It’s been awhile!

 I don’t even know how long it’s been - but I know it’s been years.  

Here is the thing...  this blogging thing is free and as my brother often tells me: you get what you pay for. 

Something led me to believe that this free software had removed all my oldest posts. I became discouraged and wondered what the point was. 

But then I found out I was wrong.  (Shhhh.  Don’t let that get around!!) 

Anyhooo - I’m going to try to give this blogging thing another try.  I very much enjoyed reading my past posts.  

Buckle your seat belt baby here we go!  

Miss Maizy

I have a new project.

A project that is blog worthy even.  So it has it's own, new, blog:

Restoring Miss Maizy

See You there!

Aloha!

The good news, my finger has healed nicely and we made our flight!

The bad news, Hawaii was experiencing record temperatures and humidity, the tail-end of a hurricane AND the day we left, a tsunami warning because of Chili's earthquakes.  The  heat kept us driving around a lot - as the car had air conditioning and our condo did not.

I COULD give you details - but as I was reading through my notes - I decided they were quite entertaining and left enough unsaid to add mystery and intrigue. I have added photos.


Tuesday
Met lovely couple who lived in Makaha but had vacation property in Stevens, WA.
Helped young girls get unstuck from sand, Peter hurt his back being macho
Got rolled in surf fully clothed - flashed life guards and some now traumatized children

Wednesday 
Saw sea turtle basking on our beach
Went west of Makaha
Walked/jogged along road
Went to north shore - stopped at dole pineapple plantation
Ate lunch in Hale'Iwa
Cruised the beach
Toured the coffee farm


Thursday
Our Turtle and her little friend were back on the beach in the am
Went to Honolulu and dropped in on Dale.
Went to Islands restaurant in the mall and had lunch, (including mai tai's)
Lost car in parking garage
Went to the punch bowl and war memorial
Drove east - saw the blow hole and two turtles playing in the surf
Came home through a long tunnel through the mountains
Took a sunset swim in Makaha. Fell asleep by 9:00





Friday

Rain!  Thunder, lightening!
Headed into Honolulu
Took a turn down Luauluaulei rd on a whim and ended up on a military base with very nice MP's who let us turn around without arresting us.
Went to the Hawaiian Plantation Village.  Peter played with a poisonous cane toad while I panicked and frantically googled cane toads to see if he was going to die.
Ate hot malasadas from a hot malasada truck
Pearl Harbor with realistic thunder and lightening sound effects and a plentiful mongoose population
Following Siri's directions went looking for a mai tai ended up on another military base (Fort Shaftner) and fortunately, again, didn't get shot.
Found somewhere else to enjoy a mai tai (or two)




Saturday

Headed north
Went to Wai'mea valley and waterfall. Beautiful place filled with horrific blood-sucking, pleasure depleting mosquitoes. Could not get back to the car fast enough.
Lā'ie state wayside with natural bridge

Spied two island pigs strapped to the hood of a Honda CRV.  Can you say Luau??
After failed attempt to find Kona brewing ended up with happy hour dinner at the MonkeyPod on Ko'Olina (yummy lilikoi foam & macadamia nut mai tai and then a lilikoi martini)
Sunset swim in the ocean followed by a dip in the pool






Sunday

Started the day with rain and laundry.
Peter went for a swim by himself
Then we headed west and explored the coastline
Stumbled upon a movie set for a web series.
Stopped by the Maunalahilahi botanical garden. Peter explored.  I stayed in the relative mosquito-free safety of the car.
Again, following Siri's directions, dined at Cisco's Cove - on a military base guarded by the same fellow who didn't shoot us in Fort Shaftner.
Went for a sunset swim on Makaha beach - a turtle swam right past us. I startled and screamed like a little girl!

