Where tongue? In cheek!

I am sorry to say that I consider it unfortunate that women can be led astray and be led into going along with wholly unfounded beliefs; merely in the hope of achieving some style without the efforts of exercise and diet.

As a reader myself I am aware of the risks and have made an informed decision to run them (although I gave up smoking many years ago). But the information women require can easily be obtained in pictorial form, thus avoiding any risk to them.
Having said that I nevertheless feel that perhaps there are others who overstate the case and may possibly take a step or two too far. There is no need for a death sentence for a woman who is merely misguided in her belief that the fairer sex should be permitted to learn to read.After all the vast majority of girls come to realise, at an early age, that there are many ways forward that do not require the struggle to learn to read.
The stress of reading leads many ladies astray and into bad habits (that's the bleached hair and the cigarettes, the booze is quite acceptable, naturally). Worse is that the feminine traits of kindness and compassion can be destroyed and instead, as seen in this poster from the First World War, they can become quite demonical.

Back in the Doghouse

My darling wife, who I adore, woke up this morning with a certain amount of unhappiness; it seems that for some reason she dreamt that I hit her.I wholly subscribe to the "do not hit women" club and was rather surprised. However, as I told her, I absolutely refuse to take responsibility for anything I may do in her dream, and this was sufficient to amuse her and thus to lessen my risk.

But although probably safe from becoming hamburger I did notice that new kit she brought home the other day and this remains as an extremely unpleasant possibility.
So I have to remind her at length of the symbolism of chopsticks and our marriage shown by this wonderful ornament our son bought us as a great Christmas present and which is displayed in our bedroom at all times.
Unfortunately she strongly subscribes to certain feminine ways of thinking, these being exemplified by the cartoon that follows, and hence I may be held responsible and under a cloud for the entire day or perhaps even for longer, oh I hope not!

Fun, Fun, Fun

Well, having been extremely busy recently I finally get a moment to add to the blog; but I intend to just fling up a few photos of the fun without much explanation!Naturally the important thing was the actual blessing, and after the prayers the pried went round all rooms and the outside of the house to ensure everything was covered. Then a splendid feed on the vast quantities of pork in many disguises and then to the games!Little jubilation as my two nieces failed to win!

Throwing out coins and a mucky way of plucking more from an oily coconut.

The climbing of the greased bamboo took a heck of a time!

I am not a sporty person, as is well-known, but I did join in the tomato dance much to the detriment of any possibility of being considered stylish in the future.

Party Coming

We have just walked Jasper and Muggins for the last time before we head for the farm, once we have everything we need moved up there and a proper fence around the house then they can come with us and we will leave the other dogs to protect the city house.

But for now our minds are entirely on the party to come, which will include games for the kids where they can win small prizes and apparently some similar for adults! But I dislike kids enmasse so will make arrangements for gathering the less loveable in one place far from me.
There will be a certain amount of drinking and a whole pig cooked in many way; we are not talking piglet here but a pig about six feet long! And, naturally, there will be other foodstuffs to fill the hungry bellies of our friends and neighbours. Since the last time we had some friends round to the city house there was a certain amount of stomach problems for the male visitors I am hoping that this time no-one will overindulge. My problem is that I hate to see an empty glass and can therefore be too pressing in offering refills. The renowned Phils politeness leads to people accepting when perhaps they did not really want another.
But my difficulty is that although this is my adopted country and I am extremely happy with my relatives and indeed the people in general, nevertheless I do rather stand out as a shade different to the norm of the Phils.

Paddy's Day

We will be back off to the farm very shortly as on Saturday (Paddy's Day) we have the new house blessed and a party for the village, we will roast a pig (our biggest) provide plenty of booze and generally it will be eminently suited to Paddy's Day! Although there will be no foolish American influences such as green beer. In fact there will be no real Guinness

either, just enormous quantities of Red Horse and a rake of Tanduay.

