this street will be celebrating this weekend. I’ll have to check it out and see what the hell the big deal is.
In news that is more pertinent to someone like me, my beach walk revealed that the Arizona floating bar has been anchored offshore. Word on the street is that it will be opening later this week. I’ll have my own damn fiesta!
They’ve still got a lot of work to complete to get it ready for customers. Not that it matters, but I noticed it’s been positioned opposite of the way it was last year (restrooms and stairs were in the front).
On my afternoon walk yesterday I imagined this conversation:
Pulot maaari mong alisin ang basurahan?
Oo mahal
Oh, I guess I should translate that for you.
Honey, can you take out the trash?
Yes, dear.
Yes, yes, I’m showing off my mastery of Tagalog Google translate. But back to my story. As I’m coming down the mountain, I see this:
Someone has just been carrying their household garbage a hundred yards up the trail and throwing it into a ravine. Their personal landfill I guess.
Now, I can kinda sorta understand this. There is likely no city government trash pick up service out here in the sticks, so what are your options? Lots of people just burn their garbage which is probably equally bad for the environment. I honestly don’t put this in the same category as littering, that’s just pure laziness. Anyway, this is sort of the opposite of my morning rainbow.
And I’m reminded just how filthy some Americans can be.
Yeah, you suck Schiff!
Alrighty, then. Time to move on. Got a Hash on the horizon this afternoon. Thanks for stopping by!
Somewhere over the rainbow way up high There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true
Someday I’ll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far Behind me Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That’s where you’ll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow Why then, oh, why can’t I?
If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh, why can’t I?
UPDATE: Well, I’ll be damned. I used “somewhere over the rainbow” as a post title for the first time way back in August 2006. I had totally forgotten seeing The Wizard of Oz performed as a Korean play, featuring an acquaintance of mine in the role of Dorothy. It was really nice taking that stroll down memory lane this afternoon.
Not much happening on this lazy Sunday. Nothing to speak of from Saturday night either, unless you want to hear about cold beers at Cheap Charlies. Didn’t think so.
So, what does that leave me? The last bastion of a desperate blogger–shit that popped up in my Facebook feed.
Admittedly, I’m a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to getting grammar, punctuation, and pronunciation right. Is there a word for that?
I remember looking up the word “inexplicable” in the dictionary once and all it said was “cannot be explained”. So I still don’t know what it means.
Speaking of Kevin Kim, he’s taking his pie-making to a whole other level. Check out his Windmill’s breakfast pie. It’s a masterpiece! After reading his post, I went out to breakfast myself. And when I saw the chicken pie on the menu, I couldn’t resist.
I’ve never had a Windmill’s, but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.
And finally, I learned something today about the origin of darts:
Works for me!
I’ve actually not been playing all that much lately. When I do play, I’ve been throwing pretty well. I just can’t seem to recapture my passion for the game. Anyway, no big deal. I play when I feel like it or don’t have anything better to do. Last night I started out at Alley Cats but just wasn’t feeling the darts vibe, so I drank beer and took in the view at Cheap Charlies instead.
It’s all good.
Smile an everlasting smile A smile could bring you near to me Don’t ever let me find you gone ‘Cause that would bring a tear to me This world has lost it’s glory Let’s start a brand new story Now my love right now there’ll be No other time and I can show you How my love
Talk in everlasting words And dedicate them all to me And I will give you all my life I’m here if you should call to me You think that I don’t even mean A single word I say
It’s only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away It’s only words, and words are all I have to take your heart away It’s only words, and words are all I have
All Saints Day is apparently a big deal here in this predominately Catholic country. Who knew?
I took a Jeepney out to the mall yesterday morning. Got there a little before the assumed opening time of 10 a.m. Nope, a late opening (noon) due to the holiday. So, I took a goodly long walk around the old Navy base then popped in here for lunch:
So, in other words, you are NOT open 24 hours. I’d seen this place before but never tried it. I had me a hankering for some Korean so I popped on in.The side dishes were excellent. The best I’ve had outside Korea for sure.A little disappointed the meat wasn’t grilled at the table, although honestly, I’m glad I didn’t have to do the cooking. The galbi was quite flavorful and tender. I left satisfied, praise be to the saints of good food!
