A Panda and a Court of Honor

Jacque had the day off.  I had a class to teach in the morning.

After lunch, we went to see the new Kung Fu Panda movie at Ward Theaters (the 1:35 matinee).  It was fun, especially trying to match the voices to the specific actor/actress.

 In the evening, we went to church to see the Bishop but ended up attending an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for one of the young men in our ward.   BTW, and ESCOH is a ceremony to recognize the earning of the highest rank in the Boy Scouts:  Eagle Scout.

In this case, the recipient was Cameron Tani-Kiyokane and he was honored for earning his Eagle and joined other Eagle Scouts from our ward in the "Eagles' Nest", with the eldest Eagle in attendance tonight being Joe Ahuna, who probably earned his Eagle forty-plus years ago. 

Joe Ahuna

 

Hele on to Hauula

We hiked the Hauula-Papali double loop trail today in preparation for an HTMC hike we will lead this coming Saturday (6/4).  Interestingly, the first hike we did with the Trail and Mountain Club was Hauula-Papali back in 1993, the same year we met and started dating.  In fact, the Hauula-Papali hike was one of our first dates.  And 18 years later, here we are, married, members of the club and leading hikes for the club. 

Today, we started hiking at noon and did the Papali Loop (aka Maakua Ridge Trail) first, heading around it in clockwise manner.  After doing that loop, we stopped to rest and eat lunch at a picnic shelter along the trail (see above).

We did not do the other loop (Hauula) in its entirety, hiking only to the first key junction where we affixed ribbons to guide hikers this coming Saturday.

Lots of people out and about on Memorial Day 2011.  We were among them.

Church and a BBQ

Attended church today.

Agenda:

• 6:00 a.m. Elder's Quorum presidency meeting (Dayle). 
• 9 a.m. Sacrament meeting.  Speakers today were Brother and Sister Kanekoa.  Come to find out, Brother Kanekoa coached my brother Alika in basketball years ago.  Small world.  (Jacque and Dayle)
• 10 a.m. Sunday School (Jacque and Dayle)
• 11 a.m.  Combined Relief Society/Priesthood meeting--Topic:  Missionary work (Finding the One). (Jacque and Dayle)
• Noon:  Choir Practice (Dayle)

Christened our new BBQ grill (purchased the other day at Don Quixote's in PC for $11) this evening.  On the menu:  teriyaki beef and hotdogs.

BBQ grill feast ala Apiki Street backyard

Meat Loaf ala Behymer

We hosted Elders Behymer and Limb for dinner this evening.  While we usually prepare the meal, tonight, the Elders volunteered to do so.

Elders Limb (left) and Behymer

Elder Behymer, using his mom's recipe, made meatloaf, an interesting and tasty variety that we had not tried before which involved rolling the ingredients into a log, much like cinammon rolls.
 

For what is a man profited?

The yard sale at my sister's apparently went well.   What I do know is that the sale of the banana bread I baked yesterday went well.  Grossed $65

I did some quick calculations and estimate that the ingredients cost about $15, so that leaves a net of $50.  Not bad for a couple hours of baking.

Yet, I don't think I'll quit my day job.

Attended a priesthood leadership meeting this afternoon at the Stake Center.  A wow! at the meeting was a hymn sung by a quartet of former bishops (Kaopua, Naluai, Chun, and Poliahu).

A memorable line:  "Obedience brings blessings.  Exact obedience brings miracles."

I profited from netted much from this meeting as well.

Jacque worked a 16-hour shift today.  God bless her.   I'll pick her up at 11:30 p.m.

Tomorrow's stake conference.  We'll be singing in the choir.

Apiki Bakery!

Tomorrow, my(Dayle's) sister Paula is having a yard sale.  She asked if I'd like to make some banana bread to sell at the sale.  Since I enjoy baking and making a few $$ would be welcome, I agreed.

So today is baking day.

At home, I had most of the ingredients needed for the BB except for two critical ones: bananas and sugar.

N. King Street a block ewa of Maunakea Street

So after dropping Jacque off at work, a 7 a.m. stop in Chinatown (see pic above) netted about 15 lbs of over-ripe bananas for $4 and change (over-ripe bananas are sold at virtually give-away prices and are perfect for banana bread) and a subsequent stop at Liliha Foodland netted 10 lbs of sugar and free 5lb box of frozen chicken thighs (Maka'i coupon special of the week).

Arriving back at home after my shopping stops, I commenced baking, using this recipe (I substituted apple sauce for the crushed pineapples).

In a couple of hours, I had baked 33 mini loaves, three for home consumption and the rest for sale at tomorrow's garage sale. 

Now,  I have to make some Snicker Doodles, per a request from Jacque.

 A baking I go.

Yard day

After noon, I used my anniversary gift to convert our yard from what was looking a jungle to something more like a yard.

Maybe I'll surprise Jacque and set up a barbecue for this evening (cancelled due to a lack of a functional bbq grill).  But Plan B will be ahi burgers (purchased from Times) cooked on the stovetop. 

She's working today (7a to 330p).  She has an appointment with her dentist @ 4.  Rescheduled for Monday.

We stopped by Longs, where we got a wagon full of stuff for $10 (thanks to a Longs Gift card).

Choir practice @ 7pm (for Sunday's Stake Conference).  Our best practice yet.  The difference:  Jacque sang tonight.  For all the other practices, she was not there because she's been working or sick.

At home after choir practice, we watched a Rob Reiner flick titled Flipped.  I give it 4 of 5 stars.

Allez!

Jacque worked the 7am to 3pm shift today at QMC.

