Memorial Day in review

It really seems like this weekend should be Memorial Day to me...maybe others feel this way, too. But the holiday is long gone, and with it a couple of Memorial Day events here on Oahu, including the annual Lantern Floating Hawaii program held at Ala Moana Beach Park. The event keeps growing. This year attendance was estimated at 40,000! (That's a lot of people in that beach park.) The aim is to "give people a way to remember departed loved ones and to call for world peace." This info and the picture above is from the Advertiser.

A dad's best day ever

We were in Waikiki on Monday, hitting the beach for a BBQ with Noel's office mates and their friends and family. Lot of fun, but it was hot. Really hot. We had a hot spell that started late last week and just ended yesterday with cooler temps. Matter of fact, it rained heavily last night and we had some early morning fog today. It will probably heat up again soon, but the break was great. Back at the beach, here's Noel floating on a stand-up paddle board borrowed from a friend. He cruised around the shore this way with the boys along for the ride. He was having so much fun. The kids were, too, but Noel's smile was bigger.

Memorial Day at Punchbowl - 2009

While running errands on Sunday afternoon, I asked Noel to drive up to Punchbowl, the National Cemetery of the Pacific. Each year, the local Boy Scouts place lei on the all the graves for the weekend and the large gathering on Monday morning. (Tammy Duckworth attended - the new assistant secretary of Veteran's Affairs. A veteran herself who has local ties.) Late Sunday afternoon they were preparing for a sunset candlelight vigil, but we didn't stay long.

We spent a great day at the beach in Waikiki yesterday. A long day, but fun. Photo to follow later in the week.

Catching up

With Noel taking an unusually-timed mini-vacation earlier in the week, our schedules have been off a bit here. I've been hit with a cold bug, too, which is slowing me down. So today is a bit of a catch up day with laundry, dishes, and a few other errands. Fun stuff with the kids might enter the mix later today.
I was playing around with the camera in the neighborhood recently with the goal to get a nice picture for the blog banner. Still not happy with the final results of the layout change, but it works for now. (I added the text using the online Photoshop tool.) Here's one from the reject pile. Not sure what kind of flowers they are, but I like the orange and green contrast. Still working on my aperture / focus techniques. I can't get the flower very sharp. Pretty, but needs help.

Boiling Pots, Big Island

As Noel was packing late Sunday morning for his Big Island trip, Robbie surveys the "take" piles on the living room floor and exclaims, "Daddy, you have a lot of stuff!" We doubled-over laughing, it was just too funny. Funny because it was true. Noel is not quite what you can call a lite packer. And when photo equipment is involved, forget about it. But hey, if he is using it (and I'm not the one schlepping it), then I don't care. And he's using it! Here's a shot from his cousin's iPhone late yesterday afternoon. Slowing down, setting up, and shooting on the rocks around Boiling Pots.

Rainbow Falls, Big Island

Noel is taking two days off with his cousin to explore and hike parts of the Big Island, including Volcanoes National Park. Just got a text message that said he was at Rainbow Falls. I'm hoping they get to see some of the lava flow from the volcano this trip.

Daddy's playing, so we'll play, too

Noel joined a softball league which plays their games on the weekends in Kapiolani Park, a large open space between the Waikiki high rises and the slopes of Diamond Head. We all went down to his first game yesterday. We got there and I quickly realized it would not be a good place (read: no fun for me) to have the kids running around, nor could we even watch the game safely; the "fields" consist of a couple of rickety screens behind the batters box, placed sporadically over dry, bumpy grass. While focusing on one game, you have to be on the lookout for softballs coming from other fields. So while Noel played, I walked around with the boys and we ended up at the Waikiki Aquarium. It was the first time I'd been back since nearly two years ago when I was pregnant with Cub. I was relieved to feel comfortable and cool walking around the tanks. Must have been a broken AC last time causing the heat. I'm not going to give up on the idea of Saturday family outings in Waikiki, so I bought a year pass (technically, became a Friend of the Waikiki Aquarium) so we can drop in whenever we want. I threw the video flip camera into my purse before we left yesterday and used it to take a couple of snapshots. Now that we have the family pass, I plan to bring better photo equipment in someday and try for better shots.

