Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

I will never put together Christmas villages as seasonal decor because:

--all of the houses and buildings have snow on them, and I live in a tropical country 

--all of the scenes are fixated on Christmas in the 1940s, which I could neither understand nor appreciate.

Hello Everyone!

Beginning today through the Easter holidays I will make an attempt to bring my Friends List down to 200.

Please go ahead and unFriend me first if:

--you read my Postings only once in a while

--think that my Postings are offensive in any way (you should then have then unFriended me a long time ask)

--disagree with my Postings (at my age I am no longer willing to deal with your shit)

--ignore my Postings anyway, thinking that I will go out of my way to reach out to you (I won't)

--we were incompatible Facebook Friends to begin with

Good noon, Cubao!

The sun takes a bicycle ride round the neighborhood.

At night the water in our tank and pipes is as cold as water in a forest river.

Aubrey's birthday greeting

Shared from Brian. Looks like the Chinese lettuce will be harvested first.

Good night, Cubao!

House gnomes set up their abodes in the cozy corners of rooms.

Shared some food with my sister Alice and the compound handyman Arthur. Asked Q to bring some food over to M.s' cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

A piece of loose canvas was delivered today for a portrait I am doing next. 

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Brian and I are back from the roof deck vegetable garden.

M.'s cafe sends over a flat basket of fried noodles.

To view the photo, go to my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3849758305110868&set=a.936008466485881. If Blogger does not enable you to open the link, Copy the Link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser. 

Unexpected cupcakes from Rachelle, in true, Saint Scholastica's fashion.

Brian reported for work to clean our kitchen and dining room.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Pizza delivery arrived.

Unexpected cake from our neighbor Toto. He is our computer techie. He is also a Grab driver. Ironically this cake was sent via Grab, and he wasn't the one driving!

Replenished our soda supply.

D. gave me a ream of ziggurats for my birthday.

Mico sends me an unexpected gift.

And it's the only candy that exists in this world for me.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Can't go out and do any shopping, of course. Just bought this statuette online to place beside my desktop computer table, to mark my 70th. I was immediately attracted to it when I saw it--not so much because the world is a burden to Atlas but because he is strong enough to bear it. Strangely, when the statuette arrived, I saw that the globe on Atlas' shoulders is not Planet Earth at all. It must be a model of Planet Mars from more than a million years ago.

Much-appreciated Kalinga Blend coffee from Peter and Christine, all the way from Baguio.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun grows white, Easter lilies on cloud plateaus.

Classical guitar music will soothe your nerves. Try it.

Beware of all kinds of predators who come to your door.

The wonderful thing about social media is that it is easy to spot the hypocrites who use them.

Flowers are the sex organs of plants. Yet, they are not subjected to the same censorship that human and animal genitals are.

Tony Perez's Art of War: One's enemies are those who failed to make use of him.

In the daytime the water from our tank and pipes is hot enough that we don't need to turn our bathroom heaters on.

One cannot be happy if one is not first content.

One-hour, afternoon nap. It is a pleasure so distinct in feeling from that of a night of sleep.

Cake delivery.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun wears a golden vest underneath a golden jacket.

A mug of yellow ginger tea from M.'s cafe.

Asked M. to bring some food over to his cafe staff.

Night chores.

Q and Bertod cleaned the laundry area and gave Keiko Kashigawa and Yukiko Taka baths with lavender-scented, anti-flea shampoo.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

In ancient Pei-chow, the headless cadaver of a murdered woman has been discovered in the bedroom of an antique dealer's wife.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Hung out at M.'s cafe and snacked on a bag of potato chips and a can of Mug root beer while watching the first part of Venom, then went to D.'s store and bought half a ream of ziggurats.

Your Messenger message:

"Hi Sir Tony good afternoon. Hope ur doin great. I would like to ask your opinion about dog howling. We just moved in her in our new house over a month ago and then suddenly my dogs howl for 4 consecutive days with the same time which is around 4am. Very weird because the way they howl is very loud like a crying baby. I have made my research about it, and it something to do with anxiety or are they giving us a sign like a warning or something else? Thank you po."

My reply:

Hello __________!

There is nothing to worry about. That is probably the same time when creepy crawlies move around, in sight or within hearing of your dogs: mice, water rats, or even garden snakes in their natural habitat. During summer time these creatures come out when the whole world is still.

Outdoor lights and indoor night lights might help.

In the meantime, allow your pets to become accustomed to their new home.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Worked on the roof deck vegetable garden with Brian. 

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery and bought a dozen eggs, a loaf of white bread, a box of mango juice, and a box of ice cream. My favorite bag boy carried the items and escorted me home, all the way to our kitchen.

Never publish a book on creative writing guidelines, because, as soon as you do, the guidelines therein become trite and overused, and everyone will shun them as they no longer work. 

You become sick when you think you will become sick.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Never presume that someone who was interested in you in the past is still interested in you today.

One of the quickest and most effective ways of getting rid of unwanted friends is to encourage them to talk about their favorite local movies. At the crucial moment, turn to them with a blank stare and say, ":I don't watch Tagalog movies."

They sputter and are unable to say anything for the next five seconds.

The eternal adolescent is never satisfied in any community, because he always needs someone to rebel against.

Good morning, Cubao!

The darkest storms lurk in the secret warehouse of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

Bring a ball of enchanted thread before entering the labyrinth of the night.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

A deceased person who frequently appears in your dreams has most probably become your spirit guide.

Avoid flirtations. They lead to forced commitments.

It is good to be prepared, but it can be a waste of money and resources to be overprepared.

Be prayerful, but cut the melodrama.

Never go back to what you were in the past.

Being cooped up induces dreams of traveling to the most unusual places due to the defense mechanism compensation.

