Life and problems and aging and problems and above all HAPPINESS are all mine...

Jul 01, 2011

Well June is gone, and in 9 days I will be also, from here anyway...

Yesterday finished with us making a trip to Marilao and getting the flooring and also a potty chair for the baby (time for him to learn that the floor or doorway is not a urinal). Anyway, we got some stuff then came back home... I helped Kenneth and Alec (not Alex) install the floor covering it is rubber backed so no glueing required. It is darker than the light blue of the other but nice to see it all in one piece without the patchwork of repairs we had done to the old one.

The color is a tan/brown with white lines forming squares or diagonals... Not bad looking but we could not find anything lighter in color, shopping being somewhat limited here.

In the afternoon, after my RemitHome delivery, we went to Divine and Nora got some things for dinner then we came back home... It rained on and off the evening but then stopped and it is a beautiful day today. I am sure it will be warm though...

I wrote Lollie and Gareth about a medical situation I am experiencing now which will require attention when I get back, involving my eyesight... a situation called 'retinal detachment' which if untreated can and often does result in blindness in the eye/eyes affected.

I have always as long as I can remember, had one or two floaties in my eyes and actually asked doctors about them but was advised that if they didn't grow or more appear not to worry about it and that it was pretty normal... well, situations have changed, now the one or two have grown to colony size and have lightening storms to keep them awake so it is time to advance the treatment and take care of them... It should be covered by my insurance I hope, between Tri-care and Medicare.

'twill be an interesting time when I get home, much to do and many things to address...

~ Say what you mean
Mean what you say...

Last day of JUNE... 10 more days and I am history here... :-(

Jun 30, 2011

10 days left...

The end of June not only brings us to July, it signals to me the end of my extended stay here in the Philippines is near... only a week and a half and I will fly home to Oregon and anxiously await the arrival of my new family. I have much to do when I get back home, there won't be leisure time right away...

Not only do I have to take care of getting my home ready for the new family, I also have to address the issue of Mom's house, getting it clean and perhaps ready to rent or lease, depending on what Sister and I decide to do with it. Selling it seems to be the least attractive of the options we face due to the repressed housing market... 'tis difficult for me to believe it has lost nearly a 1/3rd of it's value... I never thought that could happen but then neither did the millions of folks that have experienced the same thing with their homes...

Cecils passing did open some opportunities though, but I sure wish Lollie and Gareth could come up to help with the distribution of the contents of the house... I am sure there are some things Lollie and Gareth would like to have and if they don't want them perhaps I would make use of them with my new family.

I am bitter/sweet about leaving, I am excited to get home and see all my friends and sad to leave my lovely wife and children here in the Philippines. I can only pray that it is for a very short time, we have waited so long now.

We may go to Marilao this morning to look for new floor covering for the big apartment, maybe not the kitchen, maybe only the living room as that is where the majority of time is spent... and there will just be Jenny and the Baby unless she has some cousin move in with her to help with expenses...

Another pretty day here, better than the rain.. speaking of which about 6pm it sprinkled just a tiny bit then quit... gave me a bit of a scare thinking we might have another storm coming.

Nothing special, we slept good and made happy this morning so life makes one smile at times...

Take care all who read this... I will be there soon.

••• Sending 4,000p to Ate Linda to pay up the rent thru December on the big apartment where Jenny will stay.

••• Gave Nora 6,400p for her first week in July budget... I received the 2nd of 3 cash deliveries from RemitHome today.  Tomorrow will culminate them.

••• Say what you mean Mean what you say •••

Wednesday... half way thru the week and near the end of the month too...

Jun 29, 2011

My goodness, just think tomorrow is the last day of June, 2011. Where did the first half of the year go anyway??? I have been here in this third world country for over a year, this time for almost 10 months straight...

Nothing particularly interesting happened yesterday, mostly stayed home hoping for a phone call or email from the U. S. Embassy. That didn't happen even though Nora should have worried them to death with all the thinking about it she did... I told her not to worry, there is nothing we can do to hurry up the process, like everything else in the Philippines it is hurry up and wait, wait and wait some more... Oh, also give more money too... fortunately I may have come to the temporary end of that.

We went to bed late last night, at least late consdering the time we usually retire... we slept well as the weather was not so hot last night... This morning we awoke to hazy skies, I am sure that it will clear off and be blue sky after awhile... it is now 7:25 AM. and Nora is making some coffee for us.

I am going to see if I can find out anything about the status of Kenneth and Joyce's Visa by checking the internet web sites...

••• Say what you mean
Mean what you say •••

Tuesday morning, no rain and the promise of a hot day...

Jun 28, 2011

No Rain !!! skies are a little hazy, but that will likely clear off as the sun makes it's journey across the sky.

The big plans for today evolve around laundry, specifically the white clothes that have been soaking for 2 days in bleach water... not much bleach.

Joyce came mewing to mom about needing something urgently for school I think and Nora told her according to my friend "Just because you wait too long to tell me does not make it Urgent in my mind so you can just wait until I have time..." I think that is great... Last minute urgencies of children are basically poor planning on their part and not getting what they need is a great lesson for them.