Returned to the now open mall in search of some new shoes. I usually plan to just re-stock on all my personal needs during my annual trip to the USA. I decided not to go this year, so it’s time to see how the locals do it. I found a nice pair of New Balance sneakers to wear for everyday use. The mall also has a Merrill store which is my preferred brand for hiking shoes. Saw some I like but don’t need any just yet. The also had a Nike and Columbia store. I’m boycotting Nike and the Columbia store didn’t have much in the sizes I require. Anyway, I got what I came for this trip. Praise be to the saints of shopping!
So, it occurs to me that in my self-indulgence I’ve been negligent when it comes to sharing with you some insights into Filipino culture. And what better way to do that than through song? Mikey Bustos is a very popular actor/comedian here in the PI. In the video “If Freddie Mercury were Filipino” he hilariously depicts some of the things that make the Philippines unique, especially the food.
HaHa, when I went to pull that video, I see he’s done parodies of Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson too! So much culture, so little time! Saints preserve us!
Speaking of culture, Kevin Kim has a post about learning the native language of the country in which you reside. Now, I’ve learned a handful of words in Tagalog. But Visayan and Cebuano are also widely spoken here (depending on where you are in the country). Which is why English is supposed to be the common tongue in the Philippines. I’m working at getting better in that one at least! That doesn’t make me a saint, I know.
Despite being a colony of Spain for a few hundred years, Spanish is not really a thing here. I mean, you can see the Spanish influence in some Tagalog words, but it doesn’t sound the same to my ear.
Hey, do you want to see my dogs?
Buddy boy……and my Lucky boy.
They are not perfect, but they love me like I’m a saint. That’s good enough for me!
So, I did the Halloween party thing last night. I’m not into that whole wearing a costume routine, the last time I did was three years ago at Eun Oke’s insistence. Anyway, people kept asking me if I was going to “dress up,” so I figured, hell, why not? I got my old work suit out of storage and dressed up for the occasion. It was actually pretty funny hearing people guess who I was supposed to be. And I couldn’t help but think that I’m far enough removed now from my working life that dressing as a government bureaucrat makes for a good enough costume.
The party was held at the Queen Victoria bar and it was packed. Even had a live band playing. There was also a makeup artist on hand, so I took advantage to spice up my “costume” some.
I didn’t feel a thing.
There was a woman there I hadn’t met before, but I just had to pose with her:
I think we might have wound up getting married…Oh, and Ilene was there as well. Looking amazing. Those eyes! She got second place in the costume contest. The bride pictured with me earlier took first.That Trump 2020 hat must have scared the shit out of any liberals around last night.That clown next to me is a Hasher…I didn’t spend much time listening to the band, but they sounded fine as background noise.“He did the mash. He did the monster mash…”
A drunken good time was had. Apparently.
I was working in the lab late one night, When my eyes beheld an eerie sight. For my monster from his slab began to rise, And suddenly to my surprise, He did the Monster Mash. (The Monster Mash, ) It was a graveyard smash. (He did the Mash, ) It caught on in a flash. (He did the Mash, ) He did the Monster Mash.
Overall, a very nice Sausage Walkers adventure yesterday. We took the Hashmobile 25 minutes out of town and walked back. Our path was for the most part along the banks of the Matain river in an area I had not previously walked. I always enjoy new vistas.
We’re here! Um, wait a minute…are we gonna cross the river? On that?
Well, it wasn’t entirely new. When the truck pulled off the roadway I spotted an all too familiar bridge. One that on a previous long ago walk I had refused to cross, subjecting me to some good-natured derision from my fellow hikers. Once I had confirmed that it was, in fact, the same bridge and it was indeed the plan that we should cross, I came to the same conclusion I had back then–a big NOPE! This time several others in our group agreed that discretion actually is the better part of valor and joined me on an alternative hike a few meters upriver for a more suitable crossing.
