YUP!!!!!! I HAVE BIG NEWS FOR ONCE!!!!!
I am on the move again. I know there will be some out there that will think I am crazy but this move not only feels necessary, but right.
As you know Monte has been off grid for over a year. But, due to a forced hospitalization last November, after a couple of months of medication, he has come back to the land of living and is talking to me. For which I am eternally grateful. I can't even begin to tell you! And as you know, I haven't seen him until this week for over 16 months. Also I have never seen his place.
And I am broken hearted at what I am seeing in this place. It is a total filthy shit hole, totally appalling. The only time I have seen dirt like this is in some of the houses we took back as mortgage brokers. The dirt here is from years and years and years of neglect. The plaster walls are awful. The floors are ruined. The bathroom isn't even describable. And the kitchen....unworkable. My poor boy. Thrust into this shit and too mentally ill to help himself out of it.
And even though he is so so much better, he is always going to need help. And that person is going to be me. I am pretty sure that is why I am on this earth right now, right here and able. But the most heartening thing of all is not only is Monte excited and happy about this development, but I have the support of my family, including my beloved sister. If any of them had not felt right about this it would have made it so difficult. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is what I need to do.
And let me tell you that when I drove into this incredibly beautiful little town, I just felt good and at home. I am pretty familiar with Port Alberni. The twenty years we had a place in Bamfield, we had to pass through Port to get there. Plus my brother and his family lived here for many years and we did a lot of mortgages in this place.
Plus I think that this is the last place in BC that you can get a pretty decent place for 250,000. The town is surrounded by the most beautiful giant pointy snow covered mountains. The town sits right on the edge of an inlet, channel that runs inland from the ocean...fiftyish miles away, where Bamfield is.
Now to be fully honest, the town tends to have its fair share of misfits. But everyone is so supremely accepting and friendly. Which bodes very well for my 6'9" son with the tangled long hair!
Another bonus is the easy trip to Vancouver. April lives right near the ferry dock and Aryn not far from there. So its an easy one hour drive to the ferry, a comfy hour and a half ferry ride and twenty minutes to April's and half an hour to Aryn's. It will make it easy for them to come to us as well.
So here we go again. The fourth move in five years. Good thing I like moving! Time to throw out a whole bunch more stuff!! First I have to see what kind of place we get, how big etc. Houses seem to be selling like hot cakes here so I have to be quick about it. I don't think it will take long for my place to sell, at least I hope not. I am coming back here in May, hopefully find something and then take Monte back to Kamloops with me to help me pack up. Well, best laid plans and all that. One thing I know for sure, I ain't doing a thing to this dump..like putting lipstick on a pig...I am going to save my money for the new place! Wish me luck!!! TTYL. PS: I will phone you Cookie and fill you in....
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Friday, March 29, 2019
EFFING PASSWORDS
Jesus Murphy!!! Why why why does my stuff suddenly stop opening and then they need a password? It is so frigging annoying. I still think passwords should be optional. I would gladly sign a waiver and say I take full responsibility if something nefarious should happen to my unpassworded sites.
I am ensconced in Port Alberni with Monte. It was so amazing to lay eyes on him again and hug him. He has lost so much weight! He seems half the size he used to be. He is still very much the gentle giant.
His hair has grown again. He has an appointment next Tuesday for a hair cut and beard shaping. Plus we are seeking out new clothes for him. His t-shirts are miles too big for him. 5X down to a 2X.
He is still pretty fragile though. Things need to stay calm and no confrontation, otherwise he just frazzles and needs to go to his room to be quiet for a while. Its very much like having a brain injury. I have seen people with brain injuries act very much the same as Monte. But overall he is doing very well. I am just happy to be with him and listening to music.
The one thing that has changed about the two of us is we don't eat anymore...not like we used to. He and I used to love to go out and eat or go shopping and bring home something lovely to cook. Not anymore. Neither of us eats much and we have lost interest in food generally. Kind of sad and discombobulating.
Yesterday we were supposed to go to Costco in Nanaimo but the freezer Pat was lending us doesn't work. I had been begging him to try it out just to see, I know what things are like here. But I think he is even more of a procrastinator than me. All our plans hinged on having a working freezer. So Monte and I went straight to the Brick and bought a new one. It comes next Wed. so we put our trip off til next Thursday. Today we go and buy a twin bed for the guest room.
Instead of Costco in Nanaimo, we made a trip to Coombs market. We picked up bits and pieces of cheeses and salamis and headed to the beach in Parksville and had the most awesome amazing picnic on the edge of the ocean. God! It is so beautiful on this Island. We just sat on a log and soaked up the sun, listened to the waves and birds and nibbled on old aged cheese and lamb pastrami. Amazing day.
And the day ended with a birthday dinner up here for Ange from downstairs. Monte and Pat bbq'ed steaks we picked up on the way home and I baked my signature potatoes and cooked asparagus and hollandaise sauce and they brought a salad and DQ birthday cake. Oh, and they had to bring their own plates and knife and fork. Hahaha!!! Monte just doesn't have any. We shall fix that somewhere along the line here. It was a great time.
One thing I know...I will def be in better shape when I leave. I am sleeping on the most comfortable couch...but...its like two inches off the floor and extremely soft. Now if there is anything thats hard for a fat broad with a sore knee, it's heaving herself off an extremely low bed that has no firmness to hoist oneself up on. Holy Crap!!!! It takes me five minutes to bounce, jiggle, heave myself into a sitting position, then try to get over my knees enough to gain enough forward momentum to stand up. And being a type 2 diabetic, about six bathroom trips in the night is not unusual.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the inlet is sparkling and my camera has half a battery left in it. Time to get out there do some soul healing. TTYL
SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME SMILE:
I thought I already did this...oh yeah it was laugh. Well another one was when my sister tripped on her extra long bell bottom jeans and fell flat on her butt. She wasn't hurt but I gotta tell ya...I almost died laughing! That was a hundred years ago and it still puts a smile on my face when I think of it!
I am ensconced in Port Alberni with Monte. It was so amazing to lay eyes on him again and hug him. He has lost so much weight! He seems half the size he used to be. He is still very much the gentle giant.
His hair has grown again. He has an appointment next Tuesday for a hair cut and beard shaping. Plus we are seeking out new clothes for him. His t-shirts are miles too big for him. 5X down to a 2X.
He is still pretty fragile though. Things need to stay calm and no confrontation, otherwise he just frazzles and needs to go to his room to be quiet for a while. Its very much like having a brain injury. I have seen people with brain injuries act very much the same as Monte. But overall he is doing very well. I am just happy to be with him and listening to music.
The one thing that has changed about the two of us is we don't eat anymore...not like we used to. He and I used to love to go out and eat or go shopping and bring home something lovely to cook. Not anymore. Neither of us eats much and we have lost interest in food generally. Kind of sad and discombobulating.
Yesterday we were supposed to go to Costco in Nanaimo but the freezer Pat was lending us doesn't work. I had been begging him to try it out just to see, I know what things are like here. But I think he is even more of a procrastinator than me. All our plans hinged on having a working freezer. So Monte and I went straight to the Brick and bought a new one. It comes next Wed. so we put our trip off til next Thursday. Today we go and buy a twin bed for the guest room.
Instead of Costco in Nanaimo, we made a trip to Coombs market. We picked up bits and pieces of cheeses and salamis and headed to the beach in Parksville and had the most awesome amazing picnic on the edge of the ocean. God! It is so beautiful on this Island. We just sat on a log and soaked up the sun, listened to the waves and birds and nibbled on old aged cheese and lamb pastrami. Amazing day.
And the day ended with a birthday dinner up here for Ange from downstairs. Monte and Pat bbq'ed steaks we picked up on the way home and I baked my signature potatoes and cooked asparagus and hollandaise sauce and they brought a salad and DQ birthday cake. Oh, and they had to bring their own plates and knife and fork. Hahaha!!! Monte just doesn't have any. We shall fix that somewhere along the line here. It was a great time.
