back to the hall

How could I go through Lani Hall and not mention The Salvation Army? The Nunes', the Miller's and the Stilwells.
Actually, I can remember events that took place throughout my entire life in Hawai'i happening because of Mom's insistence that we attend church..... For that, I am extremely grateful.......

LANI HALL

Lani Hall.....That was one place that I saw Dad at his best. If we could blank out all of the "induced" episodes, you would see a man who really knew his stuff and was willing to work hard to make the place look at it's best. There were even a few surprises like his going out in the yard to work followed by his "foreman", a cat we had called "Bochan". He loved that cat, believe it or not and would talk to it as he sat on the stool and carefully pulled weeds and such out from the lawn. With the help of Eric, they cleaned up that property and transformed it from a haunted house into a beautiful place. I'm not sure, but I heard that the rock walkway and Japanese garden is still there(?). We (Dad,Eric,Kavin,and I) all spent a lot of time making that corner look nice.
I hope that it is still there and maybe if we can get a picture of it, it would make a great addition to this part of the story.
Mom really loved it there also. The girls in the Dorm all loved her as their own mother, but then again, who didn't?
During those years I kept myself busy with a small newspaper route which covered the neighborhood including the UofH. I also joined the Boy Scouts,Sing Out Hilo(just so I could tag along with and bug Kavin(thanks brah, I love you for letting me and helping me)) and the YMCA, along with walking down to the bowling alley every saturday morning for Junior Bowling. Oops, I forgot I had a bike so I guess it was not a long walk uphill both ways. I also went down to Aunty Fumie's and Bego's houe and mowed the lawn and stuff. I almost forgot the rock'n'roll band
that I played bass guitar in. That was a time full of no time, but bursting with memories for me. I was really sad when the building got condemmed because of termites and we had to move out. Lani Hall.....
Well I guess that would take me to 1971??

After THE FLOOD

The Flood came in about August, 1964(?) or was it '65. I remember the water line was up to the doorknobs and because we were so close to the canal, it was moving pretty fast! Before it went through our house, we were outside watching these big filing cabinets and other office furniture being washed out the front door of Hilo Printers. After that Dr. Hata (our landlord) would not get the water heater or stove fixed, (or was it that we could not afford the gas?) so he heated bath water in large pots on electric hot plates. We walked up to the laundromat next to Kam Inn, across the street from Hilo Lanes about once a week. Mom used to try and make a family outing of it and we all had to go Mom, Lynne, Kavin, Debbie, and myself. Speaking of outings, I remember always packing some bento and going somewhere for a picnic. We walked everywhere, but it was really neat to do.
At about that time I started Jr. bowling and that first year won a turkey in the beginner's group.
I'm not sure how she cooked it without an oven, but we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner that year. Thinking back on those times makes me realize just how much mom did everything she could to keep us together and happy.
We only lived down on Kinoole St. for about 2 and a half to 3 years. until the middle of my 5th grade year when we moved to Lani Hall, 119 W. Lanikaula St. Let's see, that would make it about 1967. to be cont.