Monday, December 17, 2012

Mexico 1968 Olympic Tee Shirt

Such fun to find...

A simple well designed tee shirt in 1968! 


The orange and yellow dish was a gift, and there is
another identification card used in the old analog
broadcasting days.  Such a well known name and
well loved athlete, Don Schollander!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

That Was Not Santa Who Brought That Sack

...But it sure felt like Christmas when
 George III stopped by.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Hurricane Sandy

Tucked in an old trunk, during Hurricane Sandy.
Mexico, Munich and Montreal programs and 
articles of SammyLee, DrYou, etc.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Sandy

Here is the last sentence of my last post of this blog which I wrote in California during the hurricane:
Now back to Twitter and the news about Hurricane Sandy and our wet boxes under the beds.

Now here I am, writing this post back at the Southern New Jersey Shore!

So many stories, so much disaster...
along with so much gratitude that all our family members were safe.

So here I am, on Absecon Island, one of the barrier islands along the Atlantic Coast.

And before I return to saving old family history photos which are more important than the Olympic memorabilia, and for the most part, are almost dry now, the Olympic Pins that I spoke of in my last post were in my old backpack which was on the floor of the basement.  Of course we were all thinking of the value of a human life, not things, so I did not dare ask for anything beforehand.  Days passed and wondered if I should ask for a few items.  There were days with no power. That was another reason not to call and use up their precious cell time.  Then, after making my own executive decision to fly back word came of another storm.  Was wondering where if could camp/sleep.  So of course would not fly back.  Then Christy asked if I wanted anything out of 3 North during that wet windy week; she told me that George III was able to get to the island.  So told her about Lois's box under the bed and and my ruck sack.  BINGO! Later received a text from her...atttached was a great photo of George and Lois's items drying that had previously been floating items in a long plastic box.

Her text read, "Rescued!"  : )





Monday, October 29, 2012

Pin Trading Venue in the Olympic Park

So many distractions since I last wrote including my Southern New Jersey Shore stay at 3 North, a rad basement dwelling which I heard today is under a foot of agua and rising! Superstorm Sandy 2012!

Continued my Olympic Park strolling.  Stopped to chat often.  Everyone was eager to share their excitement, met mostly British.  The foreigners I met that first day had primarily come to the UK with an organized tour group.  Most were not hesitant to express how expensive everything was.

When I got to the Coca Cola Pin Trading building in the park, was surprised to see a line primarily because I hadn't seen many Olympic fans walking around with lanyards of "metal" hanging around their necks or hats covered with Olympic pins.  Waited about fifteen minutes to enter and had a bit of a "walk through" to familiarize and update myself.  This pin trading center was quite different from previous games; all the pins were Coca Cola pins.

I set up my pins from previous games, on the only empty table.  My first trades were with folks I chatted with while I cued up for entrance.  Then there were a few others and then, many young kids with their parents who I ended up giving pins to in order to get them started.  It is always fun to trade and chat, as most agree.  The most enjoyable part is meeting interesting people from all over the world.

Never found the Hyde Park Coca Cola Pin Trading Venue even though I was in the park many times. The park was across from my temporary home near Lancaster Gate.  After one of the swimming events there I saw a great sign, one sign leading the way to "Pin Trading", I headed in the direction the sign was pointing then nada, niente!  Decided to go to the Serpentine Museum instead and it was a great decision.  It featured Yoko Ono's exhibition. (Yoko walked right next to me when she entered closing ceremony btw.)

Did have some good fun trading at the entrance to the Olympic Village one day as well.

Now back to Twitter and the news about Hurricane Sandy and our wet boxes under the beds.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Two Pies and a Quiche = Olympic Ticket!


Strolled, paused, and gazed.  That's what i did most inside the Olympic Park 2012.  Was delighted to simply soak in the exciting and peaceful atmosphere.  

When I met locals from London, I would ask them how they got their Olympic tickets. Heard lots of interesting answers. 

While sitting on a bench 'people watching' near the large Olympic Park Map, I met an interesting man.  We had a good conversation about several topics and I asked him how he got his Olympic ticket.  He seemed glad that I asked him that question.  Probably eager to tell someone just why he was there.