One thing I know...I will def be in better shape when I leave. I am sleeping on the most comfortable couch...but...its like two inches off the floor and extremely soft. Now if there is anything thats hard for a fat broad with a sore knee, it's heaving herself off an extremely low bed that has no firmness to hoist oneself up on. Holy Crap!!!! It takes me five minutes to bounce, jiggle, heave myself into a sitting position, then try to get over my knees enough to gain enough forward momentum to stand up. And being a type 2 diabetic, about six bathroom trips in the night is not unusual.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the inlet is sparkling and my camera has half a battery left in it. Time to get out there do some soul healing. TTYL
SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME SMILE:
I thought I already did this...oh yeah it was laugh. Well another one was when my sister tripped on her extra long bell bottom jeans and fell flat on her butt. She wasn't hurt but I gotta tell ya...I almost died laughing! That was a hundred years ago and it still puts a smile on my face when I think of it!
Saturday, March 23, 2019
I THINK TANK IS TOO SMALL
There are lots of things I would like to get rid of and Monte could use but.....I can't even fit a bedspread in with the stuff I HAVE to take. I looked into renting a mini van for the two weeks I will be in Port. 1100 bucks. Jeez...I could buy a second hand one for that.
So I went to Port car rentals. There is only one...budget. And I can rent that van for 100 bucks for a day. I just might do that to go to Nanaimo to Costco. There is no way I can fit groceries, stuff and a dog into Tank.
We would use Monte's van but it apparently needs an alternator (which I don't really believe) and its not insured right now. Just because the new battery doesn't hold a charge after months of sitting there doesn't mean it needs an alternator. If Monte gets his license back, and there is no reason he shouldn't, I shall have it checked out in a proper shop, not the 'mechanic' in his garage down the alley.
Well I found out why the dog next door is so quiet. I wrote a quick email to strata to let them know the problem seemed to be solved and thank them for their help. I got a very short terse, you could say maybe unfriendly email, compared to other emails from her, that very briefly said, "The owner informed us she has rehomed the dog." End of email. At first I was going to feel bad about that but then all I had to do was recall the endless brain destroying barking. Nope. Don't feel bad.
I am excited about my trip to Port. I will lay eyes on Monte for the first time in 16 months. We are going to have fun.
One of the projects is to get the spare bedroom set up. New bed, new bedding, cozy lamp, warm rug, pretty bedside table, curtains (usually a shovel list for me but I think they are warranted here.). I will take pics along the way.
I have a certain very dear person in mind whilst I do this. Peter. Our very dearest friend Peter. If he goes up to visit Mr. Man, I want him to be in a super clean, homey, comfy room. He has put up with enough from us with all the work he has put in on Monte's behalf...and mine. I know he is super busy right now and may not be able to visit for a while but at least it will be there and ready for him.
Speaking of Monte's friends, Graeme, another dear person to us, is living in Montreal. I have probably mentioned him before. He is in the process of moving out of his and Anton's apartment and couch surfing for a while. Then he is heading on a long trip to Europe and Russia. I am so excited for him.
Anton, my Anton, is not coming back from Russia. I was really missing him before but since I got this news I am really really sad. He definitely grew hugely in my heart. sigh
Well enough about my lost boys. I miss them all and all the activity they brought with them.
I am coming back to Kamloops on April 9th, Price family reunion in Kelowna from April 25th to 28th, then back to Port the end of the first week of May. Monte wants to come to Kamloops for a while so as soon as he gets his monthly meds, I shall bring him back for a week or two. Then back to Port. By then I hope he will have a fixed van and his license.
Somewhere in there I think we will make a trip to Bamfield. Its hard going back there but its such a huge part of our 'Bill life' and we need to keep it alive in our beings. Actually this morning on Global News, Bamfield was their feature town. And Aryn had sent in pictures and they featured two of her pics!!!!!! I burst into instant tears the moment I saw them!!! All for now....TTYL
SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME LAUGH:
Well I am very grateful for anything that makes me laugh...it just doesn't happen all that often. Oh, casual laughter, day to day does, but real belly laughter, tears and all, waking up in the night and laughing at the memory...that kind of laughter doesn't happen very often. And I love meeting funny people. That doesn't happen too often either. Its a shame. Really funny people, as rare as they are, are such a fantastic find. I can remember every single 'funny' person I ever met. And the number is small.
So I went to Port car rentals. There is only one...budget. And I can rent that van for 100 bucks for a day. I just might do that to go to Nanaimo to Costco. There is no way I can fit groceries, stuff and a dog into Tank.
We would use Monte's van but it apparently needs an alternator (which I don't really believe) and its not insured right now. Just because the new battery doesn't hold a charge after months of sitting there doesn't mean it needs an alternator. If Monte gets his license back, and there is no reason he shouldn't, I shall have it checked out in a proper shop, not the 'mechanic' in his garage down the alley.
Well I found out why the dog next door is so quiet. I wrote a quick email to strata to let them know the problem seemed to be solved and thank them for their help. I got a very short terse, you could say maybe unfriendly email, compared to other emails from her, that very briefly said, "The owner informed us she has rehomed the dog." End of email. At first I was going to feel bad about that but then all I had to do was recall the endless brain destroying barking. Nope. Don't feel bad.
I am excited about my trip to Port. I will lay eyes on Monte for the first time in 16 months. We are going to have fun.
One of the projects is to get the spare bedroom set up. New bed, new bedding, cozy lamp, warm rug, pretty bedside table, curtains (usually a shovel list for me but I think they are warranted here.). I will take pics along the way.
I have a certain very dear person in mind whilst I do this. Peter. Our very dearest friend Peter. If he goes up to visit Mr. Man, I want him to be in a super clean, homey, comfy room. He has put up with enough from us with all the work he has put in on Monte's behalf...and mine. I know he is super busy right now and may not be able to visit for a while but at least it will be there and ready for him.
Speaking of Monte's friends, Graeme, another dear person to us, is living in Montreal. I have probably mentioned him before. He is in the process of moving out of his and Anton's apartment and couch surfing for a while. Then he is heading on a long trip to Europe and Russia. I am so excited for him.
Anton, my Anton, is not coming back from Russia. I was really missing him before but since I got this news I am really really sad. He definitely grew hugely in my heart. sigh
Well enough about my lost boys. I miss them all and all the activity they brought with them.
I am coming back to Kamloops on April 9th, Price family reunion in Kelowna from April 25th to 28th, then back to Port the end of the first week of May. Monte wants to come to Kamloops for a while so as soon as he gets his monthly meds, I shall bring him back for a week or two. Then back to Port. By then I hope he will have a fixed van and his license.
Somewhere in there I think we will make a trip to Bamfield. Its hard going back there but its such a huge part of our 'Bill life' and we need to keep it alive in our beings. Actually this morning on Global News, Bamfield was their feature town. And Aryn had sent in pictures and they featured two of her pics!!!!!! I burst into instant tears the moment I saw them!!! All for now....TTYL
SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME LAUGH:
Well I am very grateful for anything that makes me laugh...it just doesn't happen all that often. Oh, casual laughter, day to day does, but real belly laughter, tears and all, waking up in the night and laughing at the memory...that kind of laughter doesn't happen very often. And I love meeting funny people. That doesn't happen too often either. Its a shame. Really funny people, as rare as they are, are such a fantastic find. I can remember every single 'funny' person I ever met. And the number is small.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
FINALLY FOUND IT
I haven't said much about this cuz its so 'all about me ish'. I know. This is my blog where my posts will inevitably be 'all about me ish' but some subjects are really self oriented. (not orientated...I hate that word...shovel list...see below)
For the last while, months, I have had trouble 'liking' food. Absolutely nothing appeals to me and if it sort of does, about half way through eating it, I hate it. I have thrown out so much food over the last few months. Its shameful and I don't know why. There might be a chance that the pills I take have changed my taste buds. Stuff just makes me feel pukey and even if I enjoy it the first time...I can't eat it again. Sounds so spoiled and petty but it has become a real problem. I get super hungry but nothing appeals. I end up eating bad stuff. Like toast, tater tots (but I even don't like those anymore), cheese, tuna salad, and thats about it. Carby things go down well, wouldn't you know. So weight gain is starting up again. Dammit!
So yesterday I decided I would sit in my chair in dead silence and think about it. Solve the issue. I need to find something I really like to eat everytime and only buy that. No more self indulgent waste.
So I did just that. Sat there in silence, occasionally coughed my brains out, and thought about all the food available. I marched up and down the food aisles in a grocery store in my head, checking out everything possible. It took about half an hour of sitting there, then I hit it!!!! I knew what I could eat everyday without getting sick of it, over and over.
