My last 'Full day' here... off to Oregon tomorrow

Jul 09, 2011

Saturday morning, 7:55 AM. This is my last Saturday here in the Philippines, tomorrow evening it's off to the airport and then a few minutes after midnight I depart to Seoul for a 10+ hour layover then we go to San Francisco for yet another 10+ hour layover and then finally take off for Portland and the 2 hour drive home... Been a very interesting and happy and frustrating year to say the least.

I bring home with me the fact that I am once again married and a father to grown children and Grandfather to one new grandson... I can honestly say that at 67 years of age this is a remarkable undertaking for me... I cannot say that my life is dull at this time... fading into old age with no pomp or circumstance just was not in my plans... I am young at heart and hopefully the good Lord will have at least another 35 years for me to play the game.

When it is finally time for me to check out of this life hotel, I will take with me many fine memories and hopefully I can leave good memories behind me also... I know my wife and children (present tense) will have a much better chance at a good life because of me having been in their life. I am far from perfect and need tuning up all the time but I ain't a half bad ride... After all, only one perfect man ever walked this earth and he and no-one else is my constant mentor... Thank you God for all you have allowed me to experience, the good and the bad have shaped me and give me reason to continue my quest...

Nora is currently having some of Gareth's famed ailment but she is going to Divine to buy food and will stop at the pharmacy and get some ducolax to take care of that... she is a very regular person so this is a little out of character for her.

Just about 15 minutes ago we had a heavy but short squall run thru, thoroughly dampening everything and causing our ceiling to leak once again... I won't miss that!!!

Sad/Happy I guess is the internal mood that I am experiencing at the moment, but I will be so busy once home that I won't have time to moan and cry about things...

If more happens worth writing about today I will surely let you know...

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

Open an account for Jenny and deposit funds...

Jul 08, 2011

Yesterday was truly a good day, Nora did laundry, I helped her a little and so did Jenny.

We got a chance to talk to Jenny some and tell her the things that she needs to be careful of, especially letting people her know anything about her financial situation... unfortunately, if they know she has a budget, they will all try to borrow from her and that would cause big problems for her. We told her to keep any information about how much she gets and what she has available strictly to herself... no friends or relatives should know anything about her finances.

Today, Nora and I and Jenny will be going to open an account for Jenny at BDO bank so that I can set up a recurring transfer thru what ever means I choose to fund her budget each month... that way she doesn't have to get the entire amount into her hands at one time, rather she can debit the account on a weekly basis which leaves the brunt of her budget safe in the bank... easy to lose money.

I will be putting the abundance of the money I had sent over here in either Jennys account or Nora's. We will discuss that.

We slept good last night, it has remained cooler since the low pressure areas have been around.

Nora told me yesterday that she wants to buy the ingredients to make spaghetti, she knows it is one of my favorite dishes here that she makes. We will likely go to a movie also if there is something good showing. It will be our last one until she is in the States.

Weather looks a little on the hazy side, it seems to go to hell in the afternoons.

••• Went to SM Mall and opened an account for JennyLyn at the BDO bank and deposited 100,000p (we will use a lot of that to buy Nora and kids plane tickets... but safer in the bank than here at home.  She will be able to access her budget funds via a ATM card or going to the counter.

Have a great day everyone...

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

Thursday, clothes day, laundry etc... yuk!!!

Jul 07, 2011

Thursday already... Sunday will come quickly now. It is 7:36 AM now, I just finished my morning bath and am updating, as you can see, this daily journal...

Nora just brought me coffee, she woke with a pounding headache this morning, we had no water so I got up and went in the back factory and got a bottle full of water and then returned and gave Nora an excedrin... that usually gets rid of the headaches pretty fast... always works for me, much better than tylenol or asprin.

Today will be a day of laundry as there is really nothing much we can do until it is time for Nora's interview.

I see the neighbor lady building a pile of trash just on the other side of the short cement wall that separates our compound and the open field in front of this apartment. She will soon set it on fire and then the air will stink while it smoulders, trying to burn damp items and plastic bags and containers... The air here, that we breath is in my estimation quite dangerous with all the toxins that are released thru the burning of garbage, exhaust from all the ill-tuned vehicles and 2-cycle motor scooters... it is most of the time so bad that you really need to cover your mouth and nose with a rag to help filter out the smoke.

Yesterday was a pretty up day for everyone, the kids really like the visa page of their passports and Nora is so happy that they have them. Now just waiting for her to get hers and all will be good, I told her that I want her on a plane as quickly as is possible after they attend the CFO seminar for departing Filipinos that she and the kids must attend.

We will go to the Mall on Saturday, I need to print out Nora's confirmation email for her interview appointment and we will go to another movie I would imagine.

Today, Nora and I will set Jenny down and hopefully give her some insight on how to conduct her affairs while she is here, especially those concerning her budget... We plan to warn her from ever talking about how much money she is getting or has and to never loan anyone any money at all... people here have great intentions of repaying, but it never happens and Jenny will not have enough to give to anyone else. Alex and Ana would be on her to borrow just like they did me.

This will be some learning experience for her.

Well so much for this days entries which actually just a summation of yesterday and declaration of intent for today... WoWeeeeeeee !!!

••• A moment ago, just after I penned this days entry, the sky opened up and a Monsoon dumped a ton of water in an exceedingly heavy downpour... now it is stopped but more will come because of a large low pressure area that is passing over this region...

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

Hopefully the end at St. Lukes will be today...

