Slice of Life Day 3: Pearl Harbor

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As I am on the journey of a month of blogs, which is a challenge for the Slice of Life, I will be taking you on a tour of the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center in Oahu, Hawaii.  This, by far, was the most emotional part of our trip.

The tour started early in the morning as we were picked up at our hotel by the tour bus, driven by Nancy. Right away we knew we were going to love her. She made us feel right at home with her humor and good natured teasing. It was about a half hour ride from our hotel. The wind was blowing with heavy trade winds. We dressed in longer pants and closed toed shoes (a requirement for the tour). As we reached the center, Nancy told us she hoped we were early enough to beat the stronger winds. If the weather was bad, they would cancel the trip via boat to the Arizona.

They let us in the center and we followed Nancy to the ocean view and the USS Arizona anchor. There she gave us our instructions for the morning. We had the option of purchasing an audio tour of the area. She recommended it. We were scheduled to see a 23 minute movie at 7:45. Then IF the weather was okay, we would travel by boat to the Arizona. So, we rushed to get our self-guided tour which was narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, National Park Service historians and Pearl Harbor Survivors. We decided we would get in line for the movie, since there wasn't enough time to start the narrated tour.

As we were waiting in line, a park guide told us the decision had been made to not send out the boats that day. It was just way too windy. We went to the theater and watched the movie. It was very emotional with newsreels, interviews of survivors and other pictures that made it feel as if you were right there with them. The room was very quiet when it finished and we all slowly walked out.

There was still a lot to see and do. We hooked up our headsets and went from area to area listening to this story. We were able to see the attack overview, the Attack Museum and the 'Road to War' Museum. As we walked and read and looked, we noticed the noise from outside. Not only was it still very windy, it now had started to rain, hard! We stopped at the book store and then took the coupon Nancy gave us to pick up a hot dog at the Aloha Court. We also walked by the USS Bowfin, Battleship Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum.

At the appointed time, we ran to the bus through the pounding rain. It was still fairly warm, so with the warm bus we didn't have long to wait until we were dried out. Even though we did not get to go to the Arizona, we were not disappointed in the tour. It was a visit we will not forget. Having both my father and father-in-law being soldiers in this war and also my father's brother losing his life, made this a powerful tour.

Here are a few other facts:

• USS Arizona Memorial is the most visited destination in Hawaii
• The Arizona Memorial is built directly above the sunken USS Arizona battleship
• A total of 1,777 marines and sailors lost their lives on the USS Arizona

Tomorrow will be more from our Hawaiian vacation. Aloha!

Slice of Life Day 2: Tour of Honolulu

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 For the Slice of Life challenge this year, where we are challenged to blog every day in March, I am going to be sharing my recent vacation to Hawaii. This was our first trip there. We went to three islands and packed our days with tours, beaches, and food!

On our first full day in Oahu, we were scheduled to go to an orientation of the island. This included a buffet breakfast, a program of various attractions and activities, and entertainment. We boarded a tour bus early in the morning and went to downtown Honolulu at Hard Rock Café.  We sat at tables with a few other tourists and brochures of the island. Our buffet breakfast was very good and the other couples were friendly. We all compared notes about the cold weather we were missing back on the mainland.

Next came the entertainment. Two Hawaiian dancers were on stage along with a singer. They did some hula dances to beautiful music. Then another lady shared information about what was available on the island. After the program, we were able to talk one-on-one with someone who scheduled a couple tours that we were planning on taking.

Since we were in town, we decided to do some sight seeing on our own. We had the tour bus drop us off near Chinatown. We walked the streets taking pictures and observing people. We got to see a street market in that area. We stopped by a restaurant in Chinatown and had lunch. It was typical Chinese food, but different for us. The owners seemed very excited about Chinese New Year, which was in a few days. The parade would go right in front of their restaurant.

After lunch, we continued walking until we came to the Palace of the Queen. History says she was captured and held hostage in this palace for a long time. I need to do some research on that! We are big Hawaii Five-O fans. This is the building that they showed on the old shows of McGarrett standing on the steps. This is the building Hawaii Five-O used on the show as their headquarters. Now they show the government building across the street as the headquarters.

We then found a bus stop, checked with a few friendly people, and found a bus that would go right by our hotel. The day was beautiful. Our first excursion into unknown territory was successful. We were falling in love with Hawaii.

Mahalo for going on this adventure with me. See you tomorrow!  Aloha!

Slice of Life Month: Let's Visit Hawaii

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I can't believe March has snuck up on me.  I guess it might be due to all the snow and ice that just keep coming.  It does not seem like March or Spring!  For my month of writing, I want to revisit our recent trip to Hawaii.  Hopefully, you readers will have a connection due to the fact you have been there.  Or, the reason to stop and read might be because you are planning a trip there.  Or, your reason for reading my blog is because, you, too, are tired of this cold winter weather and you need to focus on something much more pleasant. Whichever it is, welcome!

