Electric Beach, Pililau Beach, internet shopping and snow day at Pretty School

The days sorta run together when weekends run into holidays and you happen to be near the north shore of Oahu so I' not sure what day it was but the seven of us went snorkeling at Electric Beach, then paddle boarding and beach playing at Pililau.

Will is in the surf there somewhere, not sure if that is foot, hand, head or just what. He allowed the waves to buffet him and wash him up and down the beach like so much flotsam and jetsam. He just grinned and seemed to be having a grand time.

That is Justin trying to get me started on paddle boarding in just a gentle breeze and gentle waves.  Guess who had difficulty. That is about as graceful as I felt. Justin was patient, but it does have its limits. I kept at it and never went far fast but was frustrated. I did from that position fall left, right, front and back. I thought it was easy. It is not.

That evening we FaceTimed with the Laura and the grandkids while they "shopped" for some hand-me down clothes form Caroline and Will. Here is Isaac talking to Caroline about the opportunities for one of Will's out-grown pants or shirts.

and Caroline showing off one of her own creations, a tie-died T-shirt.

and no one enjoyed the evening as much as John Paul whose response to nearly every offering was "yes please" followed by laughing at his joke at choosing a dress or blouse. (he thinks he is cute, he is).

Someone else who is cute is Eric, here getting on his winter gear, toboggan, winter coat - well windbreaker, single mitten, and long pants in order to play in the "snow" brought in for snow day at pretty school.

His class lined up next to the school bunny waiting for the class in the snow to exit stage left.

Finally, Eric in purple Vikings toboggan, note little girl in princess dress and hooded sweat shirt.

Don't know where Big E is but Julie is proving that if you build it (a snow man) they will come.

Big E needs to grow a bit for these long pants.

and true to form at the end of play time in the snow, they had — hot chocolate.  I don't think the kids cared for it all that much even though their hands were cold and their pants wet and I assume butts cold too.

from Waikiki Beach to Sunset Beach

The day started with an early morning walk along Waikiki Beach, always tough duty, then packing up  a

last view from our room — (the last day at the beach is always pretty even in Honolulu) and then we drove out to Schofield.

From Schofield, with Julie and Justin we went to Sunset, appropriately named, Beach to watch surfers and the sunset.  Neither disappointed.

We were not the only ones who had this idea.  The beach was full.

The last sliver of sun — 

Honey, we got the kids

Julie and Justin came by one evening and the seven of us went out to dinner and they left the kids with us.  The five us spent the night then next AM started on what turned into a rather full day.  

In one of the many hotel towers happened to be a guy with a host of tropical birds.  Well the kids about wouldn't leave as they held various birds.

Big crowd of people and lots of birds, and the guy just kept moving them around and Will and Caroline kept getting birds.

Eric would have none of it.  He and I had the same aversion to being part of the crowd.  Eventually he did get enough curiosity to go see his sister.— and

the guy set a bird on Big E's head, He, Eric, was so proud.

Eventually we got to the pools, and I mean pools and water slides, here Caroline is coming off one of the smaller slides where I have been catching the boys.  The bigger kids and I had been down the larger slides already and Eric was trying out this one.  

Caroline coming one of the big slides, note the sign in front.

and Will doing like wise,

and four year old Eric, who had earned a "swimmers" arm band through sheer will power and perseverance making the same trip down the slide.  His "swimming" to the barrier was a sight to see.

Tattoos, from the tattoo lady,  

and fireworks on the beach in front of the hotel that evening when Julie and Justin came to pick up the kids.  Someone slept well that night.

Aloha yes that would be as in from the 50th, the Island State

Or the State the President "claims" he was born in when we all "know" where he was really born.

We are staying in Honolulu, at the waterfront Hilton, but while having ocean "view" are obviously not ocean front.  There are about 20,000 people, and I only exaggerate modestly, people of all nationalities between us and the ocean, and several shopping centers, multiple swimming pools, countless restaurants, three, yes three ABC stores, more Starbucks than can be counted, no slot machines, endless musac, and it is cleaner than DJ can leave our house. It is nice. We do like it but is is a bit crowded.

We took a break one day and went out to Schofield and met these guys. What a treat. Went out to Keana Point for a hike and it was delightful.

Plenty of conversation and missed photographs as a result but did get one of the long view.  It is a must visit place on your trip here.  (Extreme northwest corner of the island).