Jul 06, 2011

Yesterday was a Great day, starting out with the email that informed us the children had been issued their Visa's... the day progressed pretty good I must say... Nora finally got thru to St. Lukes clinic so she will be going there this morning for her vaccinations and to be released from St. Lukes clinic.

Last night, I got online and connected to the US Embassy to make the Visa interview appt. for Nora, would you not believe it, the first opening they have now is Aug 2. That means that she will not receive her visa until at least Aug 7, then she has to go to the CFO seminar for departing filipinos (her and the kids) the seminar is only two hours but takes nearly a day to complete and costs an additional 650p per person... She attend the CFO seminar until she has the visa as they need to stamp it with a seal to prove she attended it... it is all tied together here, politics, graft and whatever else can complicate a process they have down to a fine art here.

Nora's latest worry is that her Taiwan police clearance will not be valid because it is from 2009... it should be valid because she has not left the Philippines since getting it but who knows what the consular will say. Her medical is only good for 3 months after the last sputum results were released (June 14) so she has to leave the country before Sept 14 or she will have to do the whole medical process over again... I am praying that all is OK,

Nicholas is back on FaceBook it appears and he sure seems nice. I have missed chatting with him and hope to renew that experience once I get home. I miss the little shit.

Hope that all goes well at St. Lukes clinic for Nora today, having that finished will be wonderful.

A chicken just walked in front of our doorway and took a shit... Gosh, I will really miss these wonderful experiences when I leave (NOT).

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

Tuesday... waiting for St. Luke and the Embassy. Good news would be nice.

Jul 05, 2011

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY AMERICA... Even though here in the Philippines it is actually now the 5th. 15 hours difference in time.

All US government offices were closed yesterday here in the Metro Manila area so the US Embassy was also closed... nothing to get or hear from them... Hope that we hear from them today.

Nora will call St. Lukes clinic again today to see if she can get her vaccinations and finish there so I can hopefully schedule her for her Visa interview for next week.

I also hope that we hear about the childrens Visa's this week, the Embassy has had the paperwork for over two weeks now...

We slept pretty good weatherwise, but Nora is in worry mode now about the visa's so she was having trouble getting her mind to unwind and let her slip into restful sleep... she eventually did after beating the hell out of the sheets with her tossing vocanic little body all over the place...

Hope and pray that we get some positive news today, I want to be able to go to the Airport on Sunday with a positive note...

Yesterday evening, I gave Kenneth 2,000p to take to Marilao and pay the electric bill for last month...

••• Here is the kind of message you like to get from the Government...

We are pleased to inform you that immigrant visas were issued to Mark and Joyce Balisbis on June 30, 2011.  The visa packets will be delivered to the applicants’ designated address by guaranteed courier service.     Immigrant Visa Correspondence Unit Consular Section U.S. Embassy, Manila 1201 Roxas Boulevard 1000 Manila, Philippines Telephone: (632) 301-2000 Fax: (632) 301-2591 /mbp     -----Original Message----- From: ~ denny [mailto:gambuchi@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, July 04, 2011 1:14 PM To: Manila IV Correspondence Unit Subject: Balisbis,Mark Kenneth MNL2011699062 CR-2 pri date N/A -- Balisbis,Joyce Anne MNL 2011699063 CR-2 pri date N/A   Can you please report the current status of these two cases?    Thank you sincerely,   Dennis R Stanley     ~ Say what you mean Mean what you say...

My last Monday here in the philippines...

Jul 04, 2011

Here, it is already 4 July, and also it will be a good day, but the Holiday we Americans celebrate is yet to come in the USA. That my partiotic friends has yet to dawn. But celebrate it we will, as Americans of a Free Country... This is the first one I will have missed in many a year, actually since I was in VietNam so many years ago.

Here, they don't celebrate the fourth of July as we do as it is not Independence day here, they already had theirs...

Today is starting like yesterday, primarily a clear sky but some distant clouds and just a tad hazy...

We slept good considering the weather was cooler.

Alex is being tricky now about money, I told him the other day I don't like him talking to Nora about borrowing money, it is my money and he thinks that he can convince her to get me to loan the money... that is just plain chickenshit and backstabbing as far as I am concerned. Just now Nora asked me if I would loan her 2,000p and when I pressed her for the reason, it was to loan it to Alex... who faithfully promised her he would pay it back tomorrow... but tomorrow doesn't always come in a timely fashion... I don't like people who go behind my back to get something... and then he asked Ana to ask Nora, really manly of him...

I just finished coffee and an egg/toast sandwich for breakfast... just before that, I had a heart to heart talk with Joyce about her displays of stubborness that have been rising lately with Nora... I told her that I would not stand for any of the children disrespecting Nora or I and that even if they are mad there is no excuse for raising their voices to their parents... period. She acknowledged it and I made certain that she knew that I was not going to put up with it. Hopefully that will curb those outbursts... I also need to retrain Nora to not always elevate her voice when talking to her children or me for that matter...

Nora is buying fish for lunch or dinner from one of the walk-thru vendors that frequent the neighborhood on a daily basis...

Nora is to call St. Lukes clinic this morning about 10am to see when she can get her vaccinations and complete the remedical... shots are all she is lacking. Then I can schedule her a Visa interview appt.

I will continue this later should more happen worth penning...

••• Even though it goes against my better judgment, when Ana came to me and asked to borrow 2,000p until tomorrow morning and solemly promised me that it will be repaid tomorrow morning, I finally relented and loaned it to her...

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

Next Sunday is my last one here in the philippines...

Jul 03, 2011

Tomorrow is Independence Day, "The Fourth of Juy" in America, the day we celebrate the independence of the United States... a great Holiday that will be celebrated all over the country...

