A couple of readers had asked to be updated periodically on the status of Maris’ Kitchenette, the canteen I’ve “invested” in. Today marks one month since the lease was signed, so it seems an appropriate time to check in on how things are going.
To begin, the business earned enough revenue to have cash on hand to pay the rent today (12,000 pesos/$240), so there’s that. And to reiterate, I have no interest in the business nor any say in the manner in which it operates. I paid some upfront money for equipment and I’ve purchased some food and supplies during my weekly shopping excursions, but that’s the extent of my involvement. That said, from an outsider’s perspective, the business appears to be doing pretty well. That’s quite an accomplishment during these troubled times.
The target clientele was always intended to be working class Filipinos. That plan seems to be turning out pretty well. She has regular visits from the bargirls at several nearby bars, the dive boat crew from the resort next door, and some of the maintenance staff at the Central Park Reef hotel. The fact that the Kitchenette is getting repeat business is a good sign I think.
And on the weekends she gets some tourist trade as well.
I’ve never actually ordered and eaten anything off the menu there. I’m just not that big a fan of basic Filipino foods (from what I’ve seen, heavy on rice and egg with a little meat on the side). But actual customers do seem to enjoy their meals.
Mama tells me the food is excellent. Of course, she eats for free, but she drops by nearly everyday.She also gets some business from the expat community.
I usually come by at the tail end of my nightly bar crawl. It is actually quite pleasant to sit outdoors and watch the world go by. Well, the part of the world that traverses the National highway out front anyway. Some of the darters drop in after the tournament at Alley Cats too. Of course, this crowd is mostly there to drink beer, a product that the Kitchenette is not technically permitted to sell under terms of the lease. Instead, beer must be purchased from the Beach Please bar in the back on the waterfront. Another option is for folks to bring their own beer with them, which is a cheaper way to go. This week at Royal I bought two cases of canned beer and Maris is providing them to customers upon request. I still make it a point to buy at least one bucket (six bottles) from the bar each time I visit, just to keep the peace. And no, I don’t drink all six, I share them with whomever might be sitting around with me. Anyway, Maris sells the cans for 60 pesos each, so she is at least making a little money off us beer drinkers now.
The other good news is that Maris has hired some helpers. I really like that aspect of the business because it contributes to making a positive impact on the community. Granted, wages are low but some income is better than nothing and many folks have nothing these days.
My sense is this has been a learning curve for Maris and she is working a lot harder and for longer hours (10 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., six days a week) than she expected. She’s going to need some additional competent staff to help reduce that workload some. We’ll see what happens, but it appears to be a “so far, so good” situation.
Speaking of kitchens, I stopped by The Pub last night for a sandwich (roast beef and cheddar, yum!) and John Kim was sorting a big shipment of newly arrive beef cuts.
Man oh man. Tender American USDA prime and choice steaks.
I’ll be firing up the grill this coming weekend for sure!
And speaking of meat, I had some beers at It Doesn’t Matter bar last night.
And as usual, I enjoyed spending some time with Roan. She’s full of wit and can hold up her end of the conversation. I like that!
Yesterday the Wednesday Walkers trucked out to deep in the heart of Subic to hike in some different than usual environs. Club Morocco is a huge subdivision near the Keppel shipyard. Interestingly, it was developed by the same company that created Alta Vista. Club Morocco is probably twice the size of Alta Vista but has far fewer houses. I’d guess less than 10% of the lots have been built on. It’s near the bay with great views but is also very isolated. I actually looked at a house there before I made the move, but couldn’t deal with being so far away from the things that make my Barretto life so convenient. It was a nice place to visit but I’m glad I don’t live there!
A pleasant 8k hike along the waterside and on the streets of Club Morocco.Our merry band of walkers…And we are off!Business was booming at the shipyard.Does this mean we are trailers?Passing through a bayside fishing village.Livin’ the life.There’s something fishy about this picture.Edgewater.You dirty beach!Hut, two, three, four…Not the easiest access getting to this picnic table, but great water views.A fishing vessel.Beach trees.Passing through another village…The high tide required us to get our feet wet…Then we started the day’s biggest climb…The view from halfway up.A brief rest to catch our breath…And then the climb continued.A view from the top.Back on the empty streets of Club Morocco.Hello? Is anybody home?Kate captured the beauty of the day with this shot.Let’s head back to the truck.Kate, Scott, and Shyrel are such posers!Take us home now, Troy!“Eastbound and down, loaded up and truckin’…”It is even more uncomfortable back there than it looks…After hike beers and food at Sit-n-Bull.
It was another nice day in paradise.
Last night I ventured out to Marick’s for a bit. Brought some brownies I baked for my favorite brown knees bargirl. She seemed to enjoy them.
It was nice to make her Happy.
She’s actually sweeter than a brownie. I did the math in my head and when she was born I was only 43. And besides, age is just a number. And I identify as thirty years old. And I’m a lesbian trapped in a man’s body–I love women! So, check your privilege and don’t be a bigot!
Ah, the life of a retired expat in a country filled with sweet young things looking for love. Or a handout. Or both. Let’s make a deal!
Monday’s Hash was a real throwback for me. I actually enjoyed the trail and didn’t even find it necessary to shortcut. The best thing was not dragging ass, breathless and light-headed, during the hike. Maybe taking the day off on Sunday was not such a bad thing after all. The trail was only 6K, but it had two climbs of moderate difficulty. What I liked best though was a good portion of the trail was first-time territory for me. It’s good to see something new for a change. Let’s do the photos, shall we?
Demolition Derby was the Hare and did a great job–well marked and challenging without being crazy hard or dangerous.The first up was not new, it was the “road” leading to Kalaklan Ridge. I’m not sure this photo really captures what’s going on here. Apparently, people just dump their garbage upstream and it washes on down. So the garbage and dirt are irrevocably joined together in a filthy mess.The sane group of Hashers was greatly reduced in number for this hike. We took a Jeepney to the trailhead at the Ocean View Resort. I hung back with ISD (Steve) who was recovering from something or other and moving slower than usual.A view of Olongapo City from the ridgeline…And the thatch grass is in full bloom.On-On!I’ve never been here before…I like it!This way to the second climb!Made it to the top!Poor Steve was really struggling after the second climb. I don’t like to stop even when I’m tired because I stiffen up. But Steve needed to sit and catch his breath some and the sane Hashers have got to stick together!An estate on the mountain.One way we crossed the stream……and another.More like purgatory.Waiting for Steve…Candy and cookies for the kiddies…Getting back to the roots on this trail.The final slog…Then On-Home at Blue Butterfly…Engaging in the delicate process of rehydration.
