We just finished another Japanese lesson today. I will practice!!

I will be visiting Hawaii from August 9th to August 12th 2009. My friend had a serious heart situation and needs some support, so I will come for those few days to help out. I hope to be able to see and visit!

Oh my - What a day.
I taught an early morning step class - 6:30 am. No one was there at 6:30, so I decided to do a few laps around the inside track. In just a couple of minutes the regulars wondered in. A good class, even though just three regulars were there. But then…. I came home and went to feed the horses and one of them had a four and a half inch piece of wood impaled into the crease of his hind leg. Yikes! I called the vet and we were lucky that it had not punctured the femoral artery. I have now given my first antibiotic shots and am flushing a huge hole out with iodine solution. Yikes! It does seem that he will be fine, but it was scary for sure.

We just returned from Vancouver Canada, where we attended the Goju Ryu North American Seminar 2008. Three full days of Karate training with four master instructors from our style. Most importantly, Goshi Yamaguchi Saiko Shihan, the Grand Master for Goju Ryu Karatedo from Tokyo. Also from Japan, Shigeki Yamada Shihan along with Ian McGarrity Shihan from the US, and John Priegert Shihan from Canada. What an amazing challenge and opportunity! The opening session on Friday was three hours, and then 6 hours each on Saturday and Sunday. It was grueling physically and mentally, but also so fun and exciting to have access to the quality of instruction and the examples that they set. By far there were more black belt participants than anything else. Our own little Cian was the youngest participant and he made us proud! He behaved well and practiced well and therefore got quite a lot of attention from the various instructors - especially the Grand Master! — who honestly seemed like a wonderful grandfather in his character. Our own sensei, her son, also a sensei, and three of the young black belts from our Dojo tested successfully for their next level black belts. Quite an accomplishment for each of them and really made an impression on Cian for what hard work and dedication is worth.

A few words from Chad now….The seminar exceeded all expectations. It was really hard to know what to expect but, as Joyce wrote, we worked hard and learned much. There was a lot of knowledge shared and a great amount of skill with all the students and sensei present. There was a great spirit of tradition and an interesting mix of exchange. We were able to drive to a foreign country and learn from people from across the Pacific. All the time it was emphasized that we were all one as we sought to learn a common skill. The grand master was very skilled in his martial arts but also his ability to teach. That seemed to me to be what makes the sensei true sensei, the ability to teach. What fun.

Poor Cian - he may have had his worst day ever. It started with an earache. He had to go to the doctor and does have an ear infection. Ok- all good, we got the antibiotics and fine. Then this afternoon, he was helping his dad to clean the boat and slipped trying to get in… and …. fell. His wrist is broken. This is Sunday before we leave for Canada on Thursday for a three day Karate seminar. He is immobile and will not be able to participate fully. He will be able to do some things, but full contact is out and he will be in a cast for about a month. He will start the 2nd grade in a cast. It will be a story for sure.

I have been working on-call and volunteering for a non-profit organization that provides services to the community from infancy to death. I have worked for them in the pre-schools and in the senior health and rehabilitation services for the activities department. I really did not know how the work with seniors would go - I agreed to go for two nights a week to play Yahtzee in the evenings. I have always been amazed that I could get paid - even a little and it is a little- to play games and talk story. The bottom line is that I love it. I have found a real affinity for the care and comfort of the elderly, from rehabilitation services to alzheimers care. I am honored and privileged to be working with the residents and care-givers of this organization. They offer not only traditional activities, but also pet therapy that includes birds, fish, dog and cat visits, as well as gardening, crafts, music and so much more. It gives me pleasure to spend my time and effort to contribute the quality of life for the seniors of this community while I am here. I cannot underestimate the impact on my own growth and learning in the process, but I do feel so much satisfaction in the time I contribute to our human treasures of life and history. I will never forget and maybe never give up in my service to humanity -wherever I may land. How have I been so lucky?

Cian started practicing in Hawaii before we moved, and I had always said that would be my best way into Japanese language and culture. When we moved here we found Chieko sensei through the YMCA, and I began practicing with Cian a couple of times a week. I really enjoy it and Chad has been able to join us two times a week after work for an adult class. Next month we will travel to Canada to take part in a training camp with grand masters from Japan in the Go-Ju-Ryu style. It is fun and exciting to be doing it together as a family. Grandma Dianna and Grandpa Jack will come along, and it is Mason’s birthday weekend, so we are hoping to do something special along the way, even though we will be very taxed and tired from the expectations of the training seminars. I know it will be fun and exciting and I am enjoying the opportunity to learn more about Japanese language and culture as well as Karate. I am going to try to convince the Dojo members that a trip to Japan is a good idea!

Hello All,
Summer has finally arrived here! It took until the beginning of July for the sun to come out regularly, but it is finally here, it seems. Everyone changes when the sun comes out here. Smiles, happiness- it is like we all just blocked out the gray and cold. We planted the garden in June, but nothing really took off until this month though. Finally we see the blooms popping out and we are just hoping that there is enough time left to get some food. Tomatoes, corn, broccoli, beets and squash are all on the path. We have been able to eat some peas so far. Really good. Something got into the strawberries we planted, so not sure how that will proceed. Bummer. The plants are still there, but they got sort of buried. We’ll see.
Other than that, I am amazed at the variety of plants that we have here. I don’t even know what it all is and it is all about four year overgrown, so a ton of work needs to be done to clear and clean, etc… We did tackle some of the field and got most of the fence posts in for a pasture fence. It is still just scratching the surface! Wish us luck!

We enjoyed our recent visit to Hawaii so much! The time seemed slow and relaxed. Just what we needed. The trip home was much the same. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time and the flight was uneventful. Cian and Mason are pretty good travelers in general. They know how to do it because they have had a lot of experience in their short lives. That is one aspect of having been born in Hawaii I think. They are now children who live in two really different worlds. I want that to continue for them, so that they don’t loose their connection to Hawaii.

I don’t have any of the newest pictures downloaded yet, but will find a couple of photos to share soon.

Hello Nacos friends. I am happy to say that I am visiting Hawaii right now after 6 months away and it is lovely. We are getting a bit of business done as well as having some fun in the sun. I want to share a photo with you all of our new friend in Kitsap Co. This is bandit and she shows up now and then after dark looking for a snack or herself and her babies. It has been fun for the kids to see new kinds of animals up close.