Monday 5/2/05 - Thursday 5/19/05

Making arrangements for my shipping has been a bit weird.  I feel a little insecure about trusting someone with the only furniture and boxes of memories that I kept after selling the majority of my belongings.  Fran has been very supportive and will be there the day they pick it up to transfer to LA for crating and placement on a ship.  I really don't have that much but what I did pack I feel especially connected.  I even changed my mind about some things and distributed them to Scott, Sam, & Fran.  You change your mind about what is important when you get to this environment.  I almost don't want any of it but the things I'm sending were my parents or things from when the kids were little, etc.

I think I have a new place to move and will know for sure tomorrow.  It looks good and I'll write more about it if I get it.  They called me several times today so it looks pretty good.

I went camping last weekend with Isabelle and Buddy at Hanalei- Map (it's one of the northern most communities).  I had forgotten that I had been to this area once with Hal and Karen.  I remember the surf was a bit high and we didn't stay long.  The surf was medium during this last weekend.  The area has a lot of shade with covered picnic tables, restrooms, and showers.  The swimming is great because you can choose to swim in the ocean or walk to other side of the park and paddle around in the river.  Isabelle has a kayak and took a pretty long trip down it for a bit.  I'll try to get a turn next time.  Jackie came to eat in the evening and was going to stay the night but left later instead as she was concerned her cell was dead and she has a friend in the  hospital.  We got up early but I didn't do much as I needed to leave early to go to Todd's baptism.  I brought all the fixings to make fajitas for dinner and that was a nice treat.  We had fresh pineapple, papaya from Isabelle's yard, tomatoes from next door to my place (there is a great garden and they sell vegetables), etc.  The mountains are just unbelievable as you will see from the photos.  There is a huge waterfall that I got a shot of in the morning.  The park is pretty popular but not so much that it was pretty quiet and enjoyable in the evening.  The birds were all over the place so I got some good pictures of them eating out of our half-coconut. 

PICTURES OF Hanalei Camping

Today I worked pretty hard in the morning with online calls.  Some of the papaya in our yard are ripe and I picked them.  I also read the documentation I picked up the other day to work on sending Bunny here.   I really miss her and with the new quarantine rules I should be able to get her here in about 120 days with 0-5 days of quarantine.  If I do the paperwork correctly it will be 0 quarantine days so it will not as hard on her as it would have been.  I'll be working on making this happen with Scott and Fran's assistance.  Making sense of the documents is difficult so I'll really have to work on it to get it right.

Every day I feel blessed to be able to be here.  It's amazing!

Wednesday 5/18/05

I talked to Sam & Scott today.  Sam drove down from Brazoria to help Scott to remove the things from storage that they are going to take.  That way when the shippers arrive all of the things in storage will go.  A lot less confusing.  I'm glad to get that over and done with.  Scott will have to go back on Friday to settle up with the storage unit and then it's over.  Sam said Scott is living in his place with hardly anything and it looks like a cave so she brought a TV table for him and they'll be looking for a couch for him.  I'm glad.  Scott likes his comfort (that's why he lived with me) but he is horrible about doing it for himself.  I'm glad his sister is going to make an effort for him.

BEST NEWS... I got my new place.  I move in this weekend to the Kawaihau Sports Villas in Kapaa.  I'll take pictures as soon as I can but here it is on the internet.  I am on a valley at the very end of the complex on the first floor.  The unit is below the one that I looked at when I first arrived, that's why I called about it.  I had looked at another that was on the mountain side and didn't like it so I was excited when I saw the ad for this one.  It has a screened in lanai that is on the valley side as you see in the pictures.  The pool is near but the path is on the other side of the building which makes it great for privacy.  When I looked at the top one I could barely see the pool activity roof in the valley so I probably won't be able to see it at all from the first floor.  I guess it was bought as an investment.  It is furnished so the little bit of furniture I have being shipped will fit in nicely and I won't have to buy furniture as I had planned.  The blue curtains will have to go LOL.  They probably are gone as the newspaper ad I answered says it was totally remodeled.  The realtor told me it has all mock parquet wood floors now.  I'm ready to leave here.  It's been really nice but I'll be glad to rent a clean, newer place.  I'll miss all my Hanapepe friends but we'll continue to meet camping so it will be pretty much the same as now.  I'll also be happy closer to the college and beaches.  The one thing that I couldn't seem to find in the major cities as I was looking was a place with lots of trees.  This has tons of trees all around it so I think it will be great.  I sign the paperwork tomorrow and pick up the keys so I'll get to see it tomorrow.

Thursday 5/19/05 Update:  Well, the place does not come furnished.  I will need to purchase beds, a desk, living room chairs, and some patio furniture.  I have a TV hutch, an end table, lamps, my simonè (7 drawer chest), quite a few boxes of stuff, my dads cedar chest, and pictures, coming with my shipping which will arrive in 3 or 4 weeks.  I just need a bed and a desk to start.  The place is amazing.  The owner fed the birds so there are tons outside my living room and patio area.  Some that I have never seen here before.  The condo has a bathroom next to the second bedroom and the way it is situated with a little hallway I will be able to close off that room, hall closet, and bath for a private suite situation.  The laundry is a stackable unit by the second bathroom.  Next to that - the master bedroom is quite large.  It actually has enough room for my computer desk in the bedroom but I'll be using the alcove in the living room area next to where the birds hang out.  I guess this was where the dining table would go.  I don't need that as I will put my dining table on the lanai.  The kitchen is a good size and has new cabinets that look nice with a bar.  The place has been redone some.  The floors are mock parquet and ceramic tile throughout.  I'm really thankful for that.  I really was not looking forward to having to vacuum.  I like just moping like I did with my hard wood floors in Texas and here at my cottage.  Actually it is even better here as it is considered proper etiquette to remove your shoes before entering someone's house.  Ninety percent of the dirt coming into the house is tracked in through the front door on shoes anyway so I clean way less now.  Love that!  The pool and tennis area is in a lush green area.  Every time I've been there the pool is empty so going down there will be pleasant.  After I paid the realtor and got my keys I went shopping.  Of course!  I bought a TV, a bed, and a bedside table.  They'll be delivered Saturday.  I bought a used desk tonight from someone from the newspaper and it's in the van.  I'll have to get Todd to help me unload it I think.  It's 5 pieces and one is pretty heavy.  I'm going to take it tomorrow so I will have room in the van for my stuff on Saturday.  The rest I'll be looking for in the paper later.  People sell whole households here when they move instead of taking them with them so I'll see if I can find some nice things as I go.  No hurry for the rest.   I'm really excited about moving.  The place is just what I wanted.  I'll have to take a picture of the front of my place so I can get a picture of my new/used van also.  Yes, I got my emergency vehicle (this is the part of my moving plan Troy was laughing about before I left.  I told him I would buy a van when I got here so that if I screwed up I would have a place to sleep).  Pictures soon.  Maybe Sunday.  The plumeria are going to town now.  The scent is wonderful in my cottage.  I'll have to take a picture before I leave Hanapepe as they have been amazing these last two weeks.