About Aunty

Aunty is a new senior citizen and loving this phase of her life. Less responsibilities, less fear of being weird, able to do more of the things that I want to do! Older, yes, slower, yes, but life is even more wonderful in my golden years and I look forward to even goldener ones.

Night Leg Cramp Reliever

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Aunty

book giveaway Winnah update:

Congrats Jalna!

Aunty has been sorting and clearing piles of papers and books, determined to tidy up. One of the booklets that will go into the donate pile was from Bottom Line Publications in 2000 – “Retirement Secrets – What They Don’t Want You To Know”. Aunty skimmed through and was under-impressed, BUT found an interesting solution to leg cramps.

The source was from a former US Olympic team doctor, Donald Cooper. Here it is:

Nightime leg-cramp relief: “Acupinch.” How it works: With thumb and forefinger, pinch your upper lip – yes, lip – just below the nose for 20 to 30 seconds. This works about 80% of the time.

Hmmm. Almost makes Aunty wish that she will get a leg cramp soon. These actually have been occurring once a blue moon and applying tiger balm and massaging like crazy to get blood circulation going does work after quite a lot of time and effort.

Please let Aunty know if it works or if you have other solutions.

Also, if anyone wants to have this booklet as well as this pile of other booklets/books, comment below, or email Aunty at Aunty@hawaii.rr.com. If there are more than 1 interested party, Aunty will draw a winner on next Sunday (sorta like how Jalna gives away her goodie bags). If no takers, it goes to the library and hopefully others will enjoy them.

Aunty is a wannabe de-clutteree

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Aunty

Each time an email arrives with clutter-free info, Aunty’s antennae perk up, and then wilts because most of the time it is the same tip – sort by Keep, Toss, Donate. Sounds easy and makes sense, but it is not simple enough to get Aunty moving in the neatness direction.

A recent email from Trulia.com/blog (good for home search/info, and has evolved into something like Better Homes and Gardens) was about the “Reverse Hanger Trick and 9 more de-cluttering tricks”. Aunty checked it out.

These were pretty good tricks! The reverse hanger trick involves turning the hangers of ALL your hanging clothes backwards, with the open end facing forward. During the ensuing 6 months, if you use a piece or outfit from the hanger, when it is returned to the closet rack, switch the hanger to face in the usual way (open end of hanger towards the back). The theory of this is that the clothes that you haven’t worn in 6 months will probably never be worn, so get rid of the ones that still are hanging on backwards hangers. Okay, that is rather harsh for Aunty, but since it won’t be hard to reverse hangers, it is worth a try.

A tip from Martha Stewart was actually quite brilliant. After folding a set of sheets, tuck the top and bottom sheet into its matching pillowcase so you have the entire set neat and together. Beats Aunty’s system of finding the bottom sheet from a pile of bottom sheets and then giving up on finding matching top sheets and/or pillow cases that are in their own separate piles.

A mobile office cart may be too big, but having a mobile office unit might keep Aunty’s many jumbles of pens, staples, scissors, paper clips, etc. under control. Currently, it is like there are many areas that have these supplies that constantly get lost resulting in a birth explosion of more areas of supplies that get lost. Hmmm. Maybe Aunty will tackle this one today by gathering each mini explosion of office items together in one big box and then figure out the mobile unit configuration.

Marie Kondo’s clothes folding tips were shown with short videos. Aunty did fold her undies this way and it has been amazing and inspiring to see all panties smashed and folded together in half the space it took before! Aunty first learned this folding tip from Kay of Musings, who is now my blog buddy. Socks are next!

Please refer to the article for the other 5 tips which are also pretty cool.

Aunty is also SLOWLY reading Marie Kondo’s “the life-changing magic of tidying up” which is a perfect little (it really is a little book) guide for people that never learned how to tidy up. Aunty will do a book report on it sometime soon.

Well, Aunty is now going to tackle her office supplies armed with new determination and a simple start to making life simpler. I wonder who would want the excess office supplies. Suggestions are welcome.

Miss Granny, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Aunty

Aunty must admit to being a Korean drama almost addict and has upgraded to being a Premium member (at $5 per month). The advantage of this is zero commercials and having access to some exclusive shows.

