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Saturday, May 25, 2002 An outing with the folks...  Monday is Memorial Day, but my parents try to avoid crowds even more than I do, so today turned out to be the day that our family observed Memorial Day. It appears to be turning into some kind of annual tradition, where I drive my folks from cemetery to cemetery from one end of the island to the other, then take the scenic route home to buy some fresh fruits and Kahuku Super Sweet Corn from the fruit stands along the roadside on the North Shore.  My folks are retired and definitely need to get out of the house more, but don't seem to do so without having me around as their chauffer and tour guide. One good reason is because the air conditioning in Dad's car is kaput (yes, still) and that makes driving around in the Hawaii heat a very miserable experience. It also seems that Dad has become spoiled by having me drive them all over the place, since he often gets lost and I know my way around well enough to stay on track. He also enjoys not having to hear Mom yelling at him from the passenger seat about going the wrong way or tailgating the car in front of him. Besides that, my parents have a bad case of the old Japanese couple syndrome: Dad walks about 20 paces ahead of Mom -- mostly because Dad walks fast and Mom can't keep up with him. Dad is like me; we can't stay still and need to be moving quickly or else we get impatient. Mom, on the other hand, due to age and short legs, can't walk very quickly and ends up lagging behind. When I take my parents out, I usually end up slowing my pace and walking with Mom to keep her company and to make sure she's OK as she steps down a staircase or over an uneven surface so that she doesn't lose her footing. I enjoy taking my folks out, but if caught in the wrong mood, I get frustrated and grouchy with them and I need to keep that in check. As they're getting older, I'm really trying to be more conscious of how I treat them. I try my best not to be short with them but, admittedly, sometimes it slips. When I am keeping a cool head, I really enjoy their company.  One thing that we enjoy doing together is eating. When I take my folks on an outing, inevitably we end up going to Okonomiyaki Chibo Restaurant which is not only my favorite restaurant, but theirs as well. Today was no exception. The usual lunch crew was there, John, Makoto, and Wes, providing us with phenomenal service that keeps us coming back. It was a beautiful day, although slightly overcast in certain areas around the island and drizzly as we drove from the North Shore back home. But overall, it was blue skies, the stuff of scenic Hawaiian postcards that you send to your friends and family in Minnesota in the dead of winter. It was nice spending time with the folks and as we visited the gravesites of lost loved ones, it made me realize how lucky I am to have the opportunity to spend time with them right now.  I don't want to be one that regrets not being closer to my parents during their "living years."  I cherish each and every moment with them that I have.  © Click on the glimpses below to get the full view! Hover your mouse over each image to read my comments. .top.

about the author "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity." -- Romans 12:2 Search Champuru.com  powered by FreeFind ::Show your Love:: Please be a dear and  indulge yourself in a few grains from the rice bowl before you leave. Your clicks help to rank me higher on the Rice Bow Journal directory and that makes me happy. :)   A collaborative effort of spiritual significance.