Rearrange even your dollhouses according to the seasons.

If only volcanoes spewed, instead of lava, molten gold.

You cannot run the country like a district magistrate.

Do not buy food from untrustworthy sources.

What does it mean to "DIVE and DELVE and get into it"? I cannot visualize it either literally or figuratively.

Bought a kilo of white rice and six Indian mangoes at the fruit and rice dealer's across the street.

Often, you exit a lifetime and are reincarnated into the next one to find that your enemies in the previous lifetime are already dying or already dead.

Why are people so critical of Mel Gibson's films? They say that Passion was anti-Semitic, but Jesus was anti-Semitic himself; naturally his "biography" would be biased toward that. Christianity and other religions today, of course, make efforts toward a brotherhood or coexistence of all religions, but that movement did not occur until centuries after the life of Christ on earth.

And then there is Apocalypto, which has been accused of portraying the Mayans in a negative light. What do they mean by that? The graphic violence toward enemies? The human sacrifices? But aren't all of those in the history books anyway? And are not the same violence and killings still evident in any society and in modern streets today, centuries after?

One-hour, afternoon nap.

A mug of green tea from Thailand.

An early lunch at home alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

Helios never travels without his golden sandals and golden cloak.

Korean dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

To view the photos, go to my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3838869462866419&set=pcb.3838870082866357. If Blogger does not enable you to open the link, Copy the link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser.

Brian's photos

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Jazz must have arrived while I was asleep.

Worked an hour on the roof deck vegetable garden with Brian.

City Hall finalized my last will and testament and other documents pertaining to the transfer of all of my estate and possessions to Angelique and Aubrey upon my death. Should put a stop to all the matrons in our neighborhood wanting to make a husband or a lover out of me, even at my age.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Down to 455.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

You were in my 4:30 AM night class if you dreamt that you were in a workshop room with me, along with participants from different countries and different walks of life, and each one of them made a brief presentation.

Good morning, Cubao!

The tailors of the sun sew coats of fire.

Vanitas

Haven't been wearing my earrings lately because my face masks and face shields overpower them. Instead I bought several face shields to match my Spandex shorts or my shirts. So far I have purple, blue/gold, green, red, pink, yellow, orange, black/rainbow, and, of course, clear/white. I stopped there, passing on the gray and the brown.

Good night, Cubao!

Night gnomes nap on hammocks woven with moonbeams.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Already halfway through The Chinese Gold Murders.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

But, welcome the blazing sunshine because it bleaches our bodies and induces us to sweat out all our toxins.

We are foregoing walking our dogs until the unsafe period blows over.

Value vinegar, for it has antibiotic properties.

Denial and projection are the worst defense mechanisms ever known to man.

Even molten gold, when overheated and neglected, will evaporate into thin air.

Poor people know that one's body frequently cooperates with one's budget.

Don't forget statuettes. They become inhabited by elementals, who then protect your home.

Your house is your castle. Always treat it as such and be happy in it.

Sigh and miss the rains, because they washed the city's rooftops, walls, and streets.

Did you forget to hang a red, plastic fly swatter or a bunch of okra at your front door?

Give every remedy ample time before determining whether it works or not.

Cleanliness and good grooming keep you healthy, even if you are alone at home and no one can see you but yourself.

Three cups of hot tea a day will flush out all the dead membrane from your intestines.

Bad habits and bad attitudes lead not only to poverty but also to a lack of initiative and a lack of creativity.

The world does not owe you a living. You owe it to yourself and your children.

It is the oppressed, not the sympathizers they recruit, who should rise up and revolt if they really need to. It is the least they can do for themselves.

There are times when absence is more effective than presence.

Don't ask me to write a play when I'm painting; don't ask me to paint when I'm writing a paly.

Remember that at least two cups of hot tea a day can keep you well and in the best of health, as they did the ancient Chinese.

When you have a cold or the sniffles, induce yourself to sneeze three times a day.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Woke up thinking of Pio and  Joy de Castro, both deceased. I remember visiting their quaint, modern house only once, most probably during the premiere production of my play Biyaheng Timog. They'd inherited a postage-stamp lot and had no choice but to build upward in order to have lots of space. Every square inch was carefully measured to accommodate their furniture. The house had four levels, if I'm not mistaken. Their library was located on the uppermost, where there were three of each book on the shelves. I asked Pio why that was so, and he explained that one book was to keep, the other to lend, and the third a spare.

Though each level of the house was small, there was a small atrium at one end in which they'd placed a potted banyan sapling. Pio also explained that, before they started building, they had to get rid of a fruit tree on the lot. He walked up to the fruit tree and apologized for what they were about to do. "After all," he added, "you never really bore fruit." Uncannily, on the day that they felled the tree, they saw that it had forced itself to bear albeit tiny fruit.

 

One of the biggest mistakes of my life was having credit cards. I'm glad I was able to phase them out at the age of 50. Now I pay only in cash, and now I am also richer.

Back from a brief jalan-jalan at the center. Sent some money to my younger son Chito, which I should have done the last time.

A Great-Gatsby-summer hot afternoon.

In the summer, tangible objects--especially those kept in storage--respond to the heat by releasing dormant germs that cause allergies, colds, and flu.

Always do a thorough, general cleaning.

Lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

I've already put together three containers of little girl knick-knacks and stuff I found around the house, but I haven't been seeing the little girl on our compound who posed as the little girl in  RESURGET MARIA. I learned only recently that, alas, her family moved her to their home in Bicol.

The most unreliable income of all is that which depends on selling.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun lights up a thousand Dutch ovens.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Enjoy your meals. They are pleasures, not obligations for survival.

In order to avoid travel problems, do not even make plans for travel.