Joyce is smart and a good girl near as I can tell, but she is of the typical filipina mind set that "now, later or tomorrow" is soon enough... that is not the way we accommodate time and requirements in the USA, unless of course you are from the deep south or perhaps El Dorado Hills, Ca. (gotcha good on that one)...

I've no particular plans for this day, I think I will be remaking the bed after Nora strips the bedding though...

Waiting is not something that I am particularly fond of, especially if the time of the event or action has come and gone... I am pretty good up to the time of the execution of the event, but when time overruns the event then my patience tends to go south... Way south.

Baby denny is outside in his Jammies and slippers wandering around and visiting with the people that are loitering around our apt... the boys from the back and the neighbors... He seems happy and joyous this morning, not being sick is good too... but he still has diahrrea almost daily... I believe some intestinal problems still exist with him... putting bandaids on arterial bleeding is not sufficient to cure the problem... they need (the doctors) to go to the root of his problem and as yet that has not occurred.

I am having coffee now and hopefully something for breakfast in a bit.

Sent from my iPad

Monday, Nora's remedical today... hope I can schedule her Visa Interview tonight.

Jun 27, 2011

Good morning from Philippines...

Yesterday, we went to the Mall, no rain at all which was a nice change from the last week for sure.... We bought tickets to see a movie named "Paul"... I highly recommend it even though it is laced with vulgar language... it is a good movie and will keep you laughing.

we bought Joyce's school supply and some medicine for Nora's hands then went to the Movie, afterwards I bought us some chips to take home for snacks for next week... We rode the Jeepster back, past our home and into Divine so Nora could get some stuff for dinner and then back home we went.

Today remains rain free and it is now 6:47 AM and I and Nora are having a cup of coffee after which she will go to St. Lukes clinic to begin her remedical. Hopefully This afternoon after she gets back we will be able to schedule her Visa Interview appt.

I have absolutely nothing planned, maybe put some medicine on my toes but that is all and read some more...

Sent from my iPad

The end of yet another weekend and a week of horrid weather...

Jun 26, 2011

Even though 'Falcon' is leaving the Philippines, in it's wake is a lot of rain and monsoon type weather. The remainder of yesterday was fraught with showers and some of which were heavy but not long in endurance.

The evening seemed quiet, I am reading yet another book, this one is of the SciFi/Paranormal venue and involves a set of twins, brother and sister who will undoubtably be endowed with some powers I am not yet aware of.

Sleep was pretty good, Nora is suffering thru a cold right now, period is almost done so that is good but she said that she slept pretty well last night. There were several small heavy showers that came thru and woke me up but this morning it is dry so far... Nora is proceeding to hang the clothes on the clothesline now... 8:05 AM.

I believe we may go to the Mall and see the movie 'Transformers' this afternoon, depends on how she feels and of course what the weather is doing. She told me the news said that we could expect some drying trends for the next several days and that will be a welcome change but in it's place surely will come the heat and humidity so it is always a tradeoff and not always a good one either.

Lollie it was sure nice hearing your voice yesterday, I was surprised I could get thru to you.

Well the day is just beginning so we shall see to what end it comes and the events that shall form the memories... Bless you all, enjoy your day...

Sent from my iPad

Saturday morning once again... Typhoon/Monsoon and Tornado.... DAMN what a week.

June 25, 2011

Well the trip Nora took to St. Lukes clinic was a waste of her time and efforts as it appears that it was a Manila Holiday and all the business places or rather I should say government or associated places were closed. That would not bother me too much, except it puts us yet another 3 days behind the curve...

The remainder of the day was spent walking to the little bridge on the road leading to the bus stop watching the flooded waters and the people crossing the water covered road, the water came nearly to my knees. A couple of the neighborhood guys had walked down to see the flooding creek and I had traipsed along for lack of anything else to do...

Earlier, while Nora was gone, it really got bad, extra heavy wind driven rain, Monsoon stuff... I put on an old pair of shorts and no shirt and walked around outside in it and down to the end of the lane and back... always wanted to walk in the rain during a Typhoon/monsoon so now I have done that. When I walked back to the apartment I took a bath so I would not get sick from being in the cold rain... cold is a relative term in this sense...

Our apartment that we sleep in is flooded, well, the roof leaks so bad and in so many places that the walls and the floor are constantly wet and Nora mops it up just to have it re-occur again 5 minutes later...

The (normally a creek) behind the apartments had flooded to the point that it was probably about 75 feet wide and had risen to within about a foot of flooding the factory and the apartments... then the rain let up and the water subsided to a more normal (not quite normal) level, but the threat factor had receded considerably.

Slept Ok, Nora wore sweat pants to bed, I know that she will be wearing a sweater most of the time during the fall and winter in Oregon... probably even on some summer days too...

Nothing is planned just yet for today, but the day is young still so who knows what devious little plan she might come up with...

Sent from my iPad

Today is remedical day... flooding and water and rain... Lovely country weather.

