Island Style

Adventures in the Southwest

2008-01-27T11:21:00.000-10:00

How 'bout them Packers? Oh, yeah...they lost. But he's still the cutest Packer-backer I've seen in a while.

We had an interesting time in Phoenix last weekend. The purpose of our visit was to buy an RV. Yes, you read that right. One of those big homes on wheels that cruise the highways and byways of the Mainland. Most people's reaction was 'where would you use it in Hawaii?' Well, since O'ahu is 144 miles around, probably no point in having one here. The plan is to keep it on the Mainland and use it there. To make a LONG story short, we spent about 8 hours each day Saturday and Sunday looking, asking questions and driving them but decided that we weren't quite ready to buy. It was fun though and we learned a lot. We also had a great visit with the John and Mary, Ginger, Kory and Francine and their two live wire girls-Ellie and Kate.

Now we know what to look for, what to ask and what features we want or don't want. We will probably go back in April, hopefully to buy one. So anyway...some of you might get visitors this summer. How long is your driveway?

John and Scott are back at UH for 2nd semester. BOTH in ceramics, but Scott is taking his at the community college. John has to find clay all over the island and test it. He is also learning about glazes and their chemical makeup. I am back at school after that glorious 3 week break. I think, with longing, about that day a few years down the road when I can retire too.

Scott is still working on his boat. It has fuel pump issues. Not a good thing to discover when you are out in the middle of the ocean. He also has not sold his Tacoma yet so he is less than thrilled about those two vehicles. However, he LOVES his new, black Dodge Ram truck. Quite the machine I must say.

The pictures are not new, new but fairly recent. I realized I do have quite an album of Luke pictures starting way back. Is it possible to have too many pictures of a grandchild? I think not.

I'll try hard to keep my New Year's resolution to post regularly. A hui hou!

New Year's Resolution

2008-01-12T21:26:00.000-10:00

Okay, I'll get the hang of this sooner or later. Just erased a six paragraph blog entry--with pictures, mind you! Anyway, my New Year's resolutions was to post a blog regularly. Notice I didn't give myself a specific time frame--I know my life too well to tie myself to being able to post as frequently as Kyle and Lindsay do.

Anyway, since they aren't able to post pictures right now and I DO have pictures from Canada, I will actually scoop them on this ! We had a GREAT time in Ottawa. Kyle and Lindsay are wonderful hosts and Luke, well, how could we NOT enjoy our time with him!? He sure is a rascal but we LOVE him to bits. Here he is helping Uncle Scott and Grandpa install new light fixtures in the kitchen.

It was a bit cold--although Kyle kept assuring me in was above freezing. Believe me, for this wahine, anything below 60 degrees (F) is COLD. But I just got used to slipping on my silk long johns every morning before I put on my jeans and I did just fine. Poor Scott though---he was building cabinets in the uninsulated, unheated garage and when it came time to laminate it was too cold to use the glue in the garage so he he did it in the front hall!

We had a wonderful time in Quebec City. It was beautiful and just like being in Europe. I guess after being in Hawaii for so many years I am really impressed with things that are OLD. Everything in Quebec City looked like it had been around forever but was very well preserved.

Oh, well. I'm going to give up on this blog for tonight. The pictures aren't where I want them and since adding more would probably just screw it up more, I'll quit while I'm ahead. I will have to consult with my computer tech (Kyle) tomorrow and find out how to do the layout better. Hope you all had a wonderful New Year ! Check back in a day/week/couple of weeks or so....

I'm ba-a-a-ck....finally

2007-05-20T20:09:00.000-10:00

Bet you thought you'd never hear from me again. Well, life and the busy-ness of it have not been kind to me for the past few months. I have enjoyed reading all of your blogs and felt a twinge of shame that I hadn't posted since...JANUARY (!)...but that was just the way it was. Tonight, I actually sat down and posted things on Craigslist--ohmigosh--with pictures. Then I thought, why not really be daring and post on the blog again.

OK, I posted this picture just to prove to myself that I could do it. I need to get the other pictures from Scott but he has gone out. I know, I'm pathetic when it come to tech stuff.

John has finished at UH for the semester and we had a huge number of pots that we didn't have a use or room for so we had a POT party. Of course we worded the invitation so it sounded like a different kind of pot...but everyone was not disappointed. They got to take home two or three pieces that they liked and we cleared out the shelves in the studio that were a bit crowded. Relax Kyle, your pieces were excluded and we will be bringing them to you.

We are excitedly looking forward to our jaunt to DC . Grandpa John will go first and "nanny" Luke for over a week by himself before Grandma Carla joins him. On our way back we are stopping off in Milwaukee for a few days to visit friends. Scott will keep the house nailed down (I hope) and take care of Koa while we are gone.