I hopped up (it was six o'clock). Pulled on my springy jacket, grabbed my wallet and headed up to Costco. What a fantastic time to go!!! The place was virtually empty!!! And I bought exactly what I knew I could repeatedly eat.
And right now, at nine in the morning, with my coffee, its exactly what I am eating and loving and looking forward to lunch. Here it is:
Toasted raisin bread
Lots of butter
Layer of whipped cream cheese
Sprinkled with chopped onion
Sprinkled with capers
And...you guessed it...a fat layer of lox...its not too pricey in Costco.
On the side:
blueberries
raspberries
figs
banana
sometimes salty tomato slices
Problem solved! TTYL
*Although there is no real difference in meaning or function between the two words, there is clearly a better choice, and that is oriented. Oriented is a more straightforward, clear word form, and Garner's Modern American Usage calls orientated a needless variant.
MUSIC: I am so grateful for music there are no words. Music changes me molecularly. Makes me laugh, happy, sad, angry, cry and become like a born again Christian...everybody has to hear my latest fave! Right now its Xanthrax by Shredders. Love it!!!!!
For the last while, months, I have had trouble 'liking' food. Absolutely nothing appeals to me and if it sort of does, about half way through eating it, I hate it. I have thrown out so much food over the last few months. Its shameful and I don't know why. There might be a chance that the pills I take have changed my taste buds. Stuff just makes me feel pukey and even if I enjoy it the first time...I can't eat it again. Sounds so spoiled and petty but it has become a real problem. I get super hungry but nothing appeals. I end up eating bad stuff. Like toast, tater tots (but I even don't like those anymore), cheese, tuna salad, and thats about it. Carby things go down well, wouldn't you know. So weight gain is starting up again. Dammit!
So yesterday I decided I would sit in my chair in dead silence and think about it. Solve the issue. I need to find something I really like to eat everytime and only buy that. No more self indulgent waste.
So I did just that. Sat there in silence, occasionally coughed my brains out, and thought about all the food available. I marched up and down the food aisles in a grocery store in my head, checking out everything possible. It took about half an hour of sitting there, then I hit it!!!! I knew what I could eat everyday without getting sick of it, over and over.
I hopped up (it was six o'clock). Pulled on my springy jacket, grabbed my wallet and headed up to Costco. What a fantastic time to go!!! The place was virtually empty!!! And I bought exactly what I knew I could repeatedly eat.
And right now, at nine in the morning, with my coffee, its exactly what I am eating and loving and looking forward to lunch. Here it is:
Toasted raisin bread
Lots of butter
Layer of whipped cream cheese
Sprinkled with chopped onion
Sprinkled with capers
And...you guessed it...a fat layer of lox...its not too pricey in Costco.
On the side:
blueberries
raspberries
figs
banana
sometimes salty tomato slices
Problem solved! TTYL
*Although there is no real difference in meaning or function between the two words, there is clearly a better choice, and that is oriented. Oriented is a more straightforward, clear word form, and Garner's Modern American Usage calls orientated a needless variant.
MUSIC: I am so grateful for music there are no words. Music changes me molecularly. Makes me laugh, happy, sad, angry, cry and become like a born again Christian...everybody has to hear my latest fave! Right now its Xanthrax by Shredders. Love it!!!!!
Sunday, March 17, 2019
DOING THINGS
Dove into Kiwanis immediately. Our meeting was over at NorKam High with the Key Club, Junior Kiwanis. There were quite a few kids there and I left the meeting totally impressed with them. Clearly not all teens are awful, which one starts thinking if the only thing you go by is media. Some of those kids had astounding ideas on how to help little kids. And it was the littles they were most interested in helping. We will mentor and help them achieve their goals. I think this will be really an awesome adventure moving forward.
Thursday was an interesting day. We have hundreds of grad dresses. Hundreds! But a lot of them are old and way past their prime and the whole lot, boxes and boxes and boxes of them needed culling. So at two o'clock sharp, eight of us showed up at the University, where they are stored, to do just that.
Armed with giant huge garbage bags (they were seriously huge), one by one every single dress was lifted out of a box, quickly voted on, yay or nay, and either hung on the right size rack or tossed into a garbage bag. And the guys hauled nine! huge heavy garbage bags full of every colour under the sun out to Kathy's and Iris's vans...to be driven over to Penny Pinchers. Some of them were really needing to be trashed but we will let Penny Pinchers do that part! We have become a society that's totally terrified to throw anything out.
Somewhere in there I headed up the hill and retrieved my furry boy...and OMG!! the dog hair on that dog is insane. Even the kennel was complaining!
On the way home I stopped off at a pet store and bought two implements that could maybe help with that. The one I already owned was just too wimpy. I filled three plastic shopping bags in ten minutes...and his hair is still floating around him as he walks.
Saturday was our first two hour appointment to try to dress kids for grad. Cousins, boy and girl came in. The boy was a husky fella but Iris and I were able to get him totally decked out in a tux, tie, cummerbund, vest and all. He was so proud and kind of in shock when he looked in the mirror! And his mummy cried when she saw him. And that, in a nutshell, is what Kiwanis is all about.
On Thursday I started to cough. I put it down to Ramipril...a drug for blood pressure, it can cause a cough. But then Friday it got worse and harder to control and by yesterday I was having to hold my eyeballs in my head. Holy jeez!!!
Cookie was just getting over a horrible cough when we started our trip and I do believe I picked it up. I bet I am driving my neighbour crazy because there is no doubt she can clearly hear me.
Speaking of her, there hasn't been a peep out of her dog. And there is a strange car parked there during the day and sometimes over night. I am wondering if she has moved someone in to stay with the dog when she is gone. If it keeps up I will go knock on her door before I go to Port Alberni and thank her and let her know when I will be out of town and she will not have to worry about it for that duration. I am so relieved! I wasn't looking forward to doing battle.
You know purses are such a stupid idea. I was just watching a movie and the woman in it has always only got one hand free, the other is hampered by packing around a purse. Men get along just fine without one. I love to buy purses, and then I never ever use them. Actually I have stopped buying them. Back pack purses are annoying too. You always have to pull them off to get into them then put them back on. I have a fairly small wallet. I put it in my right bra and my phone in my left...sometimes keys in there too. Good to go! Lumpy looking chests don't bother me!
Another thing I discovered, and I am super excited about this one, is where I can finally find and buy chicken backs!!!!! I have been hunting for chicken backs forever. The grocery stores simply don't sell them anymore.
Someone suggested I try the butcher's! So I headed up the hill to the only butcher I know and went in and asked. And YES!!!!! She said they always have them because people are making bone broth out of them. Bone Broth. Not me!
Back a million years ago when I was Atkinsing, I would get chicken backs, lay them out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle them with season salt and roast them on a high heat. And once I got it through Bill's head they were NOT for the damned dog, I would eat them. OMG!!! Sooooo good. The little pockets of meat, the crispy skin, the pope's nose....mmmmmmm. And now I can do that again. Happy happy!!!
Well its a quiet Sunday, other than my hacking and coughing. Maybe I shall unpack my suitcase! There's a concept! TTYL
My gratitude list is back: Todays subject is COLOUR: I love colour. I have colour all over my living area. My rug is a crazy colour. My pics are a crazy colour. My table cloth is wild. My lamps are all stained glass. I love all the colours. I am def not a beige muted person. And I am grateful every time I find a colourful item. The last one I bought was a shell necklace in Waikiki. I had a feeling I would never wear it but I still wanted it. I will take a pic of what I immediately did with it as soon as I pulled it out of my suitcase! So as you can see I have a huge gratitude to colour....its hugely important to me and it was to Spod too. That was sure one thing we were on the same page about.
Thursday was an interesting day. We have hundreds of grad dresses. Hundreds! But a lot of them are old and way past their prime and the whole lot, boxes and boxes and boxes of them needed culling. So at two o'clock sharp, eight of us showed up at the University, where they are stored, to do just that.
Armed with giant huge garbage bags (they were seriously huge), one by one every single dress was lifted out of a box, quickly voted on, yay or nay, and either hung on the right size rack or tossed into a garbage bag. And the guys hauled nine! huge heavy garbage bags full of every colour under the sun out to Kathy's and Iris's vans...to be driven over to Penny Pinchers. Some of them were really needing to be trashed but we will let Penny Pinchers do that part! We have become a society that's totally terrified to throw anything out.
Somewhere in there I headed up the hill and retrieved my furry boy...and OMG!! the dog hair on that dog is insane. Even the kennel was complaining!
