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| Wednesday, 15-Oct-2003 00:00 |
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My Habitat
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My home office -- desk, computer, books, and flowers from my godkids -- admittedly not always as neat as this ...
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| Tuesday, 14-Oct-2003 00:00 |
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Mr. Di's 90th Birthday
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Dearest Mr. & Mrs. Di,
My, how God smiles on you! Please accept our heartfelt thanks, T's and mine, for one of the most stirring birthday celebrations ever. We look forward to your 100th!
Realizing that last night's festivities reflects the special people that you are, this morning, I am savoring the meaningfulness of its details: the live music and patriotic songs; your sumptuous dinner menu of nothing-but-the-best food and drink; your faith-filled gifting of your guests with The Ten Commandments magnets; the symbolic sharing of the sweetness of your lives with chocolates and a luscious cake; a keepsake program with Mr. Di's visage and an inspiring synopsis of a most remarkable and blessed life;
the lush and fragrant flowers, and the ambience of Italy.
On a day that honored you, you honored us by allowing us to bask in the warmth and devotion of your beautiful family and intimate friends. It was a most exquisite evening and we thank you with much Aloha,
T & D
http://www.pepperdine.edu/alumni/groups/firenze/
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| Sunday, 12-Oct-2003 00:00 |
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Thank You to Don & Becky
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The Bride's Folks - Becky & Don
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Yours truly, the test subject. The battery did recharge.
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And lifetime friends...Marilyn & Brian
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Dearest Becky and Don,
Look at you two! Your elegance takes my breath away...
You are two of our original friends from when we came to Southern California way back in 1979. Through those years, you've supported us with your friendship, your optimism and lovingkindness. We often comment how blessed we are to know you two and have you as our friends. You are two of the sweetest and kindest people we know. You truly grace this Earth.
So the joy we share with you as you launched your daughter off on her new life is beyond words. Sarah's and Nick's wedding this past Saturday was one of those milestone events that only long-time friends can fully appreciate and smile with a contented, yet joyful knowingness.
Thank you for allowing us to share this beautiful day with you, Grandpa, Sarah, Nick, Matt and
Marilyn & Marlys, Kent & Marilyn, Kathy & Darryl, Bob, and Bruce.
With Aloha,
D&T
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| Saturday, 11-Oct-2003 00:00 |
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Sarah & Nick's Wedding
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Aloha, Sarah & Nick!
Look what a striking couple you make! Your happiness was spilling all over the place tonight. Your cups
runneth over. We, your wedding guests, thoroughly enjoyed lapping it all up.
Forgive us for being nostalgic...but looking at that picture, we wonder how 25 years can fly by so quickly. Seems as if it was just yesterday when we met first you. To see you as a stunning and radiant bride walking down the aisle on your sweet father's and grandfather's arms, toward your handsome groom, with your heart-of-gold mother gazing lovingly at you, and your dear brother Matt as a groomsman was such a misty-eyed joy for us. Thank you for allowing us to share those once-in-a-lifetime moments with you and your family. We love every one of you!
Newlywed with a new family member on the way and a new house! Such blessed lives, you two. God smiles on you.
Love,
T&D
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| Saturday, 4-Oct-2003 00:00 |
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Na Leo Concert at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center
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Meet and greet after the concert: Na Leo signing autographs
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Somewhere in the crowd is one of their most avid fans, LeRoy.
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The most kama`aina (Hawai`i born)...
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The Na Leo concert was wonderful; they are all that they are cracked up to be and more. Theirs are lovely, uplifting melodies with incredible, chiiiicken skin harmonies that transport you to a place --- where you fly like angels!
Little did they know that in that vast, sold-out audience was a Hawai'i born guy named LeRoy. With every song, they made him happier and happier. And then after the concert, they made him ecstatic...
We caught it all on film -- well, not exactly. In pixels.
Before LeRoy retired, he was one serious, high level engineer  , working on top secret projects for the defense industry. His was the heavy responsibility, headache, and pull out your hair kine job. If he told us what he did at our annual holiday get-togethers, he'd have to shoot us. I didn't think then -- and still don't think now -- that he was kidding.
Back then, if he had the teensiest interest in Hawaiian music, he had that under wraps, too. And then he retired just in time to enjoy his new and first grandchild, Kyle, celebrated his kanreki birthday, played tennis and discovered Na Leo via CDs.
Those Na Leo Pilimehana women, Nalani Choy, Lehua Kalima Heine and Angela Morales, and their heavenly voices worked their magic on LeRoy and transformed this intensely serious, no nonsense guy into one supah mellowed out, "everything's cool" dude  .
So, when Na Leo was scheduled to come to Cerritos, LeRoy e-mailed us right away to let us know that they were coming. You could feel the excitement and anticipation in his words.
His wife, Faith, will attest to their miraculous effect on her husband: LeRoy has NEVER stood in a line for an autograph EVER. And tonight, he stood in a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnng line. Patiently! And without complaint. His reward? He got all three autographs from each member of his favorite group and beamed us a smile that lit up that cavernous room. He was on 
Such magic! 
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| Sunday, 28-Sep-2003 00:00 |
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My favorite kind of backyard hunting
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Hunting for deer
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with my trusty camera.
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[b]  This is the shot I meant to take:
http://www.leahs.com/walsenburg/blackhawk/blackhawk1/bhrdeer.jpg
Info on mule deer:
http://www.death-valley.us/article53.html[/b]
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| Saturday, 27-Sep-2003 00:00 |
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The New Hapa:Nathan Aweau & Barry Flanagan with Charles Ka'upu
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Nathan Aweau: an arranger, vocalist, composer & instrumentalist.