The bridge too far.I don’t mind getting my feet wet. Water dries faster than blood after all.After we waded across we rejoined the main group who had all done the bridge without incident. Good for them. I’m not sure what it is, but I just know me trying to cross that bridge would not have ended well. The first time I got about a third of the way over and when it started swaying I was done. I have a fear of heights anyway which seems to compound my natural lack of balance.Fuck you, bitch. It ain’t NEVER gonna happen!
It’s similar to this “stairway to heaven” video Kevin Kim shared on his blog. At least for me.
Anyway, the group re-formed and we went on our way (the last time I’d avoided this bridge, we turned left. Yesterday we turned right. Hence, a new trail for me).
Let’s walk!That really gets my goat…Passed through a peaceful village…The local schoolhouse…They say that every picture tells a story. Not sure what this story is all about. Nothing in the cart I’d spend a quarter for though…And on we march!Another river crossing. We weren’t going that way, but I wouldn’t have any trouble crossing this bridge. It’s new, it’s more stable looking, and with all that netting, even a clumsy oaf like me couldn’t fall off…Speaking of falls…A river runs through it…And on and on we go……through orchards……and fields of green.Lunch break time. I know who I’d like to be eating. Er, eating with I mean.Instead, I enjoyed a granny smith apple and cheese, some mixed nuts, and a cinnamon roll from Angel’s bakery.Christmas season here is in full swing…The rice crop has been harvested and laid in the street to dry…After lunch, it was time to make our way to our traditional watering hole. Some hearty members of the group wanted to do a mountain climb before we finished. The rest of us made our way through the comparatively flat streets of Alta Vista.The view from Cheap Charlies. As you can see, the National Highway remains under construction.All told, we had us a nice little 7K hike through some pretty countryside. I’ll call that a good day!
Oh, and Happy Halloween! I’ll be going to a party tonight at Queen Victoria bar. Everyone keeps asking if I’m going to dress up, so I guess I will. Pictures tomorrow!
And a quick update on Ilene. Ran into her last night at Cheap Charlies. She was with Stuart, another member of the Wednesday walking group. He asked me if I’d mind taking a photo. Well, of course I wouldn’t mind.
I made my way out to Baloy Beach yesterday afternoon and visited the recently re-opened floating bar called Kokomo’s. It’s the first one out this season (Blue Rock and Arizona also feature floating bars). I enjoy the ambiance of drinking my beers on the water for some reason.
As seen from the beach……and from the raft used to transport patrons to the bar…
And once I was on board I had a bit of a surprise. Amongst the dozen or so working girls young women waiting for customers were two gals I first met at the Hash–Arcel (Subic Ice Queen) and Julica (Libre Boom Boom).
That’s Julica in the white dress. I had a pretty major crush on her when we first met. Turns out she’s a butterfly, always looking for the next best thing. Rumor has it that she also has a Filipino boyfriend. Whatever. I got the sense last night she might have figured out she blew it. That’s the way it goes. I bought her a couple of drinks just to show there are no hard feelings.Now with Arcel, you always know where things stand and I appreciate that. When we first met she was dating another Hasher. After they broke up, I met her a couple of times for, shall we say, transactional purposes. Anyway, it was a fun evening hanging out with her at the bar.I didn’t get a chance to meet this girl but I will never forget her, um, face…
And there you have an update on the drunken portion of my life. And speaking of dogs (ahem), how about these:
I came across this picture I took of Lucky before he was mine. The fucked-up nature of his life on a two-foot chain was what motivated me to rescue him.And here is Lucky last night tolerating hugs from his drunk master…Don’t worry, I saved some love for my Buddy boy too!
My dogs ain’t heroes or anything, so I guess I don’t have to worry about whatever shady things they may have done being exposed by the likes of CNN.
Although I did catch Buddy peeing on my kitchen trashcan the other day…
Now, wasn’t that fun?
Off the Florida Keys, there’s a place called Kokomo That’s where you want to go to get away from it all Bodies in the sand, tropical drink melting in your hand We’ll be falling in love to the rhythm of a steel drum band Down in Kokomo
Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take you to Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go oh I want to take you down to Kokomo, we’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow That’s where we want to go, way down in Kokomo
