4-29-13

Here we are the middle of April and time flies unless you are sweating.  The last three days have been quite nice with no rain and an ocean breeze.  Wasn't even too humid.  It rained quite a bit the first of the week.  In fact, a young couple who had just graduated was staying with a senior couple for a few days.  They had gone into Kaneohe and was coming back in a rain storm.  The rain was pouring down and coming straight off the mountain by the road.  He drove through the water and the car started to slide off the road into the ocean.  It is right by the highway.  Someone was watching out for them because their car finally got some traction and he was able to get control.  I don't think I would want to see another ocean or rainstorm for a long time.  

This week at Give and Take we are starting to slow down a little.  We are still sorting through bags but are nearing the end.  The week before we went through 29 bins.  In earlier pictures I have shown how big the bins are.  We finally called a place out of Honolulu and they came and got a whole truck full of things we had thrown away.  They will go through all of that and sell what they can and then throw the rest away.  I told Kathy we were doing something wrong giving this away.  They were going to make money off of it.  I asked the boy if they were going to wash all of the clothes and he said "NO".  Boy are we stupid.  Not really---I feel like most of the kids really do need the things they take and they are so grateful for the clothes.  I think of my own kids taking some of these clothes and I just have to laugh.  I taught them wrong.  

We have been sewing uniforms for the kids who are on the promo team for the Polynesian Cultural Center.  They are 2 or 3 groups who are picked to go to Japan or New York or other places and sing and dance and try to promote the PCC.   There are about 8 boys and girls per set and they have about 6 costumes each that look alike.  On May 1st, which is this Wednesday, the group will be on Good Morning America between 7 and 9 A.M. Utah time.  They are supposed to dance for the show.  The kids come in and are fitted and try them on as we sew them.  The girls are gorgeous and the boys are handsome.  I asked if they pick only beautiful ones for the show and they said they have to audition for the spots.  They are students at the college. 

Here is a picture of some gorgeous boys who came in to be fitted. 

Not a lot of excitement this week.  We went to the beach to sit and read one afternoon after work but we sat for about 30 minutes and I was ready to go.  I have got to learn to relax like the Hawaiians.  Saturday we did some driving around looking at other beaches and at some lookout points.  Beautiful scenery all around.  

Driving the Pali Hwy - this highway connects Honolulu to the eastern towns of Kaneʻohe, Kaneʻohe Bay, and Kailua

Here is a lookout point where you can stop to see beautiful views of the eastern side of the island.

Looking back to the eastern (or windward) side of Oahu.

Looking towards the northern Koʻolau Range from the overlook.

 Some nights the bugs come out and sit on the screens.  They have big wings and little bodies.  Pretty soon you will see lizards all over the outside of the screens hopping around to eat the bugs.  Problem is they leave the wings so in the morning you have wings all over the screens.  I still do not like the lizards.  They give me the creeps.  I flipped one really hard from the inside of the screen and it went flying.  Denis got mad at me for doing that to the lizard.  

 

This is Waimanolo Beach

This boy was digging the deepest hole in the sand.  Not sure why.  I wanted to ask him if he was digging his own grave but I didn't.

Here is a wedding on the beach. Looks like a baby shower is next.

These 2 pictures are for the Brysons.  I had to show them what we found again! We saw this house near Waimanolo Beach when we all came to Hawaii in 2009.  It is really something.

Look at all the detail! Just like a little hobbit house.

These are pictures of Turtle Bay.  It is a beautiful resort built around the ocean.  It has a hotel, condominiums and places to stay for a month at a time.  We had gone down one evening to celebrate another senior missionaries' birthday.  We sat in an outdoor restaurant listening to music and eating.  It was so pretty and relaxing. Just off to the side was the ocean with kids way out surfing.  If you look close you can see several of them.  I worry about them drowning.  Oh well, I guess if their mother's don't worry I won't either..... but I still do!

We are going to teach Gospel Principles in our single ward for a month or two until the Bishop can get back on his feet.  Every semester they lose some of their ward people and so he has to start all over again.  He lost his Exec. Secretary,  his Relief So. Presidency, his Elder's Quorum Pres., and some of his teachers.  So we will see how much we know.  Ha Ha.  

 

I will sign off for now and get ready for bed.  

Love all of you, Sherleen