In April, our family is gathering in Pennsylvania for a family wedding. Nephew Peter and his fiancée Heather will tie the knot in Southampton on the 11th.
L to r: Paul, Peter B., Richard, Penny, and Pete
Our kuleana (responsibility and privilege) is to beautify the rehearsal dinner with touches from the Islands. We’re asked to wear muʻumuʻu and aloha shirt!
While we’re in the neighborhood, we’ll drive a little ways south to visit Pete’s fraternity brother Dave and his wife Chris. They have Norwich terriers, so we’ll be able to get our doggie fix!
Norwich terriers and me
It’s DuPont country; a visit to Longwood Gardens is also on the itinerary. It’s always so beautiful there.
This past Friday the electricity was out for a very long time. I didn’t dare open the refrigerator, except quickly for the butter, and I was tired of playing Solitaire. Pete had left for his long shift at Bishop Museum, covering for two other docents, so he was gone for most of the day. When the power is out, it gets really quiet. So I decided to play my piano. The doors were open to the front porch and the side deck. Eventually, Pete came home and pointed out that I had an audience. Outside along the base of the panax hedge, the same hedge that the chicken perched on top of the other day, were three neighborhood cats 🐈⬛ 🐱 🐈! Francesca, Coco, and Coco’s housemate (sorry, I don’t know its name). We don’t have a dog here at the present time, so I guess the cats were not afraid. My mother, a piano teacher, used to advise, “If you can play the piano, you’ll never be lonely.” That is so true.
I went to church this Sunday for the first time in a long time, and it was uplifting. I went searching for a choir to join since leaving the hundred-plus-member Windward Choral Society. Although so very honored to sing under the baton of Susan McCreary Duprey up to now, the evening rehearsal time and location is now difficult for me.
I remembered that my former vocal coach Louise South directed a choir at First Church Christ Uniting in Kailua, Oahu. When I asked about it, she said she moved back to the Kahaluʻu United Methodist, her home church, where she plays the piano and organ.
“We have a nifty quartet right now,” Louise said. “The alto comes sporadically.” (Well, I’m an alto!) “We’d love to have you,” she said.
Weekly rehearsal is 45 minutes long. When does the service start? 9:30. When is the call time? 9:30!
“There’s no choir loft; we sing amongst the rest of the congregation,” she said.
And so I went.
I enjoyed Pastor Lavinia “Nia” Taukolo’s sermon. In all there were about 20 church goers. I stayed for refreshments afterwards and mingled.
They had questions for me, the newcomer, so I answered that the church of my youth in Honolulu was Congregational (United Church of Christ), that my mother played organ and piano for the Methodist church in Wahiawā, and that my husband was brought up Methodist.
As a result of this Sunday’s experience, I know I will attend there again.
Blessings,
Rebekah
Kahaluu United Methodist Church Sunday service with Pastor Lavinia “Nia” TaukoloAcross the street is Kahaluu Elementary SchoolCynthia’s dog CoconutSomeone distributed papayas, too!
Aloha mai kākou e Studio fans! In our islands it is Hoʻoilo, the wet season, and thankfully as I write this the rain is forecasted to stop in five minutes.
After sitting my gallery shift at the big Windward Artists Guild /Artists of Hawaii exhibit at the Honolulu Downtown Art Center today (still holiday shopping, anyone?), I’m heading back over the mountains for a neighborhood happy hour. Woohoo! By the way, today is DH’s birthday!
On Sunday we’re planning to join my bff Becky and Susan in Waikīkī for brunch, then help Santa Claus with some deliveries.
On Monday we’ll see Ken and Georgia for a meal at the Crouching Lion Inn. Daughter Ari’s for Christmas Eve—I can’t wait to play with their dachshund Massimo—and then to Helen-and-Marty’s on Christmas Day — and then a get-together with the Jin Dui Sisters on Boxing Day—I’m in the holiday mood, so very blessed and thankful!
So Merry Christmas, everyone, or, as we say in Hawaiian, Mele Kalikimaka!
Two souls close to my heart passed over this season. Itʻs what happens when one gets old. But, really, itʻs a celebration of life!
Ivalee Mae Haus Sinclair, who I call my hānai mom and who the younger generation has so very nicely translated to “honorary mother,” lived until age 97 years. She passed on September 30, 2025, in Honolulu.
Rebekah and Ivalee
We put JJ the dog down on Nov. 16. So sad, but it was time. He didn’t eat for three days. He was a very good boy.
Thinking he’d better use his Hawaiian Airlines frequent flyer miles, DH booked a weekend in Kailua-Kona to celebrate our wedding anniversary—41 years of marriage. DH (darling husband), refers to himself as my easel, and this weekend was a test.
Besides having “kupuna status,” I have been living with sciatica.
Five years ago, I had back surgery.
Two days ago, a new shooting pain went down my right leg. It hurt to walk, and my physical balance was off. My PCP’s nurse advised me to go to the emergency room at Castle Medical Center where I could be evaluated.
Long story short, the physician at Castle MC sent me home with pills to take three times a day.
Feeling a little bit better, I told DH I could go to Kona.
Part 2
From the airport in Kona, a taxi drove us to the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort. Here is my “Kona Weekend” photo album.
Balcony view Beach goers“Kamehameha the Great, 1815” by Herb Kawainui KaneMokuaikaua Church across the street from Huliheʻe Palace in KonaLauhala Mokuaikaua Church across the street from Huliheʻe Palace in KonaHuliheʻe Palace interiorHuliheʻe Palace interiorPrincess Ruth’s bedDetail of Queen Kapiʻolani’s sandalwood armoire Queen Kapiʻolani’s mirrored sandalwood armoireLooking toward Ahuʻena Heiau across Kailua Bay from Huliheʻe Palace Top view of a feathered kāhili at Huliheʻe PalaceSee descriptions in the next photo below
DH took an hour-long talk and walking tour of the King Kamehameha Hotel grounds with the cultural guide Kaʻuhane.
Soon it was time to catch our flight to home-sweet-home on Oʻahu. I thanked my easel for allowing me to lean on him for support, making the weekend getaway so very pleasant.
This Rebekah’s Studio is the blog created by the Rebekah who lives in the small village of Kaaawa on the island of Oahu. A journalist, artist, and healer by training, I invite you on any part of my journey shared here. I use a full palette, so come along, let’s see what unfolds together!
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Key to Characters
DH = Darling Husband
Miss Marvelous = #1 granddaughter
Popo = Chinese grandmother, me
Alice Brown = adorable puppy dog (2003-2014)
Ula = big brown bossy cat (R.I.P.)
JJ = current family dog (R.I.P.)
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