Our first stop was the island of Oahu. We had never been to Hawaii, so we wanted to see as much as we could and do as much as we could. Our stop at Oahu was perfect for us to get oriented to this beautiful area. We had just left Indiana with the temperatures not getting above the single digits! So, the weather was a big change.

We stayed at Hilton Hawaiian Villages in the Tapa Tower. This resort is made up of several towers in which MANY tourists call home for a few days. In actuality, one would never have to leave this resort and would still get a nice relaxed vacation. The village has everything you need to make your stay wonderful...stores, restaurants and of course, the beach of Waikiki.

We were staying on that island for only three nights. That meant we would be very busy because we had planned a few tours while there. But, we did find time to sit on the beach. We watched para sailors glide across the ocean with the help of their "kite" sailing above them. They would guide the "kite" with controls in their hands.  They would go from one side of the beach to the other. The waves were perfect for them.  We also could just sit and watch the people as they came and went. The sky seemed bluer there. The water was the deepest blue I have ever seen.

For tomorrow's blog, I will talk about one of the tours we took, while we were on Oahu.
Aloha and mahalo for reading my blog!  Don't forget to check out more blogs at http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com 

Slice of Life Tuesday: Winter Haiku

 

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Today as I took my golden retriever, Dave, out for his morning trip to the extra lot to do his "business", I was surprised by all the diamonds that had been scattered all over my front yard.  Well, not really diamonds, but that's what it looked like.  I immediately went into my Poetry Mode.  All the time Dave was sniffing, exploring and doing what he came out to do, I was composing a poem in my head.  I do still like to compose haiku. This winter morning was perfect for that. So, now I share it with you!

Diamonds across snow

Full moon in the winter sky

Trip through Fairyland

 

Don't be afraid to look at the world with fresh, new eyes!

Thinking Thursday: Winter Whisperings

As I look out my back window overlooking the neighborhood, this is what I see. Yes, winter hasn't given up yet.  In fact, it has just begun. I like the words from another blogger :  Winter Whisperings. Such a gentle gift.

The beautiful signs of winter mask the brutal cold air that hits as you walk out into the winter world. Perhaps this is a way of keeping all of us inside, just looking out at the wonderful scene.

My quiet thinking this morning is...Thank you, God for the beautiful seasons. Our blessings are numerous as we take the time to: "Be still and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10

Slice of Life Tuesday: Novel Tea

This year for Christmas, I received the nicest gift. It was from one of my book club buddies.  She gave each of us a couple packages of Novel Tea.  The tea is wonderful, but what makes it special is the quote that comes on each of the tea bags. It is a quote about reading from authors. It is such a surprise each time I open the tea bag for the day. I love them.

 

I have been taking pictures of the tea which I put in a different mug each day. Then I post it to my Facebook page.  Today, I thought I would share my quotes and pictures in my blog. By the way, I ordered more Novel Tea via Amazon.  I'm hooked!

"A novel much be exceptionally good to live as long as the average cat." Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

"If you believe everything you read, better not read." Japanese Proverb

"Books had instant replay long before sports." Bert Williams

"Read books. They are good for us."

" When I got my library card, that was when my live began." Rita Mae Brown

" I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT BOOKS." Thomas Jefferson

" The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones." Joseph Joubert

Thanks, Julia!!!!

 



Celebration Saturday: Facing the New Year

Starting off the new year sometimes brings resolutions to make changes in life. As I was thinking on that subject lately, I decided I wanted to work on four major areas to focus on becoming a well-rounded individual.  Now that I am retired, I have more time for projects like that.  Here are the four areas: HEALTH: Fitness and Nutrition; SOCIAL: Friends and Family; MENTAL: Challenges and Brain Power; SPIRITUAL: Prayer and Bible Study.

HEALTH
My workout routines as well as preparing for future races will be the focus of the fitness area. Watching what I eat including the cutting back on sweets, comes with the nutrition area. Sweets like candy, cake and cookies are my weakness!

SOCIAL
Spending time with friends is so important to all round health. I love my lunch dates, book club and special outings with friends. Having Gramma Play dates, lunch outings and Day Away for the parents give me that perk I need to get through the tough winter days! Visiting relatives in other cities and states is high on my list, too.

MENTAL
Working in several classrooms with top-notch teachers, gives me challenges to keep aware of the new practices in education as well as staying in tune with the old ones. I also need to go back to working on my brain training exercises to stay mentally sharp.

SPIRITUAL
Having a wonderful church family helps to keep me spiritually alive. I will be working on my Bible reading time and making it more meaningful in my daily life. Prayer time is something I can never do without. It is what keeps me grounded and totally in touch with the God I serve.

There, you have it: my plan for the new year. Hopefully, as the year progresses I will be sharing in my blog about things I am doing in all areas to become a well-rounded individual!

What are your plans?