Around Here

Hubby has been working on our '57 Aloha travel trailer.  Mostly just taking things apart.  We needed to find out if the ice box and stove can be restored or if there is just too much damage.  I asked our local Vintage Aloha Travel Trailers on facebook.  Their feedback was that yes they can be saved but no one knew who could do it for us.  If you know of someone that can help, let me know.

 I think with some sanding and paint I can fix up the ice box myself but the stove needs a sand blaster, powder coating and a rebuilding of the mechanics.  I'm hoping that they can be saved.

 My favorite patch of little white flowers are blooming under the fig tree.

 It's raining this morning but we've had some nice days to work in the yard.  There is always a lot of clean up in the spring and the grass is really growing.

The blog turned into a travelogue for a bit but that is over for now.  We are playing catch up at work and at home.  It's all good, though.

Easter 2014

 Sam was home from JBLM (Joint Base Lewis McCord) and Max was home from Walla Walla for Easter.  It was so great to have them in church with us for Easter morning services.  Hubby was working midnights so instead of sleeping he went to church and dinner.  Mark and Karen came for coffee and scones after church.  We had dinner at Uncle Darryl and Aunt Judy's house.  They have moved off the farm to a beautiful setting in town.  We had a delicious dinner.

Since there aren't many little kids left Aunt Judy decided to include the teens and twenty somethings in the Easter egg hunt.  They were a little ho hum about it until they heard that they each had an egg with their name on it.  A rumor of cash and the excitement started building.  So then, since we had their interest, they were required to have a group shot prior to the hunt.

Sam got sidetracked by the unmarked eggs since they were filled with candy.

 Sam and Angela had a short discussion on "what is yours is mine".  Not until July 5!

I cracked up when I downloaded the pictures.  

Angela was having a little fun and our photographer took a selfie.

We had a great weekend.  Max brought home tamales from Country Mercantile, so I didn't really cook.  We played some cards, we visited and I did guy laundry.  As we left to go to Easter dinner I put a ham in the oven so Max could take some back to school and we could have leftover ham this week.  

Because you all know how my guys love a BAH (big a** ham).

On My Nightstand

When I take a trip I like to read a book that takes place at my vacation destination.  I had read Molokai by Alan Brennert and so I saved Honolulu for my next trip to Hawaii.  I'd consider it to be historical fiction.  It was a good beach read about the picture brides arriving in Hawaii.

I also read The Girl You Left Behind on the beach.  It's the story of a painting and its owners.  The story went between World War I and current time.  I enjoyed this story.

The All Girl Filling Station Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg is a fun, quick read as usual with Fannie's books.  Having gotten a glimpse, I think I'd like to know more about the women pilots from World War II.  

I'm currently reading Packing Light by Allison Vesterflet.  It's nonfiction story of her trip through the United States and her story on becoming an author.  In the beginning she writes about living in Portland, OR as a young Christian woman.  Portland takes great pride in being open minded and  accepting of everyone, but really the city isn't very accepting of Christians.  She has some good thoughts for believers and for letting go of things.

I checked out A Year With Six Sisters' Stuff.  The recipes look delicious and the photography is beautiful but I'm just not cooking as much as I did when the guys all lived at home so I didn't try any new recipes.  Though everything looked yummy.

Martha Stewart has a new book, Living the Good Long Life.  I checked it out but haven't had time to peruse.  Martha is getting older and so am I, she may have some words of wisdom for me.

I'm always looking for a good read.  I purchase very few books.  Most of my reading material comes from my local library.  I don't really like the accumulation of books or the cost.  For me the best part of using the library is that if I start reading a book and am not enjoying it I just return it.  Life is too short to muddle through a book that I don't enjoy.  

I don't own a kindle but after my last vacation I am seriously considering one.  I ran out of books in Maui and so I hit the resort's book shelf.  I read a romance by Debbie Macomber.  Painful.  I knew the outcome by the first paragraph.  UGH.

What are you reading?

and

Do you have and use a kindle?

Happy reading!

Maui Adventures

 On our trip to Maui we had two days off the beach.  Our first was a snorkel cruise on the Trilogy V.  I was hoping to run into Kai (Sam's friend) but he was on a different Trilogy cruise.  We have snorkeled but not ever taken a boat out to snorkel.  I took my trusty Rugby Meclizine HCl 12.5 mg USP Antiemetic Caplets to prevent getting seasick.  I was fine.  I am a bit paranoid about boating.  I generally go on boats that are tied up at the marina, visit with friends and enjoy a cocktail and then get off the boat prior to departure.  When I signed us up for the snorkel cruise I was thinking about the fish I'd see, the fun we'd have and wasn't really thinking about the boating(usually fraught with danger) I'd be doing.  Turns out, I did better than some others in our party.  The seas were rough, my friend.

