More Kauai and Coming Home to the Snow!

On Monday, Michele took us on a tour of the island. We drove to Hanapepe which is where Taro Ko chips are made in a little tiny factory. Michele took a picture with the woman who makes them with her son or nephew. We also visited the Banana Patch Studio (see Web site) which makes beautiful handcrafted items. Then when drove up Waimea Canyon Road and stopped at several overlooks to look at Waimea Canyon and to the Kalalu Lookout where we could see the Napali Coast which is only accessible by boat. It's hard to describe how beautiful these locations are.

We drove back down the mountain and spend the rest of the day at Salt Pond Beach Park. We then went back to Michele and Karl's and visited and then went to the airport to fly home. When we got back to Honolulu, John picked us up and brought us back where I hurriedly packed. Shawna, Mona's daughter, came over with 3 of her 4 kids. My Ramona and Shawna had been in the Corps together, so they enjoyed reminiscing and getting to know each other again.

Then I was off to the airport for the trip home. As I went through security, the TSA agent who greeted me was Johnny, the same one who taught Angie how to surf. A perfect end to a perfect trip.

When I got back to Ohio, it was snowing quite a bit. My van wouldn't start at the Park N Go place and two of the guys said it wouldn't take a jump and that something was probably realy wrong with it. By now I'd been traveling for close to 20 hours and it was 10 at night and I was trying hard to keep the "Live Aloha" motto alive in my heart. Then another guy who worked at Park N Go, Leslie, said Let's try some different jumper cables. I pulled mine out of the back of my van (Yeah emergency kit!) and he hooked them up and it turned over on the first try. I looked at him and said, "Leslie, are you a believer?" He said, "Yes I am." I said, "I knew it!!" So this last photo is of Leslie next to my van as it's warming up.

After spending the night in Dayton (till the roads cleared) at a Super 8 motel (that's a story for a different day), I came into HQ at 11:00 a.m. today, safe and sound.

Angie and Mona stayed one more day and got one more trip to the beach in, and now they're safe and sound at their respective homes.

Thanks to all who made our trip so wonderful and to all our friends and family who prayed and believed with us for one of the greatest times in our entire lives.

Aloha and Mahalo.

Kau'ai

What a beautiful island this is. Michele and her family (Mona's niece) are the nicest people and live in a house with a back lanai that overlooks the countryside. There are vast contrasts of ocean and mountains. Yesterday we went to Marriott Poi Pu during the Super Bowl and laid out on the beach. Every beach has to have some public access so in a sense we can enjoy what the time share people enjoy, only for free. Then last night we went to a barbecue at a beach house that was being rented by Mona's brother and the people he works with for a "retreat." They are hairdressers from L.A. Michele cooked the most amazing food I have ever eaten. She prepared mahi mahi in tea leaves, mussels on the shell, Peruvian rice, a mashed potato salad with crab. Her husband Karl barbecued short ribs and chicken and vegetables. What a treat. Today Mona and I are going to see the sites. Ramona and Michele are going to lay out at the beach. Our last day! I can hardly believe it. See some of you real soon.

Up and at 'em early this morning to go to see Mona and Angie race in the Harold Chapson Memorial Race at Diamond Head. A small race actually. Polly and Gary, no starting line, no bullhorn, minimal finish line, no stopping of traffice, but BEAUTIFUL course. We drove to the mid point at top of hill overlooking the ocean and cheered all the runners on, then drove back to the finish line and cheered Mona in. She ran the whole way, never walked once, a goal for her. Check out her number. Hee hee.

Stopped at Leonards and got malasadas -- famous pastry to those who have been in Hawaii. Mmm good. Leaving in a bit for Kuaia. (Still don't think I'm spelling that right.)

Off to the Aloha Bowl for a HUGE Swap Meet. Oh my gosh. I walked and walked and walked. Then we went down to Waikiki so Mona could stand in front of the statue of the Duke, famous surfer cuz there was a Web cam there. It was too late to call you Ohio folks. Then we went to see the route of the 8K that Mona and Angie are running in tomorrow and we also took a look at Diamond Head. We are sleepy, so going to bed. Tomorrow after the race we fly to Kauai so not sure what the Internet situation will be there, but will do our best.

