Desautel.net
Here Comes Spring!
Well, Spring is here and in the Sequim area that means the grass/weeds are growing - fast! My 15 acres of land in Sequim is mostly designated wetlands, but my house sits on the acre or two that is not, and I have mowed about a third of that as a yard around the house. This time of year the native grass and weeds start grown back with a vengeance, so mowing and raking becomes an almost-daily event. I do not have a riding mower, and much of the cleared area is still too uneven and bumpy for a riding mower. So, I use a DR Trimmer-Mower. This works great, but leaves all the cut grass on the ground, so raking becomes the hardest part of the job. The first mow of the spring, which is what I am doing now, requires raking because the grass has grown so much. As spring turns to summer, it gets very dry in the Sequim area, and the growing slows down drastically. In mid to late summer, everything is turning brown. So, after the first mow, raking becomes less necessary.
Spring is also the time for thinking about landscaping, flowers, and other planting. I have an area in the back yard where the septic system is located that has never grown in that well. There are three round tank lids (green) and a wood post with control boxes on it. I have ringed this teardrop-shaped area in with the scalloped cement blocks, and I am digging up the area inside (and around the tank lids and post), filtering the dirt to remove all the weeds, and spreading the filtered dirt back out. I will be planting flowers and shrubs so that this will look like a small garden and hide all the septic stuff.
This is all pretty heavy work to do by hand, and my body is letting me know that I am 63 years old. Aches, pains, kinks, and other inconveniences are proof that one is still alive! LOL! I am also having a load of dirt delivered so that I have a supply to use to fill in all the holes and dips in the area of the yard that was not leveled and smoothed last year (I had someone come in with heavy equipment to do this).
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.
