June 2022: Thursday and Friday in Hawaii

May 31 was our 50th anniversary, which we will celebrate later in June with the family. Two days later on June 2, we flew to Hawaii for Meg's graduation from Punahou School. It's a long way to Honolulu but we survived. That evening we had dinner at the Rainbow Cafe, tasted wonderful local shave ice, and watched the sun set at Kaimana Beach. We checked into our splendid little Airbnb on the 24th floor of the Waikiki Monarch Hotel and slept with Honolulu at our feet. Meagan picked us up the next (Friday) morning and introduced us to the old historic heart of Honolulu. Today it is filled with huge office towers and lots of Asian shops, restaurants, and retail. We had time to buy an aloha shirt from Reyn's for me to wear to graduation. I have always admired their fine quality shirts.

Cloud puffs over the Pacific Ocean as we approached O'ahu

Plate lunches for supper with Meagan's mom, Lenore, and the Taylors

I had loco moco: everything is better with an egg on it

The iconic Rainbow Drive-in on Kapahulu Avenue

Shimazu Shave Ice next door

Oliver and Phillip at Kaimana Beach

Sunset on O'ahu

War Memorial Natatorium from WWI next to Kaimana Beach

with Waikiki in the background

View toward Waikiki from our 24th-floor Airbnb

The view the other direction toward the Ala Wai Canal

Room with a view

Sun-up on the Ala Wai Canal

Waikiki in the morning sun

Spanish-style bell tower of the historic pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Hanging loose on 19th-century Hotel Street in search of leis for Meg

Hotel Street was the red-light district during WWII

You don't see many lei shops in Provo

Fine little Asian market

Beautiful veg and flowers in Chinatown

Tasty ducks and pork

Delicious dim sum at the Golden Palace in Chinatown

I died and went to heaven! Warm custard pie

from Lee's Bakery

Lee's and the Golden Palace next door on King Street

Reyn's famous aloha shirts

We had dinner in the food court at the posh Ala Moana Center. Twas a fun day. More in the next post.

OXO

D.

May 2022: Sunrise Mountain and Timpview Graduations

We flew back to PHX from Washington and spent a few days with Gavin, Maren, and family. We took their family to Culinary Dropout at Scottsdale Quarter, a favorite of mine. Finn's Sunset Mountain High School graduation was held at Cardinal Stadium in Glendale. That night to celebrate, Finn chose dinner at Ocean Prime. The very next day, we jumped back on the horse and galloped north to home for Lizzie's graduation from Timpview the following day. We joined the Ensigns at UVU and then celebrated at their home in Spanish Fork afterward. 

Culinary Dropout makes good meatloaf

Scottsdale Quarter all a-twinkle

Scottsdale Quarter

Somebody here planned the most efficient ceremony ever: 

done in an hour and a half

The Youngs and Taylors

Enormous venue

Maren and Gavin

Finn receiving his diploma

Post-graduation

Back home with the family

Lovely spot for a celebratory dinner

Surf and turf at Ocean Prime

Seafood tower

I always seem to order sea bass

Back in Utah for Lizzie's graduation

Grammy, the Ensigns, and Ruizes

Lizzie gets her sheepskin

The family squinting at the sun

Grandparents with the graduate

Lizzie digging into traditional "graduation salad" at

the Ensign house

Hadn't seen the Ringers for ages

Cousins breakfast with HB at Kreg and Dorothy's

We hopped a plane and headed to Hawaii for the final graduation of the season. That's next, but this is all for now.

OXO

D.

May 2022: Washington DC

The bathroom remodel dragged along at the same pace, and we hosted the group dinner before heading south to Peoria AZ by way of Henderson NV for a quick visit with the Youngs. Maren dropped us at PHX for our flight to Dulles by way of Chicago. We settled in at the Chantilly Comfort Inn for a couple of days of celebration of Lucy Jane's graduation from The George Washington University. It was delightful being with family and friends. But I'm gonna say that I hate humidity. I have lived in the desert for too long.

The glass divider is in

The toilet and sink are in (the drain will be changed)

Flowers for a belated 5 de Mayo dinner with The Group

Dinner at Cheesecake Factory in Henderson

Off from Chicago to Dulles in Washington

I am a freak and need the air to move when I sleep, so I

now carry my own fan in my suitcase.

College Convocation

Who are the old people?

She walked

Lucy Jane Hastings: college granduate

A coffee, coke, sandwich, and treat break in the student center

Rob and Anna's family

Louisa and the grandparents

Georgetown for Supper

Lucy chose this great little French restaurant

It was wonderful

Sea bass: me

Lamb: Kris (she's a Hansen now by marriage)

William Tucker and Lucy Jane

Dickie and Anders Taylor Hastings

The dinner group, including Rob's parents and the Homers 

(his sister, Courtney and husband Dustin [not pictured])

Commencement on The National Mall the next day

KBT, Bill and JLynn Hastings, and more Hastings

The sun came out and it was hotter than Hell so we headed for

the shade to wait for the graduate to join us

Rob's sister, Courtney, hosted an afternoon of pizza and visiting. 

Anna's lifelong friend Jennette came from Wilmington, Delaware

The next morning it was back to AZ for more festivities. 

OXO

D.