3-3-14

Weekends go so fast and Mondays come around even faster.  This week has been another whirlwind.  We look forward to someone coming over for so long and before we know they have come and gone.  The Summers family came on Wednesday and left today after church.  We enjoyed their visit so much.

I will start with Monday, which is always hard to get going.  I keep telling myself I am loving this place and not missing Hyrum.  As I was walking to the costume place I walk along the river that runs full length of the PCC.  I noticed the beautiful lily pad in the water and thought "How could I not enjoy this place and all of its beauty?"  I stopped to take a picture and enjoy the moment.  It helped my attitude a little.  

Lily pads at river on Polynesian Center

We continue to mend zippers, fix the 800 ft. sail and make new costumes for the Ha, Breath of Life Show.  This week we are making the things that goes around the ankles and wrists.  There are green  (silk) plants that look like a fern.  We tear them apart a little bit, sew on ties that we have made and glue down the plants again onto the bands.  We are doing 136 of these.  The next morning my hands were so sore I could hardly bend them.  The boss lady knew we would have sore hands so she gave us something else to do that day.  Tomorrow we will be back on that job.

This is a short skirt worn over a long skirt.  It is made of all shells and I bet weighs 20 lbs. 

  Monday night 5 of the missionaries said their good-byes in home evening.  They are all leaving this week.  We will miss them.  Two of the couples are people we like to do things with.  Tuesday was work as usual.  Some days have been rainy but most of them have been sunny and nice with winds blowing to keep us cool.  Denis and I cleaned our apt. for when the Summers came the next night.  Wednesday we worked for 1/2 day and then went in the afternoon to the airport.  Denis was so sure that Brian would get lost if we didn't go down and lead the way home.  

Savannah at airport

Bonnie at the airport

Me hugging Brian-- doesn't he look comfortable with the hug?

The Summers family

It was still daylight so they got to see the pretty mountains and all of the greenery and flowers.  They came here and had supper and we enjoyed our visit with them.  I would meet them again on Friday at the Polynesian Center at noon.  Thursday we had to do tickets for the Luau but we didn't stay to eat.  I had to do meatballs in the crockpot for a party in costumes and Denis' Maintenance  Dept. had a party for the missionaries leaving also.  Parties, parties, parties!

Friday the PCC were honoring the people who had worked there for years ending in the 5's.  Fatai, my boss in sewing had 25 years and Fatou was being honored for 35 years in costumes.  She is the lady whose home burned downed and she lost everything.  She tells us stories all the time about her life in Samoa and then Hawaii.  She is a divorced mother of 6 children.  Very strong in the church.  She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to knowing each country and how each costume should be for that country.  They stay very true to the original costumes.  

Nona-73 yrs old.  Honored for working at the PCC for 45 years.  She finally retired but she cut clothes out with no patterns -- just the measurements.  I worked with her for about 9 months.  Everyone just loves her.  The PCC has only been going for 50 years.

Fatou- honored for 35 years.  Works in the costumes with me.

Fatai-our boss lady in sewing.  Worked there for 25 years.

After the meeting they fed us a brunch which is always the same food.  Rice, rice and more rice.  Pork, fish, and chicken.  By then I needed to go meet Bonnie and her family at the front.  They were going to spend the afternoon there at the PCC and then attend the luau.  I met them again at 7 P.M. to go to the Theater with them.  I pointed out all the things I had made and mended etc.  I am sure Bonnie and Savannah were excited about that.  Denis stayed home, he couldn't bear to see the Breath of Life again.  Jackson was walking through the PCC and he heard someone yelling ,"Hey Summers!"  He couldn't imagine who it would be.  A big dark Fijian who was paddling the canoe recognized him and hollered over.  He was one of the missionaries in Jackson's mission.  He was so excited to see him.  Like Jackson said, he thought he would never see him again.  He took Jackson, Courtney, Sierra, and Savannah for a canoe ride.

The Summers coming into the entrance at the Polynesian Center.  Their vacation rental was just across the street right by the ocean.

Saturday was a cool, rain, sun, rain, day.  We stayed home and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Got my hair cut, fried 15 lbs of hamburger for a Linger Longer and made a cake for Break the Fast. Then Cameron called wanting Grandma Larson's brown sugar pudding recipe which got me wanting some, so I made a pan of that too.  Also, yesterday was Cam's 34th birthday.  I thought a lot about him and his childhood.  He was a good boy and easy to raise.  We have enjoyed him but I am so glad he is married and has a wife to take care of him.  He seems to be really happy!  

Last night we met the Summers and sat outside and had shrimp, rice and hamburgers and just visited.  It was such a nice evening and so relaxing.  They were to fly out at 7 this morning.  I received a call from Bonnie about 7:15 A.M and she said they had been bumped until tonight.  The plane had been hit with lightning and they had to inspect it.  They rented the same car and came back to go to church with us.  I was so glad for them to be able to see the cute kids and the university over here.  They also stayed for the linger longer and we had tacos, fruit and chips and dip.  By then it was about 5 P.M.  Brian was itching to get ready to go back to the airport.  They all were so tired and have gone so fast these last few days.  They don't let any grass grow under their feet.  They saw a lot of things and did much in their short time here.  We were really glad they came. 

I must close now and get ready for bed.  Happy Birthday to my other son, Brady who will be 36 on the 4th.  He was born on Grandpa Mark's birthday.  Grandpa Mark would have been 92 yrs old.  We miss him and his quiet ways that he had.  Be good this week and be kind to others.

Cameron & Brady

  Love,  Sherleen
Oh by the way, Brady was not as easy to raise as Cameron, he was another story but we love him too!