Today starts out with mostly blue skies and at 6:27 AM that is a good way to start out a Sunday morning.

Nora and I went to the Mall yesterday and we saw the movie 'Transformers' which was a well done movie of the Robotic based theme. It was hard for me to follow some of the story lines but I got the gist of it down pretty good... Nora really enjoyed it and we are sending the kids to see it today...

We stopped and had lunch at a Filipino version of Kenny Rodgers restaurant, I have yet to have a meal at the mall that I actually really enjoyed... I endure them as they are the choices available but at each setting I find myself comparing them to the cuisine that is available to me in the United States.. There really is no comparison though. I will soon be back to normal Progresso ingestion and utensils that make sense to me and not seeing people eat with their fingers which sufficed in years gone past but seems a little pre historic to me presently...

'Twill be an interesting transition for my family to make although they do eat with utinsils most of the time it is a fork and spoon with the noticeable absense of a knife... the particulars of a meas are not cut with a knife but rather kitchen shears... effective but different to me.

We slept good last night, the weather having cooled and the oppressive humidity having given us a break.

I finished yet another book, this one called 'Bubba and the Dead Woman', unlike it's title, it really was a descent book.

We will go to early Mass at the church this morning and scoot the kids off right after lunch...

Hoping you have a great day...

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

Time is passing... quicker now as the day approaches...

Jul 02, 2011

Amour is a compelling and driving elixir of the good life, that which clouds the minds of men and women alike (and small dogs and bunnies too). The affection shown by my wife in the last few days has been nothing short of amazing... the reality of the pending separation I am sure is the driving force for this most welcome display. I would love to keep that feeling 24/7/365 to coin a modern but much overused phrase...

Today we shall venture forth once more to the world of overcrowded malls and human masses... a movie and Nora also gave me a list of at least a dozen things she wants to eat... amazing lady she is, but her eyes are always bigger than her tummy. We will eat lunch there, but not quite to the excess she envisions.

Yesterday I received the last of the 3 deliveries of cash from RemitHome, $3,000 total American funds a little over 120,000p in Philippines money... it varies daily, the last delivery was 50p down from the other two...

I wanted to have enough to hopefully pay for the airline tickets and any other fees that will mysteriously appear as we weedle our way thru the remaining hoops to getting my family home...

We did not get anything from the Embassy last week except for when I sent an email query as to the state of Kenneth's visa and was informed that it had been forwarded to a consular for review... I have no idea where it is in the queue as I am sure there are many to be sorted thru... Hopefully we will receive information in the coming week of a positive nature... I also hope to schedule Nora's Visa interview either she gets her vaccinations on hopefully monday or Tuesday at the latest. It will likely be for the 2nd week in July.

In this wonderful endeavor, the only certainty is uncertainty. But with high spirits and a raised blade I go forth to make my way thru the jungles of foreign governmental buearacuracy... sludging most likely in the quicksands that mire the real estate...

Chin up old chap... things ALWAYS could be worse...

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

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...

Last day of May today here in the Philippines...hard to believe.

May 31, 2011

We went t the mall Yesterday just before lunch... we had Lunch at KFC or rather Nora did. I tried to order what I wanted but it was not offered?? I asked for 4 chicken wings, some fries and a coke zero... odd, they offered me 6 wings but I only wanted 4. I ended up with fries and a coke zero...

We then attended the movie "Pirates of the Carrribean" it was OK, but not up to the standards of it's predecessors...

Nora bought a new belt and did some window shopping and we bought some Cheetos... yes Lollie jalapeño ones too... two bags. We also got two cans of mug root beer, mine is still in the fridge but she drank most of hers.

We had a good time then came home... Kenneth had elected to stay home for what ever reason.

Slept after a rough start...the air seemed so heavy, it was difficult to breath comfortably, even Nora noticed it. After awhile though we did drift off to sleep. We woke about 7:30 this morning. I was up right away and bathed and Nora followed shortly thereafter..

It was/is Memorial Day in America today, I hope everyone enjoyed it and spent it in honor of those who've laid down their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today... Bless them one and all.

From denny's iPad...

Monday... I hope Claudine gets the W-7 stuff this week.

May 30, 2011

Good day yesterday, I bought a couple of books for $2.99 each and have been reading the 'Spinward' series... good plot and characters and the author keeps it moving right along.

We slept well last night, today, actually this morning, Nora wants to register Joyce for school, I argued that we would be leaving next month but she countered with 'Are you Sure?' and I could not positively say that we definetly would leave in June so I told her to go ahead and do it, it doesn't cost anything she says.

Sometime this week, we will go to Manila to the Airport and the Korean Air place and schedule my home flight.

After she returns from school, she wants to go to the market then to the Mall, I just suggested that after she returns from school, we go to the Mall, perhaps have lunch and an movie then stop at the market on the way home...

We will see how that all works out...

Weather seems ok today, no rain last night or any residuals from the Typhoon CheDeng passed thru. I am glad.

Have a great day everyone.

From denny's iPad...

Sunday, and the last one in May...

May 29, 2011

Yesterday was fraught with rain showers most of the day, we stayed home Yesterday, I finished another of the series books that I am currently reading, got hooked on Sci-Fi for awhile and it is an interesting, the imagination of man and woman as they conjure up stories of that may come in the future... oft I wonder if some of their ideas get incorporated in the technologies of today or if it is the other way around... either way, I enjoy it.

Nothing special today, Nora and I may go to the mall, depends greatly on how she feels, at this time, being close to a comfort room is a necessity for her. I keep reminding her, there is a way to eliminate them for good, but she is skeptical...

