Here in Hawaii

Finally....posting to my blog! While Susan was here the computer room was less available so I didn't get into the habit of posting here which I had totally planned to do. I wish I'd brought my airport so I could be wireless here. It's comical to watch me unhooking Marie's cable to plug into mine....the cable is very hard to reach so I do a lot of contortions to hook up. Mostly I can keep up with email and facebook on my phone but i prefer to do internet things on the computer.

Anyway, that's kinda boring. On to better stuffs. Here I am in Hawaii and I think I'd rather read about that any day. Well, so far I've done most of what I intended to do so it's been quite successful. While Susan was here I did lots of touristy things and showed her my childhood home, schools, etc. That was great. When she left (on the 15th) I lazed around Marie's and read for a couple of days, did laundry and tidied up. Now I'm visiting with old friends.

Loretta took me out to breakfast at the Moana Hotel which is a very old and beautiful Hawaiian hotel on Waikiki. Our table was at the window facing the beach and we were so close that we felt like we could reach our toes out into the water. It was a perfect sunny morning, the buffet was amazing, Loretta's stories uplifting. She was my neighbor and classmate when I was in high school. We just seem to pick up where we left off. Oh, and she really liked my facebook pictures of Hawaii, said I was an ambassador so she gave me a kukui nut lei, explaining that it represents enlightenment and that the nut has many healing qualities. I was honored. She is quite involved in the Hawaiian community and Hawaiian healing teachings.

I of course did the obligatory ride up to the Pali and then my childhood home. That gets the roots back in the ground for me. Had shave ice at Matsumoto's in Haleiwa. Saw our old beach house in Haleiwa. Did a quick drive-through at Hanauma Bay. They only let a certain number of people down there at a time, so there was a LONG line of people waiting to get in. No way was I going to do that, it seemed sacreligeous. Thomas Wolfe: "You can't go home again." That has many meanings, but for me it means that no matter how much I'd like things to be the same as they were when I was 5, that's just not going to happen.

Bishop Museum actually was exactly as I remembered plus more. It was fabulous. In fact, I became a member because I was so happy with how they've kept up the museum. They still have the feather capes that I loved so much. A lava-making demonstration. A pool where you can create tidal waves by pressing a button. A grass sleeping house that was 100 years old when it was moved from Kaua'i to Honolulu in 1902. It's still beautiful!

More: Ala Moana Beach, Liliha Bakery, walked the entire length of Waikiki, 2 nights at the Outrigger Reef, and Makapuu Beach.

But the highlight has to be the hike to Manoa Falls. It definitely has changed. When I last went there the hike was more like a walk. Now it's a muddy, slippery rock scramble. Between not being in hiking shape and having a heavy backpack, I managed to fall backwards while trying to get up a steep step. I looked OK on the front but my back and jeans were completely muddy. There was no hiding it. Then, once up there, it didn't impress me. The falls were meager and the pool was pretty much invisible. There was a big landslide there in 2002, dumping a ton of rocks into the pool, thus shrinking it in size and rending it mostly out of view.

I'm sure I've left out lots. Actually, like staying with my cousin, Marie. What a blast it's been. I'll post pictures of her place on another day. Amazing spot.

My cousin Marie

And the best pictures of Hawaii for last: my spunky cousin, Marie. She was the reason I went to Hawaii and stayed so long. We got to know each other so much better than ever before and I learned good lessons from her. She has quite a spirit and doesn't let things like broken legs slow her down. Thank you for everything, Marie. And here are 2 pictures of her...she and Jeanne on the day I arrived. Look at her....does she look like she slows down for anyone? The 2nd picture is her teaching me to play dominoes. I finally stopped playing and said I'd have to practice a long time before I'd take her up on it again. All in fun. Here she is.

Paty Drive

OK, this is the biggest magnet for me in the state of Hawaii...my growing up place in Woodlawn. When we lived there the address was on the lower street, Paty Drive. One of the subsequent owners changed to the upper street, so it's not technically the "Paty Drive' house anymore, but I can't call it the Beaumont Wood house. The owners, Dan and Ann, graciously showed me around, gave me bananas and gardenias from the yard and kindly referred to it as my house. I truly do feel it's still my home even though much has changed. Here are some pictures.

One picture is from the front lanai, looking back at the valley. I like this because it shows how lush Manoa Valley is.

