habberdaytumerica

Wednesday. S hit the waves (looks flat in this pic, huh?) for the first time in over a year. Consequently, we are both nursing aching muscles we forgot we had prior to jumping into bodies of water. Last Sunday we had dinner with my dad's sisters and my uncle. We made a nice table of nine - mom, dad, dad's three sisters, my one remaining uncle on my dad's side, my cousin Philip, Scott, and me - in one of the side rooms of the One Kalakaua dining room. As usual, the conversation reminded me of what's really important in life - how one's success as a person is truly measured. Because we're all, one day and God willing, going to be old. So (1) appreciate every day you are able to jump in the warm, salty water and paddle out to catch a wave, and every day you are able to step off a curb without seriously worrying about it, (2) help old people off the curb - it's a bigger deal than you think, (3) eat right and learn to enjoy exercise NOW, and (4) find something about your life to love, cherish, and be happy about every day.

Thursday. Hurrah for us, we got dressed and WENT OUT to Aloha Tower Marketplace's 3rd of July celebration. Listened to H₂O at Gordon Biersch (standing room only - "Touching my elbow's gonna cost you a beer," a drunken partygoer jovially warned Scott) with a crab cake sandwich, much beer, mounds of garlic fries, and a two-second Shirley Temple for me. (I tend to guzzle when it comes to sweet drinks of the nonalcoholic variety.) The firework show was awesome (pardon the crappy picture, it's my new rule to enjoy life first and document it second, and fireworks don't sit around and wait for you to snap the pic!). Ran into my old friend Justin and finally introduced him to Scott, but it turns out that by sheer coincidence, they kind of already met. Long story that involves office politics, so nevermind that. Anyway, it was a wonderful 3rd of July. Fries + pyrotechnics + in bed by 10:30? Spectacular.

Friday. Pre-birthday breakfast from Scott! Like last year, he asked where I wanted to go for my birthday. Like last year, I said iHOP. He always laughs, but I figure - when but one's birthday (or any day with Ms. Vickie) does it seem permissible to consume a week's allowance of sugar, fat and sodium in one sitting? I ordered the Red, White and Blueberry, only because they were out of cheesecake pancakes. What the hell are cheesecake pancakes? After downing the red and the white, I have no real desire to find out. As part of birthday madness, Scott indulged my puppy-loving whims and took me to three pet stores to ogle, pet, and pretend to be interested in buying a dog. Ko'olau Pets, of course, just a hop and skip from iHOP. More interesting than the puppies were the mini-hippopotamuses (hairless guinea pigs). Kaneohe Pet's Discount had Cavalier/Tibetan mixes ... my dream mix if I couldn't have a Cavalier. Our last stop was Pet's Central (Sand Island), where I instructed Scott to behave as if we were really, seriously puppy shopping. My line (the one I always use at any pet store): "We're looking for a female tri-color Cavalier." Well, the only tri-color was already sold, so we got this sweetheart instead:


... just kidding. We have our hands fuller than full with Kona, Callie, Mai, and an assortment of fish. But she really was a cutie - very sweet, with the snuffles and kissies, and I LOVE the black and tan markings because they remind me of my Bentley. But I will hold out till I find the perfect tri-color (and, I guess, till Scott and I live in a house with a yard) till I bring up the subject of our second dog. Scott will be wanting a Japanese Spitz. I just thought I would acknowledge that I know this, in case he reads this and points out that I am getting ahead of myself :).

Kona was a little indignant when we got home. He sniffed us all over and then checked our pockets to make sure we hadn't brought home any new siblings. I distracted him soon enough, though, by giving him a job as Potato Salad accomplice. (The short of it: Though I happily offered to bring potato salad to tonight's mini-soiree, I do not want to make it. So I purchased a tub of "Classic" from Safeway, scooped it into a festive-looking bowl, garnished it with my favorite topping ever (black olives, elegantly sliced, snick) and stuck it in the fridge. Well, I needed someone to get rid of the evidence, and who better than a rambunctious little doggie, who often resembles a potato himself?

Happy Fourth of July!