"Today is my birthday" he said.
"My wife tried for a long time to get me an olympic ticket for a birthday present. It was very difficult".
"One day she decided not to give up, she was patient and waited and waited and started baking while she waited.  She was determined not to lose her cue.  She finally got a response...AFTER she had baked two pies and a quiche!"

Friday, August 31, 2012

Entrance to the Olympic Park London 2012

Thrilling walk through the entrance of the Olympic Park!  Took my time to enjoy; watching others, giggling with new friends, soaking in the atmosphere and shooting pics of fellow fans with the "London 2012" and the famous stadium in the background.

Could make this lengthy but, quite simply, just being in the park fulfilled my goal for London 2012.  Music filled the air, guides were everywhere, roaming entertainers brought smiles and no doubt the ice cream girls became expert guides by the end of the games.

Many have written about the details of the park but I'll tell you a few things that you might not read about...

Monday, August 27, 2012

My First 2012 Olympic Ticket


"Keep Moving" was another phrase that was repeated by the guides.  But hey, I just needed to stay in one place for a bit to use my magic marker on one of the sheets of paper I quickly tore out of my sketch pad during my hasty departure from California just about 48 hours beforehand.

Chatted with one of the police while i was making my sign, trying to educate him : ) a bit.  I reminded him that this had always been part of the Olympics.  And wouldn't it be wasteful if someone had an extra ticket and couldn't find someone like me. Waste is never good, aye? 

I remember wishing that i brought my vest with many olympic patches since Mexico '68 which would have given me a more official look but it turned out that i didn't need it and now am thinking that it actually might have attracted too much attention because less than two minutes after I held my magic marker sign up, next to the very kind officer of peace, a dark haired women came up to me and asked, 

"What event do you want to see?" 

"I just need to get inside the Olympic Park" I said.

And bingo with a big smile she handed me a ticket for Olympic Park entry only.  

I quickly reached in my pocket for some historic olympic pins for an exchange/trade/thank you and she said,

 "No, I cannot accept anything". 

"But please" I said,  "let me give you some very collectable pins"...and as she rushed off to the Olympic Park entrance I asked her why not and then she turned and simply said...

"It is a sponsor ticket for you to enjoy from Panasonic". 

Opa!

(Quick flash back of time:  While living in Honolulu, Hawaii in the mid nineteen seventies I went to Panasonic's show room to attend their open house to check out new video recording and video editing systems.  There were others also checking out the new technologies.  Among them were KGMB's chief, Don Cadora and their sound specialist Jim Waters. Jim became a good friend and Don became my husband.) 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Magic at the Olympic Park


Tube travel from Lancaster Gate to Stratford was direct, longer than expected and crowded.  I stood all of the way and chatted with an enjoyable young man with a stronger than usual accent.  He spoke quickly and I found myself straining a bit to understand his English.  He worked at the Olympic Park's McDonalds.  He was excited to work 'inside the park' and hadn't seen any events or any pin trading.  He didn't even know pin trading existed although at former games it often took place around McDonalds so naturally that took me by surprise.  Especially by the second week.

I wasn't wearing my olympic vest with patches from most of the former games and wasn't wearing my lanyard with hunks of metal around my neck.  For that matter, didn't see anyone else wearing their metal pins around their necks or even on their hats.  I remember thinking that this was a bit strange because by the second week of most Olympics, pins were everywhere, along with the fun conversations and merriment that went along with pin trading.

At Stratford crowds from our train and huge crowds from many other trains were guided around to the right to the long walk to the entrance to the park.  "Have your tickets ready" was one of the most common announcements from guides along the way.  I finally got close to the entrance and then after inquiring, found that tickets were returned via "the collections booth".  Hmm "collections".  Got in line for collections booth and asked about returned tickets and was told that they didn't know what happened to those tickets that were returned but they did know that they could not sell them.  Much later heard that there was a place inside the park where purchases could be made.  But how to get inside...that was the question.

Made a few more inquiries and got negative answers.

Then resorted to my favorite "old faithful" Olympic MAGIC PLAN.

Yup, as in MAGIC MARKER!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

First Morning, Departure to Stratford and Olympic Park

Woke up earlier than expected.  Olympic butterflies. 