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AJ gifted me with Nathan's CD, E APO MAI.
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Versatile & accomplished singer, Nathan sings with such beauty.
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| Monday, 22-Sep-2003 00:00 |
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Family, Friends, Miracles, Moving and It's a Wonderful Life!
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T and the Dog-Kids, Freddy and 'Oli
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Saturday morning, the CPR recertification class in Bellflower that we take every two years went from 9am to 12:30pm. The instructor was the best we've ever had and we listened with unaccustomed interest to the segments that dealt with babies and children. We're going to be G-grandparents!
Samara and Jonathan were in the process of moving from a one-bedroom condo to a two-bedroom condo in preparation for the baby's arrival, and we were hurrying to get there to help with the moving. We were starved and stopped by the Towne Center to scarf down a quick pizza slice before stopping at Trader Joe's.
On the way to Trader's Joe, the Body and Bath Store lured me in. I couldn't resist picking up ten bottles of pump soap with assorted scents for everyone, including cucumber (Jonathan's favorite vegetable). Then, although Sue told us not to bring anything and we said we wouldn't, who could resist the mochi ice cream balls at Trader Joe's as well as a couple bottles of Two-buck Chuck, and a couple six-packs of Moosehead, that would go down so easy after moving stuff or after three and a half hours of pounding on Annie, the CPR dummy. We lied.
We ran around that wonder of a store, picking up wine, salt, and a loaf of bread (baguette, Jonathan's favorite) as part of a tradition to warm and bless a new home, in keeping with the sentiments expressed to the Martini family in Frank Capra's classic film, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, about family, friends, faith, miracles and how one person's actions â?? good or bad â?? influence the lives of many others:
MARY: Oh, who cares. (to Mrs. Martini, giving her loaf of bread) Bread! That this house may never know hunger. (Mrs. Martini crosses herself.)
MARY (giving her salt): Salt! That life may always have flavor.
GEORGE (handing bottle to Martini): And wine! That joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini castle! (The Martinis cross themselves, shaking hands all around. The kids enter, with screams of delight. Mrs. Martini kisses Mary.)
Uncle Cliff, Aunty Blanche, and Iain and Alana and Jeremy had driven up from San Diego in the morning to help with the heavy-duty moving. These efficient movers had everything moved into this wonderful condo and we got there in time to put away stuff, carry out empty boxes, set up the electronic equipment, "talked story" (visited) with Blanche and Clif and congratulated Iain, the newly published author of a book. I'm so proud of him.
I caught up with Jeremy, our James Dean look-alike. He is looking totally buffed these days, and no doubt carried ONLY the heavy stuff.
Samara's and Jonathan's new home is entirely wonderful. It is a miracle that they found it. Immediately we noticed that thhe guest parking is ample and convenient. The security is exceptional. And it is bright and airy. The living room opens up onto the lanai, which overlooks a large expanse of green lawn, fronted by a beautiful lake with water lillies and ducks with a backdrop of tall cedars. What a find!
Mahalo e ke Akua!
Since we saw Samara over the Labor Day weekend, the baby has definitely grown! No question that there is a rising bun in the oven. And she continues to radiate. This little one now has his/her very own room, already with a changing table and little clothes on tiny hangers in the closet!
Sue prepared a hearty dinner of steaks and mushrooms (Samara's favorite), coleslaw with peanut sauce, her most excellent potato salad, and rice. And Marie Callender's peach and apple pies and the mochi ice cream balls (another Jonathan favorite) did a great job of refueling the spent movers.
We were home by 9 pm. What a busy 12 hours! Buzzed with the little bit of coffee that I sipped from T's cup, I was up until 3 am. Coffee-induced insomnia serves me well. I read to my heart's content.
Sorry, I left my camera at home, in its recharging cradle. Darn, no pictures of Samara's and Jonathan's castle. And I wanted to chronicle Samara's belly! We'll just have to get together again soon.
In lieu, I'll post my most recent favorite picture of T and his two friends, 'Oli and Freddy. "No man is a failure who has friends." Another one of my favorite lines from It's A Wonderful Life...
I love that movie.
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| Sunday, 21-Sep-2003 00:00 |
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And so we begin...
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Hawaiian Eye -- aka Aunty D
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Hibiscus & a Fluke Uke
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I found this site, Fotopages, by following links. This is an incredibly enlightened site. A true blessing.
Now I can post my daily bits of life in visual form without worrying about megabyte limits. And I can now share my pics with my family and friends with ease. I love the e-mail feature as well as the "link" feature up in the right hand corner.
Mahalo (Thank you) to you kind people at Fotopages. You are godsends. Bless you.
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| Thursday, 18-Sep-2003 00:00 |
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An Aloha Note to Kalika
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Kalika & Lana
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Aloha e Kalika,
My apologies for not writing sooner. Since Maui, we've been crazy busy. So many life details to attend to!
Two of our key people at work have been out for over a month; Cia, with hand surgery for a congenital problem and Emma with a bad back stemming from childhood.
I am so grateful that Uncle T is still on summer break. He dove right in and has been indispensable. The rest of the staff also rallied and I am so proud of ALL of them. Good people!
I hope you decided to stick with the 'ukulele class. I wish such a class existed for me back then. Learning to play the 'ukulele was required at Uncle T's school. For most of those lucky students, if not all, it has contributed to a lifelong enjoyment of music. To this day, his 'ukulele brings him unmitigated joy.
Aunty J thinks you look like me. I, too, see the resemblance, especially in this picture of you and Lana, the two cuzzes.
Love you,
Aunty D (your older "twin" )
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) to bring Togetherness ( 
