Category: The DayBook

21 days until departure. So, I got a Covid shot today. I don’t have a whole lot of faith in Covid vaccines at this stage. But, I don’t really have much confidence in flu shots either. But, I doubt that either will hurt me, and on the off chance that they do work – why not get the shot. If you’re an old person they don’t cost anything. The charge for my Covid shot was $249.99. Would I have gotten it if I’d had to fork over the money? Our medical system is completely broken.

This afternoon I went for a walk about. Walked down to the pier.

Watched a big old bull dog enjoying ocean.

In addition to getting my pre-return Covid shot, I checked the flights to DC on Xmas Eve and for now I sticking with what I have. Most of the flights leave here after 10PM and I really hate that. There are a couple of flights to the coast that leave mid afternoon and I have one of those. Kona to LA to Chicago to National. That should get me back at The Asylum by midafternoon. The travel goddess willing.

I was lounging on my comfy sofa. Enjoying a trashy novel in air-conditioned splendor. (I didn’t have A/C last winter.) Then I realized that in one month – I’ll be back at The Asylum. I am pretty sure it’s nicer outside on December 2 in Kona than it will be on January 2 in the DMV. So, I get my sorry ass outside.

And the seawall was very inviting.

I saved 37 seconds of tranquility for a future emergency. I could have made that clip a little more elegant. But, the phone was steady and the horizon level.

Hawai’i is surrounded by 5,000+ miles of ocean. So, it’s a frequent stopping place of boats, whales, and migratory birds.

Billy is young and responsible so he had chores today. I went to the grocery. Then I returned home and did my ½ point cleaning. Yes, ½ way. Heading back to The Asylum on Dec 24th. I just checked with the owner of the condo. It’s rented out starting December 26. Oh well. 55 days isn’t too shabby.

Took a little walk along the shoreline.

I love this sign. NO TRESSPASSING. But, if you do tresspass. Follow the rules. And NO SPAM.

Honls is where the boogie board was invented way back in 1971 by Tom Morely.

And today was a fine day for boogie boarding at Honls.

I was right. After I got home all I wanted was to have a nice cuppa coffee and head off to sleep. I had a fantastic Thanksgiving. And, I know that it was all the sweeter because of my age.

Time to move on up the mountain to Monique and Billy’s house where 2nd Dinner is cooking.

Life is good. Even now.

By the time I get back home this evening after not one but two Thanksgiving parties, I may be too tired to do anything more than crash into bed.

So, come along with me on a little walk along the ocean early this morning.

It was just another lazy day. Yesterday evening, I finished one of my “just for me” projects—my Kindle/AudioBook spreadsheet is now updated and complete with prices. That will remind me that I have more to read and hear than I have time left to read and hear.

I got a nice brisk walk this morning and some extra yoga. I am under no illusions about this exercise regime of mine. It will not give me one extra day of life, but it might give me a few extra days of quality life. Or, I might get hit by a bus when I am out walking. Nobody is promised tomorrow, and nobody gets out alive.

But I wasn’t about to tramp through the bushes to get closer. These big spiders were accidentally introduced but are appreciated because they catch many bugs. Their webs are very impressive. 

This lovely tree is another introduction. This time intentionally. It’s one of my favorite local street trees. It is sterile and isn’t a threat to the native trees. And, the large purple flowers sometimes have a nice fragrance. These are along the other side of the condo building. 

Think I’ll have shrimp, avocado and tomatoes for dinner tonight. 

However, you might find plastic ones. You never know.

The Twilight Zone

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I can no longer multiprocess. You know, things like walking and chewing gum at the same time. This morning,  I empirically determined that I can no longer carry my breakfast and open a screen door at the same time. I used to be able to do that. 

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I cherish my friendship with Barbara Nobriga. A woman, tough as nails but soft as silk. Years ago I took a picture of her, riding her horse in a Parade. (Kona loves parades.)

She is riding sidesaddle and barefoot as well. That is the traditional way. The pa’u rider way.

A few years ago, a lovely short film was produced about Auntie Barbara and her ohana. I think you might enjoy it at this friends and family time of year.

One month from now, I will be back at the Asylum. Unless I come up with a good Plan B. At this instant, I am thinking Plan B should be to just go back home. Do taxes. Visit Dentist. Escape. Thinking about going to look for northern lights again. I got lucky last time. But will we even be able to leave the country after January 20. Or will any other country let us in?

“May you live in interesting times” really isn’t an ancient Chinese curse. But it’s still a curse.

This year, I have had to push myself to go for a swim in the ocean. I don’t think I have gotten lazier. I have been walking about 3 miles a day, and at least one of the miles is either as fast as I can walk or seriously uphill. I think my serious ocean swimming days are over.  Accept and adapt.

It’s not busy in the Village. Yesterday, the Trump Campaign HQ cleaned out its storefront. They offered me a free T-shirt. I said No, Thank You, very nicely.

Today I cataloged and culled my Sapporo images. 

Today I have been working on the 1043+ photos that I took in Japan. And nothing diminishes my desire to take pictures more than a giant cull and catalog job.

But Photoshop has gotten scary good at removing crap from photos.



 
I could do this myself, but it would take forever and wouldn’t be worth the effort. Photoshop AI did it in less than two minutes. How easy it is to remove undesirable people from the family albums! Maybe too easy. We need to remember some of those men who didn’t meet requirements. 

After all that, we are hungry. BREAKFAST! Monique wants poke. And fortunately it’s almost 9am. 

But wait. We need tomatoes. Stop at another market. This one is more crafts and less food. But, they have tomatoes.

Quiet, that’s how I like things these days.The older I get the quieter I like it. But, my hearing isn’t what it used to be. So, maybe that’s why things seem quiet.

Which reminds me, I need to fold some stars.

The Lana’i sugar plantation was a complete and speedy failure. 500 Japanese workers arrived. A village was constructed. This would be in 1899. In 1900 plague struck in Honolulu and it made its way to Lana’i. And the plantation’s source of fresh water turned brackish in 1901. The train was blamed for all the problems since a heiau (temple) was destroyed when the tracks were laid for the train. The sugar plantation closed in 1901. 

Cat picture below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She is small. But good at her job.