Happy Days

OK. So I am a slacker once again...but that's ok, right? No need to stress myself out over blogging.

We had a GREAT visit with Dad & Bon. We saw the sights, ate the food, and soaked up the sun! They left a week ago today...time flies! It seems like they were just here...and now they are settled back in at home. But we have more visitors coming in a week. Jane's friends are coming from home to spend 10 days with us! So, we have to get rested up for more fun. We are all very excited for their arrival.

Jane is working like crazy! They must really love her over at the restaurant, but who doesn't love her???

The 4th of July was fun...Jane had to work a double shift, so Jason and I went over to meet her on a break and have an early dinner. And then he and I made our way back to the condo for the fireworks. We could see them really well from our lanai. No fighting crowds for a piece of grass to sit on...we sat in our own chairs and enjoyed the show. It was nice...although the city has complained that the fire departments throughout Oahu reported over 70 incidences of fire emergencies related to the festivities. People get your explosives under control!

And now its another week...Jason and Jane are working...and I guess I am too...sweeping, cleaning toilets, and doing laundry. Fun for all!

Life is good. Can you believe we have lived in Hawaii for six months???

We need to start working on the next wave of visitors...any takers?

I'm a slacker...

OK...so long time no blogging. Things here have been kind of busy. I will just give a brief update of things for now and then resume "true" blogging on another day.
I ended up having to quit my sailing class...I had some sinus issues and missed several days. It was too much for me to make-up, so I will try and take the class again in the Fall.
Jane arrived and has been here for a month already! Where does the time go??? Elizabeth and Alexandra have came and went...we had a great two weeks! Alexandra is so cute and she talks all of the time! It was fun to have them here.
Jane has a job as a hostess at a restaurant called Islands. She seems to like it and she is getting experience in the hospitality industry.
Dad & Bon are coming for a visit...this Tuesday! I can't believe it! We are very excited. And then later in July, two of Jane's friends are coming (Abbie & Lesley). And, last but not least, in August, Ronald, Susan, and Aunt Tammy are coming.
We are definitely enjoying the company and we really appreciate everyone taking their vacations here to visit.
Jason found out "officially" this week, that he is promotable to Major. We aren't sure when the promotion will take place, but it should be in the next couple of months! So, congrats to my sweet, smart husband. I'm very proud!
The flowers are in full bloom around here, hence my sinus/allergy issues. But everything is very pretty. There are lots of colors, shapes, and sizes of beautiful flowers.
Jason's birthday is on Saturday. So, we have plenty of reasons to celebrate these days.
I hope to put up pictures and blog more soon. Hugs to all ;-).

One Small Sail for Brooke, One Giant Leap for Mankind

Well, I have been to two more sailing classes since I wrote the blog about wanting to quit. And, somehow, I have managed to keep my anxiety at bay. I prayed about it and talked myself into going "just one more time". I also have a great partner, Natali, and a fabulous teacher, Tracey.
They are both so nice and patient. Natali actually already knows how to sail, but she just wanted to take this as a refresher. So, I pretty much have two teachers.
I can't quit when I receive weekly emails from my teacher with the most encouraging words...EVER! See for yourself:
"Dear Brooke and Natali,
As I said today, I do look forward to Thursdays :) I see progress with both of you already and I know you're both going to keep progressing into great sailors. And just as importantly, you're both a lot of fun, which makes the sailing even more enjoyable. Every week we're on the water you'll make strides without even knowing it, then after 10 weeks you'll look back and see just how far you've come. Both of you have a lovely weekend. Tracey"

And then here is this one from today: "Dear Brooke, I cannot express how so very proud I am of you today. I pushed you very hard today and you came up smiling! Despite what you say you showed great skill and you made huge strides forward in your upwind sailing. By this week most students feel they are not getting it and do not feel confident, this is very normal, as we have such crazy standards for ourselves. However, I feel that you are getting it! You are better than you know and you have so much promise to become a good sailor. Your positive attitude, attention to details and willing demeanor not to mention awesome tacking skills will have your confidence up and ready for the next challenge as each week goes by. Remember keep one day at a time, and you always say you cannot do it, but you always do! Till-er Thursday. Tracey"

How could I stop going?? Tracey is so great! If nothing else, I will do it to make her proud. I will keep praying for strength and motivation. And I hope I don't capsize us!!
Tracey also has tolerance for my accent. She has a British accent and she lived in Alabama for 10 years...so she can totally get what I am saying and she doesn't ask me to repeat words that she thinks I say funny. She said that there is nothing I can say, that she hasn't heard. ;-) Hopefully she doesn't mind when I "cuss like a sailor". Kidding...maybe...