Monday
Surfing at 8:00 am. Got stuck in traffic and arrived 15 minutes late.
After an awesome lesson took a long walk on Waikiki beach.  Not impressed - too crowded!
Sneaker wave, shoes got wet. Had no shoes to wear. Bought a pair of flip flops for $3.49 at Longs drugs - which saved my life as my toes had been rubbed raw by the surf board
Drove east past blow hole and along the beach then home again (after Peter went the wrong way on H-1)

Tuesday
Up at 5:00. Coffee and breakfast
Visited the NW corner of the island so lovely in it's emptiness. Saw turtles in the water. Finally and luckily Experienced Mackey's Shrimp Truck.  Fed little sparrows and chickens our leftovers.
Dinner at Roy's in Ko'olina with Dale and Cathy.





Wednesday - our last day
Drove west of Makaha again. Poked around on the rocks.

Peter rescued three little fishies stranded in a tide pool. Headed back toward our condo and stopped so peter could show me the 'dead sea lion' he had spotted days before.  It had moved to a different location and was wiggling.  Not dead at all!!
Got home, went swimming in the ocean, then the pool.
Peter chatted up a man with a Dutch accent by the name of Hank Zandberg who, freakishly, turns out to be related to Dini of the Holland Cafe in the Windmill in Lynden.
Got permission to check out later so we went back to the ocean.  As we were bobbing about in the water a sea lion swam by within about 10 feet of us!!
Got sunburned.
Made lunch of all the food we had left: Salad, banana, coke, popcorn, cheese, celery, juice, peanut butter, milk. A fine, but bizarre meal. Then we napped and finally left about 4:00
Enjoyed a farewell beverage and pupu's.
Now - sitting at the airport waiting for our flight.

Mongoose

Peter, being Peter

A dog on a surfboard

Lilikoi Martini

W(h)ining

I have recently come to terms with the fact that I can work.  Working is good.  The money one makes from working is better and allows special little treats like new shoes and vacations.

This summer I have been working like crazy.  Rarely turning down an offer of additional hours.  Some time in July I had a well deserved day off and the phone rang.  It was the boss inquiring if I could cover a shift because someone was sick.  I smiled and said sure, hung up the phone and said:  "That does it!  We are going to Hawaii!!"  And just like that a lovely Hawaiian holiday was planned for mid-September.  Tucked right between my birthday (the 4th) and Peter's birthday (the 19th).

The rest of the summer proceeded to be unusually hot and sweltering.  A week before our much anticipated vacation, and entire month before expected, our grapes became ripe.  Not instantly, but it became apparent they would not last until our return. The fruit flies, the birds, nature would destroy them if we waited. We HAD to make wine, and we HAD to do it immediately!  Unfortunately, I was still putting in the hours at the Post Office so most of the picking, de-stemming, crushing, pressing, & barreling fell to Peter.  I helped when I could.  I helped frantically, passionately, and carelessly.  I was snipping and clipping grapes off the vine when I snipped and clipped right into my left ring finger.  Blood.  Everywhere.  I cursed.  I grabbed my finger, Peter looked up and declared it was time for first aid!  Then he asked me if I was going to pass out.  I guffawed and said emphatically, "NO!"  As we were traipsing back to the house and applying pressure the world started to close in.  Things started going black and I started to dwell on that "are you going to pass-out?" question.  I changed my mind regarding my original answer and, yes, I believe I was.

I sat down.  Peter checked on me and then trotted to the house for bandages and water.  By the time he got back I was completely horizontal.  You know I am in trouble if I lay down on the ground where there are spiders and ants and earwigs and squished grapes and other disgusting things.  Peter returned and bandaged and disinfected and forced me to drink water.  Then, bless his heart, he took my picture.

In my defense to this very overly dramatic pose - my right hand was on my forehead because I didn't want to rest it on the ground where all the nasties reside.

After 15 minutes of self-pity and wallowing in my injury I headed back out to the vineyard and continued, CAREFULLY, snipping grapes clusters.

We had to be in Portland by Monday night as we were flying out Tuesday morning.  Monday we were still pressing grapes.  But when all was said and done, we got it done. Hundreds of pounds of grapes processed in record time.

We have a pinot, cabernet, a white wine, some blended red and some concord.  Oh - and six gallons of beer. Because man (and woman) can't live on wine alone.