May 2018 Journal Photos

Some noteworthy Chess games I played against the computer in May.

Student Tour at the Manoa Heritage Center

Andrea led a tour at Manoa Heritage Center (MHC) on Tuesday, Lei Day (May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii).

May first was a gorgeous day. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea led an adult tour of visiting scholars to UH.

In the afternoon we went to the beach and saw this aircraft carrier sailing east.

On Wednesday I went to the beach by myself. It had been raining so I got a parking place with an hour on the meter. A good day for fishing.

I saw this tourist submarine holding position far offshore.

My photo from the Taking Better Photographs class was used for the cover of the new OLLI course catalog (PDF).

Team Magma End of Season Meeting

I attended the Team Magma end of season meeting at Kalani High School on Thursday evening, May 3, while Andrea attended the neighborhood board meeting at Wailupe Community Center in Aina Haina.

Mentor Wayland talked about goals and schedule.

The "cave" was packed--standing room only.

Mr. Silver and team captain Vance led the meeting. Photo by Anne Torige via Facebook.

We discussed all the team programs, outreach activities, budget, and goals for the next year. It was emphasised that students and mentors ought not to belittle any of the efforts of team members. A guideline to behavior and a student contract were suggested. The team felt it was important to get the T-shirt cannon working for recruitment of freshmen when school starts for the fall semester.

Aina Haina Library Cleanup

Andrea volunteered to help pack up books for the library flood cleanup work on Friday, May 4, while I stayed home to do my exercises.

I met Andrea at the library before lunchtime. I parked near Foodland and walked across the parking lot.

We had lunch at Madam Pho's in the Aina Haina Shopping Center. There was this beautiful inlaid mother of pearl picture on the wall.

In the afternoon I went for a swim at Sans Souci Beach. I saw this football tournament for the second day at Kapiolani Park.

Two bicycle policemen were in the shade of the hau trees at the Natatorium.

Oahu Democratic Convention

Andrea and I attended the Oahu County Democratic Convention as delegates for district 18 on Saturday, May 5, from 7:00 AM until 2:30 PM. Breakfast and lunch were served at the Moanalua High School cafeteria.

In line to get voting cards after checking in at 7:00.

The program got underway 15 minutes late at 8:15.

Various campaigns were giving away goodies.

Senator Mazie Hirono spoke along with other politicians.

Governor David Ige brought us up to date with the response to the natural disasters on Kauai (flooding) and the Big Island (volcanic eruption).

I saw this ceramic sculpture on the high school campus.

Discussing and voting on the resolutions.

Rainbow Bonsai Club

Andrea and I attended the monthly Rainbow Bonsai Club meeting on Sunday, May 6, at 9:00 AM. I presided as President and Andrea took meeting minutes as Secretary. We had bonsai show and tell and worked on our trees after the business meeting.

Duane tells about his prostrata juniper bunjin in a Ryan Greer pot.

I showed my bougainvillia. Photo by Andrea.

Working on our trees.

Photo by Andrea.

Monday afternoon I went to the beach. Andrea stayed home because she thought it would be rainy. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

After the beach, I took a photo of this hibiscus bonsai that Faye worked on last winter.

Tuesday morning I took this photo of our coconut tree with 11 coconuts on it.

Tuesday afternoon at the beach I saw a crew pruning the trees in Sans Souci Beach Park.

Tuesday, the same bonsai after pruning and wiring.

Lunch at Halekulani

Andrea and I picked up Mom on Wednesday, May 9, and took her to Halekulani's House Without a Key for an early Mother's day lunch. The care home has an event planned for Sunday, so this was our chance to take her out. Andrea bought an orchid lei and I presented it when we picked her up.

The catamaran Holokai came in behind the fallen kiawe tree.

We three had iced tea with lunch. Andrea and Mom split a salmon sandwich and I had the Caesar salad. Mom had coconut cake for dessert.

