Hello all!
Welcome back, Jose! By this time, I'm sure you're safe at home and recovering from the jet lag. Glad to hear that you got to spend time with everyone you wanted to back at home! Does your wife live in the Philippines? It must be hard to be apart from her. My parents were apart for months at a time during their first several years of marriage, because of my father's line of work as a sailor. But, I'm even more glad to hear that you were able to leave the Philippines without a hassle from the immigration officers. I remember going there back in 2009 and my mother telling me that you give the immigration officials a little bit of money at the time you go through their queue or whatever, "like a tip" for their coffee, as the phrasing seemed to translate. I was feeling a little disgruntled at that, and we weren't even spoken to yet by any of them at that point.
I do hope your job situation gets resolved soon with the agency that you work with! May you quickly get another client on your schedule.
Sandy & Lilly, your mothers' eyes sound like they'll be taken care of by great doctors, medicine, and, above all, love from all around.
I wish them both well and successful recoveries! We are so dependent on our eyesight as humans, it's devastating to hear about any illnesses related to the sense happen to anyone, but it's good that science and medicine have had advances over and over again, to help out those with troubled eyes.
Whew, all this talk about jello and pudding shots from before make me want to try them now, too. I wonder if the pudding shots were made with Kahlua? Sammy, can you confirm the recipe with us?
The chrysanthemum tea's sugar crystals came in the little pouch with the tea were probably made like how those rock sugar lollipop sticks were, they looked like they got chipped off of a larger "sugar rock." I haven't made sugar crystals in a long time, but all it is is having a solution of sugar water and hanging a stick or a string from the top of the container's opening (usually another stick) into the solution, and letting the crystals form around the string/stick in the water, as the water evaporates. I think it should be covered only because little organisms can grow in the solution if it's not taken care of.
Sandy and Lilly, you'll be happy to hear that my leg's good!
It's really itchy, though, as it's recovering and regrowing skin cells, but there's no big scabs, just normal skin growing on the areas affected. It does look super dry and I can't help but scratch from time to time, so I know I'm not going to get away without some small scarring. But, the coloration's pretty good on the affected area. There was no more swelling after that weekend's scare and definitely no infections.
The bruises are going away at their own pace. I did yoga yesterday and my leg didn't feel too bad, either. And then in the evening, I went for the ride once more and did much better than before. I had a couple of unbalanced moments in riding on the trail, but I didn't fall on my face or sustain any damage, and I was totally happy for that! Sandy, I don't think I saw that Charmin commercial growing up, but I arrived in the US when I was five, so perhaps it aired before I came over?
I think Bert would agree with you on that look, though, haha!
When the new home's offer's accepted and we're in the thick of the paperwork, I'll make sure there's some pictures to post up and share with you all! We just got the pre-approval letter so our agent is working on updating our offer, so we can sign it and be ready to send it to the seller by this evening or tomorrow morning (whichever applies to the seller, not sure what their hours are like). Bert likes to talk about the place as if it's already ours, but I like to be realistic first and stand back for a little bit, before heading into a situation with optimism.
Anyway, everyone take care, especially if you're taking off for the Labor Day weekend ahead... we won't, but we'll be around and about our town and the nearby friends' who welcome us into their homes for small parties and hangouts.
I'm up for some sweets...goodness. Next time, I'll hope to post about some desserts that I actually get to make!
Love,
Theunim
) I do have one of the defusers for the end of your dryer and I have used it but it takes so long that I get imaptient.. 
See what poor Dave was dealing with! But you have really pretty hai,r Lilly...glad it's fixed now in a way you're comfortable with. 
for you!!!!! I can't wait to see pictures! Yeah!
...not that I suppose it matters my remembering way over here. 
) 
Now I feel like a real dumb ass! See, now I'm doing the
hey you...haven't seen your lovely face in aaaages, nor you T. Keep us posted on the house won't