May 30th, 2016

I managed to get to bed around 1:30 last night, after counting to 700, I tried to bore myself to sleep by thinking of famous people who’s first and last name start with the same letter for each letter of the alphabet: Alan Alda, Bill Burr, Chevy Chase, Dom Deluise, Eric Estrada….

I finally managed to fall asleep around 5. At 8:30 our neighbor’s dog began barking. They got the dog a few months ago, and they let it out every morning and it starts yipping for about 20 minutes. I was trying to get back to sleep when I heard Rebecca yelling at the neighbors from outside. I have never been more proud. I was now up, the sun was shining and we got ready to go to the beach.

As we headed down the highway, dark storm clouds loomed over the mountains. It rained for the rest of the afternoon, all over the island. We stopped for lunch at a new restaurant on the north shore and then picked up some coconut peanut butter and headed home. As we were driving along we hit some traffic and we were slowly creeping along. Rebecca was talking about shoe shopping and I was looking out the window. Suddenly something caught my eye. I told Rebecca to pull over, got out of the car and ran back 10 yards to investigate, sitting in the dirt was a $20 bill that was folded up and no bigger than my thumb. I got back in the car and dumped hand sanitizer all over my new found treasure. The rest of the ride home I imagined all the cool things I could do with my fortune.

Once we got home, I took a nap, woke up, used my newly acquired wealth to buy a pizza and rented a movie about a guy who is attacked by a bear and left for dead, only to seek vengeance on those who wronged him.

July 5th, 2015

We woke up around 8 and I made grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast for my niece and I. Rebecca who will only eat traditional breakfast foods in the morning had cereal.

We left the house around 10 and headed to a meet up with another teacher friend of Rebecca who works on a pig farm when he is not teaching. We got a tour of the farm, got to see pigs that were just born that morning, and huge pigs about to be sold. They also have bunnies that they sell for meat as well. We didn’t really tell my niece that all these animals were going to end up on somebody’s plate.

After the pig farm, we stopped at a fruit stand for a coconut. We made our way to a taco stand where we had lunch and watched the first half of the Women’s World Cup final. After lunch we went to Pounder’s beach were my niece and I boogie boarded. Before we got in the water, I found some Portuguese Man-Of-War jellyfish washed up on the shore. Last year my niece was stung by a man-of-war and nearly ruined her day. I gave her the option of going in the water, or finding another beach. After thinking about it for a minute, she ran into the water and didn’t look back. We played in the waves for a couple hours and then it was off to Ted’s bakery for some pie, and then to Haleiwa for Hula Dogs and shopping.

We drove home, took quick showers and then went to the theater to watch the latest Jurassic World movie. We got home around 10 and got ready for bed, even though my niece and I were up chatting until nearly midnight.

June 24th, 2015

We left the house around noon where it was sunny, and headed to find a beach on the windward side. We were met with rain for most of the drive. The beaches were completely empty and I kept trying to get Rebecca to stop at one so I could go splashing in the waves. I don’t see the problem of getting rained on while in the ocean, its not like I’m going to get wetter. She was looking to sit on the beach and read a book, so anything involving rain was out of the question. We headed up to the north shore and stopped to ask about buying a used surfboard. Anything of descent quality was going for around $400.

We drove to Haleiwa where we got Hula Dogs and then I got an iced coffee before I bought a bottle of coconut volcano lotion and a bar of coconut soap with a mesh thing inside for to scrubbing. I think girls call it a loofa, or loopa. I’m not sure what they call it, but it smells good. Our next stop was the new North Shore Goodies store. I bought a 50 ounce jar and they gave us a jar of strawberry jam and a goodie bag filled with magnets, and a pen, and a bottle opener/flashlight/measuring tape.

We drove up to Ka’ena point, which is the very end of the road. We got out and inspected the tide pools, crawled over the sharp lava rocks, watched the waves, and basically had a good time at the beach without getting wet. I tried to convince Rebecca to stay and watch the sunset, but it was still 3 hours away and she was tired so we drove home. I dropped off my bag and headed to the store for frozen pizza and we ate while watching a movie about a robot who receives artificial intelligence and learns how to be sentient.

