Solar Drying

Last week I went over to visit a good friend who lives in Ewa, sort of the west side. When we walked into the kitchen, right away I noticed that she had a clothes line strung up. I commented on that because I know where she lives there are a lot of rules.

She told me that her neighbor next door got an electric bill for $517.00! I almost had a heart attack. I guess they keep their AC on "super chill" most of the time. So my friend was telling me that she'd been looking for ways to "cut down" and decided that solar drying her towels and sheets was an answer.

She asked me what I thought about that. I laughed and said I'm now on my second clothesline since moving here. The first one got bent up my a tree-trimming. Hubby and I bought front-loading washer/dryer because of the savings of water, 65% less water. Since our "grey water" goes directly into our cesspool, seems like a good idea to cut back as much as we can in that department.

Anyway, I got my first clothesline a few weeks after moving in. I was telling her how surprised I was that I actually hang out most of my laundry. There's nothing better than the smell of clothes just taken off the line~

She did have a little tip, add a small amount of water softener to the rinse water and that helps with softness.

So today, was the day I do delicates. I love hanging them up and having them flap in the breeze. Amazing how fast they dry. Don't get me wrong, I still use my dryer, but just not that often, more during the rainy season (for obvious reasons).

Just takin' advantage of all that sun and the tradewinds!

Aloha,
Jane

Snake Road

On the H1 north, after leaving Mililani you have the choice of either going through Wahiawa or Scholfield. More often than not, we always take the Scholfield way for a couple of reasons. First, you don't have to go through Wahiawa. The most important reason for going through Scholfield is because of this road... Snake Road. It's a rural two-lane road that goes through the old cane fields. It skirts right along the Waianae Mtn. range. As soon as you past the last Scholfield Barracks gate, you immediately are in the country.

I love this road because it goes through a forest of ironwood trees, beside a river, through farms and once over the last ridge, the whole north shore is before you. Just coming over the last ridge before starting down.
part of the ironwoods
you can tell how the elevation drops here.
the turn off towards our house. this is the only light in Waialua...it's blinking.

Sorry couldn't take any pics of why they actually call it "snake road"...I was driving! I know that some of you have driven this road and are thinking "WHAT!!!!???". I know that there are a lot of accidents on this road (people not paying attention), but it really is so pretty and when we come over the last ridge, it really is HOME.

Only in Hawaii, vol II

Continuation of my "Only in Hawaii" series. These are things that are so unique to our beautiful state, that I just want to share this little bit of ALOHA.People will stand in line for an hour for frozen water covered with flavored sugar syrupOne way to get rid of all those mangos!A bus waiting for the cars coming the other way to cross a narrow bridge.

End of another perfect Hawaiian Day.

Aloha, a hui hou

Jane

Be Prepared...

Living on an island in the most desolate islands in the world, you think a lot about being prepared. We're reminded monthly about the threat of tsunami when the test the sirens the first week. We have to have hurricane insurance. We're aware of when "hurricane season" starts and ends. We think about getting a generator, "just in case". We now keep an emergency kit handy and bring it in during storms.

Our ward's motto this year is about being prepared. In RS we came up with an idea for an Enrichment Night activity. I was asked to teach part of the lesson on being prepared. I decided to make HOBO STOVES, BUDDY BURNERS and SOLAR OVENS.

I had kept my very old (1963) Girl Scout "Cooking Out of Doors" cookbook. It had a wealth of information that I figured I could re-type as a handout. Before I started typing, I decided to check the Internet. I was so excited! I found all the info I needed and all I had to do was cut and paste it!

I had been saving #10 cans for a while and my neighbor gave me about 20 coffee cans. Another friend cut the cans for me. I had an equal number of tuna cans for the burners. I got pizza boxes donated. The hardest part was locating paraffin wax to use in the burners, but did find some right here in Haleiwa. So I got to work.

Amazing after so many years of making all this stuff for my scout troop, I remembered how to do it. Really didn't take too long.

The class went really well. There was a lot of talk of being prepared and the plans that we should all have in place. Costco is even selling "emergency meals" right now. 200 adult meals for $60.00 and they all fit into a sealed bucket the size of those laundry soap ones.They're actually pretty good. We made up a couple so that people could taste them Not sure they even sell them on the mainland.

I learned from the Samoan sisters that dried coconut husk could also be used as a fuel. The most important thing is, that now we all feel a little more "prepared" so we don't have to "fear".

A Perfect Day...

I know that this may not look "perfect" to many of you...no surf, but take it from me (and my point of view), this was just perfect! The other day I went to Chun's and ended up leaving after awhile because there was surf, and so that meant lots of surge and rips. The water was churned up, so it wasn't very clear. Don't get me wrong, it was still a great day, but just not my favorite.

So I had worked all am on my class materials for tonight (another post), got that done and thought that maybe just maybe the clouds/rain that it looked like towards Haleiwa had passed, I would try to swim for a little bit. I had asked the guys this morning if there was surf and they'd said "no, a perfect day for swimming". That's all I needed to hear, and I was off.

I got to the beach, I'd forgotten my towel, book and camera! Oh well, took the towel off the back seat that hubby keeps there in hopes it will keep the seat clean, found some very, very old magazines and hoped that nothing too exciting was going to make me miss my camera. I just wasn't ready to end this perfect day. At least I had my umbrella, visor and chair.

As soon as I went in I regreted forgetting the camera. I had my snorkel and mask. The water was just perfect! Clear, calm, cool and loaded with fish! The water was so clear 15feet looked like it was just 5 feet deep. I was so bummed about my camera. I spent a few hours just in the water. It felt so good, just perfect.

I re-read the magazines, talked to the fisherman and just enjoyed the perfect water. Just when I was getting ready to leave, I remembered that my phone had a camera on it, so that's the pic you see here. Maybe not the best pic, but just an hint at how really perfect today was.