A chance to Relive the hike if you’d like:
It was a good day for feeling good on trail. I was the last one back (again) but I don’t care. I was too busy enjoying myself to be in a hurry.
Or so I keep telling myself. Actually, reminding myself is more accurate. I’ve wasted time in the past not enjoying the blessings that surrounded me, instead only focusing on my regrets. My last year in Korea is a prime example of that blind ignorance. Well, no more and never again is my attitude now. Each new day is the best day I have and I’m not going to fritter it away worrying about shit that is beyond my control anyway. I know I’ve said it before but it bears repeating–how can I not love this life I’m living? Just walking the dogs and seeing the mountains fills me with contentment. This morning I recalled telling someone about why I liked living in Columbia, SC–two hours from the mountains and two hours from the beach. He responded, “why not pick what you like best and live there instead of being two hours away?” These days, I have both right outside my door.
I treated myself to lunch at Mango’s today and enjoyed this view.
Well, to be more accurate, I treated myself and a lady friend to lunch at Mango’s today. She’s someone I’ve been acquainted with for a while and wouldn’t mind getting to know better. She’s been going through a transition from bartending to factory work on the old Navy base. She’s asked for some financial assistance to pay for medical and other requirements. A little here and a little there and now we are up to 10,000 pesos ($200.) I’ve been unresponsive to recent hints that she wants/needs more. Until last night when she sent me a message saying “Can I pawn myself to you? HaHa!” That was a new concept to me, but I answered “Yes, friends with benefits”. She did another “ha ha” in response to that. She came back with “how much you pay to pawn me?” Well, I was busy drinking at the Hash and never got around to responding.
This morning she sends this message: “Sorry for what I told you last night…hehehe. I’m crazy…mental block.” I told her not to be sorry and that I was trying to figure out how to afford her. She laughed again and said, “you know my priority now–just tell me.” I responded that I was ready if she was willing. “Of course” was her reply. So, I invited her to lunch and she agreed to meet me at noon. Exciting times, eh?
Well, not so much. She didn’t arrive until 12:45 and said she wasn’t hungry. She also advised she had a medical test to do back in Olongapo at 2:00. What the hell? Why accept a lunch date, come late and not want to eat, and then have to leave in less than an hour? This wasn’t going well. I ordered a salad and she wound up getting some lumpia, ate a couple of bites, and took the rest to go. Alright then, down to business. “Tell me about what is involved in being pawned to me?” She laughed nervously and said “that was just a joke. Did you really take me seriously?” Um, we are here, aren’t we? Okay, it was all a misunderstanding. My bad. Paid the bill, gave her 20 pesos for Jeepney fare, and said our goodbyes. Man, that’s about as close to breaking Rule #1 (don’t be a sucker) as it comes.
The icing on the cake was getting back home and having the gal who stood me up for a massage yesterday messaging me. Seems her nephew was in an accident, that was why she couldn’t come as scheduled. I wished him well. Then she came back and wanted to “borrow” 1000 pesos for medicine. I’d had enough of this bullshit by then, so I just said “let’s boom-boom instead. 3000 pesos and keep the 1000 you already owe me.” Well, that shut her up. No response at all. Guess the “emergency” wasn’t as critical as she led me to believe.
And yes, I know I’m the asshole in all of this. In my defense, I can only say that the constant begging has just exhausted my reservoir of goodwill. If you’ve got nothing to give, neither do I.
Anyway, back to my original point. I’m living my best life. I’m making the rules that suit me. If you don’t like my terms and conditions, don’t ask for my help. I have no bad feelings towards anyone regarding their choice. And I am still spending my charity budget every month with no expectations of anything in return. I’m just feeling no guilt about not giving handouts to predators.
Well, damn. I had intended this to be a prelude to my weekly Hash report. It was a good trail and I felt better than I have while hiking in quite some time. Did the whole trail too, if you can imagine that. But my ramblings above have run out the clock and now I must prepare for the dart tournament. Tomorrow will be a “pure” Hash post with plenty of pictures. Promise!
In the meanwhile, thank you for your indulgence. Who else am I going to tell about these shenanigans?
And tomorrow we might not be together I’m no prophet, no I don’t know nature’s way So I’ll try to see into your eyes right now And stay right here, ’cause these are the good old days.
Well, I guess if you don’t have a bad massage now and again you can’t appreciate the good ones. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I gave “Happy” a tryout yesterday and she was clueless. She had told me she knew how to massage but it was more like a back rub. In fact, I had to ask her if she was going to do my legs. She seemed surprised, “oh, you want your legs massaged too?” Ah well, nothing ventured nothing gained. I tried to get some cuddle time in but she didn’t seem comfortable with that. No problem. I got up and got dressed.
As I was paying her, I explained the various levels of compensation I provide based on services rendered. A straight massage is 500 pesos (plus tip). Providing a happy ending ups the ante to the 1000-2000 range, depending on the method used to bring about a satisfying result. I also mentioned that I give 3000+ for boom-boom. She said “okay”. Which I took to mean she understood, but it turns out she wanted the sex option. It was my turn to be surprised.
Now, Happy is 23 years old with two kids. But when I got her undressed and into bed, she just wanted to lay there like a starfish. I tried to spark some interest with oral which just made her squirm around and try to push my head away. I may not be a master with my tongue, but I’d never been refused either. Happy told me it was the first time for her. Hmm. Well, if she didn’t want my mouth I figured I’d try hers. Nope, she’d never done that before either. Or so she says. I don’t think she was pretending though–my impression from her physical responses to my touch was that she just doesn’t like sex. Well, I don’t like sex with a partner who can’t even fake a little enthusiasm, so I just told her never mind. I’m not sure how she wound up getting pregnant twice.
Weird experience.
I actually had previously scheduled another massage for this morning. She was supposed to arrive at 0900. Around ten she messaged that she had an “emergency” and couldn’t make it after all. The back story here is that she needed money for food on Friday and asked that I pay her in advance for today’s massage. Well, let’s just say that her failure to appear today was not a complete surprise. And she’s fired now, of course.
What do you say when a Filipina exits your life for one reason or another? “Next!”
Anyway, it’s Hash Monday so I reckon I can just walk it off. Lamenting first-world problems in a third-world country is a silly undertaking anyway. I’m living the dream!
Another day in the life and another post here at LTG. All is right with the world!
