The Argonaut Project (A.K.A. The Tiny Boat): The Funeral. The Wedding.

The Funeral

The day of my Mother's funeral came. Kind of couldn't get around it. I woke up and that was the thought in my head.

Rites of passage are like that to me. There's a sense of inevitability. Here it goes. Deep sigh. I brought Jan and Julia and Nathaniel back for the funeral, we stayed at Mele's. We could only get tickets that kept us in Hawaii for a week (I know, unintended, fun side benefit)

Tried to concentrate on the task at hand. Dress the kids, get the this's and thats, carpool. George Kahumoku Came to play music, and was with us. He arrived the evening before bearing Poke' and sashimi, and within about five minutes had a (then, third) meal out for me, and the guitar ready to go. World Class, Grammy Award Winner practices his Slack Key Guitar while I pig out on Raw fish at 11:30 the night before my Mother's funeral. Jet-lagged, Sated.

Oddly, perfect.

Kids were ready to go, and off we went to the last church service my Mother would ever have. Her service was at the church where she and Pop were married, and where she, for a long time, went to church every morning.

The Hearse was waiting for us. We put our gloves on and carried her into the church, for her viewing. The lid came off. It was very powerful. So much happened in the next couple of hours it was tough to process it all. I held Nathaniel and explained alot to him. He took it all in pretty well.

Emma was fabulous. Cold to the touch, which was slightly alarming, but I gave her a kiss and whispered to her, just like I did when she was alive. She looked better than she had in a long time, like we were about to go out for some Dim-Sum or something.

People poured in. I never took a photo of the service, but it was full, literally and physically. I spoke, I can't remember what I said, Moana sang, and generally we tried to keep it together. It wasn't tough, but we were so seeped in the moment, so inside of what was going on, so engrossed.

The Service ended, and we have a nice lunch at the Country Club. I laugh because when things were not so good for Emma and Harry, I had to cancel the Country Club membership, all over $90.00 a month. I couldn't afford it, they CERTAINLY couldn't afford it then, but it sure looked like a good move then, when $90.00 a month was the difference between the rent or not.....all over, and water under the bridge now.

Boy was that club beautiful.

Later we went to the Valley of the Temples for the final ceremony. I was exhausted.

Manu, her final chant.

We carried Emma up to her grave next to her sister Aima. Some words, some signing. Nathaniel hung out with my Brother in Law Michael. So comfortable with his Uncle and Aunts.

And then it was over.

I remember her as I last saw her, missal in hand, leis, a few white roses, perfect hair and looking so relaxed. The lid of the Coffin was so finite when we nailed it in place. I saw the slight clearance and I imagined, and Imagine now, how she looked as the last person to see her would imagine her in the casket. Quiet, tight. Simple. For a long, long time.

We spent the next bunch of days in Hawaii. Ate some food..........

Went to the beach.......

Dinner with everyone..........

Had Easter.......

The Wedding

We came home for one day, then went to Jay's wedding (my nephew) We went to Scottsdale, and pretty much dove right in.......Jay and Caroline's wedding was off the hook!

We went to Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's Winter camp. A pilgrimage to be sure. Pretty amazing place......