Jun 24, 2011

Ah yes, the sweet memories of money departed... Oh well, at least now Nora's interview is paid for now...

Last night, I ordered $3,000.00 worth of pesos, to account for the budget of July, paying the rent thru December, the plane tickets and the costs of the CFO departure seminars for Joyce, Kenneth and Nora. Hopefully that will be the last of the big expenditures.

Nora is getting dressed and ready to go to St. Lukes clinic to start and hopefully finish her remedical and it is 6:43 AM. With any luck, she will be done in a short time and back home.

There is widespread flooding in the metro Manila area, but perhaps not where she will go... I told her to buy a load for her phone so that she can let me know if she gets stranded.

I am staying home as there is nothing I can do while she is in the hospital and she likes to chat with the other patients anyway.

I will append this if there is more to come... I told Nora to Text'd me when she arrives at St. Lukes clinic.

From denny's iPad...

Time to donate to the Embassy for Nora's Visa Interview.

Jun 23, 2011

Another day, nothing at all happened yesterday, except that it stayed wet, but not torrential rain, just drizzle and a showerer or two.

Chatted a little with Lollie but mostly read for the day, moving the bed in and out between the raindrops that fall occasionally from the ceiling as the wood becomes saturated.. the drops follow the wood to the low points then accumulate and when enough gather, some drop in for a visit.

Slept Ok, but the humidity, although not accompanied by the heat at this time, is still evident so the sticky feeling persists just not quite as overbearing.

This morning, 6:34 AM , we are preparing to go to the Embassy to fork over the dough to pay for Nora's impending Visa interview... another $404.00 american worthless rubber dollars... It rained just a bit ago, but hopefully we will be able to make it to the Jeepney station and then the bus before another deluge attacks us.

I just asked her now to make sure she has all the necessary papers she will need today, she is overviewing them now... Our intent is to leave about 7am, but I see that goal slipping a little...

••• Actually, we got out of here about 7:15am so we didn't miss the target time by too much... We went straight to the US Embassy and only had to wait about 15 minutes to get to window 38 where it only took 10 minutes to get the necessary form to take to the 2nd floor pay window where I was extorted to the tune of $404.00 once again and hopefully for the last time. Nora will go tomorrow to St. Lukes clinic to begin and maybe complete the remedical (only took the kids 1 day).  I figure her Visa Interview should be around the 31st or the 1st of July if all goes well and nothing unexpected pops up... Freakin Murphy can stay on vacation for awhile...

From denny's iPad...

Wednesday, sick baby, nothing to do now but wait... Maybe take baby to doctor... again !!!

Jun 22, 2011

Sweet was the smell of success as we departed the 2go courier services building across from the SM Mall yesterday morning... finally the tax and sponsor documents were on their way to the Embassy. Now I just pray that what we sent them (which was everything they mentioned, not just my Taxes) will appease them and they will grant the visa requests for Joyce and Kenneth. Providing that goes well, there should be no problem with Nora's Visa either.

There were several squalls that came thru yesterday afternoon after we got home, I went down about 7:10 to wait for Joyce and just as she arrived, another squall started, but not so heavy so we only got a little wet before arriving home.

The baby has been running a fever since yesterday again for God only knows what reason, pretty warm and up most of the night last night wailing and crying as he doesn't feel good. I feel sorry for him, I believe there is something wrong intestionally, or perhaps something amiss in his digestive tract (would be the same me thinks...)

I pushed the bed in our sleeper apt. up to the sink to avoid any rain drops from the ceiling should it rain hard after we went to bed... some showers did come thru but nothing like the previous days deluges of water. Copious amounts of water are nice if you are swimming or taking a shower, but while trying to sleep they are not welcome especiall coming from the ceiling of the room you are in...

Thankful that it is Wednesday here and glad that there is nothing that we need to do today... Perhaps tomorrow we will go to the Embassy and pay for Nora's impending interview.

Odd thing about this journal, seems each blog you are reading is about the preceding days events and little is written about the current day... probably because I pen the blog in the morning so nothing of any particular note has occurred as yet... Time is funny... every thing we can think of in our mind is linked to time.

Have a great day, we shall see what unfolds here as the day rolls on.

••• Today, being the 22nd, it is Nora's payday so I gave her her weekly budget of 6,500p... She also told me that tomorrow we will leave about 7am or so for the Embassy to pay for her interview $404.00.

From denny's iPad...

Tuesday, another Mall trip and then hopefully our documents will go to the Embassy.

Jun 21, 2011

2go was closed as it is a holiday in the Philippines to honor Rizal, a person important in the history and independence of the Philippines.

We did get to SM Mall, had a little lunch there and Nora went to Hypermart to buy a few things including much needed Midol.

We will go back to the Mall this morning I think and I will print out the 1099r (like the one Claudine waited for from DFAS) then drop the whole package off at 2go.

