Sunday, May 31, 2026

Beau Sleeps With Azul Tonight

Tears For My Beau

No matter how long I had with him, it was never long enough. 



It was 10:51 pm.

A dining room corner was austere.

Alexa said the temperature was 62 degrees, with a low of 52.

 




Flashlight in hand, I checked outside to see if all was secure. It was. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be terribly cold, especially under a thick wad of moss-covered earth, buttressed against a boulder, girded by clay red bricks.

Beau was sleeping with Azul tonight.





Left behind: pumpkin seeds, wipes, frozen vegetables, Brioche bread 

Possessions I’m keeping: food dishes, gold heart key



I bet he would be dreaming of his favorite green peas and corn kernels, set on a lettuce leaf...




Yes, of a juicy blueberry treat...









Not to forget, luxury Panda Express rice kernels!

He might have plans of re-structuring his latest domicile creation adorned with a gnaw-carved arched entry. 




Fav Grand/D holds a spray bottle to deter Madeleine from terrorizing Beau.

We remember when in November 6, 2022 he first came from the pet store. Second Daughter recounted how Fav Grand/D wanted a white one, but Beau came out and and said, Pick me. Reportedly, his tunnel only lasted one night. The next morning, I had to rescue him from the closet, said Second Daughter.

 That was 3 ½ years ago. Indeed, he was such a trooper.

For tonight, sleep well, my Beau.

It is going to be a long, peaceful night...


Saturday, May 30, 2026

Kawaii

  Happiness Is... Enjoying Little Things

Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who’s You’er than You. – Dr. Seuss

Kawaii (Japanese: かわいい or 可愛い, [kawaiꜜi]; 'cute' or 'adorable') is a Japanese cultural phenomenon which emphasizes cuteness, childlike innocence, charm, and simplicity.

As a child, I never liked dolls. In my senior years, however, I’ve discovered that I do have a soft spot for the mundane cuteness of little things. Growing old is mandatory, but aging is optional.

Welcome to my happy place of trinkets and stuffies! 

Hands down, Sanrio’s CINNAMOROLL, that lovable, fluffy white puppy with a tail resembling a cinnamon roll, is my favorite.


You make my heart smile.

Leftmost: Cinnamoroll keychain. Duke’s Lane, Waikiki

Left: Cinnamoroll pillow. Five Below, Columbus

For sure, Sanrio’s other iconic cuties follow suit. 

 



HELLO KITTY is a white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth (gifted by Favorite Grand/D from Japan).

 


Above right: Charming and sporty, POCHACCO is a cute little puppy loved by fans.



Top left: Mickey Mouse print-slippers, acrylic pouches, fan, Kuromi pouch. Daiso, Waikiki

Top right: Kuromi bag. Edmonton, Canada. KUROMI is a female rabbit white fur, a black jester hat with a pink skull design, a pink nose, and a devil tail.

Bottom left: Geisha doll umbrella (gifted by First Daughter). Japan

Bottom right: Cat canister. Kroger, Columbus


I'm not aging. I'm marinating.

Left to right: 

Labubu bag charmLABUBU is a doll monster with sharp teeth, large ears and a scruffy appearance. Five Below: Columbus. 

Keroppi stuffie (hand-me-down from Fav Granddaughter). KEROPPI, a Japanese frog character, is typically dressed in a green or red-striped shirt. He has large eyes and a V-shaped mouth.

 Minion tee. Five Below, Columbus. MINION, a small, yellow, capsule shaped male creature with one or two eyes, is a character in the Despicable Me franchise.




Besties for the resties.




 Top left: DOG pencil holder. Dollar Tree: Columbus. LLAMA vase. Aldi’s, Columbus

Top right: LLAMA (gifted by Second Daughter). Peru




My desk is not just a location, but a state of mind.

 PANDA trash. Five Below, Columbus






There’s no place like bed, with cuteness overload by my side.


 At my age, I’ve earned the right to act like a child.

And this time, I’m not sharing toys.




Umm… Cuties, step aside. I'm making an exception for this borrowed adorable giant, furry BEAR.

Posing with Favorite Granddaughter’s prize in school fair. Punahou School, Honolulu


Until then, I’m back to my happy place. Tata!


Thursday, May 28, 2026

Oh, Look! There's Emerald City!

Seattle Vacay and Wedding Celebration

May 23-27, 2026

Wikipedia describes Seattle as the Emerald City. I thought, just like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz, It's beautiful, isn't it? Just like I knew it would be.

Actually, it is – all vibrant green, dazzling in sceneries of lush vegetation and forested areas.

Here are picture highlights of our family celebration.







Why do ferries never get lost? They always follow the current.









Ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, a city and island in Kitsap County, Washington in Puget Sound








Taking a ferry is like a relationship: sometimes you just have to go with the flow.








Huge leaves of bigleaf maple trees dominate the scenery.

Tall, evergreen Douglas firs, basically the skyscrapers of the tree world, stand like sentinels in neighborhood. 

The amazing woodsy smell of red cedars assaults the senses along neighborhood trails.








Washington’s state flower, the rhododendron, in a rainbow of colors, including dark pink, white, lavender, red, blue, and even yellow, are loving the misty morning and gentle showers.

Reminded me of Bhutan whose national flower is also the rhododendron.












Top left and bottom: Sea-Tac B&B


Top right: Streamliner Diner
















So it’s raining.

You’re not sugar.

You won’t melt. Enjoy it.
















Save water. Drink cocktails.



Wedding celebration, Kiana Lodge, a short drive from the Seattle/Bainbridge Island ferry














Family: a little bit of crazy, a little bit of loud, and a whole lot of love


















We dance like no one is watching, but I’m pretty sure everyone else is judging.






















A Moment in Time... A Memory for Eternity


When I say ‘I do,’ I don’t mean the dishes.













Sisters-in-law: the perfect blend of love, laughter, and occasional eye-rolling





















You couldn't build a family this cool if you had all the ice cubes in the world.

















A wedding kiss is like fine wine; it gets better with age, but sometimes it just leaves you with a headache.



















Our family tree has strong branches and louder group chats.





















What’s a vacay without FOOD??!!

Oysters are the only food that can make you feel like a pirate and a gourmet at the same time.





Lechon: the only thing that can make a diet feel like punishment. If loving it is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Sometimes, you just need to embrace your inner pig. Happiness can be crispy and delicious.










Life is too short for cold food; let’s heat things up with hot pots.


Shinya Shokudo, a modern and upscale izakaya in downtown Seattle









Come for the food. Stay for the fam. 

Filipino food: where every meal is a fiesta, every dish is a reason to celebrate, and where your idea of a balanced diet is a plate of rice in each hand (Cheating! as my Fav Brother-in-Law says).


Seafood City, leading Filipino supermarket in North America, offering Filipino groceries, and freshly-prepared meals






All fed up, as my Favorite Niece would say. Time to go home.

Sigh… vacay over.

It’s been amazing!



It isn’t how much time you spend somewhere that makes it memorable. 

It’s how you spend your time. – David Brenner






Friday, May 22, 2026

Goodbye, 8th Grade!

Our Favorite Granddaughter has graduated 8th grade. 

She survived without a GPS for her emotions. Like a butterfly, she has emerged from a cocoon, full of homework and awkward ups, downs, and maybe some screaming.



She has certainly gone a long way, from being a curly-haired, bedimpled baby…





To a lovely princess.







Growing up alongside an older brother…


My brother is a strange creature. He's my brother, which means he's stuck with me forever, like a booger you can’t pick.





Yikes!

Can I trade him with someone else?








Being chummy with an adorable pit bull terrier…









Surrounded by sometimes goofy-costumed family…








And by friends who are just as important as grades—unless it’s a pop quiz.









For sure, school has been pivotal. 

And after eight long years, middle school’s completed...





Where the secret to surviving any class is to always carry a snack.

School was tough, but mission accomplished.




Now, time to celebrate!



First with a He Aloha Kuu One Hanau May Day.

In a couple’s dance, Favorite Grand/D did a surprise ending by carrying her 135-pound partner.



Then the Kapuana Choral Festival where the vibrant voices of more than 300 students from grades 6–8 filled Dillingham Hall with song and dance.


Her favorite song? I Sing Because I’m Happy.

 

Leftmost: Cheesing hard, jamming during bass player’s solo

Left: After concert with friend






Indeed, she came, she saw, she passed…

With honors!

On May 27, Favorite Grand/D will be inducted into the National Junior Honor Society at Punahou during the 8th Grade Awards Assembly.





Per the NJHS Punahou School Chapter Advisor, membership was based upon the following criteria:

Academic excellence that demands the mastery of subject material, an ability to explore concepts, techniques and problems independently, a genuine interest in learning, consistently superior effort, a 3.5 grade point average or better by the end of the third quarter of the 8th grade year, and excellence in character and citizenship.


Additionally, honorees will have performed a total of at least 20 hours of community service during their 7th and 8th grade years.



Cards sent to nursing home residents for community service








Dear Favorite Granddaughter, you make us very proud!

Now what? 


Next stop: high school and a whole new level of chaos. 


One step closer to adulthood.







Goodbye, homework.










Hello, summer!