Author Archives: Lily Loughlin

I’ve wished to walk on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge that spans the Bay to connect Marin County to San Francisco, but it was unlikely to happen. For about ten months of the year, the bridge is socked in with … Continue reading →

Waiahole School, the rural Oahu elementary school I attended for nine years, celebrated its 130th anniversary this September. When begun in 1883, Hawaii was a royal kingdom ruled by King Kalakaua, and it was during his rule Waiahole School was … Continue reading →

Whenever the local brewery cooks their hops, the redolent odor permeates the neighborhood and reminds me of the smell of cooking taro. Taro is the tuber that is harvested from taro patches in Hawaii and Polynesia, and pureed into poi. … Continue reading →

Our church holds a rummage sale each fall. A rummage sale is like a giant yard sale, and with donations from members and friends, there is a huge collection of eclectic items not found in private yard or garage sales. … Continue reading →

You’ve heard the adage, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Well, at seventy-six I believed I belonged to that category.But I wanted to learn to swim, and this summer tried to dispel that old saying. For many years … Continue reading →

News stories and store ads of back-to-school shopping remind me of the excitement I felt preparing for a new school year each September. My siblings and I had helped all summer on our small truck farm and so going back … Continue reading →

Last week five us had a mini-reunion in Monterey. It included two husbands and three of us “girls” who’ve been friends with one another since we were first graders in Hawaii seventy or so years ago. Our backgrounds were similar: … Continue reading →

A road trip is fun and a sketchy itinerary allowing for unplanned side trips makes it even more enjoyable , compared with that of commercial tours that don’t deviate from their set goal. But beware of weekend events to spend … Continue reading →

Everyone I know likes freebies, something gotten free merely for patronizing a business.  Unlike BOGOs where you must buy one of an item to get another free, or coupons with price limitations, freebies are like the piece of candy given … Continue reading →

  Now resigned I am no longer a “young spring chicken” even though my mind tells me I am, I am encountering problems others euphemistically dubbed “Seniors” undoubtedly experience as well.   I thus offer some practical solutions to coping  with … Continue reading →