Potpourri Post

This is going to be a pretty random post. I just wanted to share some things that have happened over the past few days.

Our church website has been updated. If you click here,you should be able to view some pictures of the renovation done on the building and what it looks like now. I feel so thankful when I see these photos. God blessed us with a lot of good help, and the building (I’m referring to the physical structure and the people) has come a long way in a short time. Thank you Jesus!

My brother-in-law Dean flew in for a visit on Wednesday. We are really enjoying having him out here. On Friday, we were able to spend some time in San Francisco. We went to Fort Funston in hopes that we would get to see some hang gliding. It didn’t look like that was going to happen, but as we were getting ready to leave, the wind started picking up a little, and my husband talked this man named Eric into doing a flight so we could take some pictures. It was really neat to watch him, and it looks like a lot of fun, but I still don’t think I could bring myself to do it. Do you?

Of course, no trip to San Francisco is quite complete without a visit to Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf. We always enjoy seeing the well known “Bush Man”.

If you’re not familiar with the “Bush Man” , he is a busker who makes his living by hiding behind some eucalyptus branches and scaring unsuspecting passers by. He’s selective about whom he chooses to scare and avoids elderly folks .  Many people who know where he hangs out will stand across the street and watch as he looks for victims to startle. It’s really quite amusing to watch. We did a little online research later and found out that in a good year, the Bush Man makes about $60,000.  Have I missed my calling? LOL

Below are some more pics from our San Francisco trip. Dean will be with us until Thursday, and while he heads to Phoenix, we’ll be traveling up to Ontario, Oregon where my husband will be preaching for our friends, the Savalas. I may not post again until we get back.

The Kidz having fun at Funston

Some poochies having fun at Funston

Alcatraz Island – We’ve been here almost 20 years, and I’ve never gone there.

Uncle Dean and Jen looking for fun at Funston.

Why do I make a big deal over Fort Funston? We didn’t even know the place existed until Martin Luther King  Jr. Day this year. We have some friends that live in the Bay Area, and they thought it might be fun to go to Fort Funston and see some hang gliding. Well, we picked a terrible day to go. We had a real late start that day, and by the time we got there, it was almost sunset. It was extremely windy, and us ladies at least, we’re freezing. There were only a few other people there and not a single hang glider. We stayed a few minutes and left. We made a joke about it and started calling it “Fort Funless.” I’m glad we gave it a second chance, because it was fun this time.

 

Pearl Harbor Day

One of the things we had definitely planned to do when we were in Oahu was to visit Pearl Harbor and see the Arizona memorial. We were able to do this on August 14th. Before visiting the Arizona memorial, we were ushered into a big theatre with those in our group where we saw a 30 minute film that dealt with the events leading up to World War II and what happened on the day (December 7, 1941)when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. We then made our way onto a boat which took us a short distance across the harbor to where the Arizona memorial stands. We walked around inside the memorial, taking pictures and reading some information. At the far end of the building is the room that has the wall with all the names engraved on it of those that died on the S.S. Arizona(over 1000) It was a very solemn experience seeing all the names of those that perished on that sad day. We got back on the boat, returned to shore and walked around the grounds some more. We came across some displays of torpedos, which were the type that my father-in-law worked with when he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, after the bombing incident. It was special for my husband to be in a place of which his dad had talked about and had spent much time. We were going to tour the Missouri, but upon counting the cost and both feeling tired, we decided against it. We got in the car and drove for about an hour and came to the beautiful Waimea Valley in Hale ‘iwa. The botanical gardens there were beckoning to us, and we answered the call. Cameras were pulled out, and we took our time walking through the garden, trying to capture on film some of God’s beautiful creations. Pete went ever so slightly off the path to try and get a shot of this unique purple flower. He stopped on a stone which was a little wobbly and stretched out his left hand against a tree to steady himself. Immediately, he yelled, “Ow!” and moved his hand away from the tree. Upon looking closer, we could see that this tree was covered with short, razor-like needles. We read a placard nearby the tree which informed us that the fruit on this tree was poisonous. I’m glad we didn’t eat any of it(not that we were planning to), and that Pete was not seriously hurt from touching that treacherous tree. On the way back to the hotel, we ate a nice place called Jameson’s By The Sea. We both ate light, because neither one of us felt real well, but the salad I had and clam chowder were both excellent. After dinner, we headed back to our hotel to freshen up and then began walking the crazy streets of Waikiki. The streets were crowded with people, and we saw breakdancers, the silver man(looked a lot like the guy we see in San Francisco, all painted in silver) steel drum players, guitar players and a man that was all clad in newspapers. Interesting. This walk was a reality check for us to wake us up to the fact that we’re not in our 20′s anymore. We should have hailed a cab on the way back, because Pete’s knee was killing him and my hip was aching, but we were trying to be young and tough. Ibuprofen was consumed upon the return to our hotel. Below are some pictures from this day.

The white structure in the water is the Arizona Memorial.

 

A remnant of the U.S.S. Arizona.

A section of the memorial wall.

This is part of that treacherous tree that Pete touched. Ouch!

This is Waihi Falls at the end of the garden path.

Waikiki night life.

 

Road To Success

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a
Loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called
Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs.
If you have a spare called Determination, an engine called
Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will
make it to a place called Success.

Anonymous

 

Amazing Maze

This is an aerial shot of the corn maze we went through today on our field trip to Dell Osso Farms Pumpkin Patch.  The maze is an amazing 32 acres.  More on the maze to follow………..

 

Yesterday’s Field Trip

     

Our study of California history took us on a little trip yesterday to the charming city of Sonoma.  While there, we visited Mission SanFrancisco de Solano and also the home of General Mariano Vallejo.  We ate our picnic lunch in a little park kitty corner from the mission.  It was a delight to have Uncle Tom(my oldest brother) along with us on our little trip.  Before we left Sonoma, we made a stop at the Sonoma Cheese Shop.  In the back of this shop is a wonderful little cafe that serves some “out of this world” gelatto.  Since it’s not every day that I have the opportunity to partake of such palet pleasing perfection, I decided to blow my diet for the day.  I had a small chocolate caramello crunch, and it was yummy!  Gelatto Classico is the brand that they serve, and if you ever get the chance, I would recommend trying some.  All in all, it was a wonderful day and a wonderful mix of education, family and fun.