Another One!

Well well well check this out! More breaking news from Europe! Someone who has known me since, I suppose since I was in utero, decided to join in the tattoo idea. As you can see from the pic above, she incorporated a rose! :) Isn't it beautiful?!

I am sad to say that today is our last full day on Oahu. Our last day to play here on the North Shore. Captain Obvious rented a surfboard yesterday and he and my SIL and my brother all tried it out. I was sleeping with Captain Adorable, so I missed out on all the fun. (Boohoo!) Surfing is definitely physically demanding, and they were all tired. I think Captain Obvious is getting another surfboard today, so I will have the chance both to try surfing again and to snorkel and play at the beach, since we are all going to hang out together today.

Yesterday evening we all went down to the beach to look at the moon and the stars. You can see so much more of the beauty of the night here than at home in Maryland. (so much less light pollution). I took some pics of the stars and the moon but none of them turned out. It was wonderful to sit on the beach in the dark and hang out with those gorgeous celestial bodies in the sky above, the reflection of the blazing moon moving on the waves...my sweet little Captain Adorable even got in the water (just in one of those little pools by the water's edge that are here)! Here's a pic.

A Photo From Yesterday

Even though I was worried about Trout, I did go to the beach and enjoy myself. The Captains and I went to the beach close by our rental place (it is right down from Sunset Beach) and the locals call it Mama's Beach because it is shady and has small waves. Both Captain Obvious and I did a little snorkeling (there were lots of pretty fish) while the other one stayed on the beach with Captain Adorable. It was very nice and relaxed. Above is a photo of me and Captain Adorable in the water.

Good News Update: The Cat Is Found!

I am very very very pleased to update this blog with the news that Trout was found! He was hiding in an upstairs closet, safe and sound. Thank goodness. Our vacation just got good again! :) :) :)

Bad News From Home: Our Cat Is Missing

We have 2 cats: a small black short haired one (Pigletta) and a large grey long haired one (Trout). Before Captain Adorable showed up they got huge amounts of attention, love, petting, and patience. They are both sweet animals and their company is restful. Since Capt. Adorable's birth they have been rather ignored and pushed to the side, but they continue to be sweet and to seek attention and petting. It is obvious they like to be part of the family. Trout in particular has put up with a lot of abuse at the hands of my curious toddler (who recently had been absolutely determined to sit on the cats...).

Today we received word from the friend stopping by our place mid-week to feed and care for the cats (we also have a friend coming by on weekends) that Trout is missing. She checked the entire house and there was no sign of him. I think that he got outside on the deck on Sunday and my friend must have forgotten him out there. I am afraid he is dead. I love my kitty and I want to help him and I am so far away! This sucks!

We sent our friend a pic of him and she will post Missing Cat posters with a small ($25.00) reward. Perhaps we will find him again. I am afraid to hope, though. I do not want to have my heart broken.

My beautiful, furry, snuggly Troutie!! Please come home!

Recovering From Surfing Lesson

Here's a pic of me on a surf board. The surfing lesson was fun and it was quite a rush the few times I actually stood on the board! A great way to celebrate my birthday. However, I must admit that it was more physically demanding than I had expected. We had a 2 hour lesson and I went in after 1 hour because my face was getting burned and my shoulders/back were extremely tired and my foot was hurting. I hurt my foot on my first wave ride because I put it down on the bottom into a bunch of coral and it got bruised and cut. Not a great thing to happen when you are trying to use that foot for balancing on a surf board! Don't let my complaints fool you. I had a good time and I am glad I did it. Unfortunately Captain Obvious did not get one with me standing on the board...but my brother caught it on video, so I am looking forward to watching it when we are home.

Today I am 35!

Yipeee today is my birthday. :) And I am in Hawaii with my family. As if that was not enough, my SIL and I are going to take a surfing lesson this morning. How cool are we? Good way to celebrate a birthday, I think--by doing something have never done before.

I will write more later. Perhaps even post some pics.

Labor Day at Waimea Bay

We tried to get to Waimea Bay early but we did not get there early enough. Parking was extremely difficult, so Captain Obvious had to spend a lot of time in the car searching for/waiting for a spot. I guess the parking is usually bad there, but seeing as it is Labor Day today it was even worse. Of course some fucking bitch stole the first spot that he had scoped out and waited for, but he was able to get another after waiting another eternity. He waited a total of an hour and five minutes before he could park!

My brother, my SIL, Captain Adorable and I had actually packed up and trekked all the way back to the parking lot, thinking that it was taking so long that it was not fair to Capt. Obvious and we'd just go to the beach near the house we are renting (we're staying on Sunset Point, if you care to look it up on a map--Google Earth will give you an excellent view). Sunset Beach is very very close by...but Waimea Bay is so famous we wanted to go check it out. Anyhow, we had a great time. Waimea Bay is one of the most famous surfing beaches in the world because in the winter, which is October to April, the waves there are 30+ feet! However, at this time of the year the waves are not 30 feet so it was safe for all of us to get in the water and paddle around. My brother and my SIL did some snorkeling. Captain Adorable got the play in the water and the sand with both parents. I got to sit in the shade of the umbrellas we brought from our rental house. There was a lovely breeze. People were relaxed. There was good entertainment, in the form of people watching. It was niiiiiice.

We had hoped to head to Matsumoto (suggested in allll the guide books and also by a regular reader of this blog) for some shave ice and then to some close by restaurant for lunch, but the place was so crowded (it being Labor Day and all) that we said forget it and just went home. We got off the beach at about noon. I think we all avoided sunburn through the dedicated application (and re-application) of sunscreen, resting in the shade of the umbrellas, and leaving before the sun got too crazy...

So, Hawaii has a lot of Japanese tourists. I love them because to my American eyes they are super weird/unusual in funny or weird or cool ways. For instance, as my SIL and I were rinsing off before getting the in car to go home, a cute little Japanese woman approached the showers (outdoor showers, very primitive). She was dressed to go out to dinner at a five star restaurant. She had on a gorgeous silk ruffled mustard-gold skirt, a beautiful little white blouse, and super nice satin and leather high heeled shoes. She was seeking to rinse her little feet and of course to my eyes she looked ultra ridiculous. I was just thinking to myself "ah, yes, Japanese tourists," when my SIL turned and saw little miss silk skirt. The look on her face was one of total amazement and it struck me as so funny that I loudly snorted with laughter. Oh well...hopefully silk skirt did not realize that it was her who caused my laughter...