Week 13: Hoʻokipa (to host or entertain; hospitality)

This week, I got to ho‘okipa Daryl, filling this home with deep aloha and joy.

Sharing some of my life from the past weeks was a delight: the morning swims, mālama the gardens (Week 5), catching the bus (including getting lost and serendipitously happening upon unexpected treasures), playing with some of my O‘ahu PicklePals (Week 4), learning with a walking tour of Downtown Honolulu (DoHo) (Week 4), sampling yummy malasadas (Day 4), and watching Patrick perform at a fantastic Thai restaurant (Week 11). 

We also got enjoy new adventures together: like surfing Waikīkī, snorkeling in Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, attending live theater, celebrating Daryl's 68th birthday at an iconic restaurant, and stumbling on a DoHo Night Market with food trucks, vendors, and local performers. 

Daryl arrived on Tuesday evening!

Here's a photo dump of all of the fantastic memories we made this week!

My Seneca Peeps sent birthday wishes for Daryl and also
an alarming image of our home in the aftermath of an apparent AC explosion...

If you are feeling as alarmed as we did, don't fret. It turned out to be a prank generated by our creative Seneca crew with the help of an AI bot. 😱

Here's the real photo:


Briefly ruined a perfectly chill and relaxed Saturday morning for us. Zero stars. Do not recommend.

On a more positive note, I'm looking forward to another week of sightseeing (and also catching up on schoolwork 😅). Stay tuned!

Comments

  1. Mary JoSeptember 20, 2026 at 1:16 PM

    You’re living your best life it seems. I’m so happy for you! Wish I could beam over and join you. I’m so glad Daryl could spend his birthday there with you. What a dream vacation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnaSeptember 20, 2026 at 1:48 PM

      Someone called it our "Hawaiian Honeymoon" and it really does feel like that! So much fun!

      Delete
    2. Flower gyrlSeptember 20, 2026 at 8:00 PM

      That someone was me ;)

      Delete
    3. AnaSeptember 21, 2026 at 11:50 PM

      Rita! Thanks for reminding me it was YOU!

      Delete
  2. Flower gyrlSeptember 20, 2026 at 8:01 PM

    What a dreamy honeymoon. What was your favorite thing (so far)? Ok, I hate AI, and seeing that horrible AI photo of your house definitely dug that hole deeper.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnaSeptember 21, 2026 at 11:51 PM

      It's so hard to pick a favorite. It's all been so fun and amazing!

      Delete
  3. Lula 🌕🌊🌺September 21, 2026 at 5:23 AM

    Thanks for sharing some highlights of Daryl's visit and the joy of bringing him into this life you've created in Hawai'i!

    May you continue enjoying this time and space together, learning and loving and living this present moment fully!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnaSeptember 21, 2026 at 11:51 PM

      Yay! We are definitely pushing the limits and having fun!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I have some news... 🌺

Image
You may already know that my sabbatical proposal was accepted for Fall 2026, and I will use that time to begin work on an 11-month  Ethnomathematics   certificate program at the University of Hawai'i, Mānoa. This is my first sabbatical in my thirty years of teaching math at Pima, and I am ecstatic!!  The program consists of five virtual courses with two required in-person events: a one-week orientation in June 2026 and a weekend culmination event in May 2027. In addition to this amazing news, the Universe has granted me the good fortune to live in a friend's Mānoa home for six months (June - December). That's right: I will be living in Hawai'i from the last week of June through mid-December! I am beyond excited to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Update : I'll be returning in October - things changed! Daryl will join me for a visit, probably during his birthday month. But other than that, I plan to ride sola: soaking up all the amazing lessons Hawai...
Read more

Twenty-four days and counting... ⏰

Image
I am blown away by the kindness and support of friends, family, and complete strangers! The Universe is generous and keeps offering signs that keep my excitement high daily! A former student who lived in Hawai'i for 10 years sent me pages and pages of recommendations: books to read, beaches to visit, hikes to trek, food to try, dos and don'ts, and island-hopping must-sees. A new addition to our pickleball crew turned out to be a 7th-generation Hawai'ian, gifting me a tourist book on O'ahu that she read and annotated. Another friend shared her travel gear and advice from her eight summers of abroad travel and teaching in China. My sister gifted me a new pair of Keens sandals to wear while trekking in and out of the water while I'm exploring. And even a car with a Hawai'i vanity plate happened to be parked along my weekly walk route. The driver offered to take my picture and wished me well! The path to my new adventure is lining up, and I am nervou-cited (a word ...
Read more

Week 7: Pilina (Relationship, connection)

Image
Building new relationships, strengthening friendships, having difficult conversations -- these are reminders that I cannot do anything alone. I am interconnected with others and rely on people and the land for everything from basic survival to elevated joy. I started my week checking out a hula festival at Kapiolani Park and cried a little. I couldn't help it. When I saw the beautiful movements of the hula and even small children doing hula routines, remembering how hula was banned under the influence of missionaries who thought the dance was immoral, it gave me so much hope to see it survive and thrive. Monday I decided to tackle a (relatively easy) swim test that will allow me to sign up for a snorkeling outing once the fall semester starts. I got to explore the UH campus and revel at the beauty. It's mostly empty for summer, so the birds are out in full force: singing and just chillin'.  Pics from my walk around the UH Mānoa campus On my walk back, I passed by the Hawai‘...
Read more