Is it finished yet? Aloha Friday!!

It must be Friday, I'm dragging around from the late night and the garbage man is banging around outside!

The goals for this week were to clean the garage and work on the painting during the day, inside house stuff at night (tax records and workroom projects), time off, taking g-kids on a picnic, and some time with Wes. As to the garage, there are empty shelves, several empty bins and lots of empty storage drawers. I just need to put everything on the countertops away into the bins and drawers. Everything is vacuumed and wiped down. 1 dump run, a visit to Goodwill, and a weight set going to one of the fire stations. The painting needs a highly motivated artist and another full day or two of working at it! I'm still working on perfecting each section!

I'm watching a decorating show and they're decorating in Hawaiian. They say the bedding is "Hawaiian" but the trees printed on the linens are date palms, not coconut trees (somone should tell them about Fabric Mart in Hawai'i!). They are saying that the ugly green plaid complements that tree print, but then they only place 1 pillow in the plaid. Hmm.... They decided to accent the room with a palm tree--would you believe a fake banana tree is really what they have?? Get real!!!

Next week's goals are to work on ukuleles in my clean area during the day, and inside house stuff at night (sew cushion covers, bake for E Hula Mau). I'll take time off, and go with g-kids to free movies and go to E Hula Mau with Wes. I'm betting that since it will be a busy week, the furniture will finally arrive?!#%.

It's so simple to set up a basic schedule, but so many things need to shoved into the little pukas of time: practice hula and oli, dishes, laundry, watering plants and pulling weeds, fixing meals or grabbing something on the go, doctor or dentist appointments, going to work, spending time with spouse, spending time with ohana, shopping for food and other needs around the house, not to mention getting to the halau and the time spent there. Everything has gotta fit in! Life is pretty interesting and exciting!

coming together

The livingroom is finally coming together (in my mind). Even when I really have my heart set on something like a new room, a new look, or replacing bed linens, I am always worried about being frugal and making things cost-effective. After all, these are "wants", not "needs". Over the years we could get a couch and a chair on sale and get tables and accessories from friends and relatives, garage sales and junk stores or I'd make it myself. I once bought an ugly pink lamp because I liked the shape. It has a brass bottom and I've painted and antiqued the body of the lamp a couple of times in different colors for different rooms. I still have it and love it! If I can't get one right away, I may re-do that one again!

As far as style goes we are eclectic. I've always had problems deciding between tropical, country, and Oriental and how to put them all together. Now I just do what feels comfortable for me. Then comes Wes with the lodge look and man-cave stuff (HELLO--he doesn't hunt or fish and I DON'T GET IT!)-so decorating comes with its challenges. I would probably have roses and hydrangeas in pinks and periwinkles in the bedrooms, and old rattan furniture with tropical print like we had when I was a kid. He tells me flowers are out. I'm Hawaiian/Japanese and my name IS "flower"--NO FLOWERS???? It's okay, we have leaf designs and pineapples!

Yesterday WE went to 2 fabric places. At one place they are selling out everything and he was okay with 60-75% off. I bought some fancy trim and cord but couldn't find decorator fabric I could fall in love with. The retro stuff in turquoise and brown were really cool, but I wouldn't know what to do with it! Luckily I had already been to the second place so I just needed to show him what I like and tell him why I like it. The largest piece had flowers on it but they were woven into the fabric in the same colors. He was okay with that one. I mean, he even asked about thread and zippers! I'll go back today and pick up some fabric for throw pillows. I can tell when Wes is on OVERLOAD and I try not to be frazzled or dilly dally when shopping in places outside of his comfort zone (any place not cars or motorcycles, and he likes furniture). I don't have carte blanche so going on my own and bringing stuff home is not an option. Pacific Fabrics is close to home so I knew I could come back for the little stuff.

A friend of mine came to visit in the evening. With only 2 chairs in the livingroom it looks like they're coming to empty out our house because we didn't pay our bills! We are still waiting for our couch, and the chairs from Pier 1 aren't getting here till next week. I still need to come up with tables. I'll check if Kanoe has one or two in her storage! I found a tiffany lamp on QVC and it reminds me of my friend Konia. It has an elegant hat shape! In the fall I will probably paint the living room. Then this room will be done!??--Leona

Before and After pics

I just got this from my daughter-in-law, Jenny. She's married to Konohiki (aka-Sterling) and the little cute guy is Nui (aka-Hayden). She does such a nice job as wife and mom!!--'Ona (Leona)

lazy days

Whoo-hoo it finally cooled down! I'm still just hanging out enjoying the cooler air. Some yardwork is under control and I just turn the water on to get things watered early. Now if there just could be some automatic way to pull weeds I would be a happy gardener! It's cool enough to move the last two plants and I'll be glad if I get that one thing done today!

Yesterday I had a scare when some workmen with a large dozer parked in front of the house. Deja Vu! You see, when we moved in we spread bark near the roadside and then these cable guys came and dug a trench to lay cable for a new house next door. I was so mad after having done all that work. So, when this heavy equipment showed up I was a little anxious. I was on hold on the phone and didn't want to re-dial and wait again but had visions of having to dig up new plantings and finding a place to keep the plants alive till after the workmen finished their task. Eventually I got of he phone and went out to address the guy in the dozer, "Are you guys digging up my yard again?" He told me they were laying pipe down the hill. Whew!! What a relief!

Then the tree guys came to turn around in the cul-de-sac. Deja Vu Two? Well, last year this same outfit came and took some trees down. Would you believe the trees are still down on the ground behind our place? They were supposed to shred branches and haul off the trees! Also, with the heavy equipment coming across our driveway some concrete was torn up and we had to harass the guys to repair the driveway. You can imagine what's running through my mind when I see the tree truck! It's fine and dandy if they take these trees away, since that's what we paid for, (it is now one year late) but it would be nice to notify me that you are coming. No deal. Although they told Wes last week that they are working in our neighborhood and would come by and take care of it....hmm....they were just turning around!

