Later peoples...

Random musings of a "•Twisted Limb•"

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Just somebody you didn't know before.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Today is Wednesday and no word yet from Nora...

Even though I had my phone with me lash night on the nightstand, no phone call from Nora so I’m sure that she has not yet obtained another phone. Sadly, I believe that what greeted her in Manila was probably devastating to her. I pray to God that none of her family was injured and hurt or missing or God Forbid, killed in the flooding. I went to McDonald’s this morning for coffee and the whole group was basically there and everyone was glad to see me back. I did get to talk with Marie while she ate breakfast and expressed her my concern for Nora’s safety and the fact that I have not yet heard from her. It has been quite sometime since my emotions have run the gamut as they have during this event. Falling in love with Nora was very easy she is such a wonderful person very easy to love leaving her behind was excruciatingly hard, as it should be. My major concern at this time is her safety and well-being. Talk to y’all later, hope you have a grand day.
UPDATE... I got an email from Nora's sister (that I stayed with) and she said that Nora is fine and on her way to Basud, the province that her children and father live in about 170mi from Manila... so she is safe and I am relieved...

I am finally home, with great regrets and worry about Manila and my fiancé's safety...

Well it is Tuesday afternoon, here I am in Lebanon and surprisingly I just left Seoul Korea. The international date line can really mess with your mind. I had a wonderful stay in Seoul with my future relatives and most importantly my future wife. Leaving her was very difficult for me as it was for her as we both went our separate ways her one home to the Philippines and Manila and I back here to Lebanon. We are wonderful time and during my stay there even though the apartment that her sister and husband have is very cramped and very small and may even smaller by the addition of me. We did make do and we did get along very well. The weather was not my favorite, being hot and humid and there being no air conditioning in the basement apartment. Unfortunately the windows were very small and very few so the use of a fan became imperative to my survival. Seoul is a very bustling city 8 million people strong and absolutely no real estate that is not used regardless of how small it may be there will be some kind of a business and it if you were to compare it to something you could relate to perhaps think of one of the ant houses that you can buy for children after it’s been occupied for some time and look at all the various little trails and those communities within that is very much what it is like in Seoul may branch out in every direction and everything is uphill from where ever you are. Nora is everything I hoped she would be in 100 times more she’s the most honest and caring person I believe I’ve ever met her sincerity is unequaled. It’s hard for me in a way to explain the difference between the Filipino culture and the culture that permeates the Western Hemisphere. My prayer and my hope is that she never loses contact with her culture is one of the things that makes her so very attractive. We got up at 4 AM this morning in Seoul and by 5:15 AM we were in a taxi and then onto a bus to make the trip to Inchon Airport. I got her to her she needed to be so she could go through immigration and prepare to board her aircraft which would leave at 8:30 AM. I said goodbye to her at the gate and then I proceeded to wander around the airport until 2:30 PM when my flight boarded. My flight was good it was on a 777 aircraft which is the wide body, the aircraft was not filled to capacity and I didn’t have any annoying children sitting behind me this trip. The flight took less than nine hours as we had a tail wind of over 100 mph for 90% of the trip. Once I arrived at San Francisco, I made my way through customs and immigration and then turned around and did the same thing when I prepared to leave for Portland. The flight was just a little over an hour and 15 minutes long and basically uneventful. I can tell you that the cooler weather that greeted me in Portland was a welcome sight.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Well it's the 10th of Sept and I am amazed at how quickly time is passing...

Hi everyone... having a wonderful visit here in Seoul, not a place I would choose to live, too many people and the weather is just not my cup of tea... Nora and I will be completing some necessary paperwork this weekend in preperation of submitting her fiance visa package. Perhaps we will be able to escape to a little park this weekend, who knows. I've been contemplating how difficult it will be leaving her on the 29th. As with all who find themselves newly in love, the pain will be acute, but I will deal... the wait after I back home will be worse. I managed to lose a good friend this week. Sometimes we just can't hold on I guess. I do wish her the absolute best that life has to offer, she deserves it. To the rest of you who may wander thru my post from time to time I wish you the best and hope as you read this your day is going well... Later on...

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Today is Sept 6th in Seoul... hot humid and hot

OK, I know that I said that I probably wouldn't put anything up here till I retured from Korea, but ya know, I lied !!! I am staying with Nora at her Sister and brother in laws place here in korea, their entire house would fit in my kitchen/dining/living room and there are (including me) 5 of us here. Boy, you talk about learning how to live in different conditions. Let me tell you though, they are the most accomodating lovely people I've met in a long long time. Lyn, Nora's sister is of course philipna, her husband (I can't even pronounce his name ... it sound like 'Chaise' but drop the 'se'. Very nice, quiet man and wanting so badly to communicate across the language barrier and it is difficult. Lyn has a good understanding of English, not like we do, but good enough to communicate and with minimal effort you can understand what it is she is saying, and she knows a fair amount of Korean, having the benefit of living with a Korean man. They have a little boy, he is 6 years old and this little guy looks like a Sumo wrestler... he has an absolutely unsaitable appetite for just about any thing that will fit in his mouth... cute little guy though. Last night, Chai told Lyn that he wanted to take me to a Korean restaurant for dinner... what an experience that was, from the sitting on the floor to the cooking of the various meats and he also introduced me to a Korean style whiskey that I must tell you reminds me of Hudson Bay 151 proof rum... I am quite certain that it took off at least one layer of skin in my throat... Not bad after the initial swallow but Oh my, that first one is something. The way they eat is to take a leaf (good sized) of lettuce or a large spinach leaf and pile on the meat and other condiments, then wad it up and stuff it down the hatch. Again, to be able to experience the culture in it's natural setting is absolutely irreplaceable. Now a word about my bride to be. In my mind, for a long time, I've harbored the image and thoughts of what a woman would be like if I could pick all the attributes like you do clothing out of a closet... In a word, Nora fits the bill perfectly. She is so very genuine and honest and by nature, nuturing in all aspects. I knew, that if I prayed hard and long enough, God would answer my prayers and in Nora, my prayers have been answered I assure you. The hardest thing next to leaving here at the end of the month, will be the waiting that we will have to do before she is allowed entry to the United States. My eldest son, Sean, said, 'Dad, you're crazy', my hope of course is that it was meant in a good way, the other two, Melissa and Nick have made no response at all so I suppose either they didn't get the email or perhaps they just don't know what to say... either way I do hope that they accept her... in the chance that they for some reason don't, well.... that brings up some rather ugly possibilities so I will just hope they do. Take care my friends, pray for my happiness and safety and I will post another day...

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Well today is 1 September tomorrow I go to Portland and Thursday Korea...

Oh my goodness how exciting is that. I almost cannot wait. Today was my last day delivering meals until I return. I had 18 clients and after we got back to the senior center I told Deborah it’s her job now. Stopped at the credit union and took out some cash, picked up Cathy for lunch and we went to Ixtapa Mexican restaurant and had the lunch special sort of. She came back over the house for a little while and look at the color that I painted the dining room and we chatted for about an hour then I took her back over to Julie’s house. Came back home and got online and did my bill paying so that is now done. I will have to check on the 15th and make sure everything was done correctly. It is an absolutely gorgeous day outside earlier, it was a little more humid but now it’s just great I am anxious. I hope you all have a wonderful day and chances are that I will not blog tomorrow and you will not see anything on my blog until my return from Korea. May God be good to each and everyone of you.