Kanani Goes to Hawaii

 

Arriving with Piper and grandparents.

Descending into Honolulu
airport.
 

Last year for Christmas Piper got an American Girl doll and it happened to also be the girl of the year, Kanani.  This doll was the one that looked closest to her, which is why she got that one and not a just me that you can name.  For Thanksgiving this year we went to Hawaii with my folks, and of course Kanani had to come, it is her 'native' home, as the 7 year old puts it.  So, without further adu here is a look at our trip through Kanani's pictures and actions.

She was very excited to arrive and as we descended Kanani wanted to see all the beautiful beaches, blue water and even Diamond Head, an inactive volcano that we'd planned to climb one morning before breakfast.

  

Once we arrived at our hotel, we decided to hang out and then get a bite to eat while our rooms were being prepared.  Kanani took 'hanging out' to a whole new level!

That Kanani!

She enjoyed sitting at the pool, going out to dinner every night and just going along with whatever plans we had. 


Turns out she loved hanging at the pool, wasn't much of a beach gal (didn't like the sand in her swimsuit) and has this great skin that doesn't need sun screen! She claims to love surfing but turned out to be more of a Barbie Uno card player and she also said she loves shaved ice but the only thing I saw her indulging in that was a 'cool' beverage were the Mai Tai's!

 Kanani was a good sport about shopping
when she got tired either Brad or myself carried her in our backpacks.  Kanani is a light packer but turns out her swim suit, all day pajama's and two dresses were all she needed.  Plus, even though we all bought new croc flipflops and Piper got two new pairs of tennis shoes, Kanani survived on one pair of sandals! She is quite a gal.

When we were at the pool Kanani made up a funny game of her own.  She put the umbrella's from her drinks in her hair.  One day she had a rainbow all the way across her head!

 On my birthday we hiked up Diamond Head. Kanani was quite excited, and I wish I could show you all the pictures, here are just  a few.

After we hiked up and back down Diamond Head we wanted to get a reward, Kanani was all for that, and suggested we go we to Leonard's for their Island famous Malasadas! Those were delicious, after we all got our sugary warm doughy treats we looked over at Kanani and this is what we saw...Kanani had her head in the box and got the left over cinnamon sugar!

That Kanani!!

Sitting with Grandpa in the car

 As you can see she was quite a character! The next day we did some sightseeing.  Kanani rode in front with Brad and Grandpa Bill.  We toured Queen Emma's summer palace (where she was a quiet and polite little lady, thank goodness because the tour was over an hour and the summer palace was only about 500 square feet).
   We went to the Punchbowl, which is the largest military cemetery in the Pacific.  It has these beautiful breath taking views and is very peaceful.  We saw a funeral in the distance and stopped to listen to taps being played.  While we were there, Piper took Kanani to the fountain at the top of the steps and they threw pennies in and made wishes together. 

Another fun event we went to was Penguin class at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the hotel next to ours.  Turns out there are only two kinds of Penguin that are cold water breeds and all the rest are warm water.  There was a Penquin at class named Icky who was 25 years old and we all got to pet him.  Kanani was a little dressed up that day so she decided not to, but had a good time and raised her hand when she wanted to ask questions. 

Kanani had a great time visiting her birthplace of Hawaii.  She went a little wild and crazy but all in all we'd take her on a trip there again someday.  She was especially good at all the dinners we went to, here she is on Thanksgiving night with Piper and the grandparents.




Until next time we have a fun and crazy adventure with Kanani, or Samantha and Spencer, the bitty babies, Kanai will say Aloha! 

This was one of her favorite spots, sitting in the Barefoot Bar on the edge of the beach watching the sunset and enjoying live music.
 

Shoulder Surgery, 14 Months Post-Op

I am constantly reminded that only a year ago there were so many things I couldn't yet do with my newly repaired shoulder.  When I lay in bed on it these days it feels normal and when I reach up to grab something there is no pain, things that I couldn't do prior to surgery and I didn't have the flexibility at this time last year.

 In the swimming pool I feel pretty much normal, my fly is getting stronger and I can do my backstroke just as slowly as I did before, ha ha. My freestyle, as always, is a work in progress and I think as I start to not just swim but train for swimming more over the next few months it will work itself out.  I am going off the starting blocks and it doesn't seem to bother my shoulder so we will just see how it goes with each and every start both in practice and competition.

Speaking of competition, I swam in my first post surgery meet October 28 at the annual Patriot Masters Sprint Classic at George Mason University.  I won the 100 free, took 2nd in the 50 fly and 3rd in the 50 free.  My times were about where I thought they would be and I know I have a lot of work ahead of me in the gym and the pool. 

So here is where we are today, I swam three times this week and this morning my shoulder and arm felt really fatigued and starting hurting while I was doing fly and back.  I backed off on those and did some kicking and freestyle instead.  I wore fins for the "Rumble in the Jungle" women vs. men relays, in part to keep my fly together and then of course to make sure we won.  We took them two out of three relays because my water ballet leg of the last relay had a lot more style and showmanship than my race partner Paul.

This week we are off to spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii, it will give me a chance to work with McB on her swimming strokes and to maybe give my arm a little rest.

Piper's First USS Meet

Ready to go in her
Potomac Marlins gear!

It is no secret to anyone who knows me that I love to swim and have always hoped to pass this passion onto Piper.  Today was a big day for me (I don't think she realized it or thought it was quite that monumental but no matter) as Piper swam in her first USS swim meet.  Not only that but she acted like she had been going off the starting blocks all along instead of just once over the summer at Aqua Club in Seattle. 

I could tell by the time we got to the pool that she was nervous and a bit excited.  I was too, thank goodness Brad was calm and steady and carrying on, just like a good Sherpa should. 

waiting to swim and making
friends.

We got her all set and left her on deck with a coach she had just met, teammates that all train at different pools and went up to the balcony to sit and watch.  Then Brad suggested I go see about timing, probably for his peace, my peace of mind (since I could see and talk to her on deck) and to reassure Piper we were around.  I love that she is still young enough to want that, I know my time will come, sooner than I want, where she won't want me within eye sight, just calling distance!

Piper did great for her first meet, she took 6th in the 25 breast, 14th in the 50 free and 26th in the 25 back.  It's funny because I think her backstroke is good but she hasn't raced it much this year and needs to work on a few fundamentals that my good friend and technique expert, Beth O'Connor Baker, has instructed her to do.   Next weekend she will compete in an intersquad meet and the next day I will swim in my first masters meet post shoulder surgery.  Lots of pool time for Brad these days!

Diving in for 50 free



 

A New 'hood For Us

We spent 4 months looking at houses on side by side iPad's, then another year looking at A LOT of houses in literally a 2 mile square.  Finally, we made an offer on a house off of Telegraph Rd.  the neighborhood was beautiful and the house sat on a little over .5 acre but as we did it I said to Brad, "if this offer isn't accepted, let's start looking up Valley View Drive again."  The next day the update email from our realtor came and there it was, the house we were meant to own.  It had just about everything we were looking for a few bonus items too.  (A deck that only had 3 steps to the grassy yard, a beautiful fence we didn't have to replace any time soon).  So we did what any sane house hunters would do after just putting down an offer on another house 24 hours ago, we called our realtor and said we had to see this new house up Valley View.

Signing the papers in August

Two days later we walked around with the 7 year old for 45 minutes and said we want this one, pull the other offer.  A week later they accepted our offer and we were all of a sudden, after talking about it for so long, buying a house and moving from our beloved Manchester Crossings neighborhood and the -friends we had made there.  Granted it was only 2.2 miles away and we still see them, talk to them and plan to hang with them for the annual get togethers, but we don't see them every day while walking Myles anymore.  Piper doesn't seem Kamryn on a daily basis and I don't get to see Jeannine or Christine, Betsy or Carrie every day just because I am outside with Myles or Piper.  On the other hand, I don't see Matt at 6 am while in my PJ's and coffee cup in hand standing on the front stoop with Myles either. 

Brad 'carrying' us over the
threshold!

We've been here now for about 6 weeks and hosted our first party the other night.  It was to celebrate Brad's birthday and a little house warming too.  I am hosting Bunco next week and am so excited, I will finally have the room to host my friends and at the same time the rest of my family won't be inconvenienced .  After spending the past 11 years in a two bedroom townhouse moving to this single family home is such a treat.  We loved our little townhouse and miss it every day, we made the most of every bit of space and I had such a great set up in my kitchen. Now I sometimes feel like we are starting over with somethings and yet I know that they are little and can be changed in time.  I guess this entry will be ongoing as we go about making those changes.  The only major one so far was updating the hardwood floors and staircase. 

Now, everyone is happy, even Myles.  He has a ramp he can use to go down to the grass (proving that even old dogs can learn new tricks), he has made some new friends with the three Weimaraner dogs next door.  He even goes out front whenever, Max the other black lab in the neighborhood wanders up to our front door. 

Last time at our little
townhouse in the old 'hood.