Well, I'm hoping for the best day today! Last nights hula class really hyped me up!!--

Hana butta days

Someone forwarded this to my cousin--brings back memories. I wonder how old ya gotta be to NOT remember these things! Konia and I have talked about most of this stuff and even more, but some things are before 1950--our mothers talked about!--

How about... Kent Bowman a.k.a. K. K. Kau Manua, or Lippy Espinda, da poh mans fren? OR, remember when Hilo Hattie was a performer, not a store??? How much of this can you remember? If plenny, you REALLY old, man.When you could buy one big sack of See Moi for a nickel... and then you ate the whole thing and licked the bag... Gramma said, you go Chinese School, you say "NO!" she said, you go, I buy you see moi, you say OK. Windward side... taro patches... rice paddies...water buffalo... When you mentioned Kaneohe, everyone knew you were talking about the pupule house... When the tallest building in Honolulu was the Aloha Tower... Radio personalities like... J. Aku Head Pupule on KGMB in the mornings saying "OK, all you SLOBS, it's time to GET UP!!!" Hey, no foget Lucky Luck's "Lucky you come Hawaii!" and remember Don Chamberlin and "Don in the fishbowl" from Fran's Drive Inn.. When you lived in Honolulu, T.H.... Signs on vacant and private property that said KAPU... When the site of AlaMoana Shopping Center was a big swamp. Waialae-Kahala was mostly pig farms... and the area next to the airport was a neighborhood called Damon Tract... Kids chanting... Ching Chong Chinaman, Sitting on a fence, Trying to make a dollah, Out of fifteen cents... Red, White and Blue, Stahs ovah you, Mama say, Papa say, you pake... Grade school JPO's... Junior Police Officers in their white shirts, khaki pants, polished black shoes, red helmets and arm bands... 25 cents going Saturday Matinee, Queen's Theater...I remember 9 cents at Varsity Theater and 25 cents could get you movie, soda, and popcorn at Golden Wall Theatre....Wearing Band-Aids and a "limp" to get into the Saturday matinee without shoes... Flipping milk caps on the sidewalk during recess... and deciding who got to go first by playing Jung Ken Po... And when you did something dumb everybody yelled..."Bakatare You!" And when you did something naughty they shook their finger and said..." A hana koko lele!"Moonlight swimming... Bonfires on the beach... Strumming ukuleles, singing and everyone knew the words to all the old Hawaiian songs... You were greeted with... Ei, bu!... Ei buggah, how you stay?... or Ei, blah-lah... Going to Maunakea Street to buy ginger leis... The old Pali road with the hairpin turns... and if it was really windy, the hood of the car blew open...The bestest freshest poi at Ono's on Kapahulu Ave...Also bestest Laulau, Kalua Pig, Opihi, sticky rice, Lomi Salmon, Pipikaula, Na'au Puaa, Haupia...Broke da mout'! Dollar bills with HAWAII printed across them...I still got some... When the Honolulu Stadium was called the termite palace.Guys getting their kicks sparking the wahines from under the stands... soggy bags of boiled peanuts sold by squatting sellers...and Football players smothered with leis and lipstick walking off the field... Harry Bridges, Teamsters Union leader, calling union dock strikes...causing food shortages... Sad Sam Ichinose... Kau Kau Korner, the meeting place with the "Crossroads of the Pacific" sign out front, the most photographed sign in the world... The waitresses wearing short skirts, soda hats and skates bringing your order to the car on a window tray...How good those hamburgers smelled! "Aloha Oe... eat fish and poi"...When those lucky people who lived in Waikiki sold their lots for $5.00 a square foot and we all thought they were getting rich... Everyone discussing the "Mauka Arterial" and when it was finally completed we all got lost because we didn't know East from West... All I knew was Ewa side and Diamond Head side... Mauka and Makai. Holding the 49th State Fair year after year...and finally becoming the 50th state in 1959... Looking at Diamond Head... when all you could see fromWaikiki was the Natatorium and the Elk's Club... Hey, don't forget the Town & Country Club Riding Stables and the taro patches. Old Chinese ladies with bound feet shuffling along wearing dark grey tunics and trousers... Japanese men in Kimonos carrying a towel and a bar of soap walking to a stream in the evening... Filipino men from Waipahu on the bus with their game cocks in cages... Elderly Japanese squatting, waiting for the bus... Trying to find the coins wrapped in red paper and pieces of tissue (with holes in them that the evil spirits had to go through)...from Chinese funerals... Watching Duke Kahanamoku surfing at Waikiki and shaking hands with himBeach boys with da kine, ho'omalimali and Hawaiian music under the palm trees at the Royal Hawaiian and the Moana... Surfers with 8 foot boards that weighed a ton... Waikiki sand always washing away and having to be replaced by sand from the windward side... Old Chinese men playing mah-jongg under the hau trees at Kuhio Beach... Saint Louis boys singing "We get ten tousand men steel yet, we gonna ween dees game you bet... " My friend wen go St. Louis but I no tink he remember this. Rubbing maunaloa seeds on the sidewalk until they got hot enough to burn somebody's arm... The excitement of the Lurline coming in... Lei sellers everywhere... "Carnation lei... fifty cents, plumieria.. .three for dollah".. Local boys diving for coins... big beautiful jelly fish... a tangle of streamers from ship to shore...passengers tossing leis overboard as the ship pulls away... if they floated toward shore, they would return...When KGMB and KGU were the only radio stations... Lots of Mynah birds on the sidewalks... mongoose living in a neighborhood tree... Going Pali lookout to "spahk da moon"... "I took my wahine holo holo kaa, I took her up the Pali, she say "too muchee faa." Pull down the shade, try to make the grade... Lei ana ika... black eye!" Going Diamond Head or Ala Moana to watch the submarine races... Swimming in the streams and whacking each other on the head with shampoo ginger... Never driving over the Pali with pork in your car...you going get stuck... No need test...I wen test for you and the car engine wen maki. Going to "First Vue" at the Waikiki theater! ...eating crackseed..the palm trees and flowers that looked so real. .the usher who wore a feather cape and helmet and ever smiled...Every Friday night at 10:15 and you had to make reservations. Talking mynah birds...I had one dumb minah bird...never did speak to me. Lights out... clack, clack, clack... what's dat?...turn on lights... one BIG centipede! Alfred Apaka... Kalima Brothers... Gabby Pahinui...slack key...steel guitars... Don' forget Auntie Genoa Keawe.Surfing at Waikiki and watching the outrigger canoes along side of you full of mainland tourists wearing bathing caps... Surfing Waikiki all day without eating, getting red eyes... going back again the next day... because when you caught those waves and rode them all the way in... it was worth it! Underwater... trying to catch a ride on the back of a turtle... Underwater... trying to look at fish and eels without a mask...Swimming at Fort DeRussy... trying not to get stung by da Portuguese Man-o'-War...There was a pier behind the Moana Hotel There was a jungle between the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Kalakaua. And you can go catch Samoan Crab, White Crab, Hawaiian Crab and dig for Oysters and Clams in West Loch. The big tidal wave from Japan that washed up overKalakaua Avenue... Being able to tell what month it was by the color of Diamond Head... When inside Diamond Headwas opened to the public again.. hiking inside and finding big cannons sticking out of concrete pukas. 1949... auwe!... a big underwater shelf broke off and shook the whole island!Webley Edwards with his mike walking along the beach and talking to the tourists... and taking the mike down to the ocean to let everyone listening on the mainland hear the sound of the waves at Waikiki... on Hawaii Calls... When all the tourists were mostly movie stars or rich and came on Matson ships and stayed at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and wore furs in the evenings!... Walking down Waikiki Beach and sparking movie stars without their toupees, wigs and make-up... And sell them coconut hats for $10 per hat. Trader Vic's... Don the Beachcomber's... the Zebra Room all painted with Zebra stripes outside... Seeing painfully sunburned and peeling tourists at Waikiki... Doing the Hula in the "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii" celebration... Using the uli-uli's, ili ili's and pu'ili's... making our own hula skirts out of ti leaves... splitting the ti leaves with our thumb nails and having green hands for a week... 4 digit phone numbers? No, I remember 5 digits.English standard schools...Japanese language lessons... When nobody locked their houses or cars..."Right on the kinipopo"... When anything that said "Made in Japan" was junk... When everyone called Plumerias "Graveyard Flowers"... (MAKE' MAN!!) When restaurants were called either Cafes or Grills... Wooden sided station wagons filled with bananas... "Banana Wagon"... Buying Sushi cones on way home from school from the Sushi man and his cart on the corner... Sunday morning, December 7, 1941... masks... air raid drills... backyard bomb shelters... 442nd, "Go for Broke"... "bobbed wiah" on da beaches... KILROY WAS HERE... Eating lots of Spam... Kaimuki red dirt...everything you bought white turned reddish brown... your sheets, your underwear... Surfing in your palaka bathing suit... Fitted Holokus with long trains with a loop for your wrist... Tita dress: cuffed up Levis, Aloha shirt with the sleeves rolled up twice, ear rings and slippahs... Wearing a white sailor hat... Wooden slippahs with two slats of wood across the bottoms...we called them "clop-clops"... when you could buy sox and tennis shoes that came in-between the big toe and the rest of your toes... Waking up with mo'os in your bed, sometime dead because you slept on them and sometime just their tails were left behind... Shave Ice on a hot day... Finding Japanese green, white and lavender glass fishing balls in various sizes floating in to the beaches on the North shore... "Calabash cousins"... Watching sea weed being harvested on a weekend... Torch fishing at night...Example of a "dumb haole"... driving up Tantalus and Round Top Drive and haole says, "I bet these roads are really dangerous when it snows"... Listening to Hawaii Calls... Playing around the mouth of Blow-Hole... trying to guess when it would blow... so you could run... Playing on top of the Reservoir in Kaimuki... When there were so many palm trees that coconuts were falling on people's heads... and owners cutting them down for fear of getting sued... Arthur Godfrey playing his ukulele... Hale Loki... "Hawai-ya, Hawai-ya, Hawai-ya?" and Chesterfields... Listening to the Japanese radio station and hearing Japanese men grunting...The traffic cop in a little booth in the middle of the street with an umbrella over it... Uku-pile-a-roaches and FLIT GUNS... later to be replaced by...the SLIPPAH... Servicemen... complaining about "life on the rock", drinking, swearing, hitchhiking, making passes, driving too fast, and sometimes getting blown off the Pali on their motorcycles... Manoa Valley... swiping painted candles from the Chinese Cemetery...laying on the graves to see what it felt like to be dead... looking at all the photos on the gravestones and wondering about their lives... sliding down the ti leaf slide and going home covered with mud... going "mountain apple-ing"...hiking to the falls in the rain through the bamboo when there was no trail... "liquid sunshine" everyday about the same time... fire crackers and smoke filling the valley and the houses on Chinese New Year... When everyone had a pune'e and at least one old Koa table in their home... When Nu'uanu Valley was a thick, lush, tropical rain forest... with many upside down falls... the monkeypod tree in the middle of the road at Nu'uanu and Vineyard...Kapiolani Drive-In... Fran's Drive In ..KC Drive In (for Waffle Hot Dogs & Orange Freeze) alongside the Ala WaiCanal...Kelly's Drive In... When Kalakaua Ave. was a two-way street... Admission to the Honolulu Zoo and the Aquarium was free... Waialua, Ewa, Kahuku and Waianae sugar plantations...working in the cane fields... cane trains... the irrigation system was up on wooden stilts... Honolulu Airport was on the Diamond Head side of the runway... Jumping into the water holding a Hau leaf in your mouth so the water wouldn't go up your nose... Working in the pineapple factory and the fields... Riding horses in Kapiolani Park... When the Natatorium was called the Tank... The Manapua Man...The Lunch Truck at Ala Moana Beach and their ONO chow fun. The Japanese neighborhood vegetable wagon. Lau Yee Chai was on Kuhio Ave. and set off firecrackers every Saturday evening at 6...... .THIS WAS THE OLD HAWAII !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. to the purse story...

