life in the old lane

Over the next few days, I try to introduce you to some of our local dogs. These are not like the frou-frou purse dogs who live in the ‘hood back home.

I have almost recovered from the virus, cold, sinus infection, whatever it was. Today, the weather is cloudy, windy and very humid and I am just sort of being bored. I consider being bored when one is healthy (or almost healthy) a character defect – so, I’ll have to give myself a little talking to if I am still bored tomorrow.

Since I was dog sick on the Solstice… I didn’t get the regular Yuletide greetings out.

We would like to wish everyone the best of the festive season – no matter what it’s called at your house. In pagan traditions, the solstice is a time to put away the things of the old year and look forward to the new. One observance of the solstice involves extinguishing all the fires in your home before midnight on the eve of the solstice and lighting a new fire the next day. This probably won’t be quite as symbolic if you have central heating.

The winter solstice falls on December 21 – the word solstice means “sun stopping.” The winter solstice is the day on which the sun reaches as far south of the equator as it gets, and is as such the shortest and darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The solstice marks the rebirth of light for the coming spring.

The winter solstice also marks, among other things, the druidic festival of Alban Arthuan – a time for bestowing gifts upon those less fortunate than ourselves. Out of this observance has grown the more popular tradition of gift-giving, last minute shopping, maxed-out credit cards and 70% off sales. May the goddess be with you during this season – but don’t blame her if you get socks again.

I am feeling better today. I guess I “caught” what Carlton had. Why would we say, “I caught a cold.” I wasn’t chasing the cold. I was running from the cold. Wouldn’t it be better to say “I was caught by a cold”.

Woke up this morning to find Paul Allen’s smallest (200 ft) at anchor off the pier. Which is also off his house on the point. The Meduse has a helicopter. No helicopter on board today. It must be at the airport waiting for the man to arrive.

Note to sugar daddy. I do not need a yacht. But, my very own NetJet share would be epic. Dream on, old lady, dream on.

These are the kids who came to our little village all the way from Honolulu yesterday. They came to sing Happy Birthday to Princess Pauahi (December 19, 1831–October 16, 1884).

I look forward to this every year. As we say in Hawaii – it give chicken skin. The kids sing the traditional late 19th century Hawaiian songs – which were long on perfect 5ths and Gregorian harmony. The Palace has very good acoustics for this type of music.

For one  hour a year peace and hope abides and hard edged cynicism retreats. It is a totally private event and I am honored be one of the 3 or 4 outsiders in attendance.

Here in the middle of the Pacific, we are more than a little concerned with the goings on  the Korean front.

Canoe racing is the local high school sport of choice this Saturday morning. Then this evening, I went to hear the Kamehameha Schools Concert Glee Club. They came from Honolulu to sing Happy Birthday to Princess Pauahi. Hey, you gotta be in Hawaii to understand getting on two buses and an airplane to sing Happy Birthday to someone who has been dead 125 years.

Went down to the pier earlier this week to check out the water before starting on my daily hunter-gather chores. And, I found Carlton washing his hair.

At the other end of the pier – a turtle having a breakfast of alge.

And, how would you like to be on this float…

Hey, this is Kona – what can I say? Get in the holiday spirit. Or is it spirits.

Carlton seems to be sicker today. They sent him home from “work”. Carlton was famous for never taking sick leave when he was employed. Some said it wasn’t like he actually did any work…

Carlton has laryngitis – Carlton loves to talk – Carlton’s “work” involves nonstop talking. This is not pretty.  I just stuff my ears into my iPod and refuse to listen to him rasp about not being able to talk.

This might be my year for the Round the World trip… I did it when I was in my 20’s. For less than $3,000. I am guessing that a do over will cost more. Carlton will be invited. Goodness knows, the man NEEDS some new stories to tell. Wrong, his friends NEED for him to have new stories to tell. If a 17 year old girl could live by my travel rules, surely a 77 year old man can as well. And, if he doesn’t want to come. OK. I am not going to wait until he dies to start spending the money.

I have a friend, her late husband was excessively frugal (like Carlton) and she says she wants to live long enough to spend the money that her husband wouldn’t. Her husband used to sit on our deck here at the hotel and “harumph” about the gray haired tourists ladies that would get off the cruise ship complaining that they were “spending their dead husband’s money”.

A gaggle of noisy Christians were busy baptising each other in the ocean today. I felt it would be unpagan of me to wish a swarm of jellyfish on them.