It rained some early after we went to bed last night but then no more heavy rain for the rest of the night... The sky this monrning is much like it was yesterday, giving no promise of clearing or sunshine... The cooler weather is nice though, sleeping is easier and even though it is cooler, the humidity is at 95% so the dampness remanins in the air even though one is inside. Yep, yer right, I miss Oregon.

I will need to send for some more money for the month of or part month of July sometime this week also. Hopefully that will be the end of it at least in that large amount.

Nora is in the suffering stages of her monthly and it is always hardest for her the first few days like most women.

If anything else of importance happens, I will write it... Have a good day.

••• Success, 2go is now 2gone and the documents should deliver tomorrow... Now the wait to see what the Consular will do and how soon he will do it... It's now 1:32 PM and the rain is finally coming again... the skies are dark and gray and filled with moisture... should be an interesting afternoon...

From denny's iPad...

Egay Strikes, moisture monsters attack, lives are in peril and flooding is rampant...

Jun 20, 2011

Torrential rain and a bedroom ceiling that leaks like a sieve.. more holes than a slice of vintage swiss cheese... No place to move the bed that wasn't leaked on. Amazing experiences I must admit, though I would gladly pass over if I had the opportunity... The Tropical depression known fondly as "Egay" is dumping copious amounts of water here in Metro Manila and outskirting areas of which Bulacan and Marilao to include the Sta Rosa areas of I and II. Unfortunately, the little Sleeper apartment that I rented for Nora and I has a very poorly constructed roof and so we suffer leakage... Great leakage!!!

My only salvation will be when this depression moves on and leaves us to the less comfortable but much dryer weather pattern... Hopefully all the wood will dry out and we will only have the heat and humidity (which now is hovering slightly over 100%) to complain about...

Nora wants to go to SM again today to see if 2 go courier is open so we can send the tax documents to the Embassy. Getting those off will get the ball rolling for Kenneth and Joyce's Visas. I need to print out my itinerary/ticket for my flight home also and I need to make 2 more copies of the Joint Sponsor package...

We chose not to sleep in the main apartment last night although it may have been the better idea... if it rains hard this afternoon and night I think we will. Memories of this experience will live with me hopefully for the rest of my life, to if nothing else, make me more appreciative of what I have and less envious of what I don't.

Nothing but gray sky... not a hint of clearing or sunshine... I think that Egay is not finished with us quite yet. The great rainfall does seem to clean the concrete outside though so I suppose that is a benefit. As I look out the door, the greenery is amazing, but the reason for it is equallly apparent. MOISTURE in abundance.

Well, Not much more to say, having coffee now and contemplating the impending events of the day... May the force be with you !!!

From denny's iPad...

Saturday 18 June, Taxes are here and Mother nature sucks...

Jun 18, 2011

Well, we waited and waited and waited, but no LBC came yesterday at all. Today is Saturday and Nora wants to have her hair curled, something in the order of a soft wave. I told her that was fine and offered for her and I to have breakfast at the little roadside diner we go to sometimes... dusty but Ok.

I don't know if LBC courier works on Saturday, but somehow think that they do... I imagine that Memorial day having been last weekend it could have thrown things off a little...

Well, they delivered the Tax package before lunchtime so we, after lunch, about 2pm went to SM Mall, I copied some stuff and what not, we watched the movie "The Green Lantern", bought two pizzas for dinner and came home...

From denny's iPad...

God bless you, it is Sunday once again... all is good.

Jun 19, 2011

Yesterday's journal was short and a little cryptic, I was just not in the writing mood I suppose... the evening was uneventful, but I did discover that I had forgotten to print out my flight itinerary but it makes little difference as Nora cannot remedical until her monthly is done and it just started so there is another week gone.

Also, yesterday the 2go courier service was closed so they may indeed be a 5 day a week service too. We may go tomorrow or Tuesday to the Embassy to pay the Visa Appointment fee of $404.00. Graft at all levels of all governments... amazing that God has let us live this long.

There is yet another Typhoon coming up the coast here in the Philippines... I haven't heard yet what it's name is, but we have already experienced the excessive rain from it... currently, 7:12 AM it is not raining, but it did all night long. Little wonder this country is so green.

Nora did want to go to church early this morning, but we got up at 6:30 but didn't get out of bed until 7 so early church is out of the question anyway, besides that it would be held inside the church. I really liked setting outside in the coffee bistro last weekend as opposed to being in the crowded church pews.

Nora will go to the market in Marilao to purchase food this morning sometime, she asked if I want to go, but really I have no desire to set in Mr. dognut for over an hour then ride the Jeepney home again... I will stay here and let her go.

Hope you all have a good day, time is clicking by here and before I know it I will be flying back home.

From denny's iPad...

Another Friday... hopefully LBC will come today.

Jun 17, 2011

Yesterday was mundane, nothing of any significance happened, that is until Nora got the phone call, yep, the one we've waited for!!! St. Lukes clinic called and told her that she could begin her remedical !!! that means that her results came back negative. We will go to St. Lukes clinic after going to the US Embassy and paying for the Visa interview appointment $404.00.

