Living in a plague is just an intensified way of living. It merely unveils the radical uncertainty of life that is already here, and puts it into far sharper focus. We will all die one day, and we will almost all get sick at some point in our lives; none of this makes sense on its own (especially the dying part). The trick, as the great religions teach us, is counterintuitive: not to seize control, but to gain some balance and even serenity in absorbing what you can’t.”

Andrew Sullivan “How to Survive a Plague”

Well, I’m just rolling with it all one day at a time. Yesterday I found an open restaurant that is still permitting sit down dining.

And yes, of course, they were also serving beer. I had several in fact. A couple other of expat diners as well and we enjoyed some chat with our brews. One guy just moved here a couple of weeks ago (talk about bad timing!) and it turns out he is a Hasher as well. Of course, he won’t get to do a Subic Hash until the quarantine is lifted, but he’s looking forward to it.

A very nice late afternoon view from my beachside dining/drinking vantage point:

It was a pretty pleasant evening all and all, and I left in plenty of time to make it home prior to the 8 p.m. curfew. In fact, I plan to go back again this evening. It only seems fair and right to support a business that has elected to stay open during these troubling times. And in case you are wondering, all of us patrons were in fact keeping the recommended distance from one another. I’m not putting myself or others at risk.

Another day without any symptoms indicating the Wuhan virus has invaded my body. I’ve incorporated taking a morning temperature check along with my other stats. 35.6 C today. BP a little higher than normal at 137/94, but a good resting heart rate of 61 bpm. So far, so good.

Today is the one year anniversary of my adoption of Lucky.

I kept Lucky outside until the meds cleared up the mange which the vet told me was highly contagious. Once he was healthy I moved him inside with his stepbrother and best buddy, Buddy.

No Hash today, but Scott (Pubic Head) joined me for a pleasant 7K hike this morning. Scott’s been Hashing here for going on 15 years now, so he pretty much knows all the trails. It is always nice to have him guide me on a new path.

I had breakfast at the unnamed restaurant, then headed out to meet Scott at our rendevous point in Marian Hills.

For today’s “interesting” photo I’ll offer up something that reminds of a quaint and simpler time, long before the nightmare of the current pandemic.

Here’s a shot of a guy that is technically in violation of the quarantine restrictions, but he has good intentions and takes appropriate steps to avoid contracting or spreading the dreaded virus from China.