(Aug. 7, 2019)
I'm adding another section to this blog, placing it "at the top" of a nearly-complete blog which I last looked at about 6 weeks ago. It has been a quite-different time for me, as I had my first- ever admission to a hospital.
I've had swelling in my legs, off and on, for perhaps 10 or 12 years; it comes and it goes, usually not causing me much trouble. So mostly I've ignored it except to make a point of elevating the affected leg as much as possible (NOT possible much, my last several working years). This time my skin began to blister, and the rupturing blisters would begin to infect - which we were cleaning with antiseptics and treating with antibiotic cream. My local doctor also put me on oral medicines for a week, but gradually the infection worsened so that on July 10 he referred me into Antique Medical Center in San Jose.
I was in the hospital for eight days, mostly because I needed IV antibiotics and other medicines to defeat the infection. I also had one surgical-cleaning procedure on some of the wounds, which turned out to be the main factor in getting them to heal. I am now 2½ weeks out of the hospital, and getting around pretty well with only some stiffness and moderate soreness remaining.
All of this is probably the reason I didn't get any photos of our July 4 celebrations.
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(June 26, 2019)
I looked at some of the things in my last posting, and I can't believe how long ago some of them seem. I guess that comes of being busy - and it seems we have more than enough to prevent us from slowing down.
I attended a wedding at Valderrama, about 30 miles
from home. This municipality is located inland "up-
river" from the main highway which runs along the coast
line. I had seen the road-sign many times near one
of the longer river-bridges on the highway, but I
never had a reason to explore that direction before.
The actual venue turned out to be several ROUGH
kilometers beyond Valderrama, and UP into the
verge of the western mountains on our island.
The last few hundred yards of approach were quite steep,
and the "parking pads" beside the driveway were already
filled. I barely managed to make a turn-around and park
headed out-bound (GLAD I did that, later!) with the incline
so steep I had tires- spinning as I backed uphill. Note
the rear tires chocked with large stones.
The climb from the car to the office area, and THEN onward
to the wedding site, was enough that I ONLY went down again
after the ceremony, for the reception. In all, perhaps nearly
100 yards of uphill steps.
The same stairway as above, shown from the the other
direction. GOOD place to install a zip-line.
direction. GOOD place to install a zip-line.
The location is in a pristine mahogany forest, unusual to
find on our island; this looks to me like relatively young
forest, not centuries- old, so perhaps it is re-growth.
find on our island; this looks to me like relatively young
forest, not centuries- old, so perhaps it is re-growth.
A beautiful open-air site, on a misty/ foggy day.
Fortunately only a couple small sprinkles while
we were there, no actual RAIN.
The now- ubiquitous cell phone/ camera mimics
the real scene. The groom is the son of some
friends, and the bride is a school teacher; both
appear to be early- 30s.
the real scene. The groom is the son of some
friends, and the bride is a school teacher; both
appear to be early- 30s.
I made some extra effort to "stalk" the bridesmaid wearing the high platform shoes, as
she was moving among guests and other wedding party members. I think it would
take some courage to wear those on the steep downhill trek, though perhaps for
the uphill they were helpful. (Would she need a parachute to save her, if she
ever missed a step?)
she was moving among guests and other wedding party members. I think it would
take some courage to wear those on the steep downhill trek, though perhaps for
the uphill they were helpful. (Would she need a parachute to save her, if she
ever missed a step?)
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The VBS graduation had more than 100 participants, with presentations by age-group and certificates and awards, the sort of ceremony which would seem pretty familiar in the U.S., but everything with a slightly different "flavor."
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Certain things that I see here catch my eye on the second
look. What I noticed about this tricycle-load is that some of the packing boxes are wooden. Not much seen in the USA for decades.
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For Timmy's 5th birthday party, he chose this "race track" themed cake from a magazine photo and asked "nah- NAI" (grandma) to make it for him. His color- choice of RED came out more like pink, but it made a fine centerpiece on the table.
The items that look like cat-tail reeds (or small bottle-rockets?) are sections of hot-dog with marsh-mallows in between, on BBQ skewers.
The "8" shape of the race track is a little "off theme" for B.D. #5, but Timmy wouldn't know about that just yet - - and I've never seen a "5" shaped race track.
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Some things just take my attention (momentarily) because of
odd coincidence. A few years ago, I probably wouldn't
have imagined using "Horse" brand cement from Vietnam, for
a building project in the Philippines. Cement has dropped
in price here by a hefty $2.00 per sack in the last several
years, now costing about $4.60,about half the $9.00 or so
I seem to remember in the USA around 2010. Prices are
converted from PH Pesos, and sack-weight here is
40 kg. = 88#, pretty close to USA sack-weight of 90#.