Do you recall that, as far back as two years before the pandemic, people were already counting other people who had died?

Blessed are they who can see the stars from their bedroom windows.

Never give undue priority to your love life, because it is not what history should remember you for.

I have yet to meet an interior designer who incorporates trash cans and electric fans in his illustrations.

When you have retired from your job, turn your back on it completely. Only then can you reinvent yourself and begin a new life.

Some of the food hawkers in our neighborhood are planning to open shop through the Easter holidays.

Down to 460.

I gave up witchcraft long ago because it is simply too rustic for my taste.

Reincarnation will not cease when the world ends or is sucked into a black hole, for there are gazillions of other galaxies beyond our awareness and understanding.

Followers are people who read your Wall but are deathly afraid that others will know that they do.

Never go back to horrible hosts unless to give them a dose of their own medicine.

Death should alert us to life, and life should alert us to death.

While gazing into a crystal ball or a scrying disc, be aware of the sounds of the city, and wait for them to crossfade with something else. 

"TUBERO

Call ___________"

This is actually how desperate artists advertise themselves.

Go for substantial projects you can actually sink your teeth into.

Old memories are usually more enjoyable than new adventures.

Never rely on income comprised of donations, contributions, dole-outs, and other forms of goodwill and charity.

It is restriction, not freedom, that gives us the initiative to be truly creative.

Words will always have consequences as irreversible and as far-reaching as those of actions.

Love and friendship have afterimages that contain truths you were initially blind to.

Time is one of the greatest gifts you can give anyone.

They who come on with fake heroics end up covering themselves with cloaks of shame.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

I love being the first to wake up and rise on hot, summer mornings. When I step out of my bedroom I am greeted by scents that fermented during the night: the lingering perfume of incense long turned into ashes, the variegated smell of books and paper, and the woody aroma of antique furniture. I then open the sliding doors on the ground floor and the breeze brings in the scents of the bright, outside world. Night turns to day, yin to yang, darkness to light, death to life, dreams to waking reality. 

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Feast of the Annunciation

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun harbors no personal secrets.

A raven lives in our dragon tree. It makes a knocking sound like a child steadily pounding a toy drum. Whenever I hear it in the morning I know that my day will go well. 

Good night, Cubao!

Silver sky dragons live in crystal caverns on the moon.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

Mt favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Will start rereading The Chinese Gold Murders later tonight.

Down to 465.

One-hour, late afternoon nap.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. had money changed covering two weekends and bought a bottle of Samyang sauce and a pack of dried seaweed at the Korean grocery store.

Also bought a bundle of striped trash bags.

Didn't linger due to increasing number of zombies.

A sweltering hot afternoon.

Replenished our soda supply.

Staggered lunchtimes.

Good morning, Cubao!

The planets host a banquet in honor of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

When your pets are especially tired and go to sleep early at night, it is because they spent the previous night attending a ball in the neighborhood elfin mound.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

A plan of high treason against the Chinese Empire is in the works.

Lazada's birthday sale begins three days from now. If the difference in the price of your chosen item today and the price three days from now is only in the vicinity of PHP 20 - 50, place your order now. You will find that, if you place your order three days from now, the item will be out of stock.

Ordered a 24-piece stainless steel spoon, fork, teaspoon, and knife set that matches one of the sets we already have, because our old set has two missing pieces.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery. Bought a box of ice cream and a loaf of white bread.

After obtaining a talisman from a high-ranking mage, wipe and polish it with clear wax. This seals the mage's DNA on the talisman, adding to the talisman's potency.

Vernissage: Adoration of the Magi

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

Day gnomes build invisible ladders to help bring them up to high levels such as tall furniture, windowsills, and upper floors.

Good night, Cubao!

The seamstresses of the moon work through the night in their enchanted sewing chambers.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey. Aubrey cooked kimchi fried rice with bacon, topped with fried eggs and shredded, dried, Korean seaweed.

Asked Bertod to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Two murders have been committed so far: that of a dancer on a flower boat and that of a young bride on her wedding night.

In the last analysis all we need to survive are food, water, electricity, banks, groceries, and hardware stores. Everything else is superfluous, including schools and churches.

Because of the pandemic, things will never be the same again--in more ways than you think.

There is something about your neighbor who lives three houses away.

Do not start painting if you still do not see the finished painting clearly in your mind.

No matter how intelligent and talented you are, never for once believe that you are a demi-god, or the gods themselves will put you down.

It is quite unfortunate that desperation almost always leads to an increase in crime.

Stay safe. Do not go where atchays go.

Your Messenger message:

"Dear Mr. Tony, how are you? I hope all is well. I saw yr latest FB post, and wondered if you had any advice for me. Maybe 20 years ago, I was at a family event and one of my aunt's friends was in attendance. She is known to be able to read palms/tell fortunes and she asked if she could see my palm. She gave me one piece of 'good news' (which has not come true) but the second was that I should never drive a car and that has affected me till today (I attempted a driving test once but failed). I am a Christian and not particularly superstitious, but my aunt was convinced of her 'prophecy' and accuracy because a few things she has said concerning my family came to pass, including that of my mum and my brother. So my aunt (we are close) is also very against me learning driving. I don't think I have the guts yet to learn driving immediately but how could I start to overcome this 'doubt' so it doesn't stop me from learning this practical skill? (Minus other factors that my mum also failed driving and I don't think I have the best hand-eye coordination?) Pls don't feel obligated to answer but if you feel like it, I would appreciate any wisdom on this, thank you!

My reply:

Hello ___________!

