After all of our trips here, we pretty much have it down to a science Our first day here, Joe joins a gym for a month (yeah he is one of THOSE types), this year it is 24 hour FItness.  On the days he goes to the gym, he drops me off at Kailua Beach--me, my boogie board and my books (life is VERY good), when he finishes whatever he does, he comes and joins me for an hour, back to the house, shower, change and off.  If it is not a gym day, then we go early to sightsee, explore new places and revisit all of our favorites.  Already made one trip out to the North Shore, will hit it one more time before we leave.
A hike in the Waimea Valley is on the schedule next week, along with a tour of the Macademia Nut Farm.  We have been there at least 4 times--in fact we took our friends who live here to it!!--but never took the tour cause we were never there on the right day, so we are determined to do it. 

Spent yesterday at the Blaisdell (sp) Center in Honolulu at an “All things Hawaiian” show (Steve, if you are reading this, I would recommend it, it was terrific, lots and lots of samples of foods etc to try - and lots of made in Hawaii products.  We were there, along with another college friend of mine Marcia for over 4 hours.  Then off to Waikiki Beach, watched the sunset - spectacular as always, and dinner at one of our favorites.

Did I mention I could get real used to this??  My body is totally on Hawaiian time right now, I so do not want to go back to NE.  Love swimming every day, being able to stay in the water for hours without freezing to death!  Not too many negatives to living here, other than the cost of real estate and food.

Went shopping for ingredients for a dinner I made last week, plus some extras and the bill was close to what I spend a week at home.  Food is HIGH!  But you do not pay heat and a lot of other things we pay for on the mainland so I think it is a wash.

Taking everyone out for Mexican food tonight, so should be fun!

OK, just thought I should post something.  More when we return to work, home and reality!!

Ciao’

Speaking from a very distant memory, I think it was disgusting.  But he and the other men swore by it and that it kept them hydrated and cooler........So, without further ado, I give you Switchel!

5 Tablespoons Ginger
1 Cup Vinegar
3 Cups Molasses
8 quarts cold water
*Optional - 3/4 Cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

Get this really cold (seems to me, I remember it being kept cold in big milk cans in the cold water they kept the milk cold in!!) and drink!

So, am starting to make lists and try to consolidate things.  House charger for cell phones (Check!)--finally got smart and got HIM the same phone as me!!  Car charger for same (check); Digital camera (check); Charger for it, along with extra battery. (check); GPS (yes you CAN get lost on an island)--first time Joe went with me (and my trip by myself is a story for another day), I took him on a tour.  Managed to get ON the Army base, and took forever to find my way off. Of course he just sat there laughing like an idiot.  Today I would probably end up in jail-then tho, no one paid any particular attention to us--Maybe it was the jeep!  And then another day I got us to a place where the road actually ran out, no road, good for off road vehicles, but no real road, so now I take the GPS. Charger for GPS, check! Netbook (check); charger for Netbook, (check); Ipod (check); Charger for Ipod - charger for Ipod (no check, cause it is not where it should be). 

Now how ridiculous is all of the above, my life has been taken over by ‘things’ and even worse, things that all need their own little bits and pieces to make my life better!  Better?  Or more complicated?  Sometimes I wonder and sometimes I swear I am channeling my mom!!

And books, god forbid I should go on a plane without books.  I have this fear of being without one or seven.  It is like when I used to smoke, used to panic at the thought I MIGHT run out in the middle of the night or something so always had extra.  Have transferred one addiction for another, although I have to admit, this one is a lot healthier. I am hooked on a series by J.D. Ward and the latest book came out about 6 weeks ago.  I have had it since the day it came out, have touched it, picked it up, turned it over and managed to NOT read it yet.  If it is even half as good as the others in the series, I will lose myself in it for most of the trip.

This time I am trying something different. I am always excited to go so the 12-13 hours go by--well, not exactly quickly, but not too bad.  Ahh, wrong, it is bad, but I am anxious to see our friends, so I can deal.  It is coming home that is the killer, it takes me days to get back on schedule here, the 6 hour time difference coming back is awful.  SO, we are flying Vegas, spending one night in Vegas, flying out the next AM on Hawaiian Air (and I have always wanted to fly on that airline) and then on our trip home, we go back to Vegas, spend 3 days or so there and then home.  I am hoping it will be easier and if it isn’t, at least I will have some gambling time!