May 24th, 2015

Rebecca woke me up at 9 am. Last night she scoffed in disbelief when I went to the store for chips and soda “for breakfast”. Once I was awake enough to have control of my motor functions, I strolled into the kitchen and had chips and soda for breakfast. She ate leftover pancakes. We drove up to Pounder’s beach, on the north east corner of the island where we met up with the Arments and Boones. The three of us guys spent the afternoon boogie boarding while the girls sat on the shore, I’m fairly certain they were judging our wave catching ability. If they had numbered cards to put up after each wave, I’m sure we all would have not gotten above a 6.5.

We all sat in the sand for a while talking about the best and worst parts about moving here, and the Boones headed to their rental to clean up for the luau they were going to attend this evening. We followed Jim and Jen to a hot dog food truck in Haleiwa that made me re-think Opals as my favorite restaurant. There are so many different choices of relish and mustards, that I will need to go back to figure out which is my favorite. We got a chance to talk to Jim and Jen for a while and then they headed to their rental and we went home. The Beals and Arments were going to have dinner at Uncle Bo’s, but Rebecca didn’t want to go there three nights in a row, or intrude, so she cooked a piece of fish and sweet potatoes and I went to the store and got a frozen pizza and a movie to keep me entertained. Having exhausted so much of my energy into boogie boarding earlier, I was tired, I think I only stayed up until 1.

May 21st, 2015

I woke up around 10,or 11 and made burritos for breakfast. I quickly got ready and headed out to t have my final tuberculosis test read. Good news people, I don’t have TB. Not hat I was worried, but every time I get tested for a disease I tend to worry a little. One time, my ambulance was called upon to help move a bariatric patient. Bariatric is a polite way of saying “quite large”. There were 4 ambulance crews (8 people) called to help hoist this hungry hungry hippo from the gurney to the hospital bed. By the end of the shift, I was told to report to a clinic because the lady had tested positive for meningitis and since we did not know, we had all been exposed. I had to undergo a physical, and take pills twice a day for a week which turned my urine to a bright orange/red hue.

I rode home, showered and waited for Rebecca t pick me up. We hit the road at 3 and met up with out friends in Haleiwa by 4:30. The Boones, Arments, Beals, and Taylors are all on the island for a mini vacation. They are all good friends of ours and we met them at Opals right as it opened for dinner. Opal did not disappoint. Dish after dish arrived and we gobbled it all down like hungry pelicans feasting on sardines. After dinner, Brandon went to get a tattoo, and the Boones went back to the hotel to rest as Maggie is with child and drained of energy. The 7 of us left wandered Haleiwa and got ice cream and went shopping and then went to watch Brandon get his tattoo, but we really just sat in the lobby and talked story.

Rebecca and I headed home around 8 and she watched survivor and I read some of my book and then went to bed.

April 3rd, 2015

When I had woken up, Rebecca had already woken up, made pancakes and settled in to read her book. After I got ready, we headed up to the North Shore to buy coconut peanut butter and spend the day out of the house. I had to pee as soon as we got on the freeway, and there was a massive traffic jam up near the Dole plantation. I considered using my hydro flask and then washing it out, but I don’t think I could ever drink out of something I had used for that purpose, and it was a $30 water bottle, not a $30 traveler’s urinal.

We eventually made it to Haleiwa and once I was done washing the porcelain, we got gelato. I have never knowingly had gelato, but I was assured that it was not ice cream. It is a frozen dairy treat that they scoop and place into a cone. If that is not ice cream, I don’t know what is. We had planed to drive around the island and get dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Kaneohe, but there was bumper to bumper traffic clogging the two lane road so we drove back towards the Aloha Stadium and then cut through the island on the H3 freeway. We found the restaurant that I have heard great things about, and I was not disappointed. The salsa they bright out for the chips was the perfect consistency and had just enough spice to be delicious but not over powering. I ordered the fajita burrito with carne asada (steak for all you non-Spanish speaking gringos).

After eating, we went home where Rebecca filled our new filing cabinet with all sorts of paperwork and I took a quick nap while watching a documentary about the Hell’s Angels. I woke up and began feeling the beginning effects of cabin fever even though I had been inside for about an hour. I drove to Hawaii Kai, which is near Hanuama Bay and went to a movie. They must have been expecting a large crowd because I was sent to line up along the outside of the building and wait for the theater to be cleaned. I was the only person in line for about 5 minutes, eventually an other couple showed up and they let us in. I took my seat near the back of the theater and waited for 2 hours and 17 minutes of pure awesomeness. It was a movie about car chases, and explosions, and over-the-top stunts. If Fast and Furious 7 does not win the award for best movie ever, I will forever question the validity of the Academy Awards.