As a general rule, never allow others to tell you what to do or not to do, especially when it comes to your personal development and happiness. Rely on your own objectives and your own initiative. While the palm-reader's foresight may have truth, what she is really saying is, "Go ahead and drive a car BUT always be extra careful." Her warning, to your own benefit, will always be in your subconscious.

Everybody changes with time. If you like, try to take a driving test again and see if you are much better at it now. You will be IF YOU REALLY WANT TO DRIVE. In the past your skepticism was holding you back. See if it still has control over you now.

Know what you really want. Then, go get it. Your spirit guides will abet you.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun uses a yellow porcelain coffee service.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended past midnight.

Ate three sugar cones--cones only, without ice cream. They taste like Christmas cookies to me.

Brought some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee in The Chinese Lake Murders.

Judge Dee is at present attending a banquet in his honor on a huge flower boat.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Washed eleven brushes.

Down to 475.

Started rereading _The Chinese Lake Murders_ in bed.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Staggered lunchtimes on a peaceful Sunday.

Bought a big bag of Nachos at M.'s cafe.

Sat in the foyer watching the rain on the driveway.

Early afternoon rainfall in Cubao.

The problem with the works of many poets today is that, when you string their verses together as complete sentences, they really are prose and not poetry at all.

An early lunch at home alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

The bright day invites you to its big brunch buffet.

Good night, Cubaol!

Silver dust motes descend through moonbeams.

Asked Bertod to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Judge Dee has discovered a second murder.

Replenished our soda supply.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

Jazz arrived.

Washed seven more brushes.

Q takes Yukiko Taka for a Saturday afternoon walk.

Down to 480.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

Golden-brown bread loaves bake in the ovens of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

The district's neon lights honor the moon and the stars.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee. He and Chao Tai are currently billeted incognito in a ruffians' inn. Judge Dee and a student are about to go to the marsh to check out the corpse of a murdered woman.

Angelique and Aubrey arrived from Aubrey's graduation picture-taking.

Gave D. a set of candleholders for her altar.

Angelique and Aubrey are off to Aubrey's graduation picture-taking.

Home alone.

Washed seven brushes for now.

Snacked on a fresh mango and fresh strawberries.

I find it quite pathetic that every movie director has a stable of bit players and extras who quickly vanish into thin air as soon as the director dies.

People go to school not be educated but to be well-employed after. Otherwise they end up merely as freelancers or as eternal classroom teachers.

What is quite sad about having antiques is that they will always outlive their successions of owners.

Once in a while take greasy food, because your body needs oil to improve your metabolism.

Repair or renovate your house BEFORE you retire, not after, in order to live comfortrably upon retirement--and possibly for the rest of this lifetime.

When you have extra time on your hands, develop and improve your penmanship. My nephew George used to frequently tell me that it is what distinguishes human beings from animals.

Down to 487.

Noon rain in Cubao.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Wearing rings on six fingers again, now that I'm done painting.

Waiting for the painting to become touch-dry before vernissage.

Good morning, Cubao!

Antique gold is housed in the museum of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

The leaves of the trees are teaspoonfuls of moonlight.

Asked Bertod to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Drizzly afternoon on the roof deck with Brian. He managed to carry ten clay pots and three rectangular vegetable planters all the way from the ground floor, then segregated more vegetable sprouts in individual pots.

Back from Farmers Garden with Toto and Q. Bought ten big clay pots and three rectangular vegetable planters for the roof deck.

Tried M.'s lemon and cucumber juice.

The LaLaMove rider was at Gilmore Cubao. I always get antsy whenever I see the orange marker approaching our house.

Now the items have been delivered, and I am extremely pleased with them.

To view the photo, go to my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3813033038783395&set=a.936008466485881. If Blogger does not allow you to open the link, Copy the link, go to Facebook, and Paste on your browser.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey still resting upstairs.

Down to 495.

"Your Messenger message:

"Good evening p0 sir tony. I have something to tell and if i may ask if there any reason why.. But first i hope that your alright and fine. Sir it's been awhile now that i always worked up at 3 am always po ..sometimes 5 before 3am or 5min after 3am with no reason at all basta nagigising lang po ako sa ganung oras. Sir is there any reason bakit po kay may nkapag sbi po na mlakas ang spirit pag 3am totoo po ba yun nag tataka lang po ako i always woke up at 3am for no reason at all. ..Good night po and always be safe."

My reply:

Hello ______!

Others have Messaged me about this phenomenon before, and I have Posted the answer elsewhere in this account. It is perfectly normal to wake up briefly at 3:00 AM. The day and the night are divided into eight, three-hour period. Each period is ruled by an elemental spirit. A "changing of the guard" occurs at 3:00 AM and it is usual for many sensitive people to wake up during this time.

 Atchay English:

"Kaya nga" = "That's why"

The correct term should be "Exactly" or "Precisely".

A heavy breakfast, as in The Color Purple.

Good morning, Cubao!

Baskets of blessings hang from the ceiling of the sky.

Heat thunder over Cubao.

Good night, Cubao!

Watch the dance of the 13 maidens of the moon.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Judge Dee is on a brief holiday in the district of Wei-Ping, where his colleague, the magistrate of the district, is besieged by a mysterious coromandel screen featuring images of the four seasons in his office.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery and did minor groceries.

Still searching for a creative writer willing to pose in the nude for a portrait.

_Adoration of the Magi_

 

Adoration of the Magi

Oil on cradled canvas

4.5' x 6'

February 9 - March 17, 2021

This painting is a reverse take on the Wise Men's visit to the Christ Child during the Nativity. Guided by their inner star, they arrive at the entombment of Christ after his body is deposed from the cross. Instead of gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they offer a gold bowl of clean water, an alabaster jar of spices and perfume, and a thurible with lit incense.

