One-car family

Mechanic, DH, and the tow truck driver figuring the Toyota’s fate

Starting Sunday we will be a one-car family. DH has found a buyer for his pickup. He sold it to Joe, the first of eight people who replied in the first 15 minutes to his Craigslist ad for parts.

We’ll try to make it work. It can’t be too bad. We’re just two people, two dogs, and sometimes a complaining cat.

The truck doesn’t run anymore. The mechanic pronounced it unsafe if proper repairs weren’t made, and after much thought DH has decided to give it up. He drove it to take the dogs to the beach, haul stuff to the dump, and drive to the museum where he’s a docent once a week. But lately he’s been driving the Prius there to save on gas. Sometimes he took TheBus.

Recently I took TheBus from the studio to glee club practice. It was easy. I went online and entered my address, destination, and arrival time for a list of several routes to choose from.

TheBus was on time, and the transfer connection was great. The ride took an hour and 50 minutes — an hour longer than in a car — but I didn’t have to drive, got to look at the scenery, and the fare was $2.50.

A few days ago DH went to TheBus Pass Office on Middle street to buy a senior annual pass. Only $30 for the whole year! Seniority has its privileges! As a newish iPhone user, he also discovered the bus information on the map ap. With a little planning, and because he has time, this could work.

So we’re going to give it a try, this one-car family bit. DH is thinking of the money he’ll save to put toward a trip to Italy to see Miss Marvelous and family. My friends say I’ll be giving up my independence. I’m thinking less is more.  We shall see.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

Ciao, baby!

Our son-in-law Travis landed a job rotation in Naples, Italy. Yes, it’s true: in less than two weeks he and DH’s only child Ari and their children Miss Marvelous and three-month-old Perrin leave Oahu for three years. Our family and close friends have got used to the idea and the many advantages of moving half way around the world from Hawaii.

Travis is a civilian who will be working for the U.S. Navy that has a large base in Naples. His expertise is in water engineering. There will be better pay, proximity to all of Europe, international school for Miss Marvelous, and many other benefits, including a generous housing allowance, for this young family.

What they leave behind will likely still be here when they return. Culture shock, most likely. And their dog Pua, who will not make the trip but will move in to live with us instead. Poor Ula!

Aloha, ciao, hello, good-bye, but mostly good luck and see you again soon!

DH and I hosted a going-away party on Saturday at our house and invited some old friends, neighbors, and people in our rural Kaaawa town who Ari grew up with. The guest list included our little friend Oliver, a playmate for Miss Marvelous.

Flooding and road closures of the severe weather storm the previous five to six days—with chilly air, a tornado, thunder, lightning, and hail stones— were not a problem anymore, thankfully, and all the folks, almost 40 of them, arrived and stayed ’til the end. It’s not uncommon for us to schedule a party, only to have stormy weather on the day of the event. Go figure.

I planned three food stations (hot food, cold food, and beverages) and a simple-to-prepare, mostly Italian menu. The only item I had to actually cook was the mushroom risotto that I precooked the day before following instructions from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2004; ISBN 1-4000-5446-X).

The rest involved finding space in the refrigerator and freezer, and washing the produce:  Palermo’s ultra-thin crust Margherita pizza (frozen, three to a box from Costco), sushi (1 big platter made to order at the last minute from the Ninja Sushi store), fresh romaine, bocconcini (small, marinated mozzarella balls, 40 to a tub from Costco), fresh tomatoes (found some cute, flavorful, 1-1/2″ ones that I sliced in half and drizzled with bocconcini marinade), steak (broiled to rare and sliced for serving so diners didn’t need a knife; the meat continued to cook on a steam table), roasted asparagus (with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, 500 degrees F. for 5 minutes), and brownies (baked in the morning from a Ghirardelli mix).

I brought out the nice stem glasses for the Italian wine—hey, what better occasion?!—and, although we didn’t request that people bring anything, they did. No one got thirsty. Ari brought Bubbie’s mochi ice cream from Miss Marvelous’s school fundraising event. Ari loves mochi. I wonder if they have mochi in Italy?

Of course, we have to visit the kids in Italy! They announced they will come back home to Hawaii in November for Perrin’s first birthday luau. Kalua pig from the imu and the works. Hearing that, this big change in our family is easier for Papa (DH) and Popo (me) to take. Ciao, baby! See you on Skype!

