Dec 31, 2008
Nov 11, 2008
Veterans Day 2008
I would like to thank all of the Veterans' who have served so bravely and made tremendous sacrifices so that we all might live in a land of countless freedoms. I have always been very patriotic. Whenever the National Anthem is played, or the flag passes by, I have that deep feeling in my heart for love of country. I feel very blessed to live in the United States of America. I have traveled to distant lands and I can truly appreciate all cultures, beliefs, and customs. However, I do feel very blessed to live where I do, and I know that not all people have the same privileges and freedoms of those of us who live in the USA.
I personally know of a handful of veterans that have served our country. My father was in the Air Force for more than twenty years. Yes, I'm a military "brat," without the brat. You could only be called a "military brat" if your Dad was an officer. My father was an enlisted man and I'm so appreciative of his years of service. My father was stationed in Korea just after the Korean War ended. When I was born he was not in the United States. He did not get to see his firstborn, which would be me, until I was 6 months old. He served several tours of duty where his family could not go with him. My mother held our family together and she definitely deserves a big thank you, as well as all of the family members who have been left behind, while they supported their loved ones.
This is one of my favorite pictures of my father. He sent this photo to my mother. He told her that as he wrote her everyday, he looked at the picture of Jesus Christ and my mother as he penned the letter. I love my Dad's dedications to family, God, and country.
I'm very proud of my son who served in the Marines for over 5 years. He served in Iraq for 2 tours of duty. Everyone is affected by war. No, we do no like war but we do support those who sacrifice so much for our freedom. Anyone who has served is forever affected by their experiences. I don't know specific stories of my son's service but I do know that he will never be the same from what he saw and experienced. I know fellow soldiers gave their health and some their lives for our freedom. Below are a few photos from Iraq. His platoon ran conveys of supplies to war torn areas in Iraq.
I would also like to thank my husband's late father who served in World War 2. He was the captain of a LST naval ship which ran missions in the South Pacific to deliver supplies and troops. We know that he saw many battles and his men suffered greatly. I also have a brother-in-law who served in the Vietnam War on a naval destroyer for 2 tours of duty. Also, my nephew served in the Army and was in Iraq for more than a year finding hidden mines and explosives. My father's brothers served in the Air Force as well. I'm proud of my heritage and the sacrifices they made for their country.
A few months ago we were in San Diego and went to Point Loma to see the lighthouse. On the way to the lighthouse we stopped by the cemetery that honored those who have served our country. There were grave markers for men and women of all religions and all beliefs. They bonded together for one cause, that of service and ultimately sacrificed their lives so that we might live in the "Land of the Free." We spent about an hour quietly and respectfully looking at the countless rows of graves of those who have died serving our country. We were especially touched by the wall of grave markers that show religious symbols of many religions and on the marker of a "beloved wife and mother," was a child's crayon drawing taped to his mother's marker. It is hard to hold back tears in the National Cemetery.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of the veterans who have served and those who will serve. Words cannot describe my gratitude. May we live our lives so their sacrifices were not in vain. Thank you Veterans. We will not forget..........
I found this site with a beautiful poem about veterans. I feel this is a fitting way to end this post honoring all of those who have fought for our freedom: Wren's World
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
into the fields of World War I;
just a few years later they fought anew,
and stormed the beaches in World War II.
and liberated Kuwait from Saddam.
These battles would have never been won
without the job our forces have done.
Thanks to Veterans, each and every one!
Nov 02, 2008
Moorea
A highlight of our trip was whale watching at Moorea in Tahiti. We went on a tour with Dr. Michael Poole who has his PHD in Marine Biology specializing in dolphins and whales. He has been involved with the "Blue Planet" series by National Geographic and has segments on Animal Planet as well. We started the afternoon rather slowly. We went just outside the coral reef and we spotted 3 dolphins. Dr. Poole told us they would surface in under 5 minutes. However, somehow we lost sight of them and had a dry spell for over 30 minutes. We were just about to leave the location when we spotted the "puff" of air of a whale exhaling. We were in for an amazing spectacle of a humpback courtship ritual. The one female was escorted by up to 6 males. There was one "alpha" male who stayed right by the intended mate's side. He would slap his fins, tail, and arch his "hump," thus the name humpback whale, for the other males and the lone female in hopes of impressing all who watched.
Moorea will be continued when I have a faster computer and better Internet access.
Update
We are finally home after more than 35 hours of being awake and suffering greatly from jet lag. We were so thankful to see all of our family at the airport and even birthday balloons for Milt. We feel very blessed to have traveled safely and that our house and the dogs were so well taken care of by all of our family. I will finish this entry and others after a few days of catching up with mundane things such as paying bills, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, and so on.......And just like Dorothy said, "There's no place like home." Now, if I could only get a pair of sparkly red shoes and I could click my heels together 3 times, that would be a great way to travel. I bet Dorothy never had jet lag. Anyway, it is great to be home.
