March-IN on Lake Murray

31 March, Wednesday - Woe is I. No sleep ... nada wink. The cleaning women appeared yesterday while Cynthia was lunching with friends... expecting that we were moved out. We erred on the date of departure and the owner was expected that very afternoon. They graciously let us stay another night while we shifted into high gear. Don't tell anyone - but the recycling stack accumulated to a car full. After packing furiously all day (and SHE was already packed!!!) we took a break to dine at Bonefish Grill with Donna and Greg and unload stuff to be stored at their house. It was a LONG night but we finished loading the car at ten AM. We won't get far tonight. Sleep is sorely needed.

28 March, Sunday - Dawn's delight: a deer feeding outside the rear entry door. The Lizard Thicket Gang grouped for breakfast - including Vince, Mary, Ed (Mary's brother visiting from PA) and Dick. After non-stop FUN we walked three miles with Dick 'in the hood" then onto visit Ma-maw - Elizabeth's 93 year old mother. The winds whipping across the lake are very strong - white caps - high water. Thunderstorms predicted but only light rain has fallen. Made it to Greg's and back home again without getting wet. Cynthia over-functions: she is packing her bag for Italy (departure from Boston ONE MONTH away) in addition to packing for our departure to Washington, D.C./Philadelphia and Boston Thursday.








27 March, Saturday - Mary Lou was overjoyed that Cynthia found her mother's side of the family back 12 generations. We RACED running errands - stopped to see Clark and Elizabeth's HO train show. It was a fun and gorgeous day - delightful weather.

26 March, Friday - Donna and Greg joined us for dinner at Ruby Tuesday's fine salad bar. With such a limited diet we tend to think about food a WHOLE lot. Cynthia tried to renew the Florida drivers license online but a new photo was required necessitating a trip to Florida! Aaauuggghhhh! She placed a phone call to Key West DMV explaining we were leaving for Italy - and going to Florida was not in the plans, couldn't a photo be taken here, notarized and mailed to FL? The friendly clerk said, "Sorry but the photo has to be taken IN FL IN the DMV office by the expiration date of the birthday - and when is that birthday"? Cynthia had a flash recall: May 12 2011. NEXT May. Whew.













24 Mar, Wednesday: Temperatures hit a warm 81 degrees. The decision to drive to I-Hop in Columbia was good: the egg white veggie omelets are humongous. Cynthia is back from Texas; laughter once again fills this house near the end of Amick's Ferry Road near Chapin, SC. Birdie watching is fascinating with the new binoculars and Lake Murray in the background; high water: the lake is up a foot or two and drowned the campfire ashes. Transcribing the voice recorder of my 2008 Appalachian Trail hike is proving motivating & interesting. My trail name is "Shakedown Cruise" on TrailJournals.com I'm making good progress on projects, but our departure date of 1 April is approaching like a locomotive.

22 Mar, Monday: Light rain precluded sleeping outside - but the evening inside was indeed lovely after a delightful dinner at Zorba's. We awoke early and continued work on long neglected correspondence. Smooch Smooch made a calendar to keep us notified of important dates: renew driver's license, motorcycle insurance, and OH... not to miss the flight to Rome from Boston.

We depart SC 1 April for Washington, D.C. - meet Larry in D.C (genealogist cousin with the DAR) and stop to see Jim S. (did you read that Jim???) - and onto Philadelphia Lutheran Seminary to meet with the archivist regarding Dr. Craig's vast colonial record collection - and visit with Rev. Joy to process wedding plans (Smooch Smooch is buried in 17th century wedding theme ideas! - Ron need to just shows up). From PA we drive to Boston to see the doctor about cartilage injections in the knee - then back to PA to index and catalog records returning to Boston for DTYD at MIT - and departure for Italy - 28 April - 20 May - returning to PA for several weeks working on the archives - possibly attend the MIT reunion in Boston early June.

After lunch at Zorba's we went to the gym for a workout and returned to the computer station. The wind and waves are high today - cooler temperatures prevail for a few more days.

21 Mar, Sunday: again. I'm up at 3:30 after we slept outside again - too hot to sleep indoors without turning on the air. The clear starry sky with sounds of waves washing against the shore was most pleasurable. Looking forward to fish & grits w/ Daves Insanity sauce for breakfast with Greg & Donna and Clark & Elizabeth. Best news is that projects are getting done; Whew. Departure date of 1 April is suddenly nigh.


18 Mar: Smooch Smooch with son Jon on Lake Conroe. She who posts photos posts: Atta boy, Ron! I am so proud of your labs! Way to go!

A new Featherlite open utility trailer (model 6810 - 4.5 x 8) now replaces our closed 6x10 we sold two weeks ago. We sure hope there is room for the motorcycle after loading all the boxes of cute shoes.

17 Mar: Smooch smooch returns from Texas in an hour; we are both excited. More excitement, lipid results: LDL cholesterol-51, HDL cholesterol-72, triglycerides-41, total cholesterol-131, Liver and kidney function-normal - wonderful. It was sooooo nice to sleep all warm & cozy outdoors after getting the down sleepy bag out of the car (too bad I didn't do that on the first cold night). Photos are absent since Smooch smooch left her post. Scroll down to see a nice sunset. To see more pics, you will have to look at previous posts or the web albums (see sidebar). Broken links on both websites are now fixed, Trailjournals (see sidebar) updates moving along nicely.

14 Mar: Why OH why didn't I check the temperature before starting the motorcycle at 7:20am. At 40 degrees without gloves, my fingers got very, very cold very, very fast. Breakfast at Lizard's with Greg & Donna, Clark & Liz, and Dick was enjoyable as always (fish & grits w/ insanity sauce for me). I've promised Gheng Gu Shui to waitress Susan to help with her injured thigh. It was enjoyable to have a low stress day w/ Greg & Donna while updating my address spreadsheet. Terrific to talk with Aunt Eleanor, Kenneth & Jewell (93-year-olds), Pete, Marjorie, and Ed. Reassuring that Art & Joann have kept the phone # although the area code has changed. Only 176 more phone calls to make to clean up the addresses.

12 Mar: Too bad I started riding in to Irmo without first checking the weather; it was no fun riding in the drizzle. Breakfast at Lizard's was welcome; it was a surprise to NOT be hungry after fasting for the cholesterol tests and walking. Busy day fixing broken links on the Ron Beatty web site.

11 Mar: Smooch Smooch is off to Texas for her plug in the butte, so I'm home alone on Lake Murray in Chapin, SC for a week. It was a chore to analyze the land records for the Bankstons in Spartanburg, but it looks like several properties were never sold.

6 Mar: Transcribing the voice recorder notes from 2008 promises to be fun & educational. Read all about it on TrailJournals.com - trail name "Shakedown Cruise."