Slept good, Nora had another dream that I had a girlfriend... she is a very jealous girl, I suppose that it is because so many filipino men get girlfriends on the side and they don't really hide the fact...

I told her I have never had a girlfriend while married...

I told Nora I want to go to Korean Air next week and schedule my return flight to the States... I hope I can get one close to the end of June.

From denny's iPad...

Saturday here, the first Squall from CheDeng came thru... good rainfall little wind.

May 28, 2011

We did go to the Mall for a short time, got a treat at Dairy Queen, Nora did a little food shopping, I bought a pair of Islander thongs, much better for my feet. We decided not to go to a movie yesterday but maybe today (Saturday) or tomorrow.

Came home and finished the laundry, the wind was pretty brisk so the clothes dryed quickly.

Spent most of the afternoon reading and Nora doing some minor cleaning... She had to attack some ants that threatened to overthrow our rule... amazing how a little chemical argument can turn the tide.

Slept good, though Nora is in the midst of her monthly visitor so she experienced some discomfort until she took her midol.

I just finished my coffee 8:38 AM. We just had a squall roll thru, part of the pre or post CheDeng show I am certain of that.

Nothing pressing today so I will just be a bystander...

I really enjoyed talking a little to Lollie and Mr. Ed yesterday, the connection was poor but we still managed to get a little conversation going.

We shall see what this Memorial Day Weekend brings... probably nothing here in the Philippines, but then it is a U.S. holiday...

Bye for now my friends and family...

From denny's iPad...

Friday again... laundry today

May 27, 2011

Quiet last night, evidently it rained while we had dinner. I went to the sleeper after dinner and read then Nora came. She played her games and I read a little more, we went to sleep about 10pm.

It was warmer last night but not too hot, sleep came easily and there were no disruptions to speak of... The roosters woke us early this morning and we rolled out about 7am... laundry will be done today, but if the rains come I wonder where we will put all the clothes??

Nothing special planned for today, perhaps a trip to Divine for food but that would be about it... today is Friday... tomorrow we might go to the Mall and see a movie.

From denny's iPad...

Marilao and a nice Thursday morning... life could always be worse!!

May 26, 2011

Well life should resume some degree of normallacy starting today... yesterday was full but very rewarding to me as the forms needed by Claudine are on the way to her... it was a little more expensive than I thought but not terrible considering International travel and all... she should get everything by next week... I received a confirmation email that she is expecting them.

Got a short msg from Lollie as well, all is well there so I hope to chat with her today.

We changed out the bedding yesterday afternoon so with the cooler weather and clean bedding, we both seemed to sleep quite nicely.

We will go to SM Mall today, I have no special thing to do there but Nora will be replenishing some supplies here in the house... she shopped at Divine market yesterday for some items but the stuff we get at SM is not available in the local market place.

The next week or two should prove to be interesting what with the newest Typhoon tearing up the coastline... likely we will experience some local flooding and winds.

Catch ya all later... have a dandy !!

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 25, 2011

May 25, 2011

Well, last night about 8:40pm we left Fathers home and headed for the bus terminal in Daet to catch the 9:30pm SuperLiner AC bus that would take us back to Manila. We boarded and had the first 3 seats which seemed to work pretty well for me.

We arrived in Manila around 5:45 or so then took a cab to the SanTran station and got another bus out to Marilao then a tricycle home.

After we bathed and such, Nora and I headed back to Manila and were going to go to the DFA to get certified/norarized copies of the birth cirtificates for her and the children... On the way to the DFA, we stopped at a copy certification booth and determined that we really did not need to go to DFA because all that was asked for to accompany the W-7 forms was a certified copy of the passports or a notarized copy... this lady provided the certified copy (no less than by an attorney with raised seal and all), it cost me for 3 certified copies about 1,200p and saved us probably a day and a half... Not a bad bargain in my estimation.

After getting the documents, we went to LBC and had them sent by courier to Thrifty Tax Service in Lebanon which will allow Claudine to complete my 2010 taxes and send a copy of them to L & G who will inturn courier them back to me where we can then send them by "Doc2Go" a courier service used by the Embassy here in the Philippines.

We then stopped at Jollibee for some fries for me and chicken dinner for Nora. She is hunting for a reason for things to go wrong with the process again... I wish she were more optomistic. From there, we took a Jeepster to the SanTran station and luckily got front row seats in an AC bus... we just got home and it's 2:03 PM.

Tomorrow we will get back to normal... I promise :)

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 24, 2011

May 24, 2011

Sleep, with the aid of the AC was ok... the last night we shall have spent here in Basud, tonight we leave on the SuperLiner bus for Manila/Marilao. Tomorrow will be Wednesday and we shall spend much of it at the Manila DFA getting the certified copies of the passports to send with the W-7 forms to Claudine for the 2010 taxes.

We are going back to Daet this morning sometime and I will reprint the W-7 form as the entered information printed out in blue ink (a light blue) and I am sure that they want it in black... plus I need to re-do Nora's because the information is from her old passport. Other than that, it should be a slow day.

This day used to hold significance for me, actually it did for 27 years but that all ended in 2006. I am happier where I am in my life now thank God.

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 23, 2011

May 23, 2011

Happy Birthday Kenneth... 17 today.

My gosh, time sure seems to fly, my compelling thought is a hope that he is still only 17 when he reaches the USA.

