Aloha, Beloved Merle - December 10, 2015

At this time of joy and festivity, my heart is filled with such sadness.  I just learned of the death of someone I loved deeply and held in much esteem.  I feel like I knew Merle Endo all of my life but we met only about fifteen or so years 

ago because of forensic nursing as I met so many dear friends.  Our encounters were infrequent - at conferences here and there, once for a day when my cruise ship was docked in Hilo, Hawaii and Merle spent a whole day with Sherry Arndt and myself, and, finally, a wonderful day when we were together in San Francisco for hours, playing tourist, taking dozens of photographs - not nearly enough of each other but, primarily of flowers and bugs, laughing and giggling about whether they could have "forensic value."

From our first meeting, Merle and I formed a close and loving bond.  The internet was our form of communication, especially in later years, with retirement, as we both traveled hither and yon.  

Merle touched the lives of so many people  She was an emergency room nurse at the Hilo Medical Center, then worked for the sexual assault response team of the Hilo Police Department.  She was one of the most caring and compassionate women I ever met.  She had the utmost respect of our colleagues of the International Association of Forensic Nursing.

I was in India from May until October this year, in a household with very poor internet connectability.  I managed only sporadic contact with this dynamic lady who constantly encouraged me to visit Hawaii, luring me with the promise of homemade lilikoi pie.  

When I read condolences on Facebook several days ago, I

was in complete disbelief.  I immediately went to Merle's FB page and scrolled down until I saw her last post to me, dated September 7:

Merle Endo

September 7 · 

Upping pain meds. Pain is unbearable, making me scream. Wish we had good permanent orthos on BI. To guard rt hip, now left is almost just as bad. Don't know how my friend Carmen dealt with all her bone problems and still traveled halfway around the world. Love you, Miss Carmen.

I love you, too, sweet angel of a friend.  I hate that you were suffering such terrible pain since the summer.  Your daughter tells me you were only diagnosed about three weeks ago and were to undergo chemo.  I guess the Lord chose not to have you suffer any longer.  

For me, you were the epitome of the aloha spirit.  I will never forget you and I pray that your friends and family will have courage to get through the days ahead.  I am so blessed to have known you.

Bing images

Bing images

Our World Tuesday - Amber Textiles - Tuesday ( in India ), August 12, 2014

For the most part, I really love India.  You meet all kinds of wonderful people, in the
course of your comings and goings.  Take my outing in search of "house dresses"
with my Indian "sister".  I rent a room from Rosy and her husband, Norman, the 
parents of Edsel and Danny Toscano, former Royal Caribbean crew friends.  It
is really nice for me, in Mumbai, a city of over ten million, to be with people who
are like family.

So, off we go to her favorite spot at Elco Arcade Shopping Center to get "house 
dresses" for me, during a momentary lull in the monsoon rains.  Playing "dodge 
'em cars" in our rickshaw, we arrive, amazingly, safe and sound.  On the first floor,
we pass shop after shop of caftans, saris, kurtas, and all the assorted Indian
ladies clothing, all looking basically the same.  If I stop to admire, Rosy calls me
to keep going, "It's just ahead."  

"Just ahead" is a tiny little shop that can only accommodate a few shoppers, 
especially after I have entered.  It is chock full of brightly colored cotton prints of
every hue, short and long lengths, dazzling to me.  I explain to both the young 
man and the older man in attendance what I want to see ( "everything" ), probably
in an extra large.  

The young man, who, I later learn, is Hitesh Narsinghani, gains my undying affection
when he tells me, "No, you won't take an extra large, only a large."  I remember when,
in 1997, during my first India trip, being told, during a shopping expedition to 
Bandra, "sorry, madam, your dresses will be four hundred rupees because you
are a jumbo."  He tells me to try on one of the dresses over my clothes and, lo and
behold, he's right, a large fits.

I tell Hitesh and his uncle, I believe it was, that I want both long and short house

dresses and out they bring at least two dozen folded choices in assorted colors.

Hitesh takes the first, shakes it open and holds it up so I can see it full length.  I love 

it.  He then starts for the second one.  I tell him to stop, not to bother unfolding them 

all, I can tell what I like with them folded.  Oh, no, like a showman, he insists, saying 

I have to see them opened up and it is no bother to refold them.

I ended up buying three long dresses and three short ones and I told Hitesh I would

probably come back for a couple more before I head home in November.  One 

black floral one that I loved was out of stock but he is sure they will get another 

shipment from Jaipur.  I told him they all reminded me of muu muus.  He had no

idea what I meant but I can just see myself in Hawaii wearing these and, for $35,

I could never get six muu muus at Hilo Hatties.  

When I asked Rosy how she had settled on this one store out of all at the

shopping mall, she told me because of the quality of the dresses, the durability

of the cotton and the colors and the good stitching which was not consistent

everywhere.  Also, the price was excellent, even better than what you would get

in Jaipur where the dresses are made!