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Win win, Ruth says, but I call it bartering!

All of a sudden, things are starting to move around here, and everyone is tuning in to the new energy. Even Alice Brown and Ula feel the change.  But first, an announcement:

Rebekah Luke is the solo guest artist starting Sunday, Feb. 26, at the residence at 914 Kainui Drive in Kailua! I’m thrilled! My sister Ruth and her colleague Karyn have staged the home for sale with my oil paintings, and I must say, both the house and my paintings look great! Instead of seeing my work in my virtual gallery, people can now see what the paintings look like hanging in their frames and imagine what they will look like in their own home or office. There is really no substitute for seeing the original.

Ruth phoned and asked if they could borrow an easel to set up an area as an artist’s studio. Sure, I said. Then she asked if I had any paintings they could use to decorate the freshly painted walls. Indeed, I’m always looking for opportunities to show my art, and, really, no problem. Ruth, an equestrian, did help me out once by providing a horse I needed for a photo shoot.

DH and I loaded the paintings — nearly all my available inventory — into the car. I wanted a large enough choice from which Ruth and Karyn could select. I also packed up other props, like a palette, some paint tubes, some brushes, even some “leaners” (unfinished or unsaleable canvases).

When I reached the venue I could do whatever I wanted, in any of the rooms, to install an art show! The public would come to see the property, and at the same time they would view the art. The realtor associates needed interior decor, and I welcomed gallery space! “It’s a win win,” Ruth said, quite pleased with herself. I’m loving it too.

I arranged the paintings on the floor in front of the wall they would hang on, and the three of us concurred as to their placement. Naturally, I deferred to my hosts, and I’m so glad I did! All of the paintings are on display!

About the property: Conveniently located at the edge of Kailua, on an avenue lined with coconut palms. Renovated 3BR, 2B, single story, large back yard, new landscaping. The current owner is our mom Ivalee, and the home has been in the family since the 1960s (or earlier) when Grandpa and Grandma Haus lived in it. Ruth can give you the asking price.

About the paintings: My original Hawaiian landscapes and still life in oil. $125 to $800.

If you are on Oahu, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to meet us and see our work.

The Special Showings and Open House dates and times are:

Sunday, Feb. 26, 2-5 p.m.
Thursday, Mar. 1, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Sunday, Mar., 4, noon to 5 p.m.
Thursday, Mar. 8, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Sunday, Mar. 11, 2 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 18, 2 to 5 p.m.

Thanks, Ruth and Karyn!

In the next post I’ll give an update on my teaching adventures, travel adventures, new energy, etc., Meanwhile, here are today’s snaps of the studio animals.

Alice Brown, our adorable puppy, keeps me company in the studio.

Ula, the bossy cat. Look out! She's old now.

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

The Hakuoh University Handbell Choir

Handbell choir members talk to audience on stage after the performance. Here are some of the bigger bells. The largest, a low C, weighs almost 15 pounds.

I skipped out early from my Windward Community College Tai Chi Class last night to hear the Handbell Choir from Hakuoh University (Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan) in a free public concert at Paliku Theatre on the same campus at 7. It was the choir’s 21st Goodwill Tour of Hawaii, but the first time I’d heard their music.

The beautiful full sound of another bell choir at a music festival in 1987 captivated Professor Hirotaka Arai so much that he was moved to start the all-female choir. Today’s choir can ring seven octaves of handbells with 100 to 120 separate pieces.  Of the 11 numbers last evening, Music Director Arai arranged six of them.

Listening to handbells is a rare treat. Watching 19 young women ring them is very interesting. There is more than one way to play the bells. Grasping them by the handle and shaking them in the air, hitting them on the table, or laying them on their side and playing them with drum mallets. One at a time, or up to four at a time.

I closed my eyes occasionally, just to listen to the music without watching the performers or the director, and I found I could get lost in the sounds and songs of the bells. Especially during “Jupiter” by Gustav Holst and Leonard Bernstein. I got way out there!

The Hakuoh Handbell Choir sings and dances hula to "Pearly Shells" while waiting for official photography. Their sponsor in the back row with the light-colored lei is Dr. Joyce Tsunoda, past head of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges system (and my former boss. It was great to see her!).