When I called Kawika, I was suspicious that I didn't take my purse into his house.

Anybody got one doghouse big enuf fo fit one two hundred fifty pound man who went take da purse frum da ka'a and wen' tell his wife dat he wen put da ting someplace in da hale (house)?

After searching the house for my purse (it is an easy thing to spot) I decided to think like the man when he took it out of the car and oh my goodness, he put it in the garage after taking it out of the car. By then it was too late to catch the ferry and get to Seattle for the Northwest Afternoon taping for hula.

I am not happy with him just now. Maybe if I'm really nice to him this bad kharma stuff will go away! Getting mad and wanting to retaliate is the way my mind goes, but I know from experience that this just makes me feel better temporarily, but doesn't help things in the long run.

I think I'll go bake a chocolate cake

morning snags and allergies

When you leave your purse at your son's house on Sunday and go to olelo class on Monday without your purse and forgot about KUKALA (really fun Hawaiian auction) and then you are getting ready to catch a ferry early Tuesday morning but can't find your plastic and can't even get cash without your plastic, then you just start cruising for chocolate and a good movie on TV. In short, I'll miss the halau taping for Northwest Afternoon today. It is probably meant to be, I'll try to retrieve my purse and get my act ready to go to hula tonight. That is about as much as I can fit into my sinus headachey head today!

Apparently Wes is having the same kind of luck. Yesterday when I left for olelo class he assured me I'd come home to a cool room. When I got home at 10:30 the fan was blowing the warm air around in the bedroom. This morning he told his story. He went to Best Buy and got a $40 off deal on an air conditioner. When he got home and tried to install it--it was missing parts`~*&%!!! In frustration he gathered it all up again and took it back, waiting for them to credit his account. By the end of THAT frustration he decided to call it a day, came home and plugged the fan in. I'm curious as to how he arrived at Best Buy when he spoke earlier of COSTCO and Sears. Well, he will try again tomorrow.