I'll enjoy wearing these, I'm sure, long after I stop coming to India.  After all, I will

celebrate my 70th birthday here in October and I wonder how long I can keep 

traveling.  Oh, well, as Scarlett said, "I'll think about that tomorrow" ... a lot of 

tomorrows in the future.

Amber Textiles is located at 15, Elco Arcade Shopping Centre, Hill Road, Bandra

West, Mumbai - 400 050, India, Phone: 2640 6303, 2642 2606.

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Our World Tuesday

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Water World Wednesday, Episode 76, Year 1 - Sea and Sky - September 25, 2013

For most of my childhood and adolescence, I didn't live near an ocean - though summer vacations would often find us on the Gulf of Mexico at Panama City, Destin, and
Pensacola, Florida.  I grew up, literally, on the banks of the Chattahoochee River,
separating Georgia from Alabama in my birthplace of Columbus, Georgia.  Then,
I went away to nursing school at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, with another river
making its presence known - the mighty Mississippi.  

I have always loved the ocean, though, and, from time to time, I would visit Miami
and see the Atlantic.  My move to Boston gave me proximity to the New England
Atlantic coast.  I headed west and found my home on the Pacific, sometimes only
a couple of miles walking distance from my house.  I visited Hawaii and, then,
began cruising, seeing most of the major oceans and seas of the world.  Now,
during my six months in India, I look out my bedroom window and see the 
Arabian Sea.

Long ago, I wrote about about the sea:

The Sea

The sea has many faces,
And many different moods,
From violent raging tempests,
To lucid interludes.

It flows past frozen glaciers,
And laps on palm lined shores,
It touches the Antarctic,
And the Portuguese Azores.

In the depths beneath its surface,
Such beauty you can find,
Abundant wealth and bounty,
Sustenance for all mankind.

It shapes the land adjacent,
Taking years to leave its mark,
Sometimes gentle hills remain,
Or landscapes steep and stark.

The sound of the sea relaxes,
And it casts a magic spell,
It lulls and lures and soothes,
With each rolling, gentle swell.

With a vengeance, it can change,
And wreak destruction in its path,
As if Poseidon, angered,
Lets loose his fearful wrath!

Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved 

Copyright ©  2007 

I am participating in Kim's

WATER WORLD WEDNESDAY, Episode 76, Year 1

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Theme Thursday - Fragrance - Ah, Roses - March 21, 2013

I think this is my first time to take part in "Theme Thursday."  This week's topic is
"fragrance" & I went back to some photos from the past & found this lovely rose.
There is a beautiful home in San Francisco's Pacific Heights that is planted with
the most incredible flowers &, if I'm around when they are in bloom, I am back
there many times, with my camera.  It's a "must see" when friends visit & my
dear forensic nurse friend, Merle Endo, from Hawaii just happened to be here
once when everything was blooming.  We had a wonderful time, snapping away.

I am participating in

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Join us.

Happy 29th Birthday to Alexander the Great ( the one I delivered) - August 27, 2011

Since I've posted so many pictures already of my children, I won't go overboard

and do so today on Alex's 29th birthday.  I can't believe all those years have

gone by since I agonized in the delivery room, trying to expel that 8 pound, 9

ounce football player from my uterus.  It all happened fairly quickly, thank

heavens, since I didn't even get an epidural!  Part of that was my fault.  I had

Alex at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco where I'd worked both in psychiatry

and the operating room.  My inpatient adolescent psych unit had ceased to

exist and was, in fact, part of the building that had became the Department

of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 

I had arrived, in labor, a bit early so I went across the street to visit my pals

in the operating room.  My obstetrician gave me CLEAR instructions to

come back when my contractions were five minutes apart.  I had fully

intended to do so but I waited for one more friend to get her afternoon

break and, the next thing I knew, my contractions were four minutes apart.

By the time, I waited for the elevator, crossed the street to the Pavilion and

waited for that elevator, I realized I was REALLY uncomfortable.  The

nurse checked me and rushed me to the delivery room. 

"Wait, wait," I complained loudly, "I can't have a baby without an

epidural!  I didn't go to classes.  I want an epidural." 

Totally unsympathetic, my doc said, "Don't worry, your son will be here

before you know it." 

I tell you, I never pushed so hard in my life and I guess I pushed him around

so much for eighteen years that he left home for UC Davis after high school

and he's been gone ever since!

Alex is the middle of my three sons!  I'd forgotten about birthing babies since

Shawn was already eleven when Alex came along!  He's a terrific young man

and he chose a wonderful wife.  So far, he's the only one of my boys to get

married.  I owe him big time for bringing Laura into our family ( oh, yes, he

also gave us Taffy, my female granddog! ).