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Love = Creativity

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The plan for today, after DH and I take a walk with Alice Brown on the beach, and once I’ve set up the studio for tomorrow’s Painting class—I’m really enjoying teaching, by the way—is to head out to Kahala to cash in the See’s Candies gift certificates I got from Cousin Millie for Christmas, look at/buy red shoes, take in the Meryl Streep movie, and then pick up Miss Marvelous from school. Then, we’re heading back over the mountain to the yacht club where we’ll deliver our granddaughter to her mom. After dark our friend Jimbo is playing music at a private party there, and club members are invited to listen to the music from the lawn—but not partake of the party fare, natch. So, we’ll be opening up the box of chocolates. Somewhere in this plan is a Valentine meal. We’ve already enjoyed the heart toast.

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Wake up call: maintaining my terrain

Now that I’ve overindulged by eating carnival food containing sugar, white carbs, and meat last Saturday, as well as caving in to pizza and a chocolate eclair on Super Sunday, it’s time to focus on my health again. The message is clear, but, unfortunately, I’m a slow learner.

I phoned my friend and classmate Piikea last night, as I had not heard from her in a while, and she missed her Punahou Carnival work shift with the Class of ’67. She called back, having just returned from Paris where she went to see her friend in the hospital who, as it turns out, has pancreatic cancer that has spread to her liver. Not good.

Piikea’s report was, after the oncologist had prescribed chemotherapy, her friend’s daughter convinced her mother to try a raw vegetable juice diet — sorry, I don’t have the name of the diet — that claims to have cured 4,000 or so people. Specific vegetables are recommended.

In a few days, the patient eliminated all sorts of nasty-looking stuff — gall stones, mucus, black substances — and started showing improvement. Her tumors have shrunk. (In sympathy, Piikea did the diet too, and feels better. She has decided to change her lifestyle. We’ll help each other.)

Of course I am oversimplifying the situation by leaving out the emotions of our conversation, but the story has reminded me of the diet advice presented in the book by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, Anticancer A New Way of Life that I wrote about in a previous post, the book that speaks about “maintaining your terrain” to discourage cancer cells, that we all have in our bodies, from getting a foothold.

It’s the one my glee club sister Lois encouraged me to read, and I’m glad I did. And darn, I should follow it. The advice worked for Lois in her recovery from cancer, but isn’t it better to take care of our terrains before we become ill?

The number one diet advice, backed by scientific evidence, is NO SUGAR. Cancer cells feed on sugar. It’s not just diet alone. Other factors weigh in too, though, including one’s spiritual well being.

Which brings me to let you know that besides practicing Reiki (hands-on healing technique), there will be occasions when I will offer instruction in the “Unlimited Reiki System.”

Reiki Master Teacher Lori Wong, who along with Alice Anne Parker gave me my own Reiki certification, will teach Reiki Level I, that focuses on self healing, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at my healing space, and I will assist her.

The cost of the day-long training is $150 and well worth the amount for instruction, attunements, certification, and lunch!  Lori is a professional chef, and I am a good cook. Please contact me (phone 808-237-7185 on Oahu, and I will return your call) for information about joining the Reiki I class. This complementary therapy is available to all, and you can learn to do it too.

Be well, everyone. And thank you for visiting the studio. ~ Rebekah

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Twelfth day of Christmas smile

Like my adult psychic readers, our 2-1/2-year-old Miss Marvelous likes to let me know that she knows. I can always tell when she’s been to the studio. After she leaves, I find little messages. Mostly she will rearrange things. She must know I am visually sensitive and like to see the living area neat and tidy, for example.

For the Christmas holiday I took three Christmas balls from a larger collection in a basket in the foyer and put them in a smaller display stand  in the living area for a design “repeat” where normally there is an ipu (gourd). Later I found Miss Marvelous “helped” me by neatly putting the items back the way she originally remembered them, that is, she remembered where the ipu belonged, and she saw the big basket of shiny colorful ornaments.

Today, as I packed the decorations away — it’s the 12th Day of Christmas when I usually take things down — I missed a Christmas ball from said collection. I looked around the room and noticed it sitting, again so very neatly, on a low shelf next to the portrait of me that Miss Marvelous likes. Ahahaha!

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke