We would sit on the stone wall in between our houses and talk story. Ryan would play on the wall and in her yard, which was always so well-kept compared to the weedy yard we had!
It was sad to see the real estate photos with her house emptied of her treasured things.
In that corner of the living room where the counter separates it from the kitchen, she had a cutout of John Wayne, her favorite guy (her eldest son was even named Wayne), that had always been there. Next to John Wayne was her dining room table where she kept cards and photos that we and other friends and family sent. The window there faced our house and her kitty Velvet would sit there in the sun.
Here's a photo from the last time we saw her in person, in June 2012. She had shared with us photos from a birthday/thank you party her "mermaids" gave her.
The shelf in the back in this photo held her "idiot box" (TV). She made sure to watch the Rose Parade that Ryan marched in and also the Kamehameha Song Contests.
Here's the front door and the door that led to the garage from the living room. I never thought about it until I saw this picture but the paint job on her door was so distinctive and unique.
This is the kitchen window that faced our house and she would keep an eye on things for us. In the morning, I'd look down from our living room to check on her and I could see her in the kitchen or in her living room.
Here's her patio where she had a table and chairs and planters set out. We'd sit out there and "visit," which is something she used to say.
Last photo with Helen from June 2012.
Miss you, Helen. Whenever I hear about bad weather or a power outage on Kauai, the thought that I need to call you still pops into my head. Thank you for all that you did for us.
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