Fiance finally over here

[jm21-2]

So, after many delays, my fiance flew in this last Saturday. So far things have been going great except for some problems with my house. Working on taking care of those.


We stopped by the Great Wall Mall on the way back from the airport and she was pretty impressed at the selection they had there, especially the Chinese herb shop there. Seems like she'll be able to get most things there. Problem is it's an hour drive each way and there's a toll bridge :/. We'll go check out Uwajimaya's in downtown Seattle and some of the other shops in the old China Town sometime soon too. Maybe next weekend. Seems like that may be more convenient.


We spent most of Sunday running around picking up some odds and ends. Hardest thing to find was the indoor type of slippers/sandals that she likes. Took about 4 shoe stores before finding something similar that she liked. Still need a good coat, all the shops have their summer stuff out here.


Fortunately the weather here was halfway decent Sunday...hopefully it shapes up a bit more.

[Jeff S]

Congrats, and welcome to the US, future Mrs jm21!

[Ray]

  　
Congrats on surviving the visa process!
　
You may want to check out Seafood City. It’s a very popular Filipino supermarket chain with fresh seafood at very reasonable prices and lots of Asian products.
　
I think there is one in Seattle and one in Tukwila, wherever that is (?) Ask Seattle Joe...
　
Ray
　
　

[thekfc]

Tell the misses we say welcome.

A little more browsing and both of you will find all the stuff that you need.
I found items just by browsing & in places I would not expect; I found the Tabo in a Chinese hardware store.

To get a good coat this time of year you would have to look online. Try the store sites that would let you return the item to a B & M store if the fit isn't good or not to her liking. That is what I did when I shopped for my wife, thankfully all the stuff she kept.

In the meantime, just relax & let her make the house "comfortable" for both of you. 

[thekfc]

For the committed/married on Asian side, we have the pigster left to bring the wife over. He will be taking a trip the first week in July so hopefully he will have everything squared away.

[Ray]

 
So whatever happened to piggy's surprise trip?
 
 

[dennislevy]

I wish both both the very best...happiness and many years together
 
Dennis

[thekfc]

So whatever happened to piggy's surprise trip?

His last update on the trip was that he was shopping for a fishfinder for  his father in-law.

I already put in my order for some Cebuano New Hampshire Lechón for when he do make the surprise trip. 

[jm21-2]

　
Congrats on surviving the visa process!
　
You may want to check out Seafood City. It’s a very popular Filipino supermarket chain with fresh seafood at very reasonable prices and lots of Asian products.
　
I think there is one in Seattle and one in Tukwila, wherever that is (?) Ask Seattle Joe...
　
Ray
　
　

Wow, it's about 4 miles from the Great Wall Mall. Didn't even know it existed. We were trying to find a place with decently priced Seafood too.

[euforia51]

Congrats, JM ... must be a pretty exciting time for you and your fiance.
Best wishes!

[michaelb]

Well, JM, glad you got her here, hope all goes well for the two of you.

[Ray]

　
Yeah, Seafood City is cool. Pick out your own fish, bag it, and take it to the counter. They will give you a number and clean your fish for you how you want it (no charge for cleaning).
　
They will even deep fry your fish for you at no charge. But I would ask which day of the week they change the deep-fryer oil, and do it early that day if at all possible. 
　
Ray
　 

[robert angel]

Congrats, JM!
 
This next year should be quite interesting!
 
Robert

[seattlejoe]

Wow, it's about 4 miles from the Great Wall Mall. Didn't even know it existed. We were trying to find a place with decently priced Seafood too.

Congrats jm21-2
I am happy for you.   Seafood city is located at southcenter mall in Tukwila

[Bob_S]

Huzzah and congrats!  Hope she's settling in well.  Just 2 more months till summer arrives there! 

[jm21-2]

She's settling in better than I thought she would. Hasn't even been using the heaters that much. We're finding all sorts of little things we need as time goes on....got a lot of stuff lost weekend but looks like we need to go on another shopping trip this coming weekend. Looks like IKEA, Great Wall Mall, and Seafood City are all within a couple miles of each other so probably hit them all up and maybe Costco on the way. Lots of things we need that we didn't really think about, like a metal ladle for her, or some shelf organizers since with her stuff there my kitchen is totally out of space.


Feels great to be back on a normal sleep schedule. And things just work better with two people. She can cook breakfast while I'm taking a shower and getting ready for work...quality of life is going up dramatically for me and she seems to be having a good time too.

[robert angel]

Feels great to be back on a normal sleep schedule. And things just work better with two people. She can cook breakfast while I'm taking a shower and getting ready for work...quality of life is going up dramatically for me and she seems to be having a good time too.

Sounds good JM. More things will change and there will be ebb and flow at that.

 
Took me a while to get used to not having Pop Tarts for breakfast every weekday morning. Realized we were out of milk this morning and after exiting the bath room, I saw that was what was for 'breakfast' this morning. I kind of had a 'what!!?" look on my face and she  snapped right back, reminding me that for many years before she arrived, that was my usual breakfast fare every weekday morning.

 
For some reason, if we make a big breakfast on a weekend, I'm usually the one doing most of that, while she talks overseas or is on facebook until we're ready to eat.
 