The Holokai boards passengers at the Halekulani beach. I first sat on that beach in 1966 on our first Hawaiian family vacation. I played volleyball
with other kids near my age (17) at the cottages there too. The House Without a Key was a wooden building with folding doors open to the breezes.

Hawaii Bonsai Association Bylaws Meeting

Andrea and I met with officers of the Hawaii Bonsai Association (HBA) at Kahala Mall on Thursday morning, May 10, to revise the bylaws.

Warren Yamamoto, President, with Andrea, waiting for two more in Kahala Mall at Macy's.

The meeting in the public space lasted about an hour and a half. We agreed on significant simplifications to the bylaws to allow more flexibility.

Manoa Heritage Center Tour

I went with Andrea while she conducted a tour for the garden club plant show judges on Friday afternoon, May 11. We went to the beach afterwards.

Mary, as a member of the garden club, met the judges herself at the learning center. The plant show was at the Honolulu Art Museum.

Andrea with the group at the Kukaoo Heiau.

Preparedness Fair at Kahala Mall

Andrea and I supported the Preparedness Fair at Kahala Mall on Saturday, May 12. Aina Haina Prepared put on the event and 27 other organizations participated. We arrived before 07:30 to begin setting up for the 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM event.

Tables and chairs had been positioned by 7:42 AM.

Things were in full swing at 9:37, well before the official opening time of 10:00 AM.

A view from the other end of the fair.

Introduced the three speakers for the day at 11:00 AM, noon, and 1:00 PM. Here Rocky Mouold from the Honolulu Office of climate Change,
Sustainability, and Resiliency gives a talk on sea level rise.

Rocky's talk was well received and we had prize raffle after each one. Prizes included five person Coleman tents and buckets of preparedness goodies.

State Senator Stanley Chang attended and talked with volunteers. Here he is with Andrea and Donna.

A group selfie with Senator Chang (via Facebook).

Plant Show at Honolulu Museum of Art

Andrea and I went to the plant show at Honolulu Museum of Art on Sunday afternoon, May 13, Mothers' Day.

As members of the museum we didn't have to pay to get in.

A very tall display near the Ewa stair well. Photo by Andrea.

The flower arrangements were interesting.

Some were suspended. Photo by Andrea.

Some nice ones on pedestals.

The event was well attended. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea enjoyed the art.

Framed in the arrangement. Photo by Andrea.

Prospective judges created works to show their ability. Palm seed branches were used in this one which earned first prize. Photo by Andrea.

We ran into Mary Cooke who was helping as a volunteer member of the Garden Club. Photo by Andrea.

On the way back to the parking lot to get the car, we stopped at the art academy which was having a quilt show.

We voted for the ones we liked in the large, medium, small, and mini categories. Then we headed to Manoa for the MVT play Sheer Madness.

Sheer Madness at Manoa Valley Theater

After the plant show, Andrea and I went to the play Sheer Madness at Manoa Valley Theater on Sunday afternoon, May 13, Mothers' Day.

The who done it takes place inside a hair salon in Waikiki.

After the play we went to Wisp for dinner.

The trio played music for the customers.

Student Tour at Manoa Heritage Center

Andrea and I helped with student tours at Manoa Heritage Center on Monday afternoon, May 14.

The students from Kekaha School on Kauai performed a chant of greeting for us.

After the somewhat rainy tours Andrea and I went for cocktails and pupu at the Kaimana, a beach hotel at Sans Souci Beach.

Post Flood Town Hall Meeting

Andrea and I helped Aina Haina Prepared at the post flood town hall meeting at Kalani High School cafeteria on Tuesday evening, May 15.

Danny Tengan, founder and leader of Aina Haina Prepared, is interviewed by Hawaii News Now before the meeting starts.

We set up an information table.

Organizer City Councilmember Trevor Ozawa spoke first.

