Screen Queen
Hokay, now I need to catch everyone (anyone? does anyone even read this thing? oh yeah, I do.) up on my past handful of days.
Another friend of my buddy came to visit, so it's been busy, snorkeling, diving, and more.
One day, we went to Two-Step and my buddy and I did a dive to about 117' to see some Pseudanthias bicolor (including one tiiiiiny little juvenile P. bicolor!) and a handful of shrimp (Stenopus hispidus and Lysmata amboinensis) that populate a particular rock at the edge of a reef. Seeing the shrimp was, of course, a REAL treat for me. I was absolutely delighted to see them! Some even touched my fingers with their antennae. On the way down, at about 100', we saw a Desmoholocanthus angel that apparently is not particularly common. That was also a great treat. My friend tried very hard to get a good, clear picture, but I don't think any came out as great as he'd hoped. On the way back up, I tried (and tried, and tried!) to make some images, but only two turned out okay. One is a small turtle, the other is a pair of filefish. I hope I get to post them so you (me? who?) can see them. I'm really proud of myself, I did just fine exiting the water. Last time I was in HI and we went to Two-Step, I had a HORRIBLE time trying to get in and out of the water. I think the sea is starting to forgive my tresspasses and let me in and out of it a little easier.
I went boogie boarding at the Mauna Kea beach one day, after hiking to the petroglyphs at Puako. WOW, what fun! I actually, really, honestly, for real, rode waves! WHEEEEEEEEE! I want to try on a surf board again! I came home with about five pounds of sand in my swim suit. Ugh.
My buddy's friend and I drove down to South Point. It was AWESOME. I have now been at the very, very southern-most point in the United States of America. My buddy's friend and I wrote our names on the black lava rocks by setting broken up white coral rocks on them to form letters. I actually used my art sign instead of my name. As we walked away to go back to the car, I felt suddenly VERY creeped out. I try not to be a superstitious person, but oh my GOD I had the heebie-jeebies something AWFUL. I couldn't stand it. I had to go back and take the coral bits off the lava rock and set them back on the ground. I felt like I'd desecrated something holy, or something like that. After I took my sign off the rock, I felt fine, though. After that, we looked at the boat hoists at South Point, and the lighthouse, and just enjoyed being there. Then we went on up the road a bit to the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. I believe I have now officially been on at least the tippy-toes of every volcano on this island. On the way to the black sand beach, I was actually a little (well, a LOT) uncomfortable with the realization that the haze around us was actually the vog - volcanic fog - from Kiluea. She wasn't in sight, but I fear she would have been if the vog weren't so thick. I am glad she shrouded herself for me. We stopped at the Punalu'u bakery on the way back and had some yummies, and looked around at the little botanical gardens there. That reminds me, I've still got some yummies left, and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Yay!
One night, we attended a beach party with some folks that raise seahorses. That was great fun. My buddy took me out snorkeling there. Again, I had no trouble with the entry/exit. Yay!
There were some other days in there, and some other fun things, including sitting on the beach area at Kealakekua Bay and doing the tour at Greenwell. My buddy's friend left to go home, as well.
I took one almost entire day just for writing, and finally cranked out a 4122-word article on shrimp. Whew. Yesterday we went swimming at the municipal pool. I'm learning how to swim freestyle!
Today, the lady who lives in the Ohana downstairs was complaining of torn window screens and bugs getting in. My friend mentioned that he has some stuff she could use to repair them, or she could call a repair service and then give him the receipt later. Then my friend complained of a couple of screens upstairs that also needed repair. I've built and fixed LOTS of screens, and when there's a task to be done that I'm qualified to do, well....
I am the Screen Queen. I reconstructed four window screens and one screen door today. I have two more doors to do tomorrow. I'm so proud of myself! I think my friend is very pleased, as well. Today turned into an all chores day; we had initially wanted to go for a bike ride down near NELHA, but it was one of those scenarios that stuff needed to get done, I could do it, and it was never, ever going to get done if I didn't. So we took the trash to the dump, went to Lowe's for supplies, repaired the blinds downstairs, and I rebuilt those four window screens and screen door. It made me really, REALLY happy to be able to do something for my friend. He's been so kind and patient, and so generous; I had hoped there would be an opportunity for me to "earn my keep", so to speak. I am SO happy I got to give back a little.
Also, today was my loveable, huggable, wonderful, beautiful husband's birthday. He's 28 today, and I'm not with him. I'm kinda bummed out that I didn't get to give him a kiss, or something, anything, for his birthday. Worse, when we were talking via IM this morning, I TOTALLY FORGOT to say Happy Birthday. I felt HORRIBLE about that. I hadn't forgotten that it was his day, as I'd thought about calling him earlier that morning, but I still felt really bad for not wishing him a Happy Birthday right off the bat. I bet he was bummed about that, too; I know I would have been. I can't wait to give him his birthday presents, though!
Tomorrow, my buddy and I are going to NELHA I think, and probably just playing things by ear until our other friends arrive the following day. If I don't go to NELHA with him, I'll chill at the house, finish up the two screen doors I want to do, and crank out another article. We'll likely go to Two-Step again when those friends get here, and also do a Manta night dive. My last four days here are going to be utterly jam-packed with stuff, so I hope I do get some writing done tomorrow. We'll see.
