Letter from Manila - Santol - of course!

Oh and on the subject (I’ll give up after I promise, I get bored of railways), she also works Keadby bridge. Apparently it’s the only vazon sliding railway river crossing in the UK, or the world. I said I glaze over when she tells me stuff!

I’ve been there with her, and all manner of saddos come and photograph/video it in action!

Yea that, although as it says it’s been replaced and looks a tad different (ie bits painted yellow!). It breaks on a regular basis, usually when my lass is there on the night shift!!

Shopping

Check out the special offers like; “Buy 1 Scatter Cushion, get Three Frying Pans, Free!” Just why?
Watch out, especially if it’s an offer for something you may actually be interested in. The local hardware store stuck a promotional sign out on a Monday with some, “This week only” offers. One was a Dremel with all the gubbins, at 50% off. I enter, heart aflutter. “No stock. Next week.” I really should have known better.

That’ll be the same store I walked past as they were putting a sign up advertising a one day sale, with up to 40% off. Unfortunately, the one day was yesterday!
Virtually everything you buy is made in China and will fall apart. Often before you get it home. Complaint is life sapping and futile.
Supermarkets constantly rearrange their goods, causing confusion for shoppers. No point asking the staff where anything is either, “Well…before I think they over there. Now? Not know.” You’re on your own.

And talking of, not know, do not expect staff at any store to possess even a smidgen of product knowledge. This is universal, but especially true of the Ace Hardware girls, employed solely for their ability to look hot in tight black trousers. Unfortunately, that won’t find you the right size tap washers.

Actually, the above isn’t strictly true. Go into any phone shop to be endlessly regaled on the latest fixtures and fittings the new BingBong XXGTi is equipped with, by some spotty 12-year-old, who will look askance when asked if it can make calls. This however, is the only exception.

Get to the ATM at around 4am. Any later and you’ll be stuck behind someone doing a month’s banking and who will use every function the ATM provides, often with multiple cards. Or finding their available balance by entering ever decreasing amounts, in 10 peso increments, until the machine finally spits out a single hundred peso note.

Oh, and on the subject of ATMs why do they wait until you’ve inputted everything required before telling you they can’t do cash transactions right now?

Get used to queueing.

Vendors and “service providers” have this strange idea that westerners wish to pay far more for goods and services than locals. We don’t. Trust me.

If you must go shopping, DO NOT rely on names to give you any clue as to the type of business operated:

• Need to climb back into the wife’s good books? Why not try a bunch of flowers? Here’s a place called, “Pink Petals” that should do us nicely. Upon
  entering, you quickly realise you are facing a row of blinding white caskets. Yup, you’ve stumbled into a funeral directors.
• Feeling in need of a little spiritual top-up? Try, “Divine Heart” for a quick prayer and maybe even a spot of absolution (you still haven’t got those
  flowers, remember?). Enter, and before you can say Jerson Sanchez, or any other random name of your choice, you’re lying back in a chair with a pair of pliers around your third molar. Aye, it’s a       dental surgery.
• Citi-access: Some boutique taxi outfit? An Uber rival? Sorry, a truck part recycler.
• Diamond Gear: Latest hot apparel outlet? Nope, same as above.
• Good Morning: A polite greeting? Nah, heavy plant and equipment supplier.
• Just Lemons: No fruit in here, should have been called Diamond gear, they sell ladies frocks and stuff.

See what I mean?

Top tip: Stay at home, kick back, drink beer and send somebody else.

And as a personal update, the Bottle Opener that was Jay-Ann is no more. It's a long and not very pretty story, but basically shows that you shouldn't borrow someone's phone, go on Facebook, forget to log out, then proceed to leave messages for people about how you are fleecing someone, whilst being encouraged to keep up the good acting. Shame, but there we go...

Just the three of us again. 

Sorry to hear that George, what does Madam George make of it all? I can't recall if you said JA was her daughter, niece, or other relative?
Alternatively, tell me to mind my own business!
Steve.

A Leopard can't change its spots but at least you gave it a go. Sad but glad you are all out of it!

Yeah but...



Niece, and it's broken her heart. Literally. We've brought her up since she was a wee lass.


Know what you mean about the "Like" button. Not always appropriate.

We'll hammer through. Probably!


I keep thinking it's a bit like some projects on here. I built it, then it got sold on. Got the chance to get it back in a right old state. Is it worth the effort again? Can I invest the time?

Dunno. Really don't know.

That may be so, but attitudes, thought processes and motivations are all choices, not physical attributes. So they can be changed and obviously Madam and George believe so too or Jey-Ann wouldn't have been back in the picture in the hope of things changing.
Which is really sad. I was all poised to hit a big like on the "Shopping" chapter but that is indeed very saddening news. I'm so sorry for you's.

Thought you were going to tell us that Pink Petals was a house of ill repute George. Seems a very strange name for an undertakers.

Hold the press!!!

It would appear that there have been intense negotiations over the weekend, which took place at a secret address (well, secret from me at any rate) involving three of the four concerned parties, i.e. Jey-Ann, Tania and Madam. Obviously, I was a superfluous at that point.

Therefore, everything I know so far has come via very convoluted and confusing phone calls, so I’m not really any the wiser, although I understand some decisions have been reached, albeit uncertain as to what they may be.

All I really know is that Jey-Ann will be awaiting my arrival at Casa Santa Ana this evening, in order that she can talk to me directly. Seems she wishes to unburden herself. Unless I’ve got that bit wrong as well, and she really just wants to sink a carving knife into my sternum.

Let’s see. Who needs stability anyway?

I’d really like this to come to a satisfactory conclusion for all parties and especially one that doesn’t involve me bleeding out on the floor.

Eeee, it never rains….



That would be far more appropriate, wouldn't it? However, prostitution is illegal here.



Paul, nice to hear from you!

Indeed, I well remember the extension lead saga, to the extent that when I needed one, I bought the individual components and made it myself. Still going strong!