I will make her an appointment for her interview. We first will need to go to window 38 so they can check that we have all the necessary documentation including the I-864, NSO papers, Security check and all the same stuff we had for the children. Then the lady at that window will give us a slip of paper that we take to the cashier where I will depart from my money once again...

Today we anxiously await the LBC delivery of my tax and the Joint sponsorship from Gareth and Lollie.

Slept good. Perhaps more will follow...

From denny's iPad...

Thursday, hoping LBC shows up maybe, Nora will call St. Luke today.

Jun 16, 2011

Well, we went to SM Mall yesterday, not what I thought we were doing but that is OK I suppose. We looked thru SM a little bit for the jogging pants for Joyce but Nora didn't find the yellow ones that were needed. I decided to have some coffee and Nora went to Mecaucayan to look and did find some there. I waited for her at the coffee shop in the mall. She was gone about an hour and when she came back, we went to Jollibee for lunch.

She had a hamburger basket (filipino version) and I tried out a new product, 'Sour crème french fries' which are suprisingly good. She got the biggest burger they had and of course had to bring half of it home cause her eyes are bigger than her tummy. We both had a root beer float for the drink.

Back home early and settled in for the heat of the day, I continued to read this really stupid book about a demon and a girl... I am almost finished now so that is good.

We slept good all night, Nora was in a much appreciated cuddly mood most of the night, although sleeping in close proximity to her is really only comfortable on a chilly night, not the case here in the Philippines, but the emotional part was just fine...

Don't know outside of doing some laundry, of any particular plans that might be coming to fruitation today.

From denny's iPad...

Budget payday... middle of June and still waiting... waiting... waiting

Jun 15, 2011

Nora's first words this morning were "Whad day is this?", I told her it is Wednesday the 15th... she immediately got this cheese eating grin and said "My payday !!! Yeahhhhhh !!", I don't have to wonder what trips her trigger.

Yesterday we went to Marilao to see if we could find yellow jogging pants for Joyce for school, Nora walked around the market area to different vendors and nothing in Yellow... we then went to Divine and repeated the process with no better luck so it appears she will maybe have to either go to SM Mall or wait till she goes back to St. Lukes clinic to get them for her.

I am hoping Nora will get a call from St. Lukes clinic today but who knows when they will call, I want to get her remedical scheduled so we can complete that and get a visa appointment for her.

Nothing special that I am aware of is supposed to happen today so I don't have much in the line of expectations... Thanks to Lollie and Gareths support, we got the plane tickets taken care of.

I will give Nora 6,500p for her weekly allowance today...

••• Ate Linda Text'd Nora again begging for the money, so I gave Nora 5,000p to send her, that will be 3 months (July, Aug and Sept) rent for the big appt. and July rent for the sleeper one.

From denny's iPad...

Flights and changes and times... everything has changed... pay attention...

Jun 14, 2011

Hot yesterday, it was the birthdays of Alex and Alyssa so the music machine was brought here, Oysters were shucked and served along with many other dishes of food. Seemed that everyone had a good time and drinks were abundant of which I could not partake... I don't like Gout and hope to get it under control once I return to the USA.

Nothing special outside of that, I finished off the spaghetti for lunch and dinner. Here in the Philippines, people seem to really like the angel hair pasta, I don't care for it as much as other types of pasta but to each his own...

We didn't go anyplace yesterday, got no mail or phone calls from St. Lukes clinic. Sleep was OK.

I am on Messenger with Lollie right now, we are trying to get confirmation for the domestic leg of my return home trip, Nothing available on the 1st so I will have to wait till at least the 2nd to get back home. Oh well, it is the way things seem to go for me lately. I appreciate all Lollie does in my behalf.

I should know shortly when my flight to Portland will commence. I can sit in the airport if need be, sleep on the floor or in a chair I suppose I don't know. But I can do it, so that is that.

Well, the original idea of flying out of here on the 1st went south cause I could not connect with a flight from LA to Portland until after the 5th of July... we actually ended up re-doing the entire journey, so now, I fly out of Manila a little after midnight on the 11th of July, layover in Seoul for 10 hours, then fly to San Francisco and layover there for another 10 hours and arrive in Portland on July 11th at about 8pm at night... the whole thing cost me an additional $100 cause we had to use Alaska Air vs US Airways for the domestic leg. I suppose this will work out better and give us time to finalize the visas here in Manila and get all the US Embassy stuff completed and the CFO seminars out of the way for Nora and the Kids... Gosh, why does it always have to be so complicated...

*********** Lollie, you are my Angel ************ Thanks for all your help!!!

From denny's iPad...

Monday morning, the start of another week and closer to leaving here.

Jun 13, 2011

We went to the 7:30 Mass, which was held in the lower deck on the outside of the church... It was packed and the only place that had any seating was the coffee shop which overlook the lower outdoor sanctuary and had a clear view of the Father performing the mass. I bought a couple of 'Foo Foo' coffes, I had a Black Forest and got Nora a Carmel Latte which she really liked.