5 Mar: Up at 3:30 am to work on projects before towing the Featherlight trailer to Charlotte to sell. Mapquest allowed me to pick a route over back roads mostly east until we can get on I-77. Looks like lots more fun than Malfunction Junction at rush hour.

4 Mar: Smooch smooch & I drove the Lexus in to Irmo this morning: she enjoyed the chilly walk with Dick & Jim & I and even seemed to enjoy our banal banter. After mediocre egg white veggie omelets at IHOP, we entertained the staff at Triple-A by posing for International Drivers Licenses (trip to Tuscany approaches in May - thanks again Janie). All the odds & ends in the trailer had to be removed and oil stains cleaned off the floor. By the time we waded through teenage traffic past the high school to the Fitness Center, the parking lot was somewhat filled. We exercised for an hour and feasted at Zorba's in Chapin on our usual salad, salmon and wine. Sunset was again beautiful, and we were in bed by 8:30; another day without progress on genealogy or other paperwork projects.

3 Mar: After the morning walk, Jim & I pushed while Dick piloted his Blazer out of its wallow in his front yard. The concrete truck was delivering installment two of his driveway, but we drove off to Lizard's for coffee and breakfast - a welcome change to the usual quick good-byes. Today's project is to start transcribing the voice recorder I used during the 1550 miles hiking the Appalachian Trail. The voice recorder controls are cryptic like so many marvelous new electronic toys. First fright = it played a recording from mid-hike in May, then played only static. Reading directions (Yes, desperate!) indicated that there was a hold button (still static) and volume control. What a relief to actually hear my first recording, but we went to exercise instead of transcribing. We imbibed a bit too much this evening - oh ohhh.

2 Mar: It was a warmer ride this morning, 34 degrees at 8 am. On this anniversary of the first day of hiking in 2008, I opened a new account on TrailJournals.com for the transcription of my voice recording from that 1550-mile hike.

1 March - Monday Morning's Magnificent Moment...
mere seconds after a gaggle of geese did a Blue Angel take off - an awesome sight! The motorcycle ride to Irmo was chilly, 32 degrees, but the BS while walking with Dick and Steve is worth it. We drove to Irmo again late afternoon for Smooch Smooch's "girl time," a pedicure and manicure before dinner at Ruby Tuesday. The computer fit somewhat comfortably on my lap in the drivers seat but the steering wheel had to get involved at times. The labeling on a "buy one get one free" coupon implies that you have to purchase two entrees, and it finally dawned on me that we'd save money if we both ordered entrees with salad bars instead of splitting and entree and paying full price for the second salad bar. The hostess enlightened us with terrific news: with "buy 1 get 1 free," the second salad bar is free - it counts as an entree. We saved nine big bucks.

There is lots of wildlife on this lake: some duckies are wild and fly off at our approach, but one set of three recognize that our appearance brings food; they respond to our hailing quacks with non-stop quacking encouragments. The songbirds, cardinals, and blue jays empty the feeder in a couple of days and present a kaleidoscope of color and activity. A red-headed woodpecker survived flying SPLAT into the door leaving behind feathers pasted to the glass. At night the coons rip at the feeder for food so we've learned to bring it inside to safety. The deer are cute but present a night-time driving hazard; tonight there was an impressively large herd of eight grazing in the roadside ditch. Sometimes I'll see them during my morning ride into town. This is a long, narrow, remote peninsula so it seems peculiar that so many deer live here.

February 2010 - Lake Murray SC

28 Feb. Sun: The Sunday breakfast gang was down to four this morning. Guess where we ate? Awww! You are right! Ruby Tuesday's has a breakfast brunch but, unfortunately, they do not make egg whites omelets - so Lizard's Thicket it is - next Sunday.

Weekend pleasures: Verizon's free phone calls to friends and relatives are most enjoyable. An hour long phone call to an Iowa cousin about the Rambo Reunion was indeed fun (see Ron Beatty Home Page re: 4 July Reunion). The address book is up to date. ER on Gmail's overfilled in-box plus updating old phone numbers is in process. The Christmas letter is posted on the Home Page complete with links to photos: the result of this month's brilliant insight. It only took fifteen years to discover that the web is a visual medium - and not so much verbiage.

Accompanied Greg to Sam's Club and SAVED BIG MONEY on fat-free foods... less expensive than Wal-Mart. We made the run to the dump - to the dump, dump dump - before heading home to watch a glorious sunset:

27 Feb- Sat: Thank you (Mary, Vince, Donna and Greg) for a delightful evening. Dinner at RT was followed by dessert at Mary (Queen of Desserts) and Vince's. Mary's huge brown eyes accompanying, "I bought a special fat free ice cream...." could not be turned down. MMM Only four grams of sugar in Breyer's chocolate and vanilla swirl made it an allowable treat to eat.... MMMMMM again. We toured their wonderfully remodeled home and Vince's studio where he records a radio talk show discussing sci-fi and old "B" movies. Mary and Vince offered lots of good Italian tour information - like how to recognize and flush toilets. They suggested Cinque Terra as a good location for hiking trails - located not far from Portofino. The girlies had a fine time discussing COLORS for the wedding (How about that, Nina?).

It was time for more anniversary of engagement celebration in the evening: we had a lovely visit with Mary Lou followed by a delightful dinner at Bonefish Grill (those guys have our order down pat!). We stopped at a wine specialty store hoping to locate Ashgrove (soft Press) an Australian wine recommended by one of Cynthia's friends but they did not carry it. We walked out with four bottles of wine recommended by the manager. WHO will help us drink FOUR bottles this coming month????? But we will continue this celebration.

26 Feb-Fri: Arose early to hide stuff: the cleaning women come today. Accomplished but not yet enough finalized:

Ron Beatty home website update is almost finished. Follow the link on the right side of this page.

The Bankston Family Home Page has been updated with a newly embedded spreadsheet. A link to the website is on the right side of this page, too.

The Rambo Family Genealogy website will be updated very soon. By the end of March the CD should be ready to go. The last two galley proofs arrived in Kansas (after telling them three times to mail to Columbia).

The AT journal is one step closer to becoming a book. Smooch Smooch reversed the blog entries; the text and accompanying photos await the wordsmythe and tape recorder transcription. 2 March is the anniversary of the AT hike starting date; that is a good time to update the trail journal online, too.

Smooch Smooch now has a Deeploma in Technical. She is working on a deegree in being a technicality - and maybe a Doktorit in Geekality. She can whip through a medium level Sudoku in twenty minutes or less.

25 Feb-Thurs: After a low of 28 degrees "BRRRRR" is the only word that comes to mind: Old Man Winter returned! Just imagine leaving this cozy nest to brave the elements. But the walk with Dick is important, doncha know.










