Football is Afoot .... Again.

It’s that time of the year again. School has started...hmmm... on the weekdays. But on Saturdays (and a couple of weekdays, sometimes Thursdays and/or Fridays), it’s football days for me.  No, I don’t play. I watch and cheer for my college football  teams team, the BYU Cougars!

But most importantly, I spend my Saturdays watching and cheering for our grandsons’ teams - high school and little league. Saturday therefore is a busy - but fun and enjoyable - day for me watching the sons play. There’s a total of four games I have to try to get to.  Some of the games overlap, time-wise, and it’s a challenge to make it to all of them especially because the fields are scattered within as much as a ten mile area (approximately) on a given Saturday, depending on the schedule. On the opening day (Saturday before last) I traveled a total of about thirty miles.  Much of that distance included traveling from Field A to Field B about nine miles one way and then back to Field A’s general area for the remaining two games. I enjoy watching our grandsons play. Growing up in Samoa, at their age, I never had a chance to play any kind of organized sports; there wasn't any in the villages.  As little boys, we created our own games and fun activities. Rugby, as an organized sport, wasn't played until high school and was only in those schools around the more urban areas too.  I played rugby in high school (Samco) and then during the post high school years.

So on the first day I had to get to all the grandsons' football games to watch, support and cheer and took pictures with them.  This Saturday routine will continue for the next two or three months....

... perfect football weather and setting....  a typical Saturday morning
in our neck of the woods.

... these two (brothers) play on the same team

... these two (brothers) play on separate teams

... this one plays on a different team altogether.  Then there's two more in high/jr. high school.

... and these two (sister and brother), also like to play football - soccer, that is...lol

Weekend Pics

This past weekend Dearie and I were privileged and honored to be guests at one of the most beautiful weddings.  It was the wedding of a daughter of one of our best friends -  VP of Hawaii’s Polynesian Cultural Center.  It was a “Samongan” wedding (lol). Perhaps the most beautiful and elegant Poly wedding we’ve attended (and we’ve been to quite a number of them).  It was wonderful and extraordinarily lovely. Everything. Food (of course), decorations, entertainment, venue, etc., etc.  The NZ fruit cake was delectable and delicious as always. We thoroughly had a great time!  Mucho faafetai and faamalo to our dear friend, his wife and aiga for a wonderful and memorable occasion.  Manuia le ulugali’i fou!!

Manuia fo'i le ulugali’i tuai ...lol ...we made (tried) some memories of our own too....hahahaa

Le Bus and Le Train ...

... road construction mess  (pic: abc TV)

So in the past few months, there has been an upsurge - again, and again - of more road construction (freeways and surface roads) here in my corner of the globe.  Driving has been a pain and sometimes a nightmare.  And so I decided to temporarily, albeit legally, "suspend" my driver’s license while letting others (bus drivers and train operators) do the driving for me - to and from work.  It’s relieving, and convenient too because the bus stops right in front of my work.  So it’s bus, train (light rail), then bus again for me - both ways.

...adding more lanes  (pic:Deseret News)

I’d say that’s better than driving. I get to have time to read, ponder, reflect, take a nap or just stare out the window and stream my thoughts. Occasionally, I’d look down and pity the drivers sitting in jammed traffic. In fact I seem to feel privileged riding the bus and train...lol.  They have priority.  Other vehicles yield*, of course to the train, and to the bus too because of its size and the fact that drivers understand that buses have to keep a set schedule, so they usually give way (fearfully or politely) when the bus changes lanes. And because of the set schedule, some bus drivers tend to drive aggressively and sometimes daringly.

...le Bus

As I said, riding the bus and train can be quite sanative, especially looking out undistracted, absorbing and appreciating nature and God's creations, the view of the mountains and the sunrise - like today (re: pics below).  There was this beautiful sunrise this morning.  Just before boarding the bus, I took a shot (using my phone) of the sky, mountains and clouds illuminated by the rising sun. And on the way to the train station, I was able to get another shot (from inside the moving bus) of the sun as it slowly clears the peaks of the “everlasting hills” (as they are sometimes called ).  These things can/will engender awe and gratitude and even inspire joy and reverence for the Creator.

...le Train 

At my destination, I was able to take another amateur shot of the two LDS temples in the area. It’s unique. This is about the only place in the world where you are able to have two temples in one shot.  I think.

One of the best things about my bus and train ride is it’s a full ride (i.e. free ride)...LOL!

... early sunrise

... sunrise a little later - peeking over the peaks.

... the two temples.

* just happened to follow the bus after I got off and saw this on the back....LOL!

Update:

Here's a couple of shots I took from the bus yesterday morning ....I saw the flag up ahead just in time to aim and shoot as it zoomed by ...lol!

Camping and other pictures ...

camping a week ago....

...supoesi, 'ulu and fa'ausi....Big Breakfast from McD's?....lol!..
couldn't ask for a more typical samoan breakfast...

... view of lake from campsite

... these g/children love the outdoors and camping 

... getting away from it all

...setting up

....relaxing, kicking back, unwinding, ...mea uma a ga!

... the campsite

... tents, sodas and football - must be summer ..lol!

...barbecue, chips, hot dogs, potato salad... typical camp food?

...memories: a few years ago, our old church ward used to camp here every year
and this used to be our family's campsite, it's right across from where 
our children camped this time.

... at an outdoor wedding last Friday ...

... and this from those few years ago ...lol