Piper's 2nd Summer of Swimming

Time Trials in June
 

This summer was my daughter's 2nd year on as a Springboard Barracuda and also as an 8 and U.  It was great, and she had a lot of improvements in all her strokes.  She learned to do butterfly and found all the highs and lows of her season in not only that one stroke but all in one week! Piper was able to improve every week, dropping her time in butterfly and establishing herself as a consistent A meet swimmer.





Piper doing butterfly
 

 
So, it came as a huge surprise to watch McB swim a terrible 25 fly towards the end of the season at an A meet.  The weather was chilly and the poor 8 and U kids had to sit at the clerk of course and walk to the other end of the pool without sweats or even t-shirts.  That could have led to her diving in and doing a breast kick instead of dolphin...but her stroke, slow as it was (:42.27) that day looked great.





Piper and me at the swim a thon

The following morning was the annual swim a thon to raise money for Cole's Closet and Piper swam 2 miles.  I was so proud of her!! So it came as a little bit of a surprise to me that she was going to be swimming on Monday (2 days after her slow fly) at the annual IM Carnival.  The 8 and U swimmers all did a 25 fly and it was like the light went on and she finally understood sprinting.  I was so nervous for her I called Brad and told him I thought I was going to be sick, it was like I was going to race not her.  All during the season she had told me to not take pictures of her before she swam and I was not allowed to cheer for her until she was in the water, etc., it was like I would embarrass her!! (She has no idea what will happen the first time her Grandpa Seubert sees her compete and he yells, "Go Big Piper"!!).  I went to the opposite end of the pool and got some pictures of her anyhow, and I am glad I did. 






Ready to swim at IM Carnival

Working on butterfly with Kim

She looked like she was finally in it to win it! Brad and I always joke she can sometimes look just like Amy Van Dyken (Olympic Gold Medalist) did when she would spit in another competitors lane.  Then she did something else, she swam FAST!! I mean really fast, she went a :26.73 and just missed out getting a big rosette ribbon and took 4th overall.  I have never been more proud of her and she was proud of herself too.  She knew she swam fast.  In fact she did well enough that Coach Kim put her in Divisionals.  Piper almost won her heat and in the end got 7th over all in that meet in the 25 fly.  Her time was :28.73, which was a great swim, but she was miffed she missed out on a plaque.  So, now we have goals for next year.  Piper did a lot of work with Coach Kim as well as Coach Nick and Coach Addie and it payed off.







Coach Addie and Piper

Summer at Springboard pool was  great, not only for her but for Brad and me too.  I just love seeing Piper when she discovers what it is like to have real success in something after working hard for it.  I love seeing the joy on her face and the happiness.  I also feel her nervousness and completely understand it.  What surprised me is how nervous I was for her, and when I was the most nervous she tended to swim her best races.

I think this year will bring even more improvements for Piper and I am just so happy she loves swimming like I do.  Now that the season is over we've been 'playing' at the pool.  You know doing fun things like practicing our dives, relay starts, sculling and playing mermaid underwater with dolphin kick...all of which make Brad roll his eyes but I promise you she comes up with these things not me.  I just go along with them because I think they are fun too.

I am so proud of my girl this summer, as we roll into fall she will swim with the Potomac Marlins Mini Marlins program. I hope she can improve her stroke technique as well as learn flip turns, diving off the blocks and more about racing.  She will be swimming with some of her friends too, and as I watch her at the ends of the pool between sets I see a little bit of me in her, she is chatting away, with whoever is there. 

The McManamy Name

Grandpa Joe and me on my baptism

When I was little I used to hear my grandpa Joe talk about the family in NYC and how he was born there. When he was a few months old his father passed away.  Grandpa Joe lived with his older sister, Anna and their mother for a short time in Brooklyn after his father passed. She ran a boarding house on 412 Clermont Street in Brooklyn to support them.  Before then the three brothers had a corner grocery and tea store.

148th 8th Ave. New York City

James Hand, also of Ireland, heard the widow McManamy was raising two children in NYC, so he came back to NYC, having moved to Ellensburg, WA, and started farming, to ask her hand in marriage.  They had known each other in Ireland before coming at different times to America.  She said yes and that is how the McManamy family moved out west to the great state of Washington. 

My grandpa made many trips to NYC growing up and knew the family as well as could be expected living across the country from each other.  I have managed to collect most of the pictures from my Grandma Mary, before she passed away, of his visits to NYC and Washington DC both alone and when they went together.  Grandpa used to want a long layover in NYC on their way to Europe so he could visit the cemetery and family.  I have always loved NYC, from the first time I stepped off a plane on a layover in 1992, to our most recent trip there in July.  Piper is the same way, which makes me happy since her middle name, McManamy, was given to her to carry on this side of the family. 