 It was a wonderful day.  I saw coral gardens and sea life that was so beautiful, I was in awe.  We don't have an underwater camera and I did regret that because it would have been fun to identify the fish we saw under the sea.  The captain and his crew were fun and took good care of us.  They fed us fresh fruit and cinnamon rolls in the morning and a delicious lunch with salad, rolls, chicken, rice and ice cream sundaes.

I kind of have a hankering to watch the Little Mermaid again.  Or Finding Nemo.

 The next day that we spent off the beach was the Road to Hana.  I took my trusty Rugby Meclizine HCl 12.5 mg USP Antiemetic Caplets to prevent getting carsick.  I was fine.  The scenery was beautiful.  So many people had told us that we HAD to take the road to Hana because it was so gorgeous, and we'd see amazing things.  Blahblahblah...  I'll admit I didn't really want to go since I get motion sickness and it meant missing a day on the beach.  But if nothing else I'm a good sport and I jumped in the car with a fairly good attitude.  All those years of preaching to my guys about peer pressure and I totally caved and went on the Road to Hana.

 We stopped at Ho'okipa lookout to watch the surfers and 

 in Paia for coffee.  Everyone was having fun.  At this point it was all good.  

And then we headed up the road.

Beautiful scenery, for sure.

 We saw waterfalls, lush forests and many other tourists.

I gave up the front seat because I felt pretty good.  Someone, who shall remain nameless, started to feel pretty rotten.  His skin tone matched his t-shirt and he was practicing his Lamaze breathing but we drove on BECAUSE everyone that's been to Maui told us we HAD to go on the Road to Hana.

 More water rushing through the forests and many more tourists.  Everyone in the car starting to feel sick.

WHY?  Because we fell for the peer pressure and HAD to take the RoadToHeck!

 Let's get off this crazy train and go to beach?  Hello!  Yes please, let's turn around, get off this road, get off   this mountain and get back to the beach where we belong.  On our way home we slowed down to see the rainbow trees, deferred getting out the car and shot a picture from the car.  Why waste anymore time in the car when we can be on the beach where everyone is happy, the sunshine can reach us and no one feels like they might have to throw up?

Yes, it's pretty, yes, it's a mountain, yes, there are waterfalls, yes, the road is curvy and yes, I can get all that at home.  If you like being tortured take the Road to HanaHeck while in Maui.

 As for me and my toes, we will stay on the beach.  Aloha.

 This is not a paid ad for my trusty Rugby Meclizine HCl 12.5 mg USP Antiemetic Caplets to prevent getting motion sick.  I don't get paid to write this blog and have no sponsors.  BUT I don't leave the house without my trusty Rugby Meclizine HCl 12.5 mg USP Antiemetic Caplets to prevent getting air sick, motion sick or sea sick.  They are sold over the counter and cost about 4 buck.  Worth. Every. Cent.  Mahalo.

Tour of Beaches

Mark, Karen, Hubby and myself agree on where we want to spend our time while in Hawaii. 

It's on the beach for  us!

We started our tour of beaches in the Lahaina Kaanapali area and went from there to DT Fleming, Kapalua beach, Kamole I, II, III, Big Beach, Napili, Waliea and back to Big Beach.  Some we stayed for mere minutes and some we stayed for long days.

The sand was so pretty at Big Beach.

 We found Merriman's after a day on the beach for pupus and mai tais.  We walked right up from the beach and had such a great time on their deck.

From morning to sunset we were on the beach.  Swimming, snorkeling, reading, chatting, making friends with  local dogs, enjoying food truck fare, walking, beach combing for shells.  It's the best!

We spent two days away from the beach, I'll share those days next on the blog.

Kihei, Maui

After two nights in Lahaina Mark and Karen and Hubby and I moved to Kihei where we would be staying for nine nights.  Our rooms were pretty and close to the pool area.

 We don't spend much time at the pool, maybe an hour after we get home from our day on the beach.  It was a pretty pool area with waterfalls and gardens.

 We had kitchens in Kihei.  

 Since we had kitchens in our rooms Hubby became our happy hour bartender.

 The clouds were temporary.  There are trade winds in Kihei so the weather blows over and back out quite quickly.

 There was pretty landscaping where we stayed.

 I spotted a tiny pineapple growing by the pool area.

The sunsets were beautiful in Kihei.

 Just because we had kitchens it didn't mean that we cooked.  We had breakfast in our rooms, happy hour snacks on the lanai and then we went out for dinner in the evening.  We found some good restaurants in Kihei, including Cafe O'Lei, Sorentos, Joe's Grill, Tommy Bahama, and Ami Ami.

Next up... the beaches of Maui tour.