Salvation Army

David and I are overwhelmed by the kindness, generosity, and love displayed by members of Wanda’s church, the Salvation Army Kauluwela Corps.  Chaplain Jan Young helped us by taking a truckload of Wanda’s clothing to the drop off for donations and a truckload of trash from Wanda’s apartment to the landfill.  She previously spent a lot of time at the hospital, giving comfort to Wanda and even sitting at her bedside on the night of her death.  What a splendid person Jan is!  Thanks also go to the pastor, Major Brian Saunders, for transporting Wanda’s TV set to her boyfriend Robert’s home.

The church put on a wonderful funeral.  People told me afterward that they were deeply touched by it.  Some said it was the “best” funeral they had ever been to.  The band, the guitarist, the singing not to mention the food at the reception were all top-notch. 

We have decided to donate $700 to the Salvation Army.  They do good works and we want to support them as an expression of our gratitude for what they did for Wanda.  The next time you see one of their kettles, please remember to drop a dollar or two into it.  — gigi

Ballroom dancing

Did you hear the big news?  Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars this coming season.  Wow!  I told David we must watch the show every week and make sure to vote for the guy.  If he wins, it will be a plume in his cap, making up for the sorry loss the Mavericks suffered in the NBA playoffs.  I really do want Cuban to win, and I admire him for signing up for the competition.  I hope he is in shape and won’t chicken out when the going gets tough.

David and I used to take ballroom dance classes, which met once a week in a public school cafeteria.  David had excellent rhythm and danced to the beat.  No problem in that department.  However, he had a flat foot with no arch.  Instead of pointing straight forward, his foot pointed to the side.  Hence, although he knew the steps very well, he was unable to dance on his toes when required. 

To add to our woes, there was a height discrepancy.  Since he was 6’1” tall and I was 5’2” tall, David was unable to go under my arched arms while dancing the swing.  Also, he had trouble swaying his hips during the rhumba.  We definitely would not have advanced past the first round of Dancing with the Stars.

But, we had FUN!  Once a month, we would dance at the Palladium, which was located at the Ala Wai golf course.  The enormous Palladium was air-conditioned and the floor was made of wood.  The sound system was excellent for dance music.  Sometimes, we’d change partners with other couples we knew from class, adding to the merriment.

I miss dancing with my husband.  When I find high heel shoes that fit me, we’ll return to the dance floor.  If you are interested in ballroom dancing, call the Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association for information about the class nearest you.  — gigi

Stage Restaurant

First course at Stage Restaurant:  Ahi Nicoise Salad.

Seafood Diavolo.  David had already eaten the larger pieces of seafood when this photo was taken.

Chicken Tikka.

Dessert.

The restroom sink with a linear drain. 

David and I had lunch at Stage Restaurant, which is located inside an elegant furniture store on Piikoi Street.  The first thing you’ll notice as you enter the restaurant on the second floor is that all of the light fixtures are different.  No two lamps are the same.  Another thing you’ll notice is the price tags of the various furniture pieces.  One dining set cost $7,000.

However, we got what we considered a great deal:  A three-course taster’s menu, costing $28.

As we perused the menu, we nibbled on delicious Pumpkin Rolls.

We started with the Ahi Nicoise Salad (seared rare fennel crusted ahi, romaine lettuce, kalamata olives, egg, feta cheese, crispy potato, and red wine vinaigrette).

This was followed by the main entrée.  David ordered the Seafood Diavolo (shrimp, lobster, Manila clams, fish, and linguini in spicy pomodoro).  I had the Chicken Tikka (green coconut curry, grilled chicken, laccha salad, and brown rice).

Then we were served dessert, which featured Jack Daniels ice cream, fresh fruits, and brownies.

It was all pretty satisfying for the price.  By the way, the restroom was clean and beautiful.  I liked the sink, which had an unusual linear drain.  – gigi

Wanda’s burial

There were seven of us at the interment of Wanda’s ashes at Hawaiian Memorial Park yesterday:  David and I, his brother Michael, wife Shirley, and their two daughters, plus Wanda’s boyfriend Robert.  Maria had to work and Lisa had to attend classes, so they were not present.

We spoke about our memories of Wanda, especially her loving, pure spirit.  Robert said that Wanda was his last girlfriend and that he won’t have another.  He is, after all, 78 years old.

