Six Month Hiatus, Happy 2011!

Well, The last six month sure disappeared fast. We jumped from August 2010 and our summer's end vacation slipping into a very unexpected trip to what was going to be Guam and Saipan. Our ususal Bonnie's Birthday trip each Sept. with Kent's CG conference. Mike and Hiroko (still on maternity leave) decided to leave for Hokkaido on the 11th and Kent was slated to go on the 17th. Last minute flight changes required he route through Japan. Manna from Heaven! Our kids in Japan, Kent returning through Japan and I changed my trip to Guam and Saipan to meet up with them in Tokyo. It didn't quite work that way but regardless, we all found each other. I braved the bullet and local trains by myself and was on my own for three days until M and H met me at Bandai Atami near Koriyama. What an adventure. We spent a week in Nozawa at the Mitome farm and then finished our trip in Tokyo at Disney Sea. I would love to go back someday. We still have free hotel in Tokyo to use and our ITravex points. With all that traveling and returning in October, we decided to just chill for Christmas. This is the first year I did not decorate and what a relief. We spent more time together, ate at Ciao Mein at the Hyatt for our 35th anniversary. We are limited in our restaurant choices in Laie area so going to town and trying new places is like going to NYC and partaking of the many fine dining venues.
So here we are again with the possibility of another Guam/Saipan trip and if routed through Japan, I'll meet Kent there and do Kyoto or Osaka. All by ourselves and more relaxed itinerary.
Matt is in New Zealand and it looks like he will be able to stay being that his profession is among the "critical need" categories. Ben has just been hired by FEDEX and Mike is interviewing with Skywest in SLC in Feb. Time for some serious prayers. We'll go to the temple this Saturday as a family. Such a joy to have our Temple so close by.
January has been a bust for me. I hesitantly attended a New Year's party with 5K fireworks donated by our friend's older brother. To say impressive would be an understatement. I hid in the house to avoid the smoke and watched through her picture window. I got a good dose of smoke inhalation and have been on death's door for three weeks. No more 4th July or New years events for me. For two days now, I am no longer coughing my brains out and the sinuses are almost clear. February is our big Nakamalei ( www.nakamalei.org) fundraiser at Surfin' Tacos.
That will be the highlight of the month and then our trip to Savannah in March. So much for Semi-retirement. It feels like it is busier than ever.

Home is where the Heart is!

"Home again" the folks would say as we drove into the drive after a long time away. And that is exactly what we said as we saw our turn into Kahikole Place approaching. It was great fun to play at being a farm girl, mountain adventurer, cold weather camper and all around good sport way out of our comfort zone. Just wanted everyone to know that Hawaii is the best of all.

NO KA OI! Good to be warm again, the fragrance of the flowers and surf. Happy doggies and Cali greeting us and lots of stories to tell our chldren who remained behind while we took Benjamin on his graduation trip. More later, we're off to Honolulu to visit more kids and do our "weekly" foraging. Love these three day weekends with my Honey.

Park City, Utah and Family Reunion

I wonder if anyone reads this BLOG? It's a great journaling tool if nothing else. Well, here we are in Park City. Kent finished his four day conference with the Coast Guard. We stayed at the Yarrow, a perfect central location. Two fold trip, we piggy back a vacation with the conferences he attends and enjoy a new location a few times a year. This trip fortunately has three wonderful "reasons to Smile". Family reunion with the Richards Clan in Riverside as well as celebrating Benjamin's graduation from Embry-Riddle U. He is now an official professionally degreed pilot. No job yet but that's next.
Mike and Hiroko stayed behind while she recuperates from losing their first baby ( a boy ) three and a half months into the pregnancy. We found out on a Sunday, in June and we cried all day and it truly felt like a death in the family. We already loved that little guy and wonder where he is and where he is going next. More than a few of us had dreams that he was a boy even before anyone knew! Mike is taking teacher prep classes to sub in the Fall in case an airline job does not "materialize".
So after a glimpse of Park City, a nice intro, though cold, we managed to see a few sights. Stein Erikkson's resort at the top of Deer Valley, the ski lift, (too cold and rainy), the Olympic Village. Performances only on Sat. (we're gone by then) We always miss neat things by a day or two. The official Park City Summer kick-off is on the 18th of June and of course we are leaving for SLC to pick up our RV today, Thurs. June 17th. Oh Yeah and the Montain Man Festival is this weekend too, in Soldier Hollow. the drive-by on the back way up to Timp Cave was neat. And the quick visit to Kathleen's and BYU was really nostalgic. Ben's mission home, Kent's, Amanda Knight which in my time was the men's Frat house. And my old home on 230 E. 800 S. just up the street from Heaps a Pizza now Brick Oven. A too busy day for me which exacerbated this asthma based cold and cough. TG for the RV, my new "viewing station" and security blanket as we adventure our way through northern Utah, Idaho, Montana and down through to Wyoming to see Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, visiting Temples and sights on the way. Our family reunion is on the 19th in Riverside and from there we head North to the KOA at Hot Springs.
Today we outfit the RV in SLC and head up to Marilyn's in Ogden. So many friends to visit, so little time. I like the idea of the "old days" when folks traded houses for the "season". Or Summered by the sea. (That's us!) Change is nice but for an extended period of time. Let's see what adventures the next few days bring.

