Here is what I like to call Zander's "old man" pose, where he acts like he has just had a very tough day. (***Take notice of his new "Cars" shoes that he absolutely LOVES!)
After eating a yummy dinner of Bev's white chicken chili, I snuck out of the house for a Coast Guard girls' night at my friends Kathy's house. It was fun, relaxing, and nice to do some girly gossiping (Heather is out of town so I was missing my girlfriend fix:)).
On Thursday I drove Bev, Dick, and the kids to the North Shore, where we stopped at Turtle Beach to see if we could spot any sea turtles. Unfortunately, the waves were pretty big and the surf was pretty rough, so there were no turtles to be seen. We continued on our journey, and next stopped on the windward (east) side of the island at the infamous shrimp farms, where Bev and Dick enjoyed a lunch of fresh Hawaiian shrimp (as most of you probably know I am not a fan of seafood, so I did not partake). We then drove down the east coast of Oahu, next stopping at a grassy park near the Chinaman's Hat island that can be seen from the shore. We concluded our journey for the day at the town of Kaneohe, where we then cut through the Koolau Mountain Range back to our side of the island, the leeward (west) side.
That evening, Brian and I were scheduled to attend the Pacific Veteran's Memorial dinner at the Ft. Shafter golf club, which was a dinner honoring a new Coast Guard monument that has been constructed for the Punchbowl National Cemetery. Here is a picture of the two of us before we left for the event.
The food was awesome, the company was entertaining, but the coolest part of the evening were the honorary guests in attendance. First were many veterans that had served in the Pacific for various wars, and the one that impressed me the most was a gentleman who had served in World War II, the Korean War, AND the Vietnam War. Now that's service. Next was the Admiral of District 14 (which includes Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and the entire Pacific Ocean in between), Admiral Brice-O'Hara, who is in charge of this entire area, AND just happens to be a woman. Pretty impressive. Lastly, and most significant, was the highest ranking official in the Coast Guard, the guy who is charge of the ENTIRE Coast Guard, Commandant Admiral Thad Allen.
After all the speeches and toasts, Brian and I had the opportunity to meet the Commandant, which was nothing less than awesome. Oftentimes I feel somewhat disconnected from Brian's job because I don't often get to see him in his Coast Guard role, but this event gave me the chance to sit next to him proudly and share a significant experience. I'm very glad that Bev and Dick were here to help watch the kids so that I had the opportunity to go. Thanks guys!
So, today we finished our trip around the outermost points of the island by cutting back across the mountains on the Pali Highway, first stopping in a quaint little beach town called Kailua. We did a little shopping, followed by a yummy lunch at the California Pizza Kitchen. We then continued along the southeast corner of the island, where we saw some breathtaking views and several scenic points that I have mentioned in previous posts (i.e. the crouching lion and the blowhole). By mid-afternoon we had made it back home, and settled in for an afternoon of bike riding and scooter riding up and down our street with the kids. It is finally quiet around here, as the kids have had their dinner, bath, and are tucked snug in their beds.
This weekend promises to be another busy one, but would we have it any other way? Tomorrow we are hoping to hit the beach for the day, and on Sunday Heather's son Lane is having a birthday party, so that will be fun for the kids. On Monday Bev and Dick leave for a seven night inter-island cruise, so we continue to pack in as much as we possibly can. As as you will soon find out, the tours and busy days have no sight in end for the Palm household.
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