For some reason, as a toddler, Pampers boxes were Alex's favorite toys.  He had

no use for all the expensive toys piled up in his room - that is, other than his

collection of  stuffed leopards and his supreme favorite, "dirty leppie".

Alex and Laura just got back from Hawaii so I'm posting a couple of

pictures from their vacation.

He's certainly gotten skinny since his college football days!

Laura and Alex at the Pali in Honolulu - the two share

August as a birthday month!  Laura's was the 12th

while they were in Hawaii!

Today, while going through yet another stack of papers for the garbage pile, I

came across a booklet Alex did for his English class ( it won't be tossed! ) 15

years ago.  He titled it, "Creative Free-Style Poetry".  His teacher gave him an

A+.  Reading it today, I shed a few tears.  Included among his compositions

were works about me and his brother, Jeremy.  Wonder why his oldest

brother, Shawn, wasn't in there!!



It really want't my intent to have THREE sons.  Each time, I kept thinking

I'd finally have my little girl, to dress in frilly pink frocks, to set her hair in

ringlets, to take on shopping expeditions, to share my love of cooking

and cake decorating.  Thinking about it now, though, I wouldn't give up

any of my wonderful three sons.  Each of them is so special to me, each

unique and individual and I love them dearly.

Alex, on your birthday, I want you to know I truly am proud of the man

you've become, of how hard you work, of your integrity and kindness and

respect for others.  You know what you want and work toward that goal,

regardless of how others might try to dissuade you.  You have a lovely

wife and home and two great dogs who adore you.  I know it is not easy

working your crazy schedule and going to school but you keep your nose

to the grindstone and, eventually, it will all be behind you.  My only

admonition is to, occasionally, take time to stop and smell the flowers.

I love you.  Have a happy birthday.  I am so happy you, Shawn, and

Jeremy were chosen for me.

Mom

Friday Flash 55 - Playing With The Pooches - August 12, 2011

CA State Capitol

Wikipedia

I'm glad the Terminator's gone,

To me, he seemed a freak,

Though admired far and near,

For his muscular physique.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, 38th governor of California

Wikipedia

He did little for the Golden State,

And left office cloaked in shame,

For some politician movie stars,

Every woman seems fair game!

Republican husband, Democrat wife,

Seems, to me, a source of certain strife!

Carmen Henesy

I am participating in Mr Know It All's Friday Flash 55 -

check out the site and join in the fun!

I am a hundred miles north of my Daly City home, house sitting with my two

granddogs while my son, Alex, and his wife, Laura are spending eight days on

a two island vacation in Hawaii - four days on Oaha and four days on Kauai. 

It's Laura's first time in Hawaii though I've taken my boys there twice.

They are having a wonderful time and I am really enjoying the adoration of

these two doggies.  I can't believe how loving they are.  There is no question

in my mind that pets can lower one's blood pressure.  I have felt so relaxed

since I got here.  Taffy and Bucky are constantly with me, following me

from room to room and, of course, they hop onto that California king bed

at night to keep me company.  I'll really miss them when the kids get home!



Alphabe Thursday - "H" Is For Hawaii - June 9, 2010

"H" is for Hawaii,

It truly is great,

This lovely island group,

Is our 50th state!

Born of volcanos,

From deep in the sea,

Each island is special,

I'm sure you'll agree.

Incredible scenery,

Mountains of green,

Breathtaking sunsets,

Like you've never seen.

Delectable seafood,

Abounds everywhere,

Exotic fruits like papaya,

And heartier fare.

Whatever you want,

It will be within reach,

From clubbing all night,

To laying on a beach!

It's a mecca for surfers,

Some born without fear,

Waves reach forty feet,

At some times of the year!

Hula dancers sway slowly,

To the beautiful tunes,

Of ukele and slack key,

Or a singer who croons.

Full of interesting history,

One can easily see,

Its cultural diversity,

Benefits you and me.

Would that all nations,

Could live side by side,

As the people of Hawaii,

Set an example world wide.

Carmen Henesy

 

( Thanks to Bing Images for all photos )

Copyright (c) 2011 by Carmen Henesy

All rights reserved.

 

 

I am participating in Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday -

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Watery Wednesday #140 & Wordless Wednesday - Honolulu Rainbow - May 18, 2011

I am participating in Watery Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday!

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Mellow Yellow Monday, #109, Blue and Yellow Macaw, Honolulu, Hawaii, February 20, 2011

These pictures are from my archives, taken almost 23 years ago, when my oldest
son, Shawn, was seventeen ( he is now forty ).  We were on a trip to Hawaii,
vacationing in Honolulu.  On our way to snorkel at beautiful Hanauma Bay, we
passed a man on the road with a large yellow and blue macaw.  He had a sign up
offering photographs with the macaw so we stopped.  Th macaw was older than
Shawn!



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