Outside!
The Graduate
We are sitting in the auditorium during Sam’s graduation. His school has asked me to do portraits of the seniors and shoot the ceremony. I’m thinking this is going to be pretty routine, the class parading down the aisle in cap and gowns, some speeches, they get their diplomas, and they toss their caps in the air after it’s all over with a big round of applause. I’m pretty unprepared for the wave of emotion that’s about to hit me.
Sam learning how to stand in Kauai- that's me in the background
There are many nuances and unwritten codes that I’ve tried to pass on to my kids when it comes to surfing. At all costs never let go of your board- it’s your lifeline and a loose board could hurt you or someone else in the water. Never, Never, Never drop in on any Hawaiian dudes. And, when you are out in the line-up on a big day and someone yells “Outside!” you start paddling hard towards the horizon.
I’m thinking about Sam and colleges, thinking about a six year old Sam yelling, “Daddy!” while a big set is about to pounce on us both at the Waiohi, and last year watching Sam silhouetted off to my side while we make the long paddle in from Tunnels.
As the costumed class comes traipsing in with their “big day” goofy smiles on their faces I bring the camera up to record what’s going on and to hide the tear that’s about to come down my face. The back of my camera fogs up a little as my lips make out the word, outside.
Holiday Card Answer!
For those of you who can’t wait any longer, here’s the answer to the Catanzaro boy quiz on our holiday card. We hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday and best wishes for 2012!
We Miss Henry
Going Home Alone
Henry went home 10 days early. Six weeks is a  bit too much time for him on Kauai. He gets restless, wants to play tennis, misses his friends and family. He didn’t go to the beach as much as the rest of us but when he did it was always pretty fun to have him around.
He’s was our watchdog, guarding the house when we would come back from the beach when the sun started to dip in the shy. He always met us on the deck with a Journey song playing in the background updating us on every sports score known to mankind. We miss you Henry and can’t wait to see you tomorrow.
A Hale With No Name
Sometimes houses in Hawaii have names. On Kauai, some of the houses we’ve stayed in for the past 15 or so years have had names like: Hale (this means house) Anuenue- this means Rainbow House, Hale Malapua- or Hale Malapoopoo when the plumbing backed up a few times, The old Batty house, where we stayed for years until it was sold last year, was named Hale Mahana- the warm friendly house. The house we are staying in this year(and hopefully years to come) doesn’t have a Hawaiian name. Maybe we should give this house a name. Maybe we should name the house Hale Kipa Hou Mai- Come Visit Again. There’s Hale Ahui Mai’a- Banana Bunch House for the great bananas growing in the yard. Hale Mahina- Moon House for the way the moonlight lights up the house at night. There’s Hale Hohono or Hale Pupule- Smell Bad House and Crazy House respectively. Those 2 suggestions refer to our boys not to the house so we won’t call it these. Here’s a handy lisy of popular Hawaiian words and phrases if you want to help the help us out.
Surf Day Hanalei
Sometimes surfing isn't just about the waves