Sleep was fair, of course, Nora and I sleep in a single bed and compared to sleeping in my bed at home it is like laying on a 2x4. Oh well, at some point in the future I should be home with a new bed partner and children to tax my patience... and of course provide smiles to me for the rest of my days... You know, my goal is to live to 100 so I have a ripe old future in front of me... Hope to see you then.

Bye for now, maybe more later...

A rain storm passed thru, while all the Filipino guys were setting at a wooden table out in the yard by the chicken coop drinking a low grade brandy... amazing how fast they can move when threatened with a deluge of a downpour... I was not with them, drinking, at this time anyway, causes me too much pain...

We went to bed early and most of the afternoon I just read my books. Nora did go to Daet and bought a cake and ice cream for Kenneth though. It was good.

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 22, 2011

May 22, 2011

Today is Sunday, Nora and LiliBeth will be going to Daet this afternoon to shop a little I suppose, she offered for me to go but I gracefully declined and told her to make it a girls day out

I am reading and taking life easy, it is now 10:39 AM . More may follow...

We went to Daet, to the supermarket at the Central Plaza mall and after buying stuff for spaghetti, Nora and I parted, she went to downtown market to buy ground beef and a few other items and I went to Hotpots where I was surprised to see Maria and her daughter. We chatted some and I found that they had brought the Jeepster to town to have yet some more work done on it, evidently something yet to do with the braking system that they have spent much money on already...

I was able to finish updating my iPhone apps and it was not too long and Maria left for a bit and Nora showed up again. We went inside Hotpot to get a drink and Maria and her daughter came back so we all got to chat a little bit... she told me (Maria) that Wayne had called her and wanted to come into town so I suppose they were going to meet up soon. It was shortly after that that Nora and I left to come back home to Basud.

The rest of the afternoon I read and she preparred the Spaghetti for dinner... it was good... Tomorrow is Kenneth's 17th birthday so that is nice for him, we will go to Daet and buy him a cake and ice cream (seems the traditional way to celebrate a birthday here also... no gifts though I might give him some money.

Well that is enough for this day... have a great day!!!

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 21, 2011

May 21, 2011

Foot is feeling good now, decided that we would go to Daet and check our email and I would buy some new slippers that would stay on my feet.

Alex had asked if we wanted to join the family and go to the Ocean and frolic in the salt water, we declined and let them all go.

We left the house about 10:30 and went to Superliner where I purchased tickets to Marilao for Kenneth, Nora and myself. We will leave Basud on the eveing bus Tuesday.

We went to the internet cafe that we had used so often while I was here in Basud last year. I managed to print out the W-7 forms and the documentation that states we need certified or Notarized copies of Nora and the kids Passports. After that, she went to the supermarket to buy some items and then we returned to the mall and I bought some slippers that I liked.

After that, we went to Chow King for Halo Halo and she had some long jeans shortened and hemmed for Joyce to wear., she had to wait a couple hours for them to get done so I took a tri-cab back to Central mall and sat outside the 'HotPot' restaurant where they offer free WiFi and updated the apps on my iPhone.

When she arrived, we went inside the restaurant and had a quick bite then caught a tri-cab home.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent quietly (as quietly as it ever is in a house built for 4 people currently housing a minimum of 11. Interesting life here I can tell you that much...

We slept pretty well, at least I didn't have to deal with Nora's roving legs and fish flops...

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 20, 2011

May 20, 2011

Nora bought me some medication for the Gout, pain is subsiding nicely.

But I still stayed home and did nothing but read.

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 19, 2011

May 19, 2011

Gout has me bedridden... reading a lot.

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 18, 2011

May 18, 2011

River day. We had a great time... there will be pictures.

From denny's iPad...

Document from My Writing Nook: May 17, 2011

May 17, 2011

Well Tuesday for the most part proved to be an exercise in futility... we left the house early and took the bus to Angele city and then spent several hours locating the "Jim Boyd" foundation... nothing short of a rat infested hole in the wall run by a scabby guy about 65 or 70 years old who told us that he would only help us if he did our taxes also... What a total asshole.

We left there and headed to Clark DFA where the great abundance of bad news just re-manifested itself in larger proportions... they would not certify the passports for me and said only DFA in Manila would or could do that. I stopped at the Immigration division in Clark and they were of little or no use at all... Needless to say the stress levels were of Galactic proportions and Nora and I were not nice to each other.

We took the bus back to Manila and then Marilao. After getting home, we hurriedly packed, all of us, for the Basud trip and then headed downtown to the Superliner terminal... I bought tickets for everyone to the tune of over 2,800p (565p) for each of the five of us, baby rode for free. We rode on coach 409 which has suspension made of brick and mortar. Every bump or line was felt as a bone jarring experience and that continued for over 8 hours. The AC in the bus was so cold that ice crystals formed on the window frames... Lovely trip and not the first of it's kind that I have made.

We arrived in Daet and the highlight of the day was that Alex was there to pick us up in the van they had rented... nice trip to the house... We didn't get much chance to relax, went right away out to San Felepe to Wayne and Marias house for about 1 hour then back to Basud... We left the house at about 2:30 to go to the beach resort where the wedding was taking place at (supposedly 4pm). It was very warm and humid, here I am in tank top under a white shirt and dark slacks, socks and dress shoes... Had to stay that way till the wedding got under way about 5:30pm... I managed to drink one light beer and suffered Gout the next 3 days on account of it... I knew better too.

The wedding went off well, it was a small ceremony held right on the sand on the beach, I was the main sponser and Uncle edwin the 2nd sponser and then there were other sponsers for the veil, the rope and the treasure... (look up Filipino weddings for an explanation). After the wedding and the reception (meal) Maria wanted us to stick around but I had to tell her that we were just plain out of fuel and needed to go home and get some rest... she was disappointed but that is what happened.

