Congratulations, Jordon Dizon

When you live in a village that loves its children, it is natural to rejoice in their accomplishments. Such is the case with Waimea High School alumni Jordon Dizon.
Playing football for Colorado University, Jordon earned awards immediately as a freshman and concluded his college career as a first team All-American.

Last Saturday, Jordon was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft and, as the 45th overall pick, is headed for Detroit to play for the Lions where fellow islander Ikaika Alama-Francis (nephew of our dear family friend Tracy Hamilton) is.

Congratulations, Jordon! We are so proud of you and look forward to watching you play on Sundays!Jordon played in last year's Hula Bowl. He was awesome. His shirt says it all.

Lions and tigers and Lilu

New baby pix show Liliana at the zoo for the first time!

I think she's looking at her daddy here.
What a cutie- gotta get back to Portland soon!

Wessai Pride

Saturday's UH Warrior Ohana Festival was something to remember. One of the highlights was running into Esther and J.R. Estes whose son Kenny #37 black (and the great kid of our neighborhood) made the only interception of the scrimmage and played his part beautifully in their winning effort.
Fellow Tsai-kos JaM and Brie are standing between Mr. and Mrs. Estes.

Proud to be a Tsai-Ko

Coach Greg McMackin visited the Tsai-ko hospitality room during the Hawaii Warrior Ohana festival April 26, 2008.


He filled us full of information, hope and confidence.
We sang him a happy birthday song.
This is going to be a great year for University of Hawaii Football.

Metro Rotary shares

When the Rotary Club of Metro Honolulu puts on a party to raise funds for worthy causes,you can be sure it is going to do it in style! The setting was the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki. The food was Hawaiian and so was the evening- Kanikapila, Remembering the backyard musical get-togethers.
I met and got to talk story with Eddie Kamae, and he offered Ukuleleboi some advice- sing!

Prom Prep

Since I will be away this weekend, Ukuleleboi modeled his prom wear for me tonight.

Kenny and the Jett

Two of my favorite Hawaii Warriors are Kenny Estes and Jett Jasper. They are my faves because I know them, watched them grow up from "small kid time" and watched them play high school football for Waimea and Kauai Highs.
I am looking forward to seeing them in the green white and black this Saturday at Aloha Stadium!
Kenny makes an interception. Jett, after a reception.

Photos- Richard Ambo, the Honolulu Advertiser

Hamura Saimin

Kauai has a lot of special places - hosts a myriad natural wonders and places to enjoy and relax. One of my favorites is Hamura Saimin- comfort food, occasional produce for sale (got a squash and a bag of beautiful eggplant for $8!

My routine lunch is a saimin special with a beef bbq stick.

A mother's dedication

Ukuleleboi and friends played during the Waimea High Spring Concert last night. It was a lovely evening under the vog-veiled stars on the lawn fronting the school.
And it was a very special, wonderful, emotional evening for me. Pardon the shaky video.

Sleep?

Well, I don't know where the time goes but it's already morning and I don't remember going to bed. Oh yeah- I was reliving the krazy karaoke while looking at and uploading pix and vids.
Then there is Lilu.
She gets top billing.

The Most Great Festival

Call ye to mind, O people, the bounty which God hath conferred upon you. Ye were sunk in slumber, and lo! He aroused you by the reviving breezes of His Revelation, and made known unto you His manifest and undeviating Path.

This is a special day for me- a Holy Day.
http://www.bahai.us/festival-of-ridvan

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life.
O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.

'Abdu’l-Bahá

"What a power is love! It is the most wonderful, the greatest of all living powers.

Love gives life to the lifeless. Love lights a flame in the heart that is cold. Love brings hope to the hopeless and gladdens the hearts of the sorrowful.

In the world of existence there is indeed no greater power than the power of love. When the heart of man is aglow with the flame of love, he is ready to sacrifice all—even his life. In the Gospel it is said God is love."

Fuud Shots

One of the characteristics of a Tsai-ko gathering of any size is the fuud. Of course, one never knows where it can be found!

Krazy Karaoke

Krazy Karaoke was the setting of a great, fun karaoke evening with my football Tsai-ko blog friends. Ill have more soon!

Saturday Morning, 6AM

Ukuleleboi (tall one in the back) and buddies on their way to Honolulu for the Boys and Girls Club Beach Event. Too bad they are all shy when the cameras come out (not!).