The pattern on the side of the sarcophagus is that of ripe, rice stalks, signifying new life that follows death. Like _The Glorious Mysteries: The Resurrection_, with which it will be hung side by side, the work bears the leitmotif of a circle, triangles, and squares. Also as in _The Resurrection_, the figure of Christ was proportioned to eight heads, while the figures of the others were proportioned to seven heads. 

The painting is a study in black on black, but I had to lighten it up considerably because it will hang in the narrow stairwell between the ground and second floors of the library of Maryhill School of Theology (MST). 

Perhaps it should be mentioned here that the preference of MST for the enculturation of theology entails not pulling forward the religious events in the past to the present, but, instead, superimposing the present on the religious events in the past. Given such phenomenological perceptions of time, this is MST's contribution to the celebration of 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines.

The pandemic is still on, and I continue to refuse to admit models and outsiders into our house/my studio area. Angelique sat for Mary, and Jazz sat for Christ. The images of the Wise Men were based on stock shots in the public domain.

The auditory stimulus I used while making this painting is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9nJspo7yKo. Do listen to it while viewing the work.

Worked a quarter of an hour on thirty-third glaze.

Your Messenger message:

"Dear Sir Tony,

"We needed to reach out to you again because we want to exhaust all possible explanations about our daughter. She is a non verbal autistic who is dependent on us for everything, including self care. So she cannot tell us, or anybody, what she feels. May we ask what is the possibility that beings (if there were) who may have been 'residents' or 'friends' of the trees that were cut near our house could inflict any form of physical harm? Yesterday, our part time gardener who comes about twice a month was here for more clearing and weeding. Last night, my daughter, who also has a seizure disorder, had some seizures which were unlike her usual seizures in the past. Just short and quick ones, but several times. Maybe it’s a different medical condition so we are taking her for a check up, but we would very much appreciate your opinion on this. That is, if you find the time and if you think we can do something that the doctors might not be able to 'see' or advice us about.

"Thank you as always and thank you also for still keeping me in your friends list.

"Always,

"___________"

My reply:

Hello ________!

Go ahead and bring your doctor to her physician. There is nothing supernatural about her new seizures. Her body has been reacting to the summer heat.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Had money changed, sent some money to my younger son Chito, paid our water bill, and bought a pack of tuna sashimi and a pack of salmon sashimi at the Japanese grocery store.

Also checked out the prices of terracotta pots at Farmers Garden. We need ten more.

Thank you for inviting me to give a lecture, but I am gainfully retired and already at a place where I do only what I want, only what I enjoy, and only what gives me the greatest pleasure.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

Walk leisurely through the bright corridors of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

The goddess of the moon's tea service is made of white, bone china.

Dinner with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Bertod to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee in The Lacquer Screen.

Swung by D.'s store to buy a ream of my favorite ziggurats.

A one-hour afternoon nap, and then Brian and I went up to the roof deck to segregate more vegetable plants in individual pots.

Were I a film director I would set a story on our roof deck, which is, as can be seen in previous photos, surrounded by interesting structures. The protagonist would be in the center of it all. Other characters would be a married couple in a unit of Pineda Condominium, an instructor of Samson College of Science and Technology, a student in one of the units of my nephew's tenement building, an office manager at Cyberpark Tower, a police officer at Precinct 7, a parent of an OFW in Theresa Towers, an artist setting up an exhibit at Artery Art Space, and a salesperson at Indian Motorcycles USA.

The film would consist of a lot of zooming in and out of windows from the roof deck.

Worked a quarter of an hour on thirty-second glaze.

Down to 496.

No matter how pretty they are, never buy lamps with glass shades that are difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Finished rereading Poets and Murder last night, and retrieved The Lacquer Screen to reread tonight.

One-hour, morning nap.

Worked a quarter of an hour on thirty-first glaze.

If you dreamt of crowds, avoid them at all costs in waking life.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sky fairies grow red, pink, and white strawberries in their cloud patches.

Worked half an hour on thirtieth glaze.

Down to 498.

Good night, Cubao!

Great, white cats live in the palace of the moon.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Worked a quarter of an hour on twenty-ninth glaze.

Calling it a day for painting. Must wait for these glazes to dry.

One-hour, late afternoon nap.

A mug of honey and vanilla chamomile tea.

Worked half an hour on twenty-eighth glaze.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked an hour on twenty-seventh glaze.

Replenished our soda supply.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique and Aubrey had online classes and are still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

Sky fairies stage a parade for the king and queen of the sun.

Good night, Cubao!

Night clouds are platters of assorted cheese.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended past midnight.

My desktop computer time is back to normal. No more daylight savings time.

Still rereading Poets and Murder. It is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Judge Dee is spending a few days at the palatial residence of his colleague in Chin-wah, who has prepared a lavish dinner for three eminent poets. Two murders have already been committed, that of a student searching for his father's murderer and that of a young dancer, and Judge Dee is already on both cases. I remember how this novel will end, but I always willingly read it through, for I am immediately transported to the picturesque scenes and lifestyles of exotic, ancient China when I do so.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Brought some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Staggered dinnertimes.

Didn't paint at all today, but it was another enchanted afternoon and evening on the roof deck. Brian and Neil segregated the tomato sprouts in individual pots. After sunset, the lights in the buildings surrounding us came on. The aroma of food cooking on someone's stove wafted on the breeze, and then the scent of someone's cologne. We heard snatches of disembodied conversations coming from the driveway. Now I'm still dreaming not only of a small bedroom on the roof deck, but also of an iron bridge leading from the south end of the deck to the small parapet on the front corner of the yellow tower. 

Sunday evening with Brian and Neil on the roof deck.

