Up, Up and Away (again)

Well, I'm off to add to my Hawaiian Miles frequent flyer account. Traci has a very, very busy next couple of weeks with swim shows. It's much easier for her to fly me over to watch the kiddos than have a sitter for all those days.

So, since I've got a ton of photos taken a few days before I left and the ones since I've been here...I hope to get caught up somewhat in the coming weeks.

Please keep Nie in your thoughts and prayers. A long hard road ahead.

aloha,
Jane

lucky I live Hawai'i

Chun's Reef yesterday 8.20.08

The ever elusive state fish of Hawai'i, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

No words needed...

Yes, sooo lucky to live Hawai'i

Aloha a hui hou,

Jane

Updates

There are updates being posted on http://cjanerun.com/ .
Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers, this seems like it will be a very long recovery.

Aloha nui,
J

Thoughts and prayer request

While taking some time this afternoon after church, I thought I'd get caught up on my blog reading. I came across "nienie" (see sidebar) and learned that she and her husband were in an airplane crash yesterday.

Nie and Mr. Nielson have four very young children, who weren't with them. Tomorrow, 8/18/08, their friends and family from around the world will be conducting a fast for them.

Please keep this young family in your prayers.

If you'd like more information please see: http://cjanerun.com/ (her sister) and http://thejollyporter.blogspot.com/ her brother, as they will have updates.

J

Go USA

I really think that the Olympics have taken over my life! Who cares if I go to bed every night at midnight? How fast is that Michael Phelps? Can those girls spin any faster? Whooo Hooo, beach volleyball. Gotta say, not really sure about synchronized diving??? What's that about??

Couldn't be prouder! Go USA

Sew What...?

When my sister was here, we took one of our many trips to SEARS. Since lil' sis works at SEARS, she gets a really, really good discount. While she was buying something to take back to MN, I wandered around the department. I'm always on the "look-out" for thing that are in that "special" color of green that I love so much.

I spotted a Hawaiian quilt that was done in "that" color! I couldn't beleive it! My color! Sis and I looked for the right size...full/queen. Wouldn't you know it, nothing. "Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be", I said (heatbroken, sort-of).

The more I thought about it, the more I knew it was just perfect! I wanted it! So, sis being a good sport (and understanding sort), uttered "why don't we go to another SEARS"! That was it, all I needed to hear. We went to Ala Moana.

All they had was a king size one. A really, really nice/understanding sales girl even called the store at Windward Mall. They didn't have the needed size. Sis suggested that we go to the mattress dept and just see how big it really was.

So there we were, taking these quilts out, laying them on the showroom mattresses. Sis, being the quilter that she is thought that the best thing to do was to get the king size and cut it off.
I was so happy, and really sure this was the answer!

When we got it home and realized it was 10 inches too wide and about the same in the length. Since it's hand quilted, to cut it would have been a problem because of the quilting.

My dear sister, hemmed the whole thing by hand. I tried to help her, but she wouldn't hear of it. She was so fast! When she finished we out it on the bed, and it was love at first sight. But wait...something just wasn't right, I couldn't imagine. The more I looked at it, I realized that what it really, really needed was a new dust ruffle.

So on another trip to stores, I found the perfect fabric at WalMart. It had "my green", a little red, tan and white and was a Hawaiian print. I bought a cheap flat sheet and was ready to go.

Since hubby was getting ready to leave for the mainland on Tuesday, I figured I had better get started with the ruffle. I also didn't have hula to think about anymore, so that helped.

I pulled out my 41 year old, trusty SINGER. Did the cutting on everything and actually found all the attachements I needed...a ruffler and an attachment that rolls a hem all in one pass. So in a short, 2 hours I had it done!

Now our room is "just perfect"...

Aloha, a hui hou

Jane

BODIES~ The Exhibition

When my sister was here, we went to see "BODIES, The Exhibition" at Ala Moana Center. There had been some controversy about it, something about where the bodies actually come from. As I've read more about it on the web, guess this is following it everywhere it's shown.
Both of us were amazed by it! The above photo (which I did not take) is of the human heart. It's hard to see in this, but it shows every vein, artery, etc the exact way it looks.

We both would highly recommend seeing it if you get a chance. I wouldn't advise it for younger children for several reasons, it could be disturbing to see the whole body, it could be very boring if they couldn't read and they might not be able to last through the whole exhibit.

Aloha,
Jane

Na Hula 2008

This last weekend, after months and months of practice, we finally got to show our friends and family our hula. Na Hula is the oldest non-competative hula festival held in the state. Ms. Alama, my kuma and her sister have participated in every one of them since 1941.

It's held at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. It's a two day event with lot's of hula, food and fun. I feel truly honored and blessed to be able to participate in this day of traditional hula with my hula sisters.