We finally got home after a torturous ride in Uncle's jeep which has the same suspension as the bus, which considering the condition of the road has shortened my stature by about 2".

I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

From denny's iPad...

Saturday, Sunday and Monday posting... sorry guys, I got busy and had a lot on our minds...

May 14 15 & 16, 2011

Saturday we went to the mall, Nora followed me in the afternoon, I left early to go to the internet cafe and print some information.

We saw the movie "Priest", don't waste your money...

Well Sunday was laundry day, nothing special about the day, we just stayed home and enjoyed the tropical bake.

It was budget day or Payday as Nora calls it so I gave her 7,000p

We slept pretty good last night, even though the majority of the day was spent talking about the problems that could possibly face the visa process, the taxes, the discrepency in Jimmys middle name and Nora's Taipei police clearance that she is worried might be out dated... I don't think that will be a problem as she has not left the country since obtaining it but then she has a good point as we don't know what the consular might want. Either way, we can get an affidavit about Jimmies middle name issue and if necessary can order yet another Taipei police clearance if need be... the worst that will happen is that it will push her departure date further away.

Nora left early today, she is taking the request for the marriage license and Death certificate to the NSO in Pasig which is quite a distance... then she is going to call the outfit about the ITIN numbers and after that check the bus schedule for trips to Angele city for tomorrow. So much stress, I see it in her face and eyes and it drives me crazy, Hopefully the things we will provide the consular will suffice and we can move forward.

Have a great day, Lollie I have tried to call you several times today starting about 5pm your time yet no answer from you.

From denny's iPad...

Friday the "13th"... boy did it ever live up to is's history today...

May 13 & 14, 2011

Thursday passed pretty normally, nothing special outside of my going to the Mall and printing out some more papers... Nora got home about 5pm, dinner etc... nothing special

Friday monring, we got up at 4am to get ready for the trip to the US Embassy and the Visa interview for the kids... Unfortunately, the Visa's were not granted as they still want a current tax year return which I need to provide and they also want couriered copies from the NSO of both Jimmy's death certificate and Jimmy and Nora's marriage license. Those two are easy, the taxes are a serious burden to me. I am investigating the ITIN numbers, we would have to go to Angelie city to get them applied for then it takes a long time to get them.

Anyway, after the let down, we went and had lunch then to St. Lukes clinic and then the market then home... it was a depressing day all in all and we went to bed with no smile on our faces...

Hopefully I can resolve this in a timely fashion, I am trying to.

From denny's iPad...

Thursday... Tomorrow is the big day...

May 12, 2011

I have to say, last night was just plain miserable to sleep, the humidity crept up to near 100% early in the evening and stayed there most of the night... talk about living in a damp sponge...

Perspective would be soaking an old dirty heavy quilt in warm stagnant water and then crawling under it anc covering your head... imagine if you can, the problems encountered in taking in a full breath of air, even dirty air. Very uncomfortable and I certainly did not enjoy it. Nora felt the same way so it was not an isolated incident.

We finally did manage to sleep, I think that there is a time in which exhaustion takes precedence and the body just basically gives up the fight and succumbs to weariness. I yearn for my home...

This morning, Nora and I went into Marilao so she could do some food shopping. We were back home by about 9:45am so now she will be preparing for lunch and her typical departure time of about 12:15pm.

Tomorrow morning will be an early riser, we will need to leave the house by about 5am to be at the US Embassy by 6:30am for the kids interviews. Today I will be going back to the SM Mall to print out the latest bank statement and cover page so that I can present the most current picture to the Consular at the interviews.

Nora had an unpleasant experience at the market with one of the vendor ladies, I wasn't there so didn't see what happened but suffice it to say that my little volcano was near the eruption stage... I bought her a doughnut and she calmed down a little... Sad that people in a position of service should have such attitudes... I always prided myself in being a very cordial customer service person when I worked in those positions...

I had a talk with Kenneth and explained to him how I was feeling about our relationship and what I hoped would happen regarding it in the future... he listened well and smiled when I finished and we shook hands etc. yada yada yada... hope it works out well.

Anyhew, have yourselves a dandy day and I will chat with you a little later on...

From denny's iPad...

Last 'Hump Day' at St. Luke for Nora I hope...

May 11, 2011

Yesterday was nice, when Nora got home from St. Lukes clinic, we went and put some fuel in the Motor of Alex and then went to Divine market to buy some Lumpia wrappers, of course there were other food items purchased also.

Back home, Nora prepared for dinner which we had about 6:45pm.

I was going to watch the movie "The Rite" with Anthony Hopkins, but the pirated versions sound was very low so I gave it up and came back to the sleeper room and read some more of my novels on the iPad.

This morning, Wednesday, we awoke or rather I should say that I awoke about 6am and then a little later roused Nora... she had not slept well, said she was dreaming of her Mother and sisters. She wanted to sleep but I had other plans for her.

After breakfast, she wanted to go make some Xerox copies of the forms from the NSO (the originals). We did that and now she is going thru the folders again...

It is hard to believe that by this time Friday the kids should have their Visas. I hope there is no problems. If there are any it will be about the I-864 regarding my taxes. I hope that the other paperwork I have provided will clear up any questions. The amount I put for household income is after taxes so it is not a true reflection of the income gross which is actually over 30k.

Lollie, the pictures you took were such a vast improvement on others that you sent in the past... it is amazing how just a little instruction can improve the end results... I was really impressed with the Macro shot of the red flower.