In an effort to get my sinuses so I can function I notice a couple of things. For one, I'm trying to get rid of stuffy nose, itchy eyes, nasal drip, etc. I have a prescription med from my doctor. The possible side affects are bloody nose and headaches. It sounds to me like I'm trading a few ailments for a few other worse ailments. This sample inhalant says it has 54 doses and not to go over the 54 doses. In the beginning the dosage is for 2 squirts up each nostril every 12 hours. One catch is you should be using this before you get an allergy attack. It also takes a few days for results to kick in. So I was thinking, "I have to keep track?". I used 4 squirts months ago when I first got it. Yesterday morning there were 4 more squirts and last night 4 more. They say that soon I'll only need 2 squirts--one in each nostril--to get okay results. Oh, I forgot 2 others. When you begin you need to prime this thing so that was one. If you stop using it for over a week it needs to be primed again. Oh for goodness sakes! I'm waiting for cooler weather to clear these sinus attacks!! If this is how it's gonna be, it will be a long summer!--

the room is bare, but

We have one occasional chair in the livingroom. Wes and I went to breakfast and then stopped by the furniture store to visit the floor model of our couch (again!). It has been shipped (supposed to have been 6 weeks, it's now the 9th week!) and should arrive here sometime this week. He wanted to go look at cars but since I'm a rash ball with allergies, I'm not keen on getting out in public or in the sun. He took me to Pier 1 instead (apparently, the store is cool and allergies don't bother me as much if I'm looking at furniture! Ha!). It was hard to believe that some of the wicker and rattan stuff is being discontinued for the season and we were able to pick up 2 chairs and some cushions at 40% off. The fabric doesn't go with our livingroom, but, at that price, are less than I could make cushions for. I'll just need to find some discounted fabric and sew 4 cushion covers. They are easy and then I can make them to zip or velcro off and on for cleaning. Until I do this, it will really be hard to be in a kala koa (mismatched colors) living room! Now, to find some end tables and lamps....

So, like I don't have enough to do, now there is more to do. I turned down girls' camp. Some of my family and friends won't be there this year and I don't relish the thought of sleeping on the ground for 4 nights and waking up to screaming teenaged girls, bugs and evil chipmunks (even though they're really cute, they steal food--chewing through bags, etc., get into tents and pee and poop on your stuff!). It's actually fun when there's people you know and love around to canoe and play volleyball with in your free time. I'm keeping to my focus on house and home and hula!

Speaking of hula, the dance recital was a riot! First off it was in the heat of the day, we got there and the auditorium was NOT air conditioned! There were about 60 dancers and hundreds in the audience. Through the entire first hour all I could hear in my head was Kamaile's voice saying, "Oh, no, no! Ladies, this is not ME!" The arm and hand positions were not uniform, not even in the older teen and adult groups. Dancers were looking all around, or looking like deer-in-the-headlights. I'm sorry to say too that most of them had no rhythm for the dance! The music was loud enough but, they were really off-beat. Some of the larger girls have no business being in tights!

I thought about it afterwards. I think it's hard to control your body on your toes, leaping and spinning or slip-sliding on tap shoes. I think it's even harder to have control and be in sync in a line of other people trying to do the same thing!

Anyhow, today I'm battling allergies again and will take meds

feel the heat and break out the reggae tunes!

So...knowing what our winters are like, do we complain about the current weather conditions? While I tried to paint, it was so warm I had to wet the area I was working on to keep the paint from drying too fast! Then my plan for this morning was to sleep in but with light streaming in before 6 a.m., I couldn't stay in bed. Now I've gotta rush out and soak some plants and give some shade to a couple of them so they might be able to live through the heat of the next few days. One good thing is there is a cooler gentle breeze blowing through the area.

Yesterday was a nice day. I was at Lowe's looking at paint stuff and picked up a shower curtain. I'll have to ask Wes about getting a large container of glaze to do the bathroom and the fireplace (both in different colors and techniques) and that will be my home projects for the summer. I think it will be so cool! I'm planning to wall paper the bottom half of the wall. The paper looks like little aqua tiles in lights and darks and they are wavy! I got the paint to paint the top half of the walls in light and dark aqua to look like underwater. Then I'll paint the honu. I'm doing the smaller guest bathroom because for one, I'm chicken to do our large bath, and number two, when I mentioned it I didn't get an okay from Wes. I can't start it yet because I still have to finish the background and a few details on the motorcycle Tita. Yesterday I got some of her features done and flower printed her dress. I guess I need another day to work on her, then I'll sign it and put a clear coat on her.

Daughter Kapua came by with a truck and took away our green furniture. The livingroom is empty except for my chair and we are just waiting for the couch to arrive. 4 year old little Lehua has a ballet recital in the afternoon and after that our family is having a barbecue at Kawika's. My steaks are marinating and I've gotta make a potato salad. Oh happy day!!--

Na pua o Kapua (that's ME!)

Mama says "when you retire, you will need yardwork, so don't move from your place, it has things for you to keep busy". It is paradise today in Wakinekona. Yesterday the girls helped me weed and water the roadside part of the yard--they were spraying each other and squeeling too. So cute. We took the neighbor's 2 dogs for a walk-jog after the movies and lunch. In the evening we watched a movie and made some blonde brownies.

I've been learning about ice plants. Akulikuli is part of this family. Some varieties, especially in Hawai'i, grow in the cooler hills of Kula, Lana'i and Waimea, on the Big Island. The kind that grows in California are considered a noxious weed. I don't know what they are considered to be here, and we will be finding out soon! I will try and make a small lei! I planted this last year, after searching for the plant. You see, I saw it in someone's yard, and the temptation was to pull a couple of pieces and plant them in my yard. Although I use the term "beg, borrow and steal", I have trouble with the "stealing" part of the phrase. For the most part, if Wes hasn't okayed to buy the plants, I get them from friends when they are cutting back or splitting plants in early spring or fall when the weather is cooler. I found out from researching akulikuli and ice plants that they are growing them in beds floating on the Ala Wai Canal to keep the pollution down and lei makers have been trying to get out there to pick the flowers! They planted the canal last year! Interesting....

Anyhow, when our rocks get moved and topsoil gets put in for my little rock islands I hope to get a couple of fan palm trees. That's as close to "home" as I can get. I was kinda wondering if they would be good for pahu drums once grown to full size!

I don't do well with indoor plants, can't seem to get hibiscus and gardenias to bloom and grow once they drop the flowers they had when given to me! I'm happy with the pansies, carnations, peonies, hydrangea, roses and lavender and I wait every year to see how much the African lilies of the Nile and daylilies have clumped up so I can split them and make more plants. I love Japanese maples and bamboo too! Looks like there will be a lot of blues and pinks,purples, yellows, oranges and rusts someday when it all comes together!

Oh, I added a picture of MY chair and the trellis I finished putting u

work-oh my goodness

An hour before I left work I found out that they gave "my" hours towards my retirement to someone with less seniority. I know she's a single mom and her hours got cut this year, but I'm a couple of years from retirement, with nothing going towards that retirement until I get more hours. I'm LIVID!! So, I went to the director of Special Services and to the union and I'll try to get this all sorted out ASAP. Makes for a really nice day, don't you think?

I'm having the hugest chocoholic attack and I don't care if it makes kidney stones. I'm gonna wash it down with some green tea and hope I feel better afterwards. This is the pits. I think I'll go chop some wood or something. Actually, I'm hoping everyone else is having a fabulous day. I'm still thankful for the challenges, mine are small compared to some other peoples. I wonder if plants and flowers grow well even if you're angry when you talk to them?--

what to do? where to begin?