Some movies have been really good, and not all of them are Korean. The Chinese “Ocean Heaven” starring Jet Li was an excellent one about a father’s love for his autistic son. It can also be viewed on YouTube:

Some movies have Aunty’s favorite Korean actors and actresses but leave too many loose ends or have sub par storylines.

Miss Granny was a real winner about 2nd chances with a quirky lead actress, compelling relationships, and the complete 5 star package of being a really great movie.

best marigold To top off this weekend’s winners, Aunty would recommend “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”. It was rented for $1/week at our local library and starts off a bit haphazardly as the characters are introduced and ears adjust for British accents. The perfectly cast players and the bustle of India merge together splendidly, and Aunty has already put “The 2nd Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” on reserve at the library (after 100 others who have also requested it).

It has been a rather unproductive week for Aunty since not much has been accomplished. Kind of like stirring oatmeal. These movies were divergences that filled the space of taking it easy and allowing myself to waste time.

A waste of time, but one that engaged, entertained, and delighted. So much so, that Aunty actually stood up and clapped after each show ended.

Review of Yakitori Glad $3.90

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Aunty

Good friends Sharon and Rayna told us about Yakitori Glad, located left next to Pizza Hut on Kapahulu Avenue. EVERYTHING on the menu, including beer in small, medium, or large sizes is $3.90.

Ample parking was found in the small downsloping driveway lot behind on Palani Avenue with a small sign that said parking was free for Yakitori Glad if you let them know your parking stall number.

We were there early, before 6:00, and were asked if we had reservations (no), our parking stall # (3), and then seated against a counter that had no view, but it was okay since we were there to eat, and not for a view. Our server was a nice young man who brought us water and green tea.

Their large glossy 3 section menu card is quite extensive and overwhelming at first. Shio, Tare, Mene. whatever. We ordered, almost blindly.

Bacon wrapped mushroom sounded delicious – and it was! 2 mushrooms with bacon on a stick, and we got 2 juicy yummy sticks.

Aunty ordered kamameshi rice which had gobo (Aunty loves kamameshi rice) and was told that it would take 30 minutes to make. Hmmm. Gotta have it, and it actually came sooner, or it seemed like came sooner, in a neat little metal bowl on a stand with a wooden cover – so cute! We were already rather full so took most of it home (and it was just as delicious the next day after a zapping in the microwave oven).

We ordered a couple of orders of yakitori (chicken chunks on sticks) – one was Mune Glad-yaki, and another that was recommended by the server, but we were not impressed with either because the chicken was quite dry and rather tasteless, imo. It did not taste fresh and was probably pre-cooked. We were there very early, way before the crowd, so perhaps fresher sticks would have been served later, as the place got more packed and busy by the time we left.

The enoki mushrooms (we love mushrooms) came in a foil boat with ponzu sauce and was delicious though a little sparse.

We tried the tsukune okonomiyaki in shio flavor – that was tasty and more like a ground chicken patty with sauce, at the recommendation of the server when I commented that the chicken was a bit too dry for my taste. These were pretty good so next time we will order the chicken patties instead of the chicken yakitoris.

The Gyu-kushi wasabi yuzu beef sticks that we ordered sounded and looked delicious, and they were – but again, very dry. Aunty was hoping for something like gyutaku with ponzu sauce but this was not it. Maybe next time we’ll order pork instead.

: mune glad-yaki, meh…

: chicken skewer, forgot which one

: enoki mushrooms, yum!

: tsukune okonimiyaki

: gyu-kushi (beef)

half eaten already, yum!

Aunty’s favorite was the ume ochazuke – nice deep bowl of rice with 3 soft big ume swimming in green tea. Yum! It was the best simple and most satisfying ochazuke, so it really made Aunty’s meal.

Lastly, we ordered their mochi ice cream, 2 green tea and 1 cherry blossom (tasted like cherry ice cream). Meh. It was okay but nothing to write home about.

Would Aunty go back to this place again? Yes, definitely – but with a better idea of what to order.

Here’s what Aunty would order the next time. Kamameshi rice (with the plan to take home most of it), ume ochazuke, bacon wrapped mushroom, shiitake nikuzume (mushroom with chicken patty), renkon nikuzume (lotus root stuffed with ground chicken). Maybe the buta-bara (pork), or chicken skin (kawa-shio), or a salad, or … Actually, going back is a must because there are a lot of things that we didn’t try that might be super delicious.