May Day program

This morning Robbie's elementary school held their annual May Day program, complete with the Royal Court. Big deal to be part of the court! Don't know how you get there, but the parents of the King and Queen get to sit in the special reserved seats, under a tent, alongside the local State Senator and Representative, as well as other dignitaries. Here is the court above, as well as the preschoolers with their front row seats below. Robbie's sitting there with his class, wedged between their teachers. This was at the beginning when the court was being blessed. I think he actually did something to the clouds. A very hot morning suddenly turned bearable when the cloud covering hit. The preschoolers had not changed into their Hukilau "costume" but they would shortly. We got the video again. I know we failed to fulfill our promise of providing last year's show. We'll review what I got and see what we can post.

We really had no idea

When our beautiful little Cub was born in 2007, we didn't consult baby name books or check lists for popular names. We just went with what we liked. And in all honesty, we had to compromise on something that we both were not repulsed by. We love the name and can't think of anything else that would fit him better now, but it was neither Noel’s nor my first choice. So it was a shocker to me to read (about this same time last year - they must release it around Mother's Day) that Jacob was number one boy name for 2007. Ugh. And now I see this article and not only is Jacob number one again for 2008, it has been number one for 10 years! Double ugh. I don’t know if this information would have swayed our choice, but we had no intention to subject another Jacob onto the world. Let’s hope he likes to go by Cub, because the other nickname he’s picked up (Jacob-pie) could very well embarrass him as he grows older.

I wonder if the name popularity has anything to do with the award-winning young adult book, "Jacob Have I Loved," from 1980. I remember it on the library shelves as a kid and I've always liked the title and no doubt probably liked the name from it. Looking at the Wikipedia book summary, I question whether or not I ever read it; if I did the plot and themes didn't stick. Just the name.

Friendly reminder about postage rates

On Monday, May 11, postage rates are going up. New stamps with the $.44 rate are available, including a set of The Simpsons stamps! Very fun. Other new stamps include a "Love: King and Queen of Hearts" and "Wedding Rings." Is it me, or are these rings very gender-neutral? A subconscious show of support for gay marriage and civil rights from the Postal Service?? Hallelujah!

Of course you can always run out tomorrow and load up on Forever stamps, but how boring would that be?

A new gig

Yesterday morning I sat with Cub in the car in the garage, radio on and the engine off, listening to a local AM show. Noel had gone into town early to pick up his Dad (unable to drive with an injured foot) for his Dad's regular radio show (he gives legal advice to local Filipino callers) and Noel had said he was going to be on the radio yesterday, too. The show is primarily in Ilocano, which Noel doesn't speak very well. So his segment was in English. A surprise for me as they were wrapping up the extended half-hour? Noel is going to be a regular on Tuesday mornings. I think anywhere from 15-30 minutes on the air every week. I guess we'll have to figure out an alternative to sitting in the car listening to the radio for Cub and I!

I didn't have a picture of this new development to share; I'll have to beg Noel for a cell phone shot from the radio studio in the coming weeks. Instead, another baby gecko! Our bougainvilleas are in full bloom and still growing. Love them! Will be planting and replanting more as they seem to be something that manages to thrive in our yard despite my non-green thumb.

A new friend

Awww, how cute is this? A baby gecko seen a few weeks ago around the backyard. Since first spotting this little one, I've seen a few others that might also qualify as "baby," but who knows how many are really out there.

"Chalk on turquoise with dinosaur stamps"

Happy May Day everyone! I think it's a coincidence, but Robbie's school had "Art Day" today, complete with the ArtMobile Hawaii making a scheduled stop. The work showcased here came home a few days ago. I'm particularly fond of it as it is done with chalk (and not paint) and a colored background. Too bad he also decided to practice his cutting and sliced it in half.

Actual "Art Day" work will be showcased another day. Another excited development here: The preschoolers are practicing for their annual Hukilau performance! It was fun last year, we'll be awaiting the school pageant coming up in two weeks.

Sorry Brady, we won't be cloning you

Did you all see the pictures of the cloned beagles and their red toenails and slightly tinted undersides? Weird science for sure. We love our beagles but we won't be cloning them anytime soon. No way. They're too much work. And Brady has single-handily made us curse our decision to get carpet upstairs on more than one occasion. I've had this picture of Brady ready to post for a few weeks, but keep forgetting about it. I was in the backyard shooting geckos and look over to see her hanging out in the sun. I would like to say she was doing her own gecko impression with her neck folds, but sadly, she's just "a big girl" and the collar is in an unkind-to-the-camera position. (And she's a bagel - basset hound and beagle mix.) I don't understand why everyone is concerned about fat dogs. Why? They're dogs. Let them do what they want. We rescued her and she's living the good life. What's the big deal?