24 Feb - Wed: Walked with Dick arriving home just as the rain began to fall. In the afternoon following exercise Dick joined us for a fine dinner. Website updating took care of the evening activity.

23 Feb- Tues: ONE YEAR AGO: can you believe it? A marriage proposal on bended knee in front of a gazillion patrons of the Bonefish Grill? The wedding is ONLY 14 months away! Updating volumes of addresses continues to give everyone a year's notice for the big event at Gloria Dei in downtown Philadelphia.

We spent the day in Greenville, SC; we did research at the courthouse and library; the car was serviced; and a phone call to the BMW dealer determined that they will have the battery in stock this coming week. Lunch at our favorite restaurant chain was good. Costco had certificates for Ruth's Chris Steakhouse: $79.00 for two fifty dollar certificates. How good is that for a special evening dinner plan on the spur of the moment??? (shhhhh! don't tell!). RX are not cheap even at Costco. Despite the cardiac cloud ... Life is indeed good!

22 Feb-Mon: Rain halted plans for the morning walk; nevertheless, Dick R. says, "Wiss!" We had a lovely, cozy day watching the birds, duckies and the rain on the lake while working on projects until the rain cleared mid-afternoon. After an hour at the gym and a stop to refill RX at Wal-Mart we ventured onto Ruby Tuesday's to eat our fill.

21 Feb- Sun: OH WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY! Dick joined the gang at Lizard's Thicket for breakfast; the fish and grits with HOT sauce are a treat with NO fat. Smooch Smooch agreed it was really warm enough for HER to walk outdoors so early in the morning but she covered her ears to block the crazy banter.

20 Feb-Sat: JOY! We are off to Zorba's in Chapin for breakfast and an hour workout at the gym. The warm sunshine is beckoning everyone out for fun in the sun. Our duckies quickly learn we feed them regularly, too, increasing in number from 3 to 7 and a blue heron last night; this morning a whole flotilla of geese floated by along with fisherpeople and boating types moving at a greater speed. Tonight's Haddock dinner at the Bonefish Grill was magnificent. Thanks Greg and Donna!

19 Feb- Our Friday night out with the gang at Zorba's turned into a small disaster on the road. For someone who is accused of driving like an old man... traveling less than the speed limit on Broad River Rd we angled onto Woodrow and into a speed trap. While there is a very visible sign noting 35 MPH we missed it. OH NO! The Irmo police wrote out a ticket for speeding PLUS... a drivers license violation warning. He said... this state requires a SOUTH CAROLINA drivers license for anyone in the state longer than ten days - vacationers or not. When questioned he reported that the out of state driver keeps his own state license but also must have a SC license. This is inaccurate for NON residents. Small fine... reduced to the minimum because there are no tickets on driving records. It is always about the money.

14 Feb- Sunday was the date of our Valentine's Day Luau.
Smooch smooch had lots of fun ordering leis & ornamentation for this reminder of Hawaii. Our friends enjoyed the feast provided by Ruby Tuesday catering. Ron was no even allowed to inhale near the luscious deserts everyone brought. This time we consumed very little beers and lots of wines. A fine celebration! with an early ending - no telling how well anyone survived the ordeal of working Monday after partying Sunday.

14 Feb-Sun: I love you!

Smooch Smooch

Well, can you believe it? Today is Saturday -13 Feb!











A winter wonderland ... in South Carolina ?!?? Snow is thick & heavy on trees and power lines; amazing that neither power lines nor trees fell to interrupt the heating so essential to Smooches happiness. Robins, redbirds, cardinals, chickadees, blackbirds and bluebirds gathered to harvest the bounty that Smooch broadcasts to all & sundry (even the d___ geese). While brewing coffee at 8:30 we were shocked speechless by TWO SC DOT snowplows and a DOT truck passing this house at the very end of this tiny street at the very end of this long, remote peninsula. The governor, or at least a senator, a tycoon or a county commissioner, must live in one of the five houses beyond us. The expired credit card was perfect for cleaning snow from the windshield before driving 8 miles over icy roads into Chapin for breakfast! By the time we returned at noon after exercise, the roads were entirely clear.


































12 Feb: What happened to my calendar? Isn't today Saturday? Isn't the Valentines Party tomorrow? PLEASE Remember to testify at my competency hearing that I've always been like this, (and that I usually misspell one or two words in every sentence).

They won't have to hang the weather man; his forecast was spot on! In South Carolina schools and businesses close early when snow is forecast. (We Midwesterners continue to be flabbergasted at these cultural differences.) Traffic was mighty heavy en route to the gym at 2:30, fully 3 hours before the snow as forecast to begin. The grocery stores were selling out of all the stuffs that have sat on the shelves for the last three years. We witnessed the first few powdery flakes falling as we drove to an early dinner at Zorba's, increasing to an enchanting sky full of itsy, bitsy white floaties after dinner which accumulated into two inches while we bought macadamia nuts at the grocery. Smooch IMMediately started stacking firewood on the porch, fearing that the power would die before dawn.

Last night we had to drive to Columbia to find FEDEX to mail Cynthia's computer case back to HP for a warranty exchange because Chapin does not have FEDEX. Fortunately, it is close to our fav Ruby Tuesday's where we can eat vegetables to our heart's content at the salad bar (the kinds with no salad dressings or cheese), fish grilled without oil and more steamed veggies. The waiters REALLY listen when they hear the dire warning: "if you add oil, butter or cheese we send it back because I could die." The heart reversal diet allows no meat fat or dairy fat (allowed dairy items are skim milk and no fat cheese). Bulk carbs are not allowed. Four ozs of low fat fish, chix or turkey grilled without oil or butter along with protein drinks completes the list. Egg white veggie omelets grilled with a dash of cooking spray are a staple. Cynthia had her nails done (and not a pedicure????) We shopped for our Valentine's Day Luau, too.

11 Feb: Life is good. Thank God for Cynthia! Looks like I'm foolish enough to ride the motorcycle 25 miles at 29 degrees at 8 am again this morning. Yesterday I froze. I thought this was the warm & sunny south. HA ! Average low temperature for this date is 33 degrees - brrrh. Next year we are wintering further south or on the road.

It feels good to be arising again at 4am to get something accomplished before enjoying the day.

10 Feb: Ruby Tuesday again for dinner; that is the one restaurant where I can get filled up for 2 fat grams.
It is amazing to see how much stuffs has accumulated during the last six winters with Greg & Donna. Unfortunately nothing much sells at South Carolina yard sales.
The ride into Irmo this morning was frigid - 29 degrees. My legs didn't thaw out until Dick & I had walked for half an hour. The ride back was worlds better since I wore goggles, a kerchief over my nose & cheeks, and my snowmobile pants but shocking to Smooch Smooch who thought an alien from outer space was approaching the door.