Enjoyed the view from my window, and the comfort of my room.  Placed a few perishable food items from California in the refrigerator knowing that food prices were quite dear before starting my journey to Stratford.

Headed around the corner to Lancaster Tube Station and purchased a travel pass for a week.  Thought is would be a lot less because of the inexpensive Olympic transport passes from the past Olympics. Wrong. There was no special deal for the games, just the regular Oyster Pass that most Londoners use on a daily basis.  And once this pass runs out "topping it up" is costly.  Almost four dollars for a very short round trip within a boundary.  London residents had advantages, tourists did not. (My thoughts quickly went to Hawaii where a senior can travel miles for a dollar, no boundaries, no zones. Transfers were permitted, unlike London.  And NYC where you need no transport pass to exit and no matter what time of day, the price remains the same.)  All in all, my transport expense was aprox 12.00 per day including Heathrow Airport Connect, not Heathrow Express to and from Paddington Station.

Arrived at Stratford and followed the crowd...

Thursday, August 16, 2012

My London 2012 Beginnings Across the Street from Hyde Park Olympic Venue


Will back track to give a bit more detail of the "first" hours.

When I rang the door bell of this very posh home in this very posh neighborhood, I felt a bit intimidated.  I was at the front door waiting and ringing the bell thinking that nobody was home.  But then, a musician/singer from Ireland who had been renting one of the rooms opened a window on a lower level.  He popped his cheery head out of the window and asked if he could help.  I explained who I was and he came up to the ground level from inside and let me in.  We chatted about music and a few other topics before the owner of the home arrived with her two sons, age 10 and 12.  After that a Russian music teacher arrived with a bundle of red roses. She would soon be leaving for St Petersburg and didn't want the beautiful flowers to be wasted. She then began to give violin and piano lessons to the boys after we had a chat.  I then headed off to Hyde Park Olympic Event.  

Hyde Park Olympic Venue is across the street!  Sweet, so sweet, aye?  And more importantly, this family is so so sweet!

Here I am in LONDON


...Thinking about Sunday, August 5th.  

Was chatting with my daughter who was in Hawaii, listening to her good news, and noticed a gmail reply on my computer screen.  Had received other replies to a request to exchange a room but wasn't interested.  Then suppose because I had been so busy and it was the first day that i had no agenda for a long time, because my plan of "not wanting to go to London because of the huge expense" was not working,  and because the email from London on my laptop was well written...everything changed.  

The response was from a young single mum who had an extra room in her home.  I replied and found myself ringing up Virgin Atlantic Airlines.  There was a "reward seat" cancelation, booked it, and bingo started packing.

Arrived in London within 48 hours, early Tuesday evening.  Headed for Hyde Park Olympic Event and slept well that night, really well. Next morning headed for Stratford, bought an Oyster Card and was able to find a ticket for the Olympic Park from one of the sponsors and spent an incredibly wonderful day inside the exciting park.  And the Olympic Park, just being in the Olympic Park, has been my favorite part of the Olympics. 

to be continued...

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

My London 2012 Experience; My Plan Did Not Work : )

My plan was to stay at the beach in California.

I suppose I now qualify as an Olympic Bum.

I fully intended to enjoy TV, many awesome iPhone Apps, and the incredible streaming technology that has come a long way...baby! Watched Opening Ceremony with Mike and Fran Sawdei in Laguna Beach.  Had fun experiencing the "digital games" for a while. Then Sunday came, August 5th, I woke up and everything changed.

Here I am in London!!!
Speechless in UK!  Listening to all these voices saying, "How can I help you, luv?"

So will try to capture in words during the next few weeks just how this all happened, yet again.

In the meantime, am off to the Railroad Tavern on Angel Way in Stratford, where the Olympin members and many others are meeting.  A post-games meetup. It's a great little pub and a good meeting place where the Olympin Club began many years ago. (Went last night and loved meeting the delegation from Cuba, Catherine Saluan from Russia, and the Wickstrom Family, the awesome Wickstrom Family and Bud Kling.  Some go months before to scout and prepare and bingo, here I am, low budget CWC! Such a buzz. haha)  Oh, did I get in?  Yes.  Will explain later!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Electricity Over London's Opening Ceremony


Everything else in the world paled compared to the electricity in the air over London last night!