Papeete
Papeete is the capital city of the beautiful isles of Tahiti in the South Pacific. The island is part of the French Polynesian government so it has a definite European feel. It has beautiful black sand beaches of volcano rocks that have disintegrated over time into fine sandy beaches. The beautiful hues of blue water and the dark green foliage against the black lava rocks is spectacular.
This island is so beautiful that after James Norman Hall visited this part of the world, he spent the rest of his life here. His home was built overlooking the ocean. He raised his family here and was inspired to write many books of tales that were centered around the South Pacific Isles. James is the author of Mutiny on the Bounty which was later made into 3 different movies, one of which starred Marlon Brando. His daughter now lives in the family home which has been made into a museum highlighting her father's works. She was actually at her home on the day we went to visit. She read some poetry that her father had written especially for his children.
Here are some photos from the local market. Each day people come to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, and the daily fish catch. The green fan in front of the fish is made from the leaves of the Pandanus tree and is used to swat the insects that land on the fish. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the variety of fruits and vegetables.
This is a 100 year old lighthouse and monument that was built to honor Captain Cook located on Point Venus. We traveled around the island and enjoyed stopping at Arahoho Blowhole and a beautiful waterfall that was in the middle of a very dense forest of lush trees and tropical plants.
We rented a taxi so we could go and take pictures of the Papeete Temple before we had to board the ship. The tour guide told us there was a Mormon Church in the city with a "gold cherub" on top. The island has 2 recognized languages, French and Samoan, however most of the population also speaks English. The sun was beginning to set when we arrived at the temple and the clouds were radiant. What a fitting way to end a delightful day that was spent in Papeete, French Polynesia. We feel very blessed to be able to visit diverse cultures and the beautiful world that we live in.
Happy Birthday Milt!
On Monday, October 6th, we celebrated Milt's birthday. It was just like any other day except we landed in Bora Bora, Tahiti. This is a small island in the South Pacific with a crystal clear lagoon that the "rich and famous" come to vacation with their very expensive "fashion handbags" in tote. My husband hates "pomp and circumstance." He made me promise that I wouldn't tell anyone it was his birthday. So, I didn't, very reluctantly I might add. No, he didn't get any presents. cakes, balloons or the usual vocal rendition of "Happy birthday." He couldn't even talk to our children because we had no cell service or email service. (However,I do know that they did try to contact him to wish him a happy birthday.)
There is no dock big enough for a cruise ship so you have to wait your turn to ride the tender boat to shore. It took over a couple hours to get everyone off the ship who wanted to go ashore. We got up very early so we could be one of the first ones in line for a tender ticket. {I am so not a morning person. I can't believe I consented to get up so early on a vacation. I only agreed because it was the birthday boy's wish.} Despite the early departure, we did have a wonderful day exploring this beautiful island. We rented a car and drove around the island. It is a rather small island and only took an hour and a half to drive completely around it.
We have been told that the little huts that sit over the lagoon can rent for a couple of thousand dollars a night. Some of the huts have glass bottom floors so you can see the fish swimming in the water. It is a common destination for the elite who travel here for the ultimate honeymoon. Some of the patrons of the huts have their meals delivered to them by canoe each day. Everything is VERY expensive here. The rental car was $150.00 for 4 hours. It is "postcard" beautiful here. We went to the beach just so we could say we had swam in the South Pacific. I couldn't get over the different shades of the aqua blue water and the pristine white sandy beaches.
So, we sailed away 4:30 pm. What a delightful day we had in Bora Bora. I wish we could celebrate Milt's birthday every year on this beautiful island however I have a feeling this was the one and only time that would happen. So, happy birthday Milt I love you and here's to many more.
Oct 16, 2008
Kona
We rented a car and drove around the big island of Hawaii. The cruise ship pulled into port at Kona. We had been here 4 years ago with Nichole, Patrick, and Nichelle. We did things we hadn't done before even though we were there for a full week. Our favorite thing to do is to go off the beaten path where the tourists hover and find out of the way places. I have to say I fell in love with "Aloha Eddie" and his fruit stand. He very well could have picked up fruit from the road or a public place but we were happy to become his patrons. He had his surfboard leaning against the side of the hut ready to catch the next wave. Milt got 3 papayas, some bananas, and an avocado for $5.00. They were delicious. Eddie posed for us with the "shuck-a" greeting. There was a beautiful rooster tied to Eddie's sign with a leash. We loved meeting Eddie and his rooster. Aloha!
We had forgotten that there was a temple in Kona. Last time we went to Kona the temple grounds were closed. This Monday they were actually open so we were able to walk all around the temple grounds. You could see the cruise ship from the temple. The temple is on a slight hill so you can see the ocean.
