Loni's Life

My normal 'gift' for some folks back home when I return from Hawaii may be chocolate macadamias, Kauai coffee, t-shirts, puka shell leis and/or calendars.   But Mama C requested only that I go and enjoy myself and if I brought something back for her, that it have no calories ~ since we are TOPS members on a quest to shed extra pounds. Well, I didn't go looking for a quilt shop on my excursion day while I found my Hawaiian shave ice and surfers on the North Shore.  However, I did find this nice turtle art "Honu & Friend" by George Kaiwi of Kaiwi Kreations I selected it because a) Mama loves turtles and b) it represents some of the things I was able to see while snorkeling at Loni's Other Beach (Poipu Beach for those that want to find it on a Kauai map). I didn't get to see a green sea turtle in the water and probably I would be somewhat freaked out if I had seen one in the water because I have watched toooooo much Discovery Channel Shark Week an...

This time it was picked by me, for me... it a matte print of a piece by Heather Anders.. it combines SCUBA/snorkeling with Hawaii with a cat.. how much more ME could this piece be?

BFF gifted me with a piece of art in the form of a matted print of a watercolor by Patrice Federspiel   Art of Aloha     And personally signed to me by the Artist herself! While I had looked in the same shop for a piece for BFF; nothing spoke out to me for her.  So I gifted her by doing her Hawaii laundry whilst she is in the frozen tundra of Omaha, Nebraska on a business trip.   Good thing too; since by the time she gets home it would have been closer to 2 weeks of sea-damp swimsuit in luggage.  Instead, she gets everything Bounce fresh -and DRY-  (including her slippers, sandals, and water shoes). Calico? by Patrice Federspiel

Just a week ago, BFF and I were enjoying time on Oahu.   We had dinner one night at Outback Steakhouse and the next night at Benihana .    I had the hibachi chicken which was wonderful!  While I have been to Benihana here at home for a few special occasions, it was quite interesting to be at a table with a Japanese family that was carrying on quite a conversation in their primary language with the chef.   We started off with warm towels; then the egg drop soup followed by green salad with I think a ginger/balsamic vinaigrette dressing -- which though, not my favorite, I ate.. and would probably have it again with the dressing on the side because they tend to drown it.   Then we watched the chef prepare onions and zucchini; followed by shrimp.. and again, contrary to popular belief, I will eat shrimp; it's just not normally my first choice of proteins... so I ate my grilled shrimp and veggies while we watched the chef make the fried rice.. all of the cookin...

I survived my vacation to Kauai and Oahu 2011 with only the socks on my feet and one other pair confiscated from a bookshelf nook at Grandma's house.   OK, so really most of my time was spent in Teva sandals or barefoot...a rarity indeed.   My Pearl Izumi cycling socks picked up some pink from my Nike insoles plus some Kauai Red Dirt.  My confiscated pair is now in a bag with a cooler, towels, and t-shirts labeled with our names for storage at grandma's.

My long travel day is done; I've had a hot shower; kitty kisses; a JC lunch entree; and the first load of vacation laundry is through the washer and about to go into the dryer.    All 3 of the seniors have been accounted for and BFF biz travel should end the Travel Day for her within the hour.   The trek to/from Hawaii is long; but it was worth it for the time with family along with sunny beach time.

Somehow the long travel day home from Hawaii feels soooooo much longer than the long travel day to Hawaii.... but BFF and I have arrived safely home.  BFF is on a direct turnabout from the airport on biz travel to frozen Omaha, Nebraska where she will barrive this evening.  Dad is still in flight mode and should arrive in the next hour.   The Auroras have hopefully made it to Las Vegas...they haven't checked in yet, so I will be tracking them this afternoon as well.

And quite a bit of rain too!  Better on a travel day than a beach day.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki is a gorgeous resort.   Waikiki is far noisier than my beaches on Kauai with sounds of big city traffic. It is our last day here for this trip as we head back to Kauai this aternoon to catch a flight home tonight on the flight of zombies.

I couldn't get near Bonzai Pipeline today, so I settled up the road at Sunset....oh yeah, huge difference between waves in June I.e. none to what goes on in the winter.  Oahu Baywatch was busy keeping folks shooed away from the water that could obviously suck those little ones right on out to sea in a hurry.

Shave Ice with ice cream and beans...cherry, tangerine, pineapple...yum!

OK I draw the line at $14 plus for a hamburger....and I just couldn't see spending $26 for breakfast buffet...ok $18 after a Hilton VIP discount..but still for some eggs, toast, hashbrowns, and milk I have a hard time justifying that for $18 even if it is Hawaii and all.   We ended up at Jack in the Box where for the grand sum of $5 I had a breakfast pita pocket combo with Hawaiian music playing over the intercom.   Off now to explore the island on our last full day for this year's trek...tomorrow will be a long travel day with the morning in Waikiki then from Honolulu to Lihue where we meet up with our seniors to take separate flights home.  Overnight to LAX for Mina and me..to Phoenix for the seniors.  Dad will head home to DFW while the Auroras head to Vegas for a mini family reunion.  M and I get back to DFW where she immediately departs for Omaha, Nebraska...that will be weathershock for sure since we have been enjoying a series of sunny 80 degree days and I am sure Omaha ...

We are off to Honolulu/Waikiki on Oahu for ba couple of days.  We left the seniors for their last few days on Kauai with Grandma.    She had a rough night last night, so we didn't do a proper farewell this morning as Mama Aurora and Dad shooed us on our way.

At my other beach for this trip...no monk seal...yet... Started out with rain in Koloa town..but it shaped up to be another torcher on the beach...plenty of sunblock and cover up for me...BFF prefers to roast, bake. And broil.

Another day at Loni's Beach.  The seniors should join us later after the normal Wednesday family shift comes to watch Grandma.

Yes we go play again at my other beach...some great snorkeling...and the few raindrops ran off most of the tourists.

Loni's Other Beach....and a gorgeous day it was...except for the array of bodies in beachwear in wrong sizes and styles....and again...unless a man is an Olympic swimmer or lifeguard with similar physique, then he really has no business wearing Speedo bikini cut for men.

Here are the pics that didn't arrive with last post

Finally an Aloha from Loni's Beach (known to locals as Saltpond) It has been a challenging day of fussy seniors. Blessings abound that we are able to celebrate Grandma's 99th birthday today.

Aloha from Loni's Other Beach where we were blessed with both a Green Sea Turtle and a Hawaiian Monk Seal. We've gone shopping for provisions...and should be able to get a faster start tomorrow morning.