After the torch ran "the spirit" throughout the streets of UK, the blanket of magic covered the UK and the glory of the Opening Ceremony eradicated the ever present pessimism that comes prior to every Olympics, in every country.

Brilliant reflection of the humanity of the British!  Hundreds of years history unfolding from quiet pastures to the heavy labor of the industrial revolution, to present day upbeat life in that royal blue stadium with bright gold Olympic rings

...dynamic...funny...artistic...thousands of performing...kids jumping, sleeping, singing...Poppins dropping...Rowling reading...even handicapped reaching out to others.

...dancing digits displaying runners around the participating "spectator performers"!


Royalism...Bondism...Bechamism...musical mastery and meaningful symbolism grabbing our senses!

The hill of flags, flags of 204 countries decorating, flags standing in honor giving dignity to THE Olympic flag's entrance and the Olympic athletes of the world.  

And the lighting...the future ones lighting the 204 petals that rose up to the incredibly symbolic magnificent Olympic Cauldron!

The electricity now flowing around this fragile beautiful world...can you feel it?

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Technology and London 2012, Part #1

http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-blog/carry-on/2012/6/28/tech-thursday-must-have-apps-for-the-2012-london-olympics?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Technology and the Olympics

Technology and getting online was a big help for me during Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.  Looks like I will be using technology more than ever during 2012!

The fans, the Olympic committee, the athletes and the sponsors will be tech savy as they post, navigate, check the maps and tweet away.  In Beijing six million were using Twitter, that figure will be at least 140 million during the London Games.

With so many portable light weight devices the London fans will carry them into the stadiums and catch the action close up even if their seat is far away. No doubt the athletes and fans will be tweeting away.  Fans around the world who are unable to attend, will be able to interact with those attending the games; their family, friends or just folks they follow.  There is nothing more exciting than the feeling of being right there, but 'almost being there' where it all happens will be a close second!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Wimbergs Proud of Our Family Winner


Opa!  Our Lindsey Petrosh became Miss New Jersey this weekend.  Lindsey's mom, Joyce Wimberg Petrosh, my first cousin, is a Wimberg from Egg Harbor City in Southern part of NJ.  Egg Harbor, our family, and the entire state is bursting with pride!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Amazing Mascot Creations


Such creative juices must flow while the creators of these Olympic mascots begin their work of art. 

Jing Jing, Sumi, Sochi, Miga, Gliz, Hodori, such fun names! 

Olly the kind Kookaburra from Australia, Sam the eagle who danced into our hearts, Izzy the Olympic spirit with stars for eyes and Cobi the stylized Catalan sheepdog...I can still see his huge balloonish body disappearing in the sky above closing ceremony.  Amazing how so many who grew to love him so much so that sad sayonara tears fell from their eyes.

Amazing creations.  Amazing art.  Amazing creators.

The Magic of Olympic Mascots


Today was sitting and chatting on the beach with Fran Weems Sawdei.  Fran is a great sports fan who has attended the Olympic Games and It was her mom, Eleanor Olsen Weems, who first encouraged me to go to the Olympic Games. Eleanor, who is now 96 taught aviation and was one of the female pilots (WASPS) in WWII. (Incredible family)
One of the topics that came up as we chatted away by the ocean's edge was the mascots of the Olympic Games.  Fran mentioned that they were a rather recent addition.  And even though some think the design of the mascots are not so appealing, they sure do grow on you, just like E.T!
Thousands of real doves were released and The Dove of Peace was the symbol/mascot in Mexico ’68.  The Dove was pictured almost everywhere.  Although the dove was not a character walking around, it still spread the spirit of peace and the spirit of the Olympics during the games. 

A small stuffed animal, a dachshund, Waldi was sold in novelty shops throughout Munich in ’72.  

