aloha friday

woot! Just got back from the architect's in Hilo. My second (ever) set of plans got stamped with NO corrections needed...I'm learning fast!

I'm 99% sure I've decided where I'm going to drop my container - comes in Monday & I'm so excited to be almost done!

I've been working like nuts this week & trying to get my life re-organized and unpacked. I know I've worked 40 hours, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Wake up at 6am, work for a few hours, go snorkeling, take a nap, dink around on the porch with Brent & Cat, work for a few hours when the sun goes down. NICE.

Monday I met up with Jaime Vaida. He's an amazing metal artist from NIMBY & he's in Hilo! Looks like we may do some work together, yee haw!

I've been at the tidepools every day with Brent re-freshing my tan & we went to Kalapana to check out property on Wednesday. The lava lake is perched about 400' right above the lots we like, so I'm a tad (lol) concerned. I still love a 2.5 acre lot here in Kapoho, we'll see.

Puna's even better the second time around. Being away for 2 months made me love it even more. Folks are complaining that we're having a cold winter...ha! It's down to 74 degrees at night - I think I can hack it.

Off to celebrate Aloha Friday!

9:30 pm 76 degrees

Oh oh oh. It's 9:30 at night & I'm lounging around in a tank top... a lusciously humid 75 degrees. Ahhhhhhhhh. I am so happy to be home. Still decompressing from the stress and go-go-go of CA. Sloooow down, relax, don't jump at every gecko and cochroach - you home in Hawaii now & it's all good. I fell asleep last night to the sound of the ocean, light trade winds & coqui frogs. Best sleep I've had in months. DOG, pronounced "dee-oh-gee" (one of the greyhounds I live with) came in periodically throughout the night to make sure I was really here and hadn't abandoned him again. How I've missed snuggly greyhound therapy!

I flew in under a full moon on the Pacific & was treated to an insane sunset 1/2 way through the flight. Sigh, so beautiful.

Hawaii is even more stunning than I remembered it. It smells good. Clean clean air. It's warm. Clouds, lava, pounding surf, flowers, colors, jungle..gahhhhh. I woke up this morning & the front driveway was covered in Plumerias (the best smelling flower on earth, IMHO). We watched the moonrise through massive -pillared clouds from Jack & Glady's new house site. Lovely. Absolutely lovely.

Off to sleep once I get the gecko out of my sheets.

fun day

yesterday was too fun. I drove down to HighWire to see everyone. * waves to huttites*. I missed a few friends & it reminded me how much I miss the comraderie, dry wit and flying toy cubicle wars! It was funny to walk past folks, they'd look up & say hi, then do a double take "ERIN!! you're here!". There were moments when I felt like I hadn't even left. 8 years will do that to ya. I miss you guys lots.

Brian let me take the M Roadster convertible to Palo Alto. That level of fun is probably illegal somewhere. I was very well behaved, considering the horsepower available to me. I didn't speed, but there's no law that says I can't get from Zero to the speed limit as fast as possible. Man that thing hauls ass. Whee! Kinda made up for missing my ride in the Ferrari last month :)

I *think* I can finally go home next Friday. God willing, there will be no further fiascos with the shipping company. In the meantime I'm sitting on my duff trolling Craigslist for more free stuff (that'll fit in the spots left in the container). Today I'm picking up a bunch of metal grating so I can make a plasma cutting table. Yay Free!