December 2011 Photos

Lunch at Cinnamon's in Kailua.

The excavation for the foundation of the replacement wall. The original wall was not hurricane proof. The new wall
will be made of the same kind of four inch high concrete block, but will be longer and have high windows in it.

The excavation continues on Friday, December 2^nd. One truck load of earth has already been removed from
the site, another is scheduled for Monday.

Gluing balls together at lunchtime, an investigation of 3D close packed spheres. Has application to nuclear physics
and chemistry.

Team 3008A on field one for the last match of the qualifications.

The eight top seeded alliance captains choose their alliance partners.

Kalani Robotics watches the alliance choosing.

Our mascot poses with two keiki.

Ready to watch the elimination matches.

Kalani Robotics receives the Create award. Well done, team!

A view from the third floor of the Honolulu Convention Center.

She got them all cracked so we have a bowl of macadamia nut meats.

On Monday, Becky repaired the Christmas carousel and sent us a picture of it.

Kelley at work mixing concrete.

Later the masonry blocks for the new wall were delivered.

On Wednesday, December 7^th, we drove to Kailua to see about cabinets and a stone top for the lavatory,
but first we had breakfast at Cinnamon's.

I started with a very sticky gooey cinnamon roll.

The cinnamon roll was yummy.

Tom Zelko in Kailua sanded our salvaged board so we could see what the mahogany would look like built into our custom cabinets.

The wall foundation extension has hardened on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 7^th.

We stopped at Kalani High School for the robotics meeting for getting ready for the FRC season.

It was very nice beach weather, explaining the crowd on a Wednesday, the 7^th.

Preparing to leave the beach to go to the movies.

We went to Kahala Mall Theater to see the 5:20 PM showing of The Descendants, a very good movie set in Hawaii,
and had dinner afterward at Assagio's in Kahala. We had the casino clams for a pupu.

Andrea after polishing off the clams.

Andrea had spumoni gelato for dessert.

The morning of Thursday, the 8^th we met the movers at the storage facility and received our shipment
from the mainland storage place.

The moving guys were friendly and helpful.

The truck pulled up to the back loading dock and all the boxes and other pieces were accounted for by Roland.

Arnel is getting ready for masonry work and form building.

Andrea fixed a meat salad for lunch.

Arnel and Kelley start the masonry wall, Thursday, the 8^th.

Andrea talks to Arnel about the progress.

It's great to see it progressing well.

That evening I attended the weekly Hooponopono meeting at Holmes Hall at UH.

Unlike the old wall it replaces, this wall has openings for two windows.

Later we drove up to the end of Hao Street to see if there was any erosion from the 0.72 inches of rain the previous night.

We went to Diamond Head Theater to see Cinderella Sunday afternoon and met Flo, Lynn, Estelle, Maile, and Carol for dinner at the Golden Duck restaurant.

Monday morning Arnel talks to the electrician about a conduit to go into the wall before grouting.

Andrea and I are waiting for the meeting to begin.

The team were attentive.

I used the Beach Cities Robotics presentation on systems engineering put together by BCR Lead Mentor Andrew Keisic.

Bryan, Andrea, and Anne watch.

Later Andrea and I went to Whole Foods in Kahala Mall to get things for dinner. On the way out, I took this photo of
a rainbow from the second floor parking lot. I don't usually take pictures of rainbows, but this one was striking.

We bought a noble fir christmas tree at Home Depot, I set it up, and Andrea decorated it. A beauty.

A view of the base course, Tuesday, December 13^th.

Another view of the base course. Tomorrow when the mortar is set the form boards will be removed and the footings will be
formed up.

Here we are at Foodland. Andrea got a third duck for Christmas dinner, just in case.

View from the front door. Arnel finishes compacting the base course Thursday morning, December 15^th.

On the way home from the dermatologist appointment we saw the red VW stake truck that Becky had wanted to get a picture of,
so we went around the Aina Haina Elementary School parking lot driveway and got a photo of it.

Setting up the form for the foundation footing, Friday morning, December 16^th.

Form for the foundation will need to have steel added. The plumber must put in the drain and water lines before pouring
the concrete later next week. We may have a new foundation for Christmas!

Andrea writes Christmas cards and Lenore is ready to go to the public library for a meeting. Naturalist is
the memoirs of Edward O. Wilson, the biologist. Saturday near noon, December 17^th

At Whole Foods buying gift basket goodies, Sunday morning, December 18^th.

Checking out at the craft store, Ben Framklin's, with cellophane, glitter, and ribbon.