Well, I’m still not quite right. Stamina and energy are at low ebbs lately. I managed a 9K solo walk yesterday but it was a struggle. I kept trying to talk myself into taking a shortcut or even, heaven forbid, cheating and taking a trike back home. In the end, I prevailed over the evil thoughts and completed my hike as originally intended.
I also had good intentions for a similar hike this morning. All the way through putting on my hiking shoes. But then I couldn’t manage to drag myself out the door and do it. My only bad excuse is that I got winded on a short incline walking the dogs this morning. So, I convinced myself to give it a rest. I do feel guilty about it though.
I guess I’ll just have to settle for the view from my balcony.
“Happy”, my new favorite bargirl, is scheduled to perform massage services for me for the first time later this afternoon. I’m not sure what to expect but that’s fine too. Straight massage or something extra will be entirely up to her. And the level of compensation I provide will vary accordingly. She’s a cutie though, and I’m looking forward to her hands on my tired old body.
I popped into the Kitchenette last night. The place was hopping, at least in terms of beer drinkers. Unfortunately, Maris is not allowed to sell beer under the terms of her lease. Beer is purchased from the beer bar down on the beach which is also owned by Kitchenette’s landlord. I guess it is not that big a deal, the Kitchenette had a big day on food sales, but it’s a bit of a pain in the ass to hike down for buckets of beer at 70 pesos per bottle. In fact, the bar actually ran out of beer before the Kitchenette closed, so we bought beer from the small store nearby at only 45 pesos a bottle. That might be the way to go in the future.
Beer drinkers doing what beer drinkers do.
For those of you who enjoy photos from my walks, here are a few from yesterday’s adventure:
The stats from the hike.My new look, sans glasses, as I head out.Leaving my neighborhood…And entering another.Good morning, Easter mountain!Down in the valley…Over the river and through the hills…Wide open spaces.Whatever it was I was trying to capture with this shot was a failure.Ah, back on the National highway again. The checkpoint has created yet another traffic jam.Stopping by my favorite ATM to refill the wallet.And home again at last.
But that was yesterday, and yesterday’s gone. You can Relive it here though if you so desire:
That’s all for now. Thanks for stopping by. And don’t forget to check out Kevin’s walk blog. Great photos from Day 1.
It's like I'm sitting at a bus stop waiting for a train
Exactly how I got here is hard to explain
My heart's in the right place, what's left of it I guess
My heart ain't the problem, it's my mind that's a total mess
With these rickety old legs and watery eyes
It's hard to believe that I could pass for anybody's prize
Here's what I know about the gifts that God gave
You can't take 'em with you when you go to the grave
Every once in a while I’m out on a solo hike listening to a random playlist on Spotify a song pops up that knocks my socks off. That’s how it felt anyway when I heard “It ain’t over yet” by Randy Crowell this morning. I’m a little embarrassed to admit I’d never heard of him or the song before. When I checked him out on Wikipedia I was surprised to learn he’s been around a long time and is highly regarded in country music circles. Hell, he was even married at one time to one of my favorites, Roseanne Cash. I’ve been out of touch with American culture for a long time now and it shows.
Here in my insular little world, life continues in much the same way that it does every day. I’m happy to report that my eyesight seems to be improving day by day. I don’t even miss my glasses, although I still instinctively reach for them from time to time.
It’s also nice waking up to a beautiful morning. The air is clear again. Blue skies, scattered clouds, mountains in the background, and of course, the blue waters of the bay. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the views, and the scenery is a damn fine anti-depressant. I look around and think, “what do I have to feel bad about? I’m a lucky man!”
As seen from my dog walk this morning.
There are even interesting things to see when the sun goes down. Like last night at Marick’s:
No idea what that was all about. Rest assured, my ass was not involved.
Alright then, I promised some photos from yesterday’s group hike and I’ll get to them in just a sec. But first, in case you missed it, Kevin Kim has started his long trek from near the DMZ to Busan along the east coast of Korea. So, my walks are nothing compared to that, but I really enjoy following along on his walking adventures. He’s also got great photos and commentary on his journey. Kevin created a special blog for this purpose and you can travel with him at Kevin’s Walk 5.
My Friday group of hikers did a 6k march yesterday which carried us about 2/3 of the way up Kalaklan Ridge, then across the hillsides overlooking Rizal Extension, and finishing up on My Bitch back into Alta Vista. I’ve got to say, I’m still not 100% and it was a struggle at times to keep moving forward. My hike mates said I looked a lot better than I did on Wednesday, so that’s encouraging at least. To the photos then:
Our hilly course.We met up at the corner of Rizal and Banaba streets.Our group for the day.Oddly enough, the slow ascent on the pavement is harder for me somehow than climbing the trails…Which is not to say that the trails are easy…far from it for these old lungs…One of the perks of altitude is the nice view.We interrupted the woman (lower right) doing her laundry in the creek. Excuse us, please!Onward!Downward.Martin in the woods.I’ve heard of a pig in a poke, but here’s a pig on a rope.A pretty impressive waterfall…The bridge.Well, if it holds Martin……I shouldn’t be a problem.A dog whose suffering will soon be over. I don’t understand how people can be so cruel. If you are too poor to care for a dog properly, don’t get one.Valley view.Kids at home.My cookie regulars always seem to know when I’m in the area.In the weeds.This post ain’t going anywhere, rolling or otherwise. So the moss grows.
That brings y’all up to date. We will see what Saturday night has in store for me.
It ain't over yet, I'll say this about that
You can get up off the mat or you can lay there till you die
It ain't over yet, here's the truth my friend
You can't pack it in and we both know why
It ain't over yet
I’m going to have to keep this post short and sweet (is that cheering I hear?) because I’m operating on battery power. No electricity for at least a couple more hours during this scheduled “brownout”. The worst part is that I have no water. In the old house, a lack of power meant no hot water but here because there’s a water pump I get no water at all. Did a group hike up in the mountains this morning, so I’m a smelly old thing right now. I’m going to forego darts today in deference to the other patrons in the bar.
I did my standard bar crawl (Marick’s, It Doesn’t Matter, and The Pub) last night. Well, The Pub was about eating more than drinking and I went with the chicken enchiladas.
Excellent as usual. Spicier than what I’m used to as well. That salad on the side worked like a fire extinguisher for my tongue.
I had a discussion in the comments not long ago about the pitfalls of messing with a married woman in this country. It’s a crime for one thing. But it also puts you in a position to be blackmailed and extorted. The Filipina Pea has an informative video about what can go wrong that you may find interesting. I did. Especially since that married woman continues to harangue me about wanting to meet. This is a good way to remind myself to NOT have a weak moment.
