Mike’s Meandering Mumbles

Well, it has been a while since I have been mumbling, so much has been happening. I guess retirement really means that one becomes busier. Of course there was Christmas when, much to my surprise  Alistair even outshone Alitia in his choice of presents for me, two shown here, and she has been queen of present choice for a long time. Mind you her choices were also good. I was so enthralled by a book she gave me that I read it over the next two days.

Christmas day was greeted by the roasting of one of our own turkeys, and Karl, our grandnephew, took advantage of a leg, sensible fellow that he is.

Soon after was our 21st anniversary as has been briefly mumbled, as I can no longer stay awake in the evenings, we had a lunch together at the Raddisen Blu buffet, which is splendid although not quite the KL Shangri-la’s Lemon Garden which is my number one buffet love. Since I have no shame I mentioned it was our anniversary and they provided this rather delightful cake and message. They told me I could take it home but,  sadly, demurred when I said can I take the plate to show the message. But never mind as, of course, we took some photies.

Alistair was also visiting so we took him shooting, at the Bogo police out door range, where he learnt how to fire an automatic and managed this without damaging himself or anyone else somewhat to my surprise and pleasure. We also took him to a number of restaurants. At one of these a charming waitress told me, much to my disgust, that he was better looking than me. So I didn’t tip, but then that is not unusual in the Phils!

Some restaurants were less posh and I notice that at this one the female staff eased up next to me, reassuring me that I had not lost it totally. The chef got close to Alistair but that may be because Alistair had promised to explain his recipe for frying canned baked beans.

All too soon we were at the airport to see him off back to UK, a sad moment as he is almost 18 and will be less likely to come over with any regularity as he has his own life to lead.

As do we, and it was off to another wedding where I looked old and fat and Alice looked stunning in a traditional Filipina posh dress. At the reception I was persuaded at very short notice to make an impromptu speech, not my forte at all, and as the bride is a teacher and used to speaking before an audience I am pleased she looked on with (a slight?) interest.

With all this happening, together with regular new ducklings, some seen here on my desk, together with statuettes of Alice and I, it is not surprising there have been less mumbles recently. However there have also been a few irritations, that required seeing doctors, including a fast growing tumour to my left fore finger. However I am assured that this in not cancerous but a giant cell tumour that often recurs so that, unless it continues to grow to an unsightly extent, I will not have it surgically removed. Also it was time for my usual heart and diabetes check ups. No disasters but I do wish they would not remind me that aging has consequences. And I was disappointed that although I had prepared a sample it was not required.

However I am glad that the greatest consequence is love grows ever deeper.

The above was taken moments before Alice agreed to our marriage, at the bottom of the Peak Tram in Hong Kong.

And this was taken on the wedding day, 21 years ago today, in FDV No 1 on Mindanao.

And we still feel the same!

While lying in bed a day or two ago I saw a lizard stroll across the ceiling above me, it seemed to be carrying something in its mouth. To my amazement it was a baby lizard and the reason I know is because it dropped the youngster which fell to the tiled floor by the bed. I was concerned but after a few moments it ambled off. I have always liked them in the bedroom as eaters of flying nasties, but I hope it does not drop one on my head! Especially should it be one of the larger varieties, although clearly this young girl grew up retaining her liking for lizards of all sizes.

And why not, the creepy crawlie or flying nasties are the ones to beware, so a nice lizard or perhaps a spider web is a joy to see. Unfortunate Alistair went to the loo last night and decided the spider ambling over the floor looked a shade worrisome (and it was no bigger than a hand span) so flattened it, an understandable reaction from a UK dweller. I must get him some of the special flattener slippers so he can do these things from a safe distance!

Bugs are not a favourite of mine, and my hands are far too delicate to  be a landing spot for the things. However my real hatred is saved for mozzies, the irritating noise, the swelling once bitten and the chance of malaria or  dengue. But I am glad to say that a solution has come to mind, ably shown below.

As I was shaving this morning I looked in the mirror and thought the bald bit could do with a quick run over, having swept the blade over said fluffy area I realised that the surrounding, more hairy, areas were somewhat scruffy. Something must be done.

As meander I have just noticed how much more cheerful I look when my hand has a glass in it as it does in both of these, once of Red Horse and once of red wine. No doubt there is a reason?