9 Feb: Treatment is easy, but $276 for a 30-day supply of Niaspan alone ... not to mention nearly five hundred for the Plavix and Lipitor...nearly gave me a heart attack. I console myself that I've easily saved $150,000 over the last 20 years by not having medical insurance. Individual policies that I've seen generally run $1000 a month for insurance that covers 20% of your bills if you go to a doctor "out of the system", i.e. out of your area.
A tablespoon of salad dressing, oil or butter contains more than 10 grams of fat; a quarter cup of nuts contains more than 20.

8 Feb-Tues: The doctor's office called in the RX for megadoses of Niaspan to reduce LP(a), a cholesterol component reported by special tests done three weeks ago by Berkeley Labs. LP(a) does not show up in normal cholesterol tests, because the test is expensive and only 3.25 percent of Caucasian males have this genetic abnormality that magnifies the effects of bad cholesterol (LDL). The norm for LP(a) is 0-30, mine is 130! Hence my clogged arteries despite my healthy lifestyle. Fortunately it is treatable with high doses of Niaspan. Studies show an LDL below 50, meds (Lipitor, Plavix) and a diet of 10-20 fat grams per day with 80 grams of protein will reverse coronary artery disease in 80 per cent of cases (Heal Your Heart, Dr. K. Lance Gould, UT Chair of Cardiology Weatherhead PET Center in Houston). Dr. Gould is our doctor, a physics student who sequed into medicine without losing his interest in research; he developed the PET scan for use as a coronary diagnostic tool. He will continue to provide our care until we return to Houston next year to take a new PET scan.

7 Feb-Mon: Redbirds and other birdies are enjoying seeds throughout the day on the balcony rail (above).

The geese found their food, too: one of us thought geese should not be fed because they s... all over; while the other one thinks geese are "cute." So the geese are here along with the S....! CRAP, one of us sneaked this in while the other was away. The duckies arrived and finally foraged their way to the food despite being attacked and outnumbered by the geese.
Later two male Mallards fought furiously, slapping each other viciously with their wings; the geese circled them with interest but stayed out of the fray.

Walked in Dick's subdivision this AM while Smooch Smooch built a fire in the fireplace, fed the wildlife and stayed cozy. The weather warmed beautifully this afternoon - just enough to bask without a shirt in the sun on the balcony. Feeling tired... tried to nap but thoughts of the motorcycle being tied down for three months ended all thoughts of sleep; lumbered out of bed and unloaded the tied-down bike from its home in the trailer. It did not start until it was pushed up a hill about a quarter mile on the road and finally the motor started. Zooma! Zooma! The drive to Chapin to warm it up was wonderful! Dinner at Ruby Tuesday's salad bar and creole prepared Tilapia sans oil and butter was equally delightful.

Ducky fight and view of the house from the lake below:












3 Feb - Wed: The sun is shining on the waters of Lake Murray: isn't it Sudoku time?

This morning brought the tormenters together! Dick R. were I joined by new friend Steve keeping the baiting and barbs flying while taking morning exercise in Dick's subdivision; Smooch Smooch walked for two hours on the lake road until she was picked up by an old hippie with a beard: we found a salad/soup restaurant called the Old School; but we cannot eat chili.

2 Feb - Tues: The lake house is on the Chapin side... waaay out at the end of the peninsula and FAAARRR from food. We drove twenty miles to Lizard's Thicket to receive a joyful hug from Susan (the waitress) and spent the day shopping for stuffs we need for two months. Smooch Smooch bought far too many groceries for non-cooking types like us'ns. At breakfast, a gazillion points were won for surprising her with a VERY romantic valentine card.

1 Feb - Mon: We arrived at Lake Murray late after meeting Donna, Greg, Liz and Clark at Ruby Tuesday's for dinner. BRRRRR. 39 degrees COLD. But it is NOT too cold to buy roses for the Smooch Smooch.

For Jane E... in Santa Fe: We love you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! When we told Jane E (long-time special friend) we are engaged to be married - she quickly replied, "Would you accept a week in Tuscany, Italy for a wedding gift... ?" To which we IMMEDIATELY cried, "YES!!!!!!!!" But we have to take the trip before next September - it has a year limit. So thanks to you Jane E! We are delighted to have the opportunity to honeymoon ahead of the wedding and to hike Italy! Our departure Boston to Rome is 28 April - returning 19 May. Taking advantage of being in Italy we plan to drive to Portofino along the Mediterranean coast with hiking along the way. If we have time we will cross the Pyrenees south to Barcelona. There are LOTS of wonderful little Italian villages to explore not damaged by the II WW. Jane E is indeed a delightful, thoughtful, creative and unique woman! And we are so grateful. xoxo

January Continued

30 Jan - Sat: We awoke early to sounds of loud crashing thunder and cracks of lightning. The one who slept undisturbed asked why it was not shared by boths of usn's??? One of us is a silly goose! the hard, driving rain found its way under the door onto the carpet. About seven AM, chilly and sprinkling intermittently - the picture shows a view from the room. This is a good day for Sudokus and a drive to St. Joseph's State Park.
Guess what? They charged an entrance fee - and the services are shut down until March. We chose not to enter!

On the route to and fro we saw: BLIGHT! BLIGHT! BLIGHT! Neighborhood Flight! For Sale signs abound announcing most of Florida's Forgotten Coast is for sale.

Tomorrow early AM we leave for Tallahassee for lunch with cousin Anne before the ten hour drive to South Carolina. If you come to Mexico Beach, FL look for the El Governor Motel - and ask for the fourth floor - north end room: 427 has large picture windows north and west. Tried again to phone you Ed.... but cannot get through: Hi Ed!

View from Lanai 29 Jan (early this morning) - Port St. Joe, FL. Mighty nice! The drive to Panama City, FL and St. Andrews State Park ... was most pleasant until the arrival at St. Andys to discover a fee of eight dollars that was not much more than a drive through dunes; a dour faced ranger who looked like he never had a fun day in his life shrugged his shoulders and reported that the shuttle was closed - and no one knew when it would open in March -- so, too with the visitor's center. We did not encounter any wildlife except for a couple of two-legged ones and a four wheeled vehicle looking not wild in the least. No alligators despite advertising an alligator lake complete with signs not to feed them. Some folks were flying kites beyond the sand dunes. And we did see deer prints in the sand. Not having eaten during the day we counted the miles until we were back at Mexico Beach, Fl that evening to dine at the highly recommended Toucan's Restaurant. Upon learning the dietary restrictions, the waitress shot back, "You should be in the hospital, " followed by the grim news the chef made no special cooking concessions. We left for the FishHouse to enjoy a delicious grouper and pleasant service.