The Stern side of the family is the only ones I have met that are on the East Coast, actually living on Long Island and working in NYC.  Mildred McManamy Stern was an older 1st cousin of my grandpa and her family visited Ellensburg in the 60's.  I have many pictures from a trip in 1939 of my grandpa and Mildred and her family and other members all gathered around the living room, piano and touring the city.  I think Grandpa Joe was there to attend the World's Fair.  I have quite a bit of paraphenalia from that trip. That trip was just prior to my grandpa marrying my grandma, the former Mary Oechsner of Ellensburg.  They had almost 50 years together before Grandpa Joe passed away in October of 1988.  During the trip in 1939 my grandpa visited his fathers grave in Queens.  Until a few months ago I had no idea where it was, just this picture.

I was able to finally find some old papers I had missed that listed the church they all attended, my grandpa was baptized in, others like Thomas W. and Mary (his wife) had funerals in.  It was and still is St. Francis Xavier on West 16th Street in New York City.  It makes sense, back in the early 1900's it was a huge Irish area and the grocery store was around there as well.  We were able to visit this old beautiful church and this is what it looks like today.   Piper and I said a prayer there for the family, walked around and admired the recent restoration of the church.  We look forward to going back and attending mass there some time.

When I found the papers, the picture of my grandpa at the headstone in the cemetery and other pictures of the grocery store I realized all along I wanted to find the headstone and see where our family was buried. Luckily there was enough on the headstone to read that I could apply for a death certificate and find the correct cemetery.  I had it narrowed down to Calvary but which one, there are four areas started in the early 1800's.  Imagine how happy I was to receive the death certificate of my great uncle Thomas and call Calvary to get the location! 3rd Calvary in Queens off of 52nd street, section 22 range 16 plot C 8 and 9.  It turns out Mary McManamy (Mary was very popular among Irish Catholics, still is) owns 10 and 11 but there is no headstone there and no one buried there.  Another mystery for another time.  Here is the youngest 'McManamy' at the cemetery where a part of her family is buried.  She made a little wood cross and put it up next to the large stone one.  Here I am in almost the same spot as my grandpa in 1939. 

Three years ago we met Zach and Terrie Stern for dinner in the city, it seems like it is time to again, now that we've found a little bit more of our family history.  I think it is important to hold onto the past so you know where you've come from. I know I am from Ellensburg, WA but I wouldn't have started there had it not been for my great grandparents coming over with a dream like so many other Irish immigrants and landing in NYC.  Now my daughter, Piper, will have know that a little piece of her is in NYC too.  No wonder she calls it 'our favorite city'.   

A Chiropractor for Bulls?

I know it sounds odd but bucking bulls (and race horses, barrel racing horses, etc) are athletes and even they can get their back and hips out of whack.  Enter Lewayne Hames, a chiropractor who works not just on people but on large animals especially bulls and horses.  When you start researching Chiropractors you will find that most chiropractors that work on large animals like horses and bucking bulls really started out on people and the bulk of their clients still walk with two legs, have opposing thumbs and speak. 

The definition of a chiropractors duties is this:  Chiropractors adjust spinal column and other articulations of the body to correct abnormalities of the human body believed to be caused by interference with the nervous system. Examine patient to determine nature and extent of disorder. Manipulate spine or other involved area. May utilize supplementary measures, such as exercise, rest, water, light, heat, and nutritional therapy.

 Well, guess what that is about the same thing Lewayne did to two of the bucking bulls at the ranch that day.  Talk about lucking into something completely different and unexpected! I think I peppered poor Lewayne with more questions, comments and 'can I take your picture' than I did anyone else on the ranch that week.  He was more than happy to answer any and all questions I had.  He also came with a unique set of tools to work on the bulls.

Unlike horses, smaller animals and people that you can manipulate with your hands, a bull is so much bigger and stronger that you need a little extra help.  See the mallets he uses? They are weighted so the white one is the lightest and thus it acts as the 'middleman' between the bulls hip, back or spine and the harder heavier mallet that applies the pressure.  What is amazing is as he is manipulating the bulls they have will have some of the same reactions people do.  When he was working on Strawboss he got the adjustment just right and not only did the bull burp loudly but you guessed it he let out some gas as well.  As soon as Strawboss was let out in the arena he was like a different bull.  His gait was normal and he was more level.  Just like people he needed a little rest to let the swelling and pain he'd been experiencing go away but as I type this he is getting ready to buck off another cowboy. 

In fact Strawboss felt so good when Doctor Lewayne was done he took a run at the bull fighter in residence, Dillon Bruce!

