Not quite the memory I had in mind

Yesterday we ventured out to fill up the car, go to the grocery store, and then run around the playground. (In that order, but not in the same location. It's difficult to enforce at times, but the grocery store does not equal the playground.) We're lined up behind a few cars for errand #1 ($4.229 a gallon), when Robbie starts to say: "Eat fresh! Eat fresh! Eat fresh!" I have no idea what he is talking about until I realize to our left is the sign for the Subway shop inside the mini-mart.

Subway's "Eat Fresh!" commercials ran frequently during our Olympic coverage here, and Robbie picked up on it. Jarrod, move over!

This reminds me that it is time to make our annual donation to the local PBS affiliate. We watch a lot of PBS programming here - both kids and adults. During the children's programming kid-friendly messages run. Tune in for a short time and you'll see ads for raisins, the local Pigtails & Crewcuts salon, and Chuck E. Cheese. But instead of showing you the pizza, soft drinks, and games, Chuck E. is doing jumping jacks with other kids to show the importance of staying active!

Back home in the sun

We made it! It was a crazy, fun-and-love filled four day trip to the Bay Area but we’re all home now. The picture above is about the only tranquil event to occur during our trip. I snapped the grazing deer on the wedding grounds between the ceremony and the reception Saturday night.

Cub and I were able to see a ton of friends and family from all parts. It was an amazing assortment for such a short trip. Seattle, Oregon, Sacramento, Los Angeles, not to mention friends and family in the Bay Area alone and another friend who had been in Kansas City for most of the weekend. Whew! We are enjoying life in the slow lane again. I haven’t even made it to the grocery store.

Noel and Robbie jumped on the opportunity to head to Maui on the Superferry for a few days. It wasn’t the best way to travel for Robbie and he got really sick on the way out. On the way home Noel tucked Dramamine into his peanut butter and cracker sandwiches and he slept most of the time. Little trooper that he is, he talks about going on the “big boat” again.

The week (and a half) in review

Yes, I’m watching a lot of the Olympics. They’ve been fun and inspiring, and I’m having a good time here. I did reach overload rather quickly, though, or maybe I’m just not as big of a fan of all sports as I thought. Luckily, NBC has a handy ticker of sorts they display every once in a while. I turned on the coverage early one evening last week and saw more beach volleyball coverage. Again. Men, women, I don’t care. Even if the men wore Speedos, I’d probably get bored. But then the ticker appeared: Michael Phelps in 44 minutes! Oh thank god, I can turn off the TV for the next 44 minutes! And of course, when I turned it back on, as expected, Phelps was there and setting a world record to boot. I love the Sports Illustrated cover this week. Homage to Spitz!

I actually wrote down some funny bits (and some poignant, too) heard on NBC last week.

The obvious: “It’s important in synchronized diving to train together.”

This insight from a commentator. You think?!

The sad: “It’s my job. I don’t have any other thoughts.”

A Chinese gymnast when asked if she would rather be heading to anywhere but the training complex day in, day out. In all fairness to the gymnast, I think what she said was probably lost in translation or some of the context was cut short.

The funny: “I think my mom could anchor this relay!”

Rowdy Gaines, swimming commentator, during the last leg of the gold medal winning 4 x 200 Free relay. The U.S. team had a substantial lead.

The funny but maybe I shouldn’t be laughing: “He had an open door…and he didn’t walk through it.”

Tim Daggert, men’s gymnastics commentator, when a gymnast fell on an event.

More Olympic memories are on the way for me. Tomorrow Cub and I head to the Bay Area to attend a wedding and see my new niece! Maybe I can watch the Closing Ceremonies with Sarah in my arms.

Sarah is here!

Please give a warm welcome to the world to my niece, Sarah Elizabeth. She was born yesterday, August 16, at 1:48 PM. Her timing is perfect; I am heading to the Bay Area this weekend with Cub and we will get to meet her.

She joins the family with an older brother and two male cousins, yet is already making a statement about that. She arrived sans men - both her Dad and male doctor were out of the room. Four female nurses delivered her.

Shave ice secured, Obama heads back to the Mainland

Obama made a campaign promise, err, told the local folks that he was going to get some shave ice while here. He made it, just in time. Tons of folks caught him and his family getting some of the cold, sweet treat in Lanikai yesterday. Since his fundraiser on Tuesday night, he’s also gone local by picnicking at Ala Moana Beach Park, golfing on the Windward side, and visiting his grandfather’s gravesite at Punchbowl Cemetery. Vacation itinerary: check, check, check. He leaves tomorrow and turns his attention to picking a VP (assuming he hasn’t already) and the Democratic National Convention later in the month.

Noel won’t be there. It was a thought early on that it would be fun to go, but the idea soured on him quickly. Turns out going into the Hawaii Democratic Convention in late May that there were only three spots available. And if you wanted to go, you campaigned. For real. He started receiving postcards and flyers in the mail from serious candidates in the weeks leading to the convention. Then the phone calls came! Yes, folks called Noel to ask for his vote. I was floored. And to top it off, wannabe attendees hosted Convention goers in separate hotel rooms at the Hilton Hawaiian Village where the Convention was held, stocking the room with catered food and drink. Eager convention attendees crowded the elevators and one got stuck for an hour. No kidding. Noel saw that it was too crowded and backed away, only to hear a short time later the bells go off signaling it was stuck in the elevator shaft somewhere.