Okay, I’ll be back with a bigger and better post tomorrow, featuring photos from today’s hike.
Had a late night yesterday. Well, there is a 10:00 p.m. curfew, so most bars start closing down around 9:30. That’s something I rarely see these days as my normal bedtime is around 9:00. What got into me? Well, quite a few beers. But I also had places to go and people to see.
I started out at Marick’s bar and the place was packed. There were two other guys and me in there. Plus two bar girls and Marick. Did I mention I’ve seen bigger walk-in closets? Anyway, it’s got a good vibe and Marick is looking for something larger. Good luck with that!
I do enjoy Marick’s company. She said she was going to join me at Monday’s Hash but never showed. When I asked her why she stood me up she said “I got busy”. Okay, I get it.Who is the real Filipino in this picture? That was my way of showing my new favorite bargirl “Happy” how light-skinned she is. “Are you brown from the sun?” No, I’m John from the Earth! Old joke but I’m an old fuck.
I said my goodbyes at Marick’s then headed up the street to It Doesn’t Matter. Hadn’t been there for over a week. My old favorite bargirl “Roberta” came out and joined me. A vendor came by and I wound up buying two dresses for Roberta. I did let her know that I was doing this as a gesture of kindness to the poor woman lugging clothes on hangers up and down the street.
I continued making my way up the highway and stopped at Wet Spot, one of my most frequented bars prior to the pandemic. I was on a mission to find the owner so I could repay an act of kindness he had bestowed upon me last year. The best way I knew how was to buy him a drink. Mission accomplished!
Now, Daddy Dave is more than just a man about town. I think of him as the mayor of the expat community. He also heads the Barrio Barretto Business Association and represents the small business community in dealings with the mayor of Olongapo and the barangay Captain. He has successfully worked with city leadership on pandemic-related issues and unlike the surrounding cities which feature alcohol bans, earlier curfews, and other business-killing and totally ineffective policies, Olongapo is open for business. We are lucky to have Dave on our side for sure!
It had been months since we’ve sat and chatted so I was especially pleased to find him last night. We had a good talk about the issues of the day, enjoyed our drinks, and looked forward to better times.
After Wet Spot, I moved on to The Pub. It was Wingsday after all. That’s when I realized how late it was getting. The only other customers left as I was placing my order and the waitresses were cleaning up and preparing to close while my wings were cooking. I caught a trike around 9:40 and was home well ahead of the witching hour.
The eye doc and I had agreed to an early morning appointment to facilitate his travel to Manila to perform laser surgery. My driver picked me and the helper up at 6:00 and we arrived ten minutes before the agreed-upon 6:30 appointment. The security guard said the doctor hadn’t arrived yet. My driver asked, “now what?” and I said let’s go to McDonald’s! Everyone was in favor of that idea. Had the sausage and egg McMuffin and it hit the spot.
Got back to the hospital at a quarter to seven and the guard still wouldn’t let us in. I was getting pissed but managed to refrain from saying anything I might regret later. Apparently, one of the orderlies went upstairs to check, came back down, and said the doctor was, in fact, in the office. The guard relented and let us pass the threshold into the hospital. Good thing, too. I really had to pee.
Anyway, the doctor seemed to think my eyes were progressing normally and verified my supposition that it takes time for the brain to adapt to the input from a properly functioning eye. So, the blurriness at distance is supposedly nothing to be concerned about at this point. I’m to come back once a week for a month for progress checks. If after a month I’m still not seeing clearly I can opt for either glasses or laser surgery. I’ve got to say, I don’t miss wearing my glasses. I still instinctively reach for them on occasion though.
Once I got back home I set the wheels in motion to get a new passport. Mine expires in December and I got it worked out so that my tourist visa expires on the same day as the passport. I’m using a local travel agency to handle all the details, I’d rather pay them $150. than deal with all hassles of getting everything to the embassy in Manila and back. Was told I should have my new passport in three or four weeks.
Had a wonderful massage from my friend “Merideth”. She was pleasantly surprised when I asked her to come over. I really appreciate the fact that she doesn’t pester me and gives good service when called upon. I’m a lucky guy!
But enough about me. Here are those pictures from Wednesday’s hike I promised:
We took a Jeepney to Calapacuan to begin our trek back to Barretto.Some of our group. What’s her name wondered out of the photo and Scott is behind the camera. He took most of these pics in fact.I was struggling even on this modest incline.Working my way up.Through the back alleys…The haunted hospital. Construction never completed.Off the streets and onto the trail. Luckily for me, the climb was short and not steep.Hello, where have you been all my life?I asked.“Most of it not born.” Fine, be that way.Though my problems are meaningless, that don’t make them go away… I certainly have nothing to complain about.A new perspective on Easter mountain.Family time.Cookie time.Two sides of the Filipino coin.Puddle avoidance.
That’s pretty much it. Tomorrow is going to suck though.
I appreciate the headsup, but damn, all f’n day?
Oh well, I’ll get through it.
I appreciate the sentiment, but I seriously doubt Shakespeare ever said that.
Looks like I won’t be eating pumpkin pie anytime soon.
So, I wasn’t feeling keen for a hike this morning, but when “Pam”, the gal I met on the hike last week messaged me asking where the meet-up was, I figured what the hell, don’t want to miss out on seeing her again. I’m not sure you can imagine my surprise and disappointment when she got out of her mom’s car and a young Filipino got out of the back seat. I almost bailed on the hike then and there, but pride wouldn’t let me wimp out.
Pam pretty much ignored me for the duration of the hike. I was slower than usual because of my weakened condition. That provided the vantage point for me to watch them goofing around like young lovers tend to do. Oh well, it just wasn’t meant to be the way my overactive imagination said it could be.
Pam did send me this picture her boyfriend took on the hike. I can’t get over how perfectly it captures my feelings as I walk away from a possible future with her.I’m going to miss that ass I never got to properly know too.
I’ll post more pics from today’s hike tomorrow. Right now, I want to talk about darts. I was anxious to see how my new vision would affect my game. It was the first time I’d ever played in a dart tournament without wearing glasses. Frankly, I was disappointed. Not with the way I threw, although I was off my game, I can’t blame my eyesight for that. That’s just me being me. Prior to the surgery, I was having trouble seeing clearly where my darts had landed–I often had to ask the scorekeeper for clarification. It was no better, and possibly a little worse, last night. Several times during the match I threw and hit one number, but when I went to pull my darts, it wasn’t the number I thought I hit. That really can impact your strategy. In 501 you have to hit a double-out to win, so as you get close to the finish you want to leave your partner an even number to work with. In one game, I threw a 20, then hit a 1 with my next dart. So my third dart was at the 19 to keep things even for my partner’s outshot. Except when I went to pull my darts it turned out that I had thrown TWO 20s, and my third dart had made our score uneven. My partner gave me a “what the hell are you doing look?”.
