Today was about planning for the wedding. Debbie, Greg's mom, and I sat discussing the many details over coffee before deciding to go into Honolulu in search of baskets for the centerpieces and welcome gifts for the families traveling from the mainland. After driving through the maze of streets in the downtown area, we finally came to a side street where this little hole-in-the-wall shop was packed from floor to ceiling with every kind of basket imaginable. Being a basket weaver myself, I was in heaven! We found exactly what we needed and moved on to our next task.
Shopping for clothing is a tough job to begin with, but shopping for a mother-of-the-bride dress is just absolute torture. I don't pretend to know the first thing about fashion, my idea of the perfect outfit is shorts, T-shirt, and sneakers. It's all about comfort, and if it looks good, then that's an added benefit, but not totally essential.
My job today was to find something suitable for the wedding. Getting dragged, kicking and screaming into the Kahala Mall to look for dresses would have proved to be embarrassing for my family, so I went peacefully. My younger daughter, Suzanne, attempted to bribe me with Sees chocolate on the way in, but I saw right through her plan, I knew this wasn't going to be pretty. I devoured the chocolate, of course, and followed the clan through the entrance to the dress shop. Everyone spread out searching for the perfect dress for me as I gravitated toward the back of the store, away from all the frilly ones. Lacy and frilly are just way off of my radar screen, as are old and frumpy. Understand that I have but one dress to my name, and it's a little black one at that. I know what I like and what I will wear... it's a very short list.
After five long minutes of looking through several racks, a couple of possibilities popped into view. One was fairly colorful, and although it may have worked, too many colors combined with an overload of freckles just doesn't cut it. That left one other choice, a deep ocean blue and teal number -simple, light and airy, didn't show too many bulges. Done, sold.
Tonight, a hike up the Makapu Lighthouse trail at sunset was a great stress-reliever after the pain of shopping. The views from the top are totally breathtaking, from the craggy cliffs straight down to the beaches and tide pools below. As the parting sunlight kissed my face, I felt human again.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Waimanalo Canoe Regatta, Portloc, Dinner at the Shack
Last summer my daughter, Sarah, joined a women's short-distance paddling team with the Hui Nalu Canoe Club. She absolutely loved it and in the fall did the Molokai with her long-distance team. What an incredible experience that was for her! Just to compete in such a race was quite an honor, one that she and her team had worked and trained hard for. Today I was finally able to see her race at Waimanalo.
The long, thin strip of beach was packed with racers of all ages and their families. It was truly impressive to see the amount of support these athletes had, the family members and friends they were surrounded by, who had come to cheer them on. We sat on the warm sand as each group of teams prepared and then raced. The waves were a bit choppy and some of the canoes flipped over. It was quite a process to turn them upright without swamping them. Sarah's team finally started out toward the seventh buoy and the half-mile race began! All of the racers paddled frantically jockeying for a spot in the lead in a field of 12 teams. It was exciting to see her canoe reach the finish line, making it in somewhere in the middle of the pack. After the race, the women on the team congratulated each other on a well-paddled race. The camaraderie this team shares was heartwarming to see. As her mom, it was extremely enjoyable to see Sarah involved in something that has meant so much to her!
Later today, we traveled up to Portloc to check the ocean swells that we'd been watching during the race. Portloc is a tiny ocean side community right outside of Hawaii Kai. Its stunning view of the thunderous waves crashing against the huge rock ledges is amazing to witness. We were not alone as we made our way along the pathway down to the rocks. Several had come to boogie board or surf these tumultuous waves! What a feat!
An excellent dinner on the deck at the Shack followed. With the tiki torches glowing in the background, the sounds of the water from the marina gently slapping against the boats at the dock, and in the company of friends and family, I felt like this was the most relaxed I had been in ages! Another perfect day!
The long, thin strip of beach was packed with racers of all ages and their families. It was truly impressive to see the amount of support these athletes had, the family members and friends they were surrounded by, who had come to cheer them on. We sat on the warm sand as each group of teams prepared and then raced. The waves were a bit choppy and some of the canoes flipped over. It was quite a process to turn them upright without swamping them. Sarah's team finally started out toward the seventh buoy and the half-mile race began! All of the racers paddled frantically jockeying for a spot in the lead in a field of 12 teams. It was exciting to see her canoe reach the finish line, making it in somewhere in the middle of the pack. After the race, the women on the team congratulated each other on a well-paddled race. The camaraderie this team shares was heartwarming to see. As her mom, it was extremely enjoyable to see Sarah involved in something that has meant so much to her!
Later today, we traveled up to Portloc to check the ocean swells that we'd been watching during the race. Portloc is a tiny ocean side community right outside of Hawaii Kai. Its stunning view of the thunderous waves crashing against the huge rock ledges is amazing to witness. We were not alone as we made our way along the pathway down to the rocks. Several had come to boogie board or surf these tumultuous waves! What a feat!
An excellent dinner on the deck at the Shack followed. With the tiki torches glowing in the background, the sounds of the water from the marina gently slapping against the boats at the dock, and in the company of friends and family, I felt like this was the most relaxed I had been in ages! Another perfect day!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Aquarium at Waikiki, San Souci Beach, Night Snorkel at Hanauma Bay
What an incredible day, no jet lag and we were full speed ahead! Our first stop was the Waikiki Aquarium. In comparison to the Boston Aquarium, this one is smaller in size, however it makes up for it with the quality of the exhibits which are beautifully displayed and provide exposure to the wide array of sealife found here in the islands. Very impressive!