And that’s all I’ve got people...........assuming anyone is reading any of this anyway.  The news the last couple of days might be marginally better than it has been.  There is still too much skepticism and racism out there but I don’t think that is going to change any time soon.  Just if each one of us does our part, one by one, by one we might begin to get through to some people.

OH, and at this very moment, the Red Sox are beating the Yankees.  One can always hope!!

So, Aloha and Mahalo--first of all to Kate for being so gracious and generous in allowing me to play on her blog and to those of you who actually check in here now and again and read my nonsense and, on occasion, actually comment on it!!

Blogging from Lanikai, (Oahu), will be starting before you know it!!

Ciao!

So, what is happening?  I have a new hero, Anthony Weiner...check out this video of a speech he made yesterday, It’s Republicans wrapping their arms around Republicans--super speech, worth the time to listen to the whole thing if you can find it.  He was mad and it showed and I wish sometimes, as much as I like Obama, he would let loose on some of these incessant no to everything types the same way.  I think people would begin to pay attention and understand more of the BS that is going on.  Hell, didn’t you pay attention when your parents raised their voices and let you have it good?  I know I sure did.  My kids, not so much........but they probably knew yelling was about the size of it.  On the other hand, I knew I was going to get it good, whether it was being grounded or having to do extra chores or whatever.........if my parents raised their voices I was in deep trouble.  So maybe Obama needs to do the same thing!!

What’s been happening in your life?  Mine has been pretty boring.  Spent two weekends in the Berkshires back to back, one to meet with a rep from an auction house and then to go to my high school reunion.  We had a very small class--started with 68, 64 graduated, 7 have died and only about 23 of us went to the reunion.  As is often the case, the majority of us live out of town......in some cases WAY out of town. Singapore, Arizona, New Mexico.  People who lived 20 minutes from the country club never even responded.  Their loss.  There were quite a few who never bothered to respond one way or the other and several we do not have current addresses for.  Many of us no longer have family living in the area so it is impossible, even with constant googling - to find some people.  We had a good time and some of my friends came back to the house and we sat around and talked til after 2:30AM and then a couple of women spent the night rather than have to drive late which made more sense.  All in all it was fun; in a strange way, a few of us are way better friends today than we were back then.  We have gotten to know each other so much better and truthfully, we - well they are, anyway - are much more interesting today then we were back in high school.

I no sooner arrived home then the auction house called to say they had a pick up close to my house up there (mom’s house) and could I meet them there last Thursday so they could pick up the things they are going to sell at auction.  So, I took more time off from work, turned around and went back up there.  I am tired!!  I think it is more emotional than anything else.

Anyone know anything about tick bites??  I am so stupid that I thought it was a blood blister so ignored it for a day - then something clicked and I realized what it was.  SO got rid of it.  It was about two weeks ago and have had a bunch of different advice.  Go to a doctor, don’t go unless you have symptoms, get a blood test, ask for antibiotics.  What to do..........so I did what I usually do.  Nothing!!  I am guessing it came in on the cat and since she is an outdoor cat and always cuddled in my lap when she is inside, it is not surprising.

We leave for my favorite vacation place very soon now and will be there for quite a while.  I am psyched!!  Watch someone will make an offer on the house the day before we leave and will want it emptied out by Labor Day and I will have to cancel the trip.  That would be SO bad. 

OK enough of my nonsense, probably better if I had continued to NOT post anything!!

Ciao’

And speaking of Hawaii, just a mere 36 days from now................but, who’s counting?  Me, that is who!! ;) My boss says she is having nightmares I will decide not to come back.  I told her if it were not for our cat, I probably wouldn’t.  Nothing else keeps me here and Joe pretty much feels the same way!!  I wish I could take her with me, but as Linkmeister can tell you, they quarantine animals for (I think) something like 3 months before they can be with you, so obviously makes no sense when we will be there for just a little over 3 weeks--this time!!  Next time, though, should be for a lot longer!!

