Monday – August 17: The last day, we are kinda sad but … life goes and and we will return, hopefully soon (Christmas?).

7:15 a.m. Just got back from the Waikoloa Village Market, last time to the bakery for breakfast snack. They truly do a great job there. I am finishing up our Welcome book, Sandy did the majority of the writing and I re-oranized it.

I am going to go on one last walk and hopefully, Sandy will go to one last water aerobics class.

7:45 pm – We are all checked in and awaiting our flight. Even though we were pretty packed up yesterday, it was still hectic until the end. The car took a little work, but I hope we got it.

Our last dinner was spaghetti and pineapple, the little white meat one we found down at the exotic fruit stand below Kona.

The sunset was beautiful, we used Adventurous Limo Service. He charged us 83 dollars plus tip, Adventurous Limo.

It is always interesting to leave Kona, there is nothing fancy here, just a waiting area in the open air.

I had an awesome time this summer, but we turn around Wednesday and take Rosie to Chico! We start to relax this weekend?

Sunday – August 16: It’s our 29th anniversary! We are going to Ruth Chris’ for dinner. Sandy called them, I didn’t bring pants and that is OK, just a collared shirt. How Sandy has tolerated me for 29 years is a miracle!!

We went to our last Mass at Annunciation in Waimea, took Rosie with us and then did our last minute shopping at the Parker Ranch Store. I will miss Father Bob.

Came home and began to get our stuff organized and packed up. We did lots of the organizing and tomorrow should be pretty easy to finish up our last minute stuff.

We started getting our Condo “Welcome” book together with all the stuff we have picked up and done over the summer. It looks pretty good.

Finally, dinner was fabulous at Ruth Chris’. I never been to one and the Filet Mignon 39.00 prix fixe meal was excellent. Highly recommended, but the wine prices are a little steep!

One more night and day left!

Saturday – August 15: Today we went exploring down south of Kona to 2-step beach. Unfortunately, there was a HUGE outrigger canoe race/s going on and the area was packed. The ranger advised us to head down to Ho’okena Beach Park to get away from the crowds. We took his advice and enjoyed the beach and the folks there.

Ho’okena is sort of a local place with a nice salt and pepper colored beach. As soon as we hit the water, we saw a baby turtle just enjoying his cruising in the bay. The water was clear and I wish I had the camera … but it was on the beach! Rosie and I went out later to see the turtle, but he/she was not in sight. We did see a miniature humu, about 1-2 inches long, but perfectly colored. He was very cute!

We stopped at Kona Joe’s coffee plantation on the way home to check out the coffee. They have trellis-grown coffee and have patented this process. I’m not sure I can tell the difference in their premium coffee, we’ll try it in the morning.

On the return trip, we did a few errands. We stopped at Sports Authority to get me some shorts for school. A while ago, I realized that stores here carry shorts year round, there is never a no-shorts season. I am set now for school in 2 weeks!

We had the Costco chicken enchiladas for dinner, they weren’t too bad!

Only 2 days left!

Friday – August 14: Got to work early in the morning and finished up Chapter 8. I find that if I do the problems beforehand, then transposing and doing the problems on the screen goes much faster. I am waiting for the Quicktime application to code the video to finish before I can start the next one. In about 1.5 hours, I was able to do lessons 1-6 of Chapter 8.

Today, we shipped back box 2 back home. In it was my Algebra textbook and the Wacom tablet.

After lunch, we went down to 69 beach to relax a bit. The surf was up, unusual and the water looked churned up, so we just chilled and took in the view. Nice to relax and get out of the condo for a few hours.

Dinner was pupu’s at the 5:00 pm weekly Friday gathering by the pool and then DiGornio pizza, hot from the oven. Pizza on the island may be a little bleak. We (Rosie) like the pizza at Solimene’s in Waimea and the pizza at KBC down in Kona. The place here in the village is marginal at best.

It’s amazing what you can see on AMC, lots of old, cool movies. I watched “Rudy”, the true story of a Notre Dame football player.

Thursday – August 13: Today, I got in gear and finished up Chapter 7 homework videos while Rosie and Sandy were at the Hair Salon in the village.

Went to Waikoloa Village Elementary/Middle School and brought my resume and business card and introduced myself to the principal, Kris Cosa-something. The school is really an elementary school, last year, they brought on 7th grade and this year, they have added an 8th grade. I explained my goals and the principal listened. Hopefully, she will remember the resume, when the time comes again next year (hopefully).

I noticed no coolant in the Subaru coolant tank and none in the radiator. Picked up some Prestone at the Chevron station in the village. The radiator was about a 1quart and a half low. Also, the top radiator clamp was loose and I tightened it up, so it should be OK for now, that is what was causing the leak, I think. I’ll keep checking on it. As an aside, we have put close to 2,800 miles in the time that we have been here!!

For dinner, we did the final Surf and Turf, the 3 of us finished off the last of the 8 lobster tails. Yummy!

Wednesday – August 12: Another relaxing day. Sandy did some work in the morning and then we headed down to Kona to do a few errands before seeing a movie. I was trying out a method to attach the solar panel to the car cover, I think I have several options to choose from. We saw G.I. Joe and Rosie was looking for hawaiiana for her new apartment.

We packed up and sent out, one of the flat rate boxes via the UP Postal Service. Sandy and I spent some time organizing things to ship home. The reality of this summer coming to a close is very sobering.

Tuesday – August 11: Kind of a slow day, the clouds were down low due to hurricane Felicia. It was very humid today with little wind and Sandy worked most of the day.

I went to the Waikoloa Village Market for breakfast, but missed it. So, I picked up 2 lunch plates, the special was Chicken Fried Steak for 6.99. It was HUGE, 2 patties, choice of starch and veggies. They do have quite a hot meal section!

For dinner, we went to Huli Sues’s in Waimea. On the way home, the weather was foggy and humid, it was interesting! The BBQ was very good, I’d be happy to go back.

We hoped to see the Perseiod meteor shower, but we were definitely socked in weatherwise … We spend the evening getting our travel plans to Chico to drop off Rosie figured out. We are renting a car at LAX after our arrival, driving it home and then taking it to Chico on Wednesday with Grandma’s car for Rosie. Next Saturday, we’ll return the car to Sacramento and then fly home! Whew,  on Monday, the 24th, school begins for Rosie and me. Hopefully, Douglas will drive through from Santa Cruz on Satuday, spend the night and then drive on Sunday (23rd) to Prescott and his senior year!

Monday – August 10: In the morning, I did 2 more lessons from chapter 7. I need to keep going and not get distracted.

We kept track of tropical storm Felicia, and it looks like she is gradually falling apart, bummer. We were looking forward to some weather action, but … I don’t think it is going to happen!

In the afternoon, we had a FIRE down southwest of the golf course. It started about 3:00 p.m. and at it’s peak, there were 2 helicopters doing water drops. It was pretty cool to watch them do their aerial tricks.

Dinner was spaghetti, delicious. I think we are all starting to get melencholy about leaving. I am sad and do not want to return, but I want to enjoy every minute that we have left!

Sunday- August 9: Relaxing morning and later in morning we headed up to Hawi and surrounds to do some browsing in the artsy galleries up there.

In the city of Kapua’a, we saw the statue of King Kamehameha on the right side of the road. The weather up on the north shore is lush and green and much cooler.

We tried the ice cream at the Tropical Dream place in Hawi, it was OK, not great. We did listen to Grady Keystone, playing outside the ice cream place. He was quite good and I bought his Hawaiian Moon CD for only 10 dollars. He is on Amazon available for purchase!

For dinner, we had Elyssa Goodside and her family over for a BBQ, it was quite fun and the food, surf and turf, were great. They are a nice family, we’l do it again.

Saturday – August 8: The days are flying by now and I am starting to think about packing stuff up. I don’t want to go back.

In the morning, we looked at 3 condos for sale here in the complex, all in the A building, those with an ocean view. Number A-308 is on the top floor with a beautiful view of the ocean. The owner is listing it at 435,000 dollars and it is quite the steal. The others are nice, but it is really the only one I would choose.

I worked on the glass panels up front wit the RainX and finished up the shower door.

Matt Shields came and installed our storage box for the lanai, it came out very nice. A little expensive for 1,200 dollars, but worth the goodwill.

We went to 5:00 p.m. Mass at Waimea, I do enjoy Father Bob’s homilies, they are uplifing and thought provoking.
Rosie made the Taco Bell taco dinner for us and we ended up watching Independence Day and “Shark Week” shows after dinner. Another relaxing day in paradise and we continue to monitor the approach of hurricane/tropical storm Felicia. She will arrive on Monday, by morning is now the prediction.

Friday – August 7: More tweaks on school stuff. I broke out the one classroom page for periods 3, 4, 6 and 7 into 2. One for Algebra (period 6) and one for Algebra 1a (periods 3, 4 and 7). I have period 1 ELL, so I’m not sure, what I’ll do with that page for the website.

Late morning, we headed to Kona to do some errands and to return the Vizio soundbar system. It is so gratifying that Costco doesn’t blink an eye when returning things. The guy behind me, was returning a bottle of red wine, with the cork put back in. I can only imagine the story …

I had purchasd a raised togographical map of the Big Island at the bookstore in old Hilo. I went to get it framed and the frame shop in Kona, took my new map, gave me credit for it and I picked one of their’s already framed. How’s that for a deal!? Pictures Plus is OK in my book!

We continue to watch Felicia approach. Late today, some of the east side beaches were announced via the Civil Defense annoucement to be closed beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday until early Wednesday morning. Fifteen foot surf is being forecast for east facing beaches!

At our weekly Friday happy hour by the pool, it is clear that no one has been in a hurricane before. The prognosis, however, is that the hurricane should be downgraded to a tropical storm or depression by Monday evening. Time will tell.

Thursday – August 6: Work day for me. I laid out the schedule for this new school year. I have to keep track of 2 schedules, for both Algebra 1 and 1a.

My perssonal website was brought up to date and I had to learn the changes to the schoolfusion school website. My password expired, so Ryan had to reset it for me. Most of the afternoon was spent getting my schedules, homework and first day of school packets updated and uploaded.

We keep watching the path of hurricane Felicia … BBQ fish for dinner, ahi and swordfish. The market down at Queen’s has better fish at better prices.

Wednesday – August 5: Lazy day, Mom’s working in the morning.

Took the Subaru down to Lex Brodie’s in Kona to check on the brakes, they are making noise. But, the check out OK, with plenty still on the pads. Honest folks, these guys.

In the afternoon, hooked up the Vizio surround-sound soundbar and tried it out. The benefits of sound quality were drowned out by the addition of one more remote, making life too complicated. It is packed up to be returned.

Dinner was chicken burritos, again, yummy stuff.

Chased the sunset down by the Queen’s bath on the highway, but it was a quick and non-descript drop. Oh well!

We are looking into going up to the Mauna Kea observatory, but we may just go up to the Visitor’s Center instead – all for free!

We are watching hurricane Felicia, time will tell as it marches toward the Big Island as a Category 4! Hmm…

Tuesday – August 4: We (Rosie and Sandy) spent some more time at the marketplace. I was waiting in the hotel for the status that Grandpa was doing ok from his prostate surgery.

We spent the afternoon at the Ala Moana shopping center, that place is huge with a Bubba Gump’s, Ruby Tuesday and Mai-tai restaurants. Lot’s to do and shop.

There are Apple stores in the Royal Hawaiian and Ala Moana. I think our dose of civilization is just enough, it is time to go and relax in Waikoloa!

Time is ticking down …

Monday – August 3: We flew over to Oahu to do some shopping! Left on Mokulele airline and returned on Go! just to see the differences. Prices are identical.

Mokulele was very quick at the Kona airport, departing at 8:56 and we arrived about 9:30 a.m.

Breakfast at Eggs ‘n Things on Saratoga Ave in Waikiki. Good pancakes and such but the wait was crazy, worth to experience once, I’m not sure it’s really worth it.

We stayed at the Sheraton Princess Kuilani right across from the Mauna Surfrider. We had stayed here with the RimBand in 2006. Rosie wanted to shop at the International Marketplace. A nice, but warm afternoon with a Mai-tai at the Royal Hawaiian and dinner at Senor Frogs finished off the day. Forget Senor Frogs next time!

Flight back to Kona was on Go! Airlines. They too were on time, but there is more storage in the overheads on the Mokulele Embraer 170. Go uses the Canadiar CRJ200. I vote Mokulele!