We also went to a Luau. Here we are just after being seated. Had front row seats for the song and dance and fire show. Big hoop-a-la.

Patt had the front seat and the camera. She did not take photos of the hula dances but did get photos of the foot stompers guys. Go figure.

Entering we were all photographed with a hula dancer and a foot stomper, this was the couple in front of us.  I loved 'em.  I wonder if they bought theirs. We were offered our photo for a great price of $50. USD and turned it down and did not get a counter bid.

We also spent most of one day at Pearl Harbor, going to the USS Missouri, seen here from the ship that took us to the Arizona memorial.  

The Missouri is huge, the last battleship built by the US. Slightly over three football fields long and as wide as the Panama Canal - less a few inches - and was mothballed then retrofitted in the mid 80s in the big military buildup at that time and last used in the first Iraq War in 1991.

It's significance to Pearl Harbor primarily exists because the Big Mo hosted the surrender of the Japanese on September 2, 1945.  Of course, we saw a lot about that ceremony and what lead up to that occasion during our tour of the ship.

As a part of the Pearl Harbor tour we also went on a WWII era submarine the USS Bowfin which was quite the opposite of the Missouri. Large it was not. Tight and constrained it was. Here is Patt in the battery? room. The Missouri was fast, the Bowfin was slow. However I believe it did a lot more damage to the Japanese fleet than the Missouri did.  

The torpedo room looks clean now but the taped recording of men who served on here did not speak to the cleanliness of the sub.  In fact they spoke of the opposite.  I however appreciate the Park Service's efforts.  Note the bunk above my head.  I think 15 men slept or rather tried to sleep in here. 

And we went to the USS Arizona Memorial.  It is quite well done as you would expect.  Despite the crowds, which were quiet, it was well managed by the Park Service and the Navy.  

Wreckage of a gun turret.  Oil seepage continues and the smell of oil was quite strong.

Many of the survivors of the Arizona who have died since the war ended have had their ash urns released inside the hull of the ship here in Pearl Harbor.  

As a part of the exhibits there were a series of museums around the various sites that were quite good and had lots of WWII memorabilia also.

And a note about the delay in getting a blog done, we both have had a bit of a bout with colds.  We left NC - or rather I left NC - not feeling so well and the first day or so was rather slow starting around here.  Looking for things to pick up a bit here as we move along.

New Years Eve and Happy New Years Day — (partial restaurant review)

New Years Eve, Patt and I went to Raleigh First Night with Michael and Robin.  Here we are getting good luck for the year by touching the Raleigh Acorn.   Note from the winter wear we have on it is one cold afternoon.  (it got colder too)

Of course I tried on one of the costumes that was available for the "Peoples Parade" — Michael passed on the opportunity but did stand with me.

and here is one of the entries, — we did watch the parade of "peoples"

my "head passing by,  see the opportunity I missed.

 There was of course street food, music venues, street performers, and rides.  It is quite the show.

On the capital grounds an Event artist set up and painted during the evening.  He puts on quite a show.

and this is the scene he is painting which is to his back.  The evening is a big deal in Raleigh, one we take in only the first part of.  Staying out late is something we have done, but don't do so much any more.  Besides, I heard Mississippi State, one of those SEC teams was going to lose a football game that evening and I wanted to watch.

Of course New Years Day, to continue to ensure good luck for 2015 I ate ham, cornbread, black eyed peas, and collard greens.  Good!!!!!!  Better than Goo-oood!  Grea8.  I like ham, greens, and peas with cornbread.

New Years Day evening  was a first Thursday- which meant that it was "serve at the ARK day".  So Patt and I went, as has been our custom, to the homeless shelter to serve dinner.  We have been doing this since Stephen was in diapers.  First we were at the shelter for men, then coed, and for the last many years women.  It has been in many locations.  This is the current one - of course near some railroad tracks.  The entrance is not so welcoming, but it is secure- from the inside.

The dining room.  Michael and Robin have served with us for the past 20 or so years.  Tables are set and ready to go.

Plates are served,  this is BBQ from the Pit, over the years, the menu has changed.  The clientele   unfortunately has not changed so much.

This was our last scheduled trip to the ARK.  We are now officially retired as full time volunteers.  In the future our efforts there will be in the role as substitutes.  It was a good run, one we enjoyed and sponsored by our church.