Once home, I had a major job of unpacking my house. They put new carpet in while I was gone and it looks great. But I had to move everything off the furniture including disconnecting the computer and electronics. The kitchen was piled high (tile floor). They also worked on the bathroom while I was gone so I couldn’t pile that too high but I filled the shower. They moved the furniture and put it back. Mom was arriving the next day to spend 3 weeks with me, I knew she wouldn’t mind the mess, but I just had to have some things put away for me. About 7 PM Monday night, I got a call from my new niece Vajra. She and Jason had just arrived on Maui that day and wondered if they could stay with me that night. They arrived about 10 PM that night. And Mom arrived Tuesday, so I had a house full but then Jason and Vajra moved to her sister’s in Kihei on Wednesday. (They have since gotten an apartment in Kihei and are both working in retail. The baby is due in September, and I think they plan to live on Maui through part of next year at least. Vajra’s mom and family are all here. I don’t get to see them too often but hope I can see them more when schedules settle out.)

It was great to have Mom here for three weeks. We don’t do a lot of sight seeing because she has seen most of the Maui sights. We walked on the beach, laid in the sun, and I think she got 12 books read. One Saturday, Neil, Mom and I hiked up along a steam, through a beautiful bamboo forest, and up to a waterfall. Neil and I climbed up one level of it, and then Neil climbed up another on his own. We went for a sunset sail one evening. Not much wind but it is always nice to be on the water and it was a really lovely sunset watching the sun sink right into the water. One evening, we went to a canoe launching. They had a historical week where master carvers created canoes in the traditional way (well, a little help from chain saws) under the Banyan Tree and 8 new canoes were blessed and launched in a traditional ceremony off the beach in Lahaina at the conclusion of the week. Another evening we went to a slack-key guitar festival in the park. Slack-key music uses unique tunings developed in Hawaii. It was 5 1/2 hours of great music.

One of the reasons Mom came at this time is that the minister from my church is leaving on sabbatical after serving the Lahaina church for 12 years. It was a very emotional few Sundays and the church held a banquet with 300 people to say good-bye. There was wonderful music and skits as a tribute to Piula. His parents and sisters also attended, and the family sang and performed Samoan dances to end the evening.

The last week, Mom spent a lot of time shopping and doing things to help Jason and Vajra move into their new apartment. We moved down a kitchen table and chairs for them, plus a chest and bookshelves that had been stored at my place. She took them grocery shopping, and another day we found Jason some aloha shirts he can wear for his job at Radio Shack. She went over to clean and do laundry one afternoon. I think they are pretty well set.

I got a call from the college while Mom was visiting to see if I would teach summer school. I didn’t think I was going to work there again because I was tired of the 5 day notice. But this was a 3 week notice, and it was the same class I had just taught last semester with the same book. And it started the day Mom left and ends right before Neil’s daughters arrive so it is great timing. Therefore, I am now currently teaching Java yet again; the 16 week course in 6 weeks. I was worried about the concentrated time because my students last semester had problems understanding it in 16 weeks, but actually this group is doing really well. This class seems to know what to expect from the course and many of them are 4 year college students home for the summer. The last students came in thinking it was continuing the “this is a computer” course rather than “this is how you program” course. Fall is still up in the air. They have asked me to teach, but had to wait till end of June to see what the new full-time person wanted to teach. It is now time to start trying to get an answer.

I started going to the beginners Aikido class in March. (Neil started last October.) I can’t say “I enjoy it”, but I am getting a lot out of it. In the last month, I have finally felt comfortable with my rolls and we had a weekend seminar, which gave me an incredible amount of information and practice. I have just started going to the Wednesday night class with the more advance students who are incredibly helpful and tolerant of me. There are also classes on Friday night and Sunday morning and another beginning class starting Thursday night. We could go 5 days a week if we wanted. I am happy with just two right now. The main reason I am going is for the “energy work”. In Japanese Aikido, it is called ki (pronounced key). It helps me center, balance, relax (I hope eventually) and work on connecting with universal oneness.

I am not currently working for a dive operation, but am still doing some dive instruction for friends. And Neil and I try to get diving once a week but it has been hard since we got back from the trip. We did go on the boat to Lanai two weeks ago for two great dives. Neil’s Mom just arrived yesterday and she’s ready to get certified. Neil’s daughters Mailea, 16, and Ari, 14, arrive July 23 for a month visit. They got certified last year, so this year we will work on their Advanced certification.
 
 

Written June 2000

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