To view the photos and their captions, go to my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3802329046520461&set=pcb.3802331239853575. If Blogger does not allow you to open the link, Copy the Link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser.

It seems easier and more pleasant to upload multiple photos on Facebook.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery to buy a dozen fresh eggs, a sack of french fries, a box of ice cream, and a bottle of hair conditioner. Then felt famished and ordered a longsilog from M.'s cafe.

Back from jalan-jalan at the center. Had money changed, bought another pair of reading glasses and two ceiling light bulbs, bought two packs crabsticks at the Chinese grocery, four packs sushi at the Japanese grocery, and two packs dried seaweed and two boxes kimchi at the Korean grocery. It was a warm afternoon, even though the sun was behind clouds.

Not only line affects composition. Color does as well. So do light and shadow.

The only way to have perfect flowers in your house everyday is to purchase and arrange FABRIC flowers, though they are more expensive than fresh flowers.

Slept ten hours last night.

An early lunch alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun keeps an extensive library of cookbooks with daytime recipes.

Good night, Cubao!

Darkness is a deep purple.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

Worked half an hour on twenty-sixth glaze.

Calling it a day for painting. Must wait for these glazes to dry.

Worked half an hour on twenty-fifth glaze.

Jay and Q take Keiko Kashigawa and Yukiko Taka for a Saturday afternoon walk.

To view the photos, go to my Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3799431966810169&set=pcb.3799434093476623. If Blogger does not enable you to open the link, Copy the link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser.

Why is it not possible to Delete Followers?

Worked half an hour on twenty-fourth glaze.

Worked half an hour on twenty-third glaze.

Brian came to clean our small loggia.

An early lunch at home alone; Aubrey and Jazz registering for voting while Angelique escorted them, and they are having lunch out.

Alkaline water service man stopped by to pick up our empty, five-gallon jugs.

Worked an hour on twenty-second glaze.

Your Messenger message:

"What do you make of people who keep calling on the phone to chat (hour-long!) even when you make it clear you don't welcome the phonecalls? I feel guilty for not calling back but resent the imposition and demand on my time and attention."

My reply:

"I'd just ignore and not call back. Never be a slave to technology. It should serve you, not the other way around. It is really the caller's problem, not yours. If they ask you later why you didn't call back, just say, "One of my rules is to ignore all phone calls." That way THEY follow YOU.

"I am even more brash than that. When unexpected guests knock on my door I myself open the door and tell them, 'I'm sorry, I'm not expecting you. I'm working on a painting in progress and I can't let anyone in.' I feel absolutely no guilt in doing so. Only I can choose whom to entertain.

"One of my problems is that most people see me as sweet, fatherly, approachable, and easily manipulatable. I am not. There was a time when a woman, a stranger, knocked on our door and insisted on using our ground-floor bathroom. I, of course, refused, and advised her to go to a restaurant or to the barangay hall. She then said, 'Dito na 'ko iihi sa may pintuan mo.' I yelled, 'Subukan mong gawin iyan! Sasabuyan kita ng tubig-kanal!' She slunk away.

"I love making my dark side pop out like a jack-in-the-box to atchays. The expressions on their faces are precious and, unfortunately due to lack of time, I could never actually photograph them."

Good morning, Cubao!

Now the sun shoots golden arrows across a silver sky.

Good night, Cubao!

Tonight the gnomes play spectator sports on tin rooftops.

Q did night chores for me.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, spending some time watching online videos, and then snuggling in bed with Judge Dee.

Jazz arrived. 

Worked a quarter of an hour on twenty-first glaze.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

Remember that there is a Care Bear for everything.

Consider having potted plants in your bathroom.

Always live while completely enjoying and loving life.

You don't need publicity. All you need is to work well.

To enable yourself to clear your house of useless junk, first clean up your Friends List.

Fold up your tents. Living outdoors is a bad idea.

For men only. Women, do not read beyond this point:

Loud farting in private massages your prostate, that is why bashful, prim and proper men become especially prone to prostate swelling.

They who are desperate for stardom are soon put down by those who are destined to it.

Do not forget to rest your legs and your feet.

Never be unpredictable to your children.

A brief, afternoon drizzle.

Worked an hour on twentieth glaze.

Lay in bed with Judge Dee.

One-hour, afternoon nap.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked an hour on nineteenth glaze. Now on the fourth human figure in this tableau.

Down to 499.

An early lunch at home alone: Angelique has online classes through 2:00 PM and Aubrey still resting upstairs after a late breakfast.

The sky embraces the sea with arms of rain.

Good morning, Cubao!

Slept ten hours last night.

Good night, Cubao!

A bustling house has a purposeful night shift.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Q did night chores for me.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

Two-hour, mid-afternoon nap.

Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Brian and I went up to the roof deck. We had to wear caps and open an umbrella under the blazing, summer sun. 

All the bitter melon shoots have now been segregated in individual pots with dragon-tree poles in their centers. I'm secretly hoping the poles take root and grow.

An early lunch at home alone, then Angelique came down to lunch in the dining room.

Worked an hour on 18th glaze.

Bored.

Now down to 501.

Good morning, Cubao!

All flowers are in full bloom in the garden of the sun.

Your Messenger message:

"Goodeve sir Tony!

"Can I share a screen shot my daughter took it this 6pm while we were praying the Rosary via chat....

"My daughter took this. We were praying the Holy Rosary together via chat. The last time we were just chatting my background in the same room also looked like this, fuzzy...can you enlighten me why this happens? Thank you...

"The only thing that's clear is the Lady of Lourdes...

"And our family picture, and so with the small Sacred Heart..

"Thanks for your time po, sir..."

My reply:

Hello ______!

It's a technical glitch caused not by the camera but by elementals. If you look hard enough you will see their seven faces imaged by the pixelation.

