graham59

Yep, I'm in the jungle too, and if you want things doing right (and safe !) ... do it yourself. Here's one I made last week: The plasterers' home-made (by them) scaffold is in the background. Oh, and there's my personal stand of 4" thick x 35 feet long bamboo. Very handy.

I have already been contracted to take President Du30 to the US summit in March. .

If there is no food they will go next door. Applies to all 'pests'. We don't seem to get the larger cockroach species out here in the jungle...fortunately. I did see plenty when I lived in Angeles and Manila though. City dwellers ?

My local small hardware store is pretty good, as long as I take along a sample of the type of screw I want. Much better value than those small packs in the big chain DIY stores. The guys (cement) plastering the walls of my new room have also built themselves a scaffold from coco-lumber...but lumber that I'd reclaimed from their earlier work on the concrete roof. Amazing what they can quickly knock up with a few 6 inch nails and lengths of coco-lumber. I will make something else from all of the plywood and lengths of timber too, once the main construction is finished. Probably build an aviary.

Fanny Craddock always seemed cross-eyed to me...and sounded like a bloke. Certainly entertaining, but probably not for the right reasons.

Was your street full of 'extra' people (with your password) viewing their phones and laptops ?

I think our Twin-tub cost me about p9000, 4 years ago. Works perfectly. Cold water of course. Us peasants can't afford those (ridiculously overpriced) p40,000 machines. Bear in mind that the separate spinner on a twin tub is able to run a lot faster than your average 'automatic' washer, so drying times, outside or inside, are reduced. You can also run a fan on to your washing hanging inside, during rainy season days. Dries much faster. Anyway, our nice new covered roof deck will have rainy season clothes drying facilities incorporated as standard. Otherwise, no probs for us, hanging stuff out on the line in our large garden.

You're a lot more tolerant than I am Steve. Sounds like a bloody nightmare. I'd have tossed that idle git out long ago, first off. One thing I am NOT here, is a damned ATM or free ride for ANYBODY. I worked 50 years for my meagre pension. I have some really good male rellies who come and do a job of work for me (construction), and whom I pay the going rate to, and then off home they go. Bye bye. That's how it will continue. No rellies staying here. No money lent out. Nobody knocking on my/our door uninvited....and we have dozens of them within walking distance.

Maybe the little maintenance man inside your laptop is having a sweep around. .

Best keep a low profile. Steer clear of politics in this country. Nothing we can do about it, and could get you deported...at the extreme end of things.

They'll still mess around washing it in bowls, or beating it with a stick, before putting it in there, whatever washer you buy them. (Because that's the only way to get clothes that have been worn for a couple of hours properly clean ). That's my Mrs anyway. Sorry... carry on... We've had a 'Fujidenzo machine for around 4 years now... still going strong.

Cheers. He definitely takes after his mother. Clever lad though...already fluent in the local 'Pangasinese' language, plus English, at 4 and a bit years.

Aircon ? My leccy bills are always just hovering over p1,000 for the month. Biggest I ever had was about p1300...hot season. Agree on the fan noise benefits. I also have the radio on in the background, all night. Habit from living in noisier places like Angeles City.

I suppose it depends where you are. Up here...nice and cool at night, bearable daytime, very few mozzies, and haven't seen rain for weeks now. I think our seasons (dry or wet) are perhaps more clearly separate than further south ?

My son did wear his Barong at a relative's wedding yesterday ...

Agree... photo (or actual sample) of required article is by far the least stressful and productive way to shop....particularly in hardware stores (about the only places I shop anyway. lol). So....always keep ONE back from those nails, screws, bolts, washers, etc, if you're going to need more of the same, and load up your phone with pics of desirable items...other than women, that is.

Good. They've been taking the piss out of the locals and their immigration rules for long enough... a situation that could have been used against ALL foreigners. I hope that view isn't too extreme.

Yes, sometimes it can be a struggle for the province locals to keep up appearances... .

Haha....same for my first Mrs. M&S kids department...11 year-old. She was 23 years old at the time, and already a mother of two kids (who later joined us in the UK). 4' 10" and 38 kilos though.

All things in moderation, and remember to look left and right when crossing the road.

We all have our own ways of coping. I am happy to maintain my 'that crazy old kano' status, now established within my local community. The old man who climbs up trees and bamboo poles, builds stuff, does his own washing and gardening, rides around on an old pushbike with his small son on the home-made crossbar seat. The old man who actually WALKS to town ! The old man who entertains the whole family and village with his epic karaoke performances and 'disco dancing'.... when Black Sabbath or Bob Marley isn't pounding out of his own windows. Best thing is...they know I've got no money. You're a long time dead.

I would add, that I have never once felt 'unsafe' here in the countryside. Quite the opposite. Oh, and being on the edge of a village, we do actually have a very good bakery only 200 yards up the road, plus other shops, which cater to the three local schools, also just up the road. I often wonder where all the hundreds of pupils actually live ! lol.

It is actually pretty peaceful where we are... more because of how the house is situated .Small river to one side, quiet friendly neighbour the other... (with no dogs, cats, or roosters to damage his beloved plants). Open fields at the back, country road at the front. We originally bought the land together, He speaks fluent English (ex-OFW), and his wife is my wife's old high school teacher....a job she is still doing. My sober, family-man trike-driver bro-in-law provides our transport most of the time., and helps with supermarket shopping . (He queues for us). Here's our local beach, just a few miles away: .

View over my back wall: .

I hadn't even heard of sex tourism when I was a young man...and had no need of it anyway.