Today will be my last day at work for this school year. Wow! I still have some stuff to clean up and move to a different classroom (my microwave, dishrack, etc.). I'm tossing a lot of stuff because it will probably be all new and the next teacher has all the materials I'll be working with. It's funny because the chores at work today are the same as the chores at home.

I just wanna go to Walmart and find some dollar a yard material and sew a blouse, but, if I work hard and smart, I should be catching up with stuff here and not starting another project. I guess I'd better go water the plants, deadhead and soapspray the roses, work on my painting and take the grandgirls to the movies after my dentist appointment. It looks like the day is already full!! Yay!! I'm on my own timeclock after today and we will see how I am as my own boss!! The word for me would be "FOCUS"!! And I will remind myself of that every hour or so!! Ha! Happy Summer!!--Leona

P.S. Wes just called because he's on "forced overtime" and he'll be at work till Friday. This changes my plans and motivation greatly. I might just go out and by that can of paint for the bathroom. It could be done before he gets home! And I can leave those dirty dishes in the sink a little longer! Oh, it's such a big temptation for me!--Leona

yardwork

Wes must have decided to show his love by being nice. I mean, he's usually nice, but in the past couple of months he has been working his way around the car to open my door wherever we go. Hmmm. He's been calling me more often, asking how my day is and telling me where he's going and when he'll be back. Yesterday he delivered some fire stuff to Olympia and I got a call asking if I needed anything from the Shipwreck Beads place. I was speechless--I mean, not that he would know what to get if I gave him a list, but I'd bet he'd get help and buy everything on the list! Last week he called to remind me to take the trash out. We've been married for 13 years or so, and I've been taking the trash out when he's not at home for all of that time and this was the first time I got a reminder. He's taken me to buy new jeans and lately asks if there's anything I need. I think I'd better get new underwear if he asks again!

Anyhow, yesterday he came home with the (plant) poison I've wanted for awhile. I still need to move the peony and the bamboo plant, and I want to spray the sidewalk and get rid of the red clover, if I can. I'm so glad he got the Round-Up to make my task a little easier. I've been trying to keep the weeds down by hand and it is hella time consuming plus with each morning comes the new weeds!

I'm working on borders and the neighbor has contracted to move the stones into our yard. When we did the line adjustment part of the deal was he needed to move our rocks when he got that piece of our property. So, I've gotta map out and let Wes know where I want those rocks. Then we'll need more topsoil and I'll move my blue spruce to the rock area. I was thinking on putting in garden paths and plant some areas to cut down on the lawn mowing (Wes doesn't like yardwork) but that would mean less runaround and tent area for the kids.

There are still some downed trees that someone was coming to cut up for firewood but they haven't materialized yet. When they get that stuff gone, I wanna plant a bamboo forest in its place and enlarge our deck and add a gas barbecue. Wes has some ideas as well.

It's just crazy to think it will take another few years and more splitting and moving plants around. I've tried to keep expenses down by begging borrowing and stealing (from the woods, not from other people's yards) plants from other places to put in this yard. Mr. Moneybags will need to spring for more yard stuff and I think he'll be okay with it if I'm an extra good girl!

Sweetie's birthday and the day she got her voice back

Wes put the pictures on a different program--so I'm having problems, but, I think I've got it now!
We sort of broke hospital rules with having too many people at our little sleepover, but we didn't really sleep, so I don't see the problem, even though visiting hours were way over!--Leona

handwriting on the wall

I dunno about you folks, but when I was in the second grade we were learning cursive (then called "script"). I guess I took it seriously because I remember collecting my allowance to buy Sheaffer's peacock blue ink to practice writing with foundtain pens and then later on came the cartridges you could buy and and attach to your pen points and enclose inside your pen--fancy schmantzy.

Well, nowadays when I try to handwrite some journal piece in a scrapbook or jot some quick not off in a card, I realize I'm so out of practice from using the computer. I was wondering just today what a handwriting expert would say, maybe not closing my "a" and "o" means something sloppy about my personality, or closing up my e's so they don't have that little space and look like "i" means something else! Anyhow, I think handwriting experts are called graphologists (graphology--the study of handwriting, especially when employed as a means to analyze personality traits).

This should be a good week, I will need to MAKE IT SO--but I'll miss halau stuff while Sweetie and Kamaile are out of town! So, it looks like Olelo class tonight, hula tomorrow, work today, tomorrow and Wednesday and then I'm to my house and home

Anne of Green Gables

The Forest Theater is a great setting for this musical play that was written about a little orphan girl who is sent to an aging brother and sister's farm on Prince Edward Island in Canada. They needed a boy to help on the farm but a red-headed girl was sent instead. This is an outdoor theater set in the woods off of Seabeck Highway. You hike down the trail to the amphitheater. The seating is of concrete piling packed with dirt. You can bring a blanket, picnic and snacks and maybe an umbrella. The entire amphitheater is shaded by magnificent tall pine trees.

I had a good time! Kanoe had gotten the tickets and while I was at halau in the morning, the gals went to get a manicure or pedicure and then on to the play. I'm wondering what will play on the weekends of May and June next year.

When the kids were little I read all the Anne books. Sometime along the way the story played on tv in a series and we all watched. When the girls got a little older they read the books too, so going to the play was a reminiscense.

Wes was "home" with a day to himself. He went and test drove the new Toyota Landcruiser (out of curiosity) and found it too small and not fuel efficient. He picked up my chair. When we ordered the couch we decided on a small recliner to fit my back and body (apparently, I'm littler that what they build most recliners for). We will see if this improves my aches and pains a little. It has to be better than sinking down into that couch and needing help to get out of it or just rolling to the floor from a lying down position! Anyway, I couldn't remember if I chose the upholstery in all beige, or with a little gold running through it. So when I arrived at home after the play, the large sectional was moved a little to make room for my little chair. It is quite comfy and when he has those long snoring nights I envision myself to be quite comfortable sleeping in the livingroom on this chair!

I asked for a ride on the bike to dinner (if I mention the bike, I don't have to stay at home and cook!) and I had some oysters, he had a seafood type of soup. Restaurants are so crowded on Friday and Saturday evenings but we ate at the "bar" in our biker clothes and just took our time getting served. The place is in Poulsbo in an old garage and on nice days they roll the doors up and have tables out on the patio. It is close to the harbor. The asparagus that came with the oysters were good. At J&J's to sit at the bar means you are watching the cooks scramble around. I think it's fun to watch people cook! By the time we got home it was 9. It was another day filled with activity and I was BEAT! I'm hoping to relax today!

