Yesterday marked a turning point. First of all, all my big decisionsaree behind me. For those of you who know me well, particularly those who have traveled with me, you might guess what I mean. I have visited almost all of the places I researched,eaten at most of trip advisor's top recommendations, and now, finally, I have picked which of the almost identical boat tours to take. And I picked right. We toured the Napali Coast with Captain Andy on his brand spankin' new catamaran complete with full kitchen,2 bathrooms, charming ( and handsome) crew ready to refill your drink and...we did all of this with 40 of our new best friends. Within minutes the crew knew us all by name, and PH and I had found a cushy seat with a fun couple from Canada. I had briefly considered the raft tour that takes you into the caves, but PH put his foot down about the bathrooms. 30 seconds into the tour and I felt only sympathy for those poor refugees on life rafts bouncing through the surf. I gladly traded cave interiors for my luxury craft.
The Napali Coast is only visible by water, air (helicopter!) or foot. Two days of foot. Camp and treat your water foot. No bathrooms at all foot. Remember the opening scene of Indiana Jones where he is walking along a ridge in the mountains of Peru? Well, that's not Peru, it's Kauai, specifically the footpath along the Napali Coast.
So I settled in for our 6 hours on the high seas. Many were seasick, not me. Born to it. I felt more alive than ever. Covered in sunscreen, scarf and hat (still cute, but appropriately shielded) I was in heaven. And then the boat slowed. Or captain had spotted bottle nose dolphins. Now I have to say, I have seen dolphins before. Lots of times. And I do love seeing them. We are related. But I was unprepared for the dolphin effect. As the mamas and their babies glided right beside me, tears ran down my cheeks. And they kept on.PH found me a moment later and rolled his eyes. But he knew why. I used to be a mermaid. Some of you may not know that, but it is well known in the family lore. I was a mermaid, PH was a pirate, he fell off his ship, I saved him and the rest is history. I used to be a mermaid, and I will always be a mama. All of a sudden I was home. And I hardly knew I had been away. Meanwhile, I think my mermaid tail is growing back.
This morning we cleaned house. I hate to clean house. But with island music playing, doing laundry in the outdoor laundry room, with breezes and salt sea air, wearing a bathing suit and no shoes.....I felt deeply and completely domestic. Like goddess domestic. A friend said it sounded like I was in Naples channeling Sophia Loren. Yeah, maybe a bit of that, too.
So...mermaids, goddesses,dolphins....
I'm just sayin'....
Gonna go drink a MaiTai.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
A day with no troubles
Today was lovely. I know. They all are. I'm in Hawaii. No complaints. But I've sort of been a blank slate since I've been here. Today I felt like my brain woke up a little bit. We started with a pre sunrise walk across shipwreck beach, up a trail that felt like Africa to me- I was looking for the lion king somewhere. We came out on these big cliffs over the water. Stay away from the edges! Brittle lava stuff! You know I can't make the pictures work right now, but the sunrises are so amazing they look fake. Sort of like whatshisname who paints on PBS.
We returned and made a big bacon and egg(used our top dollar local eggs), local whole wheat bread with guava jelly. Didn't need to eat anymore today.
Next we trudged to the beach. It is pretty far and I don't travel light.
We met th nicest couple sitting near us at the beach. Tonight over maitais at our sports bar we wondered together what was so refreshing about them. My first thought was kind. Next was open. I think they were just the kind of people who are comfortable enough with themselves to make others comfortable. I hope i can be like that. And, of course, in that small world thing we all do, even though she was California born and bred and he was from Iran, it turned out that he spent time at U of A and was at Memphis state when PH was. Met Elvis, worked with Rick Dees. Amazing. On the other side of us was Conrad, an 11 month old who loved sand, water, and avocados.
Meanwhile, sea turtles were visiting us shoreside, sunning themselves. We goggled ( haven't rented snorkel gear yet, but goggles worked great. ) and saw some truly beautiful fish.
Now I am blogging and PH is watching the kauai visitor channel???
Tomorrow we go down the Napali coast in a catamaran. I'll report.
A quote for the day apropos of nothing.
1. Brother! He's more of a dad than a brother. And dad- well he's like the handyman.
Maybe I'll explain that one some time but right now I just dont want to forget it.
We returned and made a big bacon and egg(used our top dollar local eggs), local whole wheat bread with guava jelly. Didn't need to eat anymore today.
