Tuesday

I got up early and baked cinnamon rolls for the Elders for District meeting today at 10:30, for Valentines.  They were so sweet and appreciative of my endeavors!  We stopped and bought a gallon of milk to go with the rolls.  I took some candid pictures of our meeting.  They always have a  lesson and object lesson as well.

Blindfolded Elder Gunderson being guided by Satan through and
obstacle course, first to follow his path
 and then the "Savior" to guide him out of this world.

Yesterday I got a message from a Sister who was our secretary in our LA mission, they were here in Hawaii and wanted to say "hello".  They were staying in Laie and asked if we were near.  I told her we would be in Laie on Tuesday for a District meeting until noon.  She said they'd go to the temple and then call us when they were done.  We got out of our meeting and the phone immediately rang before I had even gotten into the car.    It was Sister Whetman saying they were just leaving the parking lot of the temple.  I told her we were about 1000 feet away in the parking lot of the church next to the temple.  Anyway, we went over to the PCC and had lunch with them and visited for over 2 1/2 hours.  It was a fun visit,  to catch up on 6 years.  They are here until Thursday, I talked them into going to dinner tomorrow night at the PCC and see the show.  We  couldn't go with them as we have a standing dinner date with the Geronios on Wednesday nights.  But we may see them as another surf event is taking place starting tomorrow and they want to watch one of them.  Here is a picture of us.

Ramon eating his Hawaiian hamburger
it had a fried egg on top!

Us with the Whetmans

Monday February 11, 2019

Yesterday it was the coldest it has been here for me.  It was down to 65 degrees but the wind was so high it made it much colder.  Before our 2:00 church the power went out all over the island.  Trees were down and it was dangerous.  I pulled into the parking lot and there were no spaces to park so I was going to drive on around the building, as there is parking on both sides.  Then I saw this parking space by a tree, but left it thinking it was too close for us to get out, with the knee scooter and all.  When we came back around the 2nd time a huge limb had fallen right on the parking spot we would have been in!  Tender mercies!  We had our church and Relief Society without lights and it was spooky.  I was anxious to get home safe.

The power was off all night, lucky for us Dave our landlord is an electrician and has a handy generator.  Gave us power but no internet or TV.  But we were just fine.

Today we had our VC meeting this morning.  We came home and I spent 4 hours making this fancy candy lei. I doublt I'll make another.  It's very stiff, made out of Jolly Ranchers.

We then went back into Laie at night for FHE with the senior couples.  Tonight President Halstrum, the Temple president talked to us.  Our temple here will celebrate 100 years on November 27, 2019!  I'm glad we will still be here for that event.  He said nothing big was being planned for the celebration yet.

After attending the above FHE we went into Kahuku to our YSA one.  This one is always different and a bit wild.  There were two new guys I didn't know there.  Really nice men.  We played a fun game but it was about over when we arrived.  I snapped a few quick pictures.

Louie with our refreshments!  He's the greatest!

Saturday

I cleaned good today.  We got our new bedroom...finally, so happy to have it.  It has been a trial living in a studio, like a motel room for two!  But we love it here and are now glad of the bedroom!

I left Ramon watching BYU basketball, and ran into Leslie's apartment.  She's been nice enough to sew for me.  We went over to Longs drug store and then over to PCC to get a Acai bowl for me to try, she loves them.  I do too, now!  Acai is a type of ice cream/yoghurt dessert with lots of fresh fruit, granola etc. on top.  It was really cold weather today...70 degrees and everyone was wearing hoodies and shorts and freezing.  But to be fair, the wind was really blowing and I even got cold.  The first time I've admitted it in 7 months over here!  We drove up to the point and I took more pictures.  There are warnings out about the surf and beaches are closed.  Sure is windy.  But beautiful ocean views.

Laie Point

Friday

Surf warnings today.  I walked down to the beach early and took a couple of pictures.  Then we spent the first of the day visiting a few people, and especially KloeAnn and Charles.  She is always ready for us with a water bottle and a treat...and I always bring a plate of cookies or something too.  Then on we went to run errands.  I wanted to show these pictures of Sunset Beach this morning.

Large swells

Wednesday February 6, 2019

Today we got together with three other couples serving at the Visitor's Center and went into Honolulu and visited the Honolulu Museum of Art and Doris Duke's home called Shangri La.  We had a full day and after ate at the restaurant that the Handcock's son Josh works at as a manager.  The food was good and we had a great time.  We didn't get back here until after 4.  Fun day with good friends.  I'm going to post the pictures I took because the book at the gift shop was $75.00 and I was too cheap to buy it.

Doris Duke

Pool house

Dresser

Bathroom

Mosaic panel

"front" room

Chandelier

My kind of swimming pool!

Her Bedroom ad rooftop room

Whales, you can't see them here

Husbands dock for his yaught

Tapesty room

Tuesday Chinese New Year 2019 -Year of the Pig

Today we had our VCTM meeting at 7:30 and then went to breakfast for Elder Sebring's birthday at the Hukilau Cafe.  Then went back to a District Meeting at 10:30 then home.  I told the Sister's I would make wontons for their celebration.  I started about 3:00.  I made over 240 and forgot to take a picture, but I filled two tin foil pans full of sausage wontons for the celebration tonight.

The Sisters were in charge and did a fabulous job. There was wonderful decorations, and four different stations where we could make dumblings, learn to write our name in Chinese, cut origami designs, and make mochi.  It was really a fun night and we sampled lots of interesting things to eat. At the end they put on a little program with dance and we even had two dragons dancing.

Elder Allen, Elder Sebring and Sister Sebring

Monday Februaru 4, 2019

Today we went into Kaneho to get a part replaced on our car.  I had backed up into a small tree and consequently broke the rear red tail light cover.  We bought a replacement and had it put on today.  This little crash with a tree cost me $339.00!

Next we went to Ramon's appointment with Dr. Brandee Black for a check up.  Horray!  She removed the old soft cast and put on a new boot.  He still can't put weight on it but it can be removed for showers and to ice it.  It looked pretty swollen and deformed for now, but we have hopes it will return to it's beauitful self soon!

Then we came back home and I made a wonderful salad out of my giant avacodo for dinner.

I barely used the tip of it today, it's sooo big!

We  then went into Laie and went to our FHE with the Senior couples, it was game night.  We met new people and learned how to play 5 Crowns!

See Leslie!

Then we went over to our YSA FHE in Kahuku.  Our YSA Group payed Human Pac Man but we had very few people there except the missionaries.  Louie made a wonderful Lemon cake, brought ice cream,  chips and drinks for us.  He had tons left over.

Alora and Elder Gunderson and Bass