Another friend of my buddy came to visit, so it's been busy, snorkeling, diving, and more.
One day, we went to Two-Step and my buddy and I did a dive to about 117' to see some Pseudanthias bicolor (including one tiiiiiny little juvenile P. bicolor!) and a handful of shrimp (Stenopus hispidus and Lysmata amboinensis) that populate a particular rock at the edge of a reef. Seeing the shrimp was, of course, a REAL treat for me. I was absolutely delighted to see them! Some even touched my fingers with their antennae. On the way down, at about 100', we saw a Desmoholocanthus angel that apparently is not particularly common. That was also a great treat. My friend tried very hard to get a good, clear picture, but I don't think any came out as great as he'd hoped. On the way back up, I tried (and tried, and tried!) to make some images, but only two turned out okay. One is a small turtle, the other is a pair of filefish. I hope I get to post them so you (me? who?) can see them. I'm really proud of myself, I did just fine exiting the water. Last time I was in HI and we went to Two-Step, I had a HORRIBLE time trying to get in and out of the water. I think the sea is starting to forgive my tresspasses and let me in and out of it a little easier.
I went boogie boarding at the Mauna Kea beach one day, after hiking to the petroglyphs at Puako. WOW, what fun! I actually, really, honestly, for real, rode waves! WHEEEEEEEEE! I want to try on a surf board again! I came home with about five pounds of sand in my swim suit. Ugh.
My buddy's friend and I drove down to South Point. It was AWESOME. I have now been at the very, very southern-most point in the United States of America. My buddy's friend and I wrote our names on the black lava rocks by setting broken up white coral rocks on them to form letters. I actually used my art sign instead of my name. As we walked away to go back to the car, I felt suddenly VERY creeped out. I try not to be a superstitious person, but oh my GOD I had the heebie-jeebies something AWFUL. I couldn't stand it. I had to go back and take the coral bits off the lava rock and set them back on the ground. I felt like I'd desecrated something holy, or something like that. After I took my sign off the rock, I felt fine, though. After that, we looked at the boat hoists at South Point, and the lighthouse, and just enjoyed being there. Then we went on up the road a bit to the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. I believe I have now officially been on at least the tippy-toes of every volcano on this island. On the way to the black sand beach, I was actually a little (well, a LOT) uncomfortable with the realization that the haze around us was actually the vog - volcanic fog - from Kiluea. She wasn't in sight, but I fear she would have been if the vog weren't so thick. I am glad she shrouded herself for me. We stopped at the Punalu'u bakery on the way back and had some yummies, and looked around at the little botanical gardens there. That reminds me, I've still got some yummies left, and I haven't eaten dinner yet. Yay!
One night, we attended a beach party with some folks that raise seahorses. That was great fun. My buddy took me out snorkeling there. Again, I had no trouble with the entry/exit. Yay!
There were some other days in there, and some other fun things, including sitting on the beach area at Kealakekua Bay and doing the tour at Greenwell. My buddy's friend left to go home, as well.
I took one almost entire day just for writing, and finally cranked out a 4122-word article on shrimp. Whew. Yesterday we went swimming at the municipal pool. I'm learning how to swim freestyle!
Today, the lady who lives in the Ohana downstairs was complaining of torn window screens and bugs getting in. My friend mentioned that he has some stuff she could use to repair them, or she could call a repair service and then give him the receipt later. Then my friend complained of a couple of screens upstairs that also needed repair. I've built and fixed LOTS of screens, and when there's a task to be done that I'm qualified to do, well....
I am the Screen Queen. I reconstructed four window screens and one screen door today. I have two more doors to do tomorrow. I'm so proud of myself! I think my friend is very pleased, as well. Today turned into an all chores day; we had initially wanted to go for a bike ride down near NELHA, but it was one of those scenarios that stuff needed to get done, I could do it, and it was never, ever going to get done if I didn't. So we took the trash to the dump, went to Lowe's for supplies, repaired the blinds downstairs, and I rebuilt those four window screens and screen door. It made me really, REALLY happy to be able to do something for my friend. He's been so kind and patient, and so generous; I had hoped there would be an opportunity for me to "earn my keep", so to speak. I am SO happy I got to give back a little.
Also, today was my loveable, huggable, wonderful, beautiful husband's birthday. He's 28 today, and I'm not with him. I'm kinda bummed out that I didn't get to give him a kiss, or something, anything, for his birthday. Worse, when we were talking via IM this morning, I TOTALLY FORGOT to say Happy Birthday. I felt HORRIBLE about that. I hadn't forgotten that it was his day, as I'd thought about calling him earlier that morning, but I still felt really bad for not wishing him a Happy Birthday right off the bat. I bet he was bummed about that, too; I know I would have been. I can't wait to give him his birthday presents, though!
Tomorrow, my buddy and I are going to NELHA I think, and probably just playing things by ear until our other friends arrive the following day. If I don't go to NELHA with him, I'll chill at the house, finish up the two screen doors I want to do, and crank out another article. We'll likely go to Two-Step again when those friends get here, and also do a Manta night dive. My last four days here are going to be utterly jam-packed with stuff, so I hope I do get some writing done tomorrow. We'll see.