It was nice sitting at a table and listening (not understanding mind you) to the Father give the Mass. I have often told Nora that I don't really go to church with her for my benefit because of the fact that it is in Tagalog and I get nothing from it 'cept for being in the holy home of God. I go to support her and her beliefs.

After church, we wandered the market a little and Nora did some shopping for vegetable and a few other items to fix for lunch/dinner and then we took a tricab back home. The remainder of the day was basically spent with me here in the sleeper apt reading with the door open and the fan on and Nora next door with the kids and the baby... I actually avoid him at times as he's gotten into the scrreaming habit and Jenny has not yet figured out that it is something he should not be doing. She has Sooooo much to learn and it would help if she were less distracted by the TV, Cell Phone and her friends...

Nothing special about yesterday, it did manage to cloud up but no rain, did hear some thunder in the distance though.

We slept pretty good, this morning put a smile on my face and that is always nice to wake up to... Joyce is getting ready to go to school and Nora is getting things going in the other apt. I am here, of course writing in the journal so that you can follow the misadventures that seem to occupy much of my life here.

The day is starting out clear and blue skied so that is good, I would imagine the temp will get to the 90˚s today again. We have nothing that I am aware of that needs to be done today, Oh, Nora's eye is fine now so that is a blessing too.

I will add to this if anything of importance manages to happen...

Remember that I think of you... all the time.

••• As I suspected, Alex begged me to let him extend the repayment of the 2,000p he borrowed yesterday to Wednesday... Keeping a commitment is so difficult for these folks... I don't know why though.

From denny's iPad...

Sunday, Sunny and likely to be Warm, Hot or Warmer...

Jun 12, 2011

Good day everyone !! Yesterday proved to be a good day, we did go to the Mall, checked out the movies and Nora was not attracted to either of the ones we hadn't see, "King Foo Panda or Super 8"... I would have enjoyed either but why take her if she would not like them?

We went to Chow King and had Halo Halo and she had some other little dish. From there, she went to the store that she buys her facial wash and personal care items and picked up a few things and then she went to Hypermart to shop groceries, I waited for her at a Coffee cafe and surfed the net a little bit and people watched. She was only gone about 35 minutes then we decided to remain there and rest up and enjoy the AC.

After a while, we decided to come back home. The rest of the afternoon I read some on a new book I downloaded. The afternoon dragged on, Alex came home from the hospital and a 2 day stay that resulted from another bout with high blood pressure... I keep trying to impress on him the need to take better care of his health.

I need to manicure my fingernails today, I have noticed while typing this blog that I can feel the nails hit the keys before the pads of my fingers, a sure indication that they are getting too long. I have always kept my fingernails short, a habit I formed while working as a mechanic where it was easy to catch a long nail and tear it from the bed of the finger... not a pleasant experience at all...

We slept pretty good, I did have to put drops in Nora's eye several times as it bothered her yesterday... seems OK this morning though.

We will go to church this morning, as Nora really misses not going.

The day is starting out clear with blue skies so that is promising and to me threatening (warmer weather).

Have a great day and we will do the same here I hope.

••• Alex is back to his old habits, he just borrowed 2,000p until tomorrow...

From denny's iPad...

Another Saturday, a "Mall" day... quiet here.

Jun 11, 2011

Yesterday was quiet, no rain but no sunshine either. Nothing happened around here except for Nora's getting the laundry finished.

We are having a helluva time getting We Rule, the game, to load on her phone, seems that the App Store sometimes just hangs and does not complete the download of certain programs...

Slept good last night, but sometime lastnight when Nora was over at the other apt, a fly hit her in the eye and it has caused her some discomfort... we have been putting in eye drops in the hope of flushing out anything that might be there, but a visual peek revealed nothing in the eye... she didn't complain of it this morning though so maybe it is healing.

We are going to SM Mall today for awhile... Other than that, there is nothing happening except waiting...

From denny's iPad...

Friday, the 10th of June... weekend is a coming quick now...

Jun 10, 2011

Rain and some damp weather mixed with precipitation makes for a wet day, what we had most of yesterday although it seemed to go away in the evening and is just overcast this morning.

Alex and his family have returned from Basud, that is good, it will add some more flavor to the neighborhood again.

Nora is supposed to do laundry again today, we will see if that happens or if she changes her mind. We slept well last night, the recent rain has cooled the area down, not cold mind you, but tolerable (just barely).

Lollie, I cannot tell you how much fun it is chatting with you and Gareth on an almost daily basis... when I cannot get ahold of you it truly bothers me... that is nice that we've grown so close that we actually miss the daily contact... Remember how Olivia and Mom would talk every day and we wondered what in the world they could find to chat about.. NOW WE KNOW... It is a good time to be close with each other.

Well, I suppose I shall drink some of my coffee, read the recent headlines and think of the trip home without my lovely wife and children... they will come but it may be a few weeks after I am already back in the States...

Nora just came back here and said that she is going to prepare rice cereal, it has become something that I rather enjoy, but nothing compares to a steaming bowl of Quaker Oats in my mind, at least in the cereal genre.