These papayas were growing along the fence line of the Kona Temple. The sprinklers happened to be on by the side of the temple. The side yard was volcanic rock that had indentations in which the sprinkler water pooled. I saw dozens of bright yellow birds enjoying a bath on the temple grounds. I loved walking around the temple exploring and taking pictures. Milt "loved" waiting for me in the rental car reading his book to pass the time while I was taking "lots" of pictures. LOL!
We visited the "Painted Church" which has hand painted murals by a Belgian priest, Father John Berchmans Velghe. These are photos from the painted church and its grounds. There were beautiful Hawaiian flora and even some huge wild mushrooms.
Finally, we went to the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park of Hawaii. This park sits on the southern Kona Coast on the ocean with black lava flats as a foundation for a traditional Hawaiian village for the royalty. The bay served as a protected site for shelter for the royal chiefs and their families. The villagers built canoes and survived by fishing for food. There was a huge lava wall built around the entire city. This place was used for several centuries. In 1819, when Kamehameha abolished many of the religious worship practices this area fell into disrepair. We loved walking around this restored Hawaiian village. It sits right on the ocean and is breathtaking to imagine yourself living centuries before with the royal Hawaiians and stepping into their everyday life and activities.
Aloha for now.
Oct 03, 2008
Hawaii
I'm "miss'in" Jade's cute face as well. Andrea sent this recent picture of Jade by email. I can't believe that she is 3 months old already. I could only download 1 picture because I spent 30 minutes of my time downloading just 1 picture. I'm allotted 10 minutes a day. Oops! When you are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean the Internet is VERY slow and expensive!
It is kind of hard to see but the 2nd picture was taken from the ship's computer room. My friend, Julie told us about an Internet program you can download called, Skype. All of you savvy Internet people probably already know about it. Anyway, if you get a web camera you can talk to your family from all over the world and see them as you are talking. The image is poor because of the glare from the water and Milt's shirt had 3 yellow stripes that reflected onto the screen. But it was fun to see Ty and Jade on the computer screen. Then the battery on the laptop died and that was the end of our time. The battery on the laptop is dying a slow death. This laptop is about 5 years old and about to go to "laptop heaven." Unfortunately, we don't have the money to buy a new laptop at this time, so say a little prayer that this computer lasts until the real estate market turns around. LOL!
We are at sea for 5 days this time. We were going to land at Christmas Island but there has been a problem so we are just going to go around the island for a scenic tour. I will spend the next few blog entries updating our stops at Honolulu and Kona.
We landed at Honolulu around 7:30am and were serenaded by some Hawaiian dancers and singers.
It was a beautiful sunny day at the beach. This is a photo of the Royal Hawaiian hotel, or as we call it, "The Pink Hotel." We are so descriptive don't you think? We love the contrast of the flamingo pink color with the different shades of blue from the water. We went to the hotel but were surprised that it was closed for renovation.
I had to laugh at what we did in the city. The first thing we did was go on a bus that took us to the mall. We got DVD's to back up my photos, mouthwash, a needle and thread, bleach for colored clothes, and a big diet coke with lots of ice. Then we took a bus to the boardwalk because Milt wanted to go to McDonald's for lunch and I wanted to take pictures of the water. I wanted to take a picture of the price of a Big Mac meal sign but the workers told me that I couldn't. Anyway, the Big Mac meal special was $8.48. I could not believe how expensive it was. Then we saw the signs for gasoline and were surprised that it was only $4.34. We have been paying that much in Utah for a long time. Wow! So, if asked what we did at Waikiki Beach we would have to say we went to the mall and McDonalds, things you can only do in Hawaii, right???
We went back to the ship to put away our purchases and then went back out so I could take a few pictures of famous Hawaiian landmarks. This is the statue of King Kamehameha I.
When we were walking around I noticed a store sign that said, "David and Goliath." I had remembering seeing it about 4 years ago but didn't have a camera. My dogs were named David and Goliath before I knew there was a store that had the same name. One of the hardest things for me about not being home is of course missing my family but also missing my dogs. Seeing the David and Goliath sign of course made me homesick. Then as we were walking around I heard the tiny bark of a puppy. One of the shop owners had brought her 4 month old Chihuahua to work with her. If you know me I am basically pretty shy but I always muster enough courage to ask to pet a dog while we are on vacation. So here are the photos of the store sign which has the name of my dogs and the puppy that I just felt compelled to pet.
Aloha for now!
Oct 01, 2008
On the Sea Again
You have heard the song, "On the Road Again," well we are "On the Sea Again," for 4 days.
We have been at sea since Wednesday evening. We are due to reach Hawaii tomorrow morning. We have been having a wonderful time relaxing on the cruise ship. I have been taking pictures of the gorgeous Pacific Ocean. This morning we saw the most beautiful rainbow that went across the surface of the ocean.
Hello to everyone and we'll talk soon.