It’s kind of weird, I can see clearly enough at close range to read, but an object a few feet away, like a dartboard, becomes blurry. I have a follow-up visit with the eye doctor in the morning and I’m going to asking about that. My theory is that my brain and my new eye aren’t in sync just yet but given a little more time I’ll begin to see things more clearly. Either that or I’m going to need new glasses.
Anyway, I was lucky enough to have a good partner to pull my ass out of the holes I dug. We won all of our matches and took home first place money.Good job, Billy!
What else? Well, the Hash beer meister is on an extended trip back to the states, so I volunteered to be the assistant beer meister until he returns.
I don’t drive anymore, but the Hashmobile is parked safely in front of my abode ready to provide transport of beer and Hashers as needed.I’m also providing space for our ice chests and any excess beer that remains after the Hash. Hey, it’s the least I can do. The very least!
And that pretty much brings you up to date. I’ll leave you with this thought:
Something just ain’t quite right about this whole COVID scenario. I’m not going to do as I’m told, I’m going to do what I think is right. To be clear, I’m not opposed to vaccinations and will get one myself when the time is right for me. I have no fear of COVID. I may have already had it. When it’s my time to go, I’ll go. But the kill rate of this particular virus is so damn low it makes you wonder why we are destroying so many lives in order to “save” them.
Even when you think no one is watching you say it.
It is easy falling into the trap of thinking that the handful of folks that read my online diary have been with me for years and that none of them are local folks. There was a time when I actually promoted LTG by linking to Facebook. I consciously don’t do that now because I want to enjoy the freedom that comes with anonymity. Of course, it doesn’t always work out that way. Back in my working life, I caused a ruckus by making reference to the “Pedophile Mohammed”. Someone complained, I got summoned to the EEO office, and my boss gave me a stern talking to. The lawyers got involved and determined that my opinions, while “churlish”, were my own and since I didn’t express them at work they were covered by the first amendment to the United States Constitution. I also pointed out in my own defense that my statement was factually and historically true (the Prophet married a 9-year-old).
Something similar occurred recently and I wasn’t so much in the clear. A friend of a friend here in Barretto had come across my posts about one of my Friends With Benefits participants. Some of the things I said about her past were not factually correct. I felt bad about that because I do strive for accuracy here and I’m also quite fond of the person in question. So last night I did a search through my archives and changed the name of the person in question. I also deleted identifying photographs. I need to remember I live in a small town where it seems everyone knows just about everyone else. I can tell my stories without invading someone’s privacy I think. I’m going to try and change my ways.
Coincidentally or not, I did see a recent uptick in unique visits to the blog. My “normal” is around 160 or so. This past week I averaged over 200. No idea why, and I won’t be surprised if the numbers drop back down to where they usually are. But as the above incident shows, there is a likelihood that new readers here may very well be my Barretto neighbors. In the recent past, I’ve had a couple of complete strangers approach me and say they’ve been reading my blog. I asked one how he found it and he responded “a Google search of bars in Barretto.” Yep, that would do it I suppose.
Anyway, hopefully, you won’t notice any significant change. Any name will work for the storytelling, not sure what I’ll do about the photos at this point. Stick with me!
No photos from yesterday’s Hash because I didn’t do the trail–long or short. I barely have the energy to walk up the road to my house lately. I don’t know if that is related to the eye surgery (or meds I’m taking post-surgery) but I’m a little concerned. I’ll discuss it with the doc during my follow-up visit on Thursday morning. I did do about 5K on the flat streets of Barretto, so there’s that.
I did, of course, attend the On-Home at Da’Kudo’s on Baloy Beach. Can you see what’s missing in this picture?It was a hot, but pretty day.See what I mean?
I’m not anti-vax, but I’m definitely against vaccination mandates.
Funny how that works.
Now, if they want to treat getting vaccinated in the same manner as they do voting, maybe I could support the idea.
Hey libs, it was your idea!
Alright, enough of this madness! For today anyway.
You looking at me? My new look after surgery. Don’t worry, the goggles are just for a few days to keep things out of my eye–like my finger.
Here’s the tale of my first time going under the knife in the Philippines. I’d be pleased if it were my last time as well, but truth be told, I guess things went according to plan.
Arrived at the doctor’s office at Baypointe hospital a little before noon. I took a seat in the waiting area as directed. After a few minutes, the assistant came out and put some drops in my eye for dilation. After a bit, she came back out and inserted more drops in my eye and told me she would take me to have my vitals checked in a few minutes. She came out a third time for the eye drop routine and repeated her promise about the vitals. I told her “that’s what you said last time.” She did return and we went down the hall where they checked my heart rate, blood pressure, and for some reason, weighed me. Then back to the waiting area.
Just a little before 1:00 p.m., the assistant had me follow her to the other side of the hospital where the operating rooms are located. She took me behind a screen and told me to remove my shirt. I bit my tongue and did NOT say the first thought that came to mind: “you first, baby!” My shirt was replaced with a gown and my sandals for slippers. Then I was taken into the waiting area for the operation. My doctor came out but took the woman sitting next to me for surgery first, and he didn’t return for 45 minutes. When he did finally come for me, he said the previous surgery had been difficult but he expected mine to be easier. In short order, I was escorted to the assigned operating room and told to sit in a reclining chair like you see in a dentist’s office.
Now, I’ve been fortunate in life to have not had much experience in having surgical procedures performed on my body–some polyps removed from my colon and a vasectomy are all that come to mind. The first thing I noticed that made this experience different was that there was music being played from a boombox-like contraption–loudly. It was some bluesy tunes from the early 60s, I even recognized a couple of them. I figured I could try and focus on the music and not what was being done to my eye, but I wasn’t very successful in that regard.
As things began, I was instructed to look into the light that was being shined into my eyes. “Better than walking towards the light,” I joked. No one got it. That light was so bright it was actually painful. Then the nurse put some anesthetic in my eye, and that hurt at first too. They taped my eyelids open, and the show was on! The light wasn’t as bright as before, or maybe I had gotten used to it by now. But what was weird was it would change colors and move around a lot. And then there was one point in the procedure where I started seeing things. One vision was like out of a war zone with what appeared to be a collapsed bombed-out building. Later in the procedure, things got colorful, with swirling images dances around. Reminded me of that trip I took on LSD back in the 70s. There was never any real pain, but lots of discomfort. I guess the entire procedure only took about thirty minutes–cutting out the cataract and inserting the new vision lens. At one point I thought I heard the doctor say “uh oh”. I asked him what happened and he said nothing. Why uh oh? He laughed and said I was talking to the nurse and told her oo-oo (yes in Tagalog). Ah, okay. I was damned glad when it was over though.
