Aune Grandchild 4

Kari and Eric are due on June 20.  We are so excited with the news and equally excited that Kari feels so healthy as she glows with the blessing growing inside her.

Kari and Eric informing Ben and Penny via Facetime...showing them the ultrasound from five weeks ago.

To inform Nathan, Cailyn and kids, Kari and Eric had made a puzzle of the ultrasound.

Jane was quite taken back, not sure how to react after she had put the puzzle together.

Tragedy

I am so moved by the events in Connecticut that I feel I must respond.  This blog is normally the reporting of family history and experiences .  As a retired elementary principal who loved his job and the adults and children that I was privileged to work with, I am devastated by sporadic gun violence in our society.    I own two guns and enjoyed hunting until my ankles made it difficult for me to walk.  One is a  12 gauge shotgun designed for hunting upland birds.  It can carry up to 3 shells.  The other is a 22 rifle which carries one shell and is designed for killing varmints, squirrels, rats, etc....

I have never understood  the power needs of one who feels he must own a "people killer".  Guns and ammunition, designed for military and law enforcement, are now available to the public since 2004 and the sales have been astronomical, especially since the election of President Obama.  The yearning for vicarious power and authority, implicit in the design and intention of the assault weapons, has reached fever pitch in some segments of our society.  The secondary result, as demonstrated in Sandy Hook, is that one maladjusted or disgruntled person can access weapons, some which can spend in excess of 100 rounds before reloading and can be fired as fast as one can  move his finger.   That person can enter very vulnerable settings such as shopping malls and schools to inflict incredible carnage.

I applaud Sen Manchin, Democrat from West Virginia who spoke out today for a ban on assault weapons.  Much can be said, but more must be done.  The NRA, right wing talk radio and TV, and extreme elements of the Republican party have defended assault weapon ownership as  a second amendment right.   Yes, I believe in the second amendment but I am a stronger believer in the first commandment.  When one straps on the elements of what he sees as power, then goes out to play god, then, as a society, we must step up and work to change our culture.

Nothing brings more pain than too much pleasure;  nothing more bondage than too much liberty.
 Benjamin Franklin

Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power.  James Madison

Celebrated Tradition

Each year Barb organizes a lefsa baking activity and the process has changed over the decades.  Now it involves Kari and Cailyn (both of whom have brought their own flair to the event) and granddaughter Jane, who will hopefully carry forth the tradition.   Jensen added his own "flair" to the process, one which his development oriented retired kindergarten-teacher-grandmother described as a "tactile (kinesthetic) experience."

They actually have two griddles baking.

The taste test.

 Jane loves to help GramB and mom cook, especially baking.

It has been a fun day.

Jensen awakes from his nap and brings his cars to the table.

When the baking is completed, Jensen takes over the left over flour.

Jane begins to form a snow landscape.

Jensen sat there for close to an hour, moving the "snowbanks" and plowing roads.

Time

Kari and Eric picked us up at the airport at 9:30 a.m.  We flew all night and I hardly slept.  Part of it was the confined quarters of the airplane seat but most of it was the flood of memories that kept replaying in my mind.  We had two weeks in Maui and we can use the typical response, "We had a wonderful time."

Time.  What a precious commodity.  How do we spend it?  I watched parts of two football games after we arrived home today.  How valuable was that time spent?  I took a long nap.  That time was very valuable.

Vacations can be a lot of work, risk, and expense.  Especially given the large group we had, differences in plans, schedules, interests, and attitudes can cause some friction.  But the element of time and the experiences that fill that time can be very rewarding and endearing.

Time

Time to explore the high ways

and the by ways.

Time to dine out alone

and dine out together.

Time to watch the sunset

or take a sunset swim.

Time to stand in line

and meet interesting people.  Ann and Bryce grew up in Liverpool England and John Lennon was a classmate of Bryce's.

Time for reading

or gazing at unique flowers

or animals.

Time for cousins,

sisters,

and son and dad.

Time to play freely

or play by the rules

or to make a big splash.

Time to learn from dad

or learn from others.

Time to try new things.

Time to do things together.

Time to gather

and time for Jane to take a picture of Jensen with GramB's camera.

Time.   Fun.

Last Night in Maui

Since the winds were light, we headed to the north part of the island again.  The views were spectacular.  We ended up back at Kapalua Bay and spend the p.m. snorkeling and hanging out on the beach.  Barb had scheduled a special dinner for us on our last night here.   Dukes is situated right on the beach and the food and setting were magnificent.

On the north coast near Honokohau

Above Honolua Bay

Our table at Duke's as the sun was setting.

The sunset from our table,

We leave tomorrow but not until late.  We try to schedule late flights as we get another day at our destination.

Free Wheeling on Halloween

We started Wednesday with a breakfast at a small restaurant in a very picturesque setting.  The Gazebo is very popular and the waiting line was around an hour.  This gave us time to meet and talk with our linemates, Linda and Bryce from Vancouver Island.  They are regular visitors here and one of their first stops is always the Gazebo.  The food was good.  Bryce and Linda were so fun and enlightening that we ended up sitting together.  The restaurant sits on a bluff overlooking Napili Bay.

The Gazebo Restaurant and part of the line.

Napili Bay from the Gazebo

Bryce and Linda from inside the Gazebo

 We drove north a bit but found the wind fairly strong so we turned around drove to Black Rock, the promontory lava flow that juts out amidst Kaanapali Beach.  We arrived around 11 and stayed till 4.  The beach was beautiful but so very crowded (from our perspective, if we had been here in December there would have been 4 times as many people here.)  We nestled up against the Black Rock shielding us against the north wind. We tried to fit in with the Sheraton crowd that emptied from the luxurious resort nearby.  The water was so very clear, tropical fish and one turtle languished under our masks, and we must have watched 200 people jump off Black Rock.  An entertaining day, one that distracted me from getting much progress from my Kindle.

Black Rock Beach near the Sheraton

The water was very clear, no wind, a few fish, and a turtle.  Barb exits from snorkeling.

Around 2 p.m. the jumpers begin.  First the locals..

Then the tourists..   We must have watched 200 people jump.

I tried to keep my Kindle story going but there were so many distractions

Sunset at the beach across the road from our Condo. 

Happy Halloween.  For us there were no tricks and an abundance of treats.

Life Style Change

On, Friday the 19th we arrived here in Maui.  Nathan picked us up at the airport as his family had arrived a few hours earlier.  Alton and Marti Ann were waiting at the airport as well as they had arrived after Nathan and before us.  We all gathered at the Kaanapali,Beach Club with Erin (Barb's niece), Mark, and their two kids, and Vicki and Ed, who all had arrived the day before.  All four families have now headed for home.  Today we dropped Vicki and Ed off at at the airport at 10 a.m. and turned in the communal van.  Barb and I then picked up a convertible Mustang and took off for the beaches.  After a short stop at the sugar museum, we headed for Kihei which I think is my favorite place on the isle, so far.  Lots of mid range and very high range condos, some in resorts, but you do not see the high rise edifices that we lived in last week (no regrets).  Parks and beaches dotted the coastline and we picked out two to experience today.  Unfortunately the wind picked up in the p.m and the snorkeling was not that great.  However, as the wind subsides later in the week, we know where we are going.    We did drive down to Makena State Park which has the longest white sand, undeveloped beach on the island.

We are home tonight, eating up the leftovers the other 4 groups have left us, and, of course, watching Dancing with the Stars.

Barb exiting from snorkeling at Ulua Beach

Makena State Park

Across the street from our condo, Kahana

.

The banyan tree, downtown Lahaina.  Yes, all one tree

Lunch today along the road.  These stands are frequent