Friday Funnies

More from my misadventures in local advertising: Looking through the entertainment pullout in the paper this morning, this ad made me laugh. The concept of a "bailout sale" is pretty good, and the staggered percentage off unique. But I have to say, I have no idea what they sell! The guy without a shirt certainly doesn't scream out "Evening Gowns, Belts & Shoes, Bags & Accessories" to you, does it? But I think the most laugh-out-loud bit is the "SALE INDEFINITELY WHILE THE ECONOMY IS BAD!" And trademarked, no less! (Might be hard to see here, but there is a small "TM" after the exclamation point.) Who makes this stuff up? I do not think they were doing this to brighten my Friday morning routine.

And, oh yes, the SPAM Jam is this weekend in Waikiki. Problem is, it's right in the heart of the area on Kalakaua which is normally pretty busy. Add to that a Sheryl Crow concert at the Waikiki Shell less than a mile from the Jam, and traffic and parking could get ugly. We'll see if we venture out that way.

SPAM alert

I was running errands and ended up at one of the new Target stores yesterday. I couldn't help but to take this picture. I got some looks from the locals. This SPAM display has been there since the store opened. It reminds me...the annual SPAM Jam is coming up soon, I think this month in Waikiki. It's a fundraiser for a local food bank. I might try to check it out just for the fun of it, although I'll never eat the stuff.

An eco-friendly idea on Earth Day

I must be getting old; I read about this idea just last week and I just can't remember the source. So, some of you may have already seen this, but worth a re-look: using cereal boxes as book, DVD, and magazine holders. Re-use cardboard boxes and organize your stuff at the same time! My samples are above - two small boxes holding some of my cooking magazines and small cookbooks, as well as another holding DVDs for the kids. I didn't cover them up yet, but I can easily see covering them with used wrapping paper to give it a little better look if it's in an area that might be seen. Larger boxes should easily hold larger magazines - saving money if you (like us) in the past have purchased those pricey plastic models from the office store.

Enjoy the green day, everyone!

Stamps

As I understand it, my Dad started a stamp collection as a young kid to get a Boy Scout badge. He was into it for a while past his scouting days and eventually kept his albums in a closet in our house. As a kid myself, what I saw of his "collecting" was watching him read the mail when he came home from the office everyday, and if there were any commemorative stamps on the envelopes, he'd cut them out and place them in a box upstairs. While in St. Lucia, I also started saving the stamps I received from fellow Peace Corps volunteers in the West Indies - mostly because they were so unique! Some time after my Dad died, I took the contents of his stamp box home with me to Maryland. A few years after we settled here, I brought back the old albums he started as a kid and put them in my closet. I still save the stamps I like and have to thank my family who indulge me in this with mail from home (and also don't mind when I go through their mail and cut up their envelopes!!). The other day I realized my "box of stamps" - a drawer near the kitchen - is getting pretty full. A partial shot of my "collecting" is above.

Happy 95th!

Birthday greetings go out today to my Grandma who turns 95! Who says you're too old to have "firsts?" On Sunday, she got stuck in an elevator for the first time in her life when the power went out in her assisted living home. "One minute seemed like one hour!" Good to have a sense of humor at that age as she can still make the witty jokes and remarks. When she tells folks her age, she says she "has to nearly pick them up off the floor." Here's her great-grandaughter Sarah (aka my niece) in a birthday hat. Sarah's Dad originally sent me the pic for my birthday last month, but seemed perfect to share today.

All hail the...

I was taking pictures of a small bloom inside the plants along our backyard fence when an old friend popped up from within the leaves to say hello! I call him Chief. At least I think this is the one I call Chief. I try to tell them apart by the markings on their head, but this might not be right. Anyway, he's Chief because for a long time he reined atop the most wanted fence post in the yard. Any given day I could usually find him out there if it was sunny enough. And he's longer and a bit bigger than the others I typically see. He also seems less bothered by me and doesn't squirm away quickly like some others. I just noticed this weekend that I think another guy has taken the fence post from him. We'll see if he retakes it.