After the urn was inserted into the vault and covered, we all went to Big City Diner in Kailua for lunch.  For $16, I had the teri steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and tossed salad.  It was pretty good comfort food, local style.

Then David and I took Robert to Wanda’s old apartment, which Robert now rents.  His social worker did a wonderful job of fixing it up with new bedroom drapes, rugs, fan, and microwave.  He had food in the refrigerator, and his cupboards were stocked with toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags.  I loved the way the furniture had been rearranged.

Before we left, David and I emptied our wallets and gave Robert $60 cash.  He is indigent, but as a ward of the state of Hawaii, all of his basic requirements are met.  He needed the cash for the extras in life that the state does not provide.

Is there an afterlife or is it just a hoax?  We won’t know for sure until we, ourselves, die.  I like to think that Wanda is now in heaven with her mother and Aunty Margaret, two of her favorite people.  But who knows?  Maybe, this earthly life is all we have. We should make the most of it.  Be happy today.  — gigi

Wanda’s funeral and bio

Wanda’s funeral was held at the Salvation Army Chapel yesterday.  It was attended by more than 100 people, whose lives Wanda had touched in one way or another.  We sang camp songs with guitar accompaniment, listened to the band play hymns, and heard testimonials by Wanda’s many friends.  It was a beautiful celebration of her life.  She would have been happy and proud. 

Here’s her bio:

Wanda Elaine Hinchey was born on May 4, 1955 in Fresno, California.  At the age of one, she and her siblings and parents moved to Honolulu, Hawaii.  She attended public schools and graduated from McKinley High School in 1975.  Upon graduation from high school, she began a long career with Lanakila Crafts.  In early 2007, she became an employee at Kazi Foods and worked at the Kaneohe Kentucky Fried Chicken.

For 40 years, Wanda was an active member of the Salvation Army Kauluwela Mission Corps where she faithfully and with great pride carried out her duties as a Sunday School helper and distributing and collecting the attendance records.  Her main interest was photography and she took hundreds of pictures throughout her life which she meticulously pasted in numerous photo albums.  She also was a gifted athlete and won a gold medal at Special Olympics in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.  She continued to win medals and trophies at Special Olympics in Hawaii.

Besides her love for her family and teammates, Wanda also found great joy in greeting people each Sunday.  She loved being with little children.  She was looking forward to a 2008 vacation in Boston with her brother, Michael, and his family.  Wanda will be missed by all who knew her.

Wanda died on July 4, 2007 at the age of 52.  She is survived by long-time friend and companion, Robert, and by brothers, Michael and David, two sisters-in-law, and four nieces.

— gigi

Alcohol

When I was a graduate student at Columbia University in New York City, I would copy my friend, Barbara, and come home for a lunch consisting of Camembert cheese, crackers, and a tall glass of gin and tonic.  How I got through the rest of the day at school is anybody’s guess, because I was loaded.

Fast forward to Honolulu, where my boyfriend at the time introduced me to Michelob beer.  He was an athlete, who loved to jog.  After jogging for two hours, he’d drive to his favorite store to buy what he considered the coldest beer in town.  He said it relaxed his muscles and quenched his thirst.  We’d sit in his car, chugging a six-pack of Michelob.

Then I went through my wine phase.  I thought nothing of having a glass of Riesling before dinner every night.  That made me happy until the day my doctor diagnosed me with acid-reflux disease.  No longer was I allowed my nightly indulgence, because, as we all know, wine is acidic.

Now, I limit myself to three beers a week.  David prefers to buy Beck’s, because it is the least expensive of imported beers and has only 143 calories.  He looks with disdain on Budweiser, especially Bud Light, and won’t drink the stuff because he says it tastes watery.  I used to like Corona with a twist of lime for the sheer romance of it.  But think of the polluted water in Mexico.  They don’t call it Mexican Piss for nothing!

