da Kine Rising Tide

Mom's funeral will be held Feb. 23 I hope Heaven is like a ringside seat next to the ocean, smelling the salty tang, hearing the susurrus of the rolling surf while lolling in a lounger, dredging sand between one's toes. (This beach scene is Four Seasons Hualalai resort on the Kohala coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i. Photo by Carolyn Lee.) The Big Island has been home to the Kim clan for four generations, beginning with an intrepid 17-year-old girl from a poor fishing village on Nam Hae island, off the southern coast of Korea. Grandma took the ocean voyage on her own, journeying to the Big Island to marry a Korean sugar-plantation worker named Mr. Park. Tomorrow, at Dodo Mortuary in Hilo, two generations will attend Mom's funeral: Her four sisters and two brothers; her four children. May God's light ever be with you, my beloved Mom. Almighty Father, please surround Mom with Your everlasting love and grant her abiding peace. In Jesus' name, Ame...

HawaiiCaro visitors, welcome! HawaiiCaro is under construction. In the meantime, I am forwarding visitors to my blog, da Kine Rising Tide. If you like what you see, please let me know. . The image shows me in costume as Alma Hix, one of the "Pick-A-Little" Ladies, who are world-class town gossips and busybodies in Iowa City, Iowa, of the 1910s. I was tickled pink to be in the cast of "The Music Man," which was presented in Summer 2016 at the Kilauea Military Camp's Kilauea Theater, at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in Volcano, Hawai'i. See ya later, or, in Hawaiian, A hui hou! Caro

I look tired, and I am, but also elated. At noon Monday, my uncle, Harry Kim, was installed for his third, nonconsecutive term as Hawai'i island Mayor! He served for two 4-year terms, then was not able to seek re-election due to term limits. Four years ago, the then-incumbent Mayor Billy Kenoi squeaked out a victory. They matched up again, in the Aug. 13, 2016, primary election, via Kenoi surrogate Wally Lau, my Uncle Harry and 11 other candidates (yeep, a field of 13), and my uncle swept to victory with 51% of the votes, winning the mayoral seat outright, without having to run in the Nov. 8 general election. Harry Kim is honest, hard-working, highly qualified, and passionate in his love for the people he serves.

For the longest time, "June Gloom" has been hanging over Newport Beach. UPDATE: It's way past June, and I live on the Big Island of Hawai'i, my home island, no longer Newport Beach in Southern California.

Unbelievable, it's been some 5 months since I blogged. That will change. I plan to post much more frequently! Until next time, here is a recent selfie. A hui hou! (Hawaiian for Laters).

(Photo by Carolyn Lee. The creature in the lower righthand corner is a gecko.) My mother was reminiscing about Fourth of July festivities in her childhood, in 1930s Hawai'i. Her family lived in a rural area of the Big Island, Ola'a, now called Kea'au. Families would drive to Hilo's Mooheau Park for a day of food, music and fun. At the park, watermelon, many kinds of ono kaukau (Hawaiian for delicious food), and dancers of various ethnic groups were on hand. Children got new shoes to wear for the holiday. Mom remembers large numbers of children sitting at curbside, resting their feet, aching from the new footwear. Happy Fourth of July!

On my flight back to Hawai'i over the Memorial Day weekend, I caught the flu. Nothing serious, I can handle it. It's just that now that I am sharing a household with my elderly parents, it's possible for them to catch whatever illness I have. As it turns out, my mother has caught a cold. Her symptoms are different from mine: A flu typically begins with a sore throat, headache, runny nose, fever chills, then aches, coughing, possibly the headaches might persist. Mom has been coughing and had a runny nose last night. From my own history with sickness, plus the clue that she can hear herself wheezing, I think Mom has bronchitis, possibly pneumonia. She is resting, drinking fluids, is amply supplied with tissue, and I will be getting some lemons, limes and honey to make soothing warm drinks for her. So far, Dad seems fine, is exhibiting his usual hearty appetite. I made boiled peanuts last night, and he loves them. They are very tender. My own flu should be passing into...