$3.90 sounds like a great price for entrees, but it can add up. It would help to try blindly first (like we did) and then figure out slowly what you really like. It was a small busy fun place with very nice servers, and good simple food that makes for a happy stomach.

If you do go, please let Aunty know what your favorite dish is, onegai shimasu (please)!

Aunty at the auction

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Aunty

The Honolulu Star Advertiser has a promotion going on, so Aunty gets free Sunday and holiday newspaper home delivery. At first, these would pile up, unread and then get tossed in the blue recycle bin, but one day, Aunty opened up the paper and saw a page in the classified section about property foreclosure auctions.

One of the foreclosures in the newspaper was for a unit in the Ala Moana Hotel, so Aunty decided to go to hopefully bid and win a condo unit. One must show proof of funds for 10% of the bid price, and getting a cashier’s check in your own name will suffice instead of carrying around a lot of cash.

Several years ago, Aunty went to her first foreclosure auction, which was non-judicial. It was rather exciting, and yet not so exciting. It took place on the sidewalk just across the Federal Building on Punchbowl Street and there was no shouting, pushing, hand waving, or dramas. One person was in charge of all the properties that were available for bidding on for the day. Not all of the properties were sold because the upset prices were too high, and everyone disbursed at the end, friendly but not friends.

A difference scene

This time, instead of it being on the sidewalk, it was up on the raised concrete area near the courthouse entrance. This was a judicial auction. Bidding at a judicial auction is a less guaranteed purchase than at a non-judicial auction, because a follow up confirmation hearing needs to be held, where more bids, pleas, etc. can be entered by interested parties in court, even if you “won”.

On this day, only 2 properties were being auctioned – the one Aunty wanted at the Ala Moana Hotel, and a single family home in Pauoa. One man took down the info of potential bidders and checked to make sure that proof of funds (Aunty’s cashier’s check) were in order for the Ala Moana Hotel unit, and another man took down the info of potential bidders for the Pauoa house.

At 12:00 noon, the auction began without much fanfare for the Ala Moana Hotel, and $1 was bid by the AOAO Homeowners’ representative. According to the fact sheet, the current owner was in arrears for $45,633.38 to the AOAO, and had a delinquent first mortgage of $128,088.02.

To tell you the truth, Aunty was like a fish out of water, but a curious fish that always wanted ownership in the Ala Moana Hotel, so Aunty “raised” the bid to $10. Ha!

The AOAO rep looked a bit irritated and asked how low an increment could the bids be, and he said that it could be whatever. She then “raised” the bid to $1,000. Aunty countered with $20,000 (really being a fish out of water) and hoped – Maybe, maybe, maybe?

Nope, the AOAO rep responded with $21,000. Bleeegh. At this point, Aunty knew it was going to be a fat cat chasing a fishy mouse with $1,000 raises, so Aunty did not counter, no one else bid, and the going going gone went to the AOAO for $21,000.

Disappointing relief

Aunty believes that things happen for a reason or because it is just the way it is. Her attention and curiosity now turned to the auction for the Pauoa house.

It was a 3 bedroom single family home on 5,000 square feet and Aunty watched as 2 ladies battled for the property with their bidding. It was very civil, one woman would bid, and the other would bid $1,000 or $2,000 more. It seemed like this would take a long time going back and forth in the $445,000 to $450,000 range, but surprisingly it ended quite quickly after a $453,000 bid was placed and won the going going gone stamp of approval. Aunty wanted to clap.

An alright & rather exciting day

Looking back, it was a kinda neat day. Not an earthshaking day, not a life changing event – but it was a first hand opportunity to take a chance and watch some action.

Aunty now looks forward to receiving the Sunday Star Advertiser paper to check out the foreclosure auctions, not just because of the auctions, but to keep a finger on the pulse of what is out there.

The pulse of Hawaii

Hawaii does not follow national trends, especially in real estate. It seems like everything is super sizing, and getting bigger in prices, house sizes, and improvements.

Is real estate in Hawaii good for investors, or even homeowners? Hard to say, especially mixed in with the super low interest rates that have been around recently. We are limited in land because we live on islands in the middle of the sea, though the many new up and coming high rises seem determined to take their pieces of the pie straight up since they can’t go out.

Meanwhile, old homes in nifty old neighborhoods are being put up for sale to settle estates. It is like seeing rare objects come to light, for very flashy prices. New people move in with different ideas and the face of neighborhoods change with bulldozers and concrete trucks.