On the way home I stopped off at a pet store and bought two implements that could maybe help with that. The one I already owned was just too wimpy. I filled three plastic shopping bags in ten minutes...and his hair is still floating around him as he walks.
Saturday was our first two hour appointment to try to dress kids for grad. Cousins, boy and girl came in. The boy was a husky fella but Iris and I were able to get him totally decked out in a tux, tie, cummerbund, vest and all. He was so proud and kind of in shock when he looked in the mirror! And his mummy cried when she saw him. And that, in a nutshell, is what Kiwanis is all about.
On Thursday I started to cough. I put it down to Ramipril...a drug for blood pressure, it can cause a cough. But then Friday it got worse and harder to control and by yesterday I was having to hold my eyeballs in my head. Holy jeez!!!
Cookie was just getting over a horrible cough when we started our trip and I do believe I picked it up. I bet I am driving my neighbour crazy because there is no doubt she can clearly hear me.
Speaking of her, there hasn't been a peep out of her dog. And there is a strange car parked there during the day and sometimes over night. I am wondering if she has moved someone in to stay with the dog when she is gone. If it keeps up I will go knock on her door before I go to Port Alberni and thank her and let her know when I will be out of town and she will not have to worry about it for that duration. I am so relieved! I wasn't looking forward to doing battle.
You know purses are such a stupid idea. I was just watching a movie and the woman in it has always only got one hand free, the other is hampered by packing around a purse. Men get along just fine without one. I love to buy purses, and then I never ever use them. Actually I have stopped buying them. Back pack purses are annoying too. You always have to pull them off to get into them then put them back on. I have a fairly small wallet. I put it in my right bra and my phone in my left...sometimes keys in there too. Good to go! Lumpy looking chests don't bother me!
Another thing I discovered, and I am super excited about this one, is where I can finally find and buy chicken backs!!!!! I have been hunting for chicken backs forever. The grocery stores simply don't sell them anymore.
Someone suggested I try the butcher's! So I headed up the hill to the only butcher I know and went in and asked. And YES!!!!! She said they always have them because people are making bone broth out of them. Bone Broth. Not me!
Back a million years ago when I was Atkinsing, I would get chicken backs, lay them out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle them with season salt and roast them on a high heat. And once I got it through Bill's head they were NOT for the damned dog, I would eat them. OMG!!! Sooooo good. The little pockets of meat, the crispy skin, the pope's nose....mmmmmmm. And now I can do that again. Happy happy!!!
Well its a quiet Sunday, other than my hacking and coughing. Maybe I shall unpack my suitcase! There's a concept! TTYL
My gratitude list is back: Todays subject is COLOUR: I love colour. I have colour all over my living area. My rug is a crazy colour. My pics are a crazy colour. My table cloth is wild. My lamps are all stained glass. I love all the colours. I am def not a beige muted person. And I am grateful every time I find a colourful item. The last one I bought was a shell necklace in Waikiki. I had a feeling I would never wear it but I still wanted it. I will take a pic of what I immediately did with it as soon as I pulled it out of my suitcase! So as you can see I have a huge gratitude to colour....its hugely important to me and it was to Spod too. That was sure one thing we were on the same page about.
 |
| A KITTY NECKLACE |
 |
| THAT BOX THE CAT IS STANDING ON IS FULL OF GORGEOUS SILVERWARE I BOUGHT AT LONDON DRUGS. HAHAHA!!! IT REALLY IS GORGEOUS! |
 |
| MY LIVING ROOM RUG..ITS LIKE A PAINTING. THAT THING ON THE RUG OVER THERE IS WRANGLER'S "BABY". ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS :WHERE'S YOUR BABY?" AND HE TEARS OFF AND GETS IT AND SHAKES THE HELL OUT OF IT |
 |
| MY HALLWAY RUNNER |
 |
| THE TWO PAINTINGS I BOUGHT IN PARIS |
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
HOME AGAIN HOME AGAIN JIGGITY JIG
Well we got ourselves all packed up, out for one last delicious meal at Cheesecake Factory and into bed pretty early. Our bus picked us up at ten am Sunday morning and off to the airport.
We were pretty hungry by the time we were able to get food. But I have to tell you it was a bit dicey getting into the inside past security. They have only one area for security and many many planes leaving about the same time. The lineup for security wound its way right through half the airport. The Hawaiian airports are disgraceful and have been desperately needing upgrading and rebuilding since the eighties. And we made the mistake of flying on a Sunday, the busiest day of the week. I hadn't noticed before booking or I would have said something to Cookie. My bad.
We stopped in the first restaurant we saw on the other side. Cook got a hamburger and I got the best hotdog I have had almost ever. Almost as good as Costco. (but no free drink and 18 dollars more). It was about a foot long, beer marinated, pineapple relish and pineapple ketchup, on a Hawaiian sweet bread bun. Delicious!!!!!!
The flight home would have been easy peasy, but there was this one kid...OMG!!! Some people should simply not fly. That kid screamed, ear piercingly pretty much the whole trip. He wasn't always crying either....he screamed when he was happy too. The damned parents would ineffectually go shhhhh quietly over and over when really the kid needed to be knocked upside the head. So no sleeping on that flight.
Cook's awesome sister Gail picked us up and we were ensconced on Cookie's couch by 12:30 am with a cup of tea, thank you Brian! Off to bed by 1 am...Cookie had to get up at six am to babysit a grandchild!
I decided to head home right away to beat some impending snow. The traffic was light and the sun was shining...a beautiful trip home. I took the low road from Merritt to Kamloops. Along the way I heard on the radio there had been a nasty accident ahead a ways on this road and the road would be either closed or one lane for a while. So I pulled into a pretty isolated area, a bird sanctuary, pulled on my travel neck pillow, locked Tank's doors and promptly fell asleep...for an hour and a half! Such a good sleep too! Now and then I would get cold and groggily wake up and start the jeep, warm it up and turn it off and go back to sleep. I love afternoon naps!
I finally woke up and went on my way. I passed the accident and it was a bad one....logging truck dumped his load and smashed his truck up. Ugly!
Shortly after getting home Kerry dropped in just as I got an exciting phone call from April with fantastic news! She got accepted into a very difficult course to get accepted into. Its an animation two year course at Cap University in North Vancouver. Her only way to get in is through her much worked on portfolio! I am soooo proud of her! And it was special that her uncle was there to hear the news too.
Yesterday was a Kiwanis day and dinner at Kathy's last night. We had 'plant based' burgers. Very good. And then we looked at vacation places in Mexico...houses on beaches for rent in small places on the Yucatan. Soooo much cheaper than Maui or O'ahu. I mean so much so its time for us to get Hawaii out of our heads. Four couples renting down there for a whole month works out to about five hundred dollars each couple compared to ten thousand or more for a month elsewhere. Not only that but our dollar goes way farther than in the US. Plus there is no Trump. Thats a big bonus for me!
Today has been a lappy day. So much business and emails and forms to fill out and bills to pay. Gittin 'er done. And now best of all....I get to go and pick up Wrangler. Yaaaay!!!! I can't wait!!! I have missed him.
And speaking of dogs, the neighbour has maybe done something. At first yesterday the dog barked for a while and I was pretty sure I was going to have to go to battle but today there hasn't been a peep. So we shall wait and see.
TTYL
We were pretty hungry by the time we were able to get food. But I have to tell you it was a bit dicey getting into the inside past security. They have only one area for security and many many planes leaving about the same time. The lineup for security wound its way right through half the airport. The Hawaiian airports are disgraceful and have been desperately needing upgrading and rebuilding since the eighties. And we made the mistake of flying on a Sunday, the busiest day of the week. I hadn't noticed before booking or I would have said something to Cookie. My bad.
We stopped in the first restaurant we saw on the other side. Cook got a hamburger and I got the best hotdog I have had almost ever. Almost as good as Costco. (but no free drink and 18 dollars more). It was about a foot long, beer marinated, pineapple relish and pineapple ketchup, on a Hawaiian sweet bread bun. Delicious!!!!!!
The flight home would have been easy peasy, but there was this one kid...OMG!!! Some people should simply not fly. That kid screamed, ear piercingly pretty much the whole trip. He wasn't always crying either....he screamed when he was happy too. The damned parents would ineffectually go shhhhh quietly over and over when really the kid needed to be knocked upside the head. So no sleeping on that flight.
