Category: The DayBook

Why don’t I just stay here? Oh, I know… It’s not a good plan. But.

Before I forget. I shared a table at dinner on Tuesday with a very nice 101-year-old woman. Her large family was eating at another table in the restaurant. She shared my table because she couldn’t understand what anyone was saying at her table. I understand that. Many of my 80-something friends have that same problem when eating with a crowd. At the end of dinner, she wanted to introduce me to her son. Apparently, he is 80-something and she thinks he needs a girlfriend! I gave her my line about age-appropriate men looking for nurses or purses. She understood that.

So, I could live another 20 years. But, I doubt that very seriously. And what would I do differently if I knew I would live another 20 years? Absolutely nothing. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

By the way Joe. How about pardoning Leonard Peltier?

I did my nice little 2-mile lap down to Honls and back first thing this morning. I’ll miss that walk when I get back to The Asylum. A friend suggested maybe I needed a virtual reality headset for my walk so I could have the ocean running. I don’t think VR is advanced enough to do that safely yet, especially for “the elderly.”

And I told you it was windy at South Point yesterday. We almost didn’t go because it might be “too windy”. As it turned out “too windy” was what made it fun.

I know I should be concerned about the Orange Lord’s return in less than six weeks. I wish it wasn’t going to happen. I voted. I donated money. The world changed and I didn’t. All of the Billionaire Boys Club members kissed the ring. I don’t have a chicken in this fight.  

And a fine market it was. I got green beans, bananas, and papayas, earrings, and a shirt supporting the Kau wrestling team. And a “cupcake” manapua. Billy got a bunch of smoked meat from an old friend and Monique got Xmas gifts.

Gotta stop at Punaluu Black Sand Beach on the way home.

The Punaluu Bakery is a mandatory stop.

We pass the cut-off to South Point heading home.

And we drive past Ama’s Food Truck.
Oops, Turn around a second time.
Scored some awesome fish tacos.
An excellent road trip.

Just another day in paradise. You’ll have to take my word about the dolphins. They were too far away for cell phone photography.

But, it’s not all sunshine and marine mammals.

There is this intersection that I hate. The wait to cross is hours. Before I was old and decrepit, I jay-walked like any normal person. My newly timid self has decided that the risk-reward ratio doesn’t favor jaywalking at my age except for early Sunday mornings.

An expedition is planned to the Naalehu Farmers Market tomorrow. The actually have farmers in Naalehu. Back in the day that was were our milk came from. I think it comes from California now.

I hope no one asks “what did you do today”? Went for a walk and breakfast with Billy. Went to the grocery for milk and bread. Did some computer stuff. Listened to an audiobook. According to my watch, I walked 4 miles. That’s it. Period. Full Stop.

It’s been a fine day.

Just a little Sunday Fun with photos. 

Went for one of my usual walks this morning.

Paid a visit to my origami friends who have a table at the monthly street market. I purchased a Shime-kazari which I may or may not be able to safely transport back to The Asylum. Mostly, I just try to support my fellow paper folders.

Or as Carlton might have said: If you think you’re having fun you’re having fun.

Another lazy winter day in Kona. But there were some splashes over the seawall at high tide this morning.

The Seabourn Quest is on a 45-day wander around the Pacific en route to Sydney. The Explorer is resting up and getting ready to start its winter season of trips around Kona. In the summer, it works the Inside Passage in Alaska.

And, two minutes of turtle frustration.

You don’t know about The World? Then you need to read about it. From CNN. Scandals and Secrets.

One Christmas day 20 years ago or so, The World was visiting Kona. After reading about it, Carlton and Auntie Nona decided that they would open the Place for a few hours just in case some people from the ship might come into the village on Xmas morning. Carlton would take care of the Palace and Nona would do the gift shop. The gift shop had the best day it ever had. 

The Twilight Zone

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About my fearful old woman problems. Thanks to everyone for their support. Especially Billy and Monique who took me to beaches where I could no longer swim, snorkel, dive, or surf. One location is only accessible by a 4-mile RT hike. (We looked at it from across the bay.)  It has been out of the question for many years. But, I can still enjoy those beaches just in a different manner.  It’s a matter of stopping while I am ahead with lots of good memories. Carlton stopped “big” public speaking events in his mid-70s because he didn’t want to start saying “well ah you know like”. He wanted to go out near the top of his game. And he did.

Accept and Adapt. I’ll be going to dinner this evening early enough to get safely home before full dark.

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Last night I get a call from Billy. Do I want to go to Honaunau tomorrow? Yes, I do. Ok, says Billy, we’ll pick you up after we feed the chickens. (Did I mention that Kona is country?)

About 7am Billy and Monique show up and we head south. Stopping at a grocery for breakfast provisions.

I am all settled in a very nice chair and the young people go for a swim.

Heading back towards home.

Time to get lunch. Take out from KTA. (Our Big Island supermarket chain with Japanese roots.) We score a nice picnic table in the shade.

I was returned to my apartment where I promptly took a nap. The old lady can only stand so much fun. I totally enjoyed my trip to the beaches. And it was OK that I didn’t go in the water.  Accept and Adapt. 

 

The village lost power for a couple of hours this afternoon. Not good since it’s boat day and the shops need every sale. The tattoo shop in my building had to move some customers outside. Tattoo “guns” seem to work on battery, but they need to see what they are doing.

The Twilight Zone

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I hate this! I was always fearless. I ran towards trouble not away from it. Nothing scared me. Nothing except jellyfish. But, I am turning into a cowardly old lioness. I go out to eat dinner at 4:45 so I’ll be home before dark. Not because I am afraid of being mugged. I am afraid of tripping on the uneven sidewalk walking home in the dark. I sort out my 3 drugs because I am afraid I’ll forget to take them. I make two trips to the lanai at mealtime. One trip to carry the food and a second trip to carry the electronics. I am afraid of dropping something. I haven’t gone snorkeling this year. I must be afraid of something. I hate this. I want to be a fearless old woman. I am not even sure I can fix this condition. This may be another Accept and Adapt opportunity.

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Hawaiian Electric had a power failure today and so did I. I attribute my personal power failure to the Covid shot I got yesterday.

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.