Next we trudged to the beach. It is pretty far and I don't travel light.
We met th nicest couple sitting near us at the beach. Tonight over maitais at our sports bar we wondered together what was so refreshing about them. My first thought was kind. Next was open. I think they were just the kind of people who are comfortable enough with themselves to make others comfortable. I hope i can be like that. And, of course, in that small world thing we all do, even though she was California born and bred and he was from Iran, it turned out that he spent time at U of A and was at Memphis state when PH was. Met Elvis, worked with Rick Dees. Amazing. On the other side of us was Conrad, an 11 month old who loved sand, water, and avocados.
Meanwhile, sea turtles were visiting us shoreside, sunning themselves. We goggled ( haven't rented snorkel gear yet, but goggles worked great. ) and saw some truly beautiful fish.
Now I am blogging and PH is watching the kauai visitor channel???
Tomorrow we go down the Napali coast in a catamaran. I'll report.
A quote for the day apropos of nothing.
1. Brother! He's more of a dad than a brother. And dad- well he's like the handyman.
Maybe I'll explain that one some time but right now I just dont want to forget it.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Mistakes were made
Just two things- I know there are a gazillion typos in the last couple of posts. Having trouble with editing. And sometimes this thing thinks it knows better than I do what want to say. The very idea.
And I know I put up 3 at once.sorry. Have to fight PH for iPad time these days.
AND pictures. Working on it.
And I know I put up 3 at once.sorry. Have to fight PH for iPad time these days.
AND pictures. Working on it.
Paradise Found
We have been here in Hawaii for 3 days now.
Day one: get off the plane, call our questionable car rental guy ( who is at the police station and thinks we are coming the next day), pull out the trusty iPad and see if we need to make some different arrangements, questionable guy shows up and is really a nice guy who rents some questionable cars. No, it is a fine car, just one that would have been retired some time back by the ordinary rental folk.
Anyway...
Head to Poipu, stopping for a tasty lunch of fish sandwiches, a quick grocery and wine purchase, and...there we are. Our cottage is a bit cabin-y.built probably in the 20's for the workers. So delightful. It makes me think of those old beach homes up on the east coast. The ones that I've never been to.
Ed calls the 90 yr old priest (Mal) whose cottage this is. They've left us some apple bananas, a smaller version than we have at home. We check out our beach and settle in. On Mal's suggestion we stroll down to the sports bar at the end of our lane. Sports bar you say???? Me, too. I was none too thrilled but hungry. We walk in....lots of tvs but no sound. Yes!!! Bob marley is playing. Even better. And at the corner table sit Mal ( a dead ringer for the russ we all know and love at St M) and Mo, his 90 yr old wife. We had never met them, but knew right away who they were. We introduced ourselves, joined them, ordered seared ahi tacos and a Mai ti. It was delightful.
Day 2:
Started with anearly early morning wall to a site supposedly good for sunrise. PH refused to get back in the car, so we walked. Knew to turn on a street that began with A. We did but it was the bypass.wrong street beginning with A. Most streets around here the speed limit is 25 at best. It was 45. Oh well it was a nice walk. But I was right. We needed to drive. Lunch back at the sports bar..still not prepared to cook, need to figure out our shopping options a bit. Beach time, then we hit the farmer's market. We got some nice vegetables, still no fruit. Where is all this great tropical fruit??? I want to do my part for the local foods , but I'm having difficulty finding it. We ask the one farmer girl I'd talked to most where we might find good cheese. She directs us to the fancy schmancy whole foods type store. We do buy some cheese. And I buy some very expensive fish. I now know where to go (Koloa fish market) but for one night, I went with local food ,but local with all my mainland comforts surrounding it. And it was delicious! Opa I think. Cooked with some butter garlic and ginger.
Day 3 we had a little breakfast and headed down the road IN THE CAR to the early morning beach. Once we turned on the dirt road with potholes that could hold our potholes inside of themselves, we drove about two miles. And there it was. Paradise. A curve of sandy beach, big volcanic or whatever you call em cliffs, pine??? Trees along the edge, and No One!! We walked, found Sawyer's hut ( Lost fans??) had a swim, then hiked across treacherous pointy lava things to an even more deserted beach. I could soo be the Swiss family Robinson. Came back home, showered, lunch, naps. Then PH got ready to go play tennis. He had left his shoes at the beach. And I haven't even told you about the saga of getting some decent water shoes for him. It is a little bit of a touchy subject. Maybe not blog material. We'll see. So now he is wearing MY shoes. Yes little petite PH can wear my tennis shoes. No comments.