One of the nice things about being in the Phils is that there are no requirements to hide the filling of one's coke, or whatever insipid drink they have sold you, with Jack (or one's preference). We indulge regularly at the AABBQ where if I have wine to hand they will happily provide me with a glass, and if Tanduay or Jack then they happily sell me the diluter of choice.
But back to our celebrations, and the pleasures to come. I will make every effort to emulate the delightful Shane McGowan although I wish I had his talent and not just his capacity for liquid refreshment. Although I may be slipping these days with my intent to get rid of at least some of the excess flab.
But perhaps what I need most for such festivities on a peculiarly Irish day is not just a desire to empty all bottles around but more importantly a quick spray from something a shade more effective than just a penchant for Guinness or Jameson at transforming me into a fairly reasonable approximation of the real thing.

Hooray, 13A!

My love affair with the Phils progresses, I start each day with a happy song, especially now we have the shower plumbing sorted in both houses!

And, having felt that we were perhaps seeking too much, that elusive 13A visa has just been approved, as usual for a probationary year before full finalisation. There were times when I thought we were doomed to seek this for ever but something eventually went right, to the extent that in fact the visa was approved mid-January and runs from then, but the ways of bureaucracy are slow, where-ever one may be, and it was only yesterday that it made its way into my passport.
So no longer do I feel a trespasser in this, my adopted country, which also reduces the fears of being treated in the manner such people deserve.
Now it is time to settle down, although hoping for the occasional spot of work, and grow old as gracefully as I can.

Farming again

Today we are back off to the farm, we have some rectification work to be done by the plumber and the carpenter and we want to be there. Also we need to plan the house blessing and village party for the following week. The drive has its moments of beautiful views but gets a shade repetitive, oh well we love it when we get there.

The problems are lack of web, making me feel very much as if I have returned to the dark ages. I remember using what I think were 8" diskettes in the early days working in Saudi. KSA was where I bought my first computer and how things have changed since then, I remember a computer shop in UK being amazed at my having 4Mb of ram installed. Now I have 2Gb but I think I got as much pleasure from the early ones as I do now, or maybe I do like the net enough to say I prefer it now?
The other farm problem is the lack of wine and my diet, as I am regularly reminded by Alice, precludes beer, even the delightful Red Horse. A great and cooling drink, which sort of sneaks up on you and makes you fall over. But Alice likes me to stay away from this fattening stuff. I am a lover of Perrier and just hope that it could be improved more to suit my tastes.
Actually, again casting my mind back to Saudi and my second and longest period there, there was one water that I prefered to Perrier but I really cannot recall what it was. Perhaps because of the amount of Sid I consumed, being a fairly newly bereaved widower.
Anyway getting back to the point and the differences between our two homes. The farm house is great and slightly larger than the city house but the lack of web and satellite TV makes me feel that it's a somewhat ersatz existence.

More Movements

We are back off up to Tabogon tomorrow for a few days so we won't be walking the dogs by the sea for a short while. Here you see Alice and Muggins; well actually we only walk Muggins and Jasper. An interesting mix with one almost six month old Akita, already pretty huge, and a slightly older miniature Dachshund, both of whom are quite pleased about their stroll.

As are we because we like the sea and could sit and gaze at it for hours. The pre-dawn sky, when we visit to buy fresh fish is amazing and almost makes it worth getting up before five!
Although I also look forward to the future when we can hold hands at dusk both of the day and our lives. What a pleasant thought, sixteen happy years of marriage so far, I wonder how many more to come in our semi-retirement.
I have mentioned previously that we are not directly on the beach, but set back some 75 metres or more. This means there is a short walk to get there but even this is of interest, especially when the fleets are returning.

Hands

Alice and I tend to hold hands, unless we have seen a too age unbalanced couple strolling near us in SM City, leaving but one hand each for carrying things naturally. But it is nice to hold your partner's hand. In fact I hope that we will still be doing this at an advanced age. There is something extremely pleasant about seeing an old couple holding hands.

But it seems the younger generation (to me this is nearly everyone!) have a different view of hand holding. The whole point is surely to hold the one who matters to you.
However youth seems to be able to spread this further around, or maybe it just shows that the fickle female is seeking out a new partner before discarding the old one? But it does show a different view on the reason for hand holding.
However I have decided views on the "live and let live" style of tolerance and so I must just say it may not be my style but let them get on with it.
And to fortify my strength of character I must quickly go and see another pair of hands preparing a concoction to maintain my tolerance.