February 14, 2019February 14, 2019 by princesshotflash

Sitting in the patio

As I wait on my faux instapot, feeling guilty that I’m not exercising.

Shoe: why don’t you put me on and go for a walk?

I notice one of my dad’s handmade frames with a painting I did a did a long time ago. So long that I don’t even remember painting it. If you look around the house, you’ll see the many handmade frames he built. Many holding my paintings I did when I was young.

I don’t even remember what I painted this for.

This is the painting I don’t remember painting but I’m sure I did it because it reminds me of Grandpa Nakamura.

from foundation color class, many moons ago

Another frame my dad made on a painting from a foundation color class, learning how to work in grays from Two Callas by Imogen Cunningham 1925.

no sure if this is one of Mom’s anthuriums

A couple more frames made by my dad. I think all of the frames were made out of redwood to match the wood of the house. He was McGyver back. Only wish he could still do a little of what he did then.

I hope my reminiscing of when I use to do things without no fear. Sparks an idea to start a new project. Maybe something to replace those old pieces.

February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 by princesshotflash

Mom and Netflix

I introduced Mom to Netflix about 3 months ago. I showed her all the Korean dramas they had. Well, that “sparked joy”.

The only problem–she doesn’t know how to turn it on. Mom is very unsure of the TV. She knows how to do the cable but to turn on Netflix, there are just too many buttons to press. She thinks if she presses the wrong combination it may blow up. So, my job is to turn on Netflix on and put it on the right program. I also help her select the new program by thumbing through each show for her to read the description.

Yes, I created a monster. But at least, she watches them slow one or two episodes per day. And Korean dramas go on forever (the first one she watched had 30 episodes), so selecting isn’t so bad.

Here’s the start of a new monthly feature called Cora’s Pixs. A summary of mom’s selection and review of the show she just watched on Netflix. FYI she loves the dramatic family dramas with a lot of fighting, screaming, and crying.

Mom’s Korean drama rating scale

This is so good!!!
It’s good.
Can we change to another one?

Heaven’s Garden
This drama is about a mom takes her two daughters to live with her estranged father that lives in the countryside after her husband goes to jail for bankruptcy.

This got a “This is so good!!!” from mom. It had lots of fighting amongst the villagers and family to keep. It also has an estranged mother comes back into the picture, gossipy neighborhood family, ghost and bunch of funny kids.

Immortal Classic
Two culinary families fighting to have the best chef and keep their kimchee recipe secret.

This has a mean grandma that starts the drama off the secrets and fighting, her new daughter-in-law who carrier of all the secrets, an evil daughter who may have murdered the father, another runaway daughter that was banished by grandma, and a goofy dr/chef “Cinderella” character. All amongst a group of handsome male doctors to calm everything down.

It almost got a “this is so good!!!” but wasn’t as good as Heaven’s Garden. Too many time period changes for mom to get top honors but still “It’s good.” plus.

This is it for now. More to come from Cora’s Pixs.

January 9, 2019January 9, 2019 by princesshotflash

Crafty

I’ve always felt the word “crafty” was a slight on me. It was like I wasn’t good enough to be an artist. But in my old age, I’ve given it a second chance and not feeling so bad to be crafty. It allows me to make things for people. And I realize that what I craft, makes me happy and makes others happy, too. That’s what is great about being crafty.

Once in an interview, the person asked to describe myself and I said I love to make. I didn’t know how much that describes me.

I currently my craftiness has been focused on charitable projects with my knitting group and friends. Here are some of my projects that I’ve worked on.

First delivery of chemo hats (for men and women) and knockers (knitted prosthetics for breast cancer survivors) for the oncology unit at Tripler Hospital. I got 5 hats from Cathy in my knitting group. (she’s a fast knitter). I’m at 3 hats and a set of knockers (knitted prosthetics for breast cancer survivors) with 1 more to come. This is an on-going project. I’ll keep collected items till we move on to the next project or Tripler tells us to stop.

2 hats I just finished!

The P_ssy hats project for the Women’s March on 01/19/19 was my crazy friend, Allyn’s idea and got me involved with. She has already made 50+ hats. I’m on 4.

My p_ssy hats are made with a combination donated yarn and yarn from my new favorite store–Savers.

Hats and cowls made by my knitting group for the Seamen’s Church Photo courtsey of Karen Schmoll

The hats and cowls above are for the Christmas at Sea project from the Seamen’s Church. Knitted by the Westside Knitting Group from Aloha Knitters. I made the brown and blue hats in the middle. Yarn also from Savers.

I’m been working on gifts for friends and family. Mostly hats that I’ve got my dad to model for pictures for me.

On as side note: My dad is 90 years old and on most days, he’s going strong. And on exceptional days, he’s creating drawings and sculptures from recycled items to decorate the house. He’s also being serenading us with old Hawaiian songs he learned in school.

More craftiness to come. Making a hermit crab, octopus and pray mantis amigurumi for some science-y girls that I know.

January 4, 2019 by princesshotflash

A Little Late

beach, charitable, food
baking, C25k, charitable knitting, fitbit, Happy New Year, knitting, mochi, pies, swimming
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Happy New Year!

Goodluck mochi for the house

I’ve been a little busy with holiday stuff and just catching up with some last minute things before the end of the year. The last 2 years have been a whirlwind of stuff that I never thought would happen to me. I hope 2019 brings a little bit of calm for me. These are a few things that I’m trying to make that happen.

Baking

It hasn’t stopped, no matter how hot it is. Winter brings a little help but I’m still sweating. Pies are topped the list this year. It’s because my mom’s love of pies.

Apple pie in the oven

Apple pie done

Lemon meringue pre-meringue

Pre-bake

Lemon meringue done

ready for the oven

with walnut crumb

pre-bake crust holiday gifts

small pies lilikoi and calamansi filling

big pie calamansi filling

Apples and mixed berries

apple and mixed berry pie 2

lilikoi coconut pie with whipped cream

Knitting

The majority is charitable knitting, a few holiday gifts for people, a cute cat and my hipster dad modelling my hats

Swimming

I started swimming. I joined the Y and took a swimming class to make this happen. Every Sunday at 9. To my surprise, I do enjoy it. I think it’s being in the water that I enjoy the most. I’m not the best swimmer but I tell myself at least I’m trying. I hope for one day that I could do laps as gracefully as many of the other swimmers I watch.

love swimming in the ocean

For the coming year

Got me a Fitbit to help remind me to keep moving. Added walking and may try out the C25K app to see if I like running and give me a goal. Thinking of vacation and where I want to go. San Diego in the lineup for May if all things go well. I’d like to go to Japan but not sure when or where.

Hope this is productive and fun year for all. I sure can use one of those.

December 1, 2018December 1, 2018 by princesshotflash

A Backyard Interlude

garden, Mom and Dad
anthurium, beets, calamansi, greeneggplant, greenhouse, kale, MacGyver, oil cans, papaya, popularmechanics, rotisserie
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Just a little interlude between my baking and jamming for the holidays.

My parent’s backyard is a combination of dad’s workshop (what is left of it), mom’s flowers, fruits, and veggie garden. It’s a mish-mosh of mom crazy plant collection combined with dad’s McGyver skills of the gardening ware of plant hangers, cement tiles handmade by dad, and many kinds of pots, handmade, recycled and store-bought.