The DayBook – Page 86 – life in the old lane

November 9, 2023November 9, 2023

Kona Day 10

The ocean looked fine. The currents were such that it was easy going out, but coming back in taxed my out-of-condition old body.

Yesterday, the fish were better and the ocean friendlier. Today, I had a camera.

So, first fish photo of the trip. Honest, yesterday there were “better” fish! But, I didn’t have my GoPro.

The Twilight Zone

I didn’t plan on being old. I certainly didn’t take care of myself. Or look both ways before crossing. And if my family history holds true, I will not be much older than I am now. Sort of a plan for the worst and hope for the best situation. But, I am unsure as to what’s the worst and what’s the best.

Going to Kauai next week with the zookeepers. I haven’t been to Kauai in 30 years and haven’t a clue what we will do—operating on the cheery assumption that the kiddos will have plans. I will have plastic to finance the plans.

But by grace. This woman has lived on the street for at least 8 years.

No way I could survive 8 years on the street. I am pretty sure I couldn’t survive 8 days on the street. She always wears a dress and I try to get a new one to her every year.

November 8, 2023

Kona Day 9

Our regular weekly visit from the Spirit of America.

Didn’t worry about doing anything today. I read, went to my favorite thrift shop, walked on the beach, took a swim, cataloged photos, and fixed a fine lunch. Then I rested!

avocado and papaya, local lettuce, and leftover chicken karaage.

And a fine lunch it was. And local lettuce is always exciting. Rat lungworm isn’t unheard of on Big Island. In theory, washing the lettuce removes the pathogen. But, one never knows.

November 7, 2023November 8, 2023

Kona Day 8

Yes, I ate the whole thing. Moderation only leads to long life. I had not been to my favorite Kona bar/eatery in 10 months. Nothing had changed. Some things you don’t want to change. Quinn’s Almost By the Sea in the “old post office” is one of them.

Rain today. Kona always needs rain. So, it’s a good thing.

So far so good with the off-year election results. I am too afraid to even think about the Presidential election next year. I lived through one Trump administration. Don’t think I could survive another. It’s too horrid to contemplate.

November 6, 2023November 7, 2023

Kona Day 7

Old DMV Office at the even older airport.

Big event around here this morning was the WiFi didn’t work. I raced to the illogical conclusion that recent solar activity took out the entire internet. Soon discovered that there was cell signal. And electricity. So, the sun was OK. Found the router. Turned it off. Drank a cup of coffee. Turned it back on. Fiat WiFi.

The Twilight Zone

Will I ever stop feeling like I have to always be “doing something”? I mean, is reading a book “doing something”? (I always considered reading a book a reward after a day filled with “doing something”.) Think I should expand my concept of “doing something” to include book reading, paper folding, and coffee drinking.

Today’s “doing something” culling and cataloging the photos from my Northwest Passage trip. There are a lot of them. That’s a lot of “doing something”.

November 5, 2023November 5, 2023

Kona Day 6

Zebra Dove. He came to breakfast this morning.

Lazy Sunday for me. Still waking up too early. But so what?

Checked out Safeway this morning. It’s open 24/7 so I went as soon as it was light enough to see where I was walking. I am not impressed with Safeway on the mainland. And, I am not impressed with Safeway on Big Island. But, since it’s the closest grocery, I checked it out. I hoped Safeway improved since last year. It hadn’t.

The Twilight Zone

What does getting old feel like? I was asked that the other day. For me, getting old feels like an effort. Absolutely everything is an effort. This requirement for effort is exacerbated by a corresponding decrease in energy. Maybe there is an effort/energy continuum.

Made it into the ocean. Happy to report that my mask and snorkel still work fine. But, I had to make the effort to get into my swimtogs, find my gear, and walk to the pier. The ocean was worth the effort. Any number of things are no longer worth the effort. I presume that someday, breathing will no longer be worth the effort and it will be game over.

In the meantime, I am trying to follow Carlton’s directions: Shut up, suit up, and show up. And enjoy the ride.

UPDATE: Drinking coffee and eating chocolate is effortless.

November 4, 2023

Kona – Day 5

Made it to the pier for sunrise today. Not hard to do when you wake up at 0400 hours. Made it back to the pier for a little swim later in the morning. It was good. Really good. I went in with just an old lady-kind swimsuit and a rashie. No wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, or camera. I’ll get geared up. But, I like to reacclimate to the ocean before I charge off into the blue.

Also made it down to Honls today. Not ideal for surfing.

Honls is about a mile and a quarter from the pier.

That is about my world. I go “up” to the grocery, drug store, and all those sorts of places. Bars, restaurants, a few hotels and condos are along the water. Years ago after a tsunami damaged (just a little damage) a house next to Honls it was for sale for a little under a million dollars. I wanted that house bad. But Carlton said he would divorce me if I bought it. And, I am pretty sure he meant it. I kept my money and my husband. The house is still there. I haven’t gone on Zillow to check it out.

The one to the left was seriously damaged by the tsunami. The one I wanted was only a little damaged.

I am glad the a kept Carlton and let someone else have the house.

November 4, 2023

Kona Day 4

The coffee parade is a small parade, but Kona loves any parade.

The Tako Drummers are the highlight of the parade.

I declared jetlag over this morning at 4 AM. I had a single one-hour nap after lunch. No more spending all day being a lay abed.

November 2, 2023

Kona Day 3

Throw netting. But no fish, so no throwing. He didn’t waste much time. It took him about 5 minutes to decide that it wasn’t happening today.

Crushed by jet lag today. And, I have a little cold. Not Covid. A cold.

Billy and I went for a little walk early this morning and then had an excellent but huge breakfast. By the time I got back home, it was 10:30 and I was tired and in a bit of a food coma. So, I spend the day lounging, reading, and napping. Sorry, that’s not very exciting. But, that’s what I did or really didn’t do today.

November 2, 2023

Kona Day 2

Got a few things at the grocery. I am going to seriously try to eat “better” for a couple of months.

Checked out the scenery at the pier on the way home from the grocery.

Did nothing today. Except a couple of walks. And a couple of naps. I discovered that a couple more local friends died last year. When you don’t do Facebook, you miss things like that.

It’s getting dark and I am getting hungry. Time to get into the kitchen. Shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, I am thinking. Too bad there isn’t a ripe avocado in the house. But, if that’s the worst thing that happens, then it has been a good day.

October 31, 2023October 31, 2023

Halloween/Kona

Got a lei, a ride from the airport, and a starter food bag from Billy.

On the first leg of my trip, I found myself next to Cal Ripken Jr. Now, I didn’t know who he was. He put my bag in the overhead. After a while one of the cabin attendants came and shook the man’s hand. Then the first officer comes by and shakes hands. More flight attendants so up. This large man shakes hands and signs autographs. Actually writes messages to people. No one asks for a selfie. This large man takes off his sweater revealing a shirt advertising a Cal Ripken Sr Foundation Golf Tournament. Finally, I asked the large man if he was Jr. He said yes. I told him that I had read that he was a gracious man and that I was happy to see that he really was. The man was allowed to fly the rest of the way in peace. And when we got to Phoenix he got my bag down and went off to where ever he was going to deliver a speech. And I headed off to my next flight. Where I was really lucky to be next to a woman that I didn’t know, but we know a lot of the same people. We spent the entire trip talking. That made the 6-hour flight go very quickly.

Billy picked me up and got me to the condo. I went across the street to check out the ocean. Happy to report that it is still there.

Ocean and lei are good. But this is what I am looking forward to!

At 5PM I am totally exhausted. The goal is to stay up until dark.

October 30, 2023October 30, 2023

Monday.

It’s still too warm for almost November, but a change is definitely on the way.

The Twilight Zone

Dinner tonight was billed as: Peg’s Last Supper. We should not lose focus. Every dinner could be our last. Three people died over the last 3 days here. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

While I was in the Arctic our fine gardener quit. But, his wonderful marigolds are blooming away in fall colors. To remind us that next year we might be back to “Professional Grounds-Keeping Service Impatients”.