The people we have met here in Hawaii have been so good and generous to us. They have helped us get settled here in so many ways, helping us find our apartment, furnish our apartment, giving us rides, and helping me find a job. One way in particular where their generosity continues to astound me is in the giving of food. It is ingrained in the culture here to feed others and then send them away with the leftovers. So, for those of you who are still worried that Nate and I are starving, here is a list I kept of all the food that was given to us in the space of one week (9-18 to 9-23):
2 dinner plates (chicken, rice, chop suey, etc.)
1 1/2 gal POG (passion orange guava juice)
1 carton ice cream
6 nectarines
5 frozen pot pies
1 manapua (a bun filled with meat)
1 faiaife'e (octopus in coconut cream)
2 more dinner plates
4 pieces pumpkin pie
4 large avocados
1 lunch bowl (curry chicken, taro, and pisupo)
1 pear
1 large cup mackerel rice soup
1 large cup coconut rice
1 tray of apple pie pastries (like mini apple pies)
1 more dinner plate
1 bunch green bananas (for boiling)
1 can pisupo (corned beef)
1 orange
1 shave ice
2 more dinner plates
1 King-size Reeses
1 box cake from Liliha bakery
1/2 of a birthday cake
2 MORE dinner plates (this brings our total to 9! I don't think I cooked at all that week!)
1 tub popcorn
1 box Red Vines
1 box Reeses Pieces
1 package rice crackers
2 large muffins
1 bag potatoes
Granted, this was a particularly abundant week, but I still can't believe it! That's a lot of food!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Nate the Forager
My doctor says I'm too stressed. Thankfully, I found a job just one day after I saw him. I'm going to be a reading tutor at the high school around the corner from my apartment. I turned in my paperwork today, so hopefully I'll be able to start tomorrow. Hooray!
Now that I'm not crazy stressed out and spending every spare minute (which for the last few months has been all of them) looking for a job, I can blog! and do cool things that I can then blog about! I know you've all been anxious for my to make a return to the blogging scene. Here's what we've been up to lately.
Since we've been in Hawaii for two months and I until last Friday did not have a job, we've been living in ultra-frugal survival mode. I don't know how many of you have lived in this mode for any length of time, but it requires quite a lot of creativity in certain areas like food sources. Thus, we've been diligent in attending any and all church or school events where food may be present. However, Nate has also taken to foraging on the University of Hawaii campus between classes.
Apparently there are numerous fruit bearing trees on campus and their fruits go unused and are left to fall to the ground and rot. So really, we're doing the university a favor by preventing smelly rot, right? So far Nate has procured a mango, a passion fruit, and a breadfruit. Now, you all know what a mango is, so I won't explain that experience except to say that this was the most amazing mango I've ever had.
The passion fruit was something quite unexpected. It is a small, round, yellowish fruit with a hard, thick skin with a soft, juicy, orange center. You spoon out the orange part and eat it. The flavor was wonderful. The texture can only be compared to slimy boogers with the occasional crunchy seed.
The breadfruit I've eaten before, whenever we are at an event with Samoan food, it occasionally shows up. The breadfruit is not a fruit at all, but rather a starchy food, like a potato. Which is the closest comparison I can make. We cut it up, boiled it and served it with coconut milk. It was quite good (I didn't like it the first time I had it, but it has grown on me).
The crazed forager
The finished meal
Yum!
(For those of you that are concerned, we're not actually in danger of going hungry. Just thought I'd clear that up.)
Now that I'm not crazy stressed out and spending every spare minute (which for the last few months has been all of them) looking for a job, I can blog! and do cool things that I can then blog about! I know you've all been anxious for my to make a return to the blogging scene. Here's what we've been up to lately.
Since we've been in Hawaii for two months and I until last Friday did not have a job, we've been living in ultra-frugal survival mode. I don't know how many of you have lived in this mode for any length of time, but it requires quite a lot of creativity in certain areas like food sources. Thus, we've been diligent in attending any and all church or school events where food may be present. However, Nate has also taken to foraging on the University of Hawaii campus between classes.
Apparently there are numerous fruit bearing trees on campus and their fruits go unused and are left to fall to the ground and rot. So really, we're doing the university a favor by preventing smelly rot, right? So far Nate has procured a mango, a passion fruit, and a breadfruit. Now, you all know what a mango is, so I won't explain that experience except to say that this was the most amazing mango I've ever had.
The passion fruit was something quite unexpected. It is a small, round, yellowish fruit with a hard, thick skin with a soft, juicy, orange center. You spoon out the orange part and eat it. The flavor was wonderful. The texture can only be compared to slimy boogers with the occasional crunchy seed.
Ours was just like this, but a different variety, so the outside was yellow
The breadfruit I've eaten before, whenever we are at an event with Samoan food, it occasionally shows up. The breadfruit is not a fruit at all, but rather a starchy food, like a potato. Which is the closest comparison I can make. We cut it up, boiled it and served it with coconut milk. It was quite good (I didn't like it the first time I had it, but it has grown on me).
Breadfruit
Nate preparing the breadfruit
The crazed forager
The finished meal
Yum!