 

Channel Kat

Loading in the chute to buck

While visiting my bulls at Rawson Ranch I was fortunate enough to see many bulls buck on Wednesday night.  One was mine, Channel Kat.  He is a nice big healthy 2 year old and he's easy to spot with his black and white freckled face.  Once you see his face you know it's him.  There are a lot of black and white bulls but it's his freckles that let you know it's him. 

Channel Kat is named after my old USS swim club in the Tri Cities.  Tri City Channel Cats, and the Tri Cities are made up of Kennewick, Richland and Pasco.  Great times living there in the summers and with those memories of good swimming and good friends I made, I bestowed this name on one of my first few bulls in the company. 

He is tough and I had kind of just looked over him for Commander B and Easy E, but really this guy is good and in the field he rolls with a crew at all times.  It is kind of funny.  It's like they have very different personalities; Commander B is fine alone or with others but this guy he is never alone.

See here he is behind who I think of as the ring leader, the slightly smaller white bull with the black socks.  But...once Channel Kat got in the chute and had even the light 2 pound remote control on him he was raring to go. 

That said, he has potential and he is going to be big.  I am really excited for him and his future with Daisy's Bucking Bulls.   I know I have posted this on facebook but here he is bucking on the Wednesday night I was there visiting.  They will bring him and his 2 year old field buddies in every week or so this summer to get them practicing loading, bucking and even exiting the arena. 

Commander B

This is probably my most promising bull, Commander B, named after my husband Retired Commander Brad Buswell, USN.  Apparently he is a bit of a fighter and I love that in a bull, but he somehow managed to pull a back hip/leg muscle about a week before I got there.  Thus, I didn't get to see him buck, but I did get to spend some time watching him and seeing him walk around.  I will say that every day his walking improved, he is quite agile on three legs and is still happy to mix it up with another bull given the chance.  I love that he is such a fighter. I can't wait to see him come out of the chute with an unsuspecting cowboy on him and watch him buck!!

He is beautiful, and his coat is smooth and shiny and he might be a little skinnier at the moment, due to his injury, but he is going to be one tough bull.  He, like all the 2 year olds on Rawson Ranch just have literally, some growing up to do and weight to put on in this next year.

Not much else to say, for now about Commander B. I am just happy Morgan, Dillon and Mike take such good care of him and he got the vet care he needed. Here is a video I made of him walking and moving around the field. Every day he is getting stronger and soon he will be in the chutes again practicing his bucking and showing just how 'rank' he is.

Meeting My Bulls, Part 1



Yep, I took it while driving down the highway crossing into Texas from Louisiana after flying into Shreveport, LA.  

After a year of talking about my bulls and only looking at pictures and videos of them, I finally made it to East Texas and saw them in person.  I was also able to see where they were learning their craft of bucking off cowboys and meet the people I am entrusting their care in.  In addition,  I was able to just watch them for three days, and see how big they have gotten this past year and how much more growing they have to do in the next year.  Mike Rawson is a very experienced rancher and bull/stock contractor.  He's had a lot of success in both the Championship Bull Riding (CBR) and the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) with his bulls, and in partnering with others.  He is proactive in the care of the bulls and is not only looking back at what his bulls have done and how they got that success but also looking ahead and watching his own herd of yearlings develop. He has a field full of potential 2 year olds that are mixed in with my two as well.  I feel like Commander B and Channel Kat are in a really good place.  Mike isn't doing it alone though, he has Dillon Bruce living on the ranch handling the day to day feedings, maintenance and care of the bulls and the ranch.  Dillon, like any typical young gun wears more than one hat; he is also a professional bull fighter and rodeo clown. 

All in a days work for Dillon Bruce at Rawson Ranch.

These photos were taken all in one day and at then end of that day, we brought many of the 2 year olds into the pens in the arena. The bulls then got practice loading in the chutes, having a 2 pound remote controlled dummy strapped on their backs and then let them go in the arena to see what they would do.  At the end of the night, the clown in Dillon was starting to come out.  (keep in mind it was a mild 90 degrees or so that day and a bit of humidity too and by the time I took this last picture it was around 10 pm).  Before I go any further, what's the old saying? Behind every sucessful man is a woman doing just as much work?  Eh, something like that, and thus, meet Morgan.  She is the 'bull wisperer' at the ranch.  She is so good with Commander B and I really enjoyed not only getting to know her and spending an afternoon shopping with her but it gave me peace to know she was there too.  I felt like she could give my bulls some nurturing that I can't from this far away and you can tell, she really cares about not only my two but all the animals there. 


Morgan feeding Commander B
and giving him some TLC.

What started out as just a trip to meet my bulls and find out how they were progressing ended up with me making new friends and having a couple relaxing days in East Texas just watching my two boys and wondering what the next year will bring for them.