Speaking of Scott, he went fishing today and caught a 35 lb. aku. Sorry, I don't think I have the pictures in my stuff but it was delicious--we had some for dinner. Scott goes out several times a month now. Either in our boat or with our friend Mark. He knows his way around a boat and Mark likes to have him as crew. When he goes on our boat he has a friend who is an avid fisherman who goes with him.

Well, since I don't have any other pictures--like of us or the fish--I will conclude for this eveing. But now that I can actually do this--please check back for more postings!

Whew!

2007-01-21T19:55:00.000-10:00

After a hectic week working at school, doing report cards AND cooking at Winners' Camp every day I'm ready for a break. What? I just went back to work after three weeks off? Oh, yeah. Forgot. We had three back to back camps, Rotary Youth, St. Louis HS boys, then Boys & Girls Club. For Rotary John & I cooked for 90+, for Boys & Girls we cooked for 15 but for St. Louis HS (10th graders mind you) there were 30 but we cooked 60 servings for each meal. Could those boys ever put it away! Scott and Koa were there too---Scott when he wasn't at school, and Koa just spent the whole week up there--he loves being on mongoose patrol--Koa that is.

So sorry, still haven't had time to learn how to do the picture thing. Maybe this week. I have some shots from camp that are interesting. Is that considered a teaser?

Scott took the boat out fishing today--caught 4 small aku. Then came home, put the boat away, had supper and went fishing again--this time from Heeia pier. I think he likes to fish.

John has been working on his ceramics almost every day at home. He has to make 15 pieces by Tuesday--all cylinders of various size and with different design criteria. This class is more advanced than his last one but I think he's really enjoying the challenge.

All for now---have to go do some school stuff. Yes, duty calls.

Aloha

2007-01-08T11:32:00.000-10:00

Aloha all, This is John writing. I thought I would try out this Blog thing. Always willing to try new stuff. If it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger.

It is a new year and I have UH starting this week. I am taking art classes, ceramics. I really enjoyed the last semester's ceramics. I made all kinds of stuff, pinch pots, coil bowls, slabs bowls,and jars, bowls & cylinders on the wheel. We are keeping some & some is going in the trash.

It got me started at home. I have been hand building fish & doing some wheel throwing at home. Cleaned up the old kiln in the garage and hope to bisque fire in a week or two.

I was going to post a couple of pictures of the fish but as they say "film at 11:00".

Well so long for now. Happy trails, John

Finally!!!

2007-01-07T20:13:00.000-10:00

Yes, yes...I know...it is now TWO weeks since Kyle gave us this blog for Christmas! But I had to let my thoughts percolate before I committed anything to paper...er...cyber space...er...whatever this medium is called. I have made a step in the right direction---bought a new Canon SD600 Powershot AND charged the battery. I even took two pictures but now I have to figure out how to get the pictures as a part of these entries. Okay, Kyle, Lindsay and Sue...I'm an idiot when it comes to tech...but once I figure it out I'll do it regularly.

Big news at this household is that I actually finished the family letter--the one that is supposed to go out via snail mail once a year--but hasn't gone out since early 2004. John, however, says it needs revision--doesn't reflect my true "voice"--so I have to still work on it. Plus, I want to figure out how to get pictures from the web (your blogs Lindsay, Kyle and Sue) to be a part of it.

Scott has been in the water all day--surfing this morning and body surfing this afternoon. The waves are so big at Kailua Beach that we have been able to hear the surf all day. Usually we can only hear it early in the morning.

Scott and John start back to school tomorrow. I have a work day on Thursday and then kids come on Friday. Then...oh, too bad...it's a holiday the following Monday so I don't have kids again until Tuesday. Boo-hoo. My student teacher starts soloing on the 22nd so I will be out of the room almost all day for the next four weeks after that. It actually makes me a bit wistful---I have all these things I'm fired up to do with my students and she will get to do them instead. It's okay though, I get to do LOTS of prep for the next school year so I am ahead of the game come August. Plus, I still have to do report cards which are a real thrill :( NOT.

The three of us are at Winners' Camp this coming weekend--Saturday through Monday--oops, the four of us. Koa goes too.

Well, I don't want to overdo this the first time. So I'm going to stop and see if this actually posts and looks decent. Then I'll go walk the dog. He, at least, always appreciates me.

Welcome to the Blogger generation!

2006-12-25T06:55:00.000-10:00

World beware! Mama Margenau and company are Blog capable! For Christmas I (Kyle) set up this Blog for them so that they can keep us all up to date on their enviable life in Kailua, Hawaii.

In celebration we decided that Luke would donate a few of his most recent mug shots, taken by a professional photographer.

Of course, now that they have a blog they (mom) will have to keep it up. We all expect weekly updates!

Merry Christmas!!

Kyle

Just a preview

2006-12-17T03:39:00.000-10:00

Check back on Christmas...