Desautel.net
Back Home Again!
Well, I am back in Sequim after spending three weeks with my darling Malen. We spent the first week in Hong Kong and Macau, China (along with Yeng - Malen's oldest daughter). We then spent the remaining two weeks at Malen's place in Quezon City (near Manila). Even though I got sick the last week, this was another wonderful time for Malen and me. Whenever we are together, the fact that we were made for each other becomes more and more clear. Now, we are both going thru hugging and kissing withdrawal!! 
We did also visit the site of our future vacation condo at Camaya Coast on one saturday. Other than that, we spent some times at various malls, visited Malen's place of work a couple of times, and did some fixing up of the condo where Malen is living (and will be buying as well).
Lot's of pictures were taken, but I have none on my photo site yet. However, Malen has uploaded many of them to our FaceBook page (DaveandMalen Desautel), so check them out!
Dave
Together Again Soon
After next week, I will again be flying to the other side of the world to spend some time with my darling Malen. We will be meeting in Hong Kong, and spending a few days there before going home to the Manila area (Quezon City). Malen and I, along with the kids, continue to move towards our future together. We are in love and committed to making that future happen, regardless of the time needed and the cost. We are about 7 months into Malen's annulment process, and are hoping it can be completed by March. After that we have to start the immigration process, which can be another 3-12 months (the US stacks the cards against people trying to come here from the poorer countries in the world - even with a US citizen involved).
At the end of this month, I will turn 63 years old. It is difficult to have to wait so long for the future Malen and I want and deserve, but we will get to it. While I am there, we will once again visit the Camaya Coast resort and residential project, where we are buying a condo (investment, future vacation home, and future income property). Malen and Yeng are living in a condo in Quezon City, near Manila. Malen will be getting a loan to buy this condo, and it will also be a source of revenue once Malen and the kids come to the US. Jedd and April are staying in a boarding house near their school during the week, and coming to Quezon City on weekends.
It is winter here in Sequim, and the weather has been cold and cloudy. We have has a fair amount of rain as well. But it is quiet and peaceful here, and the days are getting a little longer as time passes. Candi-Louise will be 14 as of May this year. Pretty old for a dog, but she is doing well. Unfortunately, the "pet resort" where I usually leave her when I travel will not be open during this trip. I have made boarding arrangements with the vet that I take Candi to, but their facilities are not as comfortable as the pet resort, and she will not get as much personal attention. Hopefully, she will be OK.
Merry Christmas All!
Well, this is Christmas Eve, and I am at my sister's house. I will be here tonight and Christmas night, and then I will return to my house in Sequim on Saturday. My sister lives in Snoqualmie. Candi-Louise is here with me also.
Malen and I are hoping that this is the last holiday season we will have to spend apart. It is very difficult being apart at Christmas, but my life is so much brighter and happier with my darling Malen in it. We are in love, and we are now family. She is part of me, and we are one. For the first time in my life I am complete and totally secure in a relationship. Malen fits into my life, into my heart, into my mind, and into my soul, like a glove fits on my hand. Natural, comfortable, exciting, and blissful.
I am traveling to see her again at the end of January. We will meet in Hong Kong, and spend a week there. Then we will fly to Manila and spend the rest of our time together there. I can hardly wait to be with her again. It will also be great to see the kids - Yeng, Jedd, and April.
Life for me has become a time of preparation and waiting for the future when I can have my family here in the US with me.
Time Marches On
Well, we are a third of the way thru December already! Time does indeed march on. Malen and I are still waiting for the annulment process to march on. We are hoping that we are nearing the end of that. Once Malen is free to marry again, we will begin the K1 visa process. This is a fiancee visa. We have decided to go that route and marry in the US because, with a spousal visa (K3), you cannot petition for the connected children visa if the child is 18 years old or older. Yeng is 18. We are determined that the entire family will come to the US together.
As we wait, things are happening. Malen and Yeng have moved into a new small condominium (Malen is getting a loan to buy it), April and Jedd will be staying at a boarding house near their school, Yeng will be entering a Caregiver training program near their new location, and the Camaya Coast project is making construction progress (I am buying a small condo there). Visit the Camaya Coast web sites here and here to check this project out! If you are interested, let Malen or I know so we can refer you to our sales manager (you can get a free day trip to the resort!).
Back in Sequim, I am investigating reverse mortgages, trying to sell my motor home, and keeping up the homestead. I finally got a new pair of glasses after waiting for my eye to heal. I had a pterygium removed several months ago, and it has been a real pain waiting for new glasses. My right eye had the surgery, and it was the eye that really needed a new prescription. To top it off, my 3-year old glasses suddenly became all scratched on both lenses! So, I have not been wearing any glasses at all, except for a pair of reading glasses I had made while I was in Thailand at the end of October.
Candi-Louise is approaching 14 years old, but is still getting along pretty well. I have to help her into the car and onto the bed, but she can still walk all the way to our mail boxes with me, and even likes to play once in a while. She has been the best dog I've ever had, and she has had a good life, but I dread the day she starts to decline seriously.
As a reminder, do not forget the picture site (see the main menu on the left). There are a LOT of pictures from the two trips to the Philippines, including a gallery just of Malen, Myself, and the kids (and other family members). Also visit my two blog sites when you get a chance.
Back From the Phillipines!
Well, I have just returned from spending three great weeks with my sweetie Malen (and the kids). I left on October 21st, and returned November 8th. That is almost three weeks!
After arriving and spending a couple of days at Malen's place in the Manila area (including some site-seeing to historic Intramuros and a large aquarium), Malen and I flew to Phuket, Thailand for a week. We spent the time at a nice resort called Aochalong Villa. The beach was not good for swimming, but the pool was great and the view beautiful. The on-site restaurant was also great. Unfortunately, the 2nd day there I began to come down with some flu-like crud that lasted almost for the rest of the Philippines trip! Some fever, sore throat, coughing, and nose & chest congestion. I still have some residual symptoms from this!
So, the time we spent in Phuket was low-key. We spent a lot of time in and around the pool, and in local pharmacy stores! However, having brought a Little Richard CD with us, I had to get up and dance - sick or not! The video Malen took is on YouTube, here is a link!
As you can see, Malen had a good time taping me on her camera!
After Phuket, we spent another couple of days at Malen's place (we also went to Laguna, where I met Malen's mother, sister, brother, and families!), then We gathered up the kids and went to Boracay for a week! This is a beautiful place with great beaches, and we all had a great time. We did a lot of swimming, and I almost lost Malen on the flying fish ride (like a large, wide air mattress, pulled behind a speed boat, and when going into the wind, it becomes ALMOST air-borne!). The food was great and the weather was OK.
After we returned from Boracay, I had a final few days at Malen's before having to return to the US. On one of those days, Malen, Yeng, and I had a free tour of the Camaya Coast resort and residential development, where I am buying a condominium! This is a pre-sale (construction is ongoing and the condo will be done in 2011), and is a good investment. The value is expected to increase dramatically by the time the construction is done. This will also be a place to stay when we visit the Philippines, and when we are not there it can be rented out as a source of income. Visit the link above to see how beautiful the place mis. We had a great day there, and did some more swimming.
So, that is it for now. Check the photo gallery (on the menu at the left) as I am slowly adding pictures from this trip. The pictures that include family members are in a new "We Meet Again" sub-album, under the "Pictures of Dave & Malen" album. The rest of the pictures are in a new "Phillipines2" album.
