April 3, 2009

I met Laurie Pooh!

One of the bonuses of having online friends is that we sometimes get to meet in real life. Today I met Laurie Pooh. She lives up to her name - very huggable like a Pooh Bear! And yes - her eyes really are that blue!

We had a delightful time over Cajun Food, but both of us thought my Dirty Rice tasted sorta, kinda TexMex - go figure! I’m not going to say it was bad, but I know Dirty Rice and this stuff wasn’t it. Maybe they think Texas appetites wouldn’t know the difference, ya think?

Laurie didn’t come empty-handed. She brought me a “Welcome to Texas” goody bag. Isn’t she a sweetheart? That tee-shirt is important, so pay attention. Each year Laurie participates in the Dallas Breast Cancer 3-Day, a fundraising effort in support of Susan G. Koman For the Cure. Her readers (and some of mine) supported her last year and I hope you’ll do the same again this year. She’s having a major fundraiser on Thursday, April 16th and you’ll enjoy helping her out. If you live in the area, just go to On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina on State Highway 121 in McKinney for dinner that night and you’ll be supporting this great cause. The restaurant is donating a portion of their proceeds that night, so all you have to do is show up and eat. And hey - go early. The first 25 diners to show up with Laurie’s flyer (just ask - she’ll get you one!) will also get a goody bag. You already know Laurie does great gifts so go and get you some!

[tags]friends, fundraisers, Laurie, Laurie Pooh, lunch, Susan G Koman for the Cure[/tags]

March 20, 2009

Ennis

My cousin Kim said I needed to visit Ennis before deciding where I want to live. Ennis is one county over, a pleasant drive through rolling hills in farm country.

Kim recommended that I start with the town square, but on my way there I spotted a sign for a visitor’s center and museum, so I stopped there first. Ennis was founded as a railroad town in the later half of the 19th Century, and trains still roll through the town all day every day.

I paid my $2.00 at the old railway ticket window, then Bill donned his conductor’s cap and we began the tour. Bill is 83 years old, legally blind and mostly deaf despite two hearing aids. He’s spry, witty and possessed of an old-world charm seldom seen these days. He jumped the rail in the replica railway office and struck up several “typical working poses.”

One way that railways competed was by providing a fine dining experience for their passengers. The museum features a display of some of the beautiful china that was used in the dining cars.

The scale model replica of the old switching yard is quite impressive. Someone put in a lot of hours building it. Being a rairoad town put Ennis at the center of commerce for this area. Everything from food and farm supplies to lingerie and school books was transported via rail by the turn of the century.

Numerous displays throughout the museum feature antique tools of the trade.

A local railroad buff donated a large collection of scale model trains.

I spent so much time in the museum that I didn’t get to see much of the town. Ah, well - guess I’ll just have to go again another day!

[tags]Ennis, museum, railroad museum, railroad town[/tags]

March 18, 2009

Score one for the good guys

I couldn’t resist taking a picture of this car outside the trade show we went to last week. I spent a few minutes talking with one of the officers who was present. He said a number of seized vehicles are being used by the police department. There are still plenty of other vehicles left over though, so they hold auctions regularly. I told him I might be interested in looking to their auctions as a souce for another vehicle some time down the road, as long as they inspect it thoroughly and remove all of the previous owner’s belongings first.

[tags]cars, drugs, police enforcement tactics, property seizure[/tags]

January 23, 2009

Lunch with an old friend

I’ve had several goodbyes lately. I can’t fool myself into believing that it’s likely I’ll ever return to Hawaii once I move, so I know that it’s unlikely I’ll be seeing any of my local friends again. I had a call last week from someone who is very dear to me. We met when I was working for the employer who first moved me to Hawaii and have been friends ever since. Jamie helped me start my business. He gave me my first computer (one he had recently retired for an updated model) and taught me how to use it. He gave me his client address book and told me to feel free to solicit any of the realtors and escrow officers who had made his own business successful. The real estate industry was thriving in 1999 and Jamie knew that there was more than enough business to support a new provider of termite inspections for home sales. He knew the quality of my work and the caliber of service I would provide to his valued clients if they chose to start using my service instead of his. Some of them did and my business was launched because of Jamie’s generosity. There aren’t many people in business who would have done what he did. We’ve worked together on a number of jobs over the years, but the fact is that we are competitors. The term “friendly competitors” exactly describes our relationship. I was a little perplexed when I found out that he had married and hadn’t sent wedding invitations to myself and another business associate with whom we both share ties, but it turns out that he and his bride had tied the knot on a cruise ship somewhere near China. He made up for the faux pas by inviting me into his home and introducing me to the love of his life, so I had to forgive him, of course. She’s the prefect mate for him and they’re still deleriously in love five years or so later, so I’m thrilled for them both that they found each other, even though they didn’t include me in their plans.