Wailupe Stream Debris Basin

Andrea and I went to City Mill in Kaimuki to buy fertilizer on Friday morning, May 18, and stopped for haircuts on the way back. We also went up Hind Iuka to take a look at the debris basin that we had seen was full of boulders and gravel after the April 13 flood. The city infrastructure manager had said it was being remedied at the town hall meeting. We saw that nothing had been done over a month after the flood.

Andrea photographed the full debris basin.

Friday afternoon we went to the beach and I saw this fisherman catch a stickfish.

The fisherman said the stickfish was too small and that he wouldn't keep it.

Hawaii Kai Farm Cleanup

Andrea helped with the farm cleanup from flood damage in Hawaii Kai on Saturday morning, May 19, while I stayed home and mowed the lawn.

They met at Kaiser High School. The maroon shirts are volunteers from the First Hawaiian Bank. Photo by Andrea.

Many hands helped. Photo by Andrea.

They had hourly water breaks and lunch was served at noon. Photo by Andrea.

Chi Omega Fraternity

Andrea and I went to Home Away from Home, Lenore's care home, on Sunday afternoon, May 20, to meet Jan Eber there. Jan presented Lenore with some flowers and letter of congratulations on her 75 years in Chi Omega, her sorority at USC during the second world war.

I held the flowers so the vase wouldn't blow over in the strong tradewinds. Photo by Andrea.

Jan, Lenore, and Andrea. Jan asked Lenore questions about her experience in Chi Omega.

I scanned the letter of congratulations that Lenore received.

Historic Trees

Andrea and I went to beach on Monday afternoon, May 21, and I saw city contractors pruning the historic banyan and kamani trees at Sans Souci Beach Park.

The Indian ficus (banyan) next to the Aquarium on Kalakaua Avenue. There's a historic tree plaque on it.

This is the only kamani (native Hawaiian) tree in the Kapiolani Park preserve.

Active Shooter Presentation

At the invitation of Aina Haina Prepared, the Honolulu Police Department came to Wailupe Community Park library room to give a presentation on what to do in the case of an active shooter event on Tuesday evening, May 22.

We arrived early and I took this photo of the elementary school that Andrea attended. Now it's a community park an provides offices for the city.

Andrea introduces the speaker, Corporal Libarios.

Photo by Aina Haina Prepared via Facebook.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder at Diamond Head Theater

Andrea and I attended the musical comedy on Thursday evening, May 24.

It was still light when we arrived before 7:00 PM.

The stage set was a stage within the stage. The show was hilarious. The ninth in line for the earldom has unlikely success.

Zach Young's High School Graduation Party

Andrea and I attended the event at Happy Days Chinese reataurant in Kaimuki for lunch on Saturday, May 26.

There were ten tables set for ten each. Andrea and I sat at table number seven.

Zach and his Dad Carl.

Zach's older sister Sabrina and Bob Lew set up a slide show.

Carl and Zach pose for a photo by table nine.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day was on Monday, May 28. On Sunday, Andrea and I watched the Indy 500 and then I repotted some bonsai while Andrea took Mom for a drive to get ice cream in Waimanalo.

I flew the flag all weekend, taking it down at night, of course. This was taken Monday morning. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Andrea does weeding on Memorial Day.

We went to the beach on Tuesday and Wednesday (shown). Beach babes! Andrea reads on the beach.

Drive to Haleiwa

Andrea and I took a drive to Haleiwa, taking the Toyota Corolla, on Thursday morning, May 31, getting back around 1:30 PM.

We drove counterclockwise via Makapuu and stopped at Heeia State Park, just past Kaneohe.

Looking toward Kualoa from Heeia. Photo by Andrea.

We also stopped at the Macadamia Nut Farm.

Pointing at the statue of the King and Queen of Maui. Photo by Andrea.

We ate lunch at Haleiwa Joe's and then drove home via Wahiawa.

We sat outside on the lanai. Photo by Andrea.

It was very nice there. Not too windy with clouds. Photo by Andrea.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com