You know, when I’m in Japan and CNN broadcasts a top news topic regarding anything to do with Hawaii, I drop everything to listen to the news. I even called my husband to come and watch the news with me, which I rarely do. This news wasn’t anything positive, it showed a video clip of someone that resembled a druggie who looked as though she was jonesing. Just a face in the drug crowd, another drug abuser. No, it couldn’t have been a one time beauty pageant winner who represented Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant. But indeed it was. Tiffini Hercules, Miss Hawaii - USA of 1998 was arrested on several counts of drug charges.

Since she was once a public figure, I wonder what the state will do to work on the ever-increasing drug problem back home. If she can be rehabilitated, maybe she can use this unfortunate incident to help bring awareness to schools throughout Hawaii. She could show her pageant photos next to her mugshot so kids can relate to the effects drugs can and will have on them if they decided that’s the path they want to take.

In either case, this is not the type of news I look forward to viewing when I think of home. Sad sad sad.

Today we celebrated our 26th Wedding anniversary. I know it’s very rare nowadays to be with someone for that long. What’s our secret? I don’t know if we have one, we just take one day at a time.

We met when we were both in High School. **insert swoon here** I’m not saying our marriage was all peaches and cream, if it were, we’d be bored to death and would’ve probably ended it years ago.

No no, there has to be some sort of excitement to keep the flames aglow and I’m happy to say, I can provide enough excitement for the two of us. Like for instance, the time I forgot to write down a withdrawal in the check register and ended up having our check declined at the grocery store and he freaked. (It was my first checking account experience, how was I to know the balance they showed on the statement wasn’t my true balance? ~smirks~)

Or the time I accidentally ironed the iron-on instructions on his new work shirt, instead of cutting them off on the dotted line? Or when I racked up the phone bill calling home to ask my mom how to cook hamburger and macaroni. Oh yes, I made sure this guy looked at me and said to himself, “WTF am I doing with her?”

But that’s not all I’ve done to keep the sparks going in our marriage. I used to be his personal alarm clock, I’d wake up in the morning and whisper into his ear, “You had better get out of here before my husband gets home” then gently nudge him toward the shower so he could get to work and make some money! I stopped after a while because it wasn’t getting the same shocking effect it did when I first said it.

And if that weren’t enough, I’d tell my kids to call me “Aunty” whenever we went out, then tell them not to tell their dad, knowing full well that they would. Ah yes, the things I do to keep the excitement going. I try to keep up the level of suspense so he’ll always think he needs to be around to see how I’ll victimize him what I’ll do next. Heh. It’s what keeps him young and alert. I love being a wife!

Oh yeah, and I guess our kids and grandkids have a part in us staying together too. They make us run to each other for comfort and security because they can be scary and all.

So what did we do for our anniversary? We went to Family Gardens, the place that serves my most favorite seafood soup. It was so good, especially since we’re all getting over our colds.

Lastnight, I read a BBC News article on the high cost of health in America. The example story hits close to home because my brother was also uninsured so he too could not afford the medication he was prescribed after his first bout with a stroke nearly 4 years ago which led to a second stroke that caused much more damage to his brain. After his first stroke, he had undergone months of rehabilitation and in the process he lost his job because he could no longer perform his duties.

Now that he’s partially paralyzed and can’t speak very well, he has gotten approval for medicare and now recieves some welfare benefits. You would think that prevention would be the cheaper alternative but of course that would be too logical for the government.

Total Loser.

For the past few days Meg has been sniffling, then Kamalani started sniffling and now I’m sniffling. I don’t catch colds too often but when I catch one, it wears me down. I woke up with a pounding headache and having a stuffy nose doesn’t help things much.

I didn’t wait to start taking the decongestants like I usually do because I’m on a mission. I’ve already paid for myMega-Bingo packet which set me back $90. Last time they held one here, I almost bought a ticket but at the last minute, I opted out of going. This time though, I felt something that nudged me to the cashier to purchase a pre-sale packet. Do you think it’s a sign? I would’ve brushed it off but there’s 60,000 dollars to be won and if I’m lucky, I can put some real money down on the purchase of our soon-to-be home.

Speaking of weather. Man, the damage that hurricane did to those southern states. I watched the news and saw piles of lumber of what was at one time a building. The hospital windows were all blown in. The reporter interviewed nurses and some of them weren’t even sure if they had a home to go to. It will take weeks for them to rebuild and they’re not yet out of any more trouble as there are two more storms heading their way. Prayers go out to those who suffered damages and those who lost loved ones.

Stay safe people.