Sir Bob made a great comment in his article “Does Philippine Internet Suck?” To paraphrase what he said “You get what you pay for”. Truer words were never uttered.
I told my wife I needed some house shorts to wear at home and around the purok. Off to the market she went and returned with 5 pair that she picked up at a bargain price. But in the long run they were no bargain. Three pair they neglected to sew the bottom of the pockets shut. I could have chided her for not checking that, but in sixty plus years I’ve been buying my own pants, I can’t remember ever having to check that. But I’m going to start. Also a few months later the thread on the seams started to give way and soon they became cleaning rags. (Yes she used her singer sewing machine to repair the pockets at first.)
I still need shorts, and now dress shorts to go to town, it seems my waist size grew from size 32 to size 34 within the past year. I joined the Navy with a 27 inch waist, graduated boot camp with a size 29 waist. In my thirties it went to a 32 inch waist and now pushing seventy this year it jumped to 34 inch waist. I am really not complaining because I have been on a free ride with my weight most of my life! Please don’t hate me for that.
While out in town I passed a Penshoppe clothing store in the mall. I have no idea why it’s spelled that way? But I do go to the Bay Pointe Hospital! BTW this is the very place I found out I wore a size 34, after wasting everybody’s time trying to squeeze into a size 32 inch waist! At my newly acquired size 34 I bought 5 pair of dress shorts and not at bargain prices. Now Mayang checks the pockets, and all the seams that “Inspector 9” had already done at the factory, unlike the market where all items are inspected by “inspector .003” a non-Union Shoppe.
We now have a new Royal store in town, which has a Kiosk that serves the best Mongolian BBQ I’ve ever had, listen I know that Mongolian BBQ is not from Mongolia, but then Hamburg’s’ are not from Germany, but I still eat both.
While wandering around the store waiting for them to cook our orders of Mongolian BBQ (Not from Mongolia) I spied cheap (Not Market cheap) House & Purok shorts Plaid and loud, and I liked them, and picked out a bunch, all completely inspected by “Inspector Mayang #01” and found to meet her now exacting standards.
Remember the Roof painting article last week? Well we ran out of paint and had to do a speed run to Home Depot again, this trip was also a SM Mall run so family was involved. Mayang was using her new Oppo duel camera both regular and wide angle group pictures. When I noticed (My new shorts size 34) it appeared as if I had a Spalding Regulation Basket ball under my shirt. I find basket Ball belly to be UNSATISFACTORY and it was caused by my operations from a year ago. And the doctor said it would be a simple operation to fix that, I declined then, but now am rethinking that! My Grand Daughter and Niece both don’t like it as they think Lolo Daddy Paul is Pogi Na! (I’m the guy who buys the skinny Jeans, so naturally I’m Pogi to them, but seldom Frugal!
Hey Paul, don’t worry about the basketball under your shirt. I’ve been carrying around a beachball under my shirt for years. You get used to it. Your article on shorts got me thinking about a get away trip to Olongapo. Yeah, connect that if you can. But I haven’t been there for about 35+ years (good old days). So me and my wife are thinking about a short visit, maybe 2 days. A couple questions:
1. Where is the best place to stay?
2. Best place for American food?
3. Can you and your Mayang meet us for lunch and/or a few beers?
* Before you answer that, I am from Tagaytay. I know how you feel about us Hillbillies from Tagaytay.
Dennis Glass
Dennis;
In the Barrio on Baloy Beach the Wild Orchard Hotel (Great Food too) Or the Arizona Hotel also great food. On Pilar St. Sit-N-Bull the best American and Pinoy food in the Barrio, everyone in town knows where it is.
On the Subic Base the Lighthouse or most of the hotels on the Beach Boardwalk. Texas Joes house of Rib’s is a ten minute walk from all those hotels.
As for Tagaytay only that snobby guy is the problem in your neck of the woods we live on a mountain in Bataan, so who’s the Hillbilly? (LOL)
09175079109 this is the number to call for a cold beer and lunch. Please text as my phone sits on my dresser at home and never moves, so I seldom answer it, but I check it a few times a day. I don’t do electronic leashes. Ask me to tell you the story of the time the Navy gave me a beeper~ (lol)
Don’t ever give in, as was suggested, to a basketball midsection. Don’t quit, right?
Can you be a ship mate again? Probably not. But at least we can think, and act, like one.
HGB:
The only time I gave in, my ship was racing at top speed (22 Knots) off of Guam trying to outrun a Typhoon, we failed, and I gave in and “Called Roy” or visited “Europe” or just plain puked my innards onto the deck, which caused me to lose shipmate status! But since the entire crew was following my example I gained it right back. Be a shipmate tried and true, but get that shipmate before they get you. (LOL) that deck was a mess, and we spent a full day cleaning up (All hands) when it finely calmed down. BTW: A shipmate is forever even if you don’t like them. (LOL)
Belly? Join the over 40’s club, we all have one.
Steve;
Unless I missed something, I turn 70 in July, so I’ve been a member of the over 40 club for 30 years!!! (LOL)
I don’t use outer shorts so I would not have a clue about them. On my first visit to PH my luggage got lost in transit. My first day involved buying some new clothes to get by with til mine arrived. I found some ” Warren ” brand under shorts which til this day I still use them and also some white undershirt T shirts branded ” Guitar “, both brands made in PH. I still use them too.
The basketball is one thing, what I have I call a Jolli-Tummy. Can’t find any pants over size 40 there in Iligan City and I think I am going to soon have to buy some size 42 here, before my next visit.
Bob (NY);
I’ve heard that complaint before about those larger sizes here in the RP, but with all the Fast Food outlets those big sizes are on the way.
Outer shorts as in the two pictures? All you wear are long pants?
I’m a commando kind of guy and forego undershorts most of the time. White undershirts are considered formal wear for funerals. (LOL)
My four surgeries weakened my stomach and caused my basketball to grow. They can operate and reduce it; if it increases I’ll have it done before I go to size 35 inch waist.
I enjoyed reading this. Downtime in the office.