Behind the aquarium, the deep blue ocean waters sparkled as the sun danced over the white water waves. The sands of San Souci Beach were calling our names as we walked, so we spent the afternoon in the sun, sand, and surf relaxing with our family. Good conversation, good company... I didn't think it could get much better than that...
Except that tonight we did something that was over-the-top exciting. We went for a night snorkel at Hanauma Bay. The stars and the moon appeared in the night sky, sporadically covered in clouds. Because we were so far above the beach below, the view from the top of the ridge made the underwater flashlights look like fireflies floating in an open field. As we made our way down to the water's edge, we could make out the outlines of the swimmers searching for the tropical fish that swam in this little cove. Once we arrived on the beach, we donned our snorkel gear, grabbed the flashlights, and off we went into the warm waters. The view under the surface was somewhat murky due to the high tide and heavy surf that had taken place all day, but we were still able to locate some of the brightly colored fish as they swam in and out of the coral. We were sure that many more were hiding, but the water was choppy, making it feel like a washing machine rather than What an unbelievable experience! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Behind the aquarium, the deep blue ocean waters sparkled as the sun danced over the white water waves. The sands of San Souci Beach were calling our names as we walked, so we spent the afternoon in the sun, sand, and surf relaxing with our family. Good conversation, good company... I didn't think it could get much better than that...
Except that tonight we did something that was over-the-top exciting. We went for a night snorkel at Hanauma Bay. The stars and the moon appeared in the night sky, sporadically covered in clouds. Because we were so far above the beach below, the view from the top of the ridge made the underwater flashlights look like fireflies floating in an open field. As we made our way down to the water's edge, we could make out the outlines of the swimmers searching for the tropical fish that swam in this little cove. Once we arrived on the beach, we donned our snorkel gear, grabbed the flashlights, and off we went into the warm waters. The view under the surface was somewhat murky due to the high tide and heavy surf that had taken place all day, but we were still able to locate some of the brightly colored fish as they swam in and out of the coral. We were sure that many more were hiding, but the water was choppy, making it feel like a washing machine rather than What an unbelievable experience! Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Aloha from Hawaii and New Hampshire!
Hello Everyone,
One cannot help but feel rejuvenated by warm sunshine and gentle Hawaiian breezes. After surviving the last week of school (complete with indoor recesses thanks to 4 days of rain), report cards, and the general mayhem that only a teacher can understand, I left New Hampshire at 5:00 AM to fly out of Boston's Logan Airport. The 11 hour flight took me to Denver and then on to Honolulu, landing at 3:00 PM Hawaii time, 9:00PM New Hampshire time. My daughter, Sarah, and her fiance, Greg greeted me at the airport. My younger daughter, Suzanne, also arrived on a different flight 3 hours later. We are staying for the next two weeks with Greg's family at their gorgeous home in Hawaii Kai, a beautiful community about 25 minutes out of Waikiki.
After breakfast, we took a long hike up into the hills in Hawaii Kai. Hiking in Hawaii is not unlike hiking in NH, however the hills lead to steep ridges that have drop-offs on both sides. Needless to say, wandering off the trail is not the best idea. When we reached the top, we had a spectacular panoramic view of the entire eastern part of Oahu, well worth the climb!
This afternoon Sarah, Debbie (Greg's mom), Suzanne, and I drove to Kualoa Ranch to check out the site where they are planning to have their wedding in July, 2010. It is truly an amazing spot, 40+ acres of rainforest, gardens, beach, and unbelievable views. Just what you'd picture for a Hawaiian wedding, it just took my breath away!
Tonight we are having a barbecue to celebrate - Sarah just received a contract for a first grade teaching position for next year at a school in Kailua! How exciting is that?
One cannot help but feel rejuvenated by warm sunshine and gentle Hawaiian breezes. After surviving the last week of school (complete with indoor recesses thanks to 4 days of rain), report cards, and the general mayhem that only a teacher can understand, I left New Hampshire at 5:00 AM to fly out of Boston's Logan Airport. The 11 hour flight took me to Denver and then on to Honolulu, landing at 3:00 PM Hawaii time, 9:00PM New Hampshire time. My daughter, Sarah, and her fiance, Greg greeted me at the airport. My younger daughter, Suzanne, also arrived on a different flight 3 hours later. We are staying for the next two weeks with Greg's family at their gorgeous home in Hawaii Kai, a beautiful community about 25 minutes out of Waikiki.
After breakfast, we took a long hike up into the hills in Hawaii Kai. Hiking in Hawaii is not unlike hiking in NH, however the hills lead to steep ridges that have drop-offs on both sides. Needless to say, wandering off the trail is not the best idea. When we reached the top, we had a spectacular panoramic view of the entire eastern part of Oahu, well worth the climb!
This afternoon Sarah, Debbie (Greg's mom), Suzanne, and I drove to Kualoa Ranch to check out the site where they are planning to have their wedding in July, 2010. It is truly an amazing spot, 40+ acres of rainforest, gardens, beach, and unbelievable views. Just what you'd picture for a Hawaiian wedding, it just took my breath away!
Tonight we are having a barbecue to celebrate - Sarah just received a contract for a first grade teaching position for next year at a school in Kailua! How exciting is that?
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