Six plus months have flown! New Mexico was fantastic in October as was the food, the scenery and the amazing jewelry finds. Meeting up with old friends who we knew in Hawaii in the 90's who later moved to NM and have moved on again was a blast. Our worlds collide. Our once babies are grown and friends kids are having thier own babies.

After working like kids for one week on a balloon crew, early rising in the 50+ degrees morning and then cooking by afternoon and still going by 7 PM was a full day of activity, breaking bread at some of our old favorite restaurants, chasing our balloon pilot in the brush of indian reservations and jumping over railroad tracks. We finally got our "ride" at the best time. We took off from Intel and floated over our old home on Oakmount and the golf course, over new territory for us, a short landing in an arroyo, up in the air again and over a large framed structure being built (later to find out it was the new stake center). A perfect landing in the green grassy soccer field of the new H.S. Boy, has Rio Rancho changed. We got our old friends, Blaine and pat Emms in on the act too. they got a tethered ride because the winds in late morning were picking up.

Great memories of SPA time at the Casino, Bien Mur and fantastic buffet food. Better than Sandia Casino. Seing buffalo again and the drive down our favorite Bosque area of Corrales made the jaunt to Old Town reaally special. We covered every square inch of ABQ. Even ate at the OWL, 50's diner with a juke box at each table. The green chili was espeacially hot this season. Old town brought romance with our engagement anniversary at High Noon. Food and ambiance was superbe and the same family owns it after 35 years! We talked with the native jewelers, visited the Indian Pueblo Cultural center. Most special was sharing family hitory with thre Navajo and Pueblo cultures.

Our drive to San Pedro was poignant. The property that we dreamed of buiding an A-Frame on is still there, undeveloped. the view of the Continental divide on a gloomy overcast day felt erie. I went pine cone crazy collecting my treasures. Our "rock" marker outcropping was found and faint traces of Matt's "tree house". The beautiful lake that spread in front of our property was dried up. We found out from neighbors who live there that there are water wars. Other rancers have diverted the water on the other side of the divide. The old adobe house down the road was being remodeled and we went inside to say hello. It really is an LDS church, once someone's home donated to the church and and part of the Rio Rancho Stake. Amazng to think we spent 13 years in that region and could have raised our kids there instead of Hawaii.

With all our best intent to return next year, I don't think I could muster enough to chase again. I broke my toe, not from adventuring, but from Kent putting a metal chair in my path in the late night in the dark bedroom. I limped for the entire week and couldn't put my tennis shoes on. It was a matter of driving for the finish line. In retrospect, it was a miracle that a girl like me was able to tough it out due to sheer grit and determination.

These are the most recetn memories to date: more will come later.

Now March the second year of Mike and Hiroko's marriage brings us to the 27th and just be Beyond that, on April 6, Benjamin's 32nd. Last class, Aeronautical Psych. coming up and Kent off to Florida at the end of the Month. Mama is staying home.

Guests have been pouring into the suite, thank goodness. Hope we have it all filled up for Summer.

That's it for now.