Colt Brennan

I just want to take time to say THANK YOU to Colt Brennan. (Sports Illustrated photo)
2007 was a great year, a BCS year for the UH Warriors -
Because
Colt
Stayed
We fans know that you will find yourself playing on Sundays with the right team.
You are Hawaii's hanai son and we are proud of you for the man you are becoming.
A HUI HOU!

Kauai Warriors and Buffs

Richard Ambo of the Honolulu Advertiser caught my neighbor boy Kenny Estes going up for a pass at UH Warrior spring practice today. If this were a game, it would be an interception since Kenny is a defensive player. I wonder if they know that he can kick too?
(That's our Warrior Beat Blog host Stephen Tsai in the background in green, btw.)

GO Kenny and Go Warriors!

AND
I just found this great video on another former neighbor boy- Jordon Dizon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixFmeGVNwsw
I am ready to watch Jordon in the NFL on Sundays!

Here is a summary of his NFL scouting qualities: http://www.profantasysports.com/easycite/football.php?PID=9418&spid=1

Big Badda BOOM!

Couldn't resist the homage to Lilu.

It's still raining and thundering in Waimea as the storm passes to Oahu.

It was worth it

Why would someone risk getting a rash to eat mangoes? Well, here's why:

Usually, mango season is later in the summer. This year, my girlfriend's tree started bearing early. It's like getting strawberries in November, or a chance to see snow in June, or ride a north shore swell in August.
Irresistible.

Oh Yeah! Michelle just uploaded some pix.

Heeeere's Lilu!

Warrior Fan, UH Supporter

I got my UH License plates today. $25 goes to the UH Foundation every year when I renew my registration (over and above the taxes). Here's a pic.

Lox and Bagel

Been awhile since we had some fuud shots.
Here's one of my fave practical breakfast foods at home.

Onion bagel- big kind, like from Costco.
Slice carefully (or dangerously, if you prefer) into THREE rounds.
Toast until warm and starting to tan.
Spread with cream cheese (lightly or thickly, depending on appetite)
Sprinkle with capers (press them in a bit and they won't roll around)
Cover bagels with strips of lox (cold smoked salmon).

Grind!

I strip the salmon so that I can take small bites and savor the flavors without having a big piece of fish pulling away from the bagel.

Now, I just want to see Tiger Woods come from waaaay behind to capture the Masters!

Strike up the Bands!

Yesterday Ukuleleboi's Waimea High School Concert Band played for a special event at Kukui Grove Center- our local shopping mall. This was good prep for their upcoming band concert on April 22. U-boi is on the bass drum for this piece. Unfortunately, a mall presents a lot of ambient noise so the sound quality is so-so.















After they played, the Kapaa High School Drumline did their thing. Talk about pumping up that football season energy!!!

g.

Baby Dreams

Wow, I woke up this morning after a complex dream about taking care of Lilu. She was suddenly here in Hawaii by herself and I was scrambling around to get a car seat, baby bottles, formula (gave up lactating 13 years ago) and oh yeah - diapers!
So much to do in so little time ;-)

Mangoes and Rashes

Okay, so the body regenerates constantly and every seven years we are a whole new person. Sometimes I am deathly allergic to mangoes and sometimes I can eat them without breaking out in hives or rashes.
This is not one of the latter times.

I have an itchy arm, what looks like a stye forming in my left eye and my face is starting to feel itchy.
But it was worth it.

Mangoes... mmm...

Office Company

One of my favorite things is orchids.
Especially hardy ones that are hard to kill through neglect. Dendrobiums fill that bill for me.
I love having an orchid on my desk to keep me company.
Here is my birthday present from my middle son's friend. She gives me an orchid for just about every special occasion - and I really enjoy them!

61 Years of Track Meets

West Kauai Rotary has put up a track meet for the youth of Kauai for 61 years. That's got to be some kind of record.










It takes a lot of volunteers to measure and time the events and to record, compile, and announce the results. We give medals to the top 3 in each event. We need to use bananas to hold down the papers and the medals so they don't blow off the table. We were going to use mangos but I am allergic to them. This is my girlfriend MK.

Most of all, it takes a bunch of people who believe in our youth. Just like JR over here, whose son plays on the UH Warrior football team.