And now we have Wenlock and Mandeville.  Like several Olympic mascots of the past, a bit strange at first glance.  Then as they work and spread their Olympic spirit they become more lovable as the games progress.
Wenlock and Mandeville represent the start of the Industrial Revolution with their camera eyes.  No need for two, one with peripheral will do! They are named after the village “Much Wenlock” in Shropshire which hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th century and “Stoke Mandeville” where the first paralympic games were held in 1948.  They’ve got some history to share, aye?
So get ready, no doubt they will be successful in sprinkling their “Mascot Magic” on you tool

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Graduation, Lanakai Beach Day and a Great Olympic Invention

Glorious ceremonialism at the University of Hawaii this week during Marion Cadora's graduation from grad school.  Am so proud of my daughter's achievements.  Even though the ceremony was long it was delightful.  My son flew in from New York.  We were with a spirited group from HK, Marion's hale.  We went to post celebrations on campus and for me to have both of my awesome kids in one place was pure bliss.

And what beach was the best beach to chill and relax after all the pomp and parties?  Lanakai.

We met Carmen Enriquez and her daughter at Buzz's in Lanakai for a delicious lunch before the beach.  Both mother and daughter, Eva, are from Spain.  Carmen, a journalist, worked with Juan Carlos of Spain who was on the Olympic sailing team in 1992.  (Very much a part of the Olympic movement.)  Eva, fun-loving Eva, who also graduated, is a good friend of my daughter's.

At lunch interesting conversations flowed.  Among the topics was "inventions".  Later as we walked to the amazing beach at Lanakai, we saw that there were no trees to give a bit of shade.  In my beach bag I pulled out one of my favorite inventions that I've been carrying around now and then since the summer Olympics of '92.

Because it is often hot and sunny at the summer games, finding shade is desirable indeed.  Around '92, someone came up with an idea to assist the Olympic fans for the Barcelona games.  Someone from "la Caixa" funded the idea.

It was a large hat, a light weight paper hat, that could be folded up so small that it could fit into a small cd sleeve.  So small therefore easy to transport.  (I believe it was made in Korea and am not sure who came up with the idea.)

So Eva, Marion, Carmen, Don and I drove then walked to a beautiful spot on this heavenly v e r y sunny beach.  "Finding shade was desirable indeed."  So I reached in my beach bag for my protection, a very small item that became very large indeed!

Along with the popping open of that protective head cover, came laughter and giggles of recognition of "la Caixa" and the wonderful Olympics in Spain twenty years ago!

Great invention, great day, great functional Olympic memorabilia!  : )


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Kitesurfing in Rio 2016


Yippy! The ISAF recently voted affirmative!  A "grandioso" new sport for the games, kitesurfing.  Am thrilled for our Orange County Kitesurfers.  Am thrilled for the future Olympic spectators as well.  And...for the kitesurfers who so often can be seen all over the Hawaiian Islands and wonderfully windy Kailua.  No doubt all the kitesurfers around the world will be celebrating and many preparing to go to my old home town in BRAZIL, BRASIL!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Cancellation Fun in Canada


Hundreds of olympic fans filled the central post office of Vancouver in order to cancel whatever they could cancel; post cards, envelopes, and almost anything that was made of paper!  Long high tables were set up in the main entrance area of the office.  Excited stamp collectors were permitted total freedom to cancel...almost anything.  They stood and canceled then moved slowly around the table to access all the designs for every winter sport as well as opening ceremony and closing ceremony.  Happy people meeting each other and chatting and exchanging olympic experiences as they canceled away and politely made room for curious newcomers.  

Something easy to transport home to family and friends to share a bit of the Olympics for no cost at all.

So for those of you on budget, take note : )  !!!

Art and the Olympic Games, Postal Stamps


There are thousands of various Olympic stamps from many countries.  They depict a variety of Olympic icons; athletes in action, logos, Olympic rings, Olympic coins, venue architecture, the Olympic flame, the Olympic flag, the Olympic torch, historic Olympic figures, and of course, the whimsical Olympic mascots!  

Quite often they include an object of cultural importance of each host country.  Occasionally a series of stamps would feature the entire Olympic Park or Olympic Village.

During the last twelve years or so, anyone who wanted their own photo made into a fun souvenir stamp of the Olympics could do so. Neat, aye?