Aloha,

Jane

Waialua Ward Homecoming Party

Tonight was our ward "homecoming party" it's held the night before ward conference. It was so much fun!!! Our gym was recently finished, so this was great use of it. The food...what can I say...it was so ono-licious.

Each auxiliary, Elder Quorum, Relief Society, Young Men and Young Women, were give a decade to choose song/music to perform. This was so funny. It's a good thing we have so many young moms in our relief society.

Really was a great time. When I left they were still "rockin out".

Bishop welcoming everyone

Young Women doing something by the Spice Girls

Hummm...the Young Men doing something Samoan

Relief Society doing "Thriller"

Elders Q. doing the original "Hukilau" from the 1970's

An LDS version of the haaka (I think?)

The food, Y-U-M!

Konos

Our very favorite breakfast place in Haleiwa is KONOS. It's run by a very nice young couple who put a lot of "aloha" into the 75,000+ egg burritos they've sold. They are more than willing to so "special" things to menu items, add sour cream or avo, delete potatoes or meat. When we have company staying, I love to take them to KONOS, to either sit and have an egg burrito or grab something to take along with us on our travels. Big Mahalo to Mike & Wendy for keepin' the aloha in KONOS.

So if your ever in Haleiwa Town, stop by KONOS and tell them Aunty Jane sent you...YUM!

aloha, Jane

Two Things Have Come To Hawaii

The trade winds have returned! Yahoo~ no more vog and heavy air!Whole Foods Market has just opened a store in Kahala.
I went on Sunday (note to self: don't go back on the weekend). It was wonderful. Really crowded, but got a feel for the store and what they're offering. They are really going to have a lot of "local" prolducts, so this is a good thing. This is the first of three stores that are coming to our island. Right behind this opening is TARGET, that's another opening we can't wait for.

Only in Hawaii, vol I...

Since Hawaii is such a unique place in so many ways, I thought I'd post some random shots I've taken that are really "only in Hawaii". Some don't need any explanation, others I'll add a little something. Enjoy!No need for alarm clocks...We can watch the rain move across the waterPeople wait in line for hours to get on "LOST"

No words needed...

Yes, lucky we live Hawaii.

Aloha, Jane

Aloha Festival Parade

Today hubby and I went into town, Waikiki, for the Aloha Festival Parade. This is the parade that used to be shown on Thanksgiving day along with Macys when they would show parades around the country. I really love this parade! It's very local. By that I mean that it's got people greeting each other, kids running around, etc. This parade was originally started as a way to greet the tourtist after the summer months. People wear "Aloha Festival" ribbons and receive discounts, etc (yup got mine). This year the parade almost didn't go because of lack of $$ (big surprise). But a friend of ours was chairwoman, and she pulled it off! It was great. Big mahalo Toni for all your hard work!

There are so many pics of the Pau'u riders because I just love, love them. Each one wears the colors of a different island. The flowers on the queen and the horse are so beautiful!

Here's my Aloha Festival ribbon

Every parade starts with the blowing of a conch shell

The Royal Court~has to be part Hawaiian

Miss Hawaii

Miss Lanai

The parade queen

The mayor

Miss Oahu

Miss Kauai

one of the many halau dancing

Miss Maui

Just a neat guy

Most important group...the pooper scoopers! Even dancing a hula for the judges!

Aloha a hui hou,

Jane

Grandparents Day

The biggest reason I stayed in CA a little longer was to go to a "Grandparent's Day Tea" at American Girl Place with Lauren. Traci wanted to come along for the fun. All of us had been to the "Place" in NYC 3 years ago, but this was the first time visiting the LA store for Lauren and I.

For her b'day, she got to choose a doll. Traci & I were hoping that she would choose Kit, but she loved Mia, the girl of the year 2008. So since her b'day in June, Mia has traveled many, many places. So this was very exciting to actually visit the store and see everything that's in the catalogue.

As you can see by the pics, it's the place of every little girls dream. Since this was a tea, we had little sandwiches, fruit, mini scones and heart-shaped brownies among other things. Everything is decorated in hot pink, black and white. Yes, there's even a special seat for the doll and she even got her own special cup/saucer that matched the bigger ones.

It was so fun to see Lauren in such a "grown up" setting. Guess having a special "tea", in a special store, with my special granddaughter, really did make me feel special.

Lauren & Mia enjoying their seats.

Mia & her special cup & saucer

Lauren & Mia trying to decide what to eat first!

Lauren & Mia in front of the "Mia, 2008 Girl of the Year" display in her new performance outfit

Thank you Lauren & Mia for making this such a special Grandparent's Day.

Love, Grammy

Never Forget

Sunset Beach Fire Station 09.11.08

God Bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans, white with foam God bless America, My home sweet home.

9-11-2008

New Blog

I've added a new link on my blog for Geoff & Bri's blog. This is fun, more pics of Grey and his everyday life.

check it out!

Jane

New Beginnings

This is the second week of my trip to CA. This week was filled with "New Beginnings"...all of them equally important.

Greyson watching the beginning of collage football...June Jones should have stayed in HI
Lauren'sbeginning the year as a First Grader. She was so excited!
Jack is beginning the first year of Pre School
T & B beginning the road to "empty nesters" (many, many years down the line, but...).
Jack beginning to follow in his sisters footsteps (or shoes)
Lauren beginning her second year of soccer.

School + Soccer + Scouts = Fall

Usually, it's said that Spring is the time of "new beginnings", but it seems like this is actually the season for many, many important new beginnings.

Now, my trip here is beginning to wind down, I leave next week. This has been a really, really good trip. So many things happened, so many new beginnings and so many things to be thankful for.

Jane