It's started

The demo work has started on the MH. It's a good thing that we don't have a lot of "stuff" and furniture there, because everything fits into the livingroom and diningroom.

So when I come back in August, it should (we hope) be done. Hubby will have to stay in a hotel once again for his July trip.
this desk area is going to be removed. all of the walls will be drywalled, like a regular house.

Loved these books...

I just finished the final book in this series...and I'm really sad. Since Stieg Larsson has passed away, there won't be anymore of these great stories. This was great summer reading, I couldn't put them down and couldn't wait for the next one. They should be read in order, just to keep it straight. #1 is "Dragon Tatoo", #2 "Played with Fire", #3 "Hornets Nest"

I've heard that there's a movie that's been made from the first one, "Dragon Tatoo", but haven't seen it. Have you?

*these are not "girlie" books. I met a man the other day that had just started reading the first one, and he said it couldn't stop reading!

Enjoy!

The Grands

The "Grands" Lauren, 8

Jack, 5

Greyson,3

B(irthdays) X 3 (or more) = FUN

Our June is so busy. All 3 of the grandkids b'days are in the same week, 21st, 2 on the 26th, Geoff's b'day on the 19th, Traci & Billy's anniversary on the 19th, our anniversary on the 15th...thank goodness the new granddaughter will be in September.

Geoff had a couple of team kids fly over for the US Championship. One of the boys birthday was on the 20th. We had a casual bbq at Traci's house and celebrated the first June birthdays with a cake and a ton of candles. Greyson had to get into the act too

Jack & Lauren had a combined birthday party this year...a movie night. Traci did such a great job with all the food (sundaes, popcorn, candy). I think there had to have been 30 kids of all ages spread all over the backyard.

After a scavenger hunt in the neighborhood, the kids decorated the driveway with birthday wishes.

birthday candles in the sundaes

It was really a great idea. Kids outside. Adults inside enjoying yummy treats,

racoons cleaned up leftover popcorn during the night!

Water, Water, Water...

On Wednesday we flew into LAX. We met Traci and fam at In-N-Out for dinner. The grands went with us to San Clemente. When we went into the MH I heard Lauren say "Poppa you're leaving wet footprints everywhere".

Went into the master bath and a piece of the toilet broke, so water was running. I was able to turn the water off underneath. We figured that the water had been running for at least 2 days.

We called Allstate right away. They told us to check into a hotel. We spent four nights at a Hampton Inn here in San Clemente. We've now checked into the San Clemente Inn. They have one bed-room units with a small kitchenetts.

These pictures I took on Thursday morning when the restoration people had removed the carpet/padding, flooring and moved furniture off of it. They have had fans and dehumidifiers running 24 hrs a day. The dark areas are where the water was. Even today, they are still running in the second bedroom. The particleboard floor is buckled and smells! Sad that they had to rip the wallpaper in the Master Bath that Terry and Traci worked so hard on. We've had to take clothes to the cleaners because of the smell (mold/musty).

We have had two contractors in...looks like walls will have to be removed, new floor, carpeting, etc. It is a mess for sure!

Thank goodness we have a contractor! He's going to be with us when we meet with the adjuster from Allstate. We've found out that Allstate is no longer able to sell ins. in CA. So they will want to short us probably. Terry has been with them since he was 16! By the time the adjuster gets out to see it, it will have been a week already!

Another adventure!

King Kamehameha Day 2010

(early morning, no one around)

Today I left Waialua very, very early to go into town and help string lei to be placed on the statue of King Kamehameha. Today was the 200th anniversary of his unification of the islands.

My good friend Coco had invited me to come and help her Hawaiian organization string the lei. Yesterday we picked plumeria from our trees to be used. It was such a great day... ladies sitting around talking story, food, almost overpowering smell of plumeria, still can smell that sweet smell on my clothes even now and a true sense of pride these ladies have of their heritage.

flowers everywhere




experienced hands stringing lei with love

they carried the 30 foot long lei

to the firemen to be placed on the statue

there were many, many offerings left for the King (this is only a small amount shown...I had another appointment on the other side, so I had to leave)

The flowers in the front towards the bottom are the ones that came from our yard. I felt so proud that we were able to contribute to such a special occasion.

Can't wait until next year, it was so special.

I Love My...

Oh, yes I do!

Kunia

Kunia was a small town that housed the workers of Del Monte pineapple. Not too long after we moved here, Del Monte announced that they were closing down the Kunia operation in two years. The final crop of pineapples were planted. Within six months, Del Monte closed. I had heard that the company was going to sell the plantation homes to the people who had lived there for all those years.

It's such a cool place. Kunia Road is the road that skits the Waianae Mountains on our side. It goes from Scholfield and ends at the freeway in Ewa. Never too crowded, beautiful views.

Up until a few years ago, the Kunia Orchid Show was held in their community center. Hubby and I went the last year...just beautiful displays of every type of orchid you could imagine.

I would guess that the houses in Kunia have to be 50+ years old. Many of them still have the original tin roofs.

I counted about 8 streets total in the whole plantation village. It sits right at the base of the mountains.

The view all the way to town and Diamond Head

A typical house


On the day I stopped to take pictures, I actually talked to a man who was watering his yard. He told me that Del Monte never did offer the workers the houses. A company came in and bought the whole parcel, so now they lease the houses from this company.

The market/post office is now closed with a temporary post office in a trailer. All of the Del Monte buildings are sitting empty.

The most important thing is that at least Kunia hasn't lost any of it's charm.