September 2016 Journal Photos

My Facebook account is https://www.facebook.com/rick.wagner.545. Just in case you get a bogus friend request, you can check it out. If it's not rick.wagner.545, it's not me.

Some chess games I played this month.

Hurricane Lester

The hurricane was approaching the Hawaiian Islands on Friday, September 2^nd.

Cloudy sky. Photo by Andrea on her early morning walk in Aina Haina.

Hurricand Lester moving west by northwest. Hawaii News Now Website radar and satellite view.

Justine, from Diamond Head, came by in the afternoon to talk about the library. Photo by Justine.

Andrea and I went to the beach in the afternoon and saw people barriers in front of the Colony Surf: Monk seals, photo by Stephany Sofos.

10:00 AM Saturday, the hurricane watch is canceled. Andrea took Mom for a drive around Makapuu.

Eastern Oahu Saturday morning, photo by Andrea.

Big waves at Makapuu. photo by Andrea.

Sandy Beach. Photo by Bill Myers.

Saturday evening we had cocktails on the lychee tree lanai.

Hurricane watch party!

Labor Day

Labor Day fell this year on Monday, September 5^th.

On Sunday morning, Kevin Ryan posted this photo on Facebook of my son Tom at the bike shop in Hermosa Beach where he works.

Jennifer Crites posted this panorama of Rabit Island at sunrise on Facebook (Sep. 3, 8:38 AM) that I downloaded on Monday.

Monday afternoon I photographed this kiawe tree that was styled and wired by Lindsay Shiba two months ago. It's ready for the
wire to come off.

Shakespeare's Favorite Commedies Class

Andrea and I attended the seventh weekly Shakespeare class at UH on Tuesday, September 6^th.

This is the entrance to Krauss Hall on Dole Street.

This is the duck pond in the Krauss Hall courtyard.

Back home we met the tree pruner, Fahili, and made a deal with him to prune four trees, these two plus two in the front.

The front trees: a podocarpus and a bauhenia.

Tree Pruning

Fahili returned on Wednesday, September 7^th, and completed the job on the four trees.

While Fahili and his wife were working on the trees, Andrea and I went to the beach. We stopped at Diamond Head
Theater to pick up our season tickets.

While I did my pullups and bar dips, Andrea read on the beach.

Andrea chats with our neighbor Floyd after Fahili left. Podocarpus on the left, bauhenia on the right.

After shots of the two trees on the makai side of the house.

Date Night at Top of Waikiki

Andrea and I went to the Top of Waikiki restaurant for date nigh on Thursday, September 8^th.

We met the Mayor of Maui, Alan Arakawa, at the chess tables. He's in town for the conservation convention.

We went to the beach first and then walked to the newly opened International Market Place.

They kept the old banyan tree and one monkeypod tree toward the back.

On the second floor a store clerk offered to take our picture.

On the second floor by the old banyan tree. Photo by Andrea.

The Top of Waikiki restaurant revolves once an hour. The windows and ceiling are fixed, but the floor structure rotates.

We had the foie gras brioche and duck pizza. Photo by Andrea.

Watching the sunset wearing my birthday shirt. Photo by Andrea.

After drinks and pupu we went to the farmers' market at the Hyatt and finished with drinks and pupu at the Kaimana, a beach hotel
at Sans Souci beach. They are always well decorated with orchids. Those tables with the ceramic inlays have been there since the 1970s.

Hawaii for Hillary

Andrea and I attended an event at the Democratic Headquarters at Ward Warehouse on Saturday, September 10^th.

At 2:00 PM we went to Simina's apartment in Waikiki to help her hang her quilt on the wall. Photo by Simina.

Andrea had ordered an art fabric hanger for her and we installed it. Photo by Simina.

Simina and I. Photo by Andrea.

Simina and Andrea with orchid in the hallway.

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack Obama's sister, spoke.

The Hawaii for Hillary staff member spoke about volunteering for Hillary. The event was standing room only.

Rainbow Bonsai Club

Andrea and I attended the monthly meeting on Sunday, September 11^th.

Alan showed his formal upright Monterey cypress after the business meeting at which I presided.

Sunday afternoon we went to the Kahala theater to see Florence Foster Jenkens, a movie about a music lover who couldn't
sing well, set in 1944 New York.

Sans Souci Beach

On Monday, September 12^th, it was raining when Andrea took Mom to a dermatologist appointment, but I went to the beach anyway. It was double speed wipers through Kahala and around Diamond Head, and when I got to Sans Souci Beach park and parked in the metered parking on Kalakaua Avenue, there was so much rain I couldn't see accross Kapiolani Park, so I waited in the car and read Dandelion Wine (Ray Bradbury, 1946) for five minutes. The rain stopped and I walked down to the nearly abandoned beach.

Workers were trimming coconut trees in the beach park.

After my swim I did my usual gymnastic exercises on the hau tree arbor and on the way back to my towel on the sand
I saw these Japanese tourists on Segways at the new volleyball court at the Natatorium.

Even after a dry half hour the beach was relatively empty.

Some wedding photographers came out. I congratulated the groom, wearing white shorts and white shoes.

Only two people in the water. Perfect weather!

Volunteer Fair at UH Manoa

On Tuesday, September 13^th, Andrea volunteered to help the Manoa Heritage Center with an outreach table at UH Manoa. She posted some photos on Facebook.

They set up at the bottom of the steps at the Student Center.

Other volunteers.

The Manoa Heritage Center table.

I arrived about 1:30 for the 2:00 PM Shakespeare class. We stopped at the campus farmers' market on the way to Krauss Hall.

