THE (CURRENT) DAYS OF OUR LIVES - INTRODUCTION
As our associations began in the summers of the early to mid-seventies, we shared happy and at
sometimes harrowing memories as group leaders at the Kaimuki-Waialae YMCA Summer Fun Program, led by Cal Maeda and nurtured by Helen Ushijima, currently engaged in activities above us. Along the way, beginning with the passing of Linda Harano in 1977, we forged a friendship that has lasted 40 years as we learned to grieve, console and renew with each other at the passing of James Martin, Lance Kagehiro, Erlene Wong, and our mom, Helen.
However, through our formal reunions it was a time for many of you to bring your children to see who their parents’ friends were when they started their journeys as young adults. There were some informal reunions as we would listen to Gail (Mack) Nowicki and Gordon Kim play music, and many of you found new associations through your children’s soccer or school events, or while walking in the malls.
Some sought new adventures on the mainland or in other parts of the world. It was hard to share these encounters and pictures before the Internet and cell phones, but, inevitably, whenever I saw someone from the group, they would always ask me, “So have you heard from anyone from the Y?”
Now some of us are linked through social media, like Facebook, and still manage to keep in touch and share new experiences with growing families.
I have always cherished your friendships as we created memorable adventures together. I have always believed that the friends of our youth lit the fire of joy and love within us, and enabled us to share it with other loved ones we encountered along Life’s Journey. It lit our way through times of darkness, kept us warm when we needed to remember we are loved, and, more importantly illuminated those times of uncontrollable laughter and silliness, reminiscent of our youth.
Keep those fires lit, my friend. Continue to find light in your lives, and shine and share your light with loved ones and new friends as you continue your Journey.
RON and SHERRI (UCHIDA) AOYAMA
Aloha Dear Friends!
We are both retired and enjoy many relaxing days doing nothing much (as Sherri likes to say). Our "children" live in California - David (36), his wife Mariel and our grandson Kelton (3-1/2) live in San Francisco; Aaron (32) lives in Woodland Hills in San Fernando Valley. No immediate plans for them to return to Hawaii, so we take frequent trips to visit them.Many of you may remember Ron's grandma (Bernice Mie Michimoto); she lived to nearly 99 years old before passing away this year. Ron spent much of his day taking care of her over the years. We visit Sherri's Mom (90) and Dad (91) nearly daily to talk story.
We reminisce fondly of our YMCA friendships and wish all the best to you and your families.
Love, Sherri & Ron Aoyama
CAL and DONNA MAEDA
GRACE (NIHEI) KIDO
Hello Everyone and thank you Baron for all you do to keep the network alive. I am envious of the many folks in the “Happily Retired” category.I could not link to the story, but enjoyed reading the wonderful and heartwarming story.
Here’s one that will be on our holiday card if I ever get around to making it. We were all dressed up for my nephew’s wedding this past June. Alan and I are still working, but so is Nick. He’s 26 and a forensic accountant in Los Angeles.
Happy holidays and best wishes to all of you.
Much aloha always,
Grace Nihei Kido
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| One last goodbye to our empty house. Hours later we were driving across the border into AZ. |
Holiday Greetings!
Several changes in our lives
have occurred in nine months
between 2015 and 2016.
1) Patti retired;
2) we bought a house;
3) we sold a house;
4) I retired; and,
5) we moved from New Mexico
to Washington state.
May 2015: Patti retired (farewell parties and kudos from her various committees and provider-agencies).June 2015: A month later I surprised myself (and delighted Patti) with a decision to retire by the end of December 2015. We loved NM, but we knew we wanted to move, and started casting darts at the map.
October 2015: We made a short trip to Bellingham, WA, intending only to “scout” things out. By the end of the trip,
we made on an offer on a house (yikes!), which the sellers accepted (!!). I still had three months to go before retirement.
Nov 10: we put our NM home on the market and sold it two days later.
Dec 30: My last night working in the office in Santa Fe.
Dec 31: The U-Pack truck is already dropped off for us to load over the next five days.
Jan 1, 2016: Happy New Year (keep packing)!
Jan 5, 2016: The loaded UPack truck is hauled away.
Jan 7, 2106: Our final day in NM.
Jan 13: We arrived in Bellingham and waited for the closing date on the new house. Only two weeks ago I was attending meetings in Santa Fe!
Jan 22: After we got the keys from our agent, Patti is ready to enter our new home.
Address:
1764 Aquila Ct.
Bellingham, WA 98226
Our best wishes to you all. May your holidays be filled with peace.
Aloha, Randall* Ide & Patricia Ramsey
*I’ve gone by “Randy” for many years now, but signing off as Randall in homage to my callow days and best of friends.
CHICKY (LOO) YUEN and BERNARD YUEN
2016 in review as seen by Bernard (might put you to sleep)
If you ever got our answering machine in 2016, the machine asked the caller, “What would the world be like without Jesus? ...there would be no Christmas, no Easter, no....” Not much people left voice messages, although many called. Wonder what they thought?
2016 had no unusual events for us. You could says that 2016 came and went and we flowed with it.
Chicky and I vacationed in Portland, Oregon and checked off some of her bucket list items- seeing the tulips in bloom and trees blossoming. We almost missed it all as the the blossoms came a week before we arrived and most of the tulips went to market, but we saw many beautiful varieties. We stayed in AirBnBs and met some interesting people that provided wonderful housing.