(For those of you that are concerned, we're not actually in danger of going hungry. Just thought I'd clear that up.)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Almost Home, Sweet Home
Okay, so it's been two months since I last posted. Nate and I have been in Hawaii for exactly 6 weeks now. So much has happened since the last time I wrote I can't even begin to tell you, so I'll show you some of it.
The trees at the National Cemetery were awesome! They all looked like this.
The windward side of the island
And now for the gross-out factor, just in case there are some of you that think living in Hawaii is perfect. It's pretty close, but sometimes there are the bugs to contend with. These are dried up roach egg sacs that were crusted all over the inside of our closets when we moved in. I spent most of a whole day cleaning these out before I could unpack our stuff. I almost lost my lunch. Eww. But, a lot of scrubbing later, it looks great now and, knock on wood, I haven't seen a roach in the apartment yet.
And, since I can't leave you on that nasty note, or none of you would come and visit us, here's us at my favorite beach. Really, this beach is perfect. We've seen an occasional Portuguese Man of War each time we've gone, but it is so beautiful not even those will keep us out of the water.
Things are going great. Nate has started school and we're all settled into our apartment. The only thing left is for me to get a job. Wish me luck! (unless any of you have contacts in Hawaii, then send me names and phone numbers!)
Our new home as seen from Punchbowl/ National Cemetery of the Pacific
The trees at the National Cemetery were awesome! They all looked like this.
The windward side of the island
And now for the gross-out factor, just in case there are some of you that think living in Hawaii is perfect. It's pretty close, but sometimes there are the bugs to contend with. These are dried up roach egg sacs that were crusted all over the inside of our closets when we moved in. I spent most of a whole day cleaning these out before I could unpack our stuff. I almost lost my lunch. Eww. But, a lot of scrubbing later, it looks great now and, knock on wood, I haven't seen a roach in the apartment yet.
And, since I can't leave you on that nasty note, or none of you would come and visit us, here's us at my favorite beach. Really, this beach is perfect. We've seen an occasional Portuguese Man of War each time we've gone, but it is so beautiful not even those will keep us out of the water.
Things are going great. Nate has started school and we're all settled into our apartment. The only thing left is for me to get a job. Wish me luck! (unless any of you have contacts in Hawaii, then send me names and phone numbers!)
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Epitome of Summer Days
Last Saturday, Nate and I combined all the best parts of summer into one fantastic day. The only unfortunate thing is that I didn't get any photos.
Early in the morning, before the day got hot, we ventured out with friends from our ward and went blackberry picking. Long rows of berries stretched out before us, waiting only to be discovered. Conversations floated along easily, as the buckets filled and the sun slowly rose higher.
In the afternoon, Nate, my sister, and I along with some friends went to the Blue Bell Taste of Summer festival. Blue Bell is a regional brand of ice cream and they have a local factory. Every year on the last Saturday in June they host a party with all-you-can-eat ice cream. However, I've lived here almost my whole life and never been. It was awesome. By the time we arrived at the festival, at 11am the day was already turning into a scorcher. There was ice cream, local musicians performing, factory tours, ice cream eating contests for all ages 5yrs - adult, games for little kids, and the fire department even opened up a hydrant to help everyone keep cool. Altogether, I tried 7 different flavors in the hour and a half that we were there: Triple Caramel, Strawberry, Rainbow Sherbert, Moo-lenium Crunch (vanilla with almonds, pecans, chocolate and butterscotch pieces), Chocolate Covered Cherry, Dutch Chocolate, and Turtle.
We finished out the day splashing in the pool and taking it easy. What a perfect summer day!
Early in the morning, before the day got hot, we ventured out with friends from our ward and went blackberry picking. Long rows of berries stretched out before us, waiting only to be discovered. Conversations floated along easily, as the buckets filled and the sun slowly rose higher.
In the afternoon, Nate, my sister, and I along with some friends went to the Blue Bell Taste of Summer festival. Blue Bell is a regional brand of ice cream and they have a local factory. Every year on the last Saturday in June they host a party with all-you-can-eat ice cream. However, I've lived here almost my whole life and never been. It was awesome. By the time we arrived at the festival, at 11am the day was already turning into a scorcher. There was ice cream, local musicians performing, factory tours, ice cream eating contests for all ages 5yrs - adult, games for little kids, and the fire department even opened up a hydrant to help everyone keep cool. Altogether, I tried 7 different flavors in the hour and a half that we were there: Triple Caramel, Strawberry, Rainbow Sherbert, Moo-lenium Crunch (vanilla with almonds, pecans, chocolate and butterscotch pieces), Chocolate Covered Cherry, Dutch Chocolate, and Turtle.
We finished out the day splashing in the pool and taking it easy. What a perfect summer day!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
The House Where Deb Lives
First, thanks for all the birthday wishes. I had a wonderful 23rd birthday yesterday. Except for Rachel and Steve, my whole family was there and it was lovely.
Then on to the largest room that for a time my sisters and I all shared, except for Bug - spoiled from the beginning. Just kidding, she was still a baby.