The flow

Change happens. Even if Aunty stays in the same place, the area around her will become transformed. That is kinda sad, but also kinda alright.

It reminds me of a quote of Gandhi that our #3 likes to say, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.”

Sometimes though, Aunty just wants things to remain the way they have always been.

What a man wants

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Aunty

Answer: Slim and nun

Us women all know what we want and most men are mystified about that, but do we know what men want, other than just about their testosterone?

Perhaps this explains the honeymoon syndrome, when the relationship is bliss and wonderful. Some couples are able to continue that state of bliss, while others fall off of it quite quickly. Once off, it is hard to get back on the bliss wagon – but not impossible.

Here’s the answer, from a podcast of James Altchuler and his guest, Brett McKay from The Art of Manliness:

James Altchuler: What do you think is the most important thing a woman should know about a man that a woman probably doesn’t know?

Brett McKay: Here’s one thing and they have research to back this up. Men are very sensitive or attuned to status. We all know that. Men are hierarchal. But men actually respond more adversely to status defeat or status slights than women do. There are parts of brain that fire up. We release more adrenaline and cortisol whenever we experience some sort of status defeat. That’s when we look bad in front of others.

So yeah, that whole thing that men want more respect and women want love, there’s some truth to that. There’s some scientific truth to back that up. So understand that status and how a man feels other people are perceiving them as, that’s important. You can laugh at it as a sensitive male ego but that’s the thing. That’s how we’re hardwired. So just keep that in consideration whenever you’re interacting with your menfolk.

What do you think? Pretty simple and Aunty thinks, pretty true. On the other side, for men to figure out what a woman wants is not so simple, not simple at all.

Perhaps China can make you wealthy

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Aunty

world reserve currencies Recently, Aunty has been reading about the Chinese yuan (or renminbi) becoming a world reserve currency when the IMF (International Monetary Fund made up of international bankers) meets in October. If this happens, then international trades, purchases, exchanges, etc. can be done with Chinese money. Currently, the US dollar is the dominant trade currency, followed by Euros, English pounds, and Japanese yen. Adding the Chinese yuan to the mix may have extreme financial consequences.

What is a world reserve currency?

It is the acceptable form of money for international trade, and somewhat regulated to ensure that it is kosher. If Timbuktu wants to buy oil from Saudi Arabia, Timbuktu needs to buy US dollars (or another world reserve currency) to complete the the purchase. In the older days, gold was the standard of trade. In today’s fast and frenzied world, the standard of value for trade is any of the world reserve currencies, and more than likely, the US dollar.

China is scary

The US and China are rivals, yet they are very much dependent upon each other. China can materialize fake growth (building empty cities), manipulate financials, and act with impunity (no fear of consequences). It is a communist country with a controlled citizenship, sort of like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. China owns a lot of US dollars as well as a lot of our US debt. The US is the largest buyer of Chinese exports.

If the yuan becomes a world reserve currency, what can happen?

Some experts say that it can be a huge opportunity to building wealth. That sounds pretty good, and then the next question would be, “HOW?” since we already know the WHEN – October 2015. [Update: it didn’t happen at the IMF October meeting in Peru this year – so experts are now predicting NEXT year October 2016.]

BAIDU and BABA

Recently, Aunty was playing with these 2 Chinese company stocks which are traded on the US stock market. BAIDU is the Chinese equivalent of Google, and BABA the equivalent of eBay. Billions of people, badabee badaboom, Aunty played some options (a future post) on both stocks and then the dang Chinese government began to de-value the yuan.

What is going on with that scary country? Aunty likes their food but not their moves. After a financial whack on the hand (not too bad), it was time to visit some experts.

Stansberry’s Sjuggerud strategies

Aunty subscribes to tons of newsletters. Some are free, some are cheap, some are not so cheap but come with money back guarantees. Stansberry Research was either free or cheap and their daily emails are very informative. Dr. Steve Sjuggerud (pronounced sugar rude) is one of their advisors, and just the other day, his offer to subscribe to his monthly newsletters came with some timely bonus reports about how to benefit from the yuan becoming a world reserve currency. For $39, Aunty subscribed for a year, and got the bonus reports with the potentially wonderfully profitable advice. Here they are, in a nutshell:

Funds A few were a little beyond Aunty’s comfort zone such as certain Chinese bond funds or opening an account with Everbank. FXI (iShares China Large-Cap Fund) sounded pretty good since it is a fund that holds China’s 50 biggest and best companies that trade in Hong Kong, but Aunty is not sure about its fees.