If you have the time, read the article I posted below this...........food for thought and I really think we had best wake up and wake up quickly or our world as we know it will be totally changed.  The lunatics will be running it (if they are not already).  This should be the rallying cry for all of us who have at least some semblance of common sense left in our heads.  Thanks to Steve (a/k/a Linkmeister) for the link.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Bookshelf Porn..... I might be embarrassed to tell you how long I spent gazing on all of the sumptuous photographs. There are many people out there in the whole wide world who love books. I love peeping into their homes and public spaces filled with books. Maybe you will, too.

While poking though the Bookshelf Porn photos, I found a few of a book shop in Paris, called Shakespeare and Co., that completely captured my imagination. I think that the shop has been around nearly as long as time. It seems to be a most magnificent and magical place. Here is an article in the U.K. Guardian from last March that is a feast of word pictures. For the more visually attuned, watch this You Tube video of the bookshop and interview with the manager.

Shakespeare and Co. is one place I’d really like to visit before shuffling off this mortal coil.

Enjoy the books.

Cyn,

I apologize for being such a bother but I need to ask this favor.  So, I am going to explain the situation as best as I can.

Last Tuesday, the 22nd both my sons met with the surgeon and she outlined the situation on paper so they would be able to understand it better.  My oldest son is out as a donor because he has the same gene and because the disease is rare they don’t have a whole lot to go on other than that Peter needs a kidney transplant.  But, he also has a 50% chance of reoccurrence and in order to stop that at this time there is only one (1) drug on the shelve and it costs ---$300, 000 per year --- and the insurance does not cover it.

Where is our government Cyn? that allows these Pharmaceutical companies to make their own prices and make their own rules at people’s expense? This disease attacks mostly children and rarely grownups.  How can families afford such a price?

I have heard that some pharmaceutical companies are helpful for people that cannot afford their medication.  I am not sure if this applies to this high priced drug but I thought..... If you can tell me how to get in touch with Niki Tsongas maybe a letter to them from her office might be helpful OR she might be able to tell me what else to do.  It is all I am asking because you have met her and maybe she can help.

Again, and again I apologize but I have to reach out and do what I can do to help my son.  Thank you, Martha

Just wanted to say hello and bitch about something for a second...Why do you think there are so many naysayers about President Obama and his policies and his administration?  How can these people stand there with a straight face and complain, complain, complain.  And yet when you suggest that for 8 years the foxes were guarding the henhouse and that is why we are in such a mess, they just sneer and make some inane comment about our president and walk away.  I get so mad. 

I honestly believe some of these people--no make it MOST of these people, would have been happier with an old war hero - who is not in the best of health and an ignorant hillbilly running this country instead of an extremely intelligent, thoughtful black man?  And there is the key I suspect, a “black” man. I think racism is more rampant in this country then we ever thought.  Everyone knows there are certain parts of the country where it is pretty obvious and we all know people who are either outwardly racist or quietly racist, but I think there is far more than we ever believed.  I mean, how else can you explain it?  Sarah Palin, and she is ignorant--not stupid, she is definitely not stupid, but she is NOT intelligent.  She is little more than a hillbilly with a gift for public speaking (well to some people--personally I would rather listen to cats howling in the middle of the night) or you have someone who not only can string a lot of words together, who actually KNOWS what those words mean.  Ahhh well, what can you do.

I am going to start carrying a list of the accomplishments of this administration around with me and just hand it out to people who make nasty comments.  I met the VP of a company the other day--a company my boss works for, I was introduced to him and the person introducing me felt the need (why??) to mention that I am a huge Obama supporter etc.  It was all done in a nice way and in a joking way, all was fine.  But this AH, felt the need to turn it into something else and absolutely sneered as he made several untrue and well, quite frankly, not very nice comments, ending up with, well, enjoy it now, cause he is only here for a short visit.

There are some republicans that make me want to separate their head from their shoulders with a baseball bat and he was one of them.  You know the type, tight-ass, sneer, look down their noses.  I so wanted to take this guy on you cannot imagine.  But, because I have the utmost respect for the person who introduced us and affection for this man and his wife (who I work for), I had to shut my mouth, smile and say something inane and walk away.  GRRRRR

But I think I am going to come up with something I can carry with me (no not a baseball bat) and hand to these idiots. 

And on that note, I have to close, thrift shop volunteering today and since it is closed for the month of July, everything in the shop is $1 today, should be bedlam.

Have a good one--any and all suggestions for putting jerks in their place are appreciated--welcomed!!