Cook's awesome sister Gail picked us up and we were ensconced on Cookie's couch by 12:30 am with a cup of tea, thank you Brian! Off to bed by 1 am...Cookie had to get up at six am to babysit a grandchild!
I decided to head home right away to beat some impending snow. The traffic was light and the sun was shining...a beautiful trip home. I took the low road from Merritt to Kamloops. Along the way I heard on the radio there had been a nasty accident ahead a ways on this road and the road would be either closed or one lane for a while. So I pulled into a pretty isolated area, a bird sanctuary, pulled on my travel neck pillow, locked Tank's doors and promptly fell asleep...for an hour and a half! Such a good sleep too! Now and then I would get cold and groggily wake up and start the jeep, warm it up and turn it off and go back to sleep. I love afternoon naps!
I finally woke up and went on my way. I passed the accident and it was a bad one....logging truck dumped his load and smashed his truck up. Ugly!
Shortly after getting home Kerry dropped in just as I got an exciting phone call from April with fantastic news! She got accepted into a very difficult course to get accepted into. Its an animation two year course at Cap University in North Vancouver. Her only way to get in is through her much worked on portfolio! I am soooo proud of her! And it was special that her uncle was there to hear the news too.
Yesterday was a Kiwanis day and dinner at Kathy's last night. We had 'plant based' burgers. Very good. And then we looked at vacation places in Mexico...houses on beaches for rent in small places on the Yucatan. Soooo much cheaper than Maui or O'ahu. I mean so much so its time for us to get Hawaii out of our heads. Four couples renting down there for a whole month works out to about five hundred dollars each couple compared to ten thousand or more for a month elsewhere. Not only that but our dollar goes way farther than in the US. Plus there is no Trump. Thats a big bonus for me!
Today has been a lappy day. So much business and emails and forms to fill out and bills to pay. Gittin 'er done. And now best of all....I get to go and pick up Wrangler. Yaaaay!!!! I can't wait!!! I have missed him.
And speaking of dogs, the neighbour has maybe done something. At first yesterday the dog barked for a while and I was pretty sure I was going to have to go to battle but today there hasn't been a peep. So we shall wait and see.
TTYL
Saturday, March 9, 2019
TWO BROADS....ONE TIRED THE OTHER BOUNCY
You know the word hyperbole? Well I think Cook and I were casualties of that today. We read all about a place called Salt, a shopping and eating area named after old timey salt ponds. Everything we read about the area seemed amazing and alluring. So we hauled out my laptop and Cook's phone and looked up bus routes that would take us there.
And there we got. But we couldn't actually find THE place called Salt. There was a market happening where the bus driver told us to get off so we asked there, after walking around quite a bit looking for it. So we got directions from a lady and discovered we were still a pretty long way from it.
Finally we started to see murals on walls and I started snapping pics. And finally we saw a not so large building with many little coffee and lunch spots and the occasional little stores. And that was it. No big shopping area. No big awesome stores and shops and milling yuppies, and designer dogs being pushed around in buggies. I mean it was nice but seriously? After all the hype and effort to get there.... hmmmm...impressed? Not so much.
So we humped it back down the road to a bus stop and came back to our room. We napped and read. What more could one want? Then we put our shoes on and headed over to Cheesecake Factory and had an amazing meal and then back here and packed and now we are reading. Good day was had by all. And we are all ready to get the bus to the airport in the morning for a 2:30 plane home.
TTYL
And there we got. But we couldn't actually find THE place called Salt. There was a market happening where the bus driver told us to get off so we asked there, after walking around quite a bit looking for it. So we got directions from a lady and discovered we were still a pretty long way from it.
Finally we started to see murals on walls and I started snapping pics. And finally we saw a not so large building with many little coffee and lunch spots and the occasional little stores. And that was it. No big shopping area. No big awesome stores and shops and milling yuppies, and designer dogs being pushed around in buggies. I mean it was nice but seriously? After all the hype and effort to get there.... hmmmm...impressed? Not so much.
So we humped it back down the road to a bus stop and came back to our room. We napped and read. What more could one want? Then we put our shoes on and headed over to Cheesecake Factory and had an amazing meal and then back here and packed and now we are reading. Good day was had by all. And we are all ready to get the bus to the airport in the morning for a 2:30 plane home.
 |
| SHE IS MISSING HER FACE |
 |
| SEE COOKIE ON THE RIGHT? |
TWO BROADS AND THEIR FEET...DAYS 9&10
Well I think we are done with Waikiki. We have had a great time but its time to go home and we likely won't be back. We will be sticking with Maui from now on. Maui is such a gentle island full of gentle people...much prefer that. This trip might have made more sense to us if we were shoppers or swimmers. Seeing as how we are neither there isn't much point to O'ahu. The three days we had full awesome activities were wonderful though. Neither of us would have missed those for anything.
On day 9 we lounged about in our room reading. We have both read a couple of books, well I haven't. I read one then started on the next one...got about one third of the way through and it turned into a very unrealistic romance, which I refuse to read.
Then we went shopping, little gift shopping, in Duke's Lane, where a lot of displaced vendors from the International Marketplace ended up. We were quite successful. We went back and found the lady that had ripped our shirts off our backs and sold us matching outfits! She was happy to see us I must say.
That evening we met Cookie's daughter in law and her friend for dinner. On Maui there is a delightful colourful little town by the name of Paia. People such as Willie Nelson and Woody Harrelson live in that wee town(If that means anything to you) . There is a fantastic restaurant called The Fish Market which was always full when we drove by. They have opened one in Waikiki here and that is where we went. The food was delicious! I had opah, or moonfish sautéed and served with Cajun rice. It was amazing. I have a feeling opah will be on the endangered species one day so wanted to try it before that happened. Glad I did!
Yesterday, day 10, we walked down Kuhio, hitting up every ABC store we came across...just for the heck of it. Now if you haven't been to Waikiki you won't understand what that means. You know how there is a Starbucks everywhere in Vancouver? Sometimes kitty corner from each other? Well multiply that by a hundred and you have ABC stores. We can see two right now off our balcony!
They are full of hats (but not the actual visor I am looking for), mugs (but not the small lighter kind I am looking for), sun dresses (but not in my gigantic size...even though the locals are pretty skookum), toys ( but not the shark pincher we want), suntan lotion (but not the brown Kukui nut one I want), ....kind of like a fridge full of food but none you want....or Netflix, tons of shows but not one you actually want to watch. But it was fun anyway.
Then we tried to go for a walk along the canal but the wind was blowing so bad we could hardly walk! On the way back we stopped at Foodland and bought our dinner stuff, back to the room and read read read.
At seven we watched the Gayle/R Kelly interview. Our conclusion: a melodramatic cry baby peodophile.
Now its morning of the 11th day. Our last day in paradise. We are going to a new place we haven't visited yet. I shall take pics and tell you about it tonight. Tomorrow we wing our way home! TTYL
On day 9 we lounged about in our room reading. We have both read a couple of books, well I haven't. I read one then started on the next one...got about one third of the way through and it turned into a very unrealistic romance, which I refuse to read.
Then we went shopping, little gift shopping, in Duke's Lane, where a lot of displaced vendors from the International Marketplace ended up. We were quite successful. We went back and found the lady that had ripped our shirts off our backs and sold us matching outfits! She was happy to see us I must say.
That evening we met Cookie's daughter in law and her friend for dinner. On Maui there is a delightful colourful little town by the name of Paia. People such as Willie Nelson and Woody Harrelson live in that wee town(If that means anything to you) . There is a fantastic restaurant called The Fish Market which was always full when we drove by. They have opened one in Waikiki here and that is where we went. The food was delicious! I had opah, or moonfish sautéed and served with Cajun rice. It was amazing. I have a feeling opah will be on the endangered species one day so wanted to try it before that happened. Glad I did!
Yesterday, day 10, we walked down Kuhio, hitting up every ABC store we came across...just for the heck of it. Now if you haven't been to Waikiki you won't understand what that means. You know how there is a Starbucks everywhere in Vancouver? Sometimes kitty corner from each other? Well multiply that by a hundred and you have ABC stores. We can see two right now off our balcony!