If you are unwilling to allow playful elementals to have fun in your room, smudge your room with sage or frankincense. Light scented candles often in your room. Elementals do not like incense and candles.

Retrieved a Judge Dee book, Poets and Murder, to reread in bed tonight.

Good night, Cubao!

Sign your name in the guest book of the moon.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores. 

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

No longer accepting New Friend Requests, especially those with:

--too many Mutual Friends with me

--no Profile Photos

--fake names and "Wiccan" names

--No Friends to show, no Photos to show, and no visible Postings

--bitcoin sales

--Walls filled with K-pop and K-drama photos

I do not buy art that looks like it was made by a K-12 student.

The government should stop selling land in disaster areas even at rock-bottom rates. In the long run it becomes more costly to evacuate everyone whenever something happens.

It is always heartbreaking to see unhappy, stray animals, most especially because of the hopelessness in their eyes.

They mean "effectiveness", not "effectivity".

Bored.

Down to 503 from 506.

Swung by the neighborhood grocery, then replenished our soda supply at D.'s store.

Bored.

Went down from 513 Friends to 506.

Still dreaming of keeping 200 only. After I finish my 40 paintings, the non-interactive Maryhill people will have to go. They're probably all shocked by my anti-religion Postings anyway.

Bertod and I went up to the roof deck to water the plants.

Worked half an hour on seventeenth glaze.

Yakult delivery arrived.

Anti-flea shampoo delivery for Keiko Kashigawa and Yukiko Taka arrived.

Worked an hour on sixteenth glaze.

Angelique and Aubrey came down to lunch in the dining room.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning po Sir Tony! Hihingi po sana ako ng advise tungkol sa kung ano po ang gagawin ko sa friend request of a person who unfriended me twice and added again po. This will probably be the third approval po and I do not know the reason why she unfriended me last time. We used to be really good friends back then but due to different principles at work we drifted apart and she left the company. I wanted to give it some thought so I have not responded since yesterday. For your advise po. Salamat po Sir Tony and ingat po!"

My reply:

Hello _______!

Do not accept her Friend Request. As a matter of fact, Block her to discourage her from continuing to play social media games.

Do not fall into the trap of believing that Facebook is real life; it is not. Real life is when you shut off your computer and go into physical movement to engineer your day.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning Sir Tony

"I’m reading your 365 notes on love Ganda na kaka miss ma in love again "Sir I miss having lessons and learning from you "Is it possible for us with Elline and Allan n others to Have a zoom or Skype class "Thank you"

My reply:

Hello _________!

I prefer to teach in everyone's physical presence because physical presence is a requirement for memory recall. Note that my new exercises, which we did together, accomplished that. We just have to wait for the pandemic to blow over.

An early lunch at home alone; Angelique still resting upstairs and Aubrey has online classes.

Good morning, Cubao!

Clouds create ice crystals, and the sun melts them into raindrops.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended past midnight.

I have taken note, over the years, that when different parts of the body are massaged they allow particular emotions/mental states/attitudes to emerge, and that when a body part aches most the explanation is not necessarily physiological and possibly psychological:

Back of Head/Nape: Submission

Upper Back: Sadness

Shoulders: Guilt/Remorse

Lower Back: Happy friendships with peers

Buttocks: Rebellion against authority figures

Backs of Thighs: Fear

Calves: Intense grief and frustrations

Head/Scalp: The ability to let go

Face: Strength of will

Ears: Flirtations

Neck: Intellectual pursuits

Chest: Shame

Ribs: Anger

Stomach: Love

Abdomen: Lust

Arms: Hopefulness

Hands: Responsibility

Front of Thighs: Joy

Knees/Shins: Vulnerability to seduction by others

Feet/Soles of Feet: Attainment of goals

In office dynamics, when a supervisor or coworker says, "I will let that go for now, just don't do that again," you can be very sure that he will not let that go.

Good night, Cubao!

Lit lanterns give solace to heartbroken passersby.

Asked Brian to bring some food over to M./'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Many people's idea of acting is yelling a scriptwriter's lines with their faces all torn up.

Desperate women do everything they can to woo the men they desire, conveniently forgetting that that old script always has a very sad ending.

Sometimes the problem with educators is that they are intent on obtaining higher degrees without actually educating themselves.

It is the conceptual artist who is compelled to produce more and more but who makes almost no money at all.

Brian sent us a bowl of taro leaves and horseradish leaves cooked in coconut milk.

Worked half an hour on fifteenth glaze.

A mug of pure chamomile tea.

Worked half an hour on fourteenth glaze.

Worked an hour on thirteenth glaze.

Angelique ordered anti-flea shampoo for Keiko Kashigawa and Yukiko Taka, for a long, hot summer.

If the volcano erupts, we in Cubao will see its dark plume in the sky.

A two-hour, morning nap.

Lunch with Angelique and Aubrey.

A sweltering hot, summer's day.

One of the hawkers' stands is already selling halu-halo.

Life is short to the creative person who never made maximum use of his creativity; life is long to the creative person who put his creativity to good use.

The winner is he who retired as early as possible in order to prolong the rest of his life in heaven.

A big breakfast, as in The Color Purple.

Good morning, Cubao!

The wind directs a spectacular parade of clouds. 

Good night, Cubao!

Chang-O's husband rides a white stallion and chases the moon across the coastline.

Asked Bertod to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Chrome yellow + cadmium orange + zinc white = Naples yellow

Had a one-hour, afternoon nap.