Returning to the nub, finding a decent barber can be difficult, and with a haircut costing up to 37 pence (25 pesos) one does not want to frequent a crap guy. Mind you our things have just arrived from Qatar so Alice will be taking up hair cut duties again once we locate her stuff.

Getting out the GPS does locate some good places for her however, which is handy and we have been impressed by some of the styles we have seen, although she has no desire to go multi coloured, even though I quite like the idea. No, she is concentrating on styles for the long haired lady she wishes to be, some of which look quite time consuming to maintain. Still labour is cheap here so perhaps she will get a specialist on board. Especially since she has indicated that she is aiming at a return to quite long length. This would not bother me except for the fact that hair shedding could become a problem. even though she takes brewers yeast tablets as we used to give our long haired cats and dogs. And of course the obvious concern.

Prior to mumbling about the unpleasant stomach I had for a few days I should mention that I have just realisd that I was smoking in the last jpg of the previous blog. That must have been a while ago, in fact it has been so long since I was a smoker that I have rather forgotten how to do it.

But that’s by the by the important bit is the comments to follow, ever since the emergency operation in 1999 in Kuala Lumpur my stomach  has been far more delicate than in days of yore which can be rather a nuisance. And just recently it decided to play up and give me somewhat loose bowels and far more importantly a very sore intestinal tract. Not a happy soldier for a few days, but now some form of normality has resumed, much to my relief and I have had a few thoughts on the cause of this latest problem.

I have always had an interest in hair; much diminished now that I have so little of course. In fact back in the day I did not comb my hair for over a year as I sought a certain style, I also used washing up liquid as the shampoo but thankfully the fact that my dear old pater also lost his hair means I can blame genes rather than anything else for the present scarcity.

I never did understand why the British band hair style was adapted for women, perhaps that’s why I had to look to America for inspiration. And it did solve my earlier problem with that uncontrollable area. Mind you the mere fact that there was so much of it led to changing styles on a windy day, but as  as I have always been some what nonedescript this was a way of making myself stand out a little.

I was tempted by facial hair but this was not a total success and in fact I feel that it was rather more of a failure.

I thought of going a little more exotic but could not convince myself that I could carry off the style in daily life, which was a pity.

So I had to invest in a hat instead and to be honest I think it gave me an fine air of nonchalant modishness.

Alice has mumbled (it’s a family trait) that I should wear my baseball cap (I had many but they seem to have disappeared while I have been away, rather like my hair) more often but it always seems such a giveaway. Old guy, baseball cap means bald, surely! Why should I not show the results of years of work, growing my brain and leaving no room for the hair roots?

Possibly this is because hair has much been on her mind recently, since about 15 years ago she had it cut very short I have always liked her in short hair. But she feels the upkeep can be daunting, and has set her mind on returning to her younger look, not that I mind to any great extent, as it frames her face so nicely.

There are worries though as the majority of our dogs are a somewhat indiscrimate in their habits and I have some concerns over the garden and anything that may attach itself to her hair. Even though we all know that short hair is less prone to nits and the like it does not matter here, where these things are sufficiently large to be easily spotted and dealt with.

I seem to have drifted from my hair to Alice’s and will therefore come to a halt, just raising my concerns of today.

Retaining my liking for a big breakfast is likely to be difficult as I have had a bout of dire-rear and the only thing that changed in the recent diet was breakfasts. Still at least for a day or two I had no need to strain, which was nice but I did have to visit the CR rather more often than I like. What a nuisance dropping the brekkies is but no matter, if I want to keep up with Alice some things need to be done regardless.

Alice remains a real live wire, starting by getting up early to give the pigs their morning shower and scrub, which they adore. It’s no surprise that our pigs do better than most, well fed, kept clean and having a daily chat from their owner, Alice.

It’s no surprise that she is confident enough to allow the placing of a warning sign on our gates to both houses).  The confidence is warranted, as I walked into the tennis courts yesterday, I heard the comment “oh good, Alice is here”. My major job in life is now to be the early warning system for the much loved, by all not just by me, wife.

While I am pleaseed by her popularity . . .

Another useful breakfast and further ideas. But in spite of the increasing numbers of tourists with their need for exciting ways of passing the time I genuinely do not feel that I could run a franchise as well as might be required. A pity but there it is.