I was escorted back to the waiting room, which I guess now was the recovery room. Got a prescription for some pills I need to take for a couple of days and some eye drops. Was given the goggles pictured above and told to not touch my eye and to not get water in my eye for two weeks. I asked how I was going to shower and the response was “from the neck down”. I guess I’m supposed to wash my hair in a sink, beauty parlor style (back to the sink). No idea how I’m going to pull that off. I’ll think of something. I was also told to return for a follow-up check today and another on Thursday.
When I got escorted back to the doctor’s office it was just past 2:00. The bill came to 68,000 pesos. I handed over my credit card. The assistant looked at me like I was from another planet. I told her I had already cleared paying by card with the doc, but she appeared clueless. She spoke with someone on the phone and then left the office. My helper said she needed to check with the doctor. So, we waited and waited. The main reason I’m not a doctor is because I have no patience. I was tired and hungry and ready to get moving. In frustration, I went back to the operating room area and the assistant was there, waiting for the doctor’s approval to accept my plastic payment. Apparently, she finally got it, and we all headed downstairs to the cashier.
The assistant and the cashier engaged in a long discussion. Then the assistant came out and said she needed to go upstairs and get more paperwork from the operating room. I was on the verge of losing it. Even my mantra “take a deep breath, relax, and accept the Filipino way” wasn’t working. I said I’d pay tomorrow when I came back for the follow-up visit, but for some reason, that’s not allowed either. In order to avoid making a (bigger) scene, I gave my helper my card and headed outside. About ten minutes later she came out and I signed the ticket. $1,360 for the day’s entertainment.
Went to the drugstore for the meds, then took my helper and driver to Seoul for some eats. I was starving.
Bulgogi stew was excellent. The photograph, not so much. I hope you’ll turn a blind eye to that fact.The waiter asked if I wanted thick or thin samgyeopsal. Both, I told him.The one thing I don’t like about Seoul restuarant is that you have to order the side dishes separately and individually. They are all good though.
I was tempted to have my driver drop me off at It Doesn’t Matter bar on the way home. After all, it was Saturday night. But the skies were threatening rain and I didn’t have an umbrella. How would I keep the eye dry? So, I came on home. Tried to spend some time on the internet, but without glasses, and my new eye swollen post-surgery, it was all just a blur. Wound up doing something I almost never do–watch TV. I don’t have any premium channels these days, so I scrolled through YouTube and took a trip back to the 1950s. Some One Step Beyond episodes that were entertaining, a movie written by Rod Serling that was forgettable (I’ve already forgotten the title), and a better Serling effort about time travel on a show called The Desilu Playhouse that I’d never heard of before. Desi Arnaz did the introduction in his heavily accented English which was entertaining on its own. Maybe I should stay home and watch TV more often? No, I don’t think so.
For the first few hours after surgery, the eye felt like I had a grain of sand in it. Very uncomfortable and I was fearful that was going to be my new normal. Thankfully, that was gone when I woke up this morning. It was replaced by a faint flashing of light in the corner of my eye. Distracting, but I figured I could live with it. That faded away too though.
I was feeling almost normal when I arrived at the doctor’s office for the follow-up this morning. First thing I did was apologize to the assistant for my behavior yesterday. She was nice about it. Then they did the standard eye exam stuff. I was very pleasantly surprised that my new right eye has uncorrected 20-20 vision. Read everything to the bottom of the chart. The left eye isn’t quite as good, but nothing like the right one used to be. I’ve gone without glasses all day and I’m functioning pretty close to normal Doing this post has been a bit blurry, but manageable. I’m thinking I might get reading glasses for the close-up stuff, but have the freedom on the trail to go without glasses in the future.
So, bottom line, it looks like it worked and it was worth it.
I keep going, and going, and going…
Saw this today, and in light of recent events, found it especially funny:
Anyway, I’ve got some lovelife (or lack thereof) stuff to share tomorrow. See you then. See what I mean? See what I’m doing? Okay, I saw that expression you are making. I’ll stop now. I don’t want to be seen as obnoxious.
We said we’d “Never Forget!” but I’m not so sure that’s true for many of my fellow Americans. But for today, at least, we’ll leave politics out of the remembrance of those who lost their lives as well as the heroes who gave their lives on that fateful day twenty years ago.
I was working at the Department of Education in Washington, DC on that beautiful September morning. I was having a meeting with my staff in the conference room. Someone mentioned a plane hitting the World Trade Center building in New York, but we assumed it was just a tragic accident. During the meeting, the phone in my office kept ringing. I ignored it at first, but the persistent callbacks convinced me to interrupt my meeting. The caller was my then-wife, Carol, who worked for the Department of Justice. She asked if I’d heard the news–a plane had hit the Pentagon. And things started going crazy throughout the city.
We were locked down. Anyone leaving the building was not allowed back inside. Meanwhile, at the Justice Department, employees had been excused. Carol came to my workplace but they wouldn’t let her in, so I went outside to join her. Now what? We were commuters on the Virginia Railway Express, but all forms of public transportation had been shut down indefinitely. We made our way to the Holiday Inn near our train station and sat in the bar watching events unfold on television. A few hours later, a friend who lived in DC picked us up and drove us home to Stafford, Virginia. My daughter Hillary, who had joined the Army Reserve, was watching the news on TV and stated matter-of-factly “this means I’m going to be activated.” She was and did two tours of duty in Afghanistan.
Everything changed that day. On a personal level, I was jolted out of my former worldview regarding national security. I discovered new sources of information on the internet and was shocked to discover much of what the Washington Post had been feeding me was bullshit. Not so much in what they reported, but in the things they left out. It set my life on a new course, one that eventually led me to Korea to work for the U.S. Army as a civilian.
Over the years I had the opportunity to highlight the actions of two heroic firefighters. I want to continue that tradition by “saying their names” here today:
Men and women like these exemplify the selflessness and sacrifice that has made America great. Hopefully, all those who lost their lives on that fateful day twenty years ago did not die in vain.
This song and the accompanying photographs are both a haunting remembrance and a fitting tribute to those who died that day. May they all rest in peace.