The rock wall (2 pictures) is the surprise my parents found after we moved in to the house back in 1948 or 49. The house was on a mountainside and so the house had to be built on the middle tier of the lot. Once moved in, Mom and Dad began to clear the lot of brush and weeds with plans to landscape. Lo and behold, here were these amazing rock walls, built in the old style: fitting the rocks skillfully together without benefit of any type of mortar. We had no idea of the origin so called them our menehune walls, firmly believing the little people had built it in ancient times for us to discover later. It turned out that there was once a Woodlawn Dairy somewhere in that vicinity so it was probably later beings, more our size, who did the good work.

And that pretty little purple flower is Tahitian ginger. Not fragrant but certainly a vibrant hue.

Hawaii Friends

Although I didn't get to see nearly as many friends as I'd have liked, the ones I did see where absolutely precious. At his desk is my old "Woodlawn Tug" buddy from high school Jim Stubenberg. Formerly known as Stubie. I was his "lomi lady" as he'd drop by at the drop of a hat and ask me to massage his shoulders. He's now happily successful and married and I couldn't be happier for him.

And cheerily smiling for the camera, holding Stewart's beef jerky, this is my nephew, Luke. He's in the Marines in Hawaii and we actually had 2 great visits while I was there. It was so nice to get one on one time with him. The jerky was a present from his parents...looks like they know what he likes!

Food experiences in Hawaii

Everything from lobster dinner at the Outrigger to leftovers at home. None of it bad! And in between there is one of many poke offerings at the local Safeway.

Notice that the leftovers include my lobster tail and one claw. The meal was so big the night before that I brought most of the lobster home. The soup is my Mulligatawny special and the sandwich is leftover from Marie's lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe. Marie sure knows how to live.

The Big Island and Kilauea

I spent one Saturday with my hanabata friend, Leilani. We met in Kindergarten and still like each other! She lives in Waimea on the Big Island with husband Buzz. They picked me up at the Kona airport and kindly drove me around the island with stops at the Lava Cafe, the Volcano House, and their home before taking me back to the airport. I'd been there when I was 14 or so but didn't see much except for the volcano area. This trip showed me what an interesting island Hawaii is, and with so much diversity. From lush greenery to barren lava fields.

These 3 were taken at the Kilauea Crater. The first 2 are views of the steam vent that has been spouting continuously for months. The flower is one of my favorites: a lehua.

Roosevelt HS

Ah, yes; my alma mater. I took Luke there and we wandered about. The grounds are still beautiful and peaceful. The track is newly renovated and fit for island athletes.

The bottom picture is Roosevelt as seen from Marie's dining room. The reddish blur in center. (Click on the picture to get more details.) The tree I love for it's dramatic roots. Pictures actually don't do it justice but here it is anyway. Last picture: THE STEPS. Where my friends and I sat every morning before school. Not the first level of steps...nope. The next level up is the place. That's the main entrance to the school. I spent 3 years there, all memorable.

More Hawaii

These are 2 Hawaiian scenes/images that most evoke my sense of longing for the islands. A rainbow over Manoa Valley and palm trees.

The rainbow I saw from Marie's condo; it was the longest one and widest one I'd ever seen. It was one of my earliest "signals" that I needed to live there again. I now realize that I tend to romanticize...no! Me? And that my first signs of missing home doesn't mean I have to move back. I might...but I don't HAVE to.

The palm trees I saw while driving back to Honolulu from Hawaii Kai. Took it while standing at a red light. Aren't palm trees just so perfect!?

Views from Marie's

OK, it's time to start posting some of the pictures I took in Hawaii. I didn't take many, wish I'd taken more. So I'll start with a set of pictures I took from various windows in Marie's condos. I took tons there, the view was just so breathtaking in every direction I couldn't stop.

The 1st picture is Diamond Head from Marie's dining room window. Not much left of the view but it still is beautiful.

Interestingly, the views made me wax nostalgic because I could see so many things that reminded me of when I lived there: my old high school (Roosevelt), the valley I lived in (Manoa), where I took art classes (Honolulu Art Academy) and Diamond Head.

The 2nd picture is the little banyan tree park across from Marie's and in the bottom right corner is part of the art academy.

