Aloha Friday

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I hope you have had a wonderful week and that your weekend is all you hope for and more.

A hui hou kakou malama pono

Apple

Steve Jobs 1955 -2011
pic via Apple

I have to admit I was a little late to the Apple party.   I had a iPod that I got a while back but I never really used it that much.  However, when I was gifted an iPad I was hooked.   And then about a year ago my contract with my mobile provider ran out so I was able to get an iPhone and needless to say - I was an Apple cult member.  Steve changed the way I view things.   In some ways he has made my life easier and in others I fear I'm too connected.  Also, because of my job I understand more the mind of the engineer and how it works so I think I have some insight into Steve's mind.   I love all the quotes that everyone is posting on fb.   It just goes to show how many lives he touched.   Lets face it (no pun intended here)....facebook has blown up to what it is partly due to the man pictured above.   He did make it easier to access and tweet and such.  I am interested to see what will happen moving forward.  I guess the only good thing that has come out of this is that is was not sudden which hopefully allowed Apple to prepare.   It will be interesting to see if Wozniak will play more of a role now?   Most importantly my thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time and I hope the out pouring of admiration for him will help to ease the pain they are feeling.

Wednesday Wisdom



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You are missed

Just wanted to take a brief moment to say Happy Birthday Luba!

I love you and miss you.  More than I probably thought I would and I know my mom misses you as well.  You were the closest to thing to a sister she would ever have.

Life can be ugly and take people away too soon - this is a lesson learned yet again with you. 

Unfortunately I don't have a picture to post of her but I do have one up in my house that I love.  She is loaded down with Nordstrom shopping bags with that big classic Luba smile - you can almost hear her laughing in it.      

Today lets remember the things about Luba that drove us all nuts that we look back on fondly now.

She was the Queen (oh yes she would like that) of taking pictures.   Wherever Luba was there was a camera and she was in front of it instructing the picture taker (usually Joe in later years) as to how it needed to be taken.   I must say however that she rarely took a bad picture.  

She was also the one person you could count on to drop everything and be there for you in record time.   When my dad had his heart surgery she swooped in to take care of my mom.   She made it all easier for me as well as my mom.  And when I graduated from college she showed up for my party with a US Post office bucket full of hard alcohol.   After all it was cheaper in California right?  We didn't argue with her - it was just easier.  Those US Post office buckets were always with her when she came to visit.   With everything from alcohol to zebra tomato plants.

Childhood memory --- driving in downtown Portland.   On a one way street.   What's memorable about that you might say?  Well you see the one way was going to the other way.  But that never stopped Luba.

Another childhood memory --- coming home for Hawaii (as we did every Christmas) to cold, rainy Portland.   Luba would be at the airport waiting for us with our car and hot things to drink and hot food to eat.  

And another --- when I was little every time she came to visit she had a new job - or so it seemed.  My grandfather said he was going to wall paper a wall with her business cards. 

She truly was a force of nature. 

One day I hope they find a cure to ALS.........

What I'm Reading



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So far so good.....

 I also recently finished....


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I liked this book.  Easy read which is what I'm into lately.  

Update: Top Ten for Summer

So as you know I made of list of things I wanted to do this summer.   Found here.

1. Go to the Drive Inn - nope  We just never made it over to Newberg.  I have to say that our movie viewing really slows down in the summer which I never noticed before.   After all its kind of a rainy day thing to do.
2. Learn to make cheese - check.  Sadly I have not done it since.  Really should - as it was super easy and super fun!  
3. Go on a bike ride - check (and got a new bike to boot!  I don't think you've seen her so I must take some pictures and do a post soon)
4. Try a new restaurant - check.  Lunch at Braeburn at Whidbey (will be a regular on our list for visits to the island).  Drinks at Trader Vic's in The Pearl.  Bday lunch with Heidi at Manzana Grill.  Breakfast at Zeppo's (love this place and can't wait to go back for lunch or dinner)
5. Play golf - nope.  Now I did step foot on a golf course more than once and had many trips to the driving range but never swung a club.  
6. Dip my toes in the ocean - check and double check.   I even dipped my toes in the Sound.
7. Can something - check.  Dill Pickles!
8. Re-organize my closet - check.  Although sadly it is time to do so again.  
9. Go see Packy - nope
10. Make homemade bread - check.   This has turned into pretty much a weekly occurance now. 

So 7 out of 10 - not too shabby.  I will strive to do better however in the Fall.  I'm in process of doing my Top Ten for Fall..... stay tuned!