Meanwhile, I continue to be on vacation and will return to work on 5/23 Monday, the first day of Summer Session 1 at LCC where I'll teach a section of English 22.  Spent some time this afternoon working on assignments for the upcoming class.

 This morning, while watching on TV a mountain stage of the Tour of California, I put in an hour on my exercise bike.  The result:  20 miles covered and 930 calories burned.  Sure, it's not the same as riding to the crest of the Alps but it's the best I can do.

Gotta go pick up the missus soon, with Roxy in tow (she loves car rides).

Not sure what we'll have for dinner, but we'll figure something out.  And we did:  turkey a la king and rice!

Choir practice tonight tomorrow at 7:00 at church.  We're practicing "Did You Think to Pray?" and "Our Savior's Love."  No, we're not the Mormon Tabernacle Choir but we try our best!

Sons of Odin!

Watched a movie matinee, Thor, with Jacque today.  The venue was the Ward Theaters.

Not being well-versed (or versed at all) on Thor or anything to do with him, I didn't know what to expect from the movie. 

I did find out that Thor was a son of Odin, which rung a bell with me, for I recall some high school classmates yelling out, "We are sons of Odin!" after having consumed a sizable amount of alcohol.

"Oh, so that's who they were referring to," I thought to myself today.

Jacque enjoyed the movie more than me though I still give it a thumbs up.  Eight out of ten stars, I'd say.

Jacque also loves the Ward Theaters because they are right next to one of her favorite shopping venues: Nordstrom Rack, where she picked up a couple pairs of footwear (I'll refrain from calling what she bought as "shoes" because she's not really into shoes except for when she goes to work.  So, no, she bought footwear and not shoes.

The sons of Odin would be proud.

On a somber note, we received word that Kaimi (Dayle's sister's son), suffered a severe eye injury while playing basketball today.   He had to undergo a couple of hours of surgery to repair the injury.  We are praying for you, Kaimi.

A lazy Monday

Got a phone call at 3 a.m.  It was Jacque, telling me to come pick her up at work because they were letting her off early. 

"Bring Roxy," she told me, as I struggled to rouse myself from the deep sleep I had just emerged from.

So I got up, with Roxy (our 120-lb Rotweiller) in tow, and we boarded our car and made the 20-minute drive from Kaneohe to QMC.  We arrived at 3:30 a.m. and a few minutes later, Jacque was heading down the stairs from the ER to join us for the ride home.

At home around 4, we had some hunger pangs which were resolved with a batch of french toast.  Hit the spot!

By 4:30 we were all in dreamland.

Around one o-clock, Jacque and I went for a two-mile walk around the neighborhood.  We took along Roxy who is always eager to go on walks with anyone who will take her.  When we last weighed her, she was 120 lbs and today's weigh-in at the vet's indicated a 13-lb weight loss.  Good job, Roxy!  Actually, good job by all of us for not overfeeding her which we had gotten into the habit of doing, particularly mint chocolate chip ice cream, a favorite of Jacque!

After the stop at the vet's, we dropped by Kin Wah's for what Jacque said was a take-out order of Chinese chicken salad, a recent favorite of my wife.    After several minutes (Roxy and I waited outside), Jacque emerged from Kin Wah's with a box of food of which the Chinese chicken salad was just one item in the box.

"It was less than $20," said Jacque.

Knowing my wife all too well, I just smiled and giggled instead of making a to-do about getting more than the chicken salad.  She did, after all, get an order of egg foo young, my favorite.

Jacque's napping now (5:30 p.m.).  She said she probably will be called in to work the nite shift tonight so the rest will do her good.

As for me, I'm a bloggin.

A Kaneohe Sabbath

As I do on most Sundays, I am up at 5:30 to get ready to head to church to attend a 6am EQ presidency meeting.  There is much work to be done in the Lord's vineyard, and we Elders have to organize ourselves to complete the work, such as home teaching, service projects, and quorum meetings and lessons . As I drive to church, I hum along to one of my favorite hymns.

After the one-hour meeting, Brother Gene Tamashiro and I set up the chairs and cubicles in the cultural hall, a task we accomplish in about 15 minutes, and then we both head home.

At home around 7:30, I spend an hour preparing notes and a handout for the lesson I have been asked to teach in Elder's quorum.

Now 8:30, I wake up my wife so she can ready for church, but she is not feeling well and will stay at home to rest this morning.  We pray together, then I get ready and am off to church.

There's sacrament meeting at 9, followed by Sunday school from 10:15 to 11, priesthood meetings from 11 to 12 (the lesson I teach on Parable of the Talents goes well), and choir practice from noon to 1. 

Returning home, I find my wife feeling rested and much better than in the ayem.  That is good news.  So I prepare something to eat (turkey a la king) for lunch, which we enjoy.  Then it's nap time.

In the evening, we have shoyu chicken, mixed vegetables, and rice for dinner.  After dinner, we have Family Home Evening. I teach the lesson on Parable of the Talents again, and it too goes well.  During FHE, Jacque gets a phone call:  it's work and they are in dire need of staff, so she accepts the request to go to work.  After FHE, she gets ready and I drive her to QMC to work the night shift.

Friday the 13th isn't so bad

Who says Friday the 13th is day for bad luck?

Not Jacque, who embraces 13 as her favored and favorite number.

One of good things about today is the progress of our backyard avocado and papaya trees.  We planted this tree on New Year's Day 2007 as a symbol of growth in our lives.

Well, they have grown (as have Jacque and I) and both are bearing fruit (as have Jacque and I), the first time for the avocado and the too-many-to-count time for the papaya.

first avocado crop

We've been counseled to live providently and be more self-sustaining, and our efforts in our backyard garden are indicators of our progress.

papayas