I re-upped

I was supposed to fly out of Honolulu tonight but after Marie and I considered how it would be for her without me here, she decided it might be better if I stayed. Yeah, twist my arm. So twelve more days of paradise and I get home ON Danny boy's 60th birthday. I thought it was a pretty cool present but his reaction was, "Oh good, I get to go to the airport on my birthday." :-)

Marie is out to dinner with friends so I have the place to myself. Tomorrow I hope to start being a little more touristy and give up the nap thing. Geez, I just can't stop sleeping. Oh, and I told Marie I want to cook more and stop going to all these fancy restaurants. No joke. Too much! Hmm, maybe I'll change my tune after cooking a few nights in a row.

Outrigger Lobster Dinner

Each restaurant seems to outdo the last one. This time Sally took us to the Outrigger for their monthly lobster (from Maine, no less) dinner. Again, a beautifully located table near enough to the waves coming into the dining room, but not near enough to get wet.

The lobster came with not quite adequate pliers but it was not an easy job to get into the claws and tail. We managed, barely. I was so busy sucking the tidbits out of the skinny legs that I couldn't eat my tail and one claw. They're in the refrigerator and will be dinner tonight.

A trio of singers went from table to table and when they got to the 12-person table next to us, 2 of the young women at the table got up and did 2 hulas with the singers. Can you imagine, being in a fancy restaurant and the customers are the entertainers? It was so homey and beautiful. I have a couple of videos that I'll add to this post when I get back to Olympia.

Sally was the benefactor last night, a very kind 30-year member of the Outrigger who loves to take people out to dinner. I enjoyed her immensely and hope to visit with her more on future trips.

Eating out in Hawaii

Marie is sure treating me well. We go out for amazing meals almost every day. With practically every bite I swoon a little and tell her I'm in heaven. Tonight we went to Hau Tree Lanai down by Diamond Head. She and Ruth Ann had martinis. I swigged on a tonic and lime to which I'm now addicted. We all felt like eating light. I got a bowl of Portuguese Bean Soup. So so good. Some kind of sausage in there that I don't recognize but with a really great flavor. Then I had an Ahi Cobb Salad. It had a quail egg, anchovies, string beans, very rare Ahi, tiny Nicoise olives, wild greens, tomatoes and potatoes. Sorta Salade Nicoise-ish. So good.

Marie certainly has a ton of friends, all neat but Ruth Ann takes the cake. What a warm engaging person. And she made me so talkative! Hard to do. Wonder how she does that?

By the way, I foolishly did NOT take ze camera to Hau Tree Lanai. It is a dream restaurant, right on the beach. We watched surfers and swimmers for a while, then the sunset. It was heavenly. Of course the food was as well. Here's the web site: http://kaimana.com/dining/hautreelanai.html

Last night we went with Jean to Pah Ke's Chinese restaurant in Kaneohe. Had Lamb with Buns, Mongolian beef and big ole scallops with crispy fried leaves of spinach. My word. Way too much so we ate well at lunch time today with the leftovers.

Tomorrow I'll report on lobster dinner at the Outrigger. Have I died and gone to heaven?

To make things better I should be taking pictures. Will improve my performance in that area starting tomorrow.

I'm Home

This is a tough trip for me. I've never felt quite such a strong pull to live here. When the plane began the descent for landing at HNL I was still seeing the ocean. All of a sudden the island appeared out my window, and the word HOME invaded my body. Then I talked to an old HS friend, Stubie...he just bought a house near where we both grew up. In Woodlawn, which is heaven on earth to me. He describes the sounds and smells that are particular to Woodlawn and how he loves to just sit outside and listen. I'm taking Luke for a drive in that neighborhood this a.m. I wonder if he'll feel the magic, too.

No pictures to post...gotta figure out Marie's computer's relationship to my camera. She doesn't know how to do hers, either, so I'm kinda on my own.

Last night we had poi, laulau, kalua pork, lomi salmon. Mmmmmmmmmm. I bought it all already made at Safeway. So good, so easy. Life is good.

I found out soon after I got here that Peter Moon is not recovering from a bad stroke. He's bedridden, maybe comatose, in a nursing home. I kept calling anyone who I thought would know him to get info about how to go see him. I probably can just drive there and walk in, but will talk to his son first. Cyril Pahinui gave me Peter Boy's phone number. He's only 18. Hope he's doing OK.

This is pretty nice being with Marie. Our routines are meshing just fine. She taught me dominoes....FUN! And the kind of help she needs is just what I like doing...cooking, shopping and cleaning the kitchen. The occasional foot drying and sock-putting-on is fine with me, too. She's not about to let anyone do every little thing for her; what a great role model.