New Year's Eve in Waikiki

ALOHA!

it's

New Year Time

in

Waikiki!

click on photos - if you have the time!

The Parade of Life Continues. . .

"We are here to help each other get through this thing,

whatever it is."

Kurt Vonnegut

Some of us are watching it go by. . .

"Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it."

Confucius

And the river, too, flows on. . .

"We don't know the truth at all.

There's mysteries that bubble up within us

that we can't explain

and we can't understand.

And those are

humbling mysteries."

Jamie Hook

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Yesterday, some 50,000 pounds of red ahi tuna

passed through Honolulu's United Fish Auction.

EVERYBODY, not just ethnically Japanese residents,

wants to eat the lucky fish at New Year's time!

In Kapahulu and Aiea the THWACK! of the wooden mallet is heard as it comes down in the stone Usu to turn the rice into chewy mochi.

Watch your hand, Uncle!

May we all stick together just like this mochi,

where individual grains of rice have melded.

After his broadcast statement, the President and his family spent Tuesday afternoon at Hanauma Bay snorkeling.

Then yesterday they visited with some of Barry's school friends

on the North Shore.

While he was preparing to tee off (Monday I think) at the course where he learned the game as a boy, the young son of one of his foursome injured himself back at the beach compound (Winter White House?) so they all motored back to the home - the kid is OK. It was described as a "routine beach injury."

I'm sure that the Secret Service could do without the Hawaii custom of

New Year fireworks!

Though firecrackers have just gone (legally) on sale, we have been seeing and hearing illegal aerials for weeks now!

Every year it's the same.

Families who received Toys for Tots for their kids are now seen blowing hundreds on explosives. . . oh well. . .

Tonight, the professional shows will be echoed by the illegals all over the island. The Trade Winds have slacked off, so we can expect a smoky New Year's Eve - no fun for the fire fighters or the police - or anyone with breathing problems.

Pets too suffer and must be sequestered indoors and even sedated.

Meanwhile 70's icons The Village People will bring in the New Year

at one of the hotels down the beach.

We will be sharing champagne here on board da boat.

2009 has been a Year OF Review: the 40th anniversary of the Moon Landing, of Woodstock, the passing of Walter Cronkite, as well as numerous other 30, 40 year observances including the 50th anniversary of Hawaii Statehood.

Perhaps we will look ahead to new solutions in the

Year of the Tiger

So Happy New Year, Hauoli Makahiki Hou to Y O U, friend!

Thank you for sharing your visits and comments here at Comfort Spiral!

See you next year . . .

ALOHA, cloudia