The last third of Summer, August

Boy, this summer has flown. We are finally giving in to our heat intolerance and having AC installed next weekend. Happy August, Sept. and Oct. our most stifling months. Kent is out walking the dogs. They know that when he comes home and changes into his jams, they get a "walk" on the beach. So overjoyed were they that they carried their leashes around the house while waiting for him to change. Our evenigs are short with little light given our location on the sphere. Night falls quickly, and by 7 pm it is almost too dark to see.
I spent last week with Matt in Maui and managed to get Ben to fly both ways in Pueo. It has been so long since I've had a chance to fly. It was wonderful. The islands are beautiful, each so uniquely different. Airborne for a short time and then another island appears on the horizon. Of course our little winged owl only goes about 150 knots, not really speedy. Matt is studying for his pre-reqs in chiropractic. Change of career due to his Union injury. Had his last orthopaedic exam today and they may (AIG) finally budge after a year and a half and offer a "legal" settlement. He finally will be able to use his maximum intellect in his new field. We're praying for his success and well being. Kent and I will travel to Texas in the latter part of Sept for a CGconference and then on to ABQ for the famous balloon festival. It will be great. Can't wait to taste the favorite foods we left behind. Hatch grenn chili, huevos rancheros,etc. I'm lining up all the good restaurants. Goodies was a goodie. More later.

Day after the Fourth/Business as usual

Our dogs just returned from what we call the "selfwalk". The gate was cracked open and out they went, returning later with a pleased as punch look on their faces. They are happily lolling and rolling in the grass, nice and cool. They manage to retain enough sand in their short cropped fur to distribute enough sand in our home, requiring a daily sweep.

That's what I get for adding two, No! four sets of two legs,(that makes four, four year old kids, right?) They act more like four year old boys than the claim of dog experts that they only have the mentality of 18 mos.

A phone call from, Althea was a nice Sunday surprise. She is our very dearest friend who lived with us and shared her love and nurturing with Mom during her decline. I miss her caring nature. She has a special gift in her soul and devotion to our family. If a had a sister, she would be my choice. Her daughter, Tennille came for a weekend visit recently. Her new boyfriend, Fa'a is a sweetie. I hope she has a good life too. Don't we all wish that for our children?

That's all folks!
Bonnie

July 4, 2009/ Happy Holiday

One third of Summer is gone, or should I say we have two-thirds left! Our June was insane, with tons of company, lots of meetings, road show coming up, job hunting, finishing school and doggy events. That's the family collective assessment report.

We have jumped from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July. Last posted on May 22, our oldest son, Matt's 39th birthday. We are debating whether we will fly over the fireworks in Honolulu or just have a nice supper at Buzz's steak house on the beach in Kailua and fall onto our beach blanket to enjoy the "works" among the silky grains of sand and all of Kailua's finest citizens. Bite my tongue, but I am inclined to opt for the latter. I've lost my front seat co-pilot status now that Mike has his #1 flight companion.

Kent had a restful conference trip to Boise, Idaho, highlighted by a wild water raft excursion and a good, but short visit to see his sister in Salt Lake.
He was looking forward to returning home except for having to fall asleep with the TV on!

Of course, when the cat's away, the mice will play. Or when Dad's away, things break down. The guest suite TV gave up the ghost and though we had sound and a fuzzy picture, the sound went out completely and our repair specialist said it was not worth fixing. So, Benj and I went to do some comparison shopping and found one at Sears. The plasmas are quite reasonable now. Home for four days and it croaked. Back it went and we came home with a 50' puppy.

I remember when 50' seemed large. I guess we are home movie candidates. These things are coming in giant size now. Do we watch too much TV?- not with the Church/BYU channel on almost all the time.

Highlights of July coming up are the Church Road Shows, Coast Guard picnic at Barber's Point,
Then we can hit the BX and Commissary. Maybe finalizing our timeshare at the Hilton, getting the new AC installed, and purchasing the new van. We'll be suffering from aftershock in August and licking our wounds!

Matt is taking four classes and buried in his condo, studying constantly and coming up for air to only bathe, eat and sleep. He's loving the challenge.

Our park is filled to the brim with holiday weekend campers. Last night we walked the dogs down the beach under a great full moon and low tide while they caught up to a crab catching troupe of kids. the woofs joined right in, but didn't quite know what to make of the scurrying crabs. They just felt the aire of excitement and loved to be around young people. On return we passed through the park and the EZ corner tent with colored strobe lights and young to old dancing to Michael Jackson's music. A co-worker queried Kent the day before as to how long he thought we'd be talking about MJ. Kent shot back, "have you heard of Elvis?"

Aloha,
Lani