Jamie met me for lunch yesterday. We discussed current business trends. A number of other pest control operators and quite a few realtors in Hawaii are casting about for new ways to support themselves and their families. We talked about the state of our own industry and the financial crisis and our hopes that the new administration in Washington will bring about some positive changes. Nothing earth-shaking - just two friends catching up with each other and commisserating over the dismal business climate that has spurred me into leaving our beautiful paradise. I’m going to miss talks like that when I get where I’m going. I hope I’ll be fortunate enough to find new friends, competitors and associates in Texas with whom I’ll share such a comfortable working relationship. Maybe not. I think Jamie is unique.

Aloha Jamie. Gonna miss you, guy!

[tags]business, business associates, Hawaii, Hawaii business, Hawaii real estate industry, termite inspectors[/tags]

What did you do in Hawaii, Todd?

My cousin Todd is visiting. He came to help me finish getting the house ready for the market. He’s an excellent drywall man, a great handyman, a terrific repairman. He’s accomplished more in a week than my buddy Paul has done in the four months that he’s been “helping.”

All work and no play wouldn’t do, of course, so I’ve taken Todd out to some local beaches in the afternoons when work was done. First I took him to Yokohama Bay. It was too stormy to get in the water.

Next I took him to the secret cove, but it was stormy and the water was a mess, so we didn’t see any green sea turtles at play.

The storm had passed when I took him to Pokai Bay. We walked in the tide pools, collected a few shells and saw the heiau.

Yesterday was Todd’s birthday. We knocked off early and I took him to Paradise Cove for a luau. I think last night was the first time I’ve seem him go more than fifteen minutes without his cell phone in operation. Must have had something to do with the hula dancers. Or the fire knife dancer. Maybe it was the food. Whatever - I’m just glad to have finally found something in Hawaii that is more interesting than his phone!

[tags]beaches, cell phone, cell phone obsession, family, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Hawaii vacation[/tags]

January 7, 2009

Aloha Alfred Shaheen, aloha shirt guy

Inventor of the Hawaiian Shirt Passes Away, the headline screams. Well, no. Not quite. Alfred Shaheen didn’t invent the Hawaiian shirt, but he made it possible for you to have one. What he did was to turn Hawaiian fabrics and garment-making into a viable industry. What had traditionally been a Mom and Pop, cottage industry-type of business became big business under his influence. He gathered a team of artisans to design and screen print fabrics and to design and produce the clothing here in the islands. So, while he didn’t invent aloha wear, he turned it into a made-in-Hawaii product and inspired the thriving aloha wear industry of today. Mr. Shaheen passed away Christmas week and I’m only just catching up with the news, but wanted to salute his memory. Hawaii has lost an enterprising and innovative spirit. Aloha Alfred.

Mahalo to Julie for suggesting this post!

[tags]Alfred Shaheen, aloha wear, Hawaiian clothing, Hawaiian shirts[/tags]

January 3, 2009

The memories we keep

I had a pretty quiet holiday season this year. My son wasn’t able to get time off from his casino job, so once again I had no family close by to celebrate with. Naw, this isn’t a woe-is-me-tale. I’ve been empty-nesting for a lot of years and have learned to enjoy what I have rather than mourn what I’m missing. Really, it’s been a very satisfying time for me. The Saturday before Christmas saw the culmination of a community effort I’ve been involved with for the last two holiday seasons. A group of volunteers delivered slippahs (slippers - local word for rubber sandals) to homeless children living on the beaches and in shelters. The slippahs were the focal point of the project, but we also passed out books, toys, clothes and snacks. It was an exhausting and emotionally draining day, but one I wouldn’t have missed for anything. Christmas is magical for children, whether or not they have a chimney (or a home) and the children we visited that day brought the magic and joy to life for me.

When I think back on the 2008 holiday season I’ll probably remember it as the last one that I spent in Hawaii, the one when I didn’t bother with a tree or decorations because there are boxes and paint buckets and miscellaneous hardware scattered around my almost-ready-to-sell house. My son and I have already made plans to have a late holiday celebration when he comes to visit me in my new home. We’re hoping that he and his girlfriend can get time off together for the trip. Maybe we’ll make some new memories then.

Memories are funny things and not always completely under our control. When I think of my son’s second Christmas the first thought that emerges is not about the table and chair set I had painstakingly painted and decorated for his room, or the big truck full of letter blocks I was sure he’d love. I don’t remember what we had for a Christmas feast or what went into his stocking. What I remember is the 99¢ Burger King pillow doll that was almost an afterthought. It became his security blanket, sharing his bed and dragging though food and dirt for a year or so until one last washing finally shredded its cheap fabric.