Puanani AlamaMakaleka

My hero, Elsie, 88 years young and the rest of my hula sisters. Don't our lei & head pieces look great?

See, we're all together!

Another group of my sisters.

Aloha, a hui hou

Jane

A Day For Making Lei

On Saturday after hula practice, two of my hula sisters drove out to help make the leis for "Na Hula" the next day. Everyone got into the act, with picking, pulling, counting, stringing, tying and just having a good time.

With all the work that goes into it...makes the wearing of the leis and head pieces so much more meaningful.Neighbor Karen, hula sister Mitzie and hubby picking from our beautiful Crown Flower treeAfter picking, the petals had to be separated from the blossumsjust the beginning of the flowers we needed!hula sister Iris making part of the head pieces

Dave counting so fast...it blurred!

Mitzie stringing a needle for one of the strands with blossums

The finished products! Triple strand white Crown Flower, twisted into a rope

Headpieces of white Crown Flower, Tiger Lilys and greens

Aloha,

Jane

Sisters

My sister Penny and I are very, very different (as you can see...skin tone is just one thing). This past week she flew out here to be with my hubby and I during this very, very trying time. I'm so grateful that she came. It really did help!

During her stay, we didn't do the usual "tourist" things. She'd just been here in April, so we pretty much got all that stuff out of the way then. We went swimming almost everyday at my favorite place "Chun's Reef". There were a few days we couldn't go because she didn't listen to me, the older, wiser one, and put on loads of sunscreen! I did take a picture of her poor toasted foot, but it really didn't look that nice!

Since I've been getting ready for my hula performance, I drug her along with me. Up and and down the H1 countless times. She even told me that she felt like she was getting to know all the songs. We went to friends house in Ewa..."yes, we do live on the North Shore, with mangos and avocados"! Went fabric shopping for her and for me. Checked out every SEARS here on the island and just hung-out a little bit.

the crazy drive down Wilamina Rise! the ride up was pretty funny~thanks boys!

the view from the top of Wiliamina Rise!

No, we didn't go to the midnight release party :( Should have!)

the view from the heiau above Waimea Valley looking towards Waialua and Kaena Point

Next time, you really, really need to listen to your sister...S-U-N-S-C-R-E-E-N!

Thanks again, Pen for being there for us. It meant so much to both of us to have you here...your calmness helped!

love you,

Aloha,

Jane

I Finished It!

Yes, it's true...I finished BREAKING DAWN, all 756 pages of it. I loved, loved it, loved it! Can't reveal anymore, I know some folks haven't gotten their copy yet.

I probably would have finished it sooner, but since I had my sister here from MN, and couldn't read every waking moment, it took a few days longer. I had just finished Eclipse the day before I started on this one.

So considering that I read the whole TWILIGHT SAGA in less than a month, I've got a little bit of eye strain and neck pain, but really, really was worth it.

Can't wait for the movie! December 2008.

Aloha, and looking for something else to read...
Jane

It's HERE!

During the last few months, I'd been hearing/reading a lot about a book, TWILIGHT. Before I went to the mainland the last time, I saw ECLIPISE at Costco. I started it on the plane and figured out it was the second of a series, but also realized I was hooked!

My lovely daughter ordered TWILIGHT for me and I had it within 24 hours. I read until I finished it and started ECLIPISE. I couldn't stand it! I needed the third one! When my neighbor picked me up at the airport, I asked if we could just stop by Borders. I had it in my hands, this big, heavy book, NEW MOON. You would have thought I'd just won the lottery. I couldn't wait to get home to start reading.

I was so tired, but I had to find out what next? Edward (sigh...) or Jacob (pooh!) I also realized that I was on a timeline. The fourth and final (sob) book was coming out in a very, very short time, so I needed to finish number 3 and not be left out in the cold or people spoiling the fourth installment of the saga.

My sister from MN was coming, I knew my time was going to limited. No reading for hours for me once she got here. I stayed up late, woke up early. Yaaahooo, I finished it Friday night, just hours before the new book was released.

Penny asked if we were going to buy the book at midnight. My niece was going to a book store for all the fun, but I just couldn't stay up that late! It's the pits getting old.

Saturday morning after hula practice, we headed to Barnes and Noble. I knew this was easier to get to, parking was easy and I could just run in and out. The plan worked like a charm. Within minutes I had it in my hand, the final chapters of this saga...BREAKING DAWN.
My niece told us this morning (less than 24 hours after getting the book) that she'd already finished it. I couldn't stand it, don't tell me! My sister wanted to go to Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. "Sure, no problem, but if you don't mind...I'll stay in the car and read my book". So once again, I started reading, staying up late, up early...reading...reading....

Gotta go...
Read, read, read
Jane