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A "small thing" I had noticed for several years is that our Communion Juice used for Lord's Supper at church varied from time to time quite noticeably from powdered packet-juice to sometimes cola (!) to quite a rich fruit- wine which I guessed was purchased by someone passing through San Jose or somewhere that it would be available. I wondered just a little bit about this but never enough at the right time to strike up the subject. One day it came up in conversation with some other members.
It turned out that Sister Louisa, the pastor's wife, is
able for a brief time each year to get "lum-boy,"
which is about an like "extra large olive" in size and
shape, also having a similar pit inside. The purple
flavor and color seem like a type of plumb, except
that if not completely ripe it is quite astringent. Avail-
able for only a few weeks "in season." This is made
into the communion beverage I couldn't quite identify.
I waited for many months to get some"lum-boy."
After being thoroughly washed, the fruit is put into a plastic pail in layers, with perhaps a pound of brown sugar every 2- or- 3- inches. It is then covered and left alone for several weeks.
Nature takes its course and the liquid produced is carefully strained and put into bottles, producing something very much like plumb or bing-cherry taste range, similar to home- made fruit-cordial wine I've had a few times when visiting "farm folks" in the USA. It's pretty g-o-o-d! Mixes well with home- made ginger ale. (Click this link to see the ginger ale project from last October's posting.)
I added one extra wrinkle to the process, as I had some 2- gallon size zip-lock bags; I tested one to be sure it wasn't leaking,
then put it on top of the fruit, using the water in the bag to create a loose seal - - preventing unwanted micro-organisms from coming in contact with the fruit.
I'm expecting to have a little bit of this ready to sample on July 4, U.S. Independence Day.
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People load things, and ride on vehicles, pretty much any
way they want to, here.
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Our small building project is continuing:
From the outside, the project is so "hemmed in" with other
structures and tree foliage, it's hard to get photos.
We installed a solid ladder/ stair-set to access
the new room, as we had been using a portable
step- ladder for the "Mezzanine floor- level"
climb, when going up the water-reservoir tower.
I joke that our next project will be to design and
build an escalator. This new structure has its
right-rear corner wrapped around the water
tower, and its upstairs is the same as that
"mezzanine" deck of the water tower.
I got this photo of our "roof- metal haul." as we were on our way
home from San Jose (45+ miles) one afternoon. ONLY the
flat- metal pieces were ready that day, so another trip was
required to pick up items like the ridge-cap, gutters, and
various custom- made flashing pieces.
(Now, August 7 posting again)
A few days ago much of the tree foliage was removed in
a routine trimming, so now the installed roof, + right-side
and front dormer-structures are visible. The small bit
of roofing, barely visible beyond the carport and tan-
metal new roof, is the roof of the water-tower, about
25 feet above ground-level. The ladder seen 2 photos
above is in-between the new structure and the car-port.
The left front corner of the structure, partially masked by
the corner of our adjacent house. The large "A frame"
room upstairs will have a very nice aspect when we get
it finished.
Well, this seems like a good place to "wind it down" for now. We still have 3 or 4 "crew days" to get the window frames installed with some exterior siding to trim them in. THEN
we can call the glass company to come out and glaze them, THEN we do a little more exterior stuff to get the structure sealed. We will DELAY working on the interior for a while, although I think I can buy roof insulation and electrical materials in small enough lots to be affordable, so as to keep "chipping away" at the finish.
Aaaand, there are a few other things coming up. Tomorrow we will try to get to San Jose and pass through the annual ordeal of vehicle registration., plus a few other minimal errands. SOON, I hope to do an Iloilo trip to go to our vehicle- dealer there and smooth out a few rough items about the car. BTW, it has gotten to be fairly reliable lately, just REALLY finicky about start-up from "cold" but OK for the rest of the day after that. My stiff-left-ankle limits my driving to distances of 15 - 20 minutes, so I will have a "hireling" along on longer trips.
Here is my "shout out" to my step-mom Mamie. She is relocated to a residential home in Bakersfield. The manager of that home is in the process of getting her communications set up, and I hope to get this posting to her either via her OWN computer or via the contact info that HE has given me. Hope you ENJOY THIS!! Ask Mr. Lopez to help you navigate back to previous postings you man have missed. It's pretty easy - - -
As for you- all (that's y'all lots of places) - the rest of our friends and readers, we frequently take a few moments to call down blessings on you each and as a group, hoping that you find your lives just-enough- challenging but not too hectic; productive and pleasing without too many rough edges.
Have a great day!
TJ and Bernadette Larson
Tibiao, Antique ("an-tee-kay") Province
Philippines
(I moved to Antique Province about 7 years ago, and now I's dun turnin' into one - - -)