We also went to Ham Radio Outlet and bought a radio (since we were there and there was no sales tax). Visited the Portland rose garden with nothing in bloom. Explored the Hatfield Marine and Science Center which had a trained octopus. Oh, went to Tillamook Cheese and Creamery factory out in cow land. Lots of cheese samples so there was no need to buy any, but the ice cream was made with real cream!
Ah, but we ended our trip in Las Vegas, another of Chicky's bucket list items. Under my mom's guidance (which we did not follow) on how play the penny slots, we hit a win of $47.00 off of one penny. If only we listened closely on how to play, who knows what the win might have been.
We were able to link up with our friend Aileen (from Oahu) who tagged along on her husband's business trip. Since we all were not there for the casinos, we grabbed her and took her wherever we wanted to go. Mind you, Aileen also likes thrift stores and bargains. We also visited Red Rock Canyon; I did not know that Aileen was a rock hound.
Wait, there were a few event that may be of notice.
Merry announced that she is expecting her 5th child; a boy. Yes, 5 boys! She is due in February 2017.
Delvin cut off a small tip of his left middle finger with a mulching lawn mower. It was a horrifying moment as information trickled in about him severing his finger to the knuckle. We prayed. Glad it was a small tip.
Let's see if I got this right- Nehemaiah will be 5 next February, Zekaraiah made 6 in October, Jeshaiah made 7 in December, and Maekaiah will be 10 in February. They all played AYSO soccer and often on different field at different or same times. Somehow, we managed to get them to their games this past season. You can get more information about the Briosos on Facebook.com; many times we are not the first to know. If you had trouble with these names, wait for #5.Unfortunately, Jonah's Doctorate paper was recalled and he was asked to spend one more year to sort of re-write another paper. Like improving on what he started, but not necessarily the same premise. We pray for his completion and financial needs. Imagine, he will have been in college for 11 years.
So, that brings me back to my opening statement, “What would the world be like without Jesus?”
Isn't it great that Jesus was born? I believe so.
His birth let's us wish you a very Merry Christmas!
May God bless you. We love you, Bernard and Chicky
BARON GUSHIKEN
I am currently the soon to be 63-year old full-time caregiver for my soon to be 94-year-old dad, Roy Goro “Shogoro” Gushiken, and am assisted by my brother, Chad who is disabled due to back and neck injuries when he served with the City & County’s Emergency Medical Services, driving an ambulance that covered the Leeward area.
When my mom, Gertrude Miyoko (Noborikawa) Gushiken got bile duct and liver cancer in 1995, I assumed most of the household duties of cooking, laundry and support for my mom and dad at home. When she passed in 1996, I continued to do the same duties for my dad, although I did work at the Hawaii State Legislature for then Representative K. Mark Takai as his Legislative Assistant for the 1996 Session.
In 1999, after the passing of my primary care physician, I asked Dr. Richard “Fumi” Arakaki, a naturalized citizen to check my charts to continue my prescriptions till I found another PCP. After looking at my charts he asked, “So, Baron, how long have you had diabetes?” “You’re kidding right? The Doc just said my blood sugar was high,” I answered, giving Fumi the classic definition of diabetes. At any rate, Fumi, a widely respected endocrinologist, who became a respected authority on diabetes helped save my life, and got me on the right course till I found a new PCP.
Over the course of the years, I dropped 50 pounds and more, worked at various jobs in state
when my brother, who was then the primary caregiver for dad had his own serious health setbacks. Luckily I was still at home when he had his back problem, and, after conferring with my sister and my boss, since our family had no “Plan B”, I left my job with the state to become dad’s full-time primary caregiver.
With the support of my siblings, I could still occasionally go out to celebrate my Kanreki, or 60th birthday, and do occasional projects like serving as the first Transition Coordinator, overseeing the development of a 2014 GUBERNATORIAL TRANSITIONS OPERATIONS GUIDEBOOK between the administrations of Governor Neil Abercrombie and Governor David Ige.
I have also continued to be the liaison for the Kaimuki-Waialae YMCA Summer Fun Leaders which includes passing on information when people in our circle have health emergencies, pass on, or, like in Cal’s case, have good things happen to them.
I am also working on a volunteer project with a local tech firm to help caregivers, that I cannot share too much about, but I will consider it a “legacy project” that could help others when caring for a loved one at home. It was during this project when one of the other members of the group asked me what is my primary focus as my dad’s caregiver, and I said, “Overall, it is assure him a full quality of life as he continues his journey. But personally, I want to be his last ‘Best Friend’” to help him get to his final destination, knowing that he was loved every step of the way.”
CAL MAEDA AND FAMILY WIN AN ACORN STAIRLIFT
Originally posted on December 21, 2016
Aloha
friends who worked at the Kaimuki-Waialae YMCA Summer Fun Program or at the Newtown Recreational Center under
Calvin Maeda. Cal is a great friend and mentor to many of us who worked with him. Seven years ago he had an accident at home that required him to use a wheelchair due to limited mobility. His children lovingly helped mom
Donna with caregiving duties to keep Cal actively engaged with the family. Son
Jesse entered a great essay on his father, "My dad is the strongest man I know", in KHON2's "Living808" morning program and won an Acorn Stair Lift for Cal and the family.
The show ran the segment this morning, then posted it on its website. The segment is touching and inspirational as it shows the challenges of caregiving and how good hearts and a good man are rewarded. This gift will open the heaven of the second floor of
Cal's home that he has not seen in seven years. A great gift from a great son for a great man. I hope this finds you and your family well during this holiday season to celebrate the gift of family. Aloha.
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