They are full of hats (but not the actual visor I am looking for), mugs (but not the small lighter kind I am looking for), sun dresses (but not in my gigantic size...even though the locals are pretty skookum), toys ( but not the shark pincher we want), suntan lotion (but not the brown Kukui nut one I want), ....kind of like a fridge full of food but none you want....or Netflix, tons of shows but not one you actually want to watch. But it was fun anyway.
Then we tried to go for a walk along the canal but the wind was blowing so bad we could hardly walk! On the way back we stopped at Foodland and bought our dinner stuff, back to the room and read read read.
At seven we watched the Gayle/R Kelly interview. Our conclusion: a melodramatic cry baby peodophile.
Now its morning of the 11th day. Our last day in paradise. We are going to a new place we haven't visited yet. I shall take pics and tell you about it tonight. Tomorrow we wing our way home! TTYL
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
TWO BROADS AND A BUS AND A BUS (NOT A TYPO) DAYS 7&8
Cookie was tired, I was tired and our horses were tired last night! I could not blog last night so two in one tonight.
We wandered around and went to IHOP for breakfast yesterday morning. Terrible service and not such great food. Usually IHOP is great but not this time. Oh well, can't bat a hundred all the time.
We were back in time to change and go catch our luau bus. Now....a word about that luau.
There are luaus and there are luaus. The one we went to last night was utterly amazing. To begin with instead of their being from 100 to 500 people, there were only twenty. And the convo back and forth with them was hilarious! We were driven way up to the top of a mountain looking out over the hills to Honolulu. The park up there was closed to the public and the house is now a park house and the outside was all set up for a most amazing experience. I am putting pics below and if you read the captions it will explain and show what we did and saw.
The only thing I was disappointed about was part of the food. It was a farm to table menu...and the food was fantastic! But there was no poi, no macaroni salad (my fave), no Lomi Lomi salmon (another must as a luau is really the only place you can get it) and no more endless drinks. You only got two and had to pay for any more. But all that was a small price to pay considering the experience we had. More below.
We were driven back down the mountain in our vans that held ten guests. And those guests were so enjoyable...except four of them. I am not going to mention their nationality but I gotta tell ya, talk about rude. They talked whilst the driver told us history and jokes and general info. And one of them didn't stop moving. At the site, while we were being regaled with information and history and story, she didn't quit moving the whole time...exercising, swinging her arms around, kicking her legs, swinging back and forth...showboating. Then, when the reed braiding and other crafts were being demonstrated, she got the others to exercise along with her, clapping hands, slapping their bodies. So frigging rude!!!
Today we met the bus, it held about twenty people, and did the circle island tour. It was fun! It rained then shined then rained then shined through the whole trip. Our driver/guide was wonderful! Funny, charming and full of info.
We stopped at a macadamia farm, viewpoints, monk seal laying on the beach, chinaman hat rock, blowhole, north shore viewing, one hour to snorkel at a beach with turtles and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. All in all a fantastic day.
And now we are lying in bed watching Survivor. We walked across the street to a food/grocery store and bought stuff...bread, salads, cream cheese, cheese cake, chicken blah blah blah and came back to our room and snuggled in to tv and home made supper. Sigh! What more could one want!...well maybe a good looking Hawaiian waiting on us..one way or the other!!!!
Such a fantastic couple of days. But now we are ready to relax and not do too much. Yes!!! Vacation time! TTYL
We wandered around and went to IHOP for breakfast yesterday morning. Terrible service and not such great food. Usually IHOP is great but not this time. Oh well, can't bat a hundred all the time.
We were back in time to change and go catch our luau bus. Now....a word about that luau.
There are luaus and there are luaus. The one we went to last night was utterly amazing. To begin with instead of their being from 100 to 500 people, there were only twenty. And the convo back and forth with them was hilarious! We were driven way up to the top of a mountain looking out over the hills to Honolulu. The park up there was closed to the public and the house is now a park house and the outside was all set up for a most amazing experience. I am putting pics below and if you read the captions it will explain and show what we did and saw.
The only thing I was disappointed about was part of the food. It was a farm to table menu...and the food was fantastic! But there was no poi, no macaroni salad (my fave), no Lomi Lomi salmon (another must as a luau is really the only place you can get it) and no more endless drinks. You only got two and had to pay for any more. But all that was a small price to pay considering the experience we had. More below.
We were driven back down the mountain in our vans that held ten guests. And those guests were so enjoyable...except four of them. I am not going to mention their nationality but I gotta tell ya, talk about rude. They talked whilst the driver told us history and jokes and general info. And one of them didn't stop moving. At the site, while we were being regaled with information and history and story, she didn't quit moving the whole time...exercising, swinging her arms around, kicking her legs, swinging back and forth...showboating. Then, when the reed braiding and other crafts were being demonstrated, she got the others to exercise along with her, clapping hands, slapping their bodies. So frigging rude!!!
Today we met the bus, it held about twenty people, and did the circle island tour. It was fun! It rained then shined then rained then shined through the whole trip. Our driver/guide was wonderful! Funny, charming and full of info.
We stopped at a macadamia farm, viewpoints, monk seal laying on the beach, chinaman hat rock, blowhole, north shore viewing, one hour to snorkel at a beach with turtles and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. All in all a fantastic day.
And now we are lying in bed watching Survivor. We walked across the street to a food/grocery store and bought stuff...bread, salads, cream cheese, cheese cake, chicken blah blah blah and came back to our room and snuggled in to tv and home made supper. Sigh! What more could one want!...well maybe a good looking Hawaiian waiting on us..one way or the other!!!!
Such a fantastic couple of days. But now we are ready to relax and not do too much. Yes!!! Vacation time! TTYL
 |
| THESE STUPID PICTURES ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF ORDER....OUR CAMERO |
 |
| OUR DRIVER AND LUAU HOST RENO. THAT IS THE IMU (PIG COOKING) PIT. |
 |
| WE WERE EACH GIVE A BIG LEAF AND SHOWN HOW TO WRAP A PIECE OF SWEET POTATO TO COOK IN THE IMU PIT |
 |
| THAT IS COOKIE'S WRAPPED PIECE OF POTATO |
 |
| COOKIE HOPPED RIGHT IN THERE AS A VOLUNTEER AND TOOK GIANT LEAVES AND THREW THEM IN THE PIT |
 |
| WE WERE ENTERTAINED BY A WONDERFUL FIRE DANCER |
 |
| ON THE TRIP TODAY WE SAW A MONK SEAL, SHE IS EITHER SICK OR GIVING BIRTH, OR RESTING |
 |
| MY SHRIMP FROM THE SHRIMP TRUCK....THE HOT AND SPICY ONE....DELICIOUS AND FUN |
 |
| THE SEATING AREA FOR EATING OUR SHRIMP |
 |
| THE HOUSE AND GROUNDS OF THE LUAU |
 |
| THE BLOW HOLE....WHICH DIDN'T BLOW |
 |
| CHINAMAN'S HAT ROCK |
 |
| A LOOKOUT STOP ON THE WAY UP TO THE LUAU |
 |
| A VERY GRACEFUL DANCER AT THE LUAU |
 |
| COOKIE MAKING A BRACELET |
 |
| THE VIEW ON THE WAY DOWN |
 |
| OUR BUS TOAY FOR THE CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR |
 |
| THE WOMAN IN WHITE...WHOSE HANDS ARE A BLUR, NEVER QUIT MOVING...VERY RUDE |
Monday, March 4, 2019
TWO BROADS AND A CONVERTIBLE DAYS 5&6
I was sooooo tired last night I fell asleep before blogging. So here it is.
Ummmmmm...lets see if I can remember. First thing, actually ten am, which is first thing for us, we pulled our walking shoes on and hoofed it over to a place called Rainbow Drive in. We walked along the canal that runs behind Waikiki. That walk was sooo peaceful and there were benches to sit on all the way along.
Our lunch was interesting. The place is a 'plate lunch' place...which means you get to pick your meat (bbq'ed spam, bbq'ed pork, bbq'ed hamburger , bbq'ed chicken, well you get the idea). Then they pile on macaroni salad (sometimes mixed with potato salad) and a pile of white rice...and that's a plate lunch. But they do have other stuff.
I ordered corned beef hash and over easy egg. What I got was stringy corned beef mixed into mashed potatoes smothered with thick beef gravy. And they added macaroni salad and rice and an egg. Hmmm...some of it was delicious. Cookie got chilli and it was fantastic.