Tuesday evening we went to the Aina Haina Prepared meeting where we had bandaging practice at the Calvary by the Sea church.

Here's a scan of one of the AHP business cards that Donna passed out.

Kumu Tai at Manoa Heritage Center

On Wednesday, September 14^th, we went to Manoa Heritage Center for a talk on Hawaiiana by Kumu Tai who is a teacher at Punahou. The 10:00 AM talk was followed by a pot luck lunch. It was raining most of the morning.

Kumu Tai taking questions from the audience. Those are the backs of Julie and Mary Cooke's heads.

On Wednesday afternoon I photographed this pop top pull ring I found at Makapuu Beach. They are rare nowadays, having been
outlawed back in the 1980s.

I went to the beach alone because Andrea doesn't like damp sand and had the place mostly to myself due to rain earlier in the day.

After the beach I unwired, lightly pruned, and lightly rewired the kiawe that Lindsay Shiba demonstrated on two months ago.

Docent Tour at Manoa Heritage Center

On Thursday, September 15^th, a day before the full moon, Andrea and I jointly gave a tour at Manoa Heritage Center at 1:00 PM.

In the morning Andrea took her car to Lex Brodie's for maintenance and took this photo of Kakaako art.

Only Jessica from Torrance showed up of the six scheduled for the tour. Here she photographs the Menehune wall, over 500 years old.

At the hau tree arbor.

Photographing Kukaoo Heiau.

After the tour, I drove Andrea back to Lex Brodie's to wait for the car while I went to the beach. Lifeguards were holding a training session.

Lifeguard group photo op at Sans Souci Beach Park.

What looks like a volunteer on the towed raft is actually a practice dummy.

Friday morning Andrea plays with Napoleon.

Andrea got her Hillary Clinton Woman Card in the mail on Friday.

Andrea and I went to the beach on Friday afternoon and I took this photo of the hau tree arbor by the Natatorium.

Bonsai Preparations

On Saturday, September 18^th, I began preparing bonsai for display at Gen and Erik's wedding reception at the polo grounds in Mokuleia.

Four done. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The next four. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The final four. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Bonsai represent nurture, caring, and growth. They also symbolize the successful struggle against adversity. Those are some of the ingredients of a happy marriage. So we wish Erik and Gen well in their marriage and a joyful life together.

Community Crime Prevention Meeting

The community meeting was held Wednesday, September 21^st (autumnal equinox), at Wailupe Community Park (formerly Wailupe Elementary School) at 6:30 PM. The meeting was arranged by Danny Tengan and four police officers came to present crime prevention tips. The most prevalent recent crimes were car break-ins (unauthorized entry of motor vehicle, UEMV) and daytime burglaries while people were at work.

We parked in the lot by the library building.

The meeting was well attended with over 50 community members.

George Benson Concert

Andrea and I attended the George Benson concert at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Thursday evening, September 22^nd. We met our friend Ron Van Clief and his son Kai there after the show where they were waiting to go back stage and see George Benson.

The program cover.

We entered before 7:00 and the auditorium was not yet full for the 7:30 show. Photo by Andrea.

Roadies were doing last minute preps on the stage. Photo by Andrea.

Keyboardist, guitarist, conga drummer, trap drummer, basist, and keyboardist backed up George. Outstanding performance. Photo by Andrea.

George with Kai after the show. Photo by Ron.

George and Kai. Photo by Ron.

Wedding of Erik and Gen

Andrea and I attended the wedding of Erik and Gen on Saturday afternoon, September 24^th, at the polo grounds in Mokuleia. Genevieve is the daughter of our friends Paul and Faye.

These photos are in chronological order (per the JPEG metadata) and include some photos published separately by Andrea Wagner.

I created a separate page for these photos so that people interested in just the wedding don't have to wade through all my September Journal photos.

Andrea and I arrived around noon to help set up and I walked out to photograph the beach where the ceremony would be held.
Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The polo club, view from the beach. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The bonsai I brought have been put on the nine tables. Table set up continues. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Andrea puts some finishing touches on the place settings. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Andrea walks out to greet and photograph guests who arrived on the bus from Bellows Beach. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Bus guests disembark as Paul gets the bar ready. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The groomsmen take off their sunglasses for the photo. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The groomsmen ready for their photo. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

I found a coconut washed up at the ceremony site, an auspicious symbol. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Guests stand in the shade while waiting for the bride. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Here comes the bride. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Ready for the ceremony to begin. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Reading the vows. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Signing the paperwork. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Toasts and speeches. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Live music by The Key of G. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Lots of merriment at a wonderful party. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Faye chats with Andrea next to Susan. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Paul takes a look at John's phone photo. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

The bride and groom went out on the polo field to operate the drone quadrotor they received as a wedding gift.
Click the image to see the full resolution version.

I answer some questions about bonsai posed by the groom's father. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

People were interested in some fine points of bonsai. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Cutting the cake decorated with (frosting) hibiscus flowers. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Feeding each other cake. Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Excellent cake. That was my first of two pieces! Photo by Andrea. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

There was also a traditional Hawaiian blessing by Moke (for Moses) with a ti leaf. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Many couples danced to the music. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Presidential Debate

The first Presidential Debate was held on Monday afternoon, September 26^th. Andrea and I declined to go to the beach in order to watch it live on TV.

My friend in California, Kevin Ryan, took this photo of my son Thomas at work in the bike shop in Herosa Beach.

Hillary ended up whipping Trump fairly well in the debate. I was glad I watched her kick his ass. "Trump lurched from one misstep to another." Donald Trump has only himself to blame for debate debacle (Marketwatch.com)