LOVE YOU!

The Senpais planned a dinner party for my 78th at Mini Garden Restaurant. The food was great, but the company was AWESOME!!! This was my special thanks to them:

As a child of Japanese ancestry, displays of affection in my family were VERY rare – actually non-existent! Yet, although unspoken, I ALWAYS knew that my parents loved me very much! My Mom would bake me my favorite pies and cook me my favorite dishes. My fondest memories of my Dad were visits to my grandparents’ house each weekend in Waialua. He and my uncles and aunts would meet there to help with the yard and housework. We would spend the whole day there and leave after dinner.

When we got there, I remember vividly running to the backyard where my grandpa was cooking tempura for lunch. When he saw me come around the corner, he would beckon me to come and sit next to him. He spoke no English, and I spoke no Japanese, but we both understood each other! As the tempura came out of the wok and cooled, he offered me samples that I gobbled up instantly! That was my favorite thing about our visits!

On the way home, my Dad would let me sit next to him and shift the gears of the car for him. It would take about an hour to get home, so I usually fell asleep in the car after a while. When we got home, he would carry me upstairs to the bedroom to sleep for the night. To be honest, there were times that I was half awake and could have walked upstairs myself, but I pretended to be asleep, loving the feeling of his strong arms lift and carry me up to bed!

Pop never told me he loved me until Mom passed. Every Friday after work I would hop into my car, drive to Tamashiro Market to buy some poke and beer, then drive up to Pauoa to enjoy the pupus, beer, and time with him. It was at one of these times, while saying goodbye, that he floored me by saying, “I love you!” That was the first of many times he told me before his passing, and I have and will ALWAYS remember that wonderful feeling that those words gave me.

Well, now I have started saying “I love you” to Remy and Rylan. Telling Rem is quite easy and just rolls off my tongue, maybe because she always beats me to the punch by saying it first! With Ry it’s different. It must be a male thing, but I am determined to let the words come out as easily with him as with Rem. So, without further ado: “Ry – I love you with all my heart!!!”

Which leads me to tonight! I want to thank you all for a GREAT dinner party. I’ve ALWAYS said that my life is blessed, and all of you here tonight have been responsible for a HUGE part of my blessings. I would like to say “Thank you so very much, and ... I LOVE YOU ALL!!!”
I proceeded to hug each one there and say “I love you!” as we departed for the night.

Sat, 2/28/26

I would also like to tell my whole HSK Ohana that “I LOVE YOU!” Although it may not seem like it through all the yelling and scolding, I hold each of you close to my heart, especially those of you who have been with me for a while … AND keep coming back for MORE!!!