Perhaps I will add to this later, it all depends on how the day unfolds.

For now, look in the mirror and remember to love the person looking back at you then.... pass it on.

From denny's iPad...

Thursday and wet... nothing planned though that I am aware of yet...

Jun 09, 2011

Rain and more... all afternoon yesterday and evening also we had rain... I am not complaining, the rain cooled the air and made the day fairly nice, but still it is rain.

Nothing of importance happened yesterday but then when it rains, nobody wants to go anywhere anyway. Joyce and Jenny did walk to Divine to get Joyce some glue for some little school project then after dinner Joyce borrowed the iPad to do an assignment.

Nora was tired earlier than her usual and went to sleep about a 1/2 hour before I finally gave up reading my newest 'Spinward' series of SciFi stories, I am on the 6th of the series of Galactic excitement with a rogue Captain and his devoted crew aboard the Triton, a Earth produced space craft.

Next week we will go to St. Lukes clinic to hopefully get favorable information regarding the total termination of Nora's DOT stuff, with luck she will be able to remedical within the week, but we will see... I have faith if it can be screwed up St. Lukes clinic will be up to the job.

No plans for today, so I shall continue in my Space journey.

Have a cup of soup... it's good !!!

From denny's iPad...

Wednesday the eighth of June, 2011 and wet.

Jun 08, 2011

Payday for Nora today, I just watched Joyce walk down the lane on her way to school. It started raining sometime late last night, not a hard rain, but a constant light rain. I moved the bed so the leaking ceiling would not get it wet but the rain was never hard enough for the ceiling to rain so that was good.

Yesterday Lollie sent an email that my taxes had arrived so they should get here along with the other forms sometime early next week.

To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing that we have to do today so that will be nice also.

Yesterday I downloaded a bunch more free books from the internet so my reading will be well supplemented...

Hope your day is good.

From denny's iPad...

Have a nice trip Cecil... I wish things had been different ...

Jun 07, 2011

Cecil is gone... passed away according to Lollie's email on the 17th of May. We, neither Lollie, Gareth or I received any notification of his passing and according to Gareth's inquiries, Margaret has already vacated the home but I have no idea of what state it might be in... she did try to keep it up so hopefully when I see it, it won't be too terrible. I am certain the yard will be horrible though. An unmowed yard is open invitation to breakins.

Gareth will have a lot to get done regarding the estate as he is the administrator, I will assist him however I can, but I fully expect that they will be making a trip up to Oregon sooner than they planned. I hope that Gareth will provide me a point of contact to get the keys etc when I get home.

Though I did not like the man, I appreciate that for a time, he did make my mother happy... sadly, when push came to shove he was not up to the task and I had to be the support and care that mom needed in her final days. I hope he died quickly and without pain, nobody should have to suffer in lingering pain.

I feel sorry for Her, now again she is alone, but I feel that she has good family support to hopefully that will help her thru this.

We have no idea what the contents of his will were or what may or may not have been removed from the home. I am in hopes that it was left pretty much intact. Much of the furniture was property of Mom and him but Margaret may have left it there too. I just don't know at this point. Ideally, we can either have the home cleaned or clean it ourselves then Gareth can market it.

He lived to I believe 92... not a bad run for a skinny little old guy... I hope I make it at least that long.

Nora and I slept good last night, it was cooler after the squall came thru, she is going to Marilao today to the BDO bank to send the neighbor's rent money to Ate Linda.

Have a dandy day...

From denny's iPad...

Joyce's first day back at school...

Jun 06, 2011

Monday here in the Philippines, the first day of school for Joyce, she sure looked bright and as shiny as a new penny this morning...

We slept good last night... I have to tell you though as I mentioned once before, when she is tired and sleepy, it doesn't come on her slowly, it is like you flip a switch... one moment she is chatting or busy then next she decides she is sleepy, hollers for lights out, music off etc and she is ready to shut down... amazing process to witness.

Nora and Joyce left about 10 minutes ago, it is now 7:09 AM. Nora needed to accompany her on the first day, much different than in American school systems.

Nora is also going to BDO bank to send Auntie Linda the rent money from one of our neighbors.

I have no plans at all today that I can think of, of course, that could change at any time for sure...

From denny's iPad...

The girls and baby are back home now... Great day in the morning!!!

May 05, 2011

Yesterday proved to be a great day for Nora and I, we enjoyed each other all day, got to see another movie, got some shopping done and just had a good time... It cost a little money, but was fun just the same... visiting her Uncle and Auntie in the town of Venzuelea was depressing as they are so very poor and live in a greatly overpriced concrete box that is no bigger than your bathroom Lollie... it is so sad, they once were pretty well off, but then his business failed and they basically are below poverty level... way below.

It is now 6:39 AM and Jenny, Joyce and the baby just arrived via taxi from Manila... it was expensive for me to take everyone to Basud then get them all back here again... I will save money being home I think.

Oh well, it is fine, I am happy they are back home and of course Grandma is happy to see her baby grandson... Life goes on, and, I get a refund says my friend Claudine... damn it don't get much better than that!!!

