Family news

The electricity is back on, but it's been pouring rain most of the night from a "tropical depression".

Today is the "State of the Nation" address, and one headline instructs protesters to "bring umbrellas". 

but, more seriously, flooding is expected:

Also on Sunday, the Pampanga River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center alerted residents along the banks of the Pampanga River in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pampanga for flash floods due to high tide.

We are on a bit higher ground, but the streets are flooded with an inch or two of rain. The mayor is starting to put regular sewer lines to drain the usual flooding in front of the palenke; we still have open ditches, but Chano is thinking we need to replace them with a large pipe...but the bad news is that the pipes tend to clog with plastic bags and garbage (leaves and fallen fruit)...

The other bad news is that our roof is leaking again...the heavy rain overtops the gutters and sends drips into the kitchen etc.

The other bad news is that, no matter how much we beat them, the dogs prefer to use the corner of the living room as a rest room. Oh well: At least they aren't doing it in the kitchen or dining room, and we don't use the living room much....