And I have to mention that there was a blanket on the floor next to MY chair, so I know he has been trying it out, it fact, there he reclines right now, complaining that it's too small, but not making an effort to go to another place! Well, I don't have time to chase him off and recline, he's watching the races. I'm going to move a couple of plants since the weather is still cool enough not to scorch and kill them! Then I'm off to church to lead the kids in singing to their dads today!

2.5 more days of report cards and moving the stuff in the classroom for next year and I'll be done until after E Hula Mau Hula Competition in Long Beach, California!

cousins

Whatever the funk was of yesterday, it must have passed or the events of the day had me realize how good things are.

Wes and I drove to Camp Murray to meet everyone and when we got there Auntie "Monju" and Uncle Chuck, their daughter Natalie, Nat's daughter Renee and Renee's daughter along with cousin Sherry who moved here last year and her boyfriend were visiting with cousin Linda and her husband Ralph who are here on their way to Alaska on a cruise--whew!

What I found is my cousins are tight with me! It's the Japanese Aunties and Uncles who say, "oh, you picked up weight since the last time". The comments to me when I arrived were, "wow, 'Ona, you look the same, when will you age?" I have no idea! I'm not a pots and jars person with the cosmetics, I don't wear much make up and don't look into the mirror much worrying about the lines and the wrinkles!

It was so much fun to reminisce. We are all girls not even 4 years apart, yet when we were growing up 3 of us were the older ones and Linda was considered with the "small kids". We talked about that tree us older girls would climb to get away from the younger kids. Eventually they would give up trying to follow us!

Auntie took us to Chinese and the conversation went to the direction of how the veterans of war are not treated very well. My uncle suffers greatly from post-traumatic-stress-syndrome-disorder from Viet Nam and is finally getting help. He told us extremely interesting concepts and things he's learned from others in his therapy group. I remember that for years he would say he cannot talk about the war--no one understands except for those who were there, being ordered to kill women and children and having bloodied buddies die in their arms. These are things they never get over. They asked after my family, and I updated them on my brother Bobby who lives in seclusion in an almost ghost town and suffers from bi-polar disorder, and cannot live what we consider a day to day normal life, waking up in the morning and going to bed at night. We talked about how war has affected his life.

When we started in on kids and grandkids there were many light moments with lots of laughter. Linda gave me some raw fish, macadamia nuts and spam cutters and sushi mold then I got a lesson on how to make double spam musubi by the hundreds in a couple of hours!

All in our 50's us girl cousins have seen a lot of the world, each are physically active, some have been marathon runners, we have been through broken families and severed relationships, we have been molested, beaten, raped, we now share experiences of being mothers and grandmothers, one could never have children because of the beatings yet all are productive and successful people in our own rights. If you have seen The Joy Luck Club, that movie echoes what our mothers have gone through, and the lives that we have led so far. Linda is Korean, Nat is hapa haole, Sherry is the white one and I am the Hawaiian. 3 of the 4 of us graduated from Kamehameha, one had to sever family ties for years, but our group has always been more like sisters than cousins!

It is good to see everyone in happier times, getting older, but still going strong and talking about "retirement"!!

going over hula notes

I counted hula notes for 18 different songs and 15 chants in my notebook since 8 months ago. That's like 33 songs and chants and averages to more than four in each month! No wonder I don't know if I'm coming or going! Add to this info that I'm now having difficulty listening to any non-Hawaiian music and I'm trying to learn some songs that I really like. When Wes puts on the rock and roll I want ear plugs.

I tried to decipher my notes from the very first dances and my notes are way better now. Woo-hoo. The thing is, I vaguely remember some, don't think I know any of them well enough just to get up and dance without notice and some stuff in my book I have no recall of at all!! Will it all come together one day?

Well, I've been at this for too long tonight, time to get some rest. Ta-ta for now

3 weddings and no funeral

Okay, the omens must be good for August 5th. Here when we had fair warnings from back home to keep JULY opened for 2 weddings, we did just that but haven't booked airfare to Hawai'i. We committed to Konia's son's wedding on August 5th. A few months ago my brother called to say that my niece Diane is planning to get married on August 12 instead of in July. My mom booked her flights from Las Vegas. Wes booked his vacation for 2 weeks in July. Then in April when I called my brother he said she changed the date to August 5th because of school, but one of his twin sons set their wedding date for August 12th! Today we received an actual invitation to the other wedding we planned to go to in July and that one is dated for.... guess when??--August 5th!

Those are the weddings we were to keep dates open for. When the school and church people send out invites, it will be 4 weeks before the actual dates, so I expect more invites in the next few weeks!

I think we're not going to make a trip to Hawai'i this summer but plan to attend family reunion next summer. We'll just do a couple of road trips maybe up into Canada or something. There are several places in the Western US that I'd like to see--the Crazy Horse monument near Rushmore, I thought of rafting down through the Grand Canyon (a 2 week trip) but I did the class 4 water a couple of years ago and it was pretty scary. I can't imagine doing that for 2 weeks, without a shower, no bathrooms, etc. I'd also like to go to Yosemite. I guess we'll just have to see where we end up

Ohana visit

Wow! Kamaile was on a roll last night and we got out of oli class close to 10 o' clock. The drive home was uneventful and I'm glad that crazy rain let up! Is it the middle of June already? Where is the sun? Well, at least I don't need to water plants today.

This week one of my cousins is flying in with her husband to meet the cruise ship going to Alaska. On Friday we'll all have lunch together. It should be fun, I've not seen her in a few years. My cousins are all skinny so I know I'll get a warning about being chubby right off the bat. That is the thing in my ohana on the Japanese side--I wish they'd start off a conversation after not seeing you for decades and just say, "Hi, 'Ona, it's so great to see you!" Instead of the proverbial, "Wow, you gained some weight since last time!" Once we get past that, I'll be in a better mood. Maybe next time I see them when I'm 70 years old I'll be skinny too! Ha!

Going to lunch with them means taking Friday off and heading to Tacoma (yet again) with Wes. They'll get a kick out of giving him the once over and his crazy personality will be talked about in family circles everywhere! OOOooh--can you tell I'm apprehensive to see them? I'm glad my mom is the black sheep of the family--she's so sassy and the eldest of the Eguchi clan, so that is my clout. Once we start talking about hana buttah dayz we will be laughing and joking--should be fun. I'd better dress nice--unless we're on the bike--hmmmm, "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About"!!

Ever the Rebel,
Leona

day of rest

Sundays can be quiet and mostly I just get ready for church and try to catch up around the place, but generally lazing around. Yesterday was a little different. Wes was at work and the day began quietly. My oldest daughter called and talked about what's going on in her life. I've not heard from her in this way for a long time. I looked at the time and had to rush off to choir. The kids in church were quite rowdy and I really tried to keep them active while teaching them a new song. The boys are happy to learn alto as they are tired of trying to sing at the high places. Their little faces are so cute when they sing. When one active guy told me he doesn't like to sing I asked him to concentrate on just moving his lips. I don't like smart alecks and I remember one time when I kissed a kid who was acting up and he behaved for a long while after that. After church some people from church dropped by to see how I'm doing and stayed for an hour. We talked about motorcycles, classic cars, and gardening. When they left my son in AZ called to tell of how he took his new tangerine Honda Element on the road and he and girlfriend Nichole and dog Kula slept in the car overnight at the Grand Canyon. He was really excited to share this. It was nice to hear from him.

