Saying goodbye

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sorry to see you go, Alan

Yesterday afternoon we raised a glass in a farewell toast to a respected member of the Barretto expat community, Alan Magowan. Alan passed away earlier this week in England, where he had recently returned for cancer treatment. His suffering is over now, and may he Rest in Peace.

I was somewhat better acquainted with his long-standing girlfriend, Christine, a bestie of my ex, Marissa. It was sad to see her in tears, but that’s the way of death, it seems–no more suffering for the deceased, but the pain lives on in those who loved him. I gave her a hug and told her that if she ever needed anything, to let me know. She has big changes ahead of her, but I know she has a good heart and a strong will; she’ll get through this.

The gathering was at Harley’s, a venue I enjoy but seldom visit.

While waiting for the event to commence, I spent some time on the back patio taking in the bay views. That’s the Kalaklan ridge in the background; it’s a bitch to climb, but worth the effort once you make it up top.
Another water view. I envy the folks who live in that place on the water. The house ain’t much to look at, but I’d spend all my time on the back porch anyway.
The pub is a popular hangout for Brits and Aussies who enjoy watching “football” and rugby on the big screen TVs
And some of the best bar signage I’ve seen

When the ceremony for Alan was completed, I headed down Baloy Road to another venue I occasionally enjoy.

The Kokomos floating bar
A typical Saturday afternoon at the beach
Lots of boats and ships on the bay yesterday
And then this big-ass catamaran came cruising by and stopped near the floating bar.
I’d say Roam is a good name for a sailboat. Lots of folks aboard having a good time.

And then, they were all transported to the floating bar in the sailboat’s dinghy. Took two trips.

And they brought their party atmosphere with them.
Watching the sun go down
I’d heard rumors about floaters in the bay water, and there they are!
Time for me to head ashore and get some grub
Johan’s is right next door to Kokomos
I gave their Mexican Taco a try. Too big to fit in my mouth, so I ate the innards with a fork and broke off parts of the shell to get the crunch. It was spicy and tasty, but I prefer a more traditional size.

After Johan’s, I caught a trike to Queen Victoria for my nightcap and spent a little time with Angie. It was a nice way to end my night out. I came home and watched the first episode of Season Two of Lucifer. When I tried to watch the second episode this morning, I realized that I didn’t remember much from episode one, so I had to rewatch that first. A good lesson to remember–don’t drink and watch TV–it’s a waste of time.

At one o’clock this afternoon, I’ll attend Bob’s wake at It Doesn’t Matter. Then I have the Hideaway feeding to take care of. I expect I won’t be watching any TV tonight.

And I’ll close with this Facebook memory from five years ago:

My farewell party in Seoul just prior to my move to the Philippines. Good times!

3 thoughts on “Saying goodbye

  1. RIP, Alan.

    And some of the best bar signage I’ve seen

    But what’s the error on the sign? (no peeking at Grammarly) Hint: don’t worry about the lack of a period at the end. I chalk that up to “signage style.”

    The Kokomos floating bar

    You can swim to the bar if you want, right?

    Watching the sun go down

    Beautiful shot.

    re: Bob’s wake

    This is going to sound horrible, but I suddenly remember that series of riddles:

    What do you call a man with no arms and no legs hanging on your wall?
    Art.

    What do you call the same man if he’s in your mailbox?
    Bill.

    If he’s on your floor?
    Matt.

    If he’s floating in your pool?
    Bob.

    I’d like to think Bob himself would appreciate the humor. RIP, Bob.

  2. Alright, I didn’t use my toolbox, but if I were writing that sign, I’d do it like this: “Shit doesn’t just happen–it’s caused by assholes.” Using a semi-colon instead of the dash works, too.

    Yes, you can swim to the floating bar if that’s your thing. Quite a few folks swim during their visit as well, like those “floaters” I photographed.

    I’m impressed with your name punnage–I’m glad you appreciate the widely disparaged low-brow humor of the pun. And indeed, Bob was the kind of man who would have laughed at that joke.

  3. It’s going on my next T-shirt. Back in Colorado Springs in 2 days.

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