Have a great day, this is as they say, "Hump Day"...

From denny's iPad...

Tuesday... of the last week of treatment...

May 10, 2011

Well here we are in the 2nd day of the last week of Nora's year long treatment DOT. It has been a long time in coming.

Yesterday went well as I wrote, after Nora got back home and dinner had been accomplished, I went to the sleeper apt and bathed and then read while waiting for Nora to arrive...

She played her games on the iPad and checked the latest happenings on FB then we went to sleep... my gosh it was nice, so cool and refreshed feeling after the rains. We both slept well and didn't get out of bed until after 8:00am.

Finishing up breakfast now, eggs and toast sandwich and some coffee. Already did the meds so I am good for the day I think...

Last night, my glasses came apart on one side and the lens fell out so now I need to go to an eye glasses place and see if they will put them back together again... I have needed a new pair for over 4 years now, I suppose that will be a priority for me when we get back to the States amongst other things that I have neglected.

I am going back to the other apt. and see if I can reach Lollie this morning.

Have a great day everyone.

From denny's iPad...

NSO and visa photos...

May 09, 2011

Damn !!! really slept good last night, the storms that rolled thru dropped a lot of rain and the winds were typhoon style... it was great sleeping weather for sure.

Yesterday was primarily taken up with the laundry getting done and watching the stormy weather and reading in my iPhone or iPad.

Today, Kenneth and Joyce went with me after Nora had already gone (she went to NSO). We left at 9:30am, got to the Mall just as it opened and had the passport photos done by 10:40am... I then treated us to Dairy Queen Sundaes, something neither of the kids had ever had.

We had to wait a while for a Jeepney to get full before taking off for home. We arrived home about 11:15 so I was happy that we didn't suffer any delays.

This afternoon I spent a lot of time hanging up clothes that we couldn't hang yesterday then a shower came thru and take them down again then hang them up again... did this over and over but finally with the help of some pretty stiff winds, managed to get the clothes dryed.

Nora got home about 4:45 or so... my gosh she had a heck of a day, after getting to NSO and submitting her list of documents, she decided to go to St. Lukes clinic and then on the way back the busses managed to mess up and she got lost and then finally got back to NSO to pick up the finished forms... It was the bus conductor's fault as he said they could drop her at NSO but then drove right on by and wouldn't stop for her... needless to say she had some parting words for the driver and the conductor

Then to top it all off, at the NSO she was in line to pay for her documents and some snot nosed 20yr old kid crowded in front of her (not a smart move on his part...) Nora unleashed a galactic sized volcano of wrath on him and called into question his parentage and what ill fated school he might have attended... She is not shy when pissed off... better to not scramble her eggs...

I gave her 1,000p to give to Jenny, Father has sent the money but Jenny needed it today... Nora will repay me when she picks up the money from the bank

I gave Nora 2,000p for the documents and also paid 100p for the kids visa photos.

It is one reason I love her so dearly.

Have a great day y'all

From denny's iPad...

Hey all you Mommies... 'HAPPY MOTHERS DAY'...

May 08, 2011

Yesterday we went to the Mall, left here about 1:15pm and on the way to the mall, riding in the Jeepney, we came upon a big dump truck, a 10 wheeler that it appeared somebody on a scooter had tried to pass another vehicle and either the dump truck pulled out from a side road in front of him or he mis-judged the distance he had but in either cast the scooter was wedged in under the front right corner of the truck, just in front of the wheel. No body was evident nor any amount of blood but there should certainly have been a bucket full of poo... my gosh what a deal.

After arriving at SM Mall, we went to the theater and bought tickets to see "Fast and Furious 5". After that, we went to Chow King and had a couple of large Halo Halo desserts (we had wanted some ever since the really hot weather arrived. I finished mine and while Nora was working on hers, I left to go to the Department store and get something to munch on during the movie (she would meet me at the theater) I went to the department store and bought some energy bars (Nature Valley) and skittles and some Kit Kats then went to the theater where she arrived a short time later.

We watched the trailers of upcoming movies and saw some we want to see along with a billboard style advertisement outside the theater advertising the movie "Priest" which sure looks good then "Cars 2" will be coming sometime this summer (we might not be here for that but that would be fine with me).

After the Movie, we went to Pan de Manila and she bought some bread (we had also gotten two pizzas to take home for dinner (they had another buy one take one sale. We got back home about 6:30pm.

Nora and I both really enjoyed the movie, I was of course impressed to see both Vin Diesel and the Rock in the same movie as opposing forces... it was good, action filled and kept your attention too.

We slept pretty well last night after the Squatters entertained us with a couple of the women having a damn good cat fight. Never a dull moment it would seem. A pretty good storm came rolling thru as we were eating dinner last night, rained like hell and flooded part of the floor in our sleeper apartment... but it did cool it off some...

Today, Nora and Joyce Anne will attend the 10am mass at the Divine Mercy Chapel, I have decided to stay home.

Laundry day of course so you know that routine by now... Happy Mothers day to each of you Mommies out there.

Hope you liked your email sister.

Today is Nora's payday... 7,000p budget.

From denny's iPad...

Saturday morning...

May 07, 2011

Saturday morning, clear and hot... the temperature never did come down last night so sleeping was actually a chore and not much of it to be had...

Yesterday I went to the mall and printed out some new papers from Wells Fargo showing the increased savings account data and also was able to fill out an I-864 online with just a couple of blank spaces which I will hand fill in. Looks much more professional now.

I got some snack bags and some candy bars for the kids while I was there. I got back home around 2pm and Nora arrived at the bus stop at about 3:40pm.