If it all went south, I'd have to buy a whole new wardrobe. She likes cotton and not only irons everything, but half the time after I get dressed, she wants to 'touch up' and re iron a wrinkle here and there--although I seriously doubt anyone else would notice. Who else irons T shirts and blue jeans??
I never really did the dishes much, if ever, but I know she appreciates it, so I do sometimes. We've never used the dishwasher, other than for storage.
 
Since the vacuum cleaner (they're not too common back home) weighs almost as much as her, I'm usually the one who does that. She's not much on flower or vegetable gardening, although occasionally she'll help with the flowers and weed them out. (on a cloudy day) . I don't think she'll ever push the lawn mower or edger though.
 

Eventually couples feel each other out on chores--responsibilities and I think that probably after a while, guys do more than they did initially.

[thekfc]

She's settling in better than I thought she would.

Glad to hear it, knew that she would, now that is one less thing for you to worry about. 
Do not burn yourself out running all over trying to buy everything at once, get all the "essentials" first & then "bits & pieces". With her there with you - things will fall into place.
 

Feels great to be back on a normal sleep schedule. And things just work better with two people. She can cook breakfast while I'm taking a shower and getting ready for work...quality of life is going up dramatically for me and she seems to be having a good time too.

 

Took me a while to get used to not having Pop Tarts for breakfast every weekday morning. Realized we were out of milk this morning and after exiting the bath room, I saw that was what was for 'breakfast' this morning. I kind of had a 'what!!?" look on my face and she  snapped right back, reminding me that for many years before she arrived, that was my usual breakfast fare every weekday morning.

 

She likes cotton and not only irons everything, but half the time after I get dressed, she wants to 'touch up' and re iron a wrinkle here and there--although I seriously doubt anyone else would notice. Who else irons T shirts and blue jeans??

Tell me about it. My wife irons just about everything., also, she folds the clothing  before we go wash them. 
 
 

She's not much on flower or vegetable gardening,

Just the opposite for my wife - she loves flowers & gardening. So far in the apartment we have a rose, tulips, orchids, aloe vera, cactus, hyacinth, orange citrus bonsai (Calamondin) and a few other flowers &  herbs.

[Capstone]

We stopped by the Great Wall Mall on the way back from the airport and she was pretty impressed at the selection they had there, especially the Chinese herb shop there. Seems like she'll be able to get most things there. Problem is it's an hour drive each way and there's a toll bridge

It's great to hear that she made it over without any problems. Don't worry about having to drive an hour each way to get to the Chinese shops, you will learn to enjoy it. My wife and I drive into Atlanta every other weekend to hit the Chinese groceries & shops there which is about a 1.5 hour drive each way for us but we both really look forward to it every time. It is the only place in the area that we have been able to find a restaurant that serves actual authentic Chinese food - so it is a real treat for us.

[Ray]

　
Hey kfc,
　
Are you growing that calamondin tree indoors?
　
That’s what the Filipinos call kalamansi. It’s practically a staple food over there. If you get any fruit, you can use it either green (sour) or orange (sweet) as a flavoring like lemon or lime for pansit, fish, tea, etc…
　
It also makes a decorative indoor tree.
　
I have a dwarf variety growing in a large container out back and ALL my Filipino neighbors have a calamondin tree planted in their yard for the fruit.
　
Ray
　

[Ray]

 
jm,
 
I don't know if you have been to the Chinatown in Vancouver yet, but you may want to add it to your excursion list for when she has her green card.
 
Ray
 
 

[Jeff S]

Yes, the Vancouver Chinatown (about 1/2 the city these days) is one of the best anywhere.

[thekfc]

　
Hey kfc,
　
Are you growing that calamondin tree indoors?
　
That’s what the Filipinos call kalamansi. It’s practically a staple food over there. If you get any fruit, you can use it either green (sour) or orange (sweet) as a flavoring like lemon or lime for pansit, fish, tea, etc…
　
It also makes a decorative indoor tree.
　
I have a dwarf variety growing in a large container out back and ALL my Filipino neighbors have a calamondin tree planted in their yard for the fruit.
　
Ray
　

Yep, we are growing it indoors in a container sitting next to window - it gets plenty of sunlight. It is just starting to have fruits but I don't think that the fruits will last as my wife is already eyeing the fruits. 

Also my wife love eating lemon. We would go to the supermarket & buy lemon and then I turn around & it is gone. She use it with just about everything she eats. She wouldn't touch the limes but just the lemons. Lemonade is one of her favorite drink & since I started buying it she have stopped drinking my pomegranate juice.

[jm21-2]

My aprents went to the Vancouver Chinatown a year or two ago and thought it had really gone downhill...druggies everywhere and a few people warned them it's not a place for visitors. Probably worth it to check it out at least once though.


Portland has Fubonn which I really like, but a bit of a drive just for that.

[piglett]

So whatever happened to piggy's surprise trip?
His last update on the trip was that he was shopping for a fishfinder for  his father in-law.

I already put in my order for some Cebuano New Hampshire Lechón for when he do make the surprise trip
 

boys i have been getting a ton of stuff done but doing so has really cut deep into my PL time 
 
i'll be back after a while but as of now the July trip is a go
 
 
take care all
pig

 
PS: i have also had to keep a low profile because some crazy guy keeps shooting at me & my local pals
 
 http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/81491467/