We then walked back to the hotel and spent a good portion of the afternoon at the pool. Then we decided to go for a walk and hunt for a dinner place. We ended up at the Cheesecake Factory! We hadn't realized it was so close (meaning a place the nibble is able to get to without too much trauma). In we went and had the most delicious dinner. Cookie will def be regaling you with stories of the meal she ate. And it was huge and she ate it all!!!!
Best of all though, just as we were about to order our dinners, Cookie let out a big, very unlike her, whoop. She made me jump and the waiter was flummoxed! Upon closer looking, her daughter in law, whom we knew was in Waikiki but had no idea she was in this particular restaurant, had snuck up behind Cook and surprised her. How awesome is that to run into someone you know!!!so far away from home!..So they chatted for a while and we may run into them again before we leave on Sunday.
Now for today. What an amazing awesome day we had. We went to Hertz at eight this morning and got our convertible..camero. Off we went exploring. The first place we went was way out as far southern/west as you can go. Bill and kids and I spent a lot of time out there at that beach. In fact the kids almost drowned on one visit....seriously. It even brought the lifeguard running.
It is so beautiful out there and peaceful and peopless! There were more people than I have seen before but not too many. You could hear the birds and the waves and the wind. I love it out there. Then we took off and drove up through the island to the very northern/western tip. Its much wilder up there. The waves are huge and the terrain rough. Again its the isolation and lack of people thats the appeal. Although there were more people there than the southern one. Beautiful.
We drove back down through the island to Honolulu and beyond to the other side...the east side. But not til we had driven around part of the city that has Costco. I want to find Costco so I could by a box of wooden chopsticks. But we couldn't find it. Anyway we drove way out past Honolulu and finally pulled into a set of stores to turn around.
Suddenly Cookie let out a yell so loud I almost drove off the road. Whaaaaaat????? I yell back. COSTCO!!!!!!!!!! and points at a Costco I had no idea was there! Holy Hannah!!! We found a Costco, but nowhere near where we had been looking.
In we went and boy I tell ya, that store is massive! But Cookie found the chop sticks for me and wouldn't you know, the box of them was way too heavy for travelling with. But the trip wasn't a total bust. She bought herself a bottle of wine and I bought me smoked salmon and chocolate covered macadamia nuts.
And then....we got lost. Geez! I think its the closest we have ever come to fighting. I do not handle being lost very well, as poor Cookie found out. I am yelling and being impatient and she is telling me to be quiet and let her finish what she is trying to say. We drove in circles and I am snapping away. Finally when we looked at the map again....we were looking at it the wrong way up....I think. That or it was just a stupid map, which is way more likely! Anyway, we did find our way back, without a map's help.
Then when we did get back we headed straight back to Cheesecake Factory and had another awesome dinner. Miso salmon for me. Sooo delicious.
And we are a little burnt tonight. I always burn and it turns into tan. But poor Cookie burnt her bald spot on her head. Its all red. I told her that its going to peel and its going to look like she has giant dandruff! Hahahaha!!!!!
Gotta bounce peeps! So tired.....TTYL
Ummmmmm...lets see if I can remember. First thing, actually ten am, which is first thing for us, we pulled our walking shoes on and hoofed it over to a place called Rainbow Drive in. We walked along the canal that runs behind Waikiki. That walk was sooo peaceful and there were benches to sit on all the way along.
Our lunch was interesting. The place is a 'plate lunch' place...which means you get to pick your meat (bbq'ed spam, bbq'ed pork, bbq'ed hamburger , bbq'ed chicken, well you get the idea). Then they pile on macaroni salad (sometimes mixed with potato salad) and a pile of white rice...and that's a plate lunch. But they do have other stuff.
I ordered corned beef hash and over easy egg. What I got was stringy corned beef mixed into mashed potatoes smothered with thick beef gravy. And they added macaroni salad and rice and an egg. Hmmm...some of it was delicious. Cookie got chilli and it was fantastic.
We then walked back to the hotel and spent a good portion of the afternoon at the pool. Then we decided to go for a walk and hunt for a dinner place. We ended up at the Cheesecake Factory! We hadn't realized it was so close (meaning a place the nibble is able to get to without too much trauma). In we went and had the most delicious dinner. Cookie will def be regaling you with stories of the meal she ate. And it was huge and she ate it all!!!!
Best of all though, just as we were about to order our dinners, Cookie let out a big, very unlike her, whoop. She made me jump and the waiter was flummoxed! Upon closer looking, her daughter in law, whom we knew was in Waikiki but had no idea she was in this particular restaurant, had snuck up behind Cook and surprised her. How awesome is that to run into someone you know!!!so far away from home!..So they chatted for a while and we may run into them again before we leave on Sunday.
Now for today. What an amazing awesome day we had. We went to Hertz at eight this morning and got our convertible..camero. Off we went exploring. The first place we went was way out as far southern/west as you can go. Bill and kids and I spent a lot of time out there at that beach. In fact the kids almost drowned on one visit....seriously. It even brought the lifeguard running.
It is so beautiful out there and peaceful and peopless! There were more people than I have seen before but not too many. You could hear the birds and the waves and the wind. I love it out there. Then we took off and drove up through the island to the very northern/western tip. Its much wilder up there. The waves are huge and the terrain rough. Again its the isolation and lack of people thats the appeal. Although there were more people there than the southern one. Beautiful.
We drove back down through the island to Honolulu and beyond to the other side...the east side. But not til we had driven around part of the city that has Costco. I want to find Costco so I could by a box of wooden chopsticks. But we couldn't find it. Anyway we drove way out past Honolulu and finally pulled into a set of stores to turn around.
Suddenly Cookie let out a yell so loud I almost drove off the road. Whaaaaaat????? I yell back. COSTCO!!!!!!!!!! and points at a Costco I had no idea was there! Holy Hannah!!! We found a Costco, but nowhere near where we had been looking.
In we went and boy I tell ya, that store is massive! But Cookie found the chop sticks for me and wouldn't you know, the box of them was way too heavy for travelling with. But the trip wasn't a total bust. She bought herself a bottle of wine and I bought me smoked salmon and chocolate covered macadamia nuts.
And then....we got lost. Geez! I think its the closest we have ever come to fighting. I do not handle being lost very well, as poor Cookie found out. I am yelling and being impatient and she is telling me to be quiet and let her finish what she is trying to say. We drove in circles and I am snapping away. Finally when we looked at the map again....we were looking at it the wrong way up....I think. That or it was just a stupid map, which is way more likely! Anyway, we did find our way back, without a map's help.
Then when we did get back we headed straight back to Cheesecake Factory and had another awesome dinner. Miso salmon for me. Sooo delicious.
And we are a little burnt tonight. I always burn and it turns into tan. But poor Cookie burnt her bald spot on her head. Its all red. I told her that its going to peel and its going to look like she has giant dandruff! Hahahaha!!!!!
Gotta bounce peeps! So tired.....TTYL
Saturday, March 2, 2019
TWO BROADS AND A TROLLEY....POOR COOKIE DAY 4
Poor Cookie because she is with me. I just can't walk as fast or as far or as continuously as she can. It hurts. My feet, my back, my hip....every couple blocks I have to sit down for 30 seconds for everything to align. Then I can go another couple of blocks and then sit and so on and so on.
But she is so very kind about it. She never ever makes comments or makes me feel bad about it. I make myself feel bad about it. I have a distinct feeling that if she were with one of her healthier friends she would be seeing a lot more.
This morning around ten, we walked down Kuhio St. to the end. We had decided that today we would go to the Honolulu Zoo. I have been there a couple of times and its a really nice zoo. We got down to the end and lo and behold....there was the holy grail of all breakfasts...DENNY'S!!!!!!!!!!! And we were hungry! Breakfast time!!!!
In we went and ordered our breakfast from the +55 menu on the back. Mmmmm....omelets, over easy egg, one lonely sausage, biscuit, toast, coffee...delish. What a find!!!!
Right across the street was the zoo. As we walked down toward the entrance Cookie says," We don't have to go to the zoo you know." So I answered, "well, of course we don't." And she says, "I've seen animals before." "So have I" I say. "And look, there's a lineup" she says. That was enough for me. We walked right on past toward the busy ocean! We did take a moment to stop and admire the magnificent banyan tree outside the entrance. But then we just kept walking.
We ended up moseying along, sitting on benches along the way, enjoying the scene and visiting with people. We met a couple from Kentucky and had a nice long chat with them. Eventually we ended up back in our room, changing into bathing suits and heading down to the pool.