A few of my favorites:

The Olymphilex designs in Australia 2000 including the Opera House
A large five-sided stamp of the famous Bird's Nest, 2008 
A large book "One World One Dream" containing a series of Beijing stamps
The Greek Discus Thrower issued in Athens and during the Centennial Games 
The Sidney 45 cent stamp with a collage of the Acropolis, the Olympic flame and flag  
The entire Olympic Park in a series of connected stamps from Munich, 1972

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Art and the Olympic Games, Postal Designs


Am I a serious stamp collector? No.  But with a background in technology, fine arts, eleven olympics, and my Munich '72 experience, how could I not have great appreciation for postal art and collect a bit.  

Some of the finest artists and illustrators in the world design olympic stamps.

I mentioned my appreciation for the design of the Mexico '68 logo in a prior post.  (Which, by the way, was similar to the design for one of Microsoft's first logos after the games. Might possibly be the same artist. )  I began looking closely at stamps during my work with CBS News in Mexico City.  Then, in Munich, low and behold, i became "Mama Graf's" assistant for her international house on WilhelmStrasse in the fabulous Schwabing district of Munich.  Now there was the stamp collecting guru!  She would point out designs, and in instill in me a deep appreciation.  She would carefully arrange her stamps, the beautifully designed stamps of Germany, on her envelopes and post them to me in the USA during the post olympic years.  Mama Graf, Elisabeth Graf, would tell me not to drop my cards in a post box, she would head me to the post office for a proper cancelation.

Among my favorites...

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Art and the Olympic Games, Olympic Parks

Artsy Parks.   The parks throughout Sydney, Barcelona, and Los Angeles were exciting, Beijing's was massive and colorful (contained the awesome and famous bird's nest and cube), Atlanta's had fountains of fun, Old Town Montreal, Whistler, Mexico City and Park City Utah were incredibly festive but...for me, two parks were true WORKS OF ART, Athens and Munich.

A large pool of water reflected and magnified the splendor for crowds as they entered the Athens Olympic Park.  Animated moving walls where projected video delighted the crowds as they walked to and from their venues.  In Munich a master plan of venues where sidewalks gradually widened and swirled us around our olympic wonderland.  Interactive continuous music along Theatrestrasse, huge dramatic, beautifully functional tent like structures above our heads gave us shade for comfort yet light for delight!



Friday, April 13, 2012

Art and the Olympic Games, Tee Shirts and Logos

Such a delightful part of the Olympic Games...art!

I'll begin by continuing one of the threads from a previous post.  When I opened that drawer of old Olympic tee shirts upon my return from New Zealand, paused, smiled and thought of all the great art that is, for me, such an exciting part of the games.  The Mexco 68 tee shirt is one of my favorites.

Multiple lines were incorporated in the font of the logo for Mexico 68 which was everywhere.  While working for CBS News at the Mexico Olympics large signs with a P for Prensa guided us to the proper gate.  Again multiple lines incorporated in the design, stood out from all the rest, and were easily recognizable, and timing was tight in between venues.


Logos first seemed just simply interesting, well designed, unique and often colorful.  As the olympic days unfolded those designs became symbols, profound symbols that could light up the olympic fire within.  



Sunday, April 1, 2012

Monthly Posts will now be Weekly until London 2012!

Now that 2012 is well underway will post more often to celebrate the olympic spirit.


Monday, February 27, 2012

Back Home After Months in the Pacific

Exchanged our little beach pad while I was gone in order to help my son get a start in New York City.  As my parents always would say, "Give your children experiences". So although during the departure for Hawaii and later New Zealand, I worked continuously for forty eight hours, it was worth it.

Don knew he needed a change from the San Francisco life and job that he had.  Although it took courage to head for New York City without a job beforehand during The Great Recession he decided to do so.  The exchange I arranged was for an apartment on W. 17th Street, which was a great location.  It took a while but he landed a job and he now lives in Brooklyn.

Now one of the first things I did when I returned was to head to the Senior Center in Laguna Beach where I had been teaching computer technology to a great group of seniors.  Laguna Beach has some incredibly interesting seniors.  At home one of the first drawers I opened was my olympic tee shirt drawer with a few notes about the olympics of my past and related stories; some about surfing, some about my experiences at my eleven olympics.