Yesterday morning I made the trip out to Baypointe hospital in order to get the required COVID swab test done prior to my cataract surgery scheduled for tomorrow. You’d think this should be easy enough to accomplish, but then again, I am in the Philippines.
Outside the main entrance to the hospital is a check-in table. You tell them the purpose of your visit, they ask some questions about any symptoms you’ve experienced, then they take your temperature, and you get a pass to go inside. That’s how it’s gone on all my previous visits. Except the COVID testing is done in a tent at the end of the driveway. You still have to go inside to pay prior to the test though. Except if you are being tested for COVID you are not allowed to enter the hospital. A classic Catch-22 situation. Well, I had my helper along so she went inside to pay using my credit card. That’s a little scary too. At the grocery store, they check my ID to make sure the card is mine. Anyway, it took a while because there was a long line at the cashier, but after about twenty minutes she came back with the receipt I required.
I traipsed over to the tent and was tested immediately. The actual procedure was not as invasive as I feared. I mean, it is never fun to have something poked up your nose and down the back of your throat (two different swabs, just to be clear), but it didn’t hurt at all and didn’t take long to complete. And when I woke up this morning the results were in my email inbox.
Turns out the lab is positive that I am negative for COVID. No real surprise there. That means tomorrow morning I’ll be heading back over to Baypointe and getting my eye fixed. Hopefully. We’ll see if I can see clearly again.
Still think I actually had a bout of COVID back in April.
Last night, I changed things up a bit and started my beer intake at Blue Butterfly. It’s an okay bar and the bargirl who latched onto me upon arrival was nice enough. At least she seemed to really like my jokes. Then again, I was buying her lady drinks, so that may have impacted sincerity in that regard. Thirty-nine years old and no kids, which is almost unheard of in this country. I seriously asked her if she were a lesbian and she said no. She didn’t trip my triggers much but we are Facebook friends now.
While I was at Blue Butterfly, Marick sent me a message to come visit her bar and meet the new waitress she just hired. Turns out Marick’s eyes are much better than mine. Her place is diagonally across the highway from BB, but she saw me sitting in the outside seating area. So, I stopped in for a couple.
The new girl is named Joy (yikes, another one!), 23 years old with two young kids. Claims to have never worked in a bar before. So naturally, I bought the first lady drink of her career.
Joy is easy on the eyes and fun to chat with. Certainly not what I am looking for in a potential relationship, but I’d consider her for membership in the Friends With Benefits club. She’s not on Facebook so we exchanged phone numbers. Lots of messages this morning hoping I’ll come back to see her tonight. Ah, ain’t she sweet? And thirsty!
This morning I had a very pleasant chat with Paula. Except it turns out her name is not Paula. It’s actually Paul Pearl, and she goes by Pearl. She says her mom just calls her Pau. She wasn’t able to join the hike today but is looking forward to future adventures–wants to climb the mountains. She seems smart and witty. Also doesn’t appear to be needy at all. No idea why a woman like this would like a man like me. Not saying she does, but based on our conversation this morning, there might be some kind of connection to build on. Time will tell I suppose.
I stole this image from her Facebook page. Seems to capture her sweetness. Again, I’m not getting my hopes up, but damn, I’d love to have a woman like Pearl in my life.
As far as the hike goes, it was raining again this morning so we opted to just stay on the back streets of Barretto. The rain stopped before our meetup, and we managed to get in a 6.5K hike before it started again.
Our trail looked like this.
You can Relive the journey here if you want:
Today’s group of hardy hikers.
That’s about it from here for now. Hopefully, I’ll be back with more tomorrow. If not, it’s been nice knowing you!
It was a nasty day, but that didn’t stop us. The Wednesday Walkers marched around 12 kilometers under a steady rain, driven by the passing of typhoon Jolina. We kept to the roads and highways though, so we suffered no ill-effects other than a good soaking.
The highlight for me, at least, was helping to welcome our newest member, Paula, also known as Pearl. When she arrived at the meetup location we all assumed she was with Chris, as he was the one who greeted her. Scott thought she was perhaps Chris’ wife but I told him she appeared way too young to be his wife (Chris had told me about a hiking trip he took with the wife in Europe several years ago). I thought she might be a daughter, although I don’t even know if Chris has a daughter. With a mask covering the lower portion of her face I thought she looked to be in her late teens.
As the hike commenced, I was, as usual, bringing up the rear. My oh my, Paula’s ass was one of the nicest I’ve ever seen. Yeah, I know that sounds creepy, but I’m just stating a fact that I couldn’t help noticing. It was such a distraction that I stepped up my pace and walked ahead of her so as not to be a total perv. Later in the hike, I had the chance to introduce myself and that’s when I learned her name. When I asked her age she surprised me when she answered “28”. I, in turn, surprised her when I responded that she was only two years younger than me. She laughed when I explained that I am thirty in my heart and reminded her that “age is just a number”. She smilingly nodded in what I assume was agreement.
I also learned that she was divorced, and I asked how that was possible (divorce being illegal in the Philippines). She told me had been married to a Japanese man in Japan, where she had lived for six years. Now don’t get your hopes up for me, dear readers, I’m not. She is very attractive, seems smart and interesting, although I didn’t get a warm fuzzy that she had any interest in me. I told her that our normal hikes are much more interesting than this road walk, and she expressed interest in seeing the mountains. I told her if she wanted to friend me on Facebook I’d add her to our hiking group message board. And she did. So maybe I’ll have a pretty face to spice up the photos from future hikes at least.
To the photos then:
Our long and wet route…And we are off!Yeah, that’s Paula in the black pants.Heading into Subic on the National highway.Then turning up the Govic highway for the long trek to barangay Naugsol.The road stretched out before us.A view from the rear…And a view of the rear.“Are you looking at my ass?”Our route took us on a big loop around Easter mountain.Come along now, Charles. It’s my job to be running behind.On the road to Naugsol.On the streets of Naugsol.Probably the nicest house in Naugsol.Me being charming and witty. Or trying to…Roadwork ahead.The second nicest ass on the hike…Heading back to Barretto on Sawmill road.Almost done.Exchanging Facebook info with Paula before saying our goodbyes.It’s all seemed a little fishy at the street market…Beer drinking time after the hike for some of the guys at the Kitchenette. Our hostess provided chicken wings and lumpia for a snack.And mama dropped by to say hello as well.
Anyway, stayed too long and had too many beers so early in the afternoon. Put me off schedule, hence yesterday’s abbreviated post. It was rainy most of the night, and we lost power early in the evening and again in the wee hours of the morning.