The evening produced a gathering of folks to visit with Edhu who is here now from Quatar and Meden his wife... much beer drinking and reminicing. I did not partake, damn gout anyway. It sure looked inviting with the cold beer and all.

Last night Nora and I attacked a bag of 'Cool Ranch' Doritos, she really likes those chips.

Today it is our plan to go to the Mall and see the movie "Fast and Furious Five" with 'Van Diesel and 'The Rock, Duyane Johnson' two actors I favor for action movies. We have been fortunate to be able to see a show almost every weekend... it is cheap, only 110 or 120p per person per show.

Hopefully it will cool down a little this weekend, the forecast shows a little bit cooler Sunday and Monday.

Bye for now, Have a dandy day...

From denny's iPad...

Friday today... Next week is the end of DOT for Nora.

May 06, 2011

My Gosh !! Nora and the kids didn't get home until 8pm last night... they didn't even leave St. Lukes clinic until after 6:30.

The good news of course is that Kenneth and Joyce were released from St. Lukes clinic and now I only need them to make it thru the Visa interview with no problems... Nora has expressed concern about me not having available my 2010 tax returns... I tried to explain to her that I have filed an extension for them and won't file until this coming October.

The information I have gleened from the Internet says that they want the most recent tax return of the applicant and for me, that would be 2009 which I have. I believe that my supporting documentation from Wells Fargo will or should be sufficient to prove income as required by USCIS.

Alex and Ana were fighting yesterday and that led to Alex getting roaring drunk and then damaging his right hand (I've no idea how) with a couple of deep holes (puncture wounds). I tried to get him to go to the Doctor for some stitches but he was beyond reason.

Then he gloms onto me, telling me how sorry he is and blubbering like all drunks do. I was compasionate, but at the same time disgusted to see a friend/relative fall to that level... There are not now and have never been any solutions in a bottle. All it does is distort reality for a day. I am glad that the bottle has never been my recourse when times have been tough.

The deal with Alex ended up in the lane with him trying to drag Ana by the hair back to their apartment and she wanted to stay at her fathers house... Just a mess, and believe it or not, caused by what??? money of course... If you've read this blog before, you know that Alex is always borrowing money to float and support his lifestyle which to me appears very self-centered... Not the kind of thing a Father and husband should do. Neither of them has the ability to manage their money and always are borrowing to get by... too bad they don't get a grip on that situation.

I like Alex and his family and it pains me greatly to see them succumb to the money issues. They could solve it with a little self control and managing but it appears that living in the moment is their guiding light.

Today is Friday, Nora's last day of the week and next week is her last of going to St. Lukes clinic. We have waited a long year for this time and I rejoice in it as does Nora.

Took a late night bath and then was able to sleep much better but not to say good.

I will go to SM Mall today and print out the savings page and another copy of the I-864 and then put together the tax package. Hopefully the Counsoler will be satisfied.

It looks possible that Nora and the kids will be able to leave the Philippines in June rather than July.

Well, have a great day,

From denny's iPad...

Monday and Tuesday combined in this post... (I got lazy)...

May 03 & 04, 2011

Well on the 3rd, which was Monday, Nora and I went to the US Embassy and paid for the Visa interviews for both Joyce and Kenneth to the tune of $808.00 (we had already paid $840 for the applications). That done, we then went to Jolliebee for a late breakfast.

After that, we went to St. Lukes clinic so Nora could do her DOT thing then to the supermarket to do the shopping that we needed to do.

Home then and piddeled away the remainder of the day, We had spaghetti for dinner... weather was very hot and sleeping difficult.

•--•

Tuesday morning, Nora and the kids went to St. Lukes clinic to get their physicals re done, it went good for them and all the need to do now is go back on thursday for the results and to be released by St. Lukes clinic. I gave her 18,000.00p to pay for the Medical.

The great finale will be May 13th at 06:30am at the US Embassy where they will go to their Visa Interview.

I spent the day here at home, basically reading and taking an occasional walk to the end of the lane then back here to the apt. Boring to be sure. Spaghetti again for dinner but sleeping was a little better as it had cooled off somewhat.

The man from RemitHome delivered the money (extra for the physicals etc...) about 5:15pm which is his normal arrival time here.

Well, that sums up those two days, today is just beginning, (it rained sometime last night) so we will see how the day goes.

From denny's iPad...

Visa interviews for the kids... paid for and on schedule for the 13th... Medical starts tomorrow

May 02, 2011

We slept last night, Nora woke up early, about 5:45am. We left the house at 07:00am to go to the US Embassy and pay for the Visa interviews for Joyce and Kenneth... When we got to the Embassy, we were pleasantly surprised by how few people were there. Paying for the Visa interviews came off without a hitch and I thanked those who helped us today and those who helped us in the past.

After that, we went to Jollliebee for Fries and breakfast for Nora. Then it was off to St. Lukes clinic. After St. Lukes clinic, we went to the market and dumped about 1,500p on groceries and food... Nora considers groceries such things as soap, deoderant, shampoo etc.

We then caught a bus back home it is now 12:59 PM and we've been home for about 1/2 hour.

Nothing else to do today, I paid the Embassy $808. for the two interviews. Either tomorrow or Wednesday, whenever the transfer from LinnCo shows up on my Wells account, I will go back to the Internet Cafe and reprint the savings page to reflect the increased amount.

Nora and the kids will go to St. Lukes clinic tomorrow to begin the two day re-medical process... they should be done Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.

Tonight I will give Nora 18.000p to pay for the kids physicals (re-medical).

From denny's iPad...