Back downstairs, there is the closet under the stairs where we keep our camping gear. This is where I had my secret club meetings when I was little. I think our club membership maxed out at three people (you can't fit many more into that little closet anyway).
The living room, complete with Mom taking a snooze:
And the kitchen with Nate studying away at his statistics reading on summer vacation.
Finally, the place that I spent by far the most time in the summers while growing up and the grand finale of our tour, the back yard.
We've been in my good old hometown in Oklahoma for about two weeks now and my parents have wasted no time in putting us to work. But nonetheless, I am going to attempt to be more active in writing. So, since as much as I'd like you all to, most of you will probably not get to come and visit Oklahoma (one of the more beautiful and under-appreciated states); here is a virtual tour of my childhood home.
This is our front entry.
It doesn't always look like this, however due to a recent flurry of this activity...
it has become the work whereby Nate and I earn our keep.
Immediately to the left is the dining room.
Up the stairs we go to my room when I was growing up, which is no longer a bedroom
home, sweet home
This is our front entry.
It doesn't always look like this, however due to a recent flurry of this activity... 
it has become the work whereby Nate and I earn our keep.Immediately to the left is the dining room.
Up the stairs we go to my room when I was growing up, which is no longer a bedroom
Then on to the largest room that for a time my sisters and I all shared, except for Bug - spoiled from the beginning. Just kidding, she was still a baby.
Back downstairs, there is the closet under the stairs where we keep our camping gear. This is where I had my secret club meetings when I was little. I think our club membership maxed out at three people (you can't fit many more into that little closet anyway).
The living room, complete with Mom taking a snooze:
And the kitchen with Nate studying away at his statistics reading on summer vacation.
Finally, the place that I spent by far the most time in the summers while growing up and the grand finale of our tour, the back yard.
Well Katie, and all you others who are secretly wishing that you could spend your summer vacations in Oklahoma, I hope you feel at home in my home now.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Ready or Not, Here We Go!
The last few weeks have been quite the whirlwind: Nate's graduation, moving out of our apartment, my best friend's wedding, spending a week in Boise with family, another week in Montana with more family, etc. We've been having a fantastic time and I can't believe we still have a week left before we head for home.
Nate has been officially accepted to the Nutrition program at the University of Hawaii and offered a teaching assistantship that will waive his tuition and offer a small stipend. It is such a blessing to have that support from the school. I don't know how we would have managed without it. We purchased our tickets today to move out there and will be flying out to Honolulu on July 22. We ship boxes there tomorrow - thanks Josh and Julie for letting us send you our stuff! Even with all of this it all seems surreal. I suppose it won't seem real until I look out the plane window and see somthing like this:
or walk down the street to enjoy a scene like this one:
I think I can handle the change.
Come and visit!
Aloha!
Nate has been officially accepted to the Nutrition program at the University of Hawaii and offered a teaching assistantship that will waive his tuition and offer a small stipend. It is such a blessing to have that support from the school. I don't know how we would have managed without it. We purchased our tickets today to move out there and will be flying out to Honolulu on July 22. We ship boxes there tomorrow - thanks Josh and Julie for letting us send you our stuff! Even with all of this it all seems surreal. I suppose it won't seem real until I look out the plane window and see somthing like this:
or walk down the street to enjoy a scene like this one:
I think I can handle the change.
Come and visit!
Aloha!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Developing Talents
Since graduating from college, it's amazing how much free time I have. I work full-time, but just the fact that I don't have any homework to do or tests to study for is amazing. I've always thought that people who could draw or paint were brilliant and secretly I wanted to be one of them. But, I had to content myself with other things because, I told myself, I just didn't have the gift.
Then I watched my second graders paint. None of them are child prodigies, but they paint with freedom, confidence and delight. I figured, if they can do it, so can I. So, I took myself down to the public library and checked out some books on sketching. I bought several different kinds of sketching pencils and erasers and started reading. Soon I was ready to draw my first drawing, so I hunted around the apartment for something classy enough to be drawn as a still life. I set a few things out on the counter - an empty bottle, a canister and an apple, carefully selected from our fridge for its roundness and evenness - and left for work planning to come back that evening, arrange the objects and begin. When I came home however, the apple was gone. My husband had eaten my still life!
We had another well-shaped apple, so all was not lost, and here is the result:
And and for an exercise in perspective, some geometric shapes. Drawing #2:
Then I watched my second graders paint. None of them are child prodigies, but they paint with freedom, confidence and delight. I figured, if they can do it, so can I. So, I took myself down to the public library and checked out some books on sketching. I bought several different kinds of sketching pencils and erasers and started reading. Soon I was ready to draw my first drawing, so I hunted around the apartment for something classy enough to be drawn as a still life. I set a few things out on the counter - an empty bottle, a canister and an apple, carefully selected from our fridge for its roundness and evenness - and left for work planning to come back that evening, arrange the objects and begin. When I came home however, the apple was gone. My husband had eaten my still life!
We had another well-shaped apple, so all was not lost, and here is the result:
And and for an exercise in perspective, some geometric shapes. Drawing #2:
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