But when the sun came up today, Jolina had moved on.
Anyway, it was not a bad day despite the rain, almost 26,000 steps and nearly 20K. I’ll take it. That kind of exercise has got to be good for the heart, right?
And I come across these reminders during my internet travels to help keep me safe. I’m sure Paula would never hurt me though, right?
I’m joking of course. I hope. And I’m also counting my blessings. I don’t want to ever be this guy:
They did find someone who knew him and got him home safely. I understand he will be running for president.
Perhaps down in the bottom of a beer bottle is the best answer. At least for me today it was. Went out for the Wednesday Walkers group hike, then we did our aftermath at the Kitchenette. We each took turns buying a bucket of six beers. Next thing I knew I was feeling buzzed. Stopped in The Pub and bought some New York steaks on the way home. Took a nap. Then a shower. Now it’s time to head back into town. So, I’ll fill you in on all the details tomorrow. Promise.
Besides the Hash, which I’ll get to in a minute, I spent some time in the kitchen yesterday. I made the usual double batch of crockpot chili and it sold out again. A captive audience of hungry Hashers helps in that regard I suppose. I also baked a carrot cake, and that turned out to be a real treat. Now, I’m no Kevin Kim–I make hardly anything from scratch. I was very surprised to find a carrot cake mix at the grocery store, it’s been literally years since I’ve seen one. It was a brand I’ve never heard of, Maya, but what the hell, pseudo-bakers like me can’t be choosers.
I see now from the fine print on the back of the box that Maya is a local producer of flour and baked goods.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, being a Pillsbury/Betty Crocker kind of guy, but I was pretty damn pleased with the results. The only real difference from the American brands I’m used to was that the contents did not include the carrots. Grating 1 3/4 cups of fresh carrots would be a real pain in the ass, but luckily, I have a domestic helper to do the jobs I don’t want to do.
I discovered the timer on my oven isn’t working properly, but I checked it early enough to avoid disaster. Actually, I’d say it was baked to near perfection!Slapped on some cream cheese frosting from out of the can and had me a cake to enjoy.I was happy with the light texture. Quite flavorful as well. I bought another box of cake mix today. I want to add some nuts and raisins to the next one.
Alright then, are you ready to Hash? Leech My Nuggets was the Hare and he’s another one of the guys who prefer a very challenging trail. Always marks them well though and that’s something I really appreciate. He also gives our “sane” group a map of the route in advance, which facilitates our shortcutting. Yesterday’s trail had three big climbs (and of course, three descents). Our group did the first up, and then came down the mountain on the path that was Leech’s third up, thereby avoiding the worst part of the trail (anytime there is a rope involved to get over a rock, I ain’t interested!).
So, I’d never done the up we took at the beginning, most of the middle was over the familiar My Bitch trail, and we modified the end to avoid having to cross a wet rice paddy. I’d call that a win-win–the trail was as hard or as easy as you wanted to make it. I’ve got some pictures, of course.
The trail as the Hare intended.The sane group heading out with our customary 30-minute headstart.Making our way through the winding back alleys of Barretto.A right turn, some steps……and then the real “fun” began.Steep it was……and seemingly endless.I looked up and saw the terrain ahead of me and I almost despaired……but then I looked down at the path directly in front of me and saw what I assume was a message from the Hash gods encouraging me to PUSH onward and upward. And that’s just what I did.Nature has its own rewards.Sometimes looking back on where you started makes the effort seem more worthwhile.Perhaps I should rename her “Inspiration Mountain”.Hikers in the high grass but not high on grass. Promise!Chopping wood for uling (charcoal). Hard work on the mountaintop.Love this pic of Anal Receptive (taken by his girlfriend) attempting to avoid the hazards of the rice paddy.Meanwhile, the sane Hashers did a walkaround.The final uphill to our On-Home in the Alta Vista community center.Our newest named Hasher, Arrested Development. I had suggested Spins Like A Top but was voted down.And as yet unnamed Martin joined us for the first time. He’s a big guy but kept up with us sane Hashers without a problem.The view from our On-Home left no doubt that it is indeed burn season once again.And that’s it for this Hash post. If you are interested, the markings indicate that this is run #1461 and those lines advise that there is a right turn ahead.
What time is it? I have darts tonight.
Oops, wrong watch!
Sometimes you come across something and think, yeah, I can relate…
Got an email from my former landlord regarding the refund of my security deposit. I was owed 150,000 pesos ($3000.) and they’ve seen fit to keep all but 40,000. What made it worse was the rationale given for the ass-raping–claimed damages to the house. I left that house in better condition than it was when I moved in, paying for the improvements out of my own pocket. Stealing my deposit is a hell of a way to say thanks. Some of the itemized listings were especially egregious:
Replace damaged tiles and exposed piping around toilet where water line was repaired by others–10,000
Yeah, the water line broke about a month prior to my leaving. But the landlord hired the clowns who left a hole in the floor after the repair, not me.
Prep and apply 2 coats of paint–35,000
Ah, that’s rich. I’m not sure that house has been painted since it was built twenty-some years ago. What I am sure of is that I did nothing to warrant paying for the paint job that should have been done prior to me moving in.
Anyway, the list goes on and on, and all of the damage was a pre-existing condition. Now, shame on me for not documenting that fact, but shame on them because they knew or should have known about the poor condition of the house I rented. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. I’ve disputed the charges but have no expectation that I’ll get a favorable response. I suppose I should be grateful that I’m getting anything back at all. I’ll be sure to spread the word amongst the expat community that you rent from these folks at your peril. I also take some satisfaction in noting that my former residence is still vacant. I hope it stays that way for at least a year, but the three months I’ve been gone already have cost the greedy bastards more than they are stealing from me. Okay, rant over.
A relatively quiet Sunday night. Started at It Doesn’t Matter. Roan had asked me to check on the Alta Vista community center availability for a planned going away party for one of her co-workers. I let her know I had made the reservation for Tuesday and I’ve been invited to join in the festivities. So there’s that to look forward to.
On my way home I popped into the Kitchenette and the place was almost full.
At least all the counter seating was taken. Glad they are apparently doing well.
This is Hash Monday and the On-Home is here in the Alta Vista community center. That means making up a big batch of my chili to help feed the hungry Hashers. We’ll also be serving up some brats on a bun. And a short stumble home when the ceremonies are completed. Hopefully, the trail will be kind to my tired old body. Leech My Nuggets is the Hare, and he can be Guenter-esque. We’ll see soon enough.
And that’s the latest installment from my so-called life.