When I think of Thanksgivings during my teens it’s not the memorable meals or family gatherings that come to mind. What I remember first is my mom’s floor. My childhood home lost its roof when Hurricane Betsy blew through in September of 1965. The roof was replaced promptly, but repairs to the interior of the house drug out for over a year. The week before Thanksgiving in 1966 the major repairs were finally finished when new vinyl flooring was installed in the kitchen. Mom loved that floor! The design simulated four inch tiles in a blue willow-type pattern, but with horses featured on many of the tiles. It was a thick, cushioned vinyl, which I think was fairly new back then. After a year of living with sagging ceilings and torn-out walls, Mom was so proud of her re-done house, and especially her antiqued blue cabinets and that floor. Alas, the love affair didn’t last. Removing the turkey from the oven the next week, Mom slipped on that shiny new vinyl. The turkey took wing, its juices splashing on cabinets, appliances and, of course, the floor. Mom slipped several times trying to get up and by the time we thought of the roasting pan it was too late. It had scorched its shape into the vinyl, all the way to the backing. Dad later fitted a patch into the burned spot, but the visible seam remained a sore spot with Mom until the end of her days. The rest of us could laugh about the roasted turkey that flew, but never in Mom’s presence.

It’s the oddball and hilarious moments of holidays past that embed themselves most vividly in our memories. Thus I know what will be remembered about Christmas of 2007. It was only a year ago. Right now I recall the dinner menu and the friends I shared it with. I remember the gifts I sent out and the ones that were given to me. A few years down the road those will have been rolled into the big fuzzy ball of holiday memories, where there’s not much to distinguish one year from the next. Well, they would except for the poisoned pralines.

It was Christmas Eve. I’d already made brownies, fudge and cookies for the traditional holiday goodie plates which I planned to deliver to several neighbors. I hadn’t made pralines since I left the South almost twenty years ago. Thinking the neighbors might enjoy those unfamiliar delicacies, I dug out an old recipe and cooked up a double batch. I had shaped the first dozen or so patties when I noticed something odd about the candy thermometer I’d laid on the waxed paper-covered counter. There was water seeping from the outer glass sleeve. The thermometer had apparently cracked while I was monitoring the candy and steam had been captured inside. Now it was cooling and the condensed vapor was draining away. It still looked perfectly fine, so it must have been a hairline crack. I was relieved that my beautiful pralines couldn’t possibly have glass chips in them. I popped one in my mouth (to make sure they tasted just right) and finished spooning the gooey pecan puddles out of the pan, then cleaned the kitchen while they cooled. An hour or so later I cut waxed paper squares and began wrapping the pralines individually and adding them to the heaps of cookies and fudge. I shouldn’t have bothered, because the doubts had already taken shape. I didn’t think that any mercury had left the thermometer. I was almost positive it hadn’t. Surely it would have been visible as it oozed out, right? And even if it had leaked, it would have been only a teeny-tiny bit, not enough to harm anyone … arrrrrrrrgh! I couldn’t let myself go there. I ate another of the contaminated beauties, just to prove myself stubborn, I guess, and tossed the remainder in the rubbish bin.

Christmas of 2007. Yeah, I remember. That’s the year I didn’t poison the neighbors.

[tags]Christmas, holidays, memories, nostalgia, thanksgiving[/tags]

December 31, 2008

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou, Y’all!

Wishing you a bright and happy 2009, filled will good health, prosperity and enough spice to keep things interesting. May you find your own paradise, and may it bring you joy.

[tags]greetings, Happy New Year, Hau’oli Makahiki Hou, New Years wishes[/tags]

December 25, 2008

Mele Kalikimaka, y’all!

Mele Kalikimaka, my friends.

I hope you are surrounded by the warmth of the season as you celebrate this day with family and friends. May your day be merry and bright!

[tags]Christmas, Christmas greetings, Hawaii, Mele Kalikimaka[/tags]

December 24, 2008

Our Auntie Lynn is hot stuff!

Midweek cover photo by nwalker@midweek.com

Our own Auntie Lynn, aka: Auntie Pupule, founder and organizer fo the Keiki Slippah Wish Fund, is the cover girl for Midweek, a free weekly newspaper that goes to every home in Hawaii (or is it just on Oahu?) The article is in recognition of her extraordinary service to our local communities and her family tradition of service to our country. Lynn’s son, two daughters, stepson and son-in-law are all military, either actively serving, recently returned from service or scheduled to soon be deployed to Iraq. In addition to the Keiki Slippah Wish Fund, Lynn is a long-time volunteer with the Kau Kau Wagon, providing food for the homeless. She also recently took her first shot at a public office with her unsuccessful bid for a seat on the City Council. Follow the link above to read the story of this remarkable woman whom I am privileged to call a friend.

Note: Two of the photos in the article are mine, uncredited. I’m a huge fan of Midweek, but am disappointed that they would use photos without crediting their copyrighted owner. Bad form, Midweek!

[tags]Auntie Lynn, Auntie Pupule, community service, Lynn Vasquez Dela Cerna, Midweek, military families[/tags]