House Another bonus report was about taking advantage if the US dollar becomes weaker by getting into investments that act like a hedge (protection). The hedge was to buy a house. The reasoning is that interest rates are so low and that homes are at bargain prices right now. Okay, it may be true about interest rates, but houses in Hawaii are NOT at bargain prices. Still, Aunty tends to think this is a good idea, even in Hawaii, and almost dreads to think of what will happen to our real estate once rich Chinese people decide to buy in Hawaii.

Stock Related to housing and in the real estate game of buy, fix and sell is the Blackstone Group, stock symbol BX. Currently it is $38 and it pays dividends. With its current pricing, the dividends return 7%! Hmmm. This is a looker! [Update Aug 2015: Almost all stocks took a beating after the Chinese government AGAIN devalued the yuan. BX dropped to $32 and is recovering. At current pricing of $34, it now provides dividend income of 8%, which is not shabby at all. Still, only invest what you are willing to lose if you cut your losses.]

Gold and silver This was not surprising – in times of uncertainty, precious metals are safe havens. However, rather than buying ETFs (exchange traded funds that “hold” gold and silver for you) or bullion or bars, the recommended investment are collectible coins, specifically older gold Saint-Gaudens or Morgan silver dollars, in MS64 or MS65 grades. (Aunty forgets how she found him, but Rich Gordon is the man at Eastern Numismatics. If you want to start off with a coin of interest or a roll of Silver Eagles, ask him for his help and expertise at (800) 835-0008 ext. 2300. He accommodates us Hawaii people by burning the New York midnight oil and calling his Hawaii clients late in the day or early evening.)

Sharing is caring

Aunty is not sure if sharing this info is against the subscription rules. If it is, then please, somebody let Aunty know and this post comes down. Aunty has a feeling that Dr. Sjuggerud’s True Wealth newsletters will be very worthwhile reading. Hopefully you will find his advice here to be worthy of thought, if not action.

Meanwhile, Aunty still likes BAIDU, and BABA. It is just too bad that they don’t seem to care about Aunty.

Near miss = lesson learned

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Aunty

eye This is not a picture to show Aunty’s lack of eyelashes, sparse eyebrow hairs, wrinkles, bags under eyes, or melasma splotches on face.

It is to show that little brown dot just above and the bigger dot just below Aunty’s eye as a warning to all of us to be careful.

Aunty wanted to cut down a piece of a laminate plank to be a barrier in the vegetable garden. Instead of using a circular saw, Aunty used her Dremel with a thin rigid sandpaper looking cutting disc mounted on a mandrel. The laminate plank was hard and difficult to cut and as the Dremel spun furiously to the point of smoking, Aunty felt a sharp shard fly toward her eye. It was either her lightning quick reflexes or the hand of angels (I’d bet on angels) that resulted in Aunty’s squinting shut her eye just in time, or else the shard would have burned into her eye ball rather than landing on her eye bag. It was painfully sharp and embedded in the skin, and it took a little while before Aunty could pluck it out because it was burning hot.

It looks so little (actually it is about 2 days old and the scab just peeled off) but Aunty felt very lucky. Imagine if it had lodged IN her eye!?!

So, lesson learned – wear safety goggles or glasses when cutting, drilling, or hammering. And thank your angels every day and night, for the near misses we realize, and for those that we didn’t even know that we missed.

Lithuania and beyond – with only a backpack?

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Aunty

One of Aunty’s favorite daughters is off to Lithuania for an entrepreneur camp (all expenses paid except for getting there). After the 4 day camp, she plans to join groups that feed and house for labor during the day, and then backpack across Europe with a friend for a few months. A real adventure, almost like Bilbo Baggins without dragons and dwarfs.

Some tips from friends include ALWAYS saying “Bon jour” when entering a business in Paris, and bringing your own bandaids because they are terribly expensive in Europe ($10 for a small pack). Bring postcards from Hawaii to show off, since Hawaii is so foreign to foreigners and other tourists.