Was reminded of the Duke Kahanamoku story and the Kawananakoa cousins who came to a military academy near Santa Cruz and Uncle David who blessed our outrigger canoes in the year 2000. The cousins carved their own surf boards and brought surfing to California in the 1800's.  The Duke, also introduced it to many and popularized this great sport as well in the early 1900's.  I was able to meet Carol Kawananakoa in Hawaii because of a Laguna Beach Senior, Johnny Garau, Laguna's oldest living veteran lifeguard.  To be continued.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

A Living Museum in Auckland New Zealand


A Living Museum in Auckland New Zealand


Suppose it would be interesting to see The New Zealand Olympic Museum in Wellington.  There I could see the Maori Cloak that was presented to the NZ Olympic Committee by the Maori Queen, Te Arikinue Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Could also have a look at Peter Snell's running shoes, but instead, I've had an extended stay not only with my daughter at The East West Center, University of Hawai'i but with my sister and her family in their LIVING MUSEUM in Auckland.

The Webster's would surely win the Gold Medal for "living", not wasting and leaving our world a better place.  Hmmm.  It would be interesting to have some sort of "Global Olympics" to see who, which family household, or, for that matter, which country does the very best at just THAT!

Waste?  They waste almost nothing and like several others they have a compost, of course.  Sharing the work?  it happens every day...and most of the time, joyously.  Buying presents?  They give deeds, experiences, handmade items and occasionally items from the Op Shop or trademe.com, similar to craigslist.com.  Two recent items from trademe.com : a bread making machine and a lawn mower.  Two handmade items, a tea strainer made from old nylon stockings and a bamboo curtain.  Yup, curtain.  When the grandchildren come it  is writing to read time as the kitchen, with their 1928 stove which is tucked inside the fireplace, becomes "Nibbles and Gobbles Restaurant" with squeals of giggles.  Grandkids that make new year's resolutions like "I will not whine." and "I will not shout" and kids that play violin and "Bob the Builder" with a song, "YES we CAN!" 

Laundry is usually soaking in the sun in their back yard next to the rugby field.  Days unfold under the hard-to-notice orchestration of the household managers, Lois and Steve, with laughter, porridge, and homemade everything.  Construction of the backyard building is ongoing, slow but steady, (Just as the house painting job was years ago when Friday was the only designated day for painting.)  Grandma, Violetti and The Atiga Family next store in #10 are the highlight for anyone staying at #12.  Some even get to go to the Tongan Church that Grandpa started.  Lois's clever shopping for fresh veggies makes every meal a delight along with Tumoana's cooking and the herb garden out back.  Japanese and Russian house guests give an added texture to "talk story" evenings.  Entertainment? Well that's ongoing as well; friends popping by, the game Thirteen,  Carolyn's buddha books and blended fruit cocktails, family readings and just being around Tim and Tumoana, and listening to Marion's laughter.  Everyone's treated when they take their 1912 wooden mullet sailboat out for a spin or head for the famous surfing town, Raglan to visit son, Ste'en.

Sounds fun, aye?  Well it is not all perfect.  Nope! There is a leak in their roof.  

But, n, n, no, not to worry, it is a small leak and only a few drops might occasionally fall.  

So if you entered their New Zealand home today, you would see a beautiful bucket hanging high above your head. Yep, adding a wee bit of ambiance and decoration of their many celebrations!!!

(And if you ever read this Lois Anne...mahalo, domo arrigato gozaimasu, muchas gracias, merci bien and DANKA DANKA for everything. Mom and Dad are proud of you TOO.)


Thursday, January 12, 2012

From the Land of the Long White Cloud and The All Blacks

Here in Auckland, just dropped Lusi Atiga off at the ferry to Waiheke Island.  As we drove off spotted The Cloud, one of the centers for the Rugby World Cup.  Glanced quickly and imagined the excitement that surrounded this place during the competition, especially during the finals.  New Zealand was in its glory and those who attended and participated, no doubt were experiencing the same type of thrill of the Olympic Games. I imagined also, while in Raglan, NZ, one of the world's greatest surfing areas, (where we brought in this new year of 2012) what fun it would be to see surfing as well as Rugby as an Olympic sport.