Oh, yeah. Forgot to say we went to the fancy scmancy farmer's market yesterday. I am all for supporting local farmers.... I paid $8 for local eggs-- but the $12 pineapple did me in.I bought one at the grocery. For$4. But I do hope to go to dinner one night at a farm to table restaurant. Sounds fabulous.
Meanwhile...I'll let you know if PH wins. My shoes are mighty lucky.
Day one: get off the plane, call our questionable car rental guy ( who is at the police station and thinks we are coming the next day), pull out the trusty iPad and see if we need to make some different arrangements, questionable guy shows up and is really a nice guy who rents some questionable cars. No, it is a fine car, just one that would have been retired some time back by the ordinary rental folk.
Anyway...
Head to Poipu, stopping for a tasty lunch of fish sandwiches, a quick grocery and wine purchase, and...there we are. Our cottage is a bit cabin-y.built probably in the 20's for the workers. So delightful. It makes me think of those old beach homes up on the east coast. The ones that I've never been to.
Ed calls the 90 yr old priest (Mal) whose cottage this is. They've left us some apple bananas, a smaller version than we have at home. We check out our beach and settle in. On Mal's suggestion we stroll down to the sports bar at the end of our lane. Sports bar you say???? Me, too. I was none too thrilled but hungry. We walk in....lots of tvs but no sound. Yes!!! Bob marley is playing. Even better. And at the corner table sit Mal ( a dead ringer for the russ we all know and love at St M) and Mo, his 90 yr old wife. We had never met them, but knew right away who they were. We introduced ourselves, joined them, ordered seared ahi tacos and a Mai ti. It was delightful.
Day 2:
Started with anearly early morning wall to a site supposedly good for sunrise. PH refused to get back in the car, so we walked. Knew to turn on a street that began with A. We did but it was the bypass.wrong street beginning with A. Most streets around here the speed limit is 25 at best. It was 45. Oh well it was a nice walk. But I was right. We needed to drive. Lunch back at the sports bar..still not prepared to cook, need to figure out our shopping options a bit. Beach time, then we hit the farmer's market. We got some nice vegetables, still no fruit. Where is all this great tropical fruit??? I want to do my part for the local foods , but I'm having difficulty finding it. We ask the one farmer girl I'd talked to most where we might find good cheese. She directs us to the fancy schmancy whole foods type store. We do buy some cheese. And I buy some very expensive fish. I now know where to go (Koloa fish market) but for one night, I went with local food ,but local with all my mainland comforts surrounding it. And it was delicious! Opa I think. Cooked with some butter garlic and ginger.
Day 3 we had a little breakfast and headed down the road IN THE CAR to the early morning beach. Once we turned on the dirt road with potholes that could hold our potholes inside of themselves, we drove about two miles. And there it was. Paradise. A curve of sandy beach, big volcanic or whatever you call em cliffs, pine??? Trees along the edge, and No One!! We walked, found Sawyer's hut ( Lost fans??) had a swim, then hiked across treacherous pointy lava things to an even more deserted beach. I could soo be the Swiss family Robinson. Came back home, showered, lunch, naps. Then PH got ready to go play tennis. He had left his shoes at the beach. And I haven't even told you about the saga of getting some decent water shoes for him. It is a little bit of a touchy subject. Maybe not blog material. We'll see. So now he is wearing MY shoes. Yes little petite PH can wear my tennis shoes. No comments.
Oh, yeah. Forgot to say we went to the fancy scmancy farmer's market yesterday. I am all for supporting local farmers.... I paid $8 for local eggs-- but the $12 pineapple did me in.I bought one at the grocery. For$4. But I do hope to go to dinner one night at a farm to table restaurant. Sounds fabulous.
Meanwhile...I'll let you know if PH wins. My shoes are mighty lucky.
Gee, it's great...
