Being More Like Lucien
This is one of my favorite pictures of my grandson. The joy on that kid's face is such a delight. Just looking at this picture makes me happy. It makes me wonder what I can do to make something laugh and be childlike even when they are no longer a child. Days are getting shorter and the darkness and gloom can be depressing. When we were looking for houses the realtor never mentioned that this or any other house was north facing. In Hawaii, it kind of never mattered. We loved the character, that there was a first-floor bath and laundry room, that the bedrooms were large enough for king beds, sorry, the guests got a queen, and that we could walk so many places. We never considered how much sunlight we'd get. The answer? Not much. When it's sunny and the temps are okay, I am outside. I'm walking [...]
Giving
In September I went to New Jersey for my niece's wedding. My three sisters came from Houston and we all stayed at my nephew's house. I enjoyed spending time with Brandon and his wife Crystal and their talented and engaging son, Chase. One afternoon Chase wanted to go to the library and so I went with them. I am a sucker for libraries and this one was pretty amazing, especially the kid's section. While Chase and his mom were talking to the librarian, I walked around marveling at all the programs and clubs offered. A group of middle school girls walked towards me followed by a man about my age lagging behind. "I like your earrings," said one of the girls. "Thank you," I replied thinking how awesome it was that someone so young could just walk up to an adult and pay them a compliment. Without thinking twice I [...]
Fifty-Three Years Later
A couple of weeks ago we decided to go to Des Moines, Iowa to see a friend and her lovely husband. Carol Vogel is one of the ladies who chose me to be an exchange student when I was 17 years old. Yes, that's a long, long time ago. She really wasn't that much older than me, though at the time I thought she was, and she was a college professor at the local university. She taught German and she loved traveling and was a volunteer with American Field Service (now called AFS) and she and another volunteer came to my house to interview me and my family. I can truly say she changed my life! And even after I returned home we stayed connected. She knew my family, loved my mother, and kept track of me for many years when I lived in Africa and Hawaii and many other [...]
I Guess That’s All That Matters
This is EAA week. For those of you not in Oshkosh, these three initials stand for experimental aircraft association. Pilots and air enthusiasts from all over the world fly or drive into Oshkosh for a [...]
The Aloha Bottle
I used to be a concierge with Expedia at the Aston Waikiki Beach. One of the perks of the jobs, and there were lots, was being invited to concierge events like breakfast at Duke's. One [...]
Tracking Happiness
Good morning, I was asked to share my story on a website called Tracking Happiness. When I am asked to write this part of my story it's still hard. When I think of how close [...]