Ron with Civil War cannon at the Grand Hotel, Point Clear, AL above -

Sunset at Point Clear; thanks to Robin for taking our photo.

Lunch with cousin Pat and daughter Brona. Thanks, Pat, for info re: Cleveland Clinic as #1 rated heart hospital... it checked out.

Congratulations Walt!!!! (Chief anesthesiologist at that clinic).
It is not too challenging to follow the very restricted dietary plan for reversal of coronary artery disease (with meds to prevent heart attack) prescribed by cardiologist who specializes in reversal of this disease. We are waiting for lab results to see what the genetics and rare kind of cholesterol (little a) may be lurking. Walt agrees with Ron's assessment about surgery and possible corollary blood flow into the heart. For now this is the plan.

Walt: See... Ron has NOT changed... even the socks!


Catch up photos from Jan: Lake house in Texas on left...

29 Jan - Fri: Port of St. Joe's, FL - awesome even! We booked two more nights with plans to return for an extended stay. The El Governor Hotel is a find: $65.00 a night - right on the beach with lanai overlooking white sand beach. We left the door open last night to soothing sounds of surf - wonderful breezes kept the room the right temp. Sharon's restaurant fed us mighty good white egg omelets. We recognized the place was owned by girlies because it is decorated to the gills with valentines. Smooch Smooch likes this place....!

28 Jan- Thurs: Costco in Tally. Prescription filled for three months - and diet cherry coke, too. We left the trailer at the Hampton Inn and drove on to Hwy 319 towards the quaint town of Carabelle (sp?) with a stop at Happy's BBQ for lunch. Amazing! They cooked BBQ Chicken without the BBQ sauce or skin - YUM. The Moorings hotel/lodging looked good on the website; the rooms are very spacious and new but the view is not what it could..a been. Off we drove again on Hwy 98 to St. George's Island across the spectacular bridge late afternoon to go sightseeing along the coast and inland waterway before heading on to Port St. Joe where we found the perfect lodging. It is an old hotel located right on the beach; the efficiency apartment room has a large balcony where we enjoyed a glorious sunset. Ron took a 45 minute walk along the beach after dark.

27 Jan - Wed: With reluctance we are leaving Point Clear and this pleasant hotel. After yet another delicious breakfast, hiking, the fitness center and a great lunch we traveled I-10 east because we are towing the motorcycle trailer. About 8:30 PM we arrived in Tallahassee, FL after Costco's RX closed! But we were not too late for dinner at our favorite restaurant chain: Ruby Tuesday's.

26 Jan-Tues: We are still here in Point Clear because the water is so pleasant; and we enjoy the food and Robin (pron:RRRHHHooben) the waiter from Holland. Each meal is better than the last one. Our room has a pretty awesome direct ocean front view which is not too shabby. At four PM a color guard marches along the beach front to fire the old civil war cannon marking the beginning of high tea. We walked a good ninety minutes before heading to the fitness center for 45 minutes.

25 Jan-Mon: Point Clear, Alabama - the Grand Hotel is a healing place for sick-uns. Smooch Smooch spent the day sleeping while Ron walked, hiked and enjoyed the fitness center.

24 Jan - Sun: We had a pleasant day despite Ron's newly gifted sniffles.
Cynthia is getting weller proven by a growing addiction to Sudokus: she zipped through 12 yesterday and ten today; this means she is fast approaching the moderate level. Will she reach the genius level she gave Ron for Christmas before the end of the month?

Driving I-10 east towards Alabama provided lots of time to phone friends to discuss our surprising news about the heart blockage. The quick history: two weeks past it seemed like a good idea to see what the cardiologist had to say after a year of following a stringent diet to reverse coronary artery disease so that Cynthia would not feel so restricted in the food she orders. Instead of improvement we learned the coronary artery disease is severe with a nearly complete blockage on the left anterior descending artery; he suggested there may be a trickle of blood flowing into the heart and/or corollary blood vessel development. The doctor had begun arrangements for an arteriogram hat afternoon with a probable stent or by-pass procedure if called for. Ron opted not to have this done because of a family history of problems related to intervention like stroking and clotting. Therefore the decision was put off and the most stringent reversal diet plus meds and exercise will be undertaken. The meds are Lipitor to lower the LDL (which is already well below guidelines lower limit) and Plavix to help prevent thrombosis (heart attack). All of the blood pressure, heart rate and lipid profile tests are excellent - and no angina or chest pain. It is undoubtedly genetic: Younger brother Dale died at age 48 and dad died at age 62, mother at age 70 of complications from heart attacks. Sister-in-law Carolyn said Dale did have chest pain following over-exertion the month prior to his heart attack. There were unheeded waring signs which is good to know while the diet and exercise restrictions will be followed exactly. 10 to 20 fat grams per day - 80 grams of protein and low carb: fish, chicken, turkey and lots of fruits and vegetables in addition to 45 minutes of exercise not allowing the heart rate to exceed 100. Now it is really a challenge to get this athlete's heart rate up to 100; taking a pulse has to be done immediately or it drops to 60 or below.

We stopped at Point Clear, AL (on the south east side of Mobile Bay) at the Grand Hotel (Marriott) for two days. The food is delicious! The chef was most amenable and so was Robin (from Holland) who waited on us. Despite the chill and Ron's new cold/flu we walked for forty minutes along the bay past antebellum mansions that Cynthia found awesome even. The starry sky is a sight to behold.

23 Jan - Sat: Pat B happened to be visiting her daughter in Lake Charles today and joined us for a fun lunch at Pat's of Henderson. A good time was had by all. We drove to Lafayette where we found such a reasonable rate at the Hampton Inn we decided to lodge for the night. Walking around town was short and sweet because the sidewalks rolled up literally (stopped). Smooch Smooch is feeling better but Ron has a scratchy throat. Lots of tme was spent on the phone with Rambo cousins planning the Fourth of July Family Reunion in Keosauqua, Iowa - as well as asking opinions regarding heart procedures.

22 Jan -Fri: The two's of us left the lake house in Texas late this morning arriving at Lake Charles, LA by late afternnon. Smooch Smooch has the flu or a bad cold so we are not in a rush. Wd found a room on the ninth floor of the Isle of Capri Casino with a view of Lake Charles. Casinos are not great places to stay although the food was good last night.

21 Jan - Thurs: We delayed our departure to complete asset allocations and financial stuffs as well as having more time to enjoy the lake house hoping that Smooch Smooch will get better faster. She has a nasty cold.

19 Jan - Tues: Mark the date! The final volume of the Rambo series went to AuthorHOUSE for printing today marking two decades of research and writing.

