JUST ANOTHER WEEK AT 15 CRAIGSIDE

This was a good week at 15 Craigside. Not terrific, but above average. As most readers know, I am in a Honolulu retirement community. I lived next door in the Craigside condo for 32 years and saw my present building coming up, and merely out of curiosity almost 9 years ago dropped by for a visit, was convinced to move in, and now have been here for more than 8 years.

A few months after becoming a resident, I posted on COULD 15 CRAIGSIDE BE PURGATORY? We are surrounded by graveyards and churches, as that article showed. Then a few years later, in June of 2017, I posted on FOUR SEASONS HUALALAI VERSUS 15 CRAIGSIDE. This hotel is among my favorites, and you can read for yourself about this comparison. Earlier that year (in May) I had a related posting titled, OKAY, IS THIS HEAVEN OR WHAT?

This blog site has been vacillating about whether 15 Craigside is Purgatory or not. Well, after my 44-day Global Adventure and anticipating a week on the Big Island next month to interact with another group of friends--ocean resources, this time--with golf at the Four Seasons Hualalai, where I'll be staying, the events of the past couple of days seemed to indicate that I actually could well already be in Heaven.

Pardon me for all this religious stuff, but, after all, this is Sunday. So on to this week at 15 Craigside. Why do I like it here? The security, meals, people (residents and staff), control of temperature, no cockroaches (I caught a thousand of them in Hoy Hoy Trap-a-Roach traps in my previous apartment) and all-around comfort. You want activities? Just this coming week:

Four worship services. This place is run by a church.
31 exercise classes. They stress strength and balance, but also tai chi, yoga and so on.
A half a dozen wellness sessions dealing with diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.
Various free snack give-aways.
University of Hawaii football in the theater.

I enjoyed two tailgates in my apartment. On Friday, maybe the best lunch I've ever had here, lobster and dungeness crab from Tamashiro's.

A feast of lobster, crab and clams linguini, with beer and red wine.

Then for the UH football game, pork tonkatsu with hamachi sashimi, plus hot sake, cold soju and cold beer.

We have a monthly Aloha celebration, usually focusing on a holiday or event, to introduce new residents and usually with some entertainment. Tomorrow is Halloween, and we had an advanced activity:

I didn't show you my Giant Pumpkin costume. Maybe I'll wear it again next year.

I might finally add that we have rainbows...a lot of rainbows.

DAY 1 on the DIAMOND PRINCESS

But first, Sheraton Yokohama Bay highlights of our Sheraton Club eats/drinks and breakfasts. Breakfast stations. Then taxi off to the Diamond Princess. Fall colors. Approaching from the rear of the Diamond Princess. Departure of Diamond Princess from Yokohama, Departure snack of lamb, beef, penne pasta, Johnny Walker Gold and champagne. Leaving Yokohama. We then went to Kai Sushi for dinner, Sushi and sake dinner, Then, off to Fun Dance Class. That followed by karaoke. The night continued into some old time disco. Finally, after midnight, back to our stateroom. Walked 4127 steps today. -

ON THE MATTER OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Hawaii today celebrates King Kamehameha the First Day as a public holiday. Next Monday, June 19, or Juneteenth, is a Federal holiday. However, 22 states, including Hawaii, do not recognize this as a public holiday. Four of these will begin to honor this day next year, not Hawaii. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery. Here are the Hawaii holidays, and note three that only we have: New Year’s Day: 1st day in January Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: 3rd Monday in January Presidents’ Day: 3rd Monday in February Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day: 26th day in March Good Friday: Friday before Easter Easter: Calculating Easter Memorial Day: Last Monday in May King Kamehameha I Day: 11th day in June Independence Day: 4th day in July Statehood Day: 3rd Friday in August Labor Day: 1st Monday in September Veterans’ Day: 11th day in November Thanksgiving Day: 4th Thursday in November Christmas: 25th day in December There are 11 paid Fede...

HOW TO WATCH NETFLIX SHOWS

But first, maybe President Donald Trump's 20-point Gaza Peace Plan is showing some progress . No one expects the Hamas to accept all of them, but they did agree to release all captives and the act of handing over administration to Palestinian technocrats. So far, in the Gaza Strip, 66,288 have been killed and 169,165 wounded. On 7October2023, almost two years ago, 1139 were killed in the initial Hamas-led attack. About my topic of the day, I've long been lamenting the overflow of watchable films and series available on Netflix and Prime. Why expand into the plethora of other streaming options when I can't keep up with what I have, which costs me around $30/month. And, of course, why venture out to a movie theater to end up watching a film that will cost me around that amount of money, when you add the popcorn, drink, gasoline cost, time it takes to get there and back, and the risk of a car accident or worse. Oh, also getting infected with ...

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