So I thought of doing a spot of teaching, after all I have been using a computer since I first bought one in Riyadh, and very soon successfully installed a second hard disk (or winchester as I first knew them) raising it to 20 Mb of storage! But on looking around I found that there were few who might need my assistance, as even the youngest seemed quite capable. Another hope dashed! But probably just as well since I still need a crib sheet for many things.

I had considered being a guide, but the uniforms did not fit me and in any case I could never regularly struggle up and down the new flying stairways, good as they look.

Perhaps I should just settle into a chair and take my ease, at least I am well aware that I could cope with that. It does mean that the savings will go down and so I have to end by passing on some information to the number one son.

So I had a swift response, confirming that without formal approval my idea was a non starter! So I had a decent breakfast (why has my weight loss stopped?) and got out the thinking cap for a well thought through reconsideration of my various options.

This was not so successful as I do not believe that they need “above the knee” checkers on Philippine beaches.  A little more thought was required so I took a couple of half pints of wine with lunch, which excited the little grey cells and led to more useful ideas.

I am thinking about a little shop, but the draconian drug laws make me a shade wary of this.

So, perhaps I must concentrate on the expanding lorry, it already gets called upon for so many duties that I wish I could afford a second, but that is not to be for quite a while yet. However I have considered a service industry career, although the advertising may be dubious as I am the one who gets the free whisky!

But in the event of quibbles from customers I will refer them to the rear wall where the clear statement of ability is made, which I consider definitive.

We have been doing quite a lot of nosing around and have tracked down tennis in Bogo only half an hour drive away, although that is along a narrow winding track over the foot hills of the central mountain range. We have already had a bamboo crash onto our roof as she drove through darkness and heavy rain to get back home one evening after a session. Mind you my idea of us cycling together  to extend my exercise was convincing proved dumb by that trip!

But although there a only a few ladies so that she has to play mixed doubles,  or even a mixed team against a male team, she is more than good enough to hold her own which means that even a fat old fart of a non-player is welcomed there, just because I am with her.

And we (or perhaps I should say Alice is) are slowly getting the houses sorted, which is done together with some major  rearrangement of books, since those at higher levels are not easily reached. Our only stairs are to the high level balcony and are exposed to the weather so that an idea of mine was, as usual, not practical.

Never mind, I am pursuing various options that may increase our income, tourists, even Americans, are sometimes seen so I am thinking of opening a MacDonalds as a side line.

What a plethora of mishaps, the world has seemed to be against me for a while. First our internet provider in the barrio had a major internet outage. Then our personal link died. A duo of experts were sent from Manila and at last we have full connection in the city and in the country.

So once again I can remininsce and mumble about the so many interesting things that have occured since Alice and I got married over twenty years ago. At last we have time to be together and I do not have to scurry off to work daily. Mind you the effect her smile has on me does make for a rather fluttery tummy, unfortunately.

I am also a shade concerned that me being around all day may make her reflect upon my personality and come to a rather sad conclusion. But I am trying to make myself more interesting by joining a few clubs, in the hope that this will lead to quiet times together in a romantic situation when I am at home. But who can tell how it will develop over the next twenty years?

But now we are away from the Gulf, and the numerous scavengers there, I am convinced she will remain the most lovely pig farmer in the Phils and retain that joy in life that makes her so much fun to be with. I am equally convinced that the mumbler who mentioned that “the best is yet to come” was 100% correct and look forward to it all with glee.

At last we are back home, although the immediate need to attend a young woman’s funeral due to leukaemia was a bit of a downer. But as we arrived at the airport we had no such knowledge, just a feeling of relief that our world wandering might be over.

Mind you with rain storms and such like it was not the sunny weather we might have expected. In fact enjoying the beach took quite a bit of wrapping up, not something we are used to in either the Gulf or the Phils.

But no matter, we are back in Cebu with family and of course our animals, even if the pigs do like to be carried through the floods. Luckily our family (and workers) are far stronger than my feeble frame ever has been, even before the stroke. I think I am aimed for the executive part of the operation, handing over the pig’s head at a good rate.

Of course Alice is the real driving force, and has got the lorry making a profit already, which is rather nice, giving me an opportunity to get myself together and back on the blogging, as I should be  now I am retired.

However the most important thing to me is to spend the next few decades looking into Alice’s eyes and exploring the many facets of her fascinating mind, a wonderful prospect.