Category Living

Thursday, April 29

Apr 30.2020 / / / Living, Pandemic life.

We are back in Greenville, now for 10 days.  Coming home was a good move, as Hawaii’s extended its lockdown to the end of May…it was a nice condo unit, but better to be taking care of this house, getting outside for yardwork, m’cycle riding, etc.  Things generally quiet here, but people not as cautious as in Hawaii; few masks, e.g.  But we’ve been back nearly 2 weeks, are healthy, although Pattie’s really reacting to a potent spring bloom in the air.

Sorry you have to leave the island, but the CAT scan’s essential…how long has it been at this point, 3 yrs?  I know you’ll both take all necessary precautions, so hope it’s a safe and easy trip in and out.  Sorry you won’t be able to sit and enjoy a nice meal at a favorite café but, alas, let the suspense keep building...

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Tuesday, April 21

Apr 22.2020 / / / Setting off.

A bizarre night’s sleep, with very odd dreams of people not seen in years.  Feel asleep early for about an hour, then up until 3, finally waking at 10:30.  Such an odd pattern for me; Pattie not awake until after noon, getting in 11 hours.  Clearly we’re readjusting to Eastern time, and catching up on needed rest.

A beautiful day, and one for continuing to get re-settled here at home.  Lots of boxes coming down from the attic—today everything from the kitchen.  And then an afternoon of yardwork, as recent storms had left a lot of debris littered around.  By evening everything picked up, lawn mowed, things looking ok.  Tomorrow I’ll try to do more, but it’s respectable at this point.

The attic unloading is a pain, quite literally, as lifting and moving heavy boxes while sto...

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Monday, April 20

Apr 22.2020 / / / Setting off.

Greenville, NC

The trip home, much to our surprise, went without a hitch, without delay.  Saturday night’s stay in the SFO airport didn’t yield much sleep, but that was as expected.  Our flight from SFO to CLT was different than the one from HNL-SFO, the difference seemingly one of the airline policies.  American wasn’t nearly as careful about distancing passengers, and there were people in every row, though alternate sides.  Of course, they’re needing to pay for these flights, and want to put people in the seats; but many people were not wearing masks, which just seemed oblivious to the obvious.

The real surprise was in the CLT airport, where no workers—none—were wearing masks, and perhaps 25% of passengers were...

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Sunday, April 19

Apr 19.2020 / / / Setting off.

On the way home

Yesterday’s travels all went very smoothly, if eerily.  At the Kona airport, all car rental returns were being handled by one company.  We returned the car, and just hopped on a shuttle.  Seas of rental cars parked there, just endless parks vehicles.

When we arrived at the terminal, we had to fill out forms indicating our final destination.  All arriving flights in Hawaii (including inter-island) must self-quarantine for 14 days, so if we to leave the Honolulu airport (stopover to sfo) we had to swear to go immediately home for 14 days.

finishing a great four months

Then a military group on guard was stationed there to take our temps.

Then on to get through security–we the only two, yet somehow I’m randomly selected for additional screening...

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Saturday, April 18

Apr 18.2020 / / / Setting off.

Departing Kona, leaving Hawai’i

Pattie and I both experiencing very mixed feelings as we ready to leave.

This adventure began on December 16 and we’ve been on the road—Baja, MX; San Diego; these Hawaiian Island—now for 123 days.  The world’s a different place today than it was when we left, and for many reasons our perspectives are so different than when we left.

This final leg, lockdown in a wonderful condo in Kona, has been a relaxing way to conclude, if a bit of an anticlimax without the ability to get to diving, parks, beaches, restaurants, or even meaningful socializing.  But at the same time, it’s been ok, as the living space itself is so very comfortable and suitable to our tastes.

But not all of our accommodations were quite this comfortable...

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Friday, April 17

Apr 18.2020 / / / Setting off.

Kona, day 27

Friday, we drove around a bit to see the waters; walked at the pier just a few minutes.  The water was so clear, clearer than we’ve seen on this entire trip, it seemed.  Greens and blues like a blend of the Caribbean and Aegean Seas.  Just so breathtakingly gorgeous. 

And at the end of our stroll by the beach was the reward of about 6 small pufferfish along with yellow and convict tangs.

As usual, some people in the water, though only a very few.  Driving back home we saw the police clearing folks from the beach areas.  Pattie later found a news article that the police are about to begin strongly enforcing the “no hanging out at beaches” rule.  Swimming and surfing’s ok, but no sunbathing, hanging out, etc.

The late afternoon and evening were all ...

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Thursday, April 16

Apr 16.2020 / / / Setting off.

Kona, day 26

3am is becoming my regular out-of-bed time.  Seems ok as long as I nap a few hours later.  Feeling ok, but do see the bags under my eyes.

Feeling a bit antsy about the coming travel home this weekend.  Not worried about covid exposure, as I’m quite sure the planes and airports will continue to be empty.  I’m more concerned about flight cancellations, having to spend more than one night sleeping on airport floors.  Specifically, I’m expecting the CharlotteGreenville flight to be cancelled and hope that the airlines will just pay for a rental car rather than putting us on some bizarre rerouting.  Perhaps I’ll make a rental car reservation just in case, and if we have to foot the bill for that, so be it.

Today we’ll start to get our packing together; if it’s ...

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Wednesday, April 15

Apr 16.2020 / / / Setting off.

Kona, day 25

Surprisingly, N95 masks arrived in the mail from an order I thought I’d cancelled.  Straight from China (only 2 weeks after originally ordering!).  Took those masks out for a test run for the few things we need to get through the remaining few days (Peet’s Coffee!), and a few little trinkets. 

3am wakeups are the norm now, followed by a 30’ nap at 7.  That’s been the routine for about 4 days now, and I wonder if that’ll continue when we finally get back to Gvl.  Would prefer not.

A nice treat arrived in email, as a couple in the Detroit area sent a home recording of On Balance.  That was written for a festival in Amherst, MA in 2013, to be played by a duo of pre-professional violinists...

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Tuesday, April 14

Apr 14.2020 / / / Setting off.

Kona, day 24

Kona, day 24

Spent the morning in a scuba-related rabbit hole that took me through youtube videos, equipment shopping (no buying) and most productively, a few tutorials on color-correcting videos.  After spending well over an hour and trying a few software trials on just that color-correcting topic, I realized that I already have the necessary software on my computer (iMovie) and it does just fine.  Some pretty drastic corrections with minor adjustments.  The example below, some blue snapper from (if I remember correctly) a Full Fathom dive in Kauai, was edited with a single click adjustment…I’m sure a pro could do a ton better, but this is enough for me right now.

before color correction…
…and after.

Maybe i’ll correct everything in this blog and repost–th...

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Monday, April 13

Apr 14.2020 / / / Setting off.

Kona, day 23

Only five days remaining on this stay in Kona, on this wonderful exploration of the Hawaiian islands. We’re feeling so very grateful for the incredible time we’ve had on our 2 weeks on Oahu, 2 on Maui, 1 on Molokai, 2 on Kauai, and 7 on Hawaii (2 in Hilo, 5 in Kona) but also feeling both eager and anxious about getting home. 

We’re eager to get back to our own digs, to put the house back together after the weeks of packing so much and putting it in the attic, but unsure about our travel home.  We’re not concerned about the exposure to covid on the trip home, as the planes/airports will be nearly empty, everyone will have masks, etc...

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