A bag of green Indian mangoes from M.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning Sir Tony, Hope your doing great. I just need your guidance regarding po sa bahay ng kapatid ko. Noon kakalipat pa lang ng kapatid ko sa nakuha nila bahay which is ako po nakahanap, meron po doon isang malaking matandang puno ng mangga na nakadikit mismo sa labas ng bahay. Mejo nagworry po kapatid ko dahil sa baka daw po masira yung foundation ng bahay kapag lalo pang lumaki yung ugat sa ilalim ng lupa. Pero prior nilang gawen niyon. Tuwing pumupunta ako sa bahay nila lage po meron pumapasok sa isip ko na nagsasabi wag na wag puputulin yung puno, at may times na hindi po ako mapakali dahil po dun. Kaya sinabi ko po agad sa kapatid ko ng makailang beses na wag putulin po yung puno pero di po siya nakinig saken. After nila putulin doon na po nagsimula na ilang beses po silang nasiraan ng appliances sa loob ng bahay at lage po umaalis yung katulong nila, at sobra mabigat sa pakiramdam sa loob po mismo ng bahay kaya di po ako nakakapagstay ng matagal sa kanila dahil sumasakit po ulo ko. I dont have any idea how to communicate po sa mga entities na nakatira if meron man po para na rin maging peaceful na po yung environment. Need your opinion Sir Tony. Salamat po"

My reply:

Simply ask your sibling to buy a mango seedling and plant it on the same lot but at a distance from the house.

Your Messenger message:

"Good morning po sir Tony have a blessed day

"My question lang po aq,2x na pow aq nakkita ng snake sa bahy..una xa kusina po then hinabol ng dog q bgla sumuot xa hole outside r house ..then knina po sa kusina again..hinabol ulit ng dog q dun ulit xa hole dumaaan outside r house..Anu po ba ibig ipahiwatig nun..Thank u po in advance.."

My reply:

Hello ___________!

All this means is that it is summertime, when creepy crawlies come out to live above the ground. That of course includes ants, millipedes, and all sorts of bugs, including, unfortunately for your dog, fleas.

Worked half an hour on twelfth glaze.

My nephew and godson Raymond of Floro Fighting Systems taught in the Inosanto Academy in LA back in 2004. The wooden dummy in the background might have belonged to Bruce Lee. In the second photo Raymond is teaching Dan Inosanto a move.

It is springtime in China and Russia, and it is summer down here at the equator.

Back from the center with Angelique and Aubrey. Went to the bank, bought Aubrey a pair of contact lenses, did major groceries, and had lunch out. Toto drove for us.

Good morning, Cubao!

You know you had astounding dreams when you wake up with your bed in disarray.

Good night, Cubao!

Listen to the lullabies sung by the goddess of the moon.

Asked Neil to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

The heat is like a sack of rice that I must bear upon my shoulders.

Had to turn on my bedroom air-conditioner long before my bedtime.

Worked an hour on eleventh glaze.

 Worked an hour on tenth glaze.

Worked an hour on ninth glaze.

Staggered lunchtimes on a hot, summer day.

An early lunch at home alone; grandchildren still resting upstairs.

Sunday, and at the end of the day the first week of this month already will have gone.

I hope this will be a peaceful day for me and that I can get some painting done.

Good morning, Cubao!

The sun is the patron of all colors.

The heat was partly responsible for making me feel tired today.

Dinner at home with Angelique, Aubrey, and Jazz.

Academia nuts

Always evaluate your day before settling in for the night.

Place a chair in dead space and sit in it for some time. You will then see how to convert the space to a useful and enlivened one.

Every part of your body needs a good massage.

Everyone has the knowledge, though in their deep unconscious, what they will ultimately die of.

Assembling complex jigsaw puzzles can prevent you from going crazy.

Work done for the day, but I didn't have a moment to myself. Whenever I tried to lie down and nap someone knocked on my door. Brian had to retrieve a second machete from our storage room, buy a length of nylon rope and then eleven, woven sacks and afterward trimmed our dragon tree; two men arrived to repair Aubrey's bedroom air-conditioner; my sister Alice arrived from lucky Chinatown and gave us a variety of sweetmeats; Brian trimmed my younger son Chito's ficus tree in front of M.'s cafe; and Toto asked us to have the talisay tree in front of D.'s store trimmed as well. I hope to sleep well tonight.

To view the photos and their captions, go to https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3781743218579044&set=pcb.3781743425245690. If Blogger does not enable you to open the link, Copy the link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser.

Under The Blazing Saturday Afternoon Sun

Brian and Bertod trim the dragon tree branches on the east side of our house.

It is summer time because our frangipani, possibly the oldest tree in Cubao, is in full bloom.

To view the photos, go to: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3781415191945180&set=pcb.3781416475278385. If Blogger does not enable you to open the link, Copy the link, go to Facebook, and Paste the link on your browser.

Jazz arrived.

Lunch at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Good morning, Cubao!

Delicious apple trees will always grow in the land of the sun.

Two-hour, deep tissue massage. Ended 1:00 AM.

Brian sent us a bowl of cassava and a tilapia dish cooked in coconut milk and cassava leaves. Wow, everyone should try cassava leaves--they taste like basil!

Good night, Cubao!

This is the night of the silver wolf.

Dinner at home with Angelique and Aubrey.

Asked Q to bring some food over to M.'s cafe staff.

Night chores.

My favorite time of the day has come again: an evening shower, and then spending some time watching online videos.

Worked an hour on eighth glaze.

Frank sent this to me. I wrote the screenplay for this segment years ago.

https://www.facebook.com/RegalEntertainmentInc/videos/150986620182655/

Q and Bertod take Keiko Kashigawa and Yukiko Taka on a Friday afternoon walk on the compound.

In the meantime Brian arrived from Laguna with lots of vegetable seeds and cuttings from his brother's farm.