See ya later gaters...

From denny's iPad...

Taxes and headaches... finally done with that... Thanks guys !!!!!

May 04, 2011

Great day yesterday, the ride to Manila and the Airport was really long, but we did finally get there. It too about an hour, but I now have reservations on the flight home on 1 July. I could not confirm the flight from L.A. to Portland but will do so about mid June... the agent said it was too far in advance so no problem. No charges to me so that is good, Once I confirm the domestic leg of the trip and let Korean Air know it will all be good.

We actually enjoyed the day, stopped at a marketplace in Manila and bought some blouses for Joyce for school and also got her some socks.

We slept good after a brief "interlude". It is nice being close. Today we will go visit one of her Uncles and also pay the Electric bill. Probably will hit the Mall also, I need to check and see what is playing at the theater.

I want to thank Lollie, Gareth, Claudine and Melissa for the parts they played in getting thru the latest edition of crisis... my taxes for 2011... it is now done and the paperwork is on the way so that is all good. I could not have asked for better support from all four of them and I truly thank God that they are on my team.

Enough for now... Enjoy your day.

From denny's iPad...

The War has ended... the conflict has resolved itself, now evasion is the rule.

May 03, 2011

Yesterday continued to be a cold day relationship wise with Nora, she remained staunchly entrenched in her dispair. I worked most of the morning with Gareth to get the I-864 he was filling out completed... hopefully it is Ok now.

After dinner, I came to the sleep apt, took a bath and by 8:30pm had turned out the lights and went to bed, Nora in the mean time had been in and out and then went to watch TV at the other apt. Sometime later she came to bed, I said nothing. A little while after she came to bed, she scooted over and snuggled and told me she loved me. That made everything better for both of us.

This morning, she is back to her old self and even had a smile for me... especially after she checked my mail and found a letter from Claudine indicating that she had gotten the required W-7 forms and that my taxes were complete, waiting for Melissa's signature so they could be mailed. I did, did I not, tell her to be positive??? perhaps it will influence her future endeavors... I hope so. But she was not the only one to garner a lesson, I also learned as well... muddling my way thru this whole process has been anything but sweet.

Today we go to Manila... perhaps breakfast on the way...

From denny's iPad...

A rough night and bumpy road awaits us...

June 1 & 2, 2011

Wednesday, June 1... this day was not one of the better days we have had together... the whole issue of taxes and the fact that I chose to pospone filing them and the residual fallout from that decision has come to rest squarely in my lap. Nora blames me for the delay in getting the Visa's processed because the US Embassy insists on having a current tax filing even though I have an approved extension filed with the IRS. She is basically at the end of her emotional rope and the result has been a terrific strain on our relationship. I think that it has been coming to a head for some time now, all the little delays and problems seem to mount up. She didn't talk to me all last night and this morning is not proving to be much better.

I have tried to explain to her what is happening, but after I mentioned that Claudine would be on vacation from the 3rd to the 20th, she just really lost it. I don't believe the delay will be that much, a couple weeks at the most, but she has waited this extra year thanks to Medical reasons and now if we don't get the Visa's for the kids early this month we will have to take them to St. Lukes clinic for another chest x-ray which makes no sense to me as St. Lukes clinic has alread released them for the visa process.

I believe that there are times that Nora misunderstands things that she either hears from others or they are misinformed and just pass that misinformation to her. She is pissed, but whether all at me or at the whole situation is hard to get to the bottom of right now. I suppose giving her space will eventually assist in her calming down.

Last night she said she is tired of the process and doesn't want to go to America... a typical reaction I would think to over stressed nerves and a culmination of the frustration we have both suffered in this process. I am trying so hard to be strong for both of us but my gosh it is hard. After she told me that, I calmly told her that I was going back home this month and if she wrote or called and told me she didn't want to come to America that I would end the relationship, not write, or call or send support or be in touch with her ever again... Not a good response on my part but then it is the frustration of the whole convoluted process coming to a head... I later told her that I would never let her go, but that was after the fact.

She has decided to do laundry today, probably as a method of keeping busy and occupying her mind with something other than the fury she feels at the whole situation right now. I don't know what to say to her now, I have told her over and again to please be patient and that it will all work out fine, but at her present state of mind that just is not getting the job done... I feel so sorry for her, and she is right, if I had just listened to her and filed the taxes long ago this would be a none issue... but, I thought I was doing the right thing and the best thing for us as a family but who would have guessed that the US Embassy would not accept an IRS approved extension for the 2010 tax year??

I ask that you pray for us, especially for Nora who has put up with so very much in this process, pray for her strength, and her faith to be increased and pray that God take her hand and lead her thru this safely. Also pray that God impresses on her that I love her so deeply and want so much for her to be happy and blessed... Pray that her vision of the future of us together is bright and clear and happy...

It will work out, but gosh it seems that we picked a bumpy road this time...

Thanks for your prayers your thoughts and your continued love and support...

Money from remitHome came yesterday

From denny's iPad...