So Beck’s it is.  It’s $5 less than Corona (148 calories) and $6 less than Heineken (150 calories) at Costco.  Although all beers are brewed and the pathogens are killed, it’s nice to think of the clean water in Germany, where Beck’s is made.  Beck’s hits the spot!  — gigi

Colt Brennan

Check out this New York Times article about UH Quarterback, Colt Brennan.  It made me weep.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/sports/ncaafootball/24colt.html?hp

Thanks go to coach June Jones for taking a chance on this convicted felon and inviting him to join the football team as a walk-on.  Now in his senior year at UH, Colt is a candidate for numerous awards, including the Heisman Trophy.  And if the team wins all 12 games this season, there is a chance it will play in a prestigious BCS game. 

What moves me about this young man is his way of overcoming adversity and changing from a cocky, arrogant person to the humble, kinder person he is now.  You can’t help but like the guy – not only for his outstanding performance as a quarterback, but also for his service to the community.  He is always willing to speak at schools and detention facilities to inspire youths to stay out of trouble.

This is the kind of football player I want to read about – not the despicable athletes Ian Sample wrote about in his blog.  What a contrast!  — gigi

Mammogram

“It’s recommended that women have their first mammogram at age 35, and then at age 40, after which they should have it every year,” said the x-ray technician.  “If your mother and/or sisters have had breast cancer, then you must have a mammogram every six months.”

A cousin on my dad’s side and a cousin on my mom’s side had breast cancer.  They both survived.  Something for me to consider but not fret over.

I had my annual mammogram yesterday at Straub Clinic in Pearlridge.  I wouldn’t say it was painless, but it really wasn’t that bad.  The technician told me to tell her when the pressure was unbearable, and she would stop squeezing my breast between two plates.

“Hold your breath,” she said before pushing the button for the x-ray.  “Okay, now you can breathe.  Relax.”

Four x-rays of my breasts were taken – two horizontally and two vertically.  She told me to wait while she did a cursory exam of the x-rays in another room.  After ten minutes, she emerged to say she needed another horizontal x-ray of my left breast. 

I hope the results are negative and I am cancer-free.  I’ll know for sure when I get a report later.  — gigi

Kirin Chinese Restaurant and the Pineapple Room

At Kirin Chinese Restaurant, where Cloudia and I had lunch, we ordered an assortment of dim sum.  Shown here are crispy spring rolls with taro, Shanghai-style juicy pork buns, black bean spareribs, and green onion patty.  We also had har gau, custard tart, and chilled mango pudding.  Delightful and delicious!

At the Pineapple Room, where my family and I had dinner, Maria had the Crab crusted monchong with lemongrass and lup cheong jasmine fried rice and lobster curry sauce.  ($30.00)

Lisa ordered the Yukari and housemade furikake baked shutome with shrimp and kombu risotto.  ($30.00)

David and I ate the Green curry braised short ribs with lemon grass crusted shrimp and coconut rice.  ($30.00)

For dessert, David and I enjoyed the Hamakua Springs apple banana creme brulee, which came with Hawaiian salt caramel, chocolate ganache, and macadamia nut toffee.  ($8.00)

Lisa made this “Build your own keiki sundae,” which consisted of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles…the works!  ($7.00) 

I was a bad girl on Tuesday, going off-diet and pigging out at not one, but TWO restaurants – both located in Ala Moana Shopping Center. 

The first was Kirin Chinese Restaurant, where I had lunch with my writer-friend, Cloudia.  I gave her the manuscript of my third book to mark up and critique.  We discussed the trials and tribulations of selling our books.

The second was the Pineapple Room, where I had dinner with David, Maria, Lisa, Grant, Robert, and my in-laws from Boston.  My in-laws are here on their annual two-week vacation and for Wanda’s funeral and burial. 

The food was great at both restaurants.  Now, it’s back to NutriSystem!  – gigi

New plants

David and I drove to a nursery in Kaneohe and saw many lovely plants.  We chose 5 pots of colorful crotons for $6.69 each and 7 pots of pink impatiens for $.79 each, totaling $40.82 with tax.

When we got home, David planted the crotons where the hibiscus bushes had been.  That was easy because the holes were already dug.  He had a more difficult time with the impatiens, because the ground was very hard.  After wetting the soil, he planted the impatiens in front of the roots and trunk of the tree that Mark had cut down.  These flowers will grow nice and bushy and eventually will camouflage the roots and tree trunk.

We are expecting a riot of colors in our backyard.  However, I still wish I could have the yard professionally landscaped, but that would cost an arm and a leg.  – gigi