By then it was an hour before people coming to dinner. The project I was working on for graphics on my car was still taped down on the kitchen counter. The neighbor's new dog (purchased over the internet and arrived by airplane from Alabama last week) was out and I shut down the stove to go out and visit for a few minutes as my family began to arrive. Kapua with 2 kids and boyfriend and raw chicken, chips and chocolate was searching my kitchen for stuff she needed. Anisa arrived a little later from visiting her dad for the weekend. I'd already cooked the noodles Kanoe needed for her chicken salad and made my hamburger steak and gravy. Next came Beeker with his brownie mix, eggs, oil, and pan. These guys crack me up when they call looking for food items because we don't go to the store on Sundays and they show up with other food items, but their potluck stuff is not cooked yet. They usually arrive hungry and then have to wait till everything's done. Konohiki and family arrived next with a large bowl of salad and some dressing. Kanoe came and looked around for some lettuce to finish off her cold noodle salad (lettuce, fishcake, green onions and Asian dressing) but at least her pot of rice was cooked.

The kids were getting restless and starting to run around and be loud so Konohiki took them out to play. At home they usually put in a movie to keep the kids still and quiet. I think they look freaky with eyes wide open watching brainless TV. Out in the yard I could hear them all yelling while they played Marco Polo! By this time Kapua had finished checking my graphics and I rolled it up to take to the sign shop. After dinner the kids went out to finish the game while waiting for the brownies to cook and cool. Beeker was on the computer because his is on the fritz, so is his car. This week he'll take it to the mechanics. If they get it running he'll need to decide whether to run it further or go car shopping and trade it in. He probably needs another computer. We talked of how everything we buy nowadays is "disposable". It's frustrating because they are big ticket items. Companies are making their stuff so it's not compatible with others and if one part goes you need to replace everything.

The people who start work at o' dark 30 left first and the rest of the families trickled out the door to go home. Noe took the girls home, they were pooped out by now and Beeker and family hung out a little longer. I set things up for getting to work in my morning and called it a night at 10:30. I realized what a busy day it had been.

I love my family. I like to think that I helped them become the really cool people they are. I still worry about their little families and some of the choices they make in their lives, but the fact is, my BIG job with them is done. The kids are so precious and I don't want anything bad to happen to them. I miss them when my house is empty but they frazzle me when all the kids and grandkids are here. They are very respectful to me and we always have so much fun.

Well, now I need to get myself ready for the new week!! I hope to have a good one!!

Just back from Idaho...

And boy, is my 'okole sore! I soaked in the tub and Wes is already snoring. I should check my phone messages and see if the couch is in yet. While we were gone, would you believe the new seat rest that is supposed to make my ride a little more comfy arrived at our doorstep. I'm sure Wes will put it on the bike tomorrow, but I'm not ready to ride again for awhile.

We received a graduation announcement from Wes' cousin with the address stamped showing that they still live in Post Falls, Idaho. We have not heard from them since Wes' last visit over 2 years ago. We decided to go and find them and get new phone numbers, etc. and update everything. If we were gonna be unsuccessful in our search, we would have gone to ride the rollercoaster at Silverwood, nearby.

It is a very long motorcycle ride to Post Falls Idaho. Snoqualmie was 41 degrees. Central Washington is only rolling fields of fields and more fields with a house or farm equipment every few miles. We used highway 2 to get to Idaho, thinking I-90 would be uneventful. Having to pass large trucks is not my favorite thing to do on the bike. I would have liked to stop and take more pictures of the small towns and falling down barns, etc. But that would just make the trip longer.

We stayed overnight at a Red Lion Inn on the Spokane River in Post Falls. The room was really nice, and half the price of a Red Lion room in Port Angeles! We got in the jacuzzi to ease our pains and having left from Sweetie's hospital room, well, lets just say I slept long and hard, had some weird dreams and woke up around 9 in the morning.

The rain hit us off and on, on the way home, and it was a tad windy too. We had a really nice time, but I was bound and determined to be back and have an at home day on Saturday. So, I'm off to bed and when I wake up it will be Saturday. Of course, there is the option of staying up for a couple of more minutes and it would be Saturday anyway!

master gardeners and good people

The master gardener neighbors are so cool, and they don't even know it! He is a retired engineer and she still works for UW but on her computer from at home. Their house in architecturally MODERN--so much so that when I went there for the first time, I couldn't find the front door. It is on the second floor, but at that time, there was no stairs or deck to get to it. The downstairs is decorated in black and white and red--including red tile work in the bathroom. No, I'm not a nosey neighbor, the bathroom door was open!

You can't see part of their house from the street because she put up 8 foot fences to keep the deer away from the fruit trees and garden vegetables. Compared to hers, my plants are just sad and pidley! But she says that in a few years everything will be overtaking each other in our yard. She is working towards low maintenance so they can take off on their hiking trips without coming home to major nightmare in the yard.

They don't have a garage but park their Subaru near the house. I think they enter on the bottom level through a glassed in gardening room complete with banana trees growing like crazy! They are very down to earth and have a composting system that is to die for. They try to plant things to conserve water and have shredded bark everywhere to keep down the weeds.

Barbara is always moving plants around and changing stuff in the garden and I'm so lucky she gives me what she doesn't want. So, this year I got the white peonies! She will answer any question I have and tell me where I can go to get stuff and what to use safely for slugs, etc. They are not quite vegetarians but whenever I can find farm fresh organic fruit or vegies, I take it over there and they are so appreciative.

Their hobby is hiking. For people in their late 50's early 60's they are in major great shape. She fast walks for 4 miles a day. I always see him running (not jogging) down the road and on the highway. When we go hiking I think it's treacherous, but we have a hiking season of spring and summer. They hike all year round--including in the mountains and in the snow!! It is their passion.

John-the neighbor

It's so funny because the people that Wes hangs with or talks to outside of work are all named "John".

Our neighbor John is just a hoot. He and Annie found their house next door on the internet. It was built by the same guy who built our place. We had almost no problems with getting this place built. John has a lot of issues with the builder and we can't talk about that with him. They moved in about a year ago and he's still been working on the movie lots in Hollywood. He tells many stories about different celebrities that would curl your hair! So every few weeks he'd come here on the weekends until his retirement a few weeks ago. Sometime next year he will need to work for 6 more weeks down there.