Love you all. Thanks for your comments. This is fun.

Saturday Morning

I guess every time I edit a post it puts the date I wrote it, so these may not appear to be in date order Ha!

This morning Angie, Ramona, and I were off to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial Site -- about 10 minutes from John & Mona's house. It's a beautiful location, but a somber and sobering site. I am so thankful I got to see it. The girls never really knew much about it, so it was a live history lesson for them, but for me as well.

Next is a swap meet in the ALOHA BOWL!!! Yeah souvenirs.

Day 2 Friday February 2
We woke up early and drove out to Ko Olina and swam in a bay near the Marriot Ihiliane. OH MY GOSH, how beautiful. http://www.ihilani.com/ By law they have to have public access to all beaches, so there are four private bays at this resort and the public access to them is controlled by the number of parking spots available, so first come first serve. We got a parking space and swam for 2 hours. The resort is getting set up to host the Pro Bowlers. They had two big goal posts on the lawn set up for the pre game activities, kicking contest or something.

After a wonderful swim, we came home, changed and went to visit with Laura's childhood friend, Larry Silva, who is now the bishop of Hawaii. He generously took us to lunch at a neary Italian restaurant. He is as wonderful and unassuming as always. It was a very enjoyable time for all of us.

Right next door to the Cathedral downtown where the Bishop works is the Hawaii Pacific University. Ramona thought it would be cool to go in and visit some people who do the same kind of work she does, so she went in to say hi and wouldn't you know the girl who works there is a BG alumnus of the same program Ramona graduated from!

Then we walked down to the Honolulu office of Mercer, Angie's company!

At 5 p.m. we were off to a luau at Paradise Cove http://www.paradisecovehawaii.com/FunFacts/games.htm and as we sat down to eat the people seated with us were (1) two people from Atalanta with whom we were on the plane from Atlanta. They recognized us! And (2) a newlywed couple from Reno, the husband knows Josh Nickerson!

Isn't God cool? Tomorrow if we can get ourselves up, we're off to Pearl Harbor.

Day 1 Thursday February 1
We got up and had breakfast on the patio again. John and Mona, Ramona, Angela, and I just visited and waited awhile to see what the weather would do since it was supposed to be a stormy day.

Turned out it was very nice. So we took two cars and went out to pick up John's son, Johnny, who is a surfboard maker and a good surfer. We went out to the west side of the island to a beach called Barber's Point. John and Johnny are both surfers and agreed to teach Angie to surf. That was her big goal for this trip. She tried over and over and over and over and over and then she figured it out and stood up and stayed up and rode the wave. And she did it twice!! And the cool thing was that John got a photo of it. What a great time.

We got home around 4 and started setting up for fellowship. The Stricklands with their sons Daniel and Titus and their daughter Lydia as well as Johnnny and Liza Lovstedt and their children Zaria and Zak joined us for a pot bless meal Hawaiian style. Then Mona, Laura, and Angie got to share the Word with Sean Strickland leading. We even had a believer on the phone hookup from the big island.

What a beautiful day. Angie's thinking about a move.

Day 0 Wednesday, January 31, 2007

We left Atlanta at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday. It was a 10-hour flight direct to Honolulu. We got two meals and plenty of drinks as well as 3 movies. The plane wasn't full. One of the flight attendants told us that she had been flying for 32 years and she was the junior stewardess on the flight!!!

We arrived at the airport around 9 p.m. Hawaii time (1 a.m. Ohio time) expecting to go get our rental car. Who was at baggage claim but Mona and John our hosts, as well as Sean and Mary and their daughter Lydia , who were all there to greet us at the airport. They loaded up our luggage and took Ramona and Angela to the house while Mona and I went to get the rental car. We all met back up at the house for a meal and lots of fellowship. What a great way to welcome us. Also they brought us leis and macadamia nuts and shell necklaces and everything!!

We went back to John and Mona's house where they had made us a huge meal. Sean and Mary Strickland and their daughter Lydia ate with us. We sat out on John and Mona's porch and ate and laughed and visited till pretty late. It was a great day.