Fun!

Let's see...what's new. Not a whole lot. Jason and I had a fairly quiet weekend. Friday we stayed in to eat dinner and watch Friday night TV...usually Dateline or 48 Hours. We missed the Friday night fireworks, again! They are supposed to be at 8 PM, but we have discovered its anywhere between 7:15 and 8:15. They only last a few minutes and we can't see them from anywhere in our condo. But we can see the reflection of the lights flashing on the water and other buildings. Maybe this Friday...
Saturday, we went to Waikiki to wander around. We realized that they were having Spam Jam. We have no clue why something so "big" wasn't more advertised. Hawaiians love Spam and they dedicate this entire festival to it. Music, booths, contests, etc. I felt like I was back home at Mountain Heritage.
We also walked on the beach that evening. We saw the lifeguards pulling up "Shark Sighted" warning signs. That didn't deter the swimmers. And then we made our way to one of the live Hawaii cameras, this one was at the Duke Kahanamoku statue. You can find these at http://www.honolulu.gov/cameras/ . Anyway, we went there and called Jane...and then Katie & Beaver. It was about 5:30 our time...so 11:30 PM in KY. But they all tuned in and saw Jason and I in a sea of tourists waving at the camera.
Our Sunday was spent at the Maritime Museum. We were thinking that this was a small little place, but looks can be surprising. It took us an hour to rush through the museum, because they were closing for the day. We definitely didn't allow enough time. We also made our first trip to the Diamond Head area. We didn't climb up, but we scoped everything out. Our eyes were caught by a poster that listed common birds for the area. Most birds around here aren't the tropical kind. There are doves and pigeons, mostly. We have seen cardinals and some sea birds, as well. But the poster listed one of the most common birds here as a Kentucky Cardinal. How funny! We didn't know that there was a specific cardinal for our state, because its also the state bird for about 3-4 other states. But here in Hawaii, they call it a Kentucky Cardinal.
So, once again we had a nice weekend.
And in case you are wondering, I went to sailing class last week and I plan on going again tomorrow. I may be getting through my anxiety enough to actually not dread going.
The more I write on the blog, I realize that its mainly a journal of what Jason and I do in our spare time...Maybe one day, I will write something a bit more meaningful and insightful. ;-)

Fore and then Feathers

So, Jason and I decided to start golfing. Jason already had a set of clubs and had taken a semester of golf in college. I, on the other hand, had never really played golf, but have a decent understanding of it...also, I grew up around golf, tagged along with all of my friends in college, and love watching golf on TV.
We decided after watching the Masters a few weeks ago, to purchase me a set of clubs and start knocking some balls around. Well, we did just that. We found a decent set for me and got all pumped up to start playing. So, last Sunday we went to lunch and then in search of a driving range. We knew that there was one on Hickam Air Force Base, but we drove around and scoped out some others. We did end up going to Hickam and thankfully, there was no one around to see me swinging...teehee.
We bought a couple of buckets of balls and Jason told me which club to use and then showed me how to swing properly.
Well, I did ok...I tried to channel the golfing side of my family...all of my Mom's side golfs religiously and I know my Dad used to golf as well...so I figure I have a decent chance of doing alright.
Things were going good until about halfway through my bucket. No joke, I hit a bird! There are tons of doves around here. They aren't scared of people at all. We actually have to step around them on the sidewalk. Well, wouldn't you know that there would be one about 10 feet in front of me. I didn't see it, due to keeping my eyes on the ball, or I would have tried to scare it away. Jason had been calling my shots "worm burners", due to the fact that they were skimming the grass and this one was no exception.
Well, I hit the ball and when I looked up to follow it, all I saw were feathers! I started screaming and looking away. Jason immediately starting saying, "Its ok, its ok! It flew away". Well, I saw the bird prior to flight in a cloud of feathers, and it had totally just had its world rocked. I closed my eyes and didn't see it fly away, but Jason kept saying that it would be fine. I figure it flew off to die...And then I thought of the Fleetwood Mac song...Edge of Seventeen. "Just like the one winged dove, sings a song, sounds like she's singing. Ooo baby oooo oooo.
So, look out birds, I will be back again! Hopefully PETA won't be at the golf course anytime in the near future.