The Big 6-0

Sunday was my birthday.

The big 6-0

My blog families on The Warrior Beat, BGObsession.com and ExtremeSkins showered me with love and remembrance. And my facebook ohana made it a very special occasion!

I spent the morning just relaxing while son Steven cooked up a delicious breakfast - which I ate with great relish while watching the Black Eyed Peas Australian Concert on TV. Got a chance to chit chat with my sister in Florida and we had a good laugh about how we like BEP and our kids like Jack Johnson.
Daughter called to say HB and also that my new grandson is showing some signs of arriving earlier than scheduled. I said NOT BEFORE THE 11th!!! Yikes!

Then I headed over to Kekaha to become part of a sea of friends of Rodney Ahn.

It was a spiritual / emotional / uplifting experience.

Then I picked up Byron and headed over to my son Aaron's house for dinner.

He got me my long-awaited lobster... and made an amazingly wonderful Indian dinner!

Of course there was a cake- a delicious cheesecake complete with candles!

We got a kick watching the younger ones play Rock Band.

Then the songs was sung and the candles were blown out, cheesecake and Auntie Joanne's fantastic lemon bars were served and the sons/grandson were measured for the occasion.
My dear friends and family bestowed upon me some lovely and thoughtful gifts - but those will be the subject of a future blog entry!

MAHALO, EVERYONE!!!

Pulehu Chicken for Project Grad

One of the things I love most about our community is how we come together to benefit youth and children.
Last night, parents and former students prepared pulehu chicken for a fundraising project for Waimea High School's Project Grad. I was on the night shift- 10PM to 5:30 AM.

Kiawe wood was gathered, cut, and burned for hot coals. It was good to see Waimea alumni, son Steven, Kenny (UH Football Warrior #37), Ryan and John there to help out!

Hawaiian salt was mixed with paprika and rubbed into the beautiful XL chicken halves.

From Pulehu Chicken 3/27/10

The chicken was loaded into special cooking racks and then carried over to the fire pit where it was slow-broiled cooked to juicy perfection.

From Pulehu Chicken 3/27/10

The cook-master monitored the heat and indicated when the chickens needed to huli - or turn over.

The ladies and guys enjoyed coffee and food while the cooking was going on. Did I mention that it was very chilly (63 F when I headed home at 5:45AM) and our hands felt frozen when we prepped the chicken? Perfect cooking weather, actually!

When the internal temperature reached "done" and the color was right, the racks were removed and chicken was unloaded, wrapped in foil and placed in large coolers to keep them hot.

From Pulehu Chicken 3/27/10

This process was repeated three more times until the 900 servings of chicken were all cooked, wrapped and loaded on a trailer to take to the pick-up location in Waimea and the morning shift of workers who did the distribution.

I went home and crashed. When I woke up, I had some chicken with lettuce and tomato for lunch. It was DEE-LICIOUS! Not too salty, not too smoky, and VERY juicy!
What a great night to hang out, talk story, work hard and enjoy doing something that would benefit our kids!

A Joyous Naw Ruz

Yes, it was a beautiful time together on a beautiful day!

It began with prayers, readings, and the Ali`i Strings playing Vivaldi's Spring.

Faith, fasting, feasting, friends, family, fun, fabulous!

Happy New Year!