life in the old lane

I had decided last night that I would have a peanut butter and banana sandwich for dinner and have breakfast this morning. Which I did. Two eggs, rice, awesome bacon, toast, and coffee.

The ocean looked even rougher than usual – so – I decided to make one more run at my old hotel and try to get my wetsuit back. Not only did I get my wetsuit back but I got invited to a retirement lunch for one of my oldest friends on the island. 

So, I am very well fed tonight. Dinner will be coffee. And maybe yogurt. 

I got more than a wetsuit back. I got a big old 25-gallon plastic storage box full of stuff. I guess some of it will follow me back to the asylum. I should just close it back up and take it to the thrift shop without further investigation.

It seems pretty silly to be rapidly approaching 78 and still lug wetsuit, mask, snorkel, and fins around. But, I love snorkeling. I hate being cold. And, I don’t know if I can still wiggle into the wetsuit. There is more to me than there was in March 2020.

The water was warm and pleasantly bouncy. But, it was rather like swimming in a sand storm. No fish pictures today.

There are at least 6 roosters in the condo. This one is on the lanai and his job is to hold underdrawers while they dry. 

Today, Alexa finally agreed to connect to wifi here. I was giving her one last chance before stuffing her back in the suitcase. This time, I plugged into a 12watt adapter vice the original 8watt adapter.  Maybe that little extra juice was what was needed to find new wifi? It is fine now on the original 8watt adapter.  

Two minutes of silliness as two girls venture out into the bay. They were fine. I saw them get out at a break in the sea wall and they walked back. Not sure how well their feet survived a very long block of hot concrete. 

Having my usual dinner debate. In or Out? Eating in is the way to go if I am serious about losing the Covid weight. 

Nice Kona kind day today. Zoom yoga from 7-8. Breakfast and a little work. Then a nice snorkel run. Conditions were not ideal. But, It was still grand. There is nothing better than slipping under the water and floating off.  When I was coming back in, I swam around with the pufferfish. We are both fat and lazy, so we are well matched. Then, I decided to shoot a little video as I was coming into the beach. Figured I should practice in case I ever find anything truly video-worthy.

And now it is 5:30 and I am hungry. Dinner out is appealing. But so is dinner in.  Good to have options.

Failure to follow these directions may result in death or fire. That is the warning inside the dryer. Death or Fire. Pretty serious warning. That wasn’t a helpful note from the owner. It was from the manufacturer. That was today’s adventure. Figuring out how to operate the fancy LG washer and dryer. I had to go on You-Tube to find out how to run the washer. I just winged the dryer. No death. No fire. 

Feeling sub-par today.  So, I took it easy. For the second day in a row. Really slacking off in my old age. 

Wandered down to the pier to see if anything was going on at 5PM. Nothing was going on. But the light was interesting.

Since March 2020 I have looked at that view from the webcam on the Fish Hopper. And this morning my friend Billy and I had breakfast at Fish Hopper. Not real sure why the restaurants here are still in extreme Covid mode. It’s not like any of them have actual walls. Well, I do know one that has walls. And it isn’t open at all. Just the drive-through.

In a concession to my advanced age, I decided to take the day off today. No work. No fast walking. No swimming. Just chill-laxing. It was a good day for that. It clouded up before noon and was even drizzling a bit around sunset time.

I have enjoyed the last two days without any jackhammering. This building is about 50 years old. And, I am just guessing that the Surfside condo collapse was a Come to Jesus moment for the owners of this rather tired building. I am on the first floor. There is a parking garage under me. And this is what the floor outside my door looks like.

That would be exposed rebar. I don’t know if it has been exposed for a while of if it was just revealed by the jackhammering. I am perfectly happy to rent something here but wouldn’t like to be an owner. And, if I want to worry. I can always remind myself that this area has lots of earthquakes. But, I am not in the least bit concerned.

Didn’t get very close to these palani. They are browsing the ocean floor and I am floating around on top. There is about 20 feet between us. There are always palani off the pier. In fact, the road that runs down to the pier is called Palani. The fish are rather large (about 20 inches) and are eaten. 

I think they were doing an open water lesson.  I always feel safer when someone from Jack’s Diving is in the water. 

That was about it for activity today. I had some work to do. And, I was a little tired today. Had peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast, and Carlton’s favorite – Spam Musubi (Spam, rice, and seaweed) for lunch. Dinner. I don’t know yet. 

A bunch of anti-vaxers just had a “parade” down the street. There be crazies everywhere. 

It may be Aloha Friday. But I have some work to get done by Monday. But, that is totally OK. Better than doing the work back at The Asylum where it is currently 34°. I am glad that I bought the new computer which runs a lot cooler and all day on battery so WFH is on the lanai.

Started the day with a brisk walk to Honls. It’s a mile one way. If I walk fast enough both ways that’s about enough aerobics for an old woman. But, I stop for a rest at the beach. It’s not a good swimming beach for me. There isn’t a good way in. It is a surf spot. But the ocean was choppy this morning. Hence, no surfers.

But, there was yoga. 

However, not everyone is into yoga.

Later, I went down to my swimming spot. It was even choppier. And the water was cloudy. But, it was still good. 

After all that this morning. Lunch. Nap. Read. Mess with photos. Hungry now. That means I have to cook. I can do that. Omelet, with cheddar cheese and avocado maybe. And a KitKat bar for dessert. We are close enough to Japan here in Kona to have 5 or 6 flavors of KitKat bars. 

In addition to losing a place to live. When my hotel closed, I lost access to my box of stuff. Most importantly, my wetsuit and fins. I can get along without my wetsuit. My five pounds of Covid blubber will have to provide warmth and buoyancy.  I never left my expensive mask and pipe at the hotel.  So, all I needed was fins. Well, fortunately, I like  (and use) cheap-ass fins that you can buy at any store selling cheap “tourist grade” snorkel gear.  So, this morning I went to the grocery store and bought a pair of $20 fins. Not suitable for diving. But just what I wanted. 

Now, time to get the water for the first time in almost 2 years. I am apprehensive.  I am older.  I stash my bag in the racks. I toddle down the stairs. I put the mask on. And take a selfy with the GoPro. Maybe they will put that picture on The Table of The Dead back at The Asylum if I drown. Ok, off into the water. Put on the new fins. And…

and… it was great. I could still swim. The snorkel didn’t need an overhaul. The mask didn’t leak. The fins worked fine and didn’t blister my feet. Didn’t see anything special. Not a problem. After a half-hour, I knew it was time to get out.  So, I showered off and went to sit on the end of the pier.

This is 2 minutes of absolutely nothing. 

Just off the end of the pier is Paul Allen’s house. He wasn’t lucky enough to get old. 3 pro sports teams, 2 of the best yachts on the planet, and 1 Boeing 747 and he didn’t get the chance to be old. 

Would I have been willing to die at age 65 in exchange for 3 pro sports teams, 2 of the best yachts on the planet, and 1 Boeing 747, and that great house? Nope, Not even close. 

Just like Google promised. The Kona Market was open this morning. It is much smaller.  I got bananas, papayas, avocados, and one lime. Then I went off to the grocery for more provisions. I made an excellent lunch. Sticky rice, avocado, and a softboiled egg. The sticky rice came from the sushi maker at the grocery. My lodging is very well outfitted. But no rice cooker. 

My landlord owns a Mexican restaurant/bar across the alley. The restaurant has been here a long time – 35 years according to the sign. But, I had not eaten there until last night. Pretty good fish tacos. 

Wandered around town today. Felt very tired and old. Then I discovered that I had wandered almost 5 miles. Maybe that had something to do with being fatigued. Old age sucks! Then I remind myself, old age is a privilege denied to many. 

Yes, we have no bananas. Or papayas or avocados. Wonder what happened to the Farm Market. According to Google, it will be back tomorrow. I will be looking for it. Not buying bananas, papayas, and avocados at the supermarket if I can help it.

A nice gecko lives on my lanai. It is a very nice lanai.

But, it isn’t all wonderful.

After Zoom yoga 6 AM to 7 AM, I was having oatmeal on the lanai. Then time for the garbage truck. 

I did my regular yoga class this morning and then went for a walk. Trying hard to get my old body back into shape. But, I think it is a lost cause. The last 20 months have not been kind to old women. Or anyone for that matter. 

Went to dinner at my landlord’s restaurant. Fine fish tacos. The waitstaff called me “dear”. The flight attendants also called me “dear”. If only those children knew how very “un-dear” I am.

The ocean is open. But a lot of stuff isn’t. The stuff that real people need, grocery stores, drug store, WalMart, Cosco, Mickey D’s, Lowes, these places are open. But, over half of the tourist businesses are shuttered. Underneath my apartment is a small “shopping arcade”. Every single shop is closed. 

Deep in the defunct arcade is this rock. The wayside says:

THIS STONE MARKS THE SITE WHERE THE FIRST HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS WAS CELEBRATED ON THE BIG ISLAND, JUNE 5, 1840. THE STONE HOUSE BELONGED TO PRINCESS KAAHUMANU IN WHICH FATHER ROBERT A., WALSA AND FATHER LOUIS E. HEURTEL LIVED AND PERFORMED THE DIVINE CEREMONY ON THAT EVENTFUL DAY IN THE ALMOST FORGOTTEN PAST.

So far not so interesting. Then I noticed the ho’okupu at the base of the stone. Is it from a Catholic? Or more likely is it from a Hawai’ian paying respects to Queen Ka’ahumanu. Her house really was on the land supporting the condo that I am renting. I suppose the gift could be from a native Hawai’ian Catholic. Getting double value from the ho’okupu. 

I greatly overestimated my perkiness. I thought I could make it until 2 before needing a nap. Not even close. Napping by noon.

Failure today. Still don’t have Alexa working. 

Did make it up the hill to the grocery. 

Groceries are expensive.

But, I wasn’t trying to economize. And the order includes sushi and a fine roast beef sandwich. A quart of 2% milk costs $3.99. (The sushi and sandwich are gone,)

Well, time to head off to do a little work, then off to bed to read a bit. Maybe I’ll get up in time for Zoom Yoga at 6 AM. 

Things were going along nicely. So nicely that I arrived at my rental ½ an hour before they expected me. The place was locked. In due time Chickie arrived to let me in. The place is fine. And the location isn’t as bad as I had feared. It is on the ground floor. I am not fond of ground floors. On an alley. But, I don’t think anyone could just hop up on to my lanai. It seems to be about 12feet above the alley.

I was my usual obsessive self. Things have to be organized, put away, etc. As soon as I arrive. Every thing is to my satisfaction for now. Except for Alexa. I’ll work on her tomorrow. I get all connected to the hospital and got some work done.

Took some time off from the insanity of organizing to go for a very small stroll to get some milk for tomorrow’s coffee. (The unit is well stocked with coffee. And I have 6 granola bars. Sounds like breakfast.)

It is 8:42PM HST.  The bed is calling me.