Overall the politicking and ridiculousness of some attendees got under Noel’s skin too much. This may be his first and last brush with politics. I’m not saying that’s all bad.

The chocolate fountain will be working overtime

Forget Damon Watch*, Obama Watch is on!

Maybe you’ve heard. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate as everyone is quick to say, has been vacationing and visiting friends and family here on Oahu since Friday afternoon. I asked Noel, still receiving emails from the Hawaiian Democratic Party, if there were any planned events for the volunteers and he said no. But Barack did go to a park near the airport on Friday after he landed where 4,000 or so were waiting for him and spoke for 16 minutes. Parking was a nightmare, but at least you could hear/see him for free. Tonight he will be the main draw for a fundraiser at the Kahala Hotel (where we had that yummy brunch). Ticket price? $2,300. Yes. Over two thousand dollars. For a single seat, not even a table! And the event is sold out.

Over the weekend he was also spotted jogging on the beach, golfing, attending a BBQ, and dining out. There are people hanging out around the house where he is staying in Kailua, but I don’t feel like joining the masses just yet. I’m not in the mood to stalk this week.

* Ah, yes. Damon Watch. It was falsely reported by the local entertainment reporter (the guy gets a lot wrong) that Matt Damon would be spending a good chunk of the summer filming a movie here. It ended up that he filmed for an afternoon (which is about one scene, isn’t it?). He was here one day when my Mom was here in late June, and although he was filming on this side of the island, I didn’t feel like dragging my Mom over just so I could relieve my usual boredom (usual boredom being when visitors are not here) and have something to blog about. Sorry fans, maybe one day I’ll stumble upon a Lost scene.

I love the Olympics!

I’m not sure the exact moment, but as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Olympic Games. Maybe because my parents enjoyed them and we’d watch the television coverage as kids, or maybe because I grew up swimming and swimmers shine (and dominate!) during the summer games. For years I played with a small plastic bear picked up at the annual Buddhist Fair in my hometown (and I think I even had a plush teddy bear like the one seen here). It was the mascot from the ’80 Moscow games which the U.S. boycotted. Those trinkets must have been really, really cheap. ;)

Together with family friends we spent an early, sunny evening on an industrial street in Hayward watching the torch relay before the ’84 games in L.A. Halfway through college in the summer of ‘92, one of my co-workers mentioned that his girlfriend was going to the events in Barcelona. Someone going to the games? Before this, I hadn’t thought regular folks did this. I’ve harbored the dream of going ever since.

I found it inconceivable to see Sarajevo at the center of a civil war in the 1990s. It hosted the very successful ’84 Winter games. How could this happen?

As a fresh Peace Corps volunteer in St. Lucia in the summer of ’96, all the volunteers gathered for dinner at the home of our director to watch the Opening Ceremonies in Atlanta. There was a buzz in the room as someone knew someone who would be walking with the St. Lucia contingent. We waited a long, long time…and just as Sri Lanka came in, they cut to a commercial! When they came back, the U.S. team was storming in. Doh! During the games, my three homestay brothers would be allowed to stay up late with me in the living room and watch the coverage. Each night, starting with the youngest, and then the middle brother, and finally the oldest, they each fell asleep around me.

One evening late in the month of September, 2000, I went to my parents’ home for dinner and to watch the daily coverage from Sydney. It would be the last evening I would spend with my Dad.

Flash forward a few years and I’m married to a guy who loves gadgets, technology, and TV. Put them together, and I’m staying up late at night watching the ’06 Torino games and high on the myriad of cable channels. Sleep deprived and a little loopy, I exclaim, “Noel, you’ve GOT to check out the ski jumpers in high def!”

So will my boys love them like I do? Time will tell. I’m guessing for the immediate future they won’t. But maybe one day when they look back they’ll be able to recount some Olympic memories, too.

Mid-week hello

My Lightroom installation has been down for a few weeks now and I can’t access and edit some of the images I want to share. For now, a friendly shot from the Kahala Hotel’s dolphin lagoon. Noel has also promised he would guest blog soon with a few stories and pictures from Alaska, so some good stuff is in the pipeline.

The story that will be told is that I didn’t panic

Noel has said that I don’t tell enough embarrassing stories of my own, so here goes.

Yesterday we enjoyed dinner at the home of Noel’s extended family in Kaneohe. The kids were busy and were easy to get to sleep once we were home. I’m wrapping up things, getting Robbie’s backpack ready for the morning and locking up, etc. before heading to bed. For my last stop, I’m using the bathroom downstairs when I notice this creature less than a foot away to my right! I’m in a bit of a bind because I am still sitting down (and barefoot, no shoes around in the bathroom) and those things move FAST! I don’t shriek loudly, but I manage enough sound a few times to summon Noel upstairs. He comes down to find me running through the kitchen with my pants above my knees.

We have these visitors in the house every couple of months and we both have our own way of getting them to leave. I go to grab the broom – my method is to open the door wide and sweep it out with one big hockey slap shot motion. Noel likes to take a pair of long pliers, grab the thing in the middle, and calmly (more or less) walk it outside to stomp on it. Noel went searching for the pliers, which was my signal that he was going to take care of it this time, so I took the picture above. Note he was stuck here for a bit – I think my hair thwarted him for a brief moment! And for those wondering just how big is he?? The doorframe is 2.5 inches wide, so he’s a good 5 inches long. You'd never guess, but his legs are a freaky red color, too. Needless to say, it took me a few minutes to calm down.