Feb 3rd, 2015

I woke up to a text saying my parents were on their way. I quickly showered and had enough time to fill my water bottle. It was raining in Honolulu and we had hoped the North Shore would be free from the inclement weather, but that was not our luck. We sat in a coffee shop in Haleiwa before taking off to explore. Yesterday we drove to the western most point, today I drove us to the other end of the point on the North West corner of the island. There is a bumpy road that goes around the point, but it is closed to vehicles.

We drove back through Haleiwa and tried to find the Summer home of the Seahawks coach but we were met with “No Trespassing” signs and angry neighbors who came out to glare at us for daring to drive down their street. If I’m ok with homeless people picking through my dumpster in the middle of the night, they should be ok with a car driving down their street. We stopped at the park to look for turtles and then headed to another beach to watch the waves before going to a fruit stand to buy some fresh produce. I personally ate three bananas and a star fruit in the parking lot.

We drove to Giovanni’s shrimp truck for a lunch of breath destroying garlic shrimp and then it was off to the Macadamia Nut Farm for some free samples. Once we were full, we drove to Rebecca’s school where I was able to show my parents the inside of her classroom. We left and drove to Kailua where we stopped at a restaurant called the Shack. I have been there once before with Rebecca’s siblings back in October. We had a quick dinner and then Rebecca joined us for about a half hour and then we drove home. I made Rebecca some dinner and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and doing laundry.

Jan 28th, 2015

I woke up around 8:30 with a stuffy nose and sinus pain. I tried every home remedy I could think of, but nothing worked. My parents, aunt and uncle came around 10:30, and after a quick tour of the apartment we were headed over to the Aloha Swap Meet.

We wandered around the vendors for a while. I got a pair of sunglasses, my mom bought birthday presents for the grandkids, and my aunt bought an umbrella to have a constant shade and protection from the sun. It wasn’t’ until we arrived at the swap meet that I realized that I had left my wallet in my swimsuit from yesterday. My mom had to drive the rental car while I navigated.

Our next stop was Opal Thai food in Haleiwa. As always, the food was amazing and Opal was very friendly and outgoing. We drove around the north shore stopping at various beaches to watch the waves.

One of the best things about living in such a beautiful place is being able to take people who have never been here to some of my favorite spots. Everyone is different and likes a different part of the island. On the way home, I directed us off the main path along a residential road that hugged the coast with the mountains in the background. I don’t remember the name of the state park, but it is full of cats and chickens. Rebecca and I stumbled across it one day in our search of a beach. I had brought my mom and dad here once before, but I figured my mom would want to see it again. We ended up meeting a lady who takes care of the cats by trapping and neutering as many as she can, and then trying to give them homes.

After cat beach, I took us to Rebecca’s school. She had already left for the day, so I showed everyone the back portion of her class room. We drove back through the mountains, said goodbye to my aunt and uncle for the night and then picked up Rebecca and headed back to Waikiki for dinner.

Jan 20th, 2015

Happy Birthday to my mom. You are such a caring and loving person, thank you for teaching me patience and understanding.

Rebecca went to school and I slept until 9. I was planning to take the bus up to the north shore to hang out with Brandon and Di, but Rebecca said she was coming home early. I decided to wait for her to get home and then take her car. As she was leaving her class a bee stung her on the eyelid. A BEE STUNG HER ON THE EYELID!!! I don’t know how that happens. She went to the school nurse where they removed the stinger and gave her an icepack. She came home at noon and I commandeered the vehicle and headed to Haleiwa for an appointment.

I came home around 5 and took a shower, and continued watching the documentary on humanity.

Jan 17th, 2015

We woke up and headed to the North Shore to meet up with Brandon and Di. It was lightly raining when we arrived so we all drove in to Haleiwa to go back to the art galleries so Brandon could show Di the ones he liked. The only gallery I actually enjoyed was the one that had photographs instead of paintings.

The sun came back out so we returned to the hotel and spent the next 4 hours sitting poolside playing a trivia game on our phones. We were able to connect and play each other without the awkwardness of sitting around a board game in public. Even the most observant passerby would assume we were all just taking selfies or ignoring each other by looking at Facebook.

Around 4, it started to rain. We went back to their room and sat on the patio overlooking the ocean and continued our trivia game. At 5:30 we headed back to Haleiwa and had dinner at Opal’s Thai food. The food was, as always, spectacular.

After dinner we headed home and continued the trivia game and then went to bed around 11.