Eh HEM. An ANNOUNCEMENT.

This cat needs out of the bag.

And although traditionally these things are announced in verse (worst, terse?)
My brains have all been siphoned away (caloo, calay.)
by my polyglot toddler (waddler, swaddler.)
So I'll have to just spit it out (shout, pout):

Now we're three (me, he, and she)
But soon we'll be four! (more poor galore encore!)
There'll be a new kid (I know what you did...)
In the beginning of March! (uhhh... tarch, larch, parch, uuugh, who invented this tradition anyway. dang poems, rigga smigga.)

Backyard Shenaningans

It's funny to remember when we first moved to Kauai, way back in October, and found all of the playsets on the island, RJ wouldn't slide. She'd just grab onto the bar and suspend her fat little legs over the abyss, and hang there. Now she's a slider girl-- the same 26 lbs as she was back then, but all lean and ribs and speed.

She's into "tattoos." Ever since she caught me doodling potential tattoos on Matt's arm with a Sharpie, how can I honestly say "no"?
The artiste at work:
The final result? Whiskers!

Side view of the whiskers. Also note the dreadlocked hair.
The kittens are growing and have worked out most of their disgusting kinks-- now they are just cute purring little waterbottles. They are somehow infinitely patient-- this morning I caught RJ strangling this one till her eyes bulged and she made little choking noises. We had to have a discussion about "Dead means you cannot kiss it better! Dead means, the squished frogs in the road!" Not sure if that got through, really... kind of hard for adults to wrap our brains around.

She loves them. They put up with it-- even sometimes purring masochistically while she "hides" them under a pillow or...
Sits on them in their cat carrier box. Yes, there are two biggish kittens in there.
Rosie can do the splits.
AAAAAGH, here's our newest pet!

Look at the way he bends that White Oleander leaf waaaaaay back. He must weight half a pound!
I don't think this attempt at scaling him really does him justice. I think my thumb is foreshortened a bit: he was at least as thick as my fat thumb, and twice as long. Look at all those little sticky legs! And look how decimated my plant is! We went out the next morning to try and find him again (affectionatelly calling him "Our Monster") but he had vanished. But we have had some HUGE moths around-- the size of bats, adhering to our kitchen window. So maybe we'll see him again in his next incarnation.

Waimea O-Bon: Best yet!

The Waimea Higashi Hongwanji hosted their Obon a couple of weeks ago-- it was my favorite by far. The grounds are neatly kept, with lovely flowers and fountains and rock gardens. The hall is the only one I've seen that seems really lovingly used-- there are beautiful paintings on the wall, and bold modern Japanese art and calligraphy. It was a very peaceful and moving setting.

Rosie found all the statues of Buddha and carefully washed them down. The priest saw her and laughed at her irreverance-- or maybe at her reverence. There's something very right and Shinto about washing down the statues-- all those purification rites. Maybe Rosie Jo has an inner Shintoist the way I have an inner Catholic.


Here's the lovely set up, with the big rameumptom in the middle, and with the paper lanterns spoking out. But wait, what's that little blond blur, trespassing prematurely in the sacred dancing space, about to crash into those misbalanced Taiko drums???
Being retrieved.Unrepentant.

Introducing: Nikujaga and Takopus

Last Tuesday, after Rosie's First Real Haircut, we stopped at the Humane Society.

I must be a sucker for promos-- come on! It was a two for one cat deal! Two fixed, innoculated, chipped, dipped kittens for 50 bucks. And look at that girl's face. She sat next to that box and finally noticed that there were LITTLE NOSES poking out of the pukas.

So here they are! This little girl started out as Peko (Pekopeko is "hungry" is Japanese), but when she wouldn't eat for two days, she was re-christened Nikujaga-- Meat'n'Potatoes. She's standoffish and bony but Rosie absolutely LOVES her, calls her, "My kitty, by Baby, my POTATO!" (which is what I always call RJ.)


This one is Tako (Octopus). She is INCREDIBLY patient. She was probably purring while getting pulled like Tako Toffee.

I don't know how we got so lucky-- these are such sweet cats. They put up with al of Rosie's loves and kisses and kicks and chases and love-squishes.
Pretty little girls!
*HAAAAAATCHOOOOO!*

Fun and Friends.. and a little bit of family, even!

Rosie LOVES visiting daddy's office. At home she sets up her own office, which basically means a big pile of pens and pencils. And a spinny chair. What else would anybody want from an office?We had a surreal experience a couple of weeks ago-- we went to the beach and had a picnic with friends in one of the pavilions-- after a whole leisurely meal, I was tidying up when I happened to meet eyes with the guy at the next table.... And it was my cousin Chris, and his family! Bizarre! So they came over for a second a couple days later, and admired our chickens and our posh set up. Small, small, small world.

Every friday night in hanapepe they have Art Night-- street vendors set out their wares (in the rain-- it always rains) and all the galleries open their doors. The only store I've ever actually BOUGHT anything at is this funky (slightly overpriced) used bookstore. They have fat lounging cats and eclectic collections which they guard possessively. On friday night they have a little music area set up in front-- this guy stood out there all night, singing heavily distorted Johnny Cash covers. Notice his very stylish saddle shoes.
I forget the context to this picture--I'll guess though: Rosie, napless. Becca going a bit batty. Lapperts ice cream for dinner. So here's my question, if you walk a mile to an ice cream shop, is it exercise?
Aaaand, there was a parade! In our town! There was a train! On a truck! It said Choo choo!
We had to walk three miles up hill over simmering pavement, wade through a stream of effluent, slip down a muddy ravine, climb through a wall of brambles, and crouch in the dirt to watch the parade, but by gum, we did it.
Rosie is at the very sweet age where she is beginning to be very attached to her friends. Luckily she has excellent taste, and her friends all belong to wonderful parents, who I enjoy whiling away the hours with. With whom I enjoy whiling away the hours... Well, we have got to genuinely enjoy whiling away the hours... (hehe, I've always wanted to split an infinitive...) But, how would a dangle a participle??
Rosie and A. love goading each other on and running wild like hyenas at the mall. They found this nice little nook to hide and "be lost" in.
The Jamba Juice Ladies see us coming and baton down the hatches.
GENKI SUSHI!!! This is Rosie's absolutely favorite place. (Notice the secret portrait of the moms in the window!)
The best part of Genki Sushi is the Big Yellow Extra Poppy Balloon that you can beg from the aunties.
Very Happy Face.