Looking in the stores in Kahala mall, Tuesday morning, December 20^th.

It rained all day Tuesday (1.1 inch) so Arnel and Clint went home without working. The foundation trench had water in it
Wednesday morning. Fortunately, Arnel has an electric sump pump.

Our first payaya blossoms and fruit, Wednesday morning, December 21^st.

At the Hawaii Kai Satellite City Hall to get a fireworks permit for New Year's Eve, Wednesday morning, December 21^st.

Back at work with the plumber, Wednesday morning, December 21^st. Here, Clint and Arnel trench in the base
course for the shower drain.

We walked down to the post office to mail christmas cards and went to Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha for shave ice and
ice cream, Thursday, December 22^nd.

The bathroom is set lower than the rest of the slab, making for tricky form work. Arnel says "I can form anything."

Arnel and Clint wire in the steel reinforcing bars.

Next, Suzi tried it. We all got a turn. It's very comfortable and is motorized, but very quiet.

Andrea took this one of "Santa Claude."

Suzi had Christmas caps for all of us.

Donna came over and got to try the recliner too.

Andrea and I had lunch at the Kaneohe Zippy's. Andrea peruses the menu, deciding on zipmin. I had a teri-burger.

This is the little former study that Andrea and I moved into so the bedroom could be demolished for construction.
Photographed on December 24^th.

Christmas morning we had Belgian waffles and then opened presents.

Andrea opens some cookware with a glass top.

Rock in the bottom of the footing excavation is drilled with rebar bonded in. Click the image for the full resolution picture.

On Christmas day Andrea wears the angel that Suzi gave her.

We had cocktails and pupus with Lynn in the evening.

For Christmas dinner we had two Vanderbilt traditional Christmas roast ducks.

On Tuesday morning, Andrea transplanted the avocado tree into the ground from the pot it was growing in.

December 27th, Tuesday morning: Fritz and Cliff came over to inspect the work.

Most of the plumging has been installed for the foundation.

Arnel, Cliff, and Fritz check measurments.

We discussed the best way to proceed with the shed in the back for the new water heater (old shed goes away).

Andrea got a new camera for Christmas which she enjoys very much.

On Wednesday morning, the 28^th of December, we went to Kailua and had breakfast at Cinnamon's.

We stopped by Bali Boo and bought some pineapple lamps and carved wood screens.

The crew is getting ready for the pour.

The first cement truck arrived at 7:00 AM.

Starting the pour.

Waiting for the second conctrete truck to arrive. It came at 9:00 AM, delayed an hour by traffic.

Continuing the pour.

The bathroom curbs are first.

Finished pouring, the bathroom floor is smoothed.

Extra concrete was saved in the wheelbarrow for finisning.

Work continues while the pumper crew cleans up.

The filled closet footing.

It was a very low tide at 3:30 PM.

View from the steps of the Sans Souci apartments.

The beach was fairly crowded with rain to the west.

The wind and water were calm.

The pig is stuffed with vegetables and spices, the spit is inserted (not shown), and the pig is then sewn up with string.

The spit is shown here. Cross pins are installed and the legs are trussed.

After installing the spit on the rotisserie, the pig is basted with cooking oil and sugar at regular intervals and the
fire is tended all day.

Christie and Nick attend the roasting pig.

The fire temperature is controlled with squirted water.

In the final stage of cooking, the rotisserie is stopped at various positions so the skin will blister.

The pig on the spit is removed from the rotisserie.

The skin is cut off and cut in small pieces to serve as a tasty pupu.

Finally, the meat is carved off the carcass for serving.

Andrea and Lenore on the couch in Betty's beautiful home.

Guests begin filling the house. Betty, our hostess is on the left.

A young photographer.

Streamers are decorative.

Ed came from Kailua.

Mahjong players in the front room.

Andrea with Betty in the dining room.

Duplicate bridge players in the middle room.

Mahjong players in the front room.

United States Senator Daniel Akaka greets a guest.

Senator Akaka's aide was gracious in taking a photo with Andrea, Betty, and me.

Connie, Doraine, and the Senator's aide.

Betty and the Senator.

Betty and Daniel Akaka chat.

The Senator graciously allowed me to take this close-up photo of him. We talked about the space program
and the Senator's experience on the Senate Space Committee

The Senator takes his leave.

Zack helps set up the 5,000 firecracker string I brought to the party.

Uncle Daniel brought many strings.

The new year comes in with a roar of fireworks.

I think the firecracker photo that Andrea took with her phone camera came out as well as the one I took with my Canon PowerShot.