Free Wheeling on Halloween

We started Wednesday with a breakfast at a small restaurant in a very picturesque setting.  The Gazebo is very popular and the waiting line was around an hour.  This gave us time to meet and talk with our linemates, Linda and Bryce from Vancouver Island.  They are regular visitors here and one of their first stops is always the Gazebo.  The food was good.  Bryce and Linda were so fun and enlightening that we ended up sitting together.  The restaurant sits on a bluff overlooking Napili Bay.

The Gazebo Restaurant and part of the line.

Napili Bay from the Gazebo

Bryce and Linda from inside the Gazebo

 We drove north a bit but found the wind fairly strong so we turned around drove to Black Rock, the promontory lava flow that juts out amidst Kaanapali Beach.  We arrived around 11 and stayed till 4.  The beach was beautiful but so very crowded (from our perspective, if we had been here in December there would have been 4 times as many people here.)  We nestled up against the Black Rock shielding us against the north wind. We tried to fit in with the Sheraton crowd that emptied from the luxurious resort nearby.  The water was so very clear, tropical fish and one turtle languished under our masks, and we must have watched 200 people jump off Black Rock.  An entertaining day, one that distracted me from getting much progress from my Kindle.

Black Rock Beach near the Sheraton

The water was very clear, no wind, a few fish, and a turtle.  Barb exits from snorkeling.

Around 2 p.m. the jumpers begin.  First the locals..

Then the tourists..   We must have watched 200 people jump.

I tried to keep my Kindle story going but there were so many distractions

Sunset at the beach across the road from our Condo. 

Happy Halloween.  For us there were no tricks and an abundance of treats.

Life Style Change

On, Friday the 19th we arrived here in Maui.  Nathan picked us up at the airport as his family had arrived a few hours earlier.  Alton and Marti Ann were waiting at the airport as well as they had arrived after Nathan and before us.  We all gathered at the Kaanapali,Beach Club with Erin (Barb's niece), Mark, and their two kids, and Vicki and Ed, who all had arrived the day before.  All four families have now headed for home.  Today we dropped Vicki and Ed off at at the airport at 10 a.m. and turned in the communal van.  Barb and I then picked up a convertible Mustang and took off for the beaches.  After a short stop at the sugar museum, we headed for Kihei which I think is my favorite place on the isle, so far.  Lots of mid range and very high range condos, some in resorts, but you do not see the high rise edifices that we lived in last week (no regrets).  Parks and beaches dotted the coastline and we picked out two to experience today.  Unfortunately the wind picked up in the p.m and the snorkeling was not that great.  However, as the wind subsides later in the week, we know where we are going.    We did drive down to Makena State Park which has the longest white sand, undeveloped beach on the island.

We are home tonight, eating up the leftovers the other 4 groups have left us, and, of course, watching Dancing with the Stars.

Barb exiting from snorkeling at Ulua Beach

Makena State Park

Across the street from our condo, Kahana

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The banyan tree, downtown Lahaina.  Yes, all one tree

Lunch today along the road.  These stands are frequent

Island Drive

The tsunami, thankfully, was a bust.  On the west side of Maui, where we are, the waves only reached 1 1/2 feet above normal.  We visited the north side of the island today, the most vulnerable side, and saw one area where the water barely splashed over the sand berm into the parking lot.  Nothing unusual.  The locals took it in stride relating that "this stuff happens all the time".

We spent the day driving, with Vicki and Ed, the central part of Maui, rising up some 3500 feet to view pastoral settings, cattle ranches, a few farms, a winery, and a memorial to Sun Yat Sen.  SYS spent part of his boyhood and early adulthood here in Maui, returning to his native China to lead a revolution for the establishment of the Chinese republic, 1912.  He is still very revered in China but many of his democratic efforts were drowned out by the conflict between Mao and Chiang Kai-shek.

Vicki and Ed joined us to wait out the tsunami. 

From 2000 feet looking  northwest up the west coast of Maui

The high country roads.

Sun Yat Sen memorial

Our day ended with a visit to the village of Paia on the north central coast.

Sitting here waiting for the Tsunami

We are in a tsunami watch and some areas are being evacuated.  Our condo is on the west side of Maui and the fourth floor unit is across the street from the beach and up the hill from the shore.  Even though some nearby tsunami sirens have sounded, we are safe.   We spent the afternoon unaware of the "possible" wave issues as explored some local beaches and spent some time looking out onto the ocean. 

Breakfast at Kapalua Golf Course

Afternoon pause on lanai of V and E's condo.

Maui north

D T Fleming beach near Kapalua

Hawaii

It started out as an idea to reward Nathan and Cailyn for all their work on the wedding.  We will provide the room if you can get yourself there.  The destination is Maui and we have done it in big fashion.  Marti Ann and Alton (Cailyn's folks) and Vicki (barb's sister), Ed, their daughter Erin and her husband Mark and their two kids joined us.  The party turned into a group of 10 adults and 5 kids, 5 years old and younger.  Fun

Vicki's grandkids and Barb's grandkids awaiting dinner in the condo

On a boat ride to do some swimming and snorkeling

First try at a boogey board

A teachable moment.  A banana tree in the condo's garden

swimming and snorkeling at Kapalua Beach

Pictures at the Condo's beach

Nathan taking Jane down the slide at the condo's pool

It has been a very busy week and I have not had much energy to blog.  However, this is a week that will live in our memories forever.

Happy birthday, Hope

What a grand Lady.  My oldest sister, she was 16 when I was born, and she often takes the role of my mother.  Of that I have no regret as she held me accountable, exposed me to new horizons, and supported me in my every endeavor.  This is the lady that taught me that every horizon is attainable.   God Bless and thank you, Hope,  for your 82 years.  Happy birthday.  I love you!

Return to Normalcy after Bad Blood Part 2

During late August and early September, I built myself up for the upcoming hemorrhoid surgery on Sept 18.  For most people, it would have been a simple procedure, done as an out patient, and recovery at home.  For me, it was decided that the surgery should be done in the hospital with a one night stay to monitor bleeding.  All went well and the recovery was "by the book" until  Sept 24 when I had another major bleed.  It was Bad Blood deja vu  with a trip to the ER, admittance, and IV's of clotting factor.  Thankfully, as the docs were planning that I must return to surgery, the bleeding stopped and further surgery was not needed.  So, three days in the hospital, 7 days of IV's, and a rerun of many procedures that I had experienced in February.  I now have made myself a pact that only in the most desperate of circumstances will I allow a surgeon any proximity.

Life has now returned to normal. Barb has completed her part time 3 weeks with the school district testing kindergarten students.  The g kids are now coming back one night a week, we are enjoying the sunny although extremely dry conditions of our back yard.   We are  also making final plans for our Maui trip, departing the 19th for a two week adventure.  One week will be with N, C and gkids.  Fun

Jane's 5th birthday

Grayson in GramB's daisy patch

Doin' the Puyallup

Grayson and GramB in the bean tepee

Celebrating Nathan's and Eric's birthdays

Janie helping GramB bake cookies

Picking veggies for dinner