Make copies of your passport, credit cards, travel docs and give them to someone at home. Keep a copy in your luggage. If your documents get lost or stolen, you will be able to retrieve the information to show at the American Embassy.

Aunty’s own travel tips included what to pack, though being limited to a backpack made most of the items moot. Aunty does NOT plan to travel with only a backpack, and life in the senior lane requires comfort and leisure.

Here are Aunty’s travel packing tips copied and pasted:

Aunty is a late packer for flights – which is a very bad habit. Minutes before leaving the house for the airport finds me scrambling for last minute things to take, and I invariably forget something that I need, and thus have made a list of things to pack. Aunty’s carryon bag is always ready to go – just needing last minute additions like makeup, charging cords, address book, cereal, snack. Here’s Aunty’s packing list:

For the carryon bag

Toiletries such as toothbrush, small toothpaste, makeup, shower cap, deodorant, tweezers, nail file (small ones pass the TSA inspections).
A folding fan – just in case the terminal, airplane, room, etc. gets hot and stuffy – you will be glad you have this little portable tool. Aunty usually keeps a fan in her purse (Aunty has a big bag).
Makeup stuff, sunscreen, moisturizer, vaseline (if you get real dried up), eye drops,
Headsets (though Hawaiian Airlines and others do provide free headsets now, and you pay to watch on your own individual screen)
iPad, iPod or something to play with or read or do
Socks in case your feet get cold, jacket or scarf. Aunty brings a 45”x60” piece of rayon or polyester fabric to act as a blanket because sometimes the airline blankets feel and smell yucky. (note: Hawaiian Airlines now does not provide pillows and blankets so if you do get chilled on flights, bring something to keep warm.)
A set of plastic cutlery like knife and fork that comes packaged in bentos (in case you need eating utensils in the hotel), disposable chopsticks.
Instant coffee packs so you can have a fast cup of coffee with just a cup of hot water. Aunty packs either Nescafe that already comes with cream (from San Francisco), or some Vietnamese coffee packs (from Chinatown).
Small ziplock bag of cereal. A cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal is Aunty’s breakfast, every day, for the last 30 years. It makes for a very easy start of the day.
Jewelry and accessories that coordinate with outfits. Just bring what you will wear.
Rubber slippers – can be used to walk around in your hotel room or when going to the spa.
One set of undies – just in case your luggage gets lost, at least you have one clean one.
Folded up extra plastic bags. Aunty also has her “Tokyo” bag – a folded vinyl bag that can open up and act as an extra suitcase in case you bought so much stuff that you need another suitcase
Essentials: charging cords for phones, computers, iPads, cameras (Aunty sticks them in a zippered funky cosmetic case and when I keep it in my carryon bag even if empty so when I see it when packing, I remember to put all those essential cords in it before leaving.)
Address book, my little notebook of all my user names and passwords if I plan to use the computer, your laptop or iPad if you are like Aunty and have to log in and do computering.
1 empty water bottle with cover. After you pass TSA, you can then fill up your water bottle so you have water when you want on the plane. Sometimes the water bottle might “sweat”, so a bottle wrap might be a good idea to keep the bottle insulated.
Blow up things like pillows for the back, neck, etc. Whatever will make you comfy. Because they are blowup, they don’t take up a lot of space in your bag.
Snack for the plane – I love to take Manabu musubis – those perfectly salted rice balls are fantastic ambassadors of good will – I always bring extra to share with seat mates and/or the nice flight attendants on Hawaiian Air.
Maps of the place that you are going to. Having a compass also helps since the Mainland use directions such as north, south, east, west – unlike our Hawaiian directional navigations of mauka (mountain), makai (ocean), Ewa, Diamond Head.

In your purse (bring a big one)

Men might think that we women have bags that are too big, but we can be lifesavers with our big bags when the little needs come up. I usually empty out my regular handbag and pull out the stuff I usually use like my wallet (only take 1 or 2 credit cards that you will use), lipstick, cell phone, pens, business cards, pills, camera, bandaids, mad money (because when traveling we should be a bit mad and spend a bit foolishly, imo).
Your “drugs” such as medications, vitamins, etc. Aunty brings a plastic pill box with 7 days worth of compartments, each with my daily dose of Strontium, Super Food, and Intestinal Correctional Formula 1 (I know, I know, too much information…)
Reading glasses. If you have bifocal glasses, bring a pair of reading glasses to make movie viewing easier on the personal screens because of the angle of the screen otherwise you will have to lift your chin and watch – which is a drag, or you can wear your bifocals upside down and look weird.
Aspirin/Advil, whatever you think you will need just in case.
Li Hing Mui or ginger for air sickness and also because it tastes good. Chewing gum and hard candy are good too.
Sunglasses, watch, voice recorder (in case you have a great idea or a memo to remember), notebook, pen.

