life in the old lane

Day started out at the Old Airport. It was clear. It was cool. And, you could see Maui from the walking path. I didn’t even know it was possible to see Maui from way down here. 

After a walk – Billy proposes a trip up north. I say I’ll spring for lunch. Back to hotel where I get some cash for lunch and my swim gear.

Heading north – we get more coffee and egg rolls for breakfast. Hey, they are called EGG rolls. Pig, grease, salt – what is not to love. Oh got gas too.

Stopped at the Mac Nut Works – wandered through for snacks. 

Then off to Mahukona. Neither of us had snorkeled there.

Mahukona is an old train/ship embarkment from the sugar cane days. Now you can just jump in and …

But, actually, as soon as I got underway – a nice fat eel swims by. A fine omen.

These white spotted surgeonfish were the most interesting fish  today. But it is always interesting  to snorkel at a new place. And the place had the additional charm of no changing facilities. The jury rigged shower was wimpy but warm. And, we could see Maui. Even the windmills.

Off to lunch at Kawaihae Harbor. Salad and kalua turkey sandwich. Good lunch. And then we wandered back south stopping to check out some galleries. I didn’t buy anything. Not even earrings. Got ice cream sandwiches and returned to exciting downtown Kailua-Kona. 

There was no preexisting plan to do this. It was just a splendid morning. Too great a day to waste indoors.  

Someone always has better gear! Even underwater. 

I realized today that this is the one year anniversary of Carlton’s final disposition. While eating lunch on my lanai, I reflected on our long goodbye.

The wheels fell off on Dec 1, 2012 when Carlton came home from a night gig and said – you know that little bump on my chest… That began 22 months of constant worry – on my part at least – until Oct 3, 2014 when he died. Then for the next 16 months or so he was at Georgetown Medical School doing his job as a cadaver. After that his ashes were a plinth for favorite pair of froufrou shoes for another 6 months and finally he flew back to Hawai’i wrapped up in my wetsuit in a flat rate shipping box to be deposited over the edge of the seawall at GPS coordinates 

19°38’21” N 155°59’40” W

I am grateful for those last awful 22 months.  He did everything he could to be sure I would be OK. And OK I am. Thank you, Carlton. a hui hou, malama pono.

But, today was not only about reflecting on Carlton. It was about the ocean and swimming. 

Got a nice picture of the saddle wrasse. They are curious little fish and are easy to photograph.

Not so, the pink tail trigger fish. Their coloration is hard to photograph and they don’t stand and pose.  But, these are the best fish shots of the day.

Dinner time:  what to make?  Maybe a sandwich. Nothing wrong with a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Not up to the standards at the Asylum.  I am not at all sure that I am up to the standards at the Asylum either. And, there is always Mac and Cheese – choices. A good thing. 

 

I was feeling pretty lazy this morning and was not sure that I would go out for a swim. But, following Carlton’s rule of “Shut up, suit up and show up”. Out I went.  I was barely underway when I find a little octopus. Some years, I don’t see any octopus, so this is great.

Then I find the akule school – at least part of it.

We are talking about a river of fish – thousands. It is like swimming around in a National Geographic iMax movie. 

My $100 camera doesn’t do it justice. (My $100 camera doesn’t do anything justice – but – I don’t do underwater photography anymore.)

Nevertheless , I keep trying to make a nice movie with my $100 camera. I put this one up because I am floating around on top enjoying the fish – when a gang of predators come buzzing by. They were just checking out today’s offerings at the fish snack bar – these akule are the wildebeest of our ocean. It is only 20 seconds max. Give it a look. 

By and by, I decided that my legs might be getting sunburned – so I head back in. Feeling a little sad that I wouldn’t be able to share today’s ocean adventure with Carlton – when what should appear but:

So, Carlton is still hanging out in the bay… Checking on me. 

Great day today. Now, the coqui frog has started up. So, that means it is time for me to prepare dinner.

Really lazy day today. The promised rain and jellyfish failed to materialize. But, it was cloudy and muggy. So, I did laundry and worked a little on tidying up my life. 

Washed the finest socks in the TSA line.

I have been assured that these bad boys go into the washer and dryer. Well, they went into the washer. But, I didn’t put them in the dryer. 

There is a story. Once upon a time long long ago… I wore polyester. 100% polyester. Everything was polyester. I was not unique.  Many unfortunates were clad from top to bottom from the skin out in polyester. 

I was traveling. I had been traveling for a long time. I found a laundromat. I took off my clothes. Put on my polyester bikini. And my raincoat. I think it might not have been 100% polyester. It was Burberry. I put every stitch of clothing that I had – except the bikini and raincoat in the washer. When the washing is done… I pop everything in the dryer – set it to LOW – and retire to a nearby saloon to await clean dry clothes.

I should have checked the dryer. It only had one temperate. And, that one temperature was not LOW. It was HOT. After 60 minutes of blazing hot – my entire wardrobe was either melted and/or shrunk to doll size. This was in some outpost of civilization in Mediterranean.  And, all I had was a bikini and a raincoat. Albeit a very fine Burberry raincoat. 