John is a workaholic and he's outside from sun up to sun down working around their place. They have a dog named Lola, sometimes called Lole or Lola-Manola. She is cute. John talks and argues with her like she is their teenaged child. Before John came hom I'd take Lola for walks to give Annie a small break. They have 2 large tropical birds. One of them talks and she calls, "Alo--ha!" when you walk in the house. John talks and argues with the birds too! Our neibor Joyce has a pool. When the frogs started making noise John went over and explained how tropical birds can die from disease born by frogs. That weekend Joyce's sons pumped out the pool.

They have spent many years vacationing in Hawai'i--when Annie was a child her family would spend summers in Hawai'i--Poipu to be exact. So, there house is filled and decorated with Hawaiian artwork that is to die for. I knew we would be okay as neighbors because the day the movers came John was blasting an IZ cd! When Annie decorates she gets rid of stuff she doesn't like. So, Kanoe has a couch from them, I have a small leather barrel chair that swivels, with a footstool/hassock and some bathroom rugs.

The thing about John the neighbor, he's been in most of our homes. He has a booming voice that is heard down the street and I've heard him criticize the way I do my yard. Easy for him, he has a sprinkler system and "the Mexicans" as he puts it, come and do his yard. Just this morning I heard him say to Lola, "look, she's watering the road. Why is she watering the road?" They have offered to pay for us to build an enclosure for our garbage cans and propane tanks because they don't like looking at them from the upstairs windows.

Bruce, the neighbor across the street has a huge motorhome. He doesn't like Bruce's wood fence, but John's fence is black chainlink. John doesn't like looking at the fence, or the motorhome and would like to have it parked in John's yard so John's view would be unobstructed. Well, John had us change our property line--an advantage for us because we gain space to build a workshop, advantage for him so he can SEE what the line is. Our problem now is that MY large landscape boulders are on John's side. He wants to build a road to get to the side of his property. In order to do that he will need to move MY rocks to where I want them.

Well, enough about John, tomorrow you can meet the master gardener neighbors.

another beginning

don't envy Thursday night ladies. There will be a big hole in that line. Kumu is right, more people need to step up and do what is needed....

But it is also a time to show what kind of spirit Bernie has brought and to continue in a new way. If we all wallow in sadness, she will have an even more difficult time getting settled in California.

This is life. Things change. People need to move on. This is part of the reason why we are here, and not in Hawai'i. Yet we carry that spirit that is Hawai'i, our homeland. And we share it wherever we go. Bernie will share her experiences with us to new friends in California. We will share our experiences of her with people who are new to Kamailelauli'ili'i.

Sometimes I see halau as a holding place, a refuge. Young people who are in school come to halau. Many will stay for a year or two and "go down the road". We all come from someplace else and many of us will eventually "go down the road" but memories of time we spend together in THIS time and in THIS place will always be with us.

Mahalo to Bernie for all she has done to help us learn and grow, and to have fun while we're living life! Mahalo too, to everyone who made it another great time last night!!!

there goes the neighborhood

So, I've written about my junior high and some high school days, I think everyone who reads these knows too much about me now! I've written about my neighborhood dogs and pretty soon I will need to write fiction if I run out of adventures to write about!

Okay, so here goes the neighborhood. Bruce lives across the street. He and his wife live there with the angry spaniel who barks at everyone and everything when he's tied up outside. This is the reason why he bides his time and just makes a break for it when he sees an unlocked gate or opened door at their place.

At first I thought they didn't like me. What's not to like? Well, when we bought this property there was a small trail on the edge of our line leading to the ravine beyond the next lot and people would drive through our property to dump yard trash, tree parts that were trimmed, etc. So, when I saw remnants of a flowering plum tree strewn through the property and also noticed that Bruce's plum tree was newly trimmed, I sort of left a letter of introduction at their house. You know, "Hi, I'm your new neighbor and I have taken pictures of your trimmed tree and the trimmings dumped on my lot, so please remove them at your earliest convenience" type of letter.

Timing is everything. You see, I'm not chicken to see people face to face, but I tried the doorbell for several days before dashing the letter off. Well, Bruce was working across the country and the wife's dad just passed away and she was out of town but their 30 year old son was the one working in the yard. The neighbor's were quite upset and they called the young family who live next door to come and say they are out of town.

Now we are pretty good friends. I go over and Bruce shows me how to get a high polish on wood for my ukuleles. He is a gunsmith who builds old style, collects and repairs, and sells very expensive goods. We fetch his dog when it runs away and I think we are okay now. Bruce's house sits on a double lot. His house looks to have large square footage plus a full basement and a great view. I can look up the tax records, but his gripe about us had to do with property values going up and property taxes going up. I bet his place is worth over $800,000. Wes likes him because he works on old cars!

I will talk next time about my neighbor, John. You would love him! The other day he was trying to start the lawnmower he borrowed from Bruce. John is newly retired and was working on the set of "Charmed". Up until now he was hiring out all of his landscaping, etc. Now he's learning how to do it on his own. Anyhow, he was trying to pull start the mower with his right hand while holding a beer in his left and cussing out the mower because it wouldn't start. I was on my way to work but shut the car door quickly to have a good laugh. He is too cute! And, yesterday when I gave him some Portuguese sausage he told me he likes pipikaula better! Well, I don't have pipikaula!

I'm in a painting mode

Years ago in another house, I wanted to paint stripes on the dining room walls. For myself, I thought, well, I could paint the room all of one color, and then tape it off and stripe it shiny with polyurethane. That way I'd only need to buy one gallon of paint and a pint or a quart of urethane.

"Well, best laid plans of mice and men" we moved and the idea went away accept I thought of another plan to buy 2 cans of paint in the same color--one can of flat paint and one can of glossy paint and stripe it that way. La-ti-da and another house later, oh well. Guess what I saw on a Debbie Travis show last night? Apparently it saves money to stripe in polyurethane, but you have to take the tape off before the urethane dries so the urethane doesn't become glue for the painter's tape.

Just when I think my brain is going, I realize I've been smart all along. Now, if I could keep track of my purse, cellphone and car keys--sometimes I lose my entire car.

Take this morning, for instance, Kawika has my Element (he's having car troubles) and Wes decided to go to work in the Beetle. But, he didn't tell ME he was taking the Beetle when he left. I was actually wondering why I didn't hear the motorcycle start up today! So, I went out to see if the painting is "growing on me" or if I want to make some changes and OHHH-oh, no cars at home. Now I need to scramble for a ride to choir or wake Kawika up early.

The girl on the Honda Dream motorcycle is nearly done. The edges need cleaning up and I need to work on HER. If I'm in a peaceful mood and can sit on the workbench and listen to Uncle Kamaile or Na Palapalai it will be a good day. Sometimes I paint from my mind (what a mess) and other times I'll paint from pictures. This one I outlined a small sketch (using a Pegge Hopper calendar picture) and then used an overhead projector to shoot the large image on the wall and then sketched the main features. You don't ever want to hire me to paint--I take too long! That's why I work for free or for trade!