After stayin out late!! Danced to that one with FSIL after a yummy Italian dinner hosted by their wonderful friends at a Berkeley eatery two nights ago. Delicious tacos in Mission District, xox chocolates, Bi-Rite ice cream, pastries from Tatine, salmon steaks with ginger miso sauce cooked by the lovely couple themselves, veggies harvested from the backyard. We are nearing the end of a lovely California visit with our new family members. This afternoon we had a lively affair in the Berkeley backyard of FSIL's grandparents. We met cousins, friends, relations of all shapes and sizes. It was fun. And so nice to see the branches of your family tree dividing and spreading. Of course, on the one hand, it seems that all families are the same, the characters just wear different Tshirts. Some of the gathering practices were very reminiscent of my own family patterns. But on the other hand, I met people who have called California home all of their lives. It's a different world out here! And BrideGirl and her fella are just great! Seeing them in their world makes me very happy. I met so many people whose names I've heard ....now they have faces and personalities.
I do have pictures but I can't download them on this machine. I told PH I needed an iPhone.
Hawaii on Monday!!!!
I do have pictures but I can't download them on this machine. I told PH I needed an iPhone.
Hawaii on Monday!!!!
2 days and counting
Our plane leaves in 40 hours. I think. Put that on my list of things I need to check. I think of most of those things between 2 and 4 AM.
But it will all be wonderful. Can't wait to celebrate with Bride Girl and Future Son-In-Law. We arrive in sunny and MILD California mid-day on Tuesday. BG and FSIL will both work most of the week, but I plan to be fed by those gourmet chefs at least a couple of times! Their facebook pictures have had me jealous for quite awhile. BBG fed us sumptuosly last weekend, Farmer Boy and DIL had dinner waiting when we arrived home, now the pressure is on! This is why I had children!!
But it will all be wonderful. Can't wait to celebrate with Bride Girl and Future Son-In-Law. We arrive in sunny and MILD California mid-day on Tuesday. BG and FSIL will both work most of the week, but I plan to be fed by those gourmet chefs at least a couple of times! Their facebook pictures have had me jealous for quite awhile. BBG fed us sumptuosly last weekend, Farmer Boy and DIL had dinner waiting when we arrived home, now the pressure is on! This is why I had children!!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Ed shares a Dubose quote
We ourselves, like our Lord, are saved only by love; ... We are saved by the love of God, but not by the love of God with which we are loved, but with which we love.
- W P DuBose
Don't answer, just think about it!
- Noleta Nethercott in Sordid Lives
- W P DuBose
- Noleta Nethercott in Sordid Lives
Thursday, August 11, 2011
PH at rest
A few pictures. I'm still learning...
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| He takes it all in stride. |
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| My Sewanee office |
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| We found him! |
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| Mr Dubose |
Home again, home again, jiggity jig!
The wanderers are home. For 8 days. We leave for the Big Adventure next week. As if we haven't had lots of Very Big Adventures. From Sewanee, we headed northish to my high school friend's lovely lake house. We kayakked, stand-up-paddle-boarded, swam, even skiied a bit. I refused to take a picture of PriestHusband skiing as I was unable to maintain an upright position myself. Call me petty. I spent many a happy youthful moment with my feet (foot, I guess) in a slalom. Oh, well.Those days are over. Guess it goes with my acceptance of mortality a la Sue Monk Kidd. (I'm being facetious if you are wondering. I'm not one to go gently into that good night. I WILL ski again!)
My friend was so gracious, truly happy to set us up for Ed to study in such peaceful surroundings. Overlooking the water and MUCH cooler than home. Every morning we put off going home for one more day.
But as they say, all good things....The weekend found us back at the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. Baby Girl and I ran around saving money on tax free weekend. PH visited with his parents.BBG prepared a feast for us (see thefoodplacebo.blogspot.com for details. She is amazing!) We had a fun time on the hot, but not unbearably so, patio of a Mexican restaurant with more family. Calvary on Sunday morning. Then we crossed the river.
Now it's catch-up time. Cleaning up, tying up loose ends, some wedding prep and preparing to be away for longer than ever before.
And you can thank us for the rain.....
My friend was so gracious, truly happy to set us up for Ed to study in such peaceful surroundings. Overlooking the water and MUCH cooler than home. Every morning we put off going home for one more day.
But as they say, all good things....The weekend found us back at the banks of the Mighty Mississippi. Baby Girl and I ran around saving money on tax free weekend. PH visited with his parents.BBG prepared a feast for us (see thefoodplacebo.blogspot.com for details. She is amazing!) We had a fun time on the hot, but not unbearably so, patio of a Mexican restaurant with more family. Calvary on Sunday morning. Then we crossed the river.
Now it's catch-up time. Cleaning up, tying up loose ends, some wedding prep and preparing to be away for longer than ever before.
And you can thank us for the rain.....
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