We spent part of the afternoon down there soaking up the rays. I got into the freezing cold pool. FREEZING COLD!!!! Cookie did not. She is more delicate.
For supper we wandered down the street a ways to a Japanese food market. This is when I discovered that Cookie is not overly adventuresome with food and is extremely inexperienced with sushi. She ended up getting a little carton of California roll, the most inobnoxious and common sushi roll. I got mackerel (uncleaned like a sardine), sashimi (raw fish pieces) and cones. I tried to get her to eat some of it all but she wouldn't. hahaha!!!! I am trying hard to get her to eat anything except hamburgers! Or big ass sandwiches!
Now we are watching Naked and Afraid. How exciting is that!!!??? The bigger the blur line the happier we are!!!! TTYL
But she is so very kind about it. She never ever makes comments or makes me feel bad about it. I make myself feel bad about it. I have a distinct feeling that if she were with one of her healthier friends she would be seeing a lot more.
This morning around ten, we walked down Kuhio St. to the end. We had decided that today we would go to the Honolulu Zoo. I have been there a couple of times and its a really nice zoo. We got down to the end and lo and behold....there was the holy grail of all breakfasts...DENNY'S!!!!!!!!!!! And we were hungry! Breakfast time!!!!
In we went and ordered our breakfast from the +55 menu on the back. Mmmmm....omelets, over easy egg, one lonely sausage, biscuit, toast, coffee...delish. What a find!!!!
Right across the street was the zoo. As we walked down toward the entrance Cookie says," We don't have to go to the zoo you know." So I answered, "well, of course we don't." And she says, "I've seen animals before." "So have I" I say. "And look, there's a lineup" she says. That was enough for me. We walked right on past toward the busy ocean! We did take a moment to stop and admire the magnificent banyan tree outside the entrance. But then we just kept walking.
We ended up moseying along, sitting on benches along the way, enjoying the scene and visiting with people. We met a couple from Kentucky and had a nice long chat with them. Eventually we ended up back in our room, changing into bathing suits and heading down to the pool.
We spent part of the afternoon down there soaking up the rays. I got into the freezing cold pool. FREEZING COLD!!!! Cookie did not. She is more delicate.
For supper we wandered down the street a ways to a Japanese food market. This is when I discovered that Cookie is not overly adventuresome with food and is extremely inexperienced with sushi. She ended up getting a little carton of California roll, the most inobnoxious and common sushi roll. I got mackerel (uncleaned like a sardine), sashimi (raw fish pieces) and cones. I tried to get her to eat some of it all but she wouldn't. hahaha!!!! I am trying hard to get her to eat anything except hamburgers! Or big ass sandwiches!
Now we are watching Naked and Afraid. How exciting is that!!!??? The bigger the blur line the happier we are!!!! TTYL
Friday, March 1, 2019
TWO BROADS AND A TROLLEY DAY THREE
What a day! I am punch tired right now so I hope I get this all right.
As usual we were up super crazy early. This two hour time difference ain't good for old broads that wake up waaaay too early at home, never mind with a two hour difference. So six o'clock at home is four o'clock in Hawaii.
But we got up, made coffee and visited and watched the city wake up. We decided to go to the Ala Moana shopping centre on the trolley. So about ten oclock we headed out the door and down the street. The other day when we did this we ran into a Hawaiian dude out on the street corner hawking tours of one sort or another. He was still out there, a good looking Hawaiian by the name of Makana. We stopped, we talked, we went with him to his shop, and we signed up for two tours!
The first one is a circle island tour. Eight hours of exploring the island. This is going to be a great way for Cookie to see beyond Waikiki. The east coast and central island is absolutely worth seeing. The tour Makana offered seems perfect and for a good price.
The second tour is a luau, but not just any luau! This is a special luau that isn't very well known. Its small...only up to forty people. The food is not your usual luau food...but farm to table. It just looks like there might not be Lomi Lomi salmon, which would be sad. The luau is up in the mountains with an amazing view and we get free transportation!
On Monday we reserved a convertible...a mustang I believe. I want to drive Cookie out to the very western point of the island. I have so many memories there with Bill and the kids and its a very special area of this island. Although....that area is where the awesome people of Hawaii are NOT fond of us mainlanders. We could get into trouble if we don't do the trip right. But I have been there enough I can handle it right (I think).
After spending hundreds of dollars with that handsome fella we continued on to the shopping centre. That centre (second biggest in the world) has the most enormous food court known to mankind. By the time we got there we were starving. So we snagged a table and Cookie went off to find her lunch.
She was gone a long time and when she came back she was staggering under the weight of the biggest honkenest sandwich I have ever seen. Good god!!! The bread was enormous! And it was full of clubhouse stuffing. Its a good thing it didn't have three pieces of bread like a club house usually is! And you should have seen Cookie! Hahahahahahaha!!!! I think she was actually embarrassed!!! But you know what? She ate it!!!
We then caught the trolley back home and had a lovely afternoon in our room and down by the pool. For supper we went down to a beachside hotel that had an informal beachside cafe. Pupus and drinks and Hawaiian music, what more could one want? I had an ahi poke bowl and Cook had loaded fries. Sooo good!
Back in our room now. Its eight thirty and Cookie is sound asleep!!!! And she is snoring! The poor girl has had a cold. As a matter of fact she can't really taste anything right now either. I feel bad for her.
Anywhoo I need to get to sleep myself. I am tired, my horse is tired and tomorrow promises to be another stellar day. TTYL
As usual we were up super crazy early. This two hour time difference ain't good for old broads that wake up waaaay too early at home, never mind with a two hour difference. So six o'clock at home is four o'clock in Hawaii.
But we got up, made coffee and visited and watched the city wake up. We decided to go to the Ala Moana shopping centre on the trolley. So about ten oclock we headed out the door and down the street. The other day when we did this we ran into a Hawaiian dude out on the street corner hawking tours of one sort or another. He was still out there, a good looking Hawaiian by the name of Makana. We stopped, we talked, we went with him to his shop, and we signed up for two tours!
The first one is a circle island tour. Eight hours of exploring the island. This is going to be a great way for Cookie to see beyond Waikiki. The east coast and central island is absolutely worth seeing. The tour Makana offered seems perfect and for a good price.
The second tour is a luau, but not just any luau! This is a special luau that isn't very well known. Its small...only up to forty people. The food is not your usual luau food...but farm to table. It just looks like there might not be Lomi Lomi salmon, which would be sad. The luau is up in the mountains with an amazing view and we get free transportation!
On Monday we reserved a convertible...a mustang I believe. I want to drive Cookie out to the very western point of the island. I have so many memories there with Bill and the kids and its a very special area of this island. Although....that area is where the awesome people of Hawaii are NOT fond of us mainlanders. We could get into trouble if we don't do the trip right. But I have been there enough I can handle it right (I think).
After spending hundreds of dollars with that handsome fella we continued on to the shopping centre. That centre (second biggest in the world) has the most enormous food court known to mankind. By the time we got there we were starving. So we snagged a table and Cookie went off to find her lunch.
She was gone a long time and when she came back she was staggering under the weight of the biggest honkenest sandwich I have ever seen. Good god!!! The bread was enormous! And it was full of clubhouse stuffing. Its a good thing it didn't have three pieces of bread like a club house usually is! And you should have seen Cookie! Hahahahahahaha!!!! I think she was actually embarrassed!!! But you know what? She ate it!!!
We then caught the trolley back home and had a lovely afternoon in our room and down by the pool. For supper we went down to a beachside hotel that had an informal beachside cafe. Pupus and drinks and Hawaiian music, what more could one want? I had an ahi poke bowl and Cook had loaded fries. Sooo good!
 |
| TAKE A LOAD OF THOSE CRUSTS SHE LEFT BEHIND! |
 |
| ITS THAT KIND OF MALL |
 |
| BEACH CAFE |
 |
| SPAM MUSUBI |
 |
| PUPU TIME...AHI POKE BOWL AND LOADED FRIES AND BEER AND GIN |
Back in our room now. Its eight thirty and Cookie is sound asleep!!!! And she is snoring! The poor girl has had a cold. As a matter of fact she can't really taste anything right now either. I feel bad for her.
Anywhoo I need to get to sleep myself. I am tired, my horse is tired and tomorrow promises to be another stellar day. TTYL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)