THERE SHE BLOWS~~~

While waiting for the boat to come in.... we stopped by to see if they could see

Dog the Bounty Hunter. That is his office and around the corner is his store..





Here comes the boat





THERE SHE BLOWS.....

now a hotel, but formerly the Royal Palace for the King and Queen of Hawaii

it is where they entertained, in the early 1900's.

Rainbow Hotel ....hotel to the left was used for Hawaii 5-0

Diamond Head




Be sure to check back after 11 this morning... for the rest of the story.......

Arizona Memorial

This was a sobering experience..... not many words can cover it... so will
for the most part, let the pictures speak for themselves.

Those who died here on 12-7-40

The list of Marines who also died here.

Bowfin sub

The Missouri

Torpedo

This picture needs words....when we came over on the boat there was a group of choir singers who were in Hawaii for some kind of a competition. We get about 40 minutes to walk thru the Memorial and take pictures. You would be surprised to see so many people and hardly a word

was said... some whispers, but not talking...about 30 minutes into the walk thru... the singers

gathered in the middle, and started to sing. They sang Stars Spangle Banner. There wasn't a

dry eye in the place, and those over 60 were in actual tears... they were not part of the tour, they just happen to be on the same boat with us. At the store I walked up and thanked them,

as others did after I did.

The ship is under this display, and these are above the water. The building is across the middle

of the ship.

I took this picture as we were leaving on the tour boat, it was later when checking the

pictures that night, that I noticed the flag was waving off of the tour boat...

The next day

The next day was trying out different beaches....this one was wicked...it would
have the surf slam dunk you against the rocks... I passed..

This is the beach I swam at, the water was calmerWe saw this tree next door to us....see the bananas?

When in the afternoon, the crew went with an underwater camera...I stayed home and filled out post cards and got ready for the rest of the day...

another beach, this is my daughter...

Number 1 son... enjoying the view

One of the big fish they saw.

This is some of the coral they saw...it was all over the beaches

There was a lot of people snokling at this beach

Granddaughter enjoying the water and fish

Number 4 son and our tour guide as he had been to the island 3 times before...

Grandson, who really love the swimming

There were a lot of fish, this is just a sample of the many kinds... and there were a lot

of colorful ones as well...

as you can see in this picture....

the first day

The first day we started out with a tour of the island









The only lighthouse that I saw...

Way, way, way down there is a guy in a red shirt, do you see him?

I sure like zoom lens, as this is who it is.... my grandson...

unusual rocks on the side of the road and along the coast.

Shore line

Entrance to a church

The water and beaches were wonderful

Best tasting Shrimp and the nicest of gals who ran it.

Boys will be boys, no matter what the age

these were all over the place... sure were pretty, reminded me of Jay type birds

the entrance to the dock that we could use across the street

I guess they really like this highway

Gardener at the Dole Plantation (no, she isn't real)

Pineapple plant and yes this is real

Looking off our upstairs patio in our bedroom

IT WAS THE BEST WEEK OF MY LIFE....

As one gets in their elder years and looks at their
children… you wonder ..did I do it right?
I made mistakes like all parents do, or I could
have made a better choice from time to time,
but I did try my best to be a good mom.

That meant not being a popular person from time
to time. I am sure I would also be considered like
the poem… “the meanest Mom ever”. I did make
sure my children did their homework first before
play. I did want to know where they were and with
whom. And yes, some of the kids did slip under that
rule a couple times. I was an embarrassment to my
kids from time to time, as I showed up at the school,
when they got in trouble. I was under that rule, if you
think I am in trouble here at school, wait until I get
home and Mom finds out.

But thru it all, I raised them with love. Love that
came thru even during the hardest of times for them.
I was always there for them, not to face the music for
them, but with them. So they knew they were never
alone. While spankings did come to play a few times,
but mostly it was lectures. Which my kids have told me
they rather got the two swats of spankings than the
lecture. As the spankings were done and over with.

The lectures seem to go on and on. About what they
did, how that will reflect on them. How people will
perceive them. And is that what you want people to
think of you. And to always face the music and get
it out of the way. That lies are hard to remember and
if once a liar, people will think always a liar.

So to be asked to take a walk with me, was met with
terror of a long walk and much talking. In fact there
Is the family story about how #3 son got in trouble,
and we were walking around the circle driveway, when
The King stuck his head out of the garage and said,
I don’t know what you did, but it must be bad, as this
is your 12th round.

So this past week, where we gathered with some of
the children, and two of the grandchildren, and tales
of the past which open the eyes of the grandchildren,
as Aunt and Uncles spilled stories of their parents past.
I felt so proud. Even when I was hearing a couple of things
that happen under my watch, that I didn’t know until then.

I felt proud as each of my children walked hand and
hand with their spouse even after all these years of
marriage. The love they showed their partners of life.
Arms around their partners as they listen to each other
and others.
The great joy as we did each event. Or even just relaxing
around the pool.

It was a great week…. I guess I did do it right…It was the best week of my entire life.



To find out what these and other pictures mean... you will have to come back each
day and see.....some you can guess...