CELEBRATING CRONEHOOD

In preparation for her 60th birthday, Marcia Zina Mager went on a 3-day retreat in a cabin on Dr. Lori's property in Haleiwa.  For her passage into cronedom, she asked her circle of younger friends to "give her away" to a bunch of kickass Crone friends.  Crone meaning any woman over 60 and  kickass meaning a woman who has kept her juju, one who lives life with "huevas." (Literally: "ovaries" or "eggs," the female equivalent of "balls," like in "She's got huevas!")

Besides Zina, there were eight of us present, with Alice Anne and I being the oldest, and AA of course topping us all in being the most kickass Crone ever.  She blessed Zina with a wish for many grandchildren.  My wish for Zina was to gift her with many lovers.  Actually, I think I said the number "Five."  At least 5.  That should keep her happy for a while.

We shared gifts of songs, rituals, stories, poems, music... champagne, food, fruit, cake, dance... tears, laughs, sweat (lots of sweat), dragonflies, kazoos... ending the day with Zina sweetly presenting each of us with a personalized gift.

I'm still feeling voluptuous with the passion, beauty and huevas of my women friends. 

CRONES RULE!

RAISING STEEL

The construction site at Kapiolani Hospital fascinates me.  All that macho heavy machinery gives me a testosterone rush.  I think I'd be really good driving all that steel and growl.  What really strikes my fancy, though, are the cranes.  And today I got to see something I'd never watched up close before.  At least, as close as I was allowed.  The pictures will have to tell the story.

Out on the street is a truck is waiting,

loaded with steel girders for reinforcing concrete columns.

A worker comes to attach the girders to cables attached to the crane.

He has climbed on top of the load and is looking up 

at the crane cables swaying way above him.

He takes hold of the cables .

 

Two girders are now attached to the crane cables.

Okay, everything is hooked up and ready 

to be lifted over the pedestrian walkway into the construction pit. 

I'm shooed out of harm's way.  Of course.  I understand.  

The thin plywood roof over the walkway 

is no match for all that steel if it were to come crashing down.

The next pictures I'll have to take from a distance away 

with my so-so Android zoom.

Slight raise...  didn't expect those things to be flexible.

What else don't I know?

Little higher...

And off she goes...

Cool!  So glad I saw it and could document it.

Raising steel!

BALI & HAWAII SISTER STATE CELEBRATION

Thanks to Lena Gan, we were invited to attend the Governor's reception for the signing of the Bali Hawaii Sister State Initiative. 

The reception was held at the Archives Building by Iolani Palace.  Indonesian food, Balinese and Hawaiian dancse, and music by National Guard and UH Gamelan Ensemble (with anklung gamelan).

 

 

With the Balinese Gamelan leader I Made Widana 

(Apologies if I did not identify him correctly)

With General Darryll Wong, Adjutant General, Hawaii National Guard

SISTER STATE RATIONALE

Bali and Hawaii are the two most beautiful places on earth, and their many similarities make for a natural partnership between these vibrant states.  The Bali Hawaii Sister State Initiative (BHSSI) provides a framework for developing planned collaborations, strategic alliances and partnerships between the Bali province, Indonesia and the State of Hawaii.

The partnership will promote and facilitate continuous learning and best practices of economic, social and cultural sustainability and development within the areas of tourism, education, agriculture, environment, and other trade and investment sectors.

Bali and Hawaii share a common need and desire in collaborative learning and keep each other accountable to remain world-class destinations.

The partnership will also focus on historical preservation and cultural renaissance through, among others, "entertainment-education" approach in championing, appreciating and sustaining local arts, music, culinary and other cultural ways of living and heritage.

The BHSSI also aims to help promote and forge win-win partnership activities in quality (not quantity) development [...] taking into consideration the appropriate local wisdom and cultural heritage, values and practices.  Bottom line, we are confident this relationship was made in heaven.

POTATOES IN MY PURSE

Last night I dreamed that my purse was too heavy.  

When I opened it, I found two humongous potatoes inside.  

What does it mean to dream of two big potatoes?

 

So today I went to Food Pantry

and bought the two biggest potatoes I could find. 

Should I sleep with them tonight?  

See what they have to say?

And then make garlic mashed potatoes tomorrow?

Dear Dream Interpreters, your advice, please.

ZIPPY'S AFTER TWO MARK TRAVIS WORKSHOPS

Kris is revved up and barely in control
...................
 

As always, Kris and I debrief on our ride home.

So much to talk about:

Mark, stories, feedback, insights, meltdowns...

This time it's very late when we finally 

manage to leave Hau`ula.

We're starving but decide to drive straight to Honolulu

and eat at Zippy's on Vineyard.

 Waiting for our order, we start to fade

 Fading...

 Fading...

 Faded

Until our food arrives.

 My comfort food: fried rice and egg  

Hash browns for Kris.

And finally home.
Thank you, Mark, Alice Anne, Henry, and our new/old writing friends!

EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK

Last night I hurried to get to the dojo before they closed but got stopped in my tracks by a scene that seemed straight out of a movie.  Two musicians and their dogs had set up shop right by the entrance to Eaton Square.  Wish I had had the wits to have taken pictures of their "caravan" of stuff: two strollers modified to hold their belongings.  One stroller had a large homemade wooden box fastened on top of it, filled with I don't know what all.  Like the musicians, the box had obviously weathered a few seasons.  

She said that she was a germophobe and that they played mostly Bach but also did numbers by Herb Alpert.  When she did not recognize the piece the man played, he told her it was Vivaldi, and then sang her some phrases to help her remember.  The dog got up, circled his pad, and laid down again.  I felt like I had stepped into a time warp where forgetting was as important as remembering.

BROTHER JOHN'S UNFORGETTABLE GIFT

John, a Marianist brother and good friend of Phil's, offered to cook us a gourmet meal.  Who are we to refuse?  The evening before New Year's Eve, John came armed with all the fixings for a six-course dinner:

Maple and Mustard Glazed Salmon

Asparagus with Carmelized Onions

Divine Carrot and Sweet Potato Slices

Risotto with Precious Porcini Mushrooms from the Motherland

Garnish of the Most Luscious and Peppery Watercress

Warm After-Dinner Salad

Dessert of Mango Sorbet in a Papaya Bowl  

And wine, of course 

And his Kindle for background classical music! 

 John stirring the risotto and filling our home 

with the most delicious aromas.

  

Phil pretends to be helping.

Dinner, fit for a queen, is served!

Warm salad with porcini mushrooms and walnuts.

Slice of sweet potato on the side.

 The dessert looks a bit lost on my red salad plate from Macy's.

I should have drawn a design on it with chocolate syrup 

or cream or something, if I stocked any of that.

We didn't get done with dinner and conversation until close to midnight.  And if that weren't enough, John offered to come back and prepare us his specialty: Chicken Marsala!  Any time, John, any time.  I can get accustomed to this.

The next day I fixed a semi-gourmet meal from the leftover risotto by adding fresh carrots, onions, garlic, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds.  I also steamed half a cauliflower head and dressed it with a special Japanese Sesame Dressing with Yuzu (A gift from our realtor John Baessler - Thank you, John!) and a sprinkling of gomashio.  And more of that unbelievably delicious watercress.  I swear, I never liked bitter vegetables, but I can't seem to get enough of this bunch of watercress.

Everyone should have a friend like Brother John.

Thank you, John Campbell!!!!