How Sweet The Joy...

Happy Easter!

New Job, New Uniform...

Our neighbor, Ed, has a new job.  He's still with the US Public Health Service, but now he works t the Federal prison.

Before he wore the green cami or this
now its this very sharp blue.

(looks like Howie is posing)

no matter what color, I still appreciate a man in uniform!

thanks Ed

Roads...

there has been a lot written here and here (to name a few)

about how bad our potholes are here.

It seems like after all of the storms this winter they've

gotten to be even worse.

I snapped a few photos just to show how bad they are...

these were just surface streets,

some of the freeways are just as bad.

I think these quick patch jobs are a waste of time and money.

Driving sometimes is a hazard because of people swerving to avoid  them...

almost like an obstacle course, hard on the tires and cars much less

the drivers.

Political campaigns have been run on promises to fix
the potholes.  Still haven't started to move forward.  There's actually a phone # that you can
call and report them.

I think since it has been said that "Hawaii has the 2nd worse potholes in the
nation" and this has brought a lot of national attention to the problem, now
something will actually be done to fix them.  

A Long Lunch...

had a very long lunch at Dukes with these two.

We decided a few months ago when we met,

that we'd try to get together on a more regular basis, just us, with out the hubs.

Nice to have just "girl" talk with old friends.  

Of course we met at Dukes, best lunch going. 

we always think we're going to order off the menu, but end
up getting the buffet...
fish, namasu, tabouli salad,
YUM

so for four hours we sat and laughed, ate and talked.

Always nice to run in to old friends, the Makua Ohana who
were also having lunch.

(John Makua photo)

On my drive home I was thinking about these friends...
been friends with the Makuas for more years than I can remember...John and Geoff
surfing as little guys, weddings, Julia's 1st birthday, Kimo, Suzy working
upstairs , towel stand, now Deanna at WES

my sweet hula sisters, who I haven't known for as many years, but we still share
so many memories...weekly practices, lunches, New Year's, laughs, tears,
marching okoles, concerts, dancing under the stars, births, weddings
and now some heart breaks.

“Why did you do all this for me?' he asked. 'I don't deserve it. I've never done anything for you.' 'You have been my friend,' replied Charlotte. 'That in itself is a tremendous thing.” 
― E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

When Too Much Rain Is Fun...

There has been a lot of rain on Oahu, especially up by

Sunset, Waimea.  I came across Waimea Park flooded... by all the rain.

when I came around the bend I saw guys on the beach and had an idea what they

were doing.

You can see the river water blocked on the right in this photo.

There are guys digging a trench to let the water out...

random guys coming with shovels,

when I came back about an hour later, I could see that the crowd had grown

and caught a quick look...

 I found a short video that shows why they were doing it.

it's short-lived but looks like fun

I just wonder about all the dirty, brown water, yuck!

Another One Bites the Dust...

it's been tough on the big covered bus stops on the North Shore.

I snapped a photo of this one today up across from Foodland in Sunset.

Must not have happened all that long ago because it was still there.

Last month we lost the one in Haleiwa.  Found out yesterday that

someone actually hit that one with a truck and knocked it down by accident.

Now they have to pay to replace it.

This one looks like it could have been something like

that since even the concrete was smashed.

careless drives= busy bus stops with no place to sit,

Family Tree..

while I've been in San Clemente, and alone at night, I've been

doing some genealogy  work.  

I'm amazed how much I've done on this puzzle.  I've been working

on hubby's mother's side in Scotland.  

I'd gotten a message from someone else working on this same line

that helped me fill in a missing piece.  

My side still has a lot of blanks, but that's part of the fun...

filling in these blanks.

Books...

My nephew, Robert, is a geography teacher at the #1

high school in Minnesota.

Since funding for education is so small, Robert has come up

with a great way to get classroom sets of books...

"Help Me Buy Books"

On his site, he list some of the books he's trying to purchase...I've read a few

of them and I understand why he's chosen them.  They really will

open up the world to his students.  $4.00/book doesn't seem like

much for such an opportunity to increase world view.

I'm so proud of Robert for coming up with such a clever way to

get books for his classes.

A Sassy Tea Party...

cheese, carrots...

and cheers!

Play Ball...

I went to Jack's baseball game the other day.

This year he's playing at some really nice fields.  Nice, but I had to shoot

all my pics through a fence.  

first pitch,first hit...

baseball ready...

rounding 3rd base

I love how dirty his knees are!

Go Marlins!

The Old House...

the other day I drove by the old house.  

I was glad to see that hubby's plumerias were still there

the big ficus tree and front fence were gone as was the 

green color.

The people that bought it from us had young kids, so they added the 

short fence around it.  I like how it opens everything up.

we have been inside once since we moved, completely different, but good.

miss the funky, original aqua tile from the 50's and the original pink bathroom.

Alessandro, great house, great memories.

Reading...

When I was here during the holidays, I went to Grey's class and read a

Hawaiian Christmas story.  I love reading to kids and Mrs. Schultz's Kinder class

love to be read to.  

Yesterday, I got to go again.  I read two books this time.

Kids have a lot of questions about volcanos in Hawaii, I'm not

sure they realize the different island thing.  Grey chose the Dr.

Seuss book...not my favorite because of all the dinosaur names.

Grey told the kids about all of the chickens in our yard and how his

poppa chases them.  Just glad he doesn't know about bb gun or the

sling-shot...now that would have made an interesting story.  One of the

kids said that their grandparents live on a farm and have chickens.  I 

explained that I don't live on a farm, but there are a lot of chickens around

my house.

History Day...

Saturday was History Day.

I went up to the Department of Ed for the judging.

Lauren and her friend Jane didn't make it to the state finals, but

I think the experience overall was good.  As I was sitting there 

listening to what some of these kids from 5th grade to high school had 

done, I was amazed.

Lauren, we're so proud of you and all the work you did on your project.

Love A Reader...

on Friday night after dinner, Grey said he wanted to spend the night with me.

I loved this.  He wanted to bring some books to read.  So after showers

and a little bit of a video, we climbed into my big bead.  I thought

I'd be reading to him. 

Surprise!  He read "Green Eggs and Ham" to me.

I love the pointer finger.  I loved how he used the correct inflection

in his little voice.  Never once did he ask for help, sounding out

words that he didn't get.

Bedtime and he said he wanted his little light on.  This is how I found him

5 minutes later...

sound asleep on the book I heard him reading.

I love this reader.

Granparent's Day 2013...

 I'm in an Clemente for Grandparent's Day at Jack & Lauren's 

school.  I've gone to this every year and it's still the best.

Jack's class sang  a little song to the tune of

 "Take me out to the ballgame"

 Lauren's class did a skit based on the 

game show "Family Feud".  

She played a reporter...I didn't recognize her at first

 #1 answer of things that grandparents say...

I went to  Jack's Second Grade class first.  He was excited to show

me how far he was in his Harry Potter book.  This is the third one he's read.

 In Second grade they do an animal report (just like A-9)

He was so proud of his 

 "Amazing Surfing Geckos"

his paper mache penguin 

and writing samples.  

Lauren was so proud of her creative writing,

how clean her desk was.

her pictures from field trips and

her oral report on Richard Nixon (also happened to be crazy hair day)

I loved the "Meet the Masters" art work.

Lauren told me that she was sad that it was going to be her 

last Grandparent's Day.  Jack and I told her that we'd

come and get her at Middle School next year.  She said that she'd be

okay with that.  

Our Savior's has been such a great fit for Lauren and Jack has done so well there.

Another Grandparent's Day for the record books.