Sep 27, 2008
Miss'in That Face!
I am "miss'in" that cute face, Miss Kaylin! When I look at that little crooked smile it just warms my heart. I cannot believe that she is one year old. Where did the time go? I never posted pictures from her birthday party. Her parents did a fabulous job and when I get home I will update my blog with pictures from her "Elmo One Year Old Birthday Party."
Milt and I are off on a wonderful adventure. Everything is perfect but I am sure missing ALL of our family members and the dogs, of course. Did you notice that I put the family before the dogs? LOL! The Internet is VERY expensive. We can only use it 10 minutes a day. By the time I opened my email and deleted the non-important ones my time was up. Anyway, hi to all of our family members.
Can you tell where we are? Milt and I were here 33 years ago on our honeymoon. San Francisco is still one of our favorite cities. We just love walking around the wharf and of course we have to have a hot fudge sundae from Ghirardelli Square. I think it was about five dollars back in the day when we first came here, that is really expensive but worth it. Now it is a "mere" nine dollars.
I really like this picture because it looks like the city has 2 skylines as one is reflecting off the glass of the ship. We have been to San Francisco many times over the years and I don't remember seeing the sun shining. We got here late afternoon on Tuesday and the sun was shining. Also, the next day we were greeted with blue skies in the afternoon. What a beautiful sight. Our ship left the city at 5:30 PM and will be "at sea" for 3 days. We will enjoy 3 days of down time such as relaxing, reading for Milt and Photoshop for me, taking pictures, taking a nap, exercising and just having a wonderfully, "boring" time.
Our ship went right under the Golden Gate Bridge. It really looked like it was going to "crash" into the bridge. What a thrill to go under that magnificent bridge.
These daredevil kite skiers came right up to the ship to greet us. It was a really windy day and the adventurous were loving the free rides.
Well off into the sunset. We miss you and love you. Talk to you soon.
Sep 03, 2008
33 Years and "Some Castle in San Diego!"
Can you believe that we have been married for 33 years? I seriously can't believe it. We have had very many joyful times and very many trying times. I think we have learned to care about the other person more than ourselves. We certainly don't have a "PERFECT" marriage but pretty close. As time goes by you learn not to be angry with each other at the same time. I am very grateful to have found my soul mate. He is a man of honor and integrity and I am most grateful to be his wife. Happy Anniversary Milt, I love you very much.
It is ironic that we are here in San Diego on our anniversary. We actually came to San Diego on our honeymoon. I worked for the Holiday Inn Reservation Center in Utah. As part of a wedding gift they gave us free rooms in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. It is a good thing because we had absolutely no money because we were both in school. We drove my husband's parents' car and we only had to pay for gas. Today, we wouldn't be able to afford gas but 33 years ago it was much more affordable. Gasoline was 44 cents and today it is over $4.00 a gallon. It is hard to believe how the cost of living has changed so dramatically.
Cost of Living 1975
How Much things cost in 1975
Yearly Inflation Rate USA9.2%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 858
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 7.25%
Average Cost of new house $39,300.00
Average Income per year $14,100.00
Average Monthly Rent $200.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 44 cents
Average cost new car$4,250.00
Foster Grant Sun Glasses $5.00
Whenever we go to San Diego, the first thing my husband buys is a bouquet of flowers to decorate our condominium. The beautiful multi-colored rose bouquet at the top of the entry are the flowers he gave me for this trip. I love fresh flowers and the smell is divine.
We have been blessed with 3 beautiful children and 2 grandchildren. We love our family. We have always gone on family trips together. We love to spend time with our family. We really enjoy just "hang'in out" and going to movies, playing games, traveling, sight-seeing, shopping, and eating out as a family. Our children and their spouses are our best friends.
It has been a fun week here in San Diego. The weather has been beautiful. Nichole and Patrick were able to come to San Diego with us on this trip. We have really just relaxed, gone to the temple, saw a few movies, and had down time. We love to go to Seal Beach and watch the seals. It was a little disappointing this time because all of the seals are gone. The beach was protected by the government but now it is open to swimming, fishing, canoeing, and all sorts of human activity. We only saw pelicans at the beach that was once know as Seal Beach. I guess they will have to rename the beach to Pelican Beach. We also went to the Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma. There is a beautiful light house on Point Loma and some fun tide pools to explore.
When we go on vacation we try to schedule some time to attend the temple. We were discussing the temple and Patrick told us of someone who had posted a picture of the San Diego Temple on a blog and labeled it as a castle somewhere in San Diego. I had to laugh. It really does look like a "Cinderella Castle." When you go to the temple it is the Lord's house. You escape the world and can serve others. It is truly "heaven on earth." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is where you can find more out about the purpose of temples.
It has been a marvelous week in San Diego. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. It is a vacation that I hate to see end. My favorite thing about San Diego is being lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean.
