Your Messenger message:

"Hi, Sir Tony. I have some questions that I hope you could help me answer. I tried to search the internet but I know the conflicting info (or lack of reliable ones) will only mislead me.

"1) Is there a specific way to use incense especially during this Ghost Month? I have the red incense sticks and plan to buy the yellow one. "2) What does it mean when a big fly enters the house? I don't know the type that entered our condo window a few minutes before midnight. We’re not comfortable with it, of course, because our house, being tiny, is always clean and orderly. This is the first time a fly came to the unit after renovation. I would normally drive it out but I hesitated (I’m not sure how to handle it; whether I should catch it and let it fly out). I thought it would just go away but we found it resting on my husband's chest. It flew away after a while and I saw it seemingly aim for the window but couldn't get out. Should we catch it and let it out? (By the way, my husband got goosebumps this morning because the pot he’s using moved to the right side of the induction stove.) "3) We are going to our house in Rizal (leaving our Makati condo for the whole August instead of going back and forth with the kids). I have a simple food offering prepared last night and we lit incense, too. However, the unit will be left vacant during the whole ghost month. What can we do before leaving and upon returning? "Many thanks for your precious time, Sir Tony. Always take care, and happy birthday again to your granddaughter. She’s very lucky to have you."

My reply:

Hello _________!

1) Red joss sticks are all-occasion joss sticks. Yellow joss sticks are lit for persons who recently passed away--for a period of one year, after which one should switch to red joss sticks.

2) The presence of flies usually indicates the presence of a person or person wishing you ill will. Flypaper is one of the easiest solutions to get rid of them.

3) Offer a sealed glass jar filled with a multiple of 28 wrapped candy, which should last the entire month. That way animals, insects, and dust won't get to it. A pitcher of drinking water, covered, and four drinking glasses, also covered, should be on the same tray. A bundle of joss sticks and a box of matches may be included.