For your Checked in baggage

1 set of clothes per day or event, pack fewer bottoms than tops and try to coordinate so they mix and match. If Aunty packs too lightly – then Aunty has a good excuse to go shopping for clothes at our destination (poor Aunty, lol!)
Undies – tops and bottoms.
1 bathing suit if you plan to go to the spa and enjoy the jacuzzi/steam room/etc.
A hat for protection from the sun. Uncle likes to wear a baseball cap on the airplane – keeps his eyes shaded and protected from the air flow from the vents.
Sleeping and/or comfortable clothes while in hotel room (Aunty must admit this is what I always forget.) I call these my bodobodo clothes that I normally wear around the house.
Shoes and extra socks – make sure you bring comfortable practical shoes or sandals
A bottle of unopened water, wrapped in a towel and sealed in a plastic bag. This is for the first day at the hotel before you get to a store to buy water – otherwise you will probably pay for the hotel room bottle of water which is rather pricey.
Your gifts from Hawaii to the people you will visit. Aunty always packs little treats from Hawaii to give to the hotel desk clerk, taxi driver, maid. It makes them happy and that is always good karma. Mele Macs by Island Princess are round balls of exquisite delight and always welcome. Remember to take these out and put in your bag after retrieving your luggage from the carousel so it is ready to give from the start.
Garlic pepper dried ahi poke from Yama’s, pulehu tako, pipikaula, poi, pancake taro mix. Never go empty handed when visiting – that is one local rule. Aunty uses ice packs to keep the perishables cold (frozen poi also acts as an ice pack) and wraps the entire bag in newspapers, or paper bags, then in plastic (or cooler bag) and puts it in a corner in the suitcase. The baggage area of the plane gets super cold during the flight, like being in a refrigerator, and so your food arrives safe and still chilled.
Aunty just learned another great tip for keeping things such as flower leis cool if carrying them on the plane – instead of using cold packs (which might be disallowed) – use bags of frozen vegetables! Mahalo to Sly of Le Flowers on King Street for that great and useful tip!

Here is what Aunty does to make sure her stuff doesn’t get smashed or banged up in the suitcase. Put one of those cardboard crates that Costco has for packing our purchases at the checkout into your suitcase. Get a box that fits the depth of the suitcase as high as possible and still be able to zip the case closed. This will really strengthen the walls of the suitcase. Aunty has brought back cookies from Trader Joes intact and unsmashed because they go right next to the box walls and the middle is packed with the less fragile stuff such as clothing, shoes, etc.

Summer sun great for laundry tip

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Aunty

linens Since it has been so terribly hot and sunny recently, Aunty has been laying out linens, hankies, furoshikis (squares that are used to tie up parcels and gifts), unlined tote bags, and whatever other natural fiber item that are stained or discolored on the front lawn and having the intense sun bleach the stains away. It works like magic.

Mrs. Orpha Herrick was a favorite college professor. Not only did she teach a great course, she also was a class act in every way. I learned her trick and have used it often with great success.

To remove the yellow spots and discolorations from linens and cottons (natural fibers), spread the item on the grass in the sun, and water the fabric evenly. As the sun starts to dry the items, wet again.

spots on linen, sometimes called “rust spots” brown spots on nice linen doily

Do this several times during the day until the stains disappear, and your linens and cottons look whiter than they ever did!

Ta daaaahh! Sun bleached beautiful clean linens!

If it is windy, use clean rocks or weights to hold down corners. Remove from the grass before the sun goes down and lay out again the next morning if the stains need more time to disappear. Handle only when dry. Keep your dogs off unless you want dog paw prints as a pattern – Aunty learned this the hard way. Paw print are not removable with this method.

Crocheted doilies and cloths are great candidates for this method since they do not wash well. However, the dyes that are used in the natural looking crochet threads do tend to also bleach out, so a brownish ecru piece will lose its brown-ness and become almost white.

by Aunty

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