Even after 50 years, I am deeply suspicious of all clothes dryers. (And polyester)

OOPS, I just heard thunder. Maybe it will rain. At least upslope. 

The only thing on the agenda today was laundry. Well, friend Billy calls and proposes a trip down south of breakfast and a little walk about. Laundry can wait. 

Back home by noon – time for a nap. No need for lunch. Then out for a nice swim.

Still no good fish fotos – the Picasso trigger fish is always pretty.

And, the Crown of Thorns is always ugly.

Tomorrow’s weather forecast calls for lots of rain with chance of jellyfish. Might do laundry. 

Not all that happy with my photography since I finished The Last Great Photo Shoot. Guess I’ll just keep shooting and deleting. At least it is cheaper to be in a photo slump than it was in film time.

I didn’t do my normal careful job of getting ready to move to winter quarters this year. I was afraid to jinx the whole thing. When woman plans the goddess laughs. 

So, what did I forget to bring: any origami papers, books or tools. And my dorky hat. Not too bad. But, I have been doing this of over 20 years. I shouldn’t have to do much thinking. 

Wonder if I have lost any weight since I started feeding myself? Pretty sure I stopped the expansion. I figured that at the rate I was on I’d be tipping the scales at 200 pounds before too many years go by. 

I rather like the lady bug… And the damn coqui frogs are starting up, so, it must be dinner time. Really shouldn’t complain about the frogs. There are only a few  on the hotel grounds. It could be worse. And, they make an excellent reminder that it is time to get dinner together.

Nothing to report today. Not even any interesting photos.

I did spend some time catching up on “paper” work. And, I got rid of the 174 emails in my “important email” box. No way I could have 174 “important” emails. Some dating back to 2016. Think this is a part of my attempt to get some more white space in my life.

Had peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, egg and cheese and avocado sandwich for lunch. I could have a chicken sandwich for dinner – but that might be excessive. Brussel sprouts, chicken, maybe some rice.

The dog really doesn’t look very happy.

Oh and I have been trying to learn to love Safari. I really like the Reader Mode feature. And, it makes it easier to squash those pesky zombie ads that follow you around. Like toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe.

I have known this dog since he was I puppy. His owner is at the top of the image on his paddle board. 

And what is Blue about this Tuesday – well, the Democrats did really well in the first election since the orange lord. 

Added jelly and salad dressing to my larder today. Made fine chicken and avocado stuffed pita for lunch. Undecided about dinner. Poached eggs and avocado, maybe. Everything is better with avocado.

and – looking down

Always happy to get a picture of a Christmas Wrasse. Oh, there are a lot of them. But, they love the surge zone. So, it is kind of like trying to photo graph a sock in a washing machine. Oh,  you are in the washing machine too.

Hoping tomorrow’s election will be a win for the good guys.  I did run my tax numbers today. results = ugly.

Tired. Dozing off. Better post this and go nite nite.

Went out for a small swim today. It was wonderful. The water is still about 80°. Toasty warm. And, all the fish anyone could want. 

Technology working better today. Accounting s/w still wonky, but I would worry if it wasn’t. Gotta do some serious what if analysis of the proposed tax train wreck. Well, let us be fair “train wreck” for me. Nothing I can do about it. Funny how “my deduction” is the other guy’s “loop hole”. Let us just say I have been taking advantage of a sweet loophole for the last couple of years. The the tax train may run off the track before it gets out of Congress. Still, need to “what if” it.

T-Mobile has acknowledged the iPad exists. That is good. And, Alexa is once again connected to the hotel’s captive WiFi. 

About the cooking business. I added eggs, salsa, and peanut butter to my cupboard today.  So, now, I don’t have to run out to the grocery 3 times a day! Avocado, tuna, pineapple salad is on tap for dinner. And chocolate cake. 

Technology was not my friend today. My always prickly accounting software wasn’t playing nice. My T-Mobile account refused to admit that I exist. And Alexa will not connect to wifi today. None of these are worth getting all worked up about. Just annoying. I did order a Google Data Sim, just in case. I am not 100% sure it will work with my old iPad – but, if T-Mobile doesn’t remember me… I’ll sure try it. 

This lovely little ship showed up today.  I think I would be very happy floating around on it.

Realized today that I am the grocery shopper, cook, and cleanup squad. I have gotten pretty spoiled at the Asylum. 

Hummm, what will dinner be? I have avocado, papaya, pineapple, yogurt, chicken, rice, cheese and popcorn. Should be able to come up with dinner.

It is “coffee festival” time in Kona. Most, if not all, of the original coffee farmers in Kona were Japanese. And the coffee festival still has Japanese cultural underpinnings. For example, the local Hongwanji Mission’s Tako Drummers.

A very laid back day today. But, that is the idea. Stop being the Energizer Bunny. Chill. My big challenge is to stay awake until 9 PM and to then stay asleep until 4 AM.

The Orange Lord stopped over in Honolulu today. The general feeling was “Wish You Were Not Here”.