3-31-14

I am trying to talk myself out of writing my blog tonight.  I am tired.  Brandon and Brady and their families came yesterday and Jeff and Trudy Hancey left on Thursday.  I don't think it is good to be alone too long.  You get lazy and your stamina is not too good.  We have had a good week with Jeff and Trudy.  They mostly did their own thing and we would go eat in the evenings.  We went out to Hakuku Grill and ate out on their deck and visited.  It is funny how many people we visited with that we found had some connection with some one we knew.  We met a lady from Wellsville that knew Maxine and a man and his family that knew Kurt and Suzanne Fisher because they were in the same ward and from Grantsville.  As we were leaving an old homeless man who sits out there all the time with his booze and a book (acts as if he is reading but never turns the  page) motioned for me to come over to him.  I kind of came close but not too close.  His comment was, "I don't understand the Mormons."  I had on my tag.  I asked him if he was a Mormon and he said he had been baptized a year ago.  He was slurring his words and hard to understand.  He stood up and went to hug me.  I backed off which wasn't very nice but I could not bear the dirt, long beard and hair.  Denis was behind me and gave me a shove forward.  I really reared back then.  The little man just kept saying he didn't understand us.  I told him to quit his drinking and sober up and then try to discuss the Mormons when he was better.  He said he liked to drink too much.  He has a very nasty mouth also.  We have heard him talk nasty to people.  Oh my!

Fly swatter-they shred a big tei leaf to keep flies off food

Boss from Montana starting the party - dad likes him

Painter boy and 2 men that are leaving their missions

I had to run some papers to Jeff the morning they were leaving and so I took them to him.  I had my missionary friend with me because she needed a ride to work.  I drove down the long narrow driveway so I had to back out.  I remembered the high cement wall on one side and forgot about the rock wall on the other side.  I backed out kind of fast and forgot to watch the driver's side of the car.  Pretty soon I crashed into the rocks but I had to keep going to get out.  We just drove on to the PCC and then looked at the car to see if I had done anything.  Nothing appeared hurt or damaged.  I told Kathy I needed to keep the car.  It was like an army tank!  Didn't dent a bit.  We worked all morning and then I drove home to Hauula to get a cake for a lunch party.  When I came out to the car I noticed the tire was flat as flat.  I got to looking at it and I noticed two lines where the hub had gone up the driveway.  I guess I had driven it all the way home like that.  I had to call Denis to get someone to bring him home and get me.  I had ripped a hole in the side of the tire which we bought brand new when we bought the car.  No fixing that tire!  I was in a little trouble with Denis.  He couldn't believe I didn't know the tire was flat.  I don't think it was.

  One night we went to Schofield and grocery shopped for when the kids came.  Cleaned my apt. and did some cooking for their arrival.  Checked out their condos and made sure they were ready for them.  Trudy had cleaned really good.  Brandon & Andrea are staying in the one they had.  It is right by the ocean.

Friday the Queen of Tonga came to the PCC.  I don't know if it was just for public relations or not.  She was going to visit some family and so she stopped here and was going to stop in Honolulu for a public appearance.  Someone said that the lease was up on the temple property in Tonga and the king did not know if he was going to renew it.  It was quite an ordeal.  I have several pictures of the 3 hr. ceremony.  It rained and it got hot and humid.  Through the whole thing you could not see her.  She was sitting inside a hut's doorway for protection from the weather.  Even when she came out and got into a little cart she did not wave to the people.  She was an older lady (a little plumpish) and had only been the queen for about a year.  Her husband's brother who was the king had died, so he became the king.

Chief Surutugara, counselor  in our Bishopric and chief of Fiji island.

Hawaiian village greeting queen

Warrior from New Zealand

Queen in cart.  (floral print, 2nd row)

Fiji warriors and chief

Tongan ladies (Methodists) in canoe.  Singing and chanting.  One accidentally fell in the river.  Everyone laughed and laughed.

Little Tongan boy dressed in their attire

Little Tongan girl

Look at the wrapped pig on a pallet.  Gift to queen.

Queen in doorway

Pig pulled up to her and uncovered.  She will take it home, have it cut up and given to poor.

We made the red and gold capes for that village.  Don't know which one.

Fiji village presenting gifts to her

Little lady in wheelchair dancing with her body and arms

All the trees were wrapped with these palms tree leaves.

Pres. Grace in red shirt.  They go out and throw money in the dancing group of women.  Wonder how much money he threw.

Pres. Grace, Queen and Sis. Grace getting in cart to go for luncheon

Friday night we went to Turtle Bay with some other couple missionaries for supper.  One couple, the Robinsons are going home.  More friends made that we will probably never see again.  Had really good food and fun time visiting.  Later that night (10:30)  we went to Cultural Night.  It went for 2 nights.  The kids do dances from their native lands and wear their costumes from their countries.  Very interesting to see.  It ended at 1 A.M.

Missionaries at dinner at Turtle Bay.  Expensive but good old American food.

Saturday we went down to pick up the boys and families.  They were tired from the long flight but the little kids had done really good considering.  All they could think about was playing in the sand.  It was pouring rain on this side of the island.  I fed them and they all retired early.  I think they were all up at 6 A.M. this morning.  It was still raining.  By about 8 it had quit and they had all gone down to the beach.  At 2 P.M. they all came into church with bright red sunburns.  They were so good to clean up and come to church.  We had dinner here after church and then we went to the temple's Visitor Center and around the beautiful temple grounds.  It was growing dusk and you could see the lights coming on and every thing was so peaceful and calm.  Kids were so tired but I think the adults were more so.  Early to bed again tonight.  Have a good week and we will too.  I have some of my grandkids to play with.  

Love, Sherleen