
Titing and his new Tricycle
Kamusta Y’all.
It’s time for another post because I don’t want to wait another 5 months like I did last time. It’s been 13 days since my last post and I’m sure there are things that need to be said.
Just recently while I was at Immigration paying for our last extension we are allowed here before our 3 years are up, I learned of a visa that we could get so we would not have to leave the Philippines at all. Even if we do, we can come back anytime without a problem. Now, normally that visa would be the 13a but in our case we cannot get a 13a because we are both US citizens and she is not a dual citizen. For some reason she doesn’t want to get dual citizenship. She won’t elaborate on why, she just doesn’t, so, oh well. However there is the 13g visa, which is like the 13a, but we can both be American citizens. I never heard of a 13g and, so far, everyone I told about it had not heard of it either. So that’s something we can pursue. I could also get a Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) which is issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Republic of the Philippines under the Retirement Program of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) to foreigners and overseas Filipinos. It entitles the holder to multiple-entry privileges with the right to stay permanently/indefinitely in the Philippines. So I do have some options and the time to do them, I just need the money to do one of them.
The friend that I mentioned in the last post that was back in the US is own his way back now. If all goes well, he should be back in Calbayog late tomorrow afternoon. He has had a rough row to hoe recently so I’m sure he will be glad to get back to his life here.
Did I mention the hole in my leg? I have a hole in my leg. A couple of months ago, while at a party, I got too drunk and walked heavily into a parked trike. I guess I hit it pretty hard because it made a deep hole. I got some quick attention to it and a couple of days later I went and got a tetanus shot (just to be safe because my previous tetanus shot expired last year). The hole is still there, healing slowly because of the slow blood circulation in my legs. Slow circulation because I’m very inactive and sit on my ass all day. Recently the area below the wound seemed to be getting infected so I went back to the doctor and got more antibiotics pills and some antibiotic cream to put on it. Now if I will just move around more (I’m trying to make it a habit) it should heal just fine, according to the doctor.
While I was at the doctor he insisted that I do a blood sugar test. I think there are not too many people as large as I am that do not have blood sugar problems. As it turns out, at least, I don’t have an issue with it. I had 2 tests done. The random test that shows what your blood sugar is right now and the A1C test which shows your average blood sugar for the past 3 months. For the random test your blood sugar should be <200 mg, mine was at 117.35 mg. For the big one, the A1C test, it should be <6.5%. Mine was at 5.5%. I was not surprised but the doctor kind of was. He did give me a thumbs up and said, “Very good”. Now that I’ve found a new place to get this test done, I plan to get the A1C test every 3 months to try to make sure that blood sugar stays under control.
Because of the content in the last 2 paragraphs I have vowed to never get drunk again. Its been 2 months and so far I have lived up to that vow. I see no reason why this vow will ever be broken. Also, I don’t want to stop drinking alcohol completely but I have been limiting myself to no more than 4 glasses of beer per session. I don’t drink everyday, maybe 2 or 3 times per week, sometimes only once per week. I’m thinking of switching more to red wine instead of beer (less calories and sugar) although the wine does cost quite a bit more. I’ll have to inform Mango so they will keep a good stock of the type of wine I like. I will limit that intake also, probably no more than 3 glasses per session and also no more than 3 times per week. Is that too much, 6 to 9 glasses per week?
I met a new guy recently. He is not yet retired and was just here getting formally engaged but he was a pretty cool guy (for a Washington Commander fan). He plans to retire in 5-7 years and their plan for now is to live 6 months here and 6 months in the US. A lot of guys that can afford to do that. He also had a little problem because of COVID with his airline travel (like my other friend I mentioned above) but he got it all straightened out, although it cost him quite a bit of money more. He will be back in November and I am looking forward to watching some football games with him, especially games with my Cowboys and his Commanders.
Okay, that’s it for this post. I hope it was enough to keep your interest throughout. Again I say, I will try to post more often.
Salamat Y’all
I know that sailors have the rep of being the rowdiest when drunk but even us chair force guys did quite a bit of drinking. I still have no idea how that trike got there. I just flat walked right into it. It wasn’t even moving. Good thing.
Yeah, mi amigo did make it back and trying to get back into this daily routine. While he was back home he found out his son’s desire to move over here with him. Supposedly he (the son) will be collecting SSI for some reason soon but he’s so young and I’m not sure that the Philippines is a good place for a young guy that hasn’t “been around”. I don’t have much to say in the matter but I, of course, will express my opinion on it. I think that these Filipina women around here will have him drooling and “falling in love” pretty quickly.
I’ve been wanting to go back to Texas for a visit but I still have not gotten my vaccine so that makes it more difficult. I don’t mind getting the swab test before going but I still don’t altogether trust those vaccines.
Lita and I just celebrated our 42nd anniversary last month, hopefully we will make it to 50 also. I hope to make it to Texas to see my parents for their 66th anniversary in November.
Lita also does not like to travel much anymore. She doesn’t make it easy though. She could just get dual-citizenship and never have to leave, but she refuses. So, now, she must leave, at minimum, once every 3 years. That’s paying for several 6 month extensions along the way. As for me, I’m thinking of getting the SRRV or maybe both of us getting a 13G. Anyway, the next trip back to Texas probably will just be me. I can move much faster without her but it’s a long time to be away from someone you’re used to having around for such a long time.
Don’t worry about me and the beer goggles, I have vowed to never get drunk again. I still have a hole in my leg that is not healed yet and it’s been about 3 months. It did get infected but some antibiotics took care of that. Just waiting on the wound to seal itself up, which I’m sure it will do when it finally get level with the skin.
Looking forward to seeing you when you finally get here.
UJ,
WTF you doing walking into a trike?…geez i thought only us drunk sailors used to do that…hahaha. But it’s true those beer goggles will screw up your depth perception & ballet balance just a bit. Glad to hear your amigo is making it back from the states, maybe you can fill us in as to what he encountered so none of us heading that way will run into the same issues. Hell I had everything done to travel, new passports, covid shots with 2 booster shots from the VA for both me and the asawa, and the TSA pre screen enrollment to pass by the long lines in airports, then the cancer popped it’s head up so trips canx for a while. Hoping in maybe march or apr next year to head over there for about a month or so, we’d like to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary over there so my asawa’s surviving family members can attend before they all or one us as well drops dead. I’m just dreading that long ass flight from okc to manila…24hr flight time, plus i’m not as spry as i was years ago so getting around is harder and takes me more time. Starting my look for a decent resort to stay in , in the cavite area, the old island cove resort was torn down for office buildings and it’s like a cluster puck looking a place but i’m sure we’ll find a good one. Take care amigo..and easy on them beer goggles hahaha. John D