New Year-New Decade

HAPPY NEW YEAR
2010

4 Jan, Monday. We are still on the Big Island for another few hours. Many thanks to Cynthia for dedicated note taking for the blog. Thanks to all my friends & family, especially all of you who read this. Thank God for Cynthia; thank God for whatever still works on this aging body of mine. Lots of plans for next year, but just now, looking back, Cynthia and I have eaten at many fine restaurants since we started traveling together. Many waiters & waitresses have been memorable; my apologies for neglecting to recognize them while I worked obsessively on the Rambo book volumes. Three of five books are in print, and I am now finding the time for correspondence. Dale deserves first mention; he is the very personable omelet chef at the Hyatt on Waikiki who can carry on a convoluted conversation while keeping innumerable orders in his head and putting on an incredible performance of cooking and flipping six omelets at once. Charlene is our favorite waitress there, the seating hosts are very friendly, and we've never had a bad experience there. (Be forewarned that their all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is wonderfully good but correspondingly expensive.) Recent servers in Hawaii whose names I've learned are Chris at Bongo Ben's in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and Herbert at the Kona Inn, also in Kailua-Kona.

Now for a list of restaurants w/ dates and memories.

First, amongst the pile of receipts are reminders of these fun occasions:

Cynthia goes ga-ga over fleurs, so we stopped at the nursery just downhill from the condo on 22 Dec and bought a poinsettia. It seemed like the right thing to do to make her Christmas special because she gifts dozens of her friends with poinsettias for Christmas - never mind that the techie in me said, "but we drive past magnificent stands of poinsettia bushes growing tall & wild every day.!" (Cynthia swooned and loves my "consideration." The wild poinsettas are unbelievable, but we haven't gotten a picture yet.)

Walmart provided the most fun toys. They sell garden clippers for $5.98, a retractable saw for similar price, and best of all, a sickle for $4.18. These provided great fun and exercise whacking away at the vegetation, shrubs, and thorns that overhung the highway shoulder "walkway" between the condo and the Aloha Angel Cafe.

On 23 Nov 2009 we met Jane to look at the condo advertised in the West Hawaiian News. The sunset view from the balcony swept Cynthia off her feet, so we signed the agreement to spend the month of December there. Jane recommended the Aloha Angel Cafe for breakfasts, but indicated that the best dinner was probably at the Kona Inn Restaurant. It was indeed very good, and Herbert, our waiter, does an outstanding job. Their dining room looks out over a lawn to the ocean, and they floodlight the surf at night; it is marvelous. We went back on Dec 6th & 7th and 11th. Herbert recommended Bongo Ben's as the best breakfast if you enjoy seeing the locals.

We tried Bongo Ben's in Kailua-Kona, and we liked it. We showed up again the next day, and Chris, our waiter, remembered most of our specialty order ... and he gave Cynthia an affectionate air-kiss. We also ate there Nov 25 & 27, Dec 4, 6, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 28, and once already in 2010. The two big draws, besides Chris and the food, are the views of the ocean breakers across the street and the pleasant post-breakfast walks oceanside. The breakers can be marvelous. 29 Dec 2009. Chris is back! (He had been "on vacation.")

We have two other favorites for breakfast: the Aloha Angel in Kealakekua, within walking distance of the condo. The walk alongside the roadway is a bit noxious, but we lack discipline and need the exercise. We enjoy all the waitstaff there, and even the cook (the owner) knows our order now. (They don't take American Express, so the dates will come later.) They are open 7 days a week, but only for breakfast & lunch.

The other favorite is the Coffee Shack in Captain Cook. (Yes, there is a town by that name.) It is a longer drive, but the food is excellent, and one dining room overlooks an outstanding wide shoreline view. This turned out to be our favorite breakfast meal because the omelets were always least greasy/oily & the coffee was slightly better too. We thoroughly enjoyed our usual waitress, but her name is lost to posterity. We've eaten there 8 Dec 2009 et al. (They don't take American Express, so the dates will come later.)

Jackie Reys Ohana Grill in Kailua-Kona has become Cynthia's favorite. She really likes their Greek (?) salad. We've eaten there 8, 9, 15, 20, 27, 29 & 31 Dec 2009. One waitress in particular is always happy & sociable, but we don't know her name.

Keei serves great food and would be within walking distance except that neither of us wants to walk alongside that busy highway at night (highway 11). They don't accept ANY credit cards and are closed Sundays. Cynthia really likes the Honaunau green salad. 12 Dec 2009

Thanks to George's suggestion, we finally ate at Island Naturals Mauka just past the Aloha Angel in Kealakekua. Their salad suits us perfectly and has proven fresh and tasty. We've eaten there several times since 28 Dec. (George is a helicopter mechanic.)

The VERY BEST ocean views are at the Kamuela Provision Company in Hilton's Waikoloa Village. Cynthia likes it so well that we spent a special New Year's eve at Waikoloa just so that we could enjoy the food & the view. The breakers are awesome. We ate there 25 Nov w/ John & the girls, 31 Dec 2009 & 1 Jan 2010.

We treated ourselves to one other "night-out" while here - at the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano. (Yes, indeed, that is the name of the town.) We had enjoyed lunch here on our "circle island" tour, but Christmas eve dinner and Christmas breakfasts were both big disappointments. The Lodge was a quaint & interesting place to stay, so we don't regret our decision. The Volcano House inside the National Park was a similar disappointment. My advice is to pack a picnic basket if you stay that far south.

Probably the best food & service on the island is at Merriman's Market Cafe in Kamuela (I thought this was in Weimea) - also most expensive. We ate there 24 Nov and 13 Dec 2009 at dark when we tried to leave at 11am and circumfrenciate the island by roadway. It was an awesome day.

Costco was the big surprise. THE ABSOLUTE most wonderful find was a 6 lb bag of pretzels with low fat & low sugar for 6.69, Edamame snack peas for 6.29, and 3lbs of blueberries for $6.59. CostCo gasoline is .50 cheaper than the next closest competitor nearby. Even Hilo prices were higher than Costco.

Kona Natural Foods next to Safeway & Walmart has the right stuff at the right prices for us. Their bulk rolled oats and walnuts were substantially less than anywhere else on the island.

Strange that the French and sourdough breads baked in the Safeway store are least fat, least sugar of any.

Target prices seemed good until we became Costco members. We scored Christmas lights and artificial tree (with kalidescopic fiberoptic lights).

When we first arrived here on the Big Island, we stayed in our time-share near the Hilton Waikoloa. It was a rude awakening to find that there are NO ocean views in the entire time-share location. It felt like a bait-and-switch since we had so enjoyed the views while staying at the Waikoloa when we bought the time-share. Oh well. The best breakfast on the island is still at the Waikoloa, but it is also the most expensive. The omelet chef is also personable and enjoyable. The hostesses remembered us (after a moment), and it was a treat to see little Sally again. We ate there about four times including the Thanksgiving feast.

The other fantastic place to dine and watch sunset is at the Fairmont Orchid in Kamuela, just north of the Hilton Waikoloa. The food is great as is the ambiance.

This takes us back to Waikiki. Our very favorite breakfast is at the Hyatt Regency Terrace Grill. We ate there 18 Nov and 2 Dec and probably several other times. Our favorite lunch/dinner was at Duke's Canoe Club because they have great ocean view, good all-you-can-eat salad bar, and the distance was just right for our walk. We ate there 17 & 18 Nov. We ate at Ruth's Chris Steak House once on 20 Nov - good food as always.

Then there are a few places we want to avoid:
The IHOP in Waikiki was OK once, but not good afterward.
Don Ho in the Aloha tower Market Place in Honolulu was abysmal.

The Doubletree Alana in Waikiki wins the honors for most outrageous charge: $36.75 for a six-pack of Diet Coke. Cynthia had taken advantage of the hotel's offer to stock items in the room in advance, but when we arrived in the room, the six-pack was not in the 'frig, so Cynthia called the desk. Room service brought the six-pack and a bill for $36.75. After several more hassles, the hotel finally retrieved the six pack & refunded the amount.

As always, I enjoy writing - too bad I run on and on and on. Love from Ron Beatty

December: Mele Kalikimaka

31 Dec. Thurs - Aloha (good-bye) and Mahalo (thank you) 2009! Many new friendships were birthed and rewarding visits renewed old ones. We give thanks for the beauty of creation and the good health to enjoy it. Aloha 2010!!
ITS THE VIEW!!! ITS THE VIEW!!!!!



Yes, Ron, Hawaiian history is full of surprises!

















Ron Beatty 2009 - Gold Medalist, Hulaman Triathalon














Hawiian gods: Grr, Grrr and GRRRRR!



















Gargoyles Come in All Sizes!













Can't someone please pick those coffee beans for a quick injection?

Kaileau Volcano Steam

Hiking Kaileau Volcano Crater Christmas Eve Day

The International Fireplace: Kaileua Restaurant and Lodge

Mele Kalikimaka

29 Dec. Tues - The contract for deed was signed, faxed and escrow completed late in the day. We accomplished a lot today: lots of Sudokus! Ron loves his Christmas gift from Santa: a book of the most challenging Sudokus. Little Carol Ann gave him a Borders Books Store gift certificate.

28 Dec. Mon - We met George, owner of the Kula Kai property at the Kona airport following his flight from Maui; he is a super nice fellow. After breakfast and lots of visiting we drove to the property having lots of time for discussion. On the way home we shook hands and agreed on a price for the land. How fun is this! We are proud owners of a little piece of the Big Island on the south west tip. It is in a pretty unpopulated area - but it is a nice subdivision with good paved streets.

27 Dec. Sun - We drove to Kula Kai to investigate a three acre lot near Oceanview. It does indeed have a nice view of the sea - and it is up high enough that the Tsunamis would not be problematic. The owner is a helicopter mechanic living in Maui.

25 Dec. Fri - Merry ChristmasThe promised breakfast feast was a major disappointment to two HUNGRY Smooches. Little on the breakfast menu was on our diet and la chef was too busy to do special treatment, albeit she did scramble egg whites ... but no veggies, sour dough bread or rice. YUK! Post eating (or not eating) we found it fascinating to study the International fireplace created in 1938 by the YMCA; it was fabricated with rocks, coins and artifacts from such unlikely places as the floor of the Sea of Galilee, the Acropolis, coins from the Roman empire, etc. The letters that accompanied the artifacts were copied and bound for reading pleasure in front of the glowing embers. Moving on - we hiked the undeveloped part of the Thurston lava tube; it was so dark when we turned off the flashlight we could not see the shadow of our hands. Smooch Smooch spooked and wanted to return about 3.4 of the way into that tube. We drove down Crater Chain Road to the sea before leaving Volcano National Park to the end of HWY 130 to see molten lava flow pouring out into the ocean sending billowing towers of steam into the air. Walking on the lava path required dexterity - but we were smart enough to leave before total darkness. Good job!

24 Dec. Thurs: The Smooch Smooches packed up for a two day Christmas adventure: hiking the volcano crater today and tomorrow. This is a link to Kaileau crater: http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/volcano/lavaflow.html. Let's hope there are no eruptions. The hike to through the Kaileua crater was fascinating - about four miles RT. We made it back in time for dinner at the Kaileua Restaurant which is beautifully decorated for Christmas. After dinner we attended an inspirational Candlelight Christmas Eve Service of Carols and Scripture in the chapel of the Kaleaua military base.

20 Dec- Sun: This morning it poured, and it brought welcome relief from the smell of smoke. Lets hope it also extinguished the forest fire above us that has been burning for three days now. The rain built from drizzle at Bongo Ben's during breakfast into a blinding downpour while driving to the condo and maxed out with terrific thunder claps once we were safely inside. Wowie, zowie, ain't Mother Nature grand? Smooch Smooch is chilly and huddles under a blanket. Weather on the web showed an intense downpour over the volcano tapering to showers where we are south of Kailua-Kona and it snowed on Mauna Loa. Let's hope Pele is not angered. By mid-afternoon it cleared, the winds died, and a Vog-less sunset promises to be spectacular. Our stay here on the "Big Island" has been marvellously educational - we don't want to live here. Next time we will look for a rental near Waimea, near the town of Volcano (yes, really), or north of Hilo along the seashore. We like Kauai but it rains too much for the outdoors activities we enjoy. Oahu is too congested. We haven't tried Maui, but it is reputedly the most expensive.

We have again had a productive afternoon. Cynthia has a couple of e-mails ready to send to 675 of our closest genealogy cousins. Ron has uploaded another dozen pages to fix broken links on his web sites.

19 Dec - Sat: We heard an amusing story from the clerk in Barnes and Noble about vacation.
She told her kids they were going on vacation.
The little ones excitedly exclaimed, "Where??"
"Hawaii!" she responded.
With fallen faces the children chorused, "But we LIVE in Hawaii!"
"Well," she said, "We are going to see Hawaii like the tourists."
They stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, and the children enjoyed a marvelous vacation including boats, waterslides, and dolphins.

Hawaiian history is fascinating; King Kamehamaha, upon meeting the first missionaries, said he could accept their religion. He had never done anything he thought was wrong. He had sacrificed tens of thousands of people. He had invited his arch-rival to a temple dedication with the intention of sacrificing him. Our previous visit to Bishop Museum on Oahu had revealed a surprisingly advanced socio-economic culture.

18 Dec- Fri: About three-thirty this morning acrid smoke from a forest fire in the mountains above us disturbed our sleep. At first we wondered if the heavy smoke was from the Mauna Kea volcano which spews a plume of sulphuric gases all the time. The trade winds blow those gases around Mauna Loa and then north. Vog is what the natives call this volcanic haze. To escape the smoke we drove into Kailua for breakfast and saw a large mountain goat on a bluff overlooking the road, but we were disappointed to learn that our favorite waiter lost his job at Bongo Ben's. We took one of the roads less traveled north from Kailua-Kona to Waimea (Hwy 190). We had lunch at 4 minutes to 4! Our Hawaii Revealed guide book gives rave review of Daniel Thiebaut's restaurant, but our experience contradicts theirs. The strawberry salad was nice, but the portions were miniscule, and the service was definitely inferior.

The day was lovely, pleasant and relaxing. We continued further north on another less traveled road ( Highway 250) to the shore. This was a pleasantly deserted but narrow pathway that snaked uphill and provided interesting new landscapes. Soft & intermittent rain enhanced the peaceful day. Promised views of Maui from Hawi Town were hidden by overcast skies and fog. Continuing on highway 250 south along the much drier west coast was a treat with the sun dropping through clear skies towards the ocean. We passed the Blue Dragon restaurant at ?? town, but we were just too full and sleepy to think about dinner at this recommended place. The brilliant red sun flirted with the clouds finally bursting through like the drama queen that she is. Oh boy did we shop earlier today: oh my, oh my! Christmas lights and a white miniature tree with fiberoptic twigs that change colors from Target and hiking poles (on the cheap) and a nifty fanny pack with two water bottles from Walmart. We are proud new members of the Costco family; but will we recoup the $114.00 membership credit card fees? Probably not. We did buy wine, vitamins, protein powder, Christmas cards, and gas from Costco. How fun is this: sipping wine on the lanai, basking in the joy of the season, and enjoying lights all a glow and tree all a twinkle! So ends another perfect day.

17 Dec - Thurs: After hoofing it to Aloha restaurant for breakfast we worked on addresses all day and forgot about dinner. Ron's personal address book contains 350 names so far; there is yet another large box on the mainland with a gazillion more names to enter into the Excel spreadsheet. The Rambo correspondents total 675. The good news for the day: the fourth volume is ready to send to the publisher. The fifth and last volume WILL BE READY before we leave here... mebbe so an mebbe not???

16 Dec - Wed: The hike to Aloha restaurant for breakfast grows increasingly fun since the purchase of a four dollar machete to trim low-hanging branches en route. A car honked this AM but we don't know if the driver was trying to pick up Ron or perturbed that he was trimming the branches. Oh well. Our fun realtor, Cheryl, picked us up at one PM to view condos for sale. There are lots of short sales and foreclosures. Hawaii would be a good place to invest since we enjoy our time here so much.

15 Dec -Tues: With lots of shopping to do we drove into Kailua for breakfast at Bongo Ben's; the day was gorgeous; we walked for three hours before shopping until dinner at Jackie Rey's.

14 Dec - Mon: The Coffee Shack is a great alternative site for breakfast at lunch time. For two hours we walked through the artifacts at the Refuge Museum and along the beach followed by dinner at Keei's.

13 Dec - Sun: The great adventure of the day was circle driving the island with stops at the black sand beach and a late lunch at the Volcano Lodge and Restaurant. It is reputedly the best restaurant on the island. That being the case, we made reservations to spend Christmas Eve. We can hike the volcano crater floor on the 24th and the 25th - have dinner on Christmas Eve early and make the candlelight Christmas Eve outdoor service at the military base. They have a special Christmas morning brunch, too.

12 Dec - Sat: Work, Work, Work, hardly working!

9 Dec - Wed: A delightful realtor named Cheryl showed us local property for sale.

8 Dec - Tues: The internet is up and running and editing continues! We enjoyed a great dinner at Keei's about two miles south of our condo.

7 Dec - Mon: we worked in the AM, breakfasted at the Coffee Shack and hiked the Sacred Refuge Wilderness for three hours making the mistake of not carrying water. The hike was listed as two miles; that is a pizza cake in an hour but the boundaries are not marked and our hike took us far beyond the line causing dehydration. Hungry and thirsty we ordered two glasses of wine, drank four glasses of water AND and a diet coke at the Coffee Shack. Herbert joined us for dinner at HIS favorite restaurant, Jackie Rey's, where we had an educational evening learning about raising coffee. His coffee farm markets world wide. Didja know 100% Kona Coffee sells for $55.00 a pound? Ouch!

5 Dec - Sat: We did sleep and sleep and sleep late. It was off to Bongo Ben's for breakfast followed by a hike along the shore line for a couple of hours. Dinner was at the Kona Inn providing table side awesome views of a magnificent sunset. Our favorite waiter is Herbert who says he owns a coffee farm and only works for fun. After dinner we strolled along the beach wall watching the breakers hit the rocks.

4 Dec - Fri: The condo was hot late afternoon; the high elevation and evening breezes bring refreshing cooler temperatures. The view is awesome when there is not a haze. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Kona Inn.

3 Dec. Thurs - Dale is weller than well and back at the omelet station. He had a virus. Whew! It wasn't a frustrated wife! Mahalo Jon, Dale, Paul G. and Aloha to Waikiki. Our 3: 40 PM flight was cancelled but re-secheduled for a later departure at five-thirty; all went well except for a rocky landing. Budget Car rental managed to hang onto our car reservation so we had wheels and enjoyed the friendly agent. After stops at Safeway, Wal-Mart and the Health Food store we were vitaminified, supplified and finally foodified following a happy chance late night restaurant. The GPS was a good purchase at $148.00 in Wal-Mart.

2 Dec. Wed - W e are finally rested after nights of being up too late and too many early morning editing sessions. Paul G. joined us for a tour of the west side of Oahu to to the north beaches. It was fascinating and heart rending to see miles of homeless living on the beaches in tents. The beaches are far superior to Waikiki so I guess if one is going to be homeless this is the place to have that happen. The surf was higher today than yesterday; we watched a little girl about four with a boogie board diving into the surf and rolling in the waves as they catapaulted her back to shore. There were lots of cute big girlies to watch, too. We had dinner at Don Ho's Restaurant in the old Honolulu shipyards now turned into a mall. The food was bad but the view from the second floor was awesome.

1 Dec. Tues - We are catching up from sleep deprivation by sleeping until 8:30 AM; with renewed energy we hiked to the Hyatt. Dale was ill. He said his wife runs the household with an iron fist. Could she have been upset he was late picking her up yesterday??? We missed Dale at the omelet stand but Emily's smile is very appealing, too. After a rough start at the first rental car dealer's (cars were junk) - we did find one across the street and headed east up to the north shore to watch surfers and tour the Temple of the Gods; Smooch Smooch took lots of pictures of the black swans and birds.