May 18, 2014
My 83 year old Grandpa has a better memory than me. Every time we visit him, he tells us detailed stories of his childhood in Hawaii. He remembers stories of his mom's cooking, his adventures with his sisters stealing sugar cane, fishing with his dad, getting into mischief, playing sports in school....and most entertaining....all of folksy island songs he learned as a kid.
Last year for Christmas, I wanted to get my dad something that meant something. You know, instead of the same ole Home Depot giftcard, socks or sausage and cheese gift sets. I searched the internet for something meaningful and finally came across a book. My dad was born in Kauai, HI and it's the home of the famous Coco Palms Hotel. My Nana (dad's mom) worked there as a young woman and so did my great aunt. The book I found is called
The Story of the Coco Palms Hotel. The book was pretty pricey, but I decided to get it anyway. I ordered it and it arrived slightly damaged....so, they sent me another one! Instead of trying to sell the damaged one...I decided to save it for my Grandpa's birthday. When I received the book, I flipped through it in hopes, by some miracle, I'd find an old picture of my, then, thirty-something Nana. No luck...but the book was still very special.
I gifted the book to my dad for Christmas and a few days later, my mom called to tell me that she found a beautiful picture of my Nana on page 71! I quickly went to my Grandpa's copy and saw it for myself!! So exciting!! On my Grandpa's birthday, I gave him the book and he loved it! He was flipping through it and pointing out people he knew and places he'd been. I'm glad I could find something so special for the Hawaiian men in my life....who's wife and mom was inside the whole time. :)
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| Brady, Grandpa